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Monthly Archives: December 2008

Happy New Year! 5D high ISO and video test…

Wed. December 31, 2008 Posted in Personal

Quick reminder, we’re eating tomorrow night (thursday) at Chick-Fil-A in San Marcos. 7pm :) Julie and Katie snagged the first two and Daniel and Cindy grabbed the last two – but people are still more than welcome to join us – dinner there is like 5 bucks :).

I’ll be bringing the new 5D Mark II for anyone that wants to bring your CF card along to play with it or contemplate a purchase :) Comment below to snag ‘em up!

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Well I’m still a little sick feeling, so we didn’t go out and get all crazy for NYE. Garrett came over and we grabbed some food is all. I took out the 5D because I’m just dying to use it! Any excuse I get to use it…



Not the most exciting video but it shows how cool this thing is. This is the in camera mic, I should add. I’m loving this thing…

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And here’s a straight from camera file I shot of Lindsay…

This was shot on my 24L at f/1.4, 1/15th sec, and ISO25600. I literally COULD NOT see Lindsay through the view finder so I took ten photos and guess focused each one hoping I’d get one right. Sure, it’s a lot of noise/grain, but I would still be able to use this quality of photo. I think it would make an awesome black and white, to be honest :) This camera is truly amazing.

Bobby

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by Bobby Earle

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G.Miller - I need a haircut. And a new voice.January 1, 2009 - 2:33 am

Bobby Earle - Don't you ever, my man. Don't you ever...January 1, 2009 - 3:14 am

lisa B - That picture alone speaks of how amazing that camera is. ahhh one day...one day.... :-)January 1, 2009 - 5:47 am

Bobbie - Hi! Just wanted to let you know that I came across your site yesterday (I had saved it in my favorites awhile back) and I spent a looong time checking out your pictures from China! I am so hooked! China has never been a place that I just wanted to go, but after seeing your pictures I would LOVE to go!! I especially loved the pictures of the waterfall and the video... AMAZING! I would so have one of those pictures blown up and framed in my house somewhere!!!! Anyway, just had to let you know that I am really enjoying your pictures (and video's) thanks for sharing!January 1, 2009 - 8:24 am

Julie Cruz - LOL.....loved the video. From Garrett saying his butt was dirty....to poor Lindsay driving the old beast and not getting her Pei Wei (see, if it was chinese owned/run they would have been open LOL...chinese people are gangsta and will stay open even on Christmas for $$...."fa ra ra ra raaaa...ra ra ra raaaa..." :D

I'm *hoping* I can still make it tonight. I started getting a sore throat last night, and this morning I woke up with a full sore throat and feeling like turd. But I muuuust gooo ;) You guys don't mind if i'm a little sick right? I mean you've got TB (jk!) anyway ;)

Still jealous that you have your 5D Mark II already. I'm still waiting on the "Your item has shipped!" email.

See you guys tonight. I'll be the fat girl with the sore throat and sniffles....and you already know PJ (although she's gotten a haircut since you've seen her last) :)January 1, 2009 - 11:30 am

greg - That camera is fantastic. I hope you are felling better every day and will be back to norm soon. Have a wonderful New Year. See you soon.January 1, 2009 - 12:07 pm

Free Chick-fil-A and my new 5D Mark II (with a little video)!!!

Mon. December 29, 2008 Posted in Personal

Well, today I am FINALLY feeling a little better. My throat hurts, but I can totally eat now (my first full meal since last Thursday in China – which was last Wednesday in the States!!!), my cough is alive and well, but I can cough without it crazy pain, and my voice sounds like death on legs :) But aside from that I honestly feel like I’m on top of the world compared to how terrible I’ve felt over the last several days. I’ve got A LOT of work to catch up on and I’m so excited because I should be able to tomorrow!!!

This is going to sound lame, but I always appreciate when I get really sick. It makes me remember how lucky I am that I don’t live a life with constant pain. Many people have to live in all different sorts of pain – much longer than a few days. It also makes me appreciate such little things like chugging down a cold bottle of water – something I almost NEVER think about.

Anyways, I was so sick that I couldn’t even play with my new 5D Mark II that’s been sitting in my house since I was in China! Finally got to take it out today before I got winded and had to lay back down :) I’m so pathetic, aren’t I?!?! I had it out for literally ten minutes tops and shot my two adorable nephews. I had video of Mo (moses) taking some of his first steps but since I haven’t been thinking straight I completely left it out!

Anyways, check it out. Nothing super special, just soooo excited about what this camera can do :)

Bobby


Thursday Lindsay and I will be eating at Chick-fil-A to celebrate our return home to delicious western fast food :) We have four other free meals up for anyone who wants to meet us there! First four commenters to say “gimme!” get it. It’s sort of last minute – and New Year’s day – so if no one can, no biggie :) How’s 7pm sound???

And I’ll bring my new 5D II if anyone wants to play with it :)

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by Bobby Earle

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michaelaphoto - what the heck!??? aahhh!! Awesome! I'm so excited for this camera to be released. What's it like to focus as you shoot video? Do you have to do it manually, or can it autofocus pretty well?
Sorry you are feeling sick... bummer for that.December 29, 2008 - 9:40 am

Kate - Bobby, My name is Kate and I am a wedding photographer in Encinitas. I would love to meet you guys! So, if you want to let me know what Chick-fil-A you guys are going to be at and what time, gimme chick-fil-a and I would love to be there! :) Thanks! you can email me the details if you want...kate.williams@mac.com

Thanks, Kate

www.lifebykate.comDecember 29, 2008 - 10:07 am

Julie Cruz - I think we might be able to meet you guys (finally!) :) Plus I need my prized chopsticks ;) LOL. In case we can't make it, go ahead and give out the last 3 meals, it's ok, we'd love to meet you guys anyway, so no need to give us the free stuff....PJ loooves Chick-Fil-A...so we're there quite often anyway :)December 29, 2008 - 11:04 am

Bobby Earle - @Michaela - I was manual focusing the whole time. Not sure how the AF works yet.

@Kate - Come on down! 7pm at the San Marcos Chick-fil-a!

@Julie - I'll be bringing those chopsticks for sure! 7pm at the San Marcos Chick-fil-a!

Two down and two to go! Any other takers?December 29, 2008 - 2:32 pm

Fun Memories - Take it easy. When my hubby got back from China this summer it was 14 days and 15 lbs. loss before he finally got better. Just some odd bug from eating and drinking micro-organisms your body is not used to.December 29, 2008 - 7:02 pm

Corneli - hey bobby, are you planning on selling your 5d?? I'm interested :)December 30, 2008 - 10:53 am

dani marie - So glad to hear you are doing better- I was praying for you big time!

You and Lindsay took amazing pictures!!! I am extremlly jealous...Wish I lived out that way so I can meet up with you guys!

Bst part about moving down here is they have Chick-fil-A's, they dont have those up north...mmmmm..mmmmm GOOD!December 30, 2008 - 10:55 am

Cindy Lowe - gimme!! :)

for me and Daniel. :)January 1, 2009 - 1:32 am

And the wife of the year award goes to…

Sun. December 28, 2008 Posted in Personal

So if you’ve read the blog from the last few days you’d know that I had gotten a bit sick. Well things went from bad to worse (and then from scary to not so bad). Our last night in China I couldn’t sleep a wink. Just coughed and sweated all night :(

Next morning was flying from Beijing to Seoul (S.Korea), and then from there to LAX. This was where it got horrible. I was really dizzy, had a deathly sounding cough, and couldn’t talk anymore – but I needed to go through customs without getting quarantined. Walking through the actual quarantine part from Beijing to Seoul was the sketchiest part for sure!

The plane from Seoul to LAX was completely full. I was too dizzy to even sit up in my chair. I would go to the bathroom just to be able to lay down – I know, gross :) After about an hour in, Lindsay walked around and found one… ONE open seat on the entire plane (and it was a middle seat!). Lindsay asked the lady sitting next to us if we could pay a hundred bucks for her to sit in that seat since I was so sick. She refused to accept the money but was excited to switch as she was apparently very concerned for me being sick. So, I come out from lying on the floor of a tiny plane bathroom only to see that Lindsay and I now have three seats to ourselves. So I now can lay my head down which REALLY helped the dizzyness. Not only that, but Lindsay spent the next ten hours cooling my fever down with a wet towel :)

Then we make it home. The whole day goes the same. Me just way too sick.

That night I can’t sleep. Around 4am I actually feel like I might be able to swallow some food. So what does Lindsay do? She runs to Jack in the Box to grab me a breakfast sandwich :)

That night I also started coughing up blood. We googled my symptoms and basically gathered that tuberculosis wasn’t a far fetched idea at this point. We went to the hospital first thing that morning (my first time going to the doctor, actually) to test for it. NEGATIVE! TB free :) The doc said that I just have a really severe flu and that has caused my throat’s veins to break – hence coughing up the blood.

Anyways, got antibiotics, should have the real deal to get me to sleep tonight. As I was saying, it’s been several days since I’ve slept and I can’t wait to lie down!

Probably be out of commission the next day or two sleeping and recovering :)

Bobby

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by Bobby Earle

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dane karno dyck - Glad to hear your feeling better...and yeah Lindsay is an awesome wife! Wait...your awesome wife. Not mine, although a wife like her would be dreamy. Not like her but you know like someone very similar but different. K not like that so much but if that were the case it would be cool if it happened. Like if she were cloned and then you know, like that.? You know what I mean.?

In all honesty I want to thank you both for the trip of a lifetime! To spend six weeks learning from a photographer as good as you is priceless. Not a moment went by that I took for granted.

Bobby...your patience for a rookie photographer asking you the dumbest of questions

being an awesome tour guide and organizing all the "headache" aspects that come along with traveling

your generosity...

and for giving us the opportunity that you did. Ill never forget this trip...

Sorry, but I had to get emo with you

Love you like a buddyDecember 28, 2008 - 6:07 am

Lisa B - WHEW.... You got yourself a great wife! It'll be your turn to be a great husband soon enough!

Glad you're home, glad your feeling better.

Just Glad!December 28, 2008 - 6:51 am

Studio222 Photography - You've got quite a lady there! I'm glad you are TB free!December 28, 2008 - 8:46 am

Matt Dorroh - I have to agree with you, sounds like you've got a good one!

Hope ya get to feeling better soon!December 28, 2008 - 3:08 pm

Fun Memories - Nothing more miserable than being sick on an airplane. Glad you are home and praying for a speedy recovery. Looks like Lindsey came through on that "for better or worse" thing. A good wife is truly a blessing.December 28, 2008 - 5:50 pm

Cindy Lowe - welcome home. :) I am praying your speedy recovery! :) I always get sick after traveling to China. :)December 28, 2008 - 9:16 pm

Marissa - It's good to know you are now lying down and recovering. Sounds like a nightmare traveling and feeling like that. Lindsay is awesome, are you are rough and stuff! heheDecember 28, 2008 - 11:27 pm

johnlo - Wife are the best. Glad you are home bobby.December 31, 2008 - 4:32 am

SE Asia post #33 – Merry Christmas, another Great Wall trek, and a winner announced!

Thu. December 25, 2008 Posted in asia * Personal * travel

So let me start right off in saying that I officially will NOT be quitting my day job (wedding photography) for landscape photography. Andrew completely tore me apart in the finals :) He was series one and I was the horrendous series two… woe is me!

The winner of the sticks?!?!?! Julie Cruz! Julie’s an awesome photographer who actually lives quite close to me (shame however that we’ve not met yet! We’ll fix that soon enough :).

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Well we had an incredible Christmas today. Lindsay and I have spent holidays in all parts of the world, anniversary in London, Valentine’s day in Prague, Thanksgiving in Thailand and Italy, and I’m sure some others. Now we can add Christmas in China (on the Great Wall even!) to the list! This was actually our first Christmas without either of our families. We’ve always thought Christmas with just the two of us would be fun (even though we love our fams :), and it sure was. We felt extra blessed and fortunate this Christmas season.

Today we hiked from the Jingshaling Great Wall to the Simatai Great Wall. It’s an 8km hike up some of the longest and steepest steps of unrestored Wall I’ve ever seen. But things couldn’t go as smooth as they sound, you know? Of course I had to go to sleep with a pretty intense fever (sweating bullets Lindsay says) and wake up with the full on flu! Even still, nothing was stopping me from enjoying today. I’ve dreamed of seeing this part of the Wall (it’s three hours from Beijing) and it certainly delivered.

The sun was TERRIBLE for photos – so I hardly took any. It was really quite nice to be able to really soak in all that we were doing. I mean, we’re on the other side of the world, hiking in China, on the Great Wall!

Here are some photos from the day…


One of the BAZILLION Christmas areas all over Beijing :)


Outside the Forbidden City walls.


The Wall literally goes forever!


Doesn’t even look winded, does she :)


The boys…


On a sketchy bridge…


Bedroom right next to the great wall!



Two people we met doing the zipline!


The Great Wall at Simatai peaking out above a really pretty (mostly frozen) lake/stream.

We fly home tomorrow to our friends, family, dog, and my new 5D Mark II! It’s always sad to leave China, but it’s been a great six weeks!

Bobby

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by Bobby Earle

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G.Miller - I broke out that 5D Mark II of yours but didn't get to test it out. Didn't have time to charge the battery. Nor did I have a CF card. So I guess I'll just let you be the one to christen it.

MERRY CHRISTMASDecember 25, 2008 - 11:53 am

somethingsimple (WFF) - gosh i ABSOLUTELY love your wall photos and the pp is PERFECT for them! care to share how you did them?December 25, 2008 - 9:56 pm

Marissa - Sweating bullets?! Yikes! I hope you're feeling better by now, have a safe trip home!December 26, 2008 - 7:14 am

Julie Cruz - SWEET BABY JESUS!!! (sorry, that's been yelled a lot lately for laughs ;) LOL).

WOO HOO!!! I never win anything (besides stupid baby shower games where the prizes are always candles and lotion anyway)!!

YEE-HAW!!!!!

So jealous your new 5D is waiting for you at home. Still trying to decide where to order mine from (err...more like which place will actually have some in less than 6 months or so LOL). It's going to be my Christmas, Valentines, Mothers Day, Birthday AND next Christmas' gift ;) LOL. But yeah, I used my brother in laws new 5D Mark II on Christmas Eve and Christmas day...and holy biscuits that thing is bad ass. Super low and crappy light, but that auto ISO feature is freaking fantastic. Luckily I can borrow his and learn on it before I get mine! :) '

Thanks again guys! I can't wait to meet you guys and get my prized chopsticks!! :D

P.S - My mom JUST got back from China (she lives in Taiwan)...so who knows, one of those little chinese ladies you might have seen could have been my mom :)December 26, 2008 - 10:33 pm

Megan Pioth - Drew told me to stop by, and I must tell you, I am green with envy of both of you!! Your trip looks amazing, and you have fantastic photos of the whole thing. I really wish I could break free from my concrete jail cell of an office and do the exact same!December 30, 2008 - 9:11 am

SE Asia post #32 – it will be a merry, merry Christmas… hiking the Great Wall!

Wed. December 24, 2008 Posted in asia * Personal * travel

So, there are several different Great Walls that I’ve wanted to go to. One in particular is an all day hike on two unrestored Walls (Simatai Wall to Jingshaling Wall). We’ll see two different Walls – the unrestored kind I’ve always wanted to see – and see them on Christmas!

Not to mention that the Christmas spirit is more alive here than anywhere I’ve ever been. I’ve not seen a single “happy holidays” sign anywhere. Only loads of “Merry Christmas!” signs. Seriously like a New York Christmas movie, or something :) The people all take their photos in front of Santas and Christmas trees, literally EVERY place I’ve been has decorations up… I feel like I’m eight years old again!

And it looks like someone is getting SLAUGHTERED in the contest below. Let’s just hope it’s not me :D Be sure and get your votes in for a chance to win!


Andrew snapped this of me at the Great Wall the other day. So excited to be going back again :)

Bobby

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by Bobby Earle

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Fun Memories - Merry Christmas to you all. That is cool but not what I would expect in China...all the Merry Christmas stuff. Enjoy the hike.December 24, 2008 - 7:49 am

Lisa B - Awww...that shot is awesome, you need to frame that one! Pondering!

Merry Christmas all you guys!

It's amazing how far China has come, isn't it!December 24, 2008 - 5:11 pm

ss - caption for that photo:
"hmm, wait a minute, THERE'S the rest of my party... how the heck do i get back over there from HERE?"December 24, 2008 - 6:14 pm

johnlo - Merry Christmas Bobby. Wish you guys continue to have an awesome and a safe tripDecember 25, 2008 - 5:39 am

Bobby Earle - Fun Memories...

I know! It's shocking to most people :) They LOVE Christmas here. Christmas eve we couldn't even get a seat at a few local chinese restaurants... even Pizza Hut was packed! Christmas is alive and well here :)

Lisa B...

Thanks Lisa! It is amazing :)

SS...

Ha! Good one!

John Lo...

Thanks man :) We've had a great trip but we're excited about seeing our family, friends, dog, and... my new 5D Mark II that's just SITTING in my house!

BobbyDecember 25, 2008 - 6:06 am