First Impression: Sigma 70-200 f2.8 OS

Those who know me know I spend more time researching my purchases than actually using my purchases.  This was no different with the Sigma 70-200 f2.8 OS.  The lenses main competitor is the Canon 70-200 f2.8 L.  After countless hours of reading blogs, reviews, and watching you tube videos on the these power houses I selected the Sigma.  The main reason was price for quality.  if I wanted weather proofing badly enough I would had to spend the $1000 more for the Canon.  The interesting thing about the battle of these lenses is that many bloggers and reviewers can not make up their mind which they think is better.  The icing for me was trip to CES 2012 where I actually got to demo the Sigma lens on my camera.  Impressed was an under statement given the lighting in the hall.  Once my mind was made I up it was time to shop.

OK camera buffs I learned a very valuable lesson here.  Do not always go for the cheapest price.  The Sigma was $1399 at B&H and Amazon, but I was able to score it, or at least I thought, for $1179 at SimplyElectronics.  This place is horrible.  2 weeks after my order they still had not shipped the lens even though they guaranteed it would ship in 1 - 2 days.  I decided it was time to cancel the order and spend the extra cash to get from Amazon.  I chose Amazon because the price was the same as B&H and I can get next day shipping for $3.99 because of my prime membership.  I ordered the lens on a Thursday and it arrived my office the next day.  So was it worth the extra money. YES.  

The lens arrived and I almost immediately removed it from the box, attached the lens hood and APS adapter since my current camera body is a T1i.  With in seconds I was shooting.  The most interesting thing about the lens is how attractive it is.  Since have it now for 3 days, the people that come up to talk me about are amazing.  Everyone wants to know what is and look at picture.  As a freelance photographer this great because it provides a great introduction to new clients.   Well enough about the background and my story what the lens.

The lens is extremely well constructed and heavy but not too heavy that you can't carry it around with.  In fact on day three of owning it I went to flower show to capture some orchids prints. See the samples below.  most of the images where shot at 800 ISO, f2.8, and shutter speed of 1/40 to 1/60 with OS feature enabled to option 1 (non-panning).  the images are crisp as you can see but there is much vignetting in the corners at f 2.8 but given the backgrounds I did not mind.  These shots were all made indoors with no flash.  the lens focused fast and accurate on the little flower and did a good job on low contrast areas as well.  The one thing I absolutely love about the lens is how quite it is.  You can not even hear it focus.  Sometimes I wondered if it actually did, but it did.  Fast and Quite.  A perfect indoors lens.  

Outdoors the lens really shines.  I found the sweet spot to be around f8 where the images maintained the most crispness through out the whole image.  This quality continued through f11 and the edges started to gets lightly soft.  Below are few more samples at the higher apertures.

Time to wrap up.  First unless you are looking for weather proofing then the Sigma lens is the one for you.  The Canon equivalent is nice but unless you have an extra $1000 sitting around and really plan on heading in torrential rains and snow the Sigma is the lens for you.  This is my first Sigma lens and I can honest say I will be looking at the brand much more future lenses.  The quality, speed, and construction  are all top notch.  If you have lens feel free to add comments on your experiences with it.  Happy Shooting.

The HDR Approach to Life

In photography terms HDR stands for High Dynamic Range.  It is a photography technique that not only captures the richness of the shadows but the brights of the lights.  The process involves the photographer taking three separate pictures.  Each of the pictures is taken at different exposures, capturing a slightly different image providing the richness throughout the whole spectrum.  The amazing output is a blended great photograph.  A product of hard work and a bit of creativity.  Like many things in photography the process can be applied to our lives yielding the same thing, a beautiful image, all it takes is just hard work and bit of creativity.

So, how can taking three different pictures each at different exposure be applied to our lives.  Simple!  Everyday we are faced with decisions.  Some of these decisions are easy, hard, and life changing.  What do we want out of our lives and decisions, a beautiful image.  What if you applied the HDR process to your decision making?  What if when you were faced with a decision you looked at the decision in three slightly different ways, then blended them together for your final choice.  Start with the simplest answer (normal exposure).  This is your base answer for your decision.  Then think of the most conservative thing to do (under exposed).  Lastly think of the most liberal option (over exposed).  Analyze the three options weigh the pro's and con's of each.  Making sure you blend the right light with the right dark.  The final step is add a little of the simplest answer.  A perfect blend is not easy and every situation like every photograph will be different. With a little practice you get good at HDR.  Helpful Decision Resolution.

The cats eye....

In 1996 I was asked by my girlfriend at the time to get a cat.  Now I have always been a cat lover but where we were living did not allow pets.  I tried to explain to her that if we got caught we would be evicted. That did not stop her relentless nagging about the subject.  I finally caved (as I often do) and we went to a house in Simsbury, CT that rescued cats.

Arriving at the lady's house we were directed to the upstairs bath room where this litter of kittens was safely stashed.  Almost immediately there was a skinny pure bright white kitten that walked up to me and  nuzzled into my leg.  It looked up to me with its big head (almost like one of those pictures) and let out a huge "meow".  From that point forward my life changed.  I picked up the cat and decided this was the one that was coming home.

Once we arrived at home we decided to name our new family member "Saint".  The reasoning was because of his almost holiness coloring and the fact that we just watched the movie "Saint" with Val Kilmer.  I know tacky, but his name would change later from "Saint" to "Thisterson" then "Thursner", and finally "Zippy" or "Zippernicous" the most ironic name.  For the purpose of the tail I will refer to him as Zippy.

My first task was to teach him how to use the litter.  This was not a very fun task.  Somehow I knew from the beginning there was something just well not right with him and I was right.  A few weeks after we brought him home he started to get eye infections.  The doctor said this was normal in the cat population and not worry it would go away as he got older.  OK the story continues.  It was not long before I found out another one of his lovely habits, wall scratching.  I remember the first night he did it like it was yesterday.  2:00 am on a Friday night, it sounded like nails down a chalk board.  Not the best noise at 2:00 am I could tell ya.  It would not be until about 9 years later I would fully understand why he did that.  After he was house broken and life returned back to normal, the next big event occur. We got evicted. (I told her so!!!!)

In our new place Zippy was home having fun.  It was during this time in 1997 that my girlfriend graduated college and got her job.  Of course all of the sudden Zippy was left at home alone.  As any good parent would be, yeah right, I was worried about him being alone. NOT! But never the less a few weeks after she started the job a new family member was added rightfully named "Cosmo" after "Cosmo Kramer".  Well we could not have picked a more opposite to Zippy.  Cosmo was dark black and a hellion. Cosmo did not keep his name for very long as it soon became "mo" and then "meeshkabob" or "meesh" for short and sometime "MSL" for "muskrat love".  So now the family consisted of two cats but that would all change as well.

In 1999 prior to our marriage we bought a house and that brought along Hanna, a black lab.  Zippy did not like Hanna.  In fact Hanna only stayed with us for a winter before she went back to the farm.  So there we were Zippy, Meesh, me, and my wife. A happy little family so I thought.

In 2004 the family ended and I was forced to find a new residence.  Since my new place was pet friendly and the X's was not, the cats came with me.  At the ranch we were living it up guy style.  Parties, people, and plenty of fun.  It was during this time that Zippy started his wall scratching again.  This is when I realized he was looking for water, and not just any water the sink turned on.  I found it strange but he was a strange cat.  I figured oh well, no biggie, I don't pay for water leave it running.  Life went on, until..... 

In 2005 I started dating an ex-girlfriend from high school who lived and worked in Boston.  After about a year we decided to move to the middle of the state which is where Zippy's life changed drastically.  While living in Milbury Zippy decided to start going to the bathroom outside his litter box.  It was not a once an while thing, it was an every time occurrence. I decided to take to him to the vet which was right around the corner.  For those of who know Zippy he hates CARS, which surprises me considering how often we moved.  After a visit with the vet I found out that Zippy was diabetic and needed to have two insulin shots a day in order to average out his blood sugar.  Strangely he did not mind getting his shots.  Keep in mind that the average life span of a cat once diagnosed with diabetes is 3 years.  At this point Zippy was 10 which is middle aged for a cat.  This information worried me, but I did what any parent would do, I did my best to make sure he got the care and medicine he needed.

Well needless to say the traveling to separate sides of the state got old for us and the relationship broke down and finally dissolved, meaning Zippy, Meesh, and I were on the move again.  This time we would have our first male roommate.  I decided to rent a house in CT with one my best friends, who helped me deal with the breakup that occurred just a few months previous.  Living with Chris was great, the cats seemed to like it however Zippy's insulin intake took off.  His level almost doubled from the previous year.  Fearing the worse but not letting it get to me I continued to monitor him and make sure he got what he needed.  At this point Zippy had been diabetic for 3 years (the average life expectancy).  But he is a trooper and showed no signs of giving up the fight with the disease.  Soon Zippy would meet a very special person who would love him just as much I did.

In 2008 I met a wonderful women that would not only become the love of my life, but the first true person I would call the mother to Zippy and Meesh.  Melissa entered our lives full of freshness and happiness.  She instantly took to Zippy and Meesh and them to her.  The insulin regiment did not bother her and in fact she often helped me by offering to administer the medicine when I was not free too.  Melissa and I's relationship flourished and we decided to move in together into our current residence in Easthampton, MA.  Zippy and Meesh came along one more time.

Easthampton was now our new home, in fact the first I could actually call home, because it felt like that.  We hooked with Dr. Hayden at the animal hospital in town and took the kids in for checkups.  After about a year the insulin Zippy was on was being taken off the market.  I know this does not sound that bad, but when you depend on a medication and it is taken off the market and you need to switch to another brand it is not that easy.  For Zippy we had to go through several blood sugar tests until we finally got the amount right.  At this point Zippy has been diabetic for 5 years (2 years past the average life expectancy).  For the next six months everything went smooth.  Melissa and I shared the Zippy duties and our family became stronger and my sense stability on that front grew immensely.  It would be this strength that would help me deal with what was about to come....

Two weeks ago Melissa and I preparing for guests and the anticipated Steelers and Jets game.  We spent the morning cleaning, vacuuming, and scrubbing the floors. Around 2:30 pm we decided to go run some errands.  Leaving Zippy and Meesh alone was second nature however we were slightly concerned because it was just few days earlier that Zippy was extremely ill, but recovered nicely on Saturday and Sunday morning.  We thought leaving a 30 minutes would be fine.  Little did we know.

Upon returning from our errands we found Zippy in front of the bed with a mess on the floor and he was just standing there going to the bathroom, EVERYWHERE.  Melissa thinking quickly moved him into the bathroom, where he collapsed.  When I say collapsed I mean limp on the floor. His breathing was slow and shallow expect for a few large gasps every now and then. He laid there with his tongue out and in a daze.  Almost like a comma.  At this point on a Sunday we did not know what to do.  We thought this was it.  Zippy had already lived past all of the doctors expectations and it was a blessing I got to spend the extra time I did with him.  I sat there and held my son hoping that his last breathes would come soon and quick.  The problem with this being a Sunday was the fact that all of the vets were closed, so hoping for a quiet passing was our only option.  As I comforted him and relived my life with him, Melissa comforted me.  After about an hour I was confused and illogical (I know strange for me).  Melissa being the rock she is for me, decided to call the South Deerfield Animal Hospital and they said to bring him in ASAP.  Melissa prepared a box with blankets and we together put his limp almost lifeless body in the box and started our 30 minute journey.

On the way I stared into Zippy's eyes knowing that most likely the vet was going to put him down and these where the last few minutes I would be able to spend with him.  Some of you may think this is over reacting but the story above is not just about Zippy it is about my relationship with him and the fact that for the past 15 years he has only be the stable local family member for me.  My son and my friend.  Now I was saying goodbye.  I do not know how Melissa was able drive, but she did and we made to the hospital.  When we arrived the receptionist yelled "TRIAGE" and a flood of nurses swept him away and asked if the could "resuscitate". "Resuscitate" I said, "Uh".  I was confused. Finally I said yes.  For the next 10 minutes Melissa and I sat in the cold waiting room (why are they always cold) waiting to hear the prognosis.  Finally the doctor took us into one of the examining rooms.  Planning for the worse Melissa and I sat drained and wanting to hear to the words but not wanting to hear at the same time.  As the doctor entered the room she did not seem as if there was anything wrong.  I almost was like, "he is dying, how could you be so cold and calm", but I did not as that would not be in character for me.  So we just stared at her waiting for the words ... "Zippy is....."

".... going to be OK".  The doctor explained that Zippy had a low blood sugar attack.  What! He has been diabetic for 6 years. I had been giving him 20 units of insulin for 6 years twice a day, how the heck could he now not need insulin.  The doctor explained that this sometimes happen and he now will need to be regulated on a new amount of insulin.  In short he went from 40 units a day to 2.

We picked zippy up the next day and I stayed home from work for two days to monitor him.  We are now armed with blood sugar testing kit, corn syrup, and new food.  The most important thing is that Zippy is now healthier and happier than ever.  He is loosing weight and has more spunk in his step.  Meesh and him had to get reacquainted but after a few days live if back to normal, as normal as my mine and Melissa's life is. 

Everyday before I leave and when I get home I check on Zippy and make sure I his OK.  You never know when it is going to happen and having walked that line with him, I never want to go through it again, but I know I will.  I am so grateful for Melissa and I know if Zippy could speak he would say "thank you" to her as well.  The moral of the story is that take the few minutes a day to appreciate the ones in your life that mean the most to you.  Don't wait until you are saying your final goodbyes.  Life is too short. Someday I will have to say my final goodbye to Zippy but until that day comes again, I will make the best of the time I have with him.

This is dedicated to Melissa. Zippy owes his life to you! You saved him and me.

My first view....

Recently finishing my 365 Project has left me a huge sense of accomplishment, but it was not enough.  For as long as I can remember I have never been the type of person of "status quo".  One thing I pride myself on is when I tackle a task I do it to the best of my abilities.  My 365 was no exception.  Sure there were times when it got in the way of other things and when, well I really did not want to do it, but I did.  Why?  Because that is what you do.  I believe in the philosophy that when you say you are going to do something you "DO IT", and not only do it but do it the best way possible. In my opinion the ole "half ass" approach is not acceptable.  Do you want to live life by just getting by, doing what is needed to just say "I finished" or be proud.  Way too many times in our society today we "half ass" things.  I refuse to be apart of that movement.  So what is next for me?

 My plan for my next project started back in November and it stemmed from the "special" thing I did after each month went by on my 365.  When I started my 365 I quickly realized that the idea of posting 365 pictures needed more mini milestones.  Milestones that gave me goals to look forward to, to help me stay on track.  So I decided not only would I post a picture of the day but at the end of the month I would create a video composition of the previous month's pictures.  These videos month by month helped me improve my video editing and movie making skills.  These skills would ultimately drive my next project.  A movie, not just any movie, a full movie.  This meant I need to write a script, get actors, find places to shoot, and a soundtrack. Once that was done I need to shoot, edit, and compose the movie.  The dilemma I faced was similar to that of the 365, mini milestones.  This is where I am at today. Determining milestones. "Let it snow"