Life's a Bokeh

Our new home!

We just got the keys yesterday and I'm just starting to run items over.  It was too dark to take any pictures last night so this is the first official one since we took possession. The home is located in Los Altos off Loyola near 280. 

The move part won't be fun but looking forward to the new house.Looking forward to sharing pictures pf the kitchen.  For once we'll have room to have guests stay over and not make them share the office.  Sure, it's just a rental but it'll be fun to have space for a change, all 2800 square feet of it. 

Some of you know I'm a camera geek, photo taken with my Google Android Nexus One, not bad huh?

via Pixelpipe

Posted via web from Rick Bucich's Posterous

My blog: www.rickbu

January 22, 2010 - Here Comes Annie Spohr!

Twitter didn't endear itself to me for some time, with the constant "fail whale" in early '08 and the stark interface, I wasn't convinced it would last.  Then came April, 7th 2009...when news first broke that Maddie, the adorable daughter of Mike and Heather Spohr had passed away unexpectedly.  Although Maddie had been born prematurely, her passing caught everyone off guard and the outpouring of support for the family via Twitter and blogs was staggering.  I still remember making a donation in her name to the March of Dimes which at the time totaled less than $1,000.  As news spread the total began to jump, I found myself refreshing the browser just to see the donations mount, it didn't take long for them to exceed $20,000.  Twitter and social media were instantly legitimized & validated as a mobilizing force for good will.

Photo of balloon release at Maddie's funeral courtesy of Casey Mullins

Not long after Maddie's passing, I received a phone call from one of Heather's friends Casey Mullins AKA mooshinindy who requested assistance from my employer Tiny Prints to provide programs for the funeral service. It was at that point I went from an interested observer to an active and emotionally attached participant in both a tragedy and a touching expression of collective human warmth. 

Yesterday was a moment I know a great many people including myself have been looking forward to, the birth of Annabel Violet Spohr to Mike and Heather. Welcome to the world Annie, you have already deeply touched so many.  May you always find comfort in the love that is, has and always will be expressed toward you and your family.  We look forward to seeing more of you and hearing of your adventures! Here's a link to Annie's photo set on Flickr.

You can follow Heather and Casey on Twitter -
Heather: @mamaspohr
Casey: @mooshinindy

Thank you both for letting me be a part of your lives.

The "For Sale" Sign

Although I've already mentioned that we needed to move because our landlord has decided to sell the home we rent, the "for sale" sign finally went up which has a certain symbolic nail-in-the-coffin feeling to it.  It is a strange feeling coming home each day with the sign out there.  All of a sudden I'm more aware of any mess in the house, dirty dishes, laundry laying about, un-made beds etc.  Really looking forward to moving out now...just not the move itself.

It occurred to me this morning that this will be the 4th move for our three year old son. It's time to stay somewhere for awhile!

Fortunately we have a lease agreement for another home ready to sign which we will do today.  Move-in date is February 5th, right around the corner.  Looking forward to the move now, in a masochistic sort of way.

It's All About Jack

Three year old Jack was a busy kid today

First thing this morning he was drawing on his easel which usually results in something he describes as "train tracks" -  his default description for the random jumble of weaving lines.  Today was distinctly different however and I ran to get my camera to document an image that I could clearly distinguish as "balloons." It helps this this was also what he was trying to draw.

He later drew an image that took a bit more explaining, in this case a balloon that he popped. Notice that it has deflated somewhat, the horizontal line is air escaping from where he punctured it.

Since we're preparing to move, our office is a bit of a mess.  Jack found some headphones with built in microphone and was pretending to be a pilot.  Makes you wonder where he learns about such things...he's never seen me imitate being a pilot but he has flown a few times, he must have caught a glimpse into the cockpit.

Disclaimer: The headset and microphone was adjusted by him, not staged by the proud parents

Thoughts on Moving

So we finally heard what we were expecting...that our landlord had in fact decided to sell the house.  We entertained the thought of purchasing it ourselves or making it worth their while to keep it but neither were viable in the short term.  In the mean time, we did quickly find a home that works for us (tentative...keeping fingers crossed).  We'll need to tighten the budget belt but it gives us a lot more space.  The primary downside of renting a house however, you can't get too comfortable.  Inevitably we'll be moving again next year...something to look forward to (sarcasm). 

For posterity sake, I've created a list of biggest things I'll miss most at the new house (in no particular order):

1. My beer fridge in the garage
2. Proximity to the Los Altos Sweet Shop
3. Our neighbors
4. Being walking distance to downtown
5. The living room that never got used (stayed clean)

Things I'm looking forward to in the new house:

1. A 4th bedroom
2. A 3rd bath (overkill?)
3. Enough room for guests to both visit & stay 
4. Playroom for Jack = not so much clutter
5. Closet space!

Here comes the fun part, packing while keeping the house nice and tidy so Realtors can show it.

Moving Again!

Yesterday we got the word, our landlord needs to sell the house we're renting...ASAP. We've been in the house for a year and would have liked to live here much longer, even had discussions with the owner to buy it once we had a down payment.  

We've moved nine times in the last ten years (if you count temporary housing) so we're used to the routine but this move will be more traumatic.  We like the house, neighborhood, for once we're not relocating to another area and we're sick and tired of moving.  Besides, being relocated always included movers which are a huge help.  This time we're on our own with a three year old in tow.

The owner was reluctant to sell so we thought we'd have a long term opportunity to stay.  Apparently they have an adjustable loan with the rates set to go up in the near term.  They have been working with the bank to re-finance to a fixed rate for the last few months but finally got word that the banks would not budge because it isn't their primary residence.

Hopefully we can find something we like as much or it will be an extra bitter pill to swallow.  Around here houses are so expensive that renting has some big advantages but here's an example of one of the downsides. 

A Thanksgiving Dedication

I have a lot to be thankful for. For the third year in a row my family has met at Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove where we feast buffet style. The atmosphere is not very traditional but the food is good, the surroundings on the coast are amazing and there are no dishes to do.

But what makes it extra special is one of the guests, someone who has been to each of the last three meals, someone who doctors thought might not make it to the first.

The someone is my step father who was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer just a few months before our first gathering at Asilomar. He has been able to continue joining us through use of medication. Amazingly, he was kicked out of hospice a few months ago for doing too well.

Things don't look good for him joining us next year so I am dedicating this Thanksgiving to Barry (closest to the camera).

More Canon 7D Portraits & Observations (updated)

Update 3/6/2010: The default processing of RAW files in Lightroom 2.6 for the Canon 7D leaves something to be desired.  This is from having using Lightroom earlier with a 20D, 1D Mark II & III.  Noise is significantly more visible in the RAW files than .jpg until significant post processing is done so it you are pressed for time you might want to just shoot .jpg. I suppose the argument for doing this is to allow the photographer more latitude for correcting noise to their personal taste.  I find myself preferring to see RAW photos look great straight from the camera...perhaps I'm just impatient.  Photoframd has a good post comparing several RAW processing software for the 7D. Since Lightroom is embedded in my own workflow, I stick with it.

-----------

Update: 11/19/2009: Adobe products now support RAW files from the Canon 7D - Lightroom 2.6 and Adobe Camera RAW 5.6 for Photoshop have been released.  Since this is a recent development I have not had a chance to use either significantly but should make a dramatic improvement on image quality.

-----------

This is a continuation of a prior Canon 7D post after I picked the camera up a couple weeks back.  Coming from the 1D mark III it takes some getting used to but I'm getting the hang of it.  In many ways it is a much more sophisticated camera.  These are some pictures of my son that I took with it today.  I'm not qualified to give an in-depth technical analysis but here are some of my observations. The following photos were shot in RAW and processed with Adobe Lightroom 2.5 which has not yet been updated for the camera yet, I can't say whether it will make a difference.  You can find the photos with the exif data at my Zenfolio album or by clicking a photo to go to Flickr.

Update 10/27: all files were processed in Lightroom 2.5 which has not received an update yet for properly handling images from the Canon 7D.  The result is excessive noise that is not nearly as evident when using the Canon Digital Photo Professional or DPP software. The issue is now well known and no longer speculation so the images on my site are not good representations of what the camera is capable of.

I really miss the built-in vertical grip, it was a feature I used expensively with the 1D.  Despite the fact that there is an add-on battery grip and WFT-E5a wifi grip available, the accessory grips never fit as securely in my opinion.  In addition, with the WFT-E5a attached, it can make removing the battery a challenge.

I am however really enjoying the smaller, lighter form factor and am now able to use an old Crumpler messenger style bag that I had retired because it was too cramped for the 1D. I can easily fit the 7D with 28-70 2.8 L attached, 70-200 2.8 L and either a flash or my 16-35 2.8 L into the bag and have a nice padded, inconspicuous kit to have with me at all times. 

So far I have been extremely impressed by how robust the camera is.  I had no intention of ever owning a camera with a pop-up flash ever again because I wouldn't use it and they tend to be flimsy but I am loving how the camera feels in my hand. The fact that the internal flash can act as a master for my 580 EX flash sold me on the feature.  I haven't used it yet but definitely intend to in the near future.  In addition, the memory card door has been substantially beefed up (or so it seems).  On earlier models it felt like a weak spot, something that could potentially break easily. 

I also miss having a second SD card slot for my Eye-Fi Pro card but I knew I was losing that feature going in; I'm already brainstorming a work around.  The auto-focus is supposed to compete with the 1D speed wise, I have no way of testing it but I do prefer the new interface.  Since I shoot in portrait (vertical) mode frequently, the fact that I can set a specific focus point for each orientation is a huge bonus.  When shooting wide open, no longer do I need to keep changing the focus point when switching back and forth which speeds up my response time. 

Other things I like but haven't yet used, the HD video, the grid overlay to help keeps lines and horizons straight and the built-in digital level. My 16-35 2.8 L is likely not wide enough and I might sell it in favor of the Tokina 11-16 2.8 which is getting rave reviews.

I am still looking for a tripod head solution.  I currently use the Kirk BH-3 ball head which is great for stills but not very good for video.  Since I prefer an Arca style clamp it looks like selection is limited in the fluid head department.  I can't afford to have two heads so I'm looking for an affordable hybrid solution.  Right now it looks like the combination of a Bogen fluid head, Arca clamp adapter and either Kirk or Really Right Stuff L plate is the best option.  The L plate is necessary because video fluid heads don't have a vertical or portrait orientation. 

I welcome your thoughts and suggestions, thanks for stopping by.

More recent photos from the Canon 7D indoors with flash.

Funny Video of My Son Rockin' Out

My 3 year old son and I hung out this morning at a local cafe and he was really diggin' the music and dancing in his seat so I took out my phone and captured a few funny clips of him enjoying himself, this is a compilation of the videos.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I did, he was entertaining everyone in the place.

Here is the best of the shorter video clips if you get impatient.

Tiny Prints Holiday Cards - Details Deleted

I work at Tiny Prints. If you're wondering why the content of this post has been deleted, please feel free to inquire. I'm easily accessible on Twitter @paperfans, Facebook and a variety of other locations including e-mail rick dot bucich at gmail.com.

 Here's the actual folded holiday photo card we used last year from William Arthur; you can change the default red to brown:

New Portraits with the Canon 7D (updated)

Update: 11/19/2009: Adobe products now support RAW files from the Canon 7D - Lightroom 2.6 and Adobe Camera RAW 5.6 for Photoshop have been released.  Since this is a recent development I have not had a chance to use either significantly but should make a dramatic improvement on image quality.

-----------

Got a chance to give the new Canon 7D a little workout this morning and captured a few portraits of my son using my new Canon 7D and 70-200 L IS lens.

They were shot in RAW and processed in Lightroom 2.5 for expediency sake even though it has yet to be updated to accommodate the new Canon 7D.  As a result, the photos are less than spectacular up close using the loupe but plenty sufficient for use here.

My son Jack at a neighbor's birthday party this morning

Update 10/27: all files were processed in Lightroom 2.5 which has not received an update yet for properly handling images from the Canon 7D.  The result is excessive noise that is not nearly as evident when using the Canon Digital Photo Professional or DPP software. The issue is now well known and no longer speculation so the images on my site are not good representations of what the camera is capable of.

I have since done a follow up post on the Canon 7D with more observations and Canon 7D indoor shots with flash.

Jack Likes to Bake

At my son's daycare they do all sorts of fun and engaging activities, recently they did some baking.  They're constantly taking photos and videos but usually there are other kids in the picture so I can't share due to privacy concerns.  I found these recently of my son making cake batter and wanted to share.

Cake batter almost finished! Yes, mom and dad got to eat some of the finished product.

Grilling Bucich Style

My wife purchased a couple New York steaks at the grocery store for tonight's dinner, it was my job to grill them.  I've got plenty of recipes in my play book but really enjoy experimenting which has its up and down sides (of which there have been plenty).

Tonight I started down the road by coating the meat in a little sea salt and brown sugar but then realized that I could achieve a nice flavor by adding some of the Soy Ginger marinade that the Biltmore Estate provided attendees at the Type A Mom Conference in Asheville.  The ingredients of the marinate are: soy sauce, sugar, pear puree, rice wine vinegar, spices, garlic, etc...some of my favorite things to cook with so I figured what the heck.  I let the salt & brown sugar combination soak in and then added the marinade once the meat was on the grill.  Let it cook at about 400 degrees until about medium rare, turning once and served.  Took about 25 minutes total in preparation and cooking.

The following pictures illustrate the transformation from raw beef to what turned out to be a very popular item at the dinner table this evening.  It worked, I can't tell you why...it just did and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a tangy sweet flavor on their meat.

Meet My Dad "Buddha"

My Dad After a Margarita, originally uploaded by jack'sdad.

This is my dad at today's 49er game tailgate party after a single margarita. He's has season tickets for 27 years and the last few have been unfruitful to say the least. But, he drives nearly two hours each way to gather with friends (who call him Buddha) at Candlestick Park and do their regular tailgate rituals, shrimp w/cocktail sauce, an assortment of chips, potato salad, garlic bread, steaks on the grill and the infamous "margatoonis." Margatoonis to the uninitiated are simply margaritas with the name corrupted. No one seems to remember how or why the name came about but you can bet alcohol played a part.

No one is really sure why he's called Buddha either but the name stuck. I can tell you that being contemplative or zen like didn't play a part in the equation. Perhaps it has something to do with his size 15 feet, the jury is out or it's some inside joke that he doesn't want to let his son in on.

By the way, he just turned 70...does he look 70? Didn't think so. Say after me: "Happy Birthday Buddha!"

While he seems to be in high spirits before the game, there was more of the same after since the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Seattle Sea Hawks rather convincingly. That makes two games in a row...a real reason to celebrate. I'm looking forward to sharing some of this joy with my son Jack, maybe next year he'll be ready for a seat in the stands.

Check out the other photos from out trip to today's SF 49er football game.

Jack Kissing Mommy

Jack Kissing Mommy

IMG_0498.JPG, originally uploaded by jack'sdad.

Just a set of photos of I took today of my son Jack and wife Becky while trying out the diminutive Canon XSi. Let me clarify, diminutive compared to my 1D III. Used my 28-70 L 2.8 which completely overwhelmed the camera size wise but was still quite easy the handle. If I were to use the camera more frequently, I think I would mount the lightweight 35 f/2 or similar lens. The menu system isn't terribly intuitive but perhaps I'm just not accustomed to it yet.

Really looking forward to getting my hands on the 7D. Take a look at this weeding video so see what the camera can do in capable hands:

jc plus esther // all 7d highlights from stillmotion on Vimeo.

More photos from the day:

Funny Three Year Old Expressions

New 3 year old sayings are thick in our household, apparently streaming from outside influences.  The newest from our little guy is "I'm talking about" which is his version of "what are you talking about?" and "what's going on?"  Both are used completely out of context but he clearly loves getting a rise out of us when he says them.  I'm going to have to do a follow-up post if I can catch either on video, it's pretty funny stuff.

In addition, the "whys" are now coming on strong, usually from the back seat when I'm driving.  On the occasions that we're stopped at a light and I can catch his expression, the devilish look on his face makes it clear that he is finding pleasure in his petty annoyances.  If you haven't had the pleasure, the "whys" are when every statement you make is followed by "why?" regardless of the subject.

Good times!

What I learned This Weekend

I learned that my son might finally like swimming pools! 

May sound trivial but he's almost three and has been particularly reluctant to embrace swimming and pools in general.  On a trip to a friend's home in Davis on Saturday, Jack finally got a positive taste for the merits of that hole in the ground full of water. Of course it helped that there were two older boys  having a good time splashing around as well.  Never hurts to have a little peer pressure. 

I'm including a few pictures of the fun, although we had no idea how much he enjoyed it until we got home.  After returning he found a deflated raft at our house and has insisted on playing in it ever since.

I am so grateful for the precious time spent with friends and family over the Labor Day weekend, in this case with friends who were in town from New York with their two sons. 

Jack with mommy

Cannonball!

Busted

Wife and I went to the mall this weekend to run some errands.  While we were there we needed a little snack and decided to use the free McDonald's burger coupons from the Cheeseburgher Party.  This is quite out of character for us since we typically avoid all kinds of fast food, especially with Jack in tow.

While we sat outside I tried to grasp why Jack repeatedly was pointing toward the restaurant and asking for a toy.  Before long it became apparent that someone has been sneaking him to McDonald's.  While he did not divulge who the culprit is we have our suspicions. 

As he gets older, clandestine activities including Jack become ever more difficult...gotta keep that in mind when I try to be sly.

Neighborhood Block Party

Jack at Block Party, originally uploaded by jack'sdad.

Several homes in the immediate area had a block party this evening. It wasn't our idea so we can't take credit for it but we (especially my wife) helped set it up. Different homes host the party every other week in about a one half mile square area of Los Altos and a schedule is published so turn out is very good.

It isn't very relevant that I'm using my son as the primary photo of the post but, well, he's my son and it's a cut picture of him. I guess it's my prerogative.

In this edition we had a shaved ice machine, popcorn machine, two grills with chicken, hot dogs etc., margaritas, beer and a bounce house. The kids played, the parents talked and everyone wandered freely in the street since basically the whole neighborhood was in attendance...until well after dark.

I feel gratitude to live in a neighborhood where this type of behavior is encouraged and supported by all. Fortunately mean, nasty, landlord lady next door lives elsewhere so she doesn't count.

Wish I had taken more pics, these don't accurately represent the turn-out but take my word for it, we had lots of fun and it was well attended. In fact, after staying out a bit later than my wife and son, I found her out cold in bed. He was cheerfully watching TV, knowing that he was getting to stay up far later than normal while she dozed.

You should visit some time.

Unrepresentative street scene that shows only a portion of those in attendance

Yum! Love the smell of a good summer grill

The Bounce House

Gratitude for Family

Grandma-Bucich-90th-Birthday-2009-2, originally uploaded by jack'sdad.

A couple months ago was my grandmother's 90th birthday. Since she is still very active, driving, going to church daily, surfing the Internet etc. it was quite a momentous occasion for all of us. Family drove in from Oregon and some flew in from Texas for the event in Southern California which included many people I had never met and yet some I could identify readily even though I had not seen them in do I dare say 30+ years. We're not what I would consider close so I am very appreciative of the effort so many made.

I would have made a bigger fuss at the time but my father and I swapped out memory cards at the time and he ended up with the photos I took. I shoot in Raw format and to make a long story short he couldn't access the photos.

Tonight he dropped off the memory card and I was able to see the photos for the first time since I took them. In the picture includes a great great grand daughter so it is not something I want to lose.

My son Jack who is her great grandson will be probably too young to remember the event a few years but I sure hope he gets the change to spend some time with her again sometime soon. She suffered several minor strokes immediately after the party, apparently caused by the excitement so her body is starting to fail her.

It took practically a lifetime to get all of these family members together. Better late than never - the memories are irreplaceable.

Jack with birthday balloons

Grandma looking at old photographs with family

Jack getting rejected?  Naw

My dad with party guest

Family around the table

A portrait of my 90 year old grandmother - looks great!