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Archive of ‘Personal’ category

Personal, Technology | 0 comment

Tech Thursday – HP Z420 Workstation

Windows Workstations

It may sound strange in this day and age, but I am a PC guy. Almost all of my photographer friends have machines that run some version of Mac OSX, but I remain a Windows user. Since college, I have assembled my own computers from parts that I select for no other reason than for fun! It used to be a nice hobby to hand select parts, put them together, tweak all the settings to get the most out of the hardware, and enjoy until the upgrade bug hits again. This has served me well. I have not had to rely on “geek” companies to keep my PC running. The internet has so many enthusiast communities that allow you to troubleshoot your own computer, and better search algorithms allow you to search for your specific problem easily.

 HP Z420 Workstation

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Now, my PC is more than just my email and hobby machine. I need it to run software essential for my business – design, office, financial programs. Additionally it need to run the Adobe Creative Suite that I primarily use for editing photographs.

Apple makes great products. I have a number of iPads to show photos at events, as well as an iPad and iPhone that I use daily. But when it comes to the back end, I prefer using machines that I can tinker with when things start to act funny. Unfortunately, I no longer have the time to work on my PC as a hobby. I need a professional workstation that is built to work on complicated projects. Also it needs to remain online with multiple applications running simultaneously.

My last PC was a home-built machine with an Intel Core Q9550 processor from a few years ago. After lots of specs comparison, I decided to become an HP guy. They had a monitor that was rated well for editing photos. So I decided to pair that with a machine from their Z Workstation line, the HP Z420. It is based on an Intel Xeon E5-1650, 8GB of RAM, and I added a Samsung 840 SSD as a boot drive for Windows 8.

Adding the drive was so easy as getting inside the case was as easy as pulling the big handle on the side to open (see first photo). As my first upgrade in quite some time, this workstation runs Adobe Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 4 much faster which is sorely needed as I go through the thousands of ballroom dance photos every year. Let me know you have any questions on the hardware choices.

HP Z420 Workstation

 TimeLine Media – www.timelinedc.com
703-864-8208

Ballroom Dance, Event, Personal, Photography | 0 comment

Arthur Murray – 100 years

Beginnings

In 2012, Arthur Murray dance studios celebrates their centennial as a company. Overall, the longevity has to be admired – only a privileged few have been around since then! Their studios and instructors introduce so many around the world to ballroom dance. In fact, this is where my wife and I discovered dancing. Still, we continue to go to the studio in Tysons Corner to stay in touch with the community.

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A Tango from the Silver Spring studio:

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A Quickstep from the Alexandria Studios:

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Centennial celebration

Over the year, there were themed parties and events which highlighted the changes and styles since the company’s inception. At the first event of the year, their Spring Freestyles, the staff of the DC Area studios came together. Prior to the event, they created a coordinated show featuring each of the studios. Entitled, “Dancing Through the Decades” it was an amazing showcase of all of these professionals. TimeLine Media was asked to video tape the performance which we were happy to do! I will see if I can get the entire video posted to the blog, as it was a great showcase of the talent of the dancers!

From the Ashburn, Virginia studio

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Ladies from the Maryland studios

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From the Chevy Chase, Maryland dance studio:

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Tysons Corner, Virginia studio:

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From the Gaithersburg, Maryland studio:

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One of my favorites from the show was the photos of Leisa & Joe Howard from the Columbia studio. I have so many amazing photos of these champion dancers doing showcases and professional competitions from the last few years, but this one was a nice moment –

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There was more production value put into this show than any I have seen in ballroom. The music seamlessly changed through all the decades represented, in addition to a video presentation that highlighted important points in Arthur Murray history.

Thanks again to Steve and Mark Theiss that have been very supportive of our photography, and allow us to partner with them to get some great images of their local events. Best of luck for the next century of dancing!

Arthur Murray DC ballroom dance photo

TimeLine Media – photo proofing site – http://proofs.timelinedc.com

Personal, Photography, Sports | 0 comment

Washington Redskins photography

My wife has had season tickets for a number of years now. While I have always wanted to know what it would be like to photograph a professional football game from the sidelines, she has always wanted to know what it would be like to host an NLF playoff game at the Redskins’ home stadium. A few seasons ago, I got my chance. Today, we get to experience hers! The Seattle Seahawks will come to play the Washington Redskins in a Wildcard game. We’ll be in our usual seats for a most unusual occasion. As a native of northern Virginia, the Redskins have been the only football team I have rooted for both from my dad, and of course, the media coverage through playoff and Superbowl runs in the 80’s and 90’s.

Season tickets

After going to many games, it becomes easier to observe some of the other details during the game other than the on-the-field action. I noticed the photographers, how they moved to cover the game, and tried to match what they were doing to the images published in the paper and magazines afterwards. I looked into how I could get access to the sidelines, and with enough exposure to my portfolio of photos, I was able to get a credential!

Image showing Washington Redskins game action

Beyond the First Row

After a season on the sidelines, I have the utmost respect for photographers that are there every week trying to capture photos in one of the most challenging situations. The action in professional football is so fast, and the the field is so large. Additionally, the lenses are only built so long, that to get these images take luck, practice, and skill. For action sports, the photos can never be too close to the action.

Image showing Washington Redskins game action

Tilted lines in photos were a no-no if you wanted any hope of getting published. Video cameras had much higher priority on the access scale for games, so don’t cross that painted line! And whatever you do, don’t get caught up watching the game – keep your eye in your viewfinder! The action can go from being 60 yards away, to so-close-you’re-passed-the-minimum-focusing-distance length in one 5 second play! I was grateful for the opportunity, and I hope to get the chance again.

Image showing Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan

 TimeLine Media – www.timelinedc.com
703-864-8208

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