Back To Fuji (F810)

It’s been some time since I posted here. My excuse is work, work, and unfortunately no time to take pictures. No time to take good pictures, I mean, because I work in a kindergarten now, and we HAVE to take pictures every day, loads of them, to send them to the parents. And once the work is over I am so tired, that the world is simply not beautiful enough to tempt me to take a picture. Sigh.

Then the Chinese New Year holiday came, and things changed.

I dusted off my cameras, (nikon D40 and Fuji), charged my beloved fuji F810 and found out that the flash problem didn’t go away on its own as I has secretly expected. The camera somehow thinks that flash is always on, and tries to take pictures with it, closed or not. The result is underexposed images with the flash closed and a battery that runs out in the matter of hours. The only work around is in landscape mode.

So I opened the Chinese shopping sites, and on Taobao found another second-hand F810, and promptly bought it.

I doesn’t have a flash problem so far, or any other problem, and little by little the world regained its beauty.

Why I keep coming back to this discontinued camera? After all it came out in 2004, that is six

years ago.

Because it delivers amazing pictures for its size.

Before, cameras used to write images on light-sensitive emulsion, placed on film. Now cameras use sensors, a lot smaller than a film negative. There are advantages to this, as cameras get to be lighter and smaller and thinner. The disadvantages are loss of picture quality. A problem with most digital cameras is enlarging the pictures. When you do that you’ll see smudged corners, blurred details. The bigger cameras, DSLR , professional or not, use bigger sensors.

There are many things that make up a good picture. I’ll keep it short and simple. Each digital

sensor has a lot of pixels. They are millions of pixels, and 1 000 000 pixels amount to one 1megapixel, or 1 MP.

When you put a lot of pixels on a small sensor, the pixels have to be smaller too. Smaller pixels catch less light. Light is very important when you take a picture...You realize this when you shoot indoors or in the evening. Even when your eyes tell you that the light is enough, your

camera often doesn’t think so. That’s why we have the flash, but you can’t always take pictures with a flash.

The bigger cameras, DSLR have larger pixels on a larger sensor. The pixel density with them is something like 2-5 million pixels per square centimeter. While the lighter and cuter digital cameras have between 30-45 million pixels per square centimeter. It affects the picture quality, and it’s best seen in low light conditions. The cute digital cameras have higher ISO, light sensitivity, but it brings another problem - digital noise. These are dots of color on your photographs, that simply do not belong - blue, green, purple. To deal with noise, cameras employ noise-reduction techniques, which ultimately hide these colorful dots, but smudge the

fine details in your pictures.

Now back to Fuji F810.

It’s sensor size is 1/1.7, or 0.43 square centimeters. That’s is not bad at all for a camera this

size. The pixel density is 14 million pixels per square centimeter. It has only 6 megapixels. It makes quite good pictures. Another thing that drew me to it, is its ability to save images in RAW. Most point-and-shoot cameras deal only with JPG pictures. They are fine, but what the camera does is to take all the control from you, process the sensor data, adjust levels, colors and white balance, and compress the image to a ready to use JPG file.

If you want to keep that creative control, you need to take pictures in RAW format, and then process them with Photoshop or another program that deals with them. Many people don’t bother and are perfectly happy with the JPG output. I, however, want to experiment with my pictures. I want to see if I can bring up a picture shot in the evening, if I can brighten up a portrait taken at home, not close to a lamp or a window.

Of course, i can do all this with my Nikon D40, that’s why I got it. It has a larger sensor and pixel density of 1.6 million pixels per square centimeter. But my Nikon is larger, heavier,

impossible to carry in a pocket, to hang from my wrist, and definitely attracts attention

whenever I point it at somebody. While candid pictures, or street pictures are not even noticed if I am brandishing a little silver camera taken out of my pocket.

Because in the case of Fuji F810 appearances deceive. It can save images in RAW format, and later, in the comfort of my own home and Photoshop I can make them appear the way I saw them.

Our eyes and brain are the best camera. They adjust quickly to light, and compile an unforgettable image in our memories.

How many times you have you taken a picture of an amazing scenery, only to arrive home and find out that the image is not what you saw? The greens don’t shine the way you remember

them, the colors of the sunset are washed out, and the sun reflection on our friends hair is just a white blotch? If I save the pictures in RAW I try to process them to get the image I saw. The

image that inspired me to press the shutter.

So there it is, my reason to hunt down and get another second-hand Fuji F810. Because they

just don’t make them like this anymore. Its tiny silver metallic body hides the fact that this camera has a low pixel density on a relatively large sensor, it produces low noise pictures, it is able to save them in RAW format, it has very sharp and clear lens. It has full manual controls, which means that I can adjust the speed, the aperture (opening), the light sensitivity (ISO). And it fits comfortably in my pocket.

Here are four images taken with it, to illustrate what I mean by good pictures.

Posted on www.silviamyworld.blogspot.com

Things we say to strangers

There comes a time when all the people we meet are strangers. On the streets, at work, in the cafes, on the planes.

Everyone is a stranger, and we tell them things.

It doesn’t matter what we say, because they don’t care. Or we won’t see them anymore.

It’s such a fascinating opportunity to make a new person of ourselves. We don’t have to lie. We just have to not say certain things. We omit mistakes, family members, years spent doing things that are not important anymore.

And it makes me wonder, of all the people I meet and talk with, how many are doing the same thing as I am? How many are showing just a side, a polished shiny side of them. They are like icebergs; they look different if you move a step away, different if you take a step closer. Different under the sunlight, and different in the fog.

Iceberg is a cold word. I used to think that people are like diamonds, multifaceted, and beautiful. Impossible to see them all.

Impossible to know them all.

There is a certain relief in the fact that no one will know me as well. I even don’t know myself.

I had a fair recollection of my teenage years. I thought I remember well what has happened and how I have felt.

That was until the moment I went home, after the passing of my father, and started reading through my diaries.

They were written in a time without global technologies, when I couldn’t always speak to people when I needed it. There were evenings I had come home, in my room, bursting with thoughts and feelings, and my diaries were my best friends.

I sat down by my old desk, my sister’s former desk, and took out my diaries from deep inside it, behind old textbooks and forgotten books. I started flipping through pages, full of writings and suddenly realized something.

I realized that I have been a very different person then. I was seeing myself through the rose-tinted glasses we all put on when we look back. The diaries forced me to take them off.

My diaries played like movie to me, and the scenes were subtly different. I had the director’s cut, and it was rough.

I have a been a sweet girl, full of questions and dreams. I found the notebook with my poems and started comparing the dates. Somewhere around the age of 16 I have somehow grown fangs. Rash, and impulsive, quick to take offense and shout, black and white about the world.… If I could go back, I would have probably spent hours with myself, trying to tell of what could happen, what will happen… I tore away pages, filled with scribbles that needed to be thrown away. Words that screamed with rage, words written with the sole purpose to hurt. If I could meet myself then, I would have been a stranger. A diamond with way too many sharp ends, still fragile and rough.

I saw my friends then with new eyes. There were details, recorded on the pages, that I have missed to notice really. Things my friends have said, or did, things to which I would have reacted in another way now.

It made me think. It’s scary how we change. We become our own strangers one day.

Pierre is leaving China

Pierre, the gentle giant... my friend, my cousin Pierre is leaving in July.

He has helped me so much in his stay in China... I simply cannot imagine life without him in this country. 

I met him first in 2004, when he arrived in China and didn’t know anything about this strange country. 

Throughout his stay here he always stayed calm, wise and nice to everyone.

He was even nice to my ex-boyfriend, who definitely was not a nice person.

Every time we would fight with my ex, Pierre would be the person I call.. to talk about what happened, to cry, to complain, to be consoled. 

He had all the reasons, he refused to believe in anything bad, he always refuted all the evil ideas and mean words said and found a way for things to work out. 

He was my anchor in the stormy seas, a window to a happy place.

I have never seen him angry... well, maybe once, when we were in the zoo, and the 100-th Chinese turned to stare at him, he was annoyed and shouted - do not stare at me, there are much more interesting animals here.

Pierre, who always had time to talk and listen.

Pierre, who was always there for me when I had to move house, carrying heavy things without as much as a sigh from corner to corner in my new apartments until I was satisfied. 

Pierre, who always supported all my decisions, be it to buy the n-tieth mobile phone, change a job or a hairstyle or even break up with my boyfriend. 

For the last he stayed and listened to me talk about my reasons for 6 straight hours...without ever appearing bored or tired. Then he came with me to the airport to get my earrings, which I had forgotten in the hotel room of a guy last night. That hotel room, and the time I spent there made me realize that I had to break off the poisonous relationship that still weighed on me. Weighed with dead weight, because there was no love, no trust, nothing... Pierre listened for 6 hours, and agreed with me - You need something better than that, Sue.

Pierre, who I call my cousin, because sometimes families are not based on blood, he couldn’t be real family, but  to me is more than that, even if I call him simply cousin.

Pierre, who always has an advice for a difficult moment.

Pierre, who laughs with all his heart when he is happy and you can see that in his eyes.

Pierre, who loves pizza and good music.

Pierre, who is friends with everyone. 

Pierre, who is always late for everything but you cannot get angry at him when he appears and smiles and says Ah, Sue!

Pierre is leaving China. 

I’ll stop writing because I am going to cry.

Cooks Gathering Lunch?

Now now, I know that the tennis center where our kindergarten is situated suffers from  money problems, but the sight this morning caught me off-guard. All the cooks, in full kitchen attire, plus hats, are on the camp grounds picking unidentified green things. Together with them is the canteen boss, two cleaning ladies, and god knows why, the accountant. 

All squatting down and inspecting intently the grass. 

I really hope we won't be eating the result of their work at lunch. 

Beijing Taxi Driver Diagnosed My Mom

Today I had a spectacular taxi driver on my way back from work.
I flagged him down on Guo Mao and while he was driving me to Nanluoguxiang, where I had to meet my friends, he was listening to the radio. The station playing was on health topics.
First an old lady explained that she is 74 and she has a number of diseases - some of them were diabetes, insomnia, anemia and a small benign tumor on her arm. She spoke about 10 min while the radio host was trying in vain to interject something, then the driver sighed and changed to another health topics station. Noticing my interest in his choice, he asked me if I understood the programs. I confessed that I understood, and I asked him why he was so much interested in this.
He explained that these are programs, which tell you how to cure, or keep in check any existing illness that you might have. I didn’t really believe, and it probably showed on my face, so he decided to prove it to me.

He asked does anyone in my family have any health problems.
The first thing that came to my mind, was the high blood pressure my mom suffers from.
The driver jumped happily in his seat - Of course! It’s really simple! She has a problem with her cervical vertebrae! (脑颈椎)
-Oh? - i was surprised
- Yes! How high is her blood pressure?
- 280/220 - I ventured from memory.
-And her bottom reading?
- it’s 220.
- And does it fluctuate sometimes?
- I guess so....
- Does it go down when she takes her pills?
- I think it does.
-Exactly! - the driver was sure - She has a problem with her cervical vertebrae!
- But how can you know?- i was curious.
- It is always like that. Does her neck hurt?
- No, it doesn’t - I tried to say.
- Exactly! There are many kinds of problems with the cervical vertebrae, and only some of them hurt!
- How can she know if she really has a problem there? - I asked, even more curious.
- Very easy, - explained the driver, - tell her to check if the temperature on her neck is constant, on all of the neck. I am sure that some places are cold, and some are hot.
- I see - I said, - But she is a bit overweight, and it might not be obvious.
- Oh, than she must sweat a lot on her neck!
- I think she does - I agreed
- Now, that’s the reason - the driver insisted.
-I have a low blood pressure - I told him - What about me?
- Cervical vertebrae!
-Me too?
- Of course! - replied confidently the driver. - All blood problems are because of cervical vertebrae.
- But how can you know it’s that simple? - I inquired, even more curious.
- It’s usually a very simple reason. You the Westerners, you like to complicate everything and take a lot of tests and pills. We have a long history in studying health and we know.

I was impressed.

- Let me see your left hand! - he asked.
I obliged.
After looking at my palm for about 3 seconds, he gave his opinion:
- You like to dream, don’t you?
- Hmmm, yes, but who doesn’t?
-Nooo, you don’t understand - he seemed dejected. - On your palm you have a lot of small lines and from there I could see that you like to dream.

I had to agree, I do have a lot of dreams when I sleep and I do enjoy them.

-Call your mom and tell her to check her cervical vertebrae.
- I will - I promised.

Then we arrived at Nanluoguxiang and unfortunately he couldn’t share more of his health wisdom with me, but I thanked him.

You never know what will happen to you in any day in Beijing, but one thing I do know - we live in interesting times here. Just like in the old so-called Chinese curse - May You Live In Interesting Times.

I don’t find it a curse, though :)

I will call my mom tonight.... just in case, you know.

Thinking of home

Today Beijing spoiled us with clouds.

The usual flat blue skies of spring, interspersed with dust, today were crystal clear.

I was sitting in my office,looking outside the window and sighing.

It looked eerily like Bulgaria...

In past holidays there I usually took at least 20 pictures a day of clouds. My parents and friends thought me slightly deranged... but I didn't care, the clouds were amazing!!!

I posted this picture on twitter with the Bulgarian feeling that came with it.

Then a Brazilian friend (@corujinha) replied : "I had the same impression, but remind me the south Brazil... feeling nostalgic"

Today Beijing wore a cloudy summer dress, and it made us all dream of home.

Blogging on a Mac

...is not at all easy. I thought it will be, but it proves me wrong.

I had been using Windows Live Writer in my Windows days, and loved the simplicity of it. Now that I have a Macbook ( and absolutely love it ) I decided to try the blogging editors that are out there.

iWeb is the first choice, it’s amazing, but does not publish to Blogger.

Next was Ecto, which refuses to import pictures from iPhoto. Even the option from the drop down menu is grayed out.

Now I am downloading VM Ware and very reluctantly will install windows for the sole purpose of running Windows Live Writer.

Posted with LifeCast

Surprise, i have a Blogger account!

It's a lazy Saturday afternoon and I was sitting happily on my Mac, engrossed in Twitter and random news sites. Then @Ceena tweeted about an interesting website where you could check if your online name is taken on number of social media sites ( www.namechk.com) and I decided to give it a try.
My online name was indeed taken on the websites where I use it, but, surprise, it was also taken ot Blogger!
I went to investigate and found out that I have registered a Blogger account in 2004. Since in that time Blogger was actually blocked in China - a fact that you got to know only after the registration, when you decided to see your new site - I didn't use it at all and forgot about it.

Until today :)

So I find myself with a new blog, in addition to the two others I have - Girl Talks Tech and Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost and filling them up will be a challenge.

Blogger has a clear advantage now, because I will be able to post from my phone, which is not at all easy with Live Spaces accounts.

And there is a picture to celebrate the spirit of Saturdays - as we see, full of discoveries :)