[Images Burned]

Stop Stopping

2007-04-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

Stop Stopping, originally uploaded by blue_j.

I know. I suck at keeping current.

New idea: No schedule.. just post when I have something to share.

Better Late than never

2007-04-08T16:18:00.000-07:00

Better Late than never, originally uploaded by blue_j.

I opened my mail the other day and found this: A ticket to the Imogen Heap concert in San Francisco.

The concert was last December; 4 months ago!

I didn't miss the show, for what it's worth. I called ticketmaster beforehand and told them I hadn't recieved my ticket 48 hous before the show, as promised. They put another ticket on will-call for me.

But still, I ordered this thing in October. 6 months to deliver a ticket??

The Blue Men's Guitar

2007-02-13T23:59:00.000-08:00

DSCN1878, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Aileen took me to see the Blue Man Group in concert last weekend as an early Birthday present. Being a photohead, as always, I made sure to take a lot of shots. This is a particularly nice one of the Blue Man Group's lead guitarist (who, as you can see, is -not- a Blue Man)

Note that We were seated in the 'cheap seats'. Off to the side and against the wall. Horrah for 10x Optical Zoom. :)

BFD 2006 - OK Go

2007-02-11T23:38:00.000-08:00

BFD 2006 - OK Go: DSCN0440, originally uploaded by blue_j.

To commemorate their recent Grammy Win(!) for Best Short Form Video (for Here It Goes Again), here's a pic of OKGo from last May when I saw them at Live 105's BFD 2006 (BFD set).

Tags to watch: Storm

2007-02-09T14:29:00.000-08:00

DSC06574 and DSC06569-1, originally uploaded by Gábor Marik.

Wow.

Tags to watch: Rain

2007-02-08T23:58:00.000-08:00

day 35, originally uploaded by meaduva.

It's raining here in Los Gatos.. for the first time in a while. I miss it so much.

I'm from up Northern California, you see.. Way Up North. Where it rains so much it literally meets the definition of a Rain Forest. I live on rain. How can people stand to live in a world without the white noise of rain on the rooftop, and puddles to splash everywhere you walk?

Other people feel the same way, apparently. So here are a few of my favorite photos recently tagged with "rain":

Sadness Is A Fluid, originally uploaded by Jelle Druyts.

Though the forrest I see Mist, originally uploaded by Chugy.

(all sizes not availiable:)
Driving in the rain 3, by egret's nest

Bulls-eye

2007-02-08T01:04:00.000-08:00

Bulls-eye, originally uploaded by blue_j.

At the Oakridge parking structure's 4th floor entrance to Target, the light in the Target sign's central bullseye has burnt-out. The sign just looks.. weird.. without its dot.

alternate titles:
- Circle Gets the Square
- Stay on Target

Walking on Water

2007-02-06T19:59:00.000-08:00

Walking on Water, originally uploaded by blue_j.

I remember I used to have a "U-day" schedule for this thing: Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday. Maybe I'll get myself back to that.

...

I started this thing to have a showcase for the photos in my own collection that I just positively loved. Photos of mine that I just wanted to share, and passively placing them on my Flickr just wasn't enough.

Then my stream hit 100 pics, which was the limit for free users back then. I was quite frustrated with flickr's 'over the limit policy': Post and store 100 pics for free, forever. Exceed 100, and your oldest photos will be hidden. Not removed, just hidden from you. They're still on the server and you can still see them..... if you copied down the URL beforehand, that is. You didn't? Too bad.

In essence, your photos were held hostage by Flickr, with a ransom of $60 dollars a year. This is still the case, in fact. The limit has been doubled and the price has been halved, but exceeding your limit still results in your first pics being taken from you without so much as a warning.

I quit updating my photoblog soon after i hit the limit. I had already lost a photo of my father and I didn't care to lose any more. Eventually I decided that I didn't need to use -my- own pics to get the joy of sharing photos and moments and memories, and I began watching certain tags for new photos. Tags that I knew would tend to bring up excellent photos. Tags like: love, kiss, silly, lights, blur, penguin, fire, gameboy, unfortunate. And every once in a while, i would share the results of my search here.

Then college became mean and scary. Classes and life, senior projects and fun with soon-to-be-lost friends, all of it took it's toll on my schedule and this blog, flickr, and my photography itself were all rubbed out.

Over the next few months, a lot changed for me: I graduated college. I got a new, full-fledged job and moved to the bay area. I bought a digital camera and started taking photos again. I subscribed to Flickr Pro, and started attending flickr-oriented meetups. I started going to more social events (concerts, parties, conferences and the like) and I found pictures-worth-taking everywhere I went.

I found photography again.

I was once constrained to just 100 pictures. Two days ago, I uploaded my 1,000th photo to flickr. Over a hundred were uploaded that day alone. And while I'm finding myself, once again, in the midst of flickr policy frustrations (in this case, the politics of an acquisition by Yahoo!, the forced migration to Yahoo! IDs, and the implications on the community by both), now more than ever.. I cant deny that my photos, however amature, are important to me, and it's important to me that I embrace them and share the images and moments I've found with others.

So, let's try this again:

Hi.

My name's James.

I've got something you might like to see.

Fortune

2007-02-05T23:32:00.000-08:00

Fortune, originally uploaded by blue_j.

I miss this photo-blog.

I need to fix this problem

spaced out

2005-07-17T21:11:00.000-07:00

spaced out, originally uploaded by KAP'n Craig.

Highway 1 & Dashboard

2005-07-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

Highway 1 & Dashboard, originally uploaded by whitneybee.

nes054

2005-04-25T22:15:00.000-07:00

nes054, originally uploaded by mthw.

Steps

2005-04-19T21:32:00.000-07:00

Steps, originally uploaded by moondrop.

you find love in the most unexpected places

2005-04-18T19:35:00.000-07:00

you find love in the most unexpected places, originally uploaded by aWee.

Quiet Love

2005-04-11T10:07:00.000-07:00

Quiet Love, originally uploaded by mricon.

classic

2005-04-09T21:59:00.000-07:00

classic, originally uploaded by ubergliggle.

rainydaypeople03

2005-03-24T11:07:00.000-08:00

rainydaypeople03, originally uploaded by cobaltika.

ayrshire sunset 1

2005-03-20T18:23:00.000-08:00

ayrshire sunset 1, originally uploaded by biotron.

P2130016b

2005-03-17T16:02:00.000-08:00

P2130016b, originally uploaded by mhiser.

racism!

2005-03-10T14:19:00.000-08:00

racism!, originally uploaded by danieldanger.

greenhearts

2005-03-09T02:13:00.000-08:00

greenhearts, originally uploaded by kait jarbeau.

Running home by night

2005-03-01T11:47:00.000-08:00

Running home by night, originally uploaded by Babsi Jones.

Pengooin

2005-02-27T02:37:00.000-08:00

Pengooin, originally uploaded by Wisp.

Hui Wei 19

2005-02-22T21:47:00.000-08:00

Hui Wei 19, originally uploaded by Sam Smith.

This Sucks

2005-02-20T14:54:00.000-08:00

This Sucks, originally uploaded by garrettmurray.

Sorry about last week. I'll try not to let that happen too often.

kissing you

2005-02-13T13:51:00.000-08:00

kissing you, originally uploaded by fubuki.

...in the spirit of the season.

PS: sorry I missed my Tursday Update last week, complications arose with a Vizualization project o' mine and I need to stay on campus 'till everything was done. I'll probably make up for it with a bonus post or two this week.

Shipwreck

2005-02-08T20:54:00.000-08:00

Shipwreck, originally uploaded by Smaragd.

Today I chose this photo, not so much for the picture itself, but for the story attached to it. It's part of a photoset: The Body On the Beach.

A lost friend, found dead on the beach.
Who remembers her but I?

The comments on each photo reveal pieces of a narrative, and an invitation from the creator to view the full set in the proper sequence.

This is the first pic in the set. Click on it to begin the story.

19-01-2004 009 TIBAES

2005-02-06T15:03:00.000-08:00

19-01-2004 009 TIBAES, originally uploaded by Twinkle_Star.

Sun's Halo

2005-02-03T14:28:00.000-08:00

Sun's Halo, originally uploaded by urbantiki.

wow.

Spinning 3

2005-02-01T10:44:00.000-08:00

spinning 3, originally uploaded by Miss Plum.

If I had a cell phone, this is all I'd do with it. (Two more like this.)

breakfast beret

2005-01-30T13:53:00.000-08:00

breakfast beret, originally uploaded by yi.

See it in action. (Coincedentally, from the same person as lastweek's Zelda Pic.)

legend of zelda

2005-01-27T09:20:00.000-08:00

legend of zelda, originally uploaded by yi.

It is my dream to do this, one day.

Sunbird

2005-01-25T11:21:00.000-08:00

Sunbird, originally uploaded by jetblasts2k.

Man, this pic is beautiful. And I'm not the only one who thinks so: check out the amount of comments this has on the photo-page. Its quite a lot for a photo that's not even part of some group photo pool.

RAAAAWRR!!

2005-01-23T23:35:00.000-08:00

RAAAAWRR!!, originally uploaded by denn.

Purple dry-erase marker on a window.. I have to admit: If my window had this sort of skyline, I'd be imagining the same thing.

A Return

2005-01-23T23:06:00.000-08:00

So I've finally come to terms with the Flickr 100 image limitation and, while I still can't justify $60 a year for image hosting, I've decided on another way to enjoy flickr and keep this photo blog running.

Other people's photos.

So yes, I've decided to use Flickr's "Blog This" function on other people's pics as a way to keep the blog going. This way, I can feel free share tons of beautiful images with my readers (aside: Do I have any readers?) and not worry about losing access to any of my own pics. From time to time, I still might post one of my own pics... heck, I might even upload a few new ones now that I've figured out a reliable way to archive my links... but the focus will be less of a "Look at MEE!!" and more of a "Look at THIS!!"

Also, I'm moving away from a Daily Schedule like before to a new U-day schedule (days with 'u's in them only: Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday) This is to make it easier on me with my new class shedule and give me more time to find niftier pics. Of course, if i ever run across something I just HAVE to post, I will.

Anyway, now that that's said: Today's a U-day.. isn't it?

So without further ado.......

Minesweeper, So Close

2004-12-07T18:47:00.000-08:00

Minesweeper, So Close, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Just... Just.... man.

fyi: early pages of this blog are going to eat themselves soon (ie: possibly broken images). I've surpassed flickr's 100 browsable images limit. I've always assumed that meant people would only be able to browse the latest 100 pics, but it seems to mean that flickr will only provide links to the latest 100 images, even to me. (the copyright owner)

The photos still exist on the server, and existing links to them still work, but there's no way for me to reach the pics that I haven't blogged here already.

Fortunatley, flickr has a stange bug where, if a person has a 1 private pic in their 100 latest.. it'll count towards the 100 vieable for that user, but not to other people.. meaning th e user can view pics #1-100, while other users can see pic #101.. it's slightly unfuriating as this means flickr forbids me from accessing content that I own, but allows other users to see it... but here, it's a blessing.

I'm privatizing my currently viewable pics, then I'll log out, go through my previously hidden pics and save links to the pages. Once I'm done, I'll be able to reach all my old content again, but in the mean time, flickr'll keep me from linking to the privatized pics off-site... meaning: This blog'll be useless.

We'll see how this goes, later.

Jamacia, Post-Victory Celebration

2004-12-04T14:34:00.000-08:00

Jamacia, Post-Victory Celebration, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Jamacia shortly after trouncing Ben in an impromptu wrestling match, freshman year, 2002. If my camera didn't suck, this would be the best Jamacia-pic ever.. instead, it's the best pic ever, period.

Pacific Northwest Buddies Forever!

2004-11-27T13:26:00.000-08:00

Pacific Northwest Buddies Forever!, originally uploaded by blue_j.

me with actor Bruce Campbell at his appearance at the Del Mar Theater.

I met a really nifty guy that night, his name was Emerys and he's an eletronic musician. He gave me his card so that I can call him up should I ever need him for a Digital Media/Game Design project. He also lent me the use of the Polaroid this photo was taken on.

I may have mis-spelled his name there, oh well.

UK, Righteousness

2004-11-19T09:34:00.000-08:00

UK, Righteousness, originally uploaded by blue_j.

On the streets of Gloucester outside the cathedral. Fall 2000.

Misty's tounge.

2004-11-17T19:48:00.000-08:00

Misty's tounge., originally uploaded by blue_j.

Misty posing for the camera during the last days of drama for the 2000-2001 school year. In the background, Lauren is hugging someone I can not determine.

Behind Theatre Arts, Best Sign Ever

2004-11-14T15:44:00.000-08:00

Behind Theatre Arts, Best Sign Ever, originally uploaded by blue_j.

The sign is intended to read: "There is no parking in this partcular space. Additional parking for disabled drivers is availiable up ahead."

But whenever I look at it, I see: "Hey you.. you in the wheelchair... Don't even think about it."

FNL, Good-Bye Cake

2004-11-13T09:50:00.000-08:00

FNL, Good-Bye Cake, originally uploaded by blue_j.

For my last Youth Council meeting before moving to Santa Cruz, FNL threw me a li'l going away party, complete with cake and ice-cream.

There just aren't enough cake-and-ice-cream parties in the world, anymore

Long Walk Home, 9th street

2004-11-12T16:51:00.000-08:00

Long Walk Home, 9th street, originally uploaded by blue_j.

On the streets of Crescent City, 5am in the morning, walking home from Grad-night 2001.

Behind Theatre Arts, Look Up

2004-11-11T00:27:00.000-08:00

Behind Theatre Arts, Look Up, originally uploaded by blue_j.

This is why people come to UC Santa Cruz.

The view above our heads, taken Winter Quarter 2002.

(ps: Oops. Accidentally uploaded full size version of this pic... Goodbye Monthly quota!)

Fourth of July, Powerful

2004-11-10T18:29:00.000-08:00

Fourth of July, Powerful, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Every year i do this.
I walk up and down Front Beach and wait for the firework display to start, then.. as soon as I hear the first "kaboom", I turn and walk towards the jedi.. towards the firemen's base of operations.. towards the explosions.

I stop walking only when I get so close that I fear for my own saftey (not from the fire.. but from the rising tide). Then I stand, and I watch as the fireworks go all around me.

It's one thing to see the fireworks in the air.. but to hee them go off directly above you.. or behind you.. to watch as their still-burning embers fall beside you.. that's another thing all together.

Two years i did this, in front of the whole county, but alone.

The third year, I was followed.
The one child on the left, in the tattered tee-shirt. I know he feels exactly like I felt my first time.

This is My Favorite Photo.

Beachfront Park, Inside the Gazeebo

2004-11-03T01:07:00.000-08:00

Beachfront Park, Inside the Gazeebo, originally uploaded by blue_j.

The view of the old Surf Hotel from the inside of the Gazeebo in Beachfront Park. Taken in late afternoon, Summer 2001, Crescent City, California.

Scary!

2004-10-31T01:53:00.000-08:00

Scary!, originally uploaded by blue_j.

A very scary pic of me taken with my old Kensington VideoCam

Happy Halloween!

Misty Days in Crescent City

2004-10-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

Misty Days in Crescent City, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Summer of 2001. I remember this morning: The sky was overcast and mist hung low, thick, along the ground like snow in the distance.

Snapshot taken of the road alongside Pyke Field. Crescent City, California

Beachfront Park, The Sky Above

2004-10-29T19:25:00.000-07:00

Beachfront Park, The Sky Above, originally uploaded by blue_j.

The view of the sky above Beachfront Park as Friday Night Live kids huddle together to plan. Taken in late afternoon, Summer 2001, Crescent City, California.

I'd swear I took this pic while jumping.

Shadows in a Bathroom, the Tub

2004-10-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

Shadows in a Bathroom, the Tub, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Summer 2001. Again, I just really liked the lighting in here.

What?? It's not like I took photos of the Toilet!

Shadows in a Bathroom, Partials

2004-10-27T07:10:00.000-07:00

Shadows in a Bathroom, Partials, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Having fun taking pictures in the light of the upstairs bathroom of my old house in Crescent City. Note how I accidently caught myself in the mirror.

Beachfront Park, Tree by the Gazeebo

2004-10-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

Beachfront Park, Tree by the Gazeebo, originally uploaded by blue_j.

A snapshot of a small tree behind the Gazeebo in Beachfront Park. Taken in late afternoon, Summer 2001, Crescent City, California.

Grad Night, Happy Brianne

2004-10-25T15:20:00.000-07:00

Grad Night, Happy Brianne, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Brianne looks like a gleeful 4-year-old in this picture.

We should all have a picture of ourselves like that.

Kashmiri's Penguin Doodle

2004-10-24T21:11:00.000-07:00

Kashmiri's Penguin Doodle, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Something Kashmiri doodled on my paper during Phonology. Fall 2004.

Portrait of America: Welcome Home

2004-10-22T07:03:00.000-07:00

Portrait of America: Welcome Home, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Waiting outside the airport shortly after landing on American soil, I spotted this ashtray and felt at home.

..mostly because the british drink their soda from smaller cans.. based on the metric system.

freaky brits.

On the flight from England

2004-10-21T00:31:00.000-07:00

On the flight from England, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Looking down on a frozen river, somewhere over the US. Fall 2000

Gloucester Cathedral, Silhouetted

2004-10-20T15:54:00.000-07:00

Gloucester Cathedral, Silhouetted, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Yet another amazing picture of the Cathedral. I love the power of the sky behind it, as well as the framing of the trees.

(Look at me, talking like I might know something about photography :) )

England, Sunset

2004-10-19T00:18:00.000-07:00

England, Sunset, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Just Beautiful

England, Peace

2004-10-18T16:21:00.000-07:00

England, Peace, originally uploaded by blue_j.

As the madrigals walk through a city in England, I notice a wonderfully simple bit of graffiti.

(As much as I love this pic, I really think that umbrella draws too much focus. Oh well)

England, Thatched Blurrs

2004-10-16T00:08:00.000-07:00

England, Thatched Blurrs, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Photo of two thatched-roof houses taken from a moving bus. Fall 2000

This one was on my desktop for a while.

Gloucester Cathedral, A Bust

2004-10-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

Gloucester Cathedral, A Bust, originally uploaded by blue_j.

I vaugely recall this bust being of an important man at Gloucester Cathedral, but I do not remember who it was.

Excellent Craftmanship, though. I almost expect him to start talking.

London, Moving Lights 3

2004-10-14T12:53:00.000-07:00

London, Moving Lights 3, originally uploaded by blue_j.

I'm pretty sure this is where are tour-lady rather drolly described the grand arch, then enthusiastically informed us that this is the place where the character Spike was directing traffic in the movie "Notting Hill".

Tour guides must be pretty proud of that movie over there.

On the streets of london, fall 2000

I don't know what it is about streaks and blurs in snapshots that I love so much.

London, Steeple and Trees

2004-10-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

London, Steeple and Trees, originally uploaded by blue_j.

outside St. Mary Abbots Church, London, fall 2000.

UK, Sunny Silhouette

2004-10-12T09:37:00.000-07:00

UK, Sunny Silhouette, originally uploaded by blue_j.

I'm not use if this was sunrise or sunset... I'll say sunrise.

Come to think of it, this might be a shot of my host-family's home as we were driving away, but I it's been so long... "I guess we'll never know."

Dang it, why didn't I upload these into flickr back in 2000?

On the flight to England 1

2004-10-11T00:34:00.000-07:00

On the flight to England 1, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Somewhere over the coast of the UK, fall 2000.

UK, Wet Windows

2004-10-10T00:08:00.000-07:00

UK, Wet Windows, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Photo taken from the inside of a bus parked in a parking lot shortly after a light rain.

UK, Sleepy Sunset

2004-10-09T22:05:00.001-07:00

UK, Sleepy Sunset, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Photo of sunset taken on charter bus somewhere in England, Fall 2000. Light from the sunset is shining on DeShon's face.

London, moving lights 2

2004-10-09T22:05:00.000-07:00

London, moving lights 2, originally uploaded by blue_j.

It almost looks like graphiti.

London, moving lights 1

2004-10-09T22:03:00.000-07:00

London, moving lights 1, originally uploaded by blue_j.

A beautiful accident.

In London, night

2004-10-09T21:09:00.000-07:00

In London, night, originally uploaded by blue_j.

This is supposeddly a big, impressive, famous famous place in London, but being the uncultured american that I am, coupled with the fact I was only passing by, I do not know what this is.

Pretty though.

UPDATE: It's the Royal Albert Hall. Thank's mshoff

Glare at Kashmiri

2004-10-09T21:07:00.000-07:00

Glare at Kashmiri, originally uploaded by blue_j.

Outside Cowell, UCSC. The title is a PUN. The photo is a STOLEN. (c) KKMSN

A Photoblog. Why? Because.

2004-10-09T20:40:00.000-07:00

Why do I, of all people, need a photoblog? I don't even have a digital camera.

Well, I love taking photos. It's as simple as that.

I don't have a darkroom or a telephoto lens. I've never taken classes on artistic methods of photography. I just love snapshots.

If you see me walking down the street, chances are I have a camera on me.. Something simple, maybe something disposable. But something, just in case I happen upon something beautiful.

And that happens more often than you'd expect.

==
That said, this blog will likley be little more than an extension of my flickr account. I'll update this blog via flickr with every real gem I come across. For now, i'll sift through my stream and post the cream of the crop so far. New Pics, btw, won't be added for a while.. I've already reached my 10MB upload limit for October.

So, see ya 'round.
Also, there's still my other blog: [as yet untitled][2]