Archive for April, 2017

April 27th, 2017

The (failed) balancing act

I’ve always been someone who enjoys many hobbies, notably blogging, making websites, cosplay, photography, gaming, drawing, baking, and some others. People wonder how I balance all of them, and the answer is…

I don’t. I seriously don’t.

I think it’s evident by how I played 145+ hours of Breath of the Wild the past month, how many of my websites haven’t been updated, and how I suddenly realized I haven’t been working on cosplay and have to cram two costumes in one month.

There’s a couple hobbies I try to keep up on a frequent basis, like blogging and gaming, but for the most part, I seem to do my hobbies in spurts. Whenever I have photoshoots, I spend the next month post processing almost every day until they’re done. When a convention is coming up, I spend the 1-3 months prior working on cosplay.

In a way, that works for me. I can put a lot of focus into finishing something, and then… take a break! Let’s put it this way: after I finish a cosplay, I pretty much avoid my sewing room for the next month or so because I’m tired of it. The problem is when I’m narrowly focused on one hobby, the rest of my hobbies take a back seat.

Anyway, that’s where I’m at now. I’m pretty much living and breathing cosplay for the next month or so while I complete a new cosplay for myself and another one for a friend (while also trying to cram in some Mass Effect Andromeda time). I know I don’t have to explain a leave of absence because we all have lives outside of our blog, but I wanted to. This gives me a chance to plug my cosplay side of things 😉

So, if you’re interested in seeing in-progress shots, check out my Instagram! I will also be updating my cosplay blog after each chunk of progress, to explain how I made things in detail. And if you like looking at cosplay photography, my Facebook page will be updated after the next convention with new photoshoots.

See ya next time with (hopefully) a new cosplay to show off!

13 · Posted in Hobbies

April 12th, 2017

Compact camera tips

As much as I love my DSLR, I know that DSLRs are not for everyone. They’re expensive, have a steep learning curve, and can be a burden to carry around. I’m sure other DSLR owners out there can sympathize with me when I say that I don’t always want to carry it with me. Sometimes I just want to use my compact camera or phone!

Not to mention, people often worry too much about gear, and they forget that there’s more to photography. Yes, DSLRs can take high quality photos, but they don’t guarantee a good photo. A lot of it still comes down to the skill of the photographer, and you can definitely take good photos without them. This is why I dedicate this entry to tips on getting good photos with a compact camera!

(All photos in this entry were taken with a compact camera!)

Lighting

I actually love flash photography on my DSLR, but that’s because the flash is separate and flexible. I can place it away from the camera and use different techniques to diffuse it. This isn’t the case with most compact cameras. The flash is stuck in one place without many options to diffuse the light. You end up with a harsh light pointed directly at your subject. Of course, you should use your flash if you can’t get a clean shot without it, but if you have a choice, I’d avoid it.

Taken indoors with lighting from the window

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10 · Posted in Hobbies, Photography, Photography, Tips / Recommends

April 6th, 2017

Recap: March 2017

March was a good month that seemed to fly by too quickly. I celebrated my birthday, took a quick trip, and totally didn’t work on my goals due to a couple video games releasing that I’ve been looking forward to. It’s been an eventful month though, so here’s a quick recap!

Escape Room

In February, I took one of my teams to an outing at a golf driving range. In March, I took my other team to an escape room! (Each team votes for what they want to do.) Initially, I had issues finding one that could fit 13 people, but then a coworker told me about a new one he saw. It supports up to 18 people, and it divides you into 3 teams that have to work together to get out. It was such a neat idea!

When we got there, we saw that there were 3 rooms that were connected with open doorways, so we were able to talk and pass things to each other. However, we couldn’t leave the room we were in. We had to work together to solve all the puzzles. For example, a puzzle in my room could reveal a clue or code that a different room then had to use. We managed to escape with 5 minutes left!

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8 · Posted in Life, Monthly Recaps