My Monday
I ran a mouse tracer this morning around 11. This is 6 hours of Photoshop and Dreamweaver later.
Thanks to Anatoliy Zenkov for the app.
January 25, 2010
December 12, 2009
Merlin Status: 99.9999%….. v2
DYI Merlin
DYI Merlin Gimbal
So I’m almost done with my Merlin Steadicam. I just need to figure out what i want to do for the area that actually holds the camera. The system is pretty simple. I used some washers as counter weights and the handle sits on a gimbal (a universal joint and 2 bearings). The gimbal reduces a majority of hand jitters and the counter weights do a pretty good job at taking care of the rest.
Everything was bought from Home Depot excluding the universal joints, I got those from a hobby shop). The entire project costs just under 60 bucks which isn’t bad considering the Tiffen steadicam costs just under 800 dollars.
As soon as i get the mount working I’ll put up some sample videos! (Also i need to trim the handle cause my gimbal is too long and it flexes.)
UPDATE I tested some footage with it today. My handle needs a complete redesign. It is clipping at some spot and causing the entire camera to pan. I shot for about a minute and my arm is really tired…. I knew i should have went PVC…..
UPDATE Reduced the amount i needed for counter-weights by extending the lower arm out another 6″. This made it a lot more stable with a lot less weight.
December 7, 2009
New Site Launch
What kind of Interactive Designer would I be if i ignored all the criticism of my previous site?
I got mixed reviews. Some people said it was awesome and different. Others said it was too complicated to navigate and tedious. So, in the interest in learning and redesigning, I redesigned the entire thing and made it simpler. You can still reach the old site here. However, this one will be the new face of Chau Nguyens.com until i get bored and make an even flashier flash site.
This new site utilizes fitt’s and hick’s law to the maximum. I minimized all the choices and maximized their collective screen real estate.
November 27, 2009
New Camera!!
So I traded my dad my Sony A100 + a Sony 15mm-75mm f3.5 + my Minolta 75mm-220mm f4 lens for a new Canon EOS T1i with a 18mm – 55mm f4.5 kit.
I’m super duper excited on this new camera mainly for fact that it can shoot 720p video at 30fps while still allowing for a manual focus. I have a feeling I’ll be using that feature alot more than actually taking pictures. Although the 15 megapixel full frame sensor won’t be a hindrance if I do decide to take pictures.
Now I just need to get a telephoto lens and I’ll be back on track taking action sports pictures. I’m thinking like a 200mm f2.8 L-Series if I can find one for relatively cheap.
Expect to see pictures soon. (I’m charging the battery now.)
November 6, 2009
Business Cards!
Ordered some Business Cards
So I decided to make some business cards since all of mine are more or less dated (I got a bunch when i was working at MZI Global but they have my MZI extension and email address on them). It was strongly influenced by the fact that they were on sale at Office Depot. I designed them informally and whimsically so that they would express my creativity. Also i wanted to use them in a social atmosphere.
But anyways, i got 1000 double sided full color raise print cards for 23 dollars including shipping. Lets just see how cool they are when they get here.
Also, expect lots and lots of free business lunches.
November 3, 2009
Long awaited Update. More Photographing
NJ in October 2
NJ in October 3
NJ in October 4
Sequence September 2
I’ve been doing some photo editing themes for each month to keep active. These were uploaded the Skim Online forums. However, now that there’s no snow or waves i don’t know what to do for November. We’ll see i guess.
Technically, these were done all in Photoshop. October #2 using basic levels and saturation tweaks. October #3 – 4, I started using Bodek tweaks and individual channel grading. Sequence #2 is done like sequence #1.
October 5, 2009
Out Photographing Again
To keep busy I’ve just been out photographing and skimming. Today i decided to mix it up a bit and bring my wide angle lens. (and neglected to bring my telephoto just in case it didn’t work).
Thankfully Sequence September is over because those took a while to make. Welcome Wallpaper October. Hopefully we can get some waves that will do Wallpaper October Justice.
Click on the Image for the 1680 version.
September 21, 2009
What do you do with nothing to do?
So while i wait to hear back from some companies (i hope some of you are reading this), I’ve been doing more action sports Photography. Well…. actually I’ve just been out photographing my friend’s skimboarding.
So lately, I’ve tried to combine something you see alot in snowboarding or skateboarding into skim photography. The Sequence shot! Now i know you know it doesn’t really work but I tried my best and here’s a few tips on what i did.
First, try and preserve the wave as best as possible. I know the focal wave will be in like 5 shots but try and keep atleast the action area of it. This makes the rider look like he’s sort of riding on a small rouge break or something.
Next. Use background references. The water is going to change (although not alot since the sequence takes the place of about 5 seconds) so you will need to have a static reference point when stitching together photos. I used a combination of the beach and the wall in the background.
Think in 2 parts. The hard part about these sequences is that there’s one entry sequence and another after the connection. So the best thing to do is worry about the entry as one sequence and the finish as another. That way the image will look as clean as possible.
Lastly, Blending Layers are your friend use alot of them to cover the seams. Water is a giant texture and it’s small enough to be seamless.
Click on it for Larger Version.
Sequence September 1
Thanks to rider: Will aka Beast.
September 3, 2009
Is there anything this thing can’t do?
So I setup the wordpress app on my iPhone. Will I ever use it to update my portfolio? Probably not. Is it really cool?definitly.
This picture has little to do with this post I was just playing around:
September 1, 2009
Cause’s it’s Fourmation!
(Video by Jared Weinstock)
So while my Portfolio pages are being created. I want to leave you guys with my latest project. Fourmation was my senior project at “Drexel University”. The project was completed in 20 weeks by 5+1 members(we got a 6th member 10 weeks into the project). I played a predominant roll in coding the multiplayer aspect of the game using smartfox servers and AS3, but i’ll go into details on the Portfolio page.
The bigger, more important, object of this post is that Fourmation has been chosen as a finalist in the Adobe Design Acheivement Awards. We’re one of 3 teams out of a total of 3,000 teams world wide. I’ll let you know if we win.