I sold my baby Peugeot 206 CC today !!! Although I had only owned the car for just over 4 months, it was great fun to drive with the top down during the Dubai "winter" and "spring", but the temperatures are up into the low 40°Cs already .... I am now looking for a good 4x4 to replace it, so that I can head off into the huge sand pit around here and capture some unique photographs !!!
Monday, 30 April 2012
Sunday, 29 April 2012
Yet another car accident ....
For the fifth time in as many months, someone smashed into the rear of the car that I was driving, this time it was in Al Ain !!
I was on a roundabout in the far right (outside) lane heading for the
next exit, when a "Chicken Hut" delivery driver raced across from the
far left (inside) lane to the far right lane, to take the exit that I was just
passing.
It took him another 200 metres before he could finally stop his car.
He
misjudged his speed and my position as he cut across two lanes into the
lane that I was in, and when he hit the rear of my car, spun me around
through 90 degrees.
Saturday, 21 April 2012
Walk Now For Autism, Zabeel Park, Dubai
I photographed the "Walk For Autism" event this afternoon at Zabeel Park, Dubai ....
Thursday, 19 April 2012
Hasselblad Demo !!
I went to look at and play with the latest Hasselblad medium format digital cameras today .... I had all my credit cards, cash cards and cheque books with me, but it still wasn't enough to allow me to come home with one of those beauties :-( .... the entry level Hasselblad was on special offfer for today (with a 20% discount) at "only" Dhs. 62000 (Euro 12920 / GBP 10690 / US $ 16990) with an 80mm prime lens .... I was going to buy two (one as a backup), but they are too big and heavy to carry around everywhere with me :-)
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
New Web Site & Wireless Project
One of the hotels that I photographed (over nine weeks ago) has refused to pay even my booking fee, despite both frequent reminders from me and confirmations from them that the payment was being processed (and stupidly, I trusted them and handed over the high resolution retouched images, which they are now using in their marketing material). The same hotel chain is also refusing to pay my invoice for a Press Conference that I photographed for them - again, I handed over three of these retouched images to the CEO, who needed them immediately for a Press Release, and before payment the could be processed.
As a result of this, I am now building up a new web site which will include the option to purchase many of my images (including on-line via Paypal). All images can be viewed in low resolution and with a watermark, but as soon as I have received payment (in one form or another), I will release the highest resolution files without watermark protection for my client to download. I am sorry for any inconvenience or delay that this will cause for any clients that might be trustworthy, but if you have not done business with me before (or are amongst the bad payers that I have had to suffer in the last few months), I hope that you appreciate that I have to take these measures to protect my valuable time that I am currently wasting chasing after these individuals.
This new web site can be seen by clicking here. As soon as it is fully operational, I will close down my current web site and redirect the URL to this new site.
On a more positive note, I am currently investigating the possibility of controlling my camera via from software installed in my laptop. This is already working the way I wanted (with control signals being sent from the laptop to the camera, and the image being returned from the camera to the laptop), thanks to the CameraRC software .... but with the camera and laptop tethered together via a (2 metre long) USB cable, which is somewhat restrictive and dangerous. The next (and more involved) phase is to replace the USB cable with a USB wireless transmitter and receiver, which will give me an untethered range of 10 metres between the camera and laptop - I just need to construct a 5V power supply for the USB wireless unit at the camera end. The final phase of this project will be to introduce a portable (5V) wireless router, which will both significantly increase the range of the untethered link and send the images simultaneously from the camera to my iPad as well as the laptop !!!
As a result of this, I am now building up a new web site which will include the option to purchase many of my images (including on-line via Paypal). All images can be viewed in low resolution and with a watermark, but as soon as I have received payment (in one form or another), I will release the highest resolution files without watermark protection for my client to download. I am sorry for any inconvenience or delay that this will cause for any clients that might be trustworthy, but if you have not done business with me before (or are amongst the bad payers that I have had to suffer in the last few months), I hope that you appreciate that I have to take these measures to protect my valuable time that I am currently wasting chasing after these individuals.
This new web site can be seen by clicking here. As soon as it is fully operational, I will close down my current web site and redirect the URL to this new site.
On a more positive note, I am currently investigating the possibility of controlling my camera via from software installed in my laptop. This is already working the way I wanted (with control signals being sent from the laptop to the camera, and the image being returned from the camera to the laptop), thanks to the CameraRC software .... but with the camera and laptop tethered together via a (2 metre long) USB cable, which is somewhat restrictive and dangerous. The next (and more involved) phase is to replace the USB cable with a USB wireless transmitter and receiver, which will give me an untethered range of 10 metres between the camera and laptop - I just need to construct a 5V power supply for the USB wireless unit at the camera end. The final phase of this project will be to introduce a portable (5V) wireless router, which will both significantly increase the range of the untethered link and send the images simultaneously from the camera to my iPad as well as the laptop !!!
Friday, 13 April 2012
More Blind Traffic Police / Sleep-driving in Dubai ??
Today is Friday 13th - and I have just received notice of an alleged traffic violation (driving my Chrysler Grand Voyager in the area around the Al Buhallet Tower in Jebel Ali whilst using my mobile phone) at 8:06 am on 21st February 2012. Strangely, I was in bed asleep at that time after a long night of retouching images, and I left home at 10:15 am that day in my Peugeot 206CC to deliver these images to my client (although I am still waiting for payment from the Auris Metro Central Hotel in Tecom, Dubai for this work) .... so either I was driving my Chrysler in my sleep (which would account for why I have no recollection of committing this traffic violation in an area that I have never consciously visited in my life, although equally strangely, I also have no record in my mobile phone log of any calls at that time), or both of the Traffic Enforcement Officers who "witnessed" me driving my car are blind or illiterate, having noted down the wrong number plate.
Either way, I had to pay the Dhs. 210 (US $ 55 / Euro 45 / GBP 35) fine before I could renew the annual registration on the Chrysler due in mid-May :-(
I have formally complained to the Dubai Police HQ in Dubai (and also asked them to check my mobile phone usage log with my service provider, Etisalat), but they insist that this violation is valid !!
Guilty even if you can prove that you are innocent, your honour .... "justice" in Dubai !!!
Either way, I had to pay the Dhs. 210 (US $ 55 / Euro 45 / GBP 35) fine before I could renew the annual registration on the Chrysler due in mid-May :-(
I have formally complained to the Dubai Police HQ in Dubai (and also asked them to check my mobile phone usage log with my service provider, Etisalat), but they insist that this violation is valid !!
Guilty even if you can prove that you are innocent, your honour .... "justice" in Dubai !!!
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Christ Church, Jebel Ali / International Wheelchair Basketball Championships
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5.6 : 1/30" : 90mm : ISO 800: 11.04.2012 13:09:16)
.... and took this shot of a couple as they were getting married today !!!
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 : f2.8 : 1/125" : 200mm : ISO 1600: 11.04.2012 13:16:46)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 : f2.8 : 1/250" : 200mm : ISO 1600: 11.04.2012 13:23:43)
Sunday, 8 April 2012
Moving Window Frames Sideways
Unfortunately, only after the frame of the building opposite our flat was consructed and they started to fit the balcony windows, they noticed that the window frame wasn't centred .... so they had to cut away about 50 cm of brickwork on the left side, and add 50 cm of brickwork onto the right side !!!
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 : f4 : 1/60" : 95mm : ISO 400: 08.04.2012 10:14:19)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 : f5.6 : 1/125" : 200mm : ISO 400: 08.04.2012 10:11:42)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 : f4 : 1/60" : 100mm : ISO 400: 08.04.2012 10:14:59)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 : f4 : 1/60" : 200mm : ISO 400: 08.04.2012 10:14:32)
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Guinea pigs again !!
hhmmmm .... the 5 star hotel appreciated our feedback last week and invited us back for another two complimentary nights in their Executive Suite again .... life is tough sometimes !!
Saturday, 24 March 2012
Yet Another Car Accident :-(
OK, this is becoming extremely repetitive and very annoying, but for the fourth time in only five months, another car has smashed into the back of the car that I was driving !!!
This time I was at the wheel of a one month old Mitsubishi Lancer rental car, driving down the inside (= SLOW) lane of the 10 lane wide trans-Dubai race track (officially known as the Sheikh Zayed Highway). Just before the exit sliproad that we wanted to take, all the cars in front of us braked and stopped, so I did the same. The taxi driver behind us (in the Toyota Camry, whose bonnet is firmly embedded where the boot used to be on the Lancer) also stopped ....
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f3.5 : 1/60" : 24mm : ISO 400: 24.03.2012 18:40:30)
.... but a woman from Jordan in a BMW 318i decided to break with convention (instead of with her right foot) and keep going, regardless of the row of stationary vehicles in front of her. Just after we heard her slamming hard into the rear of the taxi, the Camry was catapulted forwards into the rear of the Lancer.
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f11 : 1/60" : 24mm : ISO 400: 24.03.2012 18:42:21)
A BMW Mini then gently nudged the back end of its bigger brother.
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f8 : 1/60" : 24mm : ISO 400: 24.03.2012 18:45:17)
Luckily no-one was badly injured in this incident, and the only car that was undriveable was the culprit BMW.
Apologies to everyone who was late as a result of the huge traffic jam behind us, but if only people here could learn how to drive at safe speeds and keep safe distances from the vehicles in front of them, I wouldn't have so much of my life wasted with frequent waits for the Police, trips to the other motorists insurance companies, and then to and from the accident repair garages .... oh, and I could have included photographs from the Internations meeting in the spectacular Zabeel Saray hotel on Palm Island that we were heading for here instead !!!
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f3.5 : 1/60" : 24mm : ISO 400: 24.03.2012 18:40:30)
.... but a woman from Jordan in a BMW 318i decided to break with convention (instead of with her right foot) and keep going, regardless of the row of stationary vehicles in front of her. Just after we heard her slamming hard into the rear of the taxi, the Camry was catapulted forwards into the rear of the Lancer.
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f11 : 1/60" : 24mm : ISO 400: 24.03.2012 18:42:21)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f8 : 1/60" : 24mm : ISO 400: 24.03.2012 18:45:17)
Luckily no-one was badly injured in this incident, and the only car that was undriveable was the culprit BMW.
Apologies to everyone who was late as a result of the huge traffic jam behind us, but if only people here could learn how to drive at safe speeds and keep safe distances from the vehicles in front of them, I wouldn't have so much of my life wasted with frequent waits for the Police, trips to the other motorists insurance companies, and then to and from the accident repair garages .... oh, and I could have included photographs from the Internations meeting in the spectacular Zabeel Saray hotel on Palm Island that we were heading for here instead !!!
Friday, 23 March 2012
Guinea pigs in new hotel
After photographing a new 5 star hotel in Dubai, we were invited to spend one night testing all the facilities and food - all complimentary - before the hotel opens to the public. Not good for my diet, I had managed to loose 10 kg in the last 3 months, but probably gained half of that back in less than 24 hours !!
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Internations Event, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai
Another Internations meeting this evening, this time in the Uptown Bar and Terrace on the 24th floor of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai.
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f4 : 1/30" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 21.03.2012 20:48:01)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f4 : 1/15" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 21.03.2012 21:09:16)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f4 : 1/15" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 21.03.2012 21:14:36)
Saturday, 17 March 2012
International Arabian Horse Championship, Dubai
Today was the finale of three days of competitions in the Dubai International Arabian Horse Championships.
The award ceremony was delayed whilst we all waited for the patron of the Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance), to arrive at the Dubai Trade Centre. Also attending was his younger brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai), and here one of his sons is seen waiting with us too.
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5.6 : 1/60" : 120mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 19:47:46)
Is it just me, or do the Papparazzi seem to be getting younger every day ?!?!
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5.6 : 1/60" : 120mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 19:28:04)
See what I mean ?!?
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5.6 : 1/60" : 120mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 19:21:19)
Why did the over-enthusiastic security guard choose exactly the moment that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum arrived to push me backwards ?!?! Gggrrrrr.
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5.6 : 1/60" : 120mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 19:51:59)
Although this beast has two wheels too few, at least it has a lot more than just one horse-power !!!
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5.6 : 1/60" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 19:16:14)
There is an excellent explanation of what the judges were looking for in the champion horse at http://www.diahc.ae/aboutus/thearabianhorse_en_gb.aspx.
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 : f2.8 : 1/250" : 200mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 20:24:04)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 : f2.8 : 1/250" : 200mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 20:24:04)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 : f3.5 : 1/250" : 80mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 20:35:51)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 : f4 : 1/250" : 200mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 20:37:40)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f8 : 1/125" : 38mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 20:56:46)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 : f4.5 : 1/250" : 200mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 20:19:44)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 : f4 : 1/250" : 125mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 20:45:26)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5.6 : 1/60" : 120mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 19:47:46)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5.6 : 1/60" : 120mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 19:28:04)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5.6 : 1/60" : 120mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 19:21:19)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5.6 : 1/60" : 120mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 19:51:59)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5.6 : 1/60" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 19:16:14)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 : f2.8 : 1/250" : 200mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 20:24:04)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 : f2.8 : 1/250" : 200mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 20:24:04)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 : f3.5 : 1/250" : 80mm : ISO 1600: 17.03.2012 20:35:51)
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (on the right) hands over one of the prizes.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum (on the right) hands over one of the prizes
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
New Projects - Lightballs, Blog Site for Sharjah, Training Courses
As you may have noticed, I haven't been posting here much recently. In addition to my photographic work, I have decided to start three new fun projects, and these have been keeping me very busy !!!
The first project is "Lightballs" .... once I have got this technique perfected, I will start posting images here .... but basically, I am heading out to distant deserted locations in the middle of the night, and painting light balls and the surrounding scenery as I swing a torch around in circles (attached to a piece of string, with coloured filters fixed to the front of it) !! If it isn't already, all will become clear when I post some of these images.
The second project is a new blog site that will feature events and locations worth visiting in Sharjah - http://sharjah-alive.blogspot.com/. This was motivated by so many of my friends in Dubai (and Abu Dhabi) who believe that although Sharjah is only a few kilometers away, it is beyond the known civilised world and full of evil demons and monsters. So this will be my attempt to show everyone what Sharjah has to offer, either to a potential tourist or someone who might choose to live here .... unless I get eaten by one of the many evil monsters first !!! I already have the first 23 locations listed, as soon as I can find the time to visit and photograph them (and speaking of eating, I plan to feature restaurant reviews too).
The third project is a one-day training course in Basic Photography for beginners, which will include a lot of theoretical explanations of the technicalities required to understand different lighting situations, and will allow you to take control of your camera and switch from Automatic to Manual / Shutter / Aperture Priority modes and capture better images than you could ever imagine to be possible. My goal is to have the training course up and running by the time the temperatures outside reach 45+°C (i.e. early July), so that I can remain in a comfortable airconditioned environment during the summer heat !!! The first course will be free-of-charge (although a small voluntary donation to a Cancer charity is requested), in order to ensure that I streamline the content with any topics that I don't need - or failed - to include .... and most of these 10 places are already booked up !!
The first project is "Lightballs" .... once I have got this technique perfected, I will start posting images here .... but basically, I am heading out to distant deserted locations in the middle of the night, and painting light balls and the surrounding scenery as I swing a torch around in circles (attached to a piece of string, with coloured filters fixed to the front of it) !! If it isn't already, all will become clear when I post some of these images.
The second project is a new blog site that will feature events and locations worth visiting in Sharjah - http://sharjah-alive.blogspot.com/. This was motivated by so many of my friends in Dubai (and Abu Dhabi) who believe that although Sharjah is only a few kilometers away, it is beyond the known civilised world and full of evil demons and monsters. So this will be my attempt to show everyone what Sharjah has to offer, either to a potential tourist or someone who might choose to live here .... unless I get eaten by one of the many evil monsters first !!! I already have the first 23 locations listed, as soon as I can find the time to visit and photograph them (and speaking of eating, I plan to feature restaurant reviews too).
The third project is a one-day training course in Basic Photography for beginners, which will include a lot of theoretical explanations of the technicalities required to understand different lighting situations, and will allow you to take control of your camera and switch from Automatic to Manual / Shutter / Aperture Priority modes and capture better images than you could ever imagine to be possible. My goal is to have the training course up and running by the time the temperatures outside reach 45+°C (i.e. early July), so that I can remain in a comfortable airconditioned environment during the summer heat !!! The first course will be free-of-charge (although a small voluntary donation to a Cancer charity is requested), in order to ensure that I streamline the content with any topics that I don't need - or failed - to include .... and most of these 10 places are already booked up !!
Monday, 12 March 2012
Internations Event, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, DIFC Dubai
Another Internations meeting this evening, this time on the roof terrace of the Ritz-Carlton hotel in DIFC Dubai (where they serve Erdinger Weissbier from Bavaria !!).
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5 : 1/40" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 21:46:52)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5 : 1/40" : 28mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 21:27:30)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5 : 1/40" : 29mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 21:52:59)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5 : 1/40" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 21:24:19)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5 : 1/40" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 22:20:15)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5 : 1/40" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 22:24:48)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5 : 1/40" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 22:27:48)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5 : 1/40" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 22:31:55)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5 : 1/40" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 22:49:49)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5 : 1/40" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 22:52:19)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f5 : 1/40" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 22:53:09)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f3.8 : 1/30" : 28mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 22:55:02)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f3.5 : 1/30" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 22:56:58)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f3.5 : 1/30" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 23:09:40)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f3.5 : 1/30" : 24mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 00:14:36)
(Nikon D700 : Nikkor 24-120mm VR f3.5-5.6 : f4.5 : 1/30" : 40mm : ISO 1600: 12.03.2012 00:17:05)
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