Joseph Rosario

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Month: August, 2011

Thirteen for My Dad’s Sixty-Second.

http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=104087

Friday Update from Chuck 8/26

It was an amazing run.

August 24, 2011 

Letter from Steve Jobs

To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.

As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role. 

I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.

Steve 

 

(via)

Friday Update from Chuck 8/19

Complete Photography by National Geographic

I recieved an invitational copy of National Geographic’s Complete Photography. I’ve only had a few moments to skim through it, but it looks to be very thorough covering virtually every topic of photography. If you’re a beginner looking to expand your knowledge or just an enthusiast of the art, I highly recommend this book.

A comprehensive illustrated reference about photography and the camera, this book combines how-to advice, knowledgeable commentary, and useful tips on how to take and look at photographs. Not just a how-to book, it is a how-does-it-work book, focusing on cameras, photographs, and photographers. Throughout, voices and photographs from the greatest of National Geographic photographers add authority to these pages. Chapters build from camera basics—like how a digital camera works, what different lenses do, and the definition of exposure—to advanced and specific techniques—such as taking the best family candids, underwater photography, or techniques for capturing fireworks on film. Every chapter includes a feature called “My Perspective,” highlighting a National Geographic photographer and his or her work with a personal note on photography. Every chapter ends with a feature called “What Makes This Photograph Great?”—twelve different iconic National Geographic photographs are analyzed thoroughly for their subject matter, composition, lighting and exposure—by James P. Blair, longtime National Geographic photographer. A fascinating illustrated timeline of photography places milestone moments in the developing technology and art of photography into historic context. With something for everyone, novice and experienced amateur alike, designed in such a way that a reader can dip in and out of page after page, this complete reference will become a family favorite, to which young and old will refer over and over for years to come.

It goes on sale Sept 20th at Amazon for $25. If you’re looking for the deluxe version (as shown in the pictures), you can purchase it at ngbooks.org for $50.

Turtle Wax Headlight Lens Restore

This evening I saw a commercial for the Fast Brite Lens Restore Kit, claiming to restore hazy car headlamps to “like-new” condition. Hazy headlamps have been an issue with every car I’ve owned for years, so I decided to take a look at the legitmacy of these types of products. Not surprisingly the TV advertised Fast Brite product had very little public support online, however similar products from well known auto care brands were a different story. I picked up Turtle Wax’s Headlight Lens Restore kit for just under $10 at my local Walmart.

The kit includes:

  1. Lens Clarifying Compound
  2. Spray Lubricant
  3. 3 Double-sided Sand Paper Pads
  4. Lens Sealing Wipe
  5. Disposable Plastic Applicator Glove

The process involves removal of the yellowed UV-damaged acrylic layers with the compound. Wet sanding the rough patches with the pads and lubricant. And lastly sealing the headlamp with a UV protection coat via wipe and applicator glove. The whole process took about 20-25 minutes for both headlamps. Here’s the before, in-process, and afters:

Before – The area around each headlamp is sealed off with painters tape to protect paint from accidental sanding

In-process – Sanding off rough patches

2011-08-15_21-11-00

After – The left headlamp yielded better results than the right (which had more damage), but both had noticable improvement

Overall I’m happy with the product. It’s not exactly the “brand new look” that one would hope, but for a mere $10, it’ll help increase headlamp luminosity and general appearance.

Friday Update from Chuck 8/12

First Test Shots with My M8

http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=104087

New Camera Kit

2011-08-12_23-34-14

Body: Leica M8 / Lens: Summilux 35mm f/1.4 ASPH

My lens is from the original ASPH line, dating back to ’94. Unfortunately the “new & improved” 35mm f/1.4 w/ floating element is harder to get than an iPhone/iPad on launch day, so I will be waitlisting myself at Keeble & Shuchat in Palo Alto. In the meantime I will just try to cope with the focus shift issue that plagues my lux.

Friday Update from Chuck 8/5