The Weary

Doing a bunch of exercising on my Dia Del Diablo make it that much more exhausting. When the day was over, all I could do was sit at my desk and study some more for finals.
-Simply Complicated

The Plane

The way back to school was not too bad. I got a fantastic run in, I had delicious Indian food, ran into my neighbor from school, and got back to school safely. It was a good day, but the plane ride was very irritating. I sat next to a family with loud and unbehaved children. Needless to say, I have never wanted to punch a five-year-old boy more than ever before in my life.

-Simply Complicated

The Twilight

As I approach the finish of my Thanksgiving break, I begin to reflect on the events of the past week and I would have to say that the only thing I regret is that I wish I could have done more activities. Although, there is the matter of my limited time and energy, I felt that I did not get everything done that I wanted to. I will miss my family, but I'll see them soon. Until then,
-Simply Complicated

The Climbing

We finally figured out a great spot to go climb at Joshua Tree today. I got a lot of shots (like I always do) and I got in some climbing as well. We would have stayed longer, but we unfortunately had other obligations. Overall, I had a blast at Joshua Tree, but one thing I wish to improve on in the future: get in so many activities that I won't be able to move a week after I'm done!
-Simply Complicated

The Wondering

Joshua Tree is a big place. We did know what to do with some of these rocks with our gear, but wondered where we were to go for our level. So, we spent much of our day wandering about and exploring. Knowing of our limited time here, we realized that this trip is more of a sample of Joshua Tree, rather than a hopeful second trip that is sure to provide the full experience.
-Simply Complicated

The Traveling

A family outing/trip never goes as planned. Generally speaking, when we say that we will leave at the "crack of dawn", we leave around noon. So the most part of the time spent today was getting ready to go to the rock climbing mecca, Joshua Tree
-Simply Complicated

The Scenic Route

I took the scenic route today. When I woke up, I drove to a trail and did a relaxing long run. Afterwards, my sister wanted to run as well, so I gave her a head start and I rode my bike and took shots of any wildlife along the way. Taking the scenic route is fun, and you see lots of things you would not notice if you were to drive a car instead. In fact, had I been fully concentrated on riding my bike, I would not have even gotten this shot! I had a lot of fun taking the scenic route but I have become really sore.
-Simply Complicated

The Bird

I was like one of my birds today. Normally I am, in a way, caged up, but now I'm free and I have been doing one thing after another. It has been constant today, and tomorrow will have even more fun-filled joys.
-Simply Complicated

The Wishing

I had been sitting and waiting for this day to come, but when it came, I was wishing for the catastrophe to end! I will not go into detail, but it was not completely a good day. I did finally make it home and I got a new lens, so that did make up for it. I am so glad to be home for the week and I dread the day I have to go back to school. At the airport, our flight was delayed and the whole time I was wishing that it would come sooner. I just really wanted to get out of the land of ho's.
-Simply Complicated

The Waiting

I have been waiting for this long weekend to end and I can go home! Since everybody on my floor has left, I have felt invisible, non-existent, and lonely. Salt on the wound: my sister told me today that she would have paid the extra fare to have gotten me out of here on Friday! Obviously, that did not happen. However, the day is over and I look forward to an eventful tomorrow.
-Simply Complicated

The Sitting

I'm pretty much all alone now. There was not much to do because it was snowing all day. I have just been sitting in the dark doing nothing. At this point I think that it will take much longer than it usually seems for Monday to come.
-Simply Complicated

The Boredom

I have been studying all day for a test that I am to take tomorrow. I hated being stuck inside, I even fell asleep while studying. When I woke up, the fist thing I saw was an image from the textbook, but it didn't look quite like an image. What I saw was a combination of colored dots that make up the image, making it look like something very different. It is in this perspective that boggled my mind, how much of the things we see and how much of the things we perceive are the same. Completely mind-boggling.
-Simply Complicated

The Observation

In a psychology class the teacher will usually go over observational studies and how they don't always work because the subject will act differently when conscious of being observed. The same concept applies to when people are making a documentary or getting their photo taken: they act differently. However, after a certain amount of time, the subject will not notice being observed. Although this takes some time, it can work and you can capture a natural subject. Here, the subjects learned to ignore the camera and the sound it makes, but one of the subjects brought in their own camera, and he experienced a subject acting as they would when being observed, and that is a term psychologists call discrimination.
-Simply Complicated

The Search

Recently, I have been looking for many things. I have been searching for the perfect pictures for a photo competition. I have been searching for a way to fix a lens I have. I have been searching for cameras with cheap awesome lenses. I have been searching through my notes to get in good effective studying. I have been searching for what photos I will use for my photo projects. And I constantly search for the photo of the day. I have continually been searching for something, it is a chronic condition that has become a norm. Most photographers suffer the same disease, because all of them are looking for their next best shot and some are willing to get that at any cost. It is stressful, and sometimes you will want to break down and sit in a corner, but any serious photographer will persevere and continue through the rough times. That is the real challenge, perseverance, and once you can continue on even when you do not want to, you have the potential to be successful.
-Simply Complicated

The Lens

I rented a lens from the school photo department today, and I would have to say that it is probably my favorite lens I have used so far. It has a wide aperture with and it is auto focus which makes things much easier. This lens has made me want to take much more pictures now. I am excited, and the result speaks for itself.
-Simply Complicated

The Mustache

At a small restaurant near my school there was a mustache competition. Many of people alike come together: boys who may be losing their girfriends and girls who (if their facial hair is real) can't even get a boy. Even though most did not come for the competition, they do come for the free food and get the chance to have fun during the school week. While at the restaurant, I was showing some people how to properly shoot with a DSLR camera and while showing them how it works, I happened to get a few random shot that I happen to like. Now all I need to do is fix one of my lenses and I am in business.
-Simply Complicated

The Steps

Having dinner with my only tie with family at school is very enjoyable and relaxing. As we were eating, it began to snow very hard, it was very cool to look at. Watching snow fall can be relaxing and this scene just looks awesome when you look at it with falling snow.
-Simply Complicated

The Cold Night

Things seemed to warm up here, but when night rolled in, we were chillingly mistaken. As a group of college kids, we had to huddle together for warmth (no homo) and feelings were shared. We were eventually rescued by a very kind woman, unfortunately, we got pulled over by a cop who scared away all but two of us. To put it briefly, the night was eventful in it's own way. I just glad the the kind woman was not penalized by the pesky po-po.

-Simply Complicated

The Meeting

There was a meeting that I was on my way to, when I saw the sun for once in a few days. I needed to remember that moment for only an instant. Even though sunset pictures are very cliché, sunsets do make me think of going home, and I count the days for that to happen. What image makes you think of home? Write about it in the comment area, and I anticipate reading your comments.
-Simply Complicated

The Smoke Bellows

I was walking with a friend to go to lunch when we noticed this building bellowing out a ton of black smoke for a few minutes. We were disgusted at the sight, but both of us felt obligated to take some shots of the sight. Even though this building provides for my school in some way, the sight still disgusted us. What bothered me most was how no one else took notice of this let alone cared. Which brings me to why I made this today's photo: we photographers do not need to just shoot art, rather we should shoot something that brings about a call for change. If there is an injustice that need to be fixed, we should be obligated to fix it or change it.
-Simply Complicated

The Warming

The Sun shown though today. The snow did melt some, but it still remains, cold and wet. I am really looking for the warmth in things, but it is difficult when you are cold. Hopefully, I won't get pictures of just snow. My problem is that this is a new thing for me: living in the snow.
-Simply Complicated

The Beginning to the End (of Fall)

It is really cold outside and the snow is still there. It is different to look out the window and see snow on the ground, this is coming from a Californian where the worst you may see is frost on the grass. So, this is an entirely new phenomenon for me. Pretty soon, the snow will rip the leaves off the trees and most of the trees will be barren. I really do not know how to feel about this...
-Simply Complicated

The Snow

When it snows all day for the first snow of the season, you simply have to go out and play in it. Many people outside get in snowball fights, others make snowmen, and some make snow angels. Any way you go, you are certain to have a lot of fun. I had a good time playing in the snow, but I had a better time shooting the snow. In this picture, two buddies of mine were in a snowball fight, however, it had reached it's end and all that was left was the joy and pleasure of having fun with friends.
-Simply Complicated

The Reaching

I took another walk around town today, and thing are really looking gloomy. Pretty soon, Fall will end and Winter will actually begin. I have expressed before my feelings about this, but to put it short: I am sad. So for the time being, I will clutch on to what warmth there is left in this area.
-Simply Complicated

The Shadow

I was walking around town today, and I happened to notice a very distinct shadow being cast on a house. I really liked the look and definition of the shadow and I urge you readers to also get a picture of shadows as well.
-Simply Complicated

The Looking

As I ate at the food court today, I noticed how great it looked outside and that was when I noticed the other people looking outside. Not too many people were looking outside and were more focused on reading or playing on their computer, but I brought me to the realization that there are many people out there who do not observe the world around them or there are people out there who do not choose to observe the world  around them. You will find that as you get more into the photography field, you will notice more things happening around you than the average person. You will be surprised at some of the things you will see.
-Simply Complicated

The Futbol

My roommate had a couple soccer games today. It was fun, but it was at night so it was hard to get a clear image. Increasing the ISO setting on your camera helps, but you will not get as good of an image than if you were to shoot during the time the sun is up. So, unless you have a great and expensive camera, your best pictures will generally be taken during the day.
-Simply Complicated

The Exhaustion

For a upcoming photo competition, I have compiled together a little more that 300 photos to be possibilities, however I cannot submit them all. I need to narrow all of those down to about three to five photos. So, I have been showing all of those 300-some-odd photos to many people. Today I got in nine selections from people and I have many more to go. Even though the final submissions for the contest is not until later this month, I do not want to procrastinate at all. There is too much on the line for procrastination, so I am on the ball. On top of that, there are assignments I need to do and studying to be done. Fortunately, I got in a fair amount of studying and I also have completed the one easy assignment needed. Also, I managed to fit in a few miles of running. I have absolutely no idea how I have completed everything. But I have, and I have become exhausted. Fortunately I only have one class for tomorrow and Friday, but that time will be used for studying, running, and getting opinions. I cannot wait for this stuff to be done.
-Simply Complicated

The Work

Another Dia del Diablo for me. After I was finished with all my school work, more work opportunities arose. Over at a building that has been undergoing construction there was actual exciting work being done. Even though, I was exhausted and still had more studying to do, I reluctantly ran and got my camera and tripod. I really had to force myself to run and grab my equipment. Seriously. I had a mini-argument with myself for a minute. People passing by gave me weird looks, but I too concentrated on my self-argument that I did not react to them. I eventually won (go figure.) So I rushed  and grabbed my equipment and did a shoot.
When I reflect on the events today, I feel as though I should not have hesitated to go shoot, because if I do, I always regret not going. So now I will do my best to jump to the opportunities when possible no matter how tired I am.
Tips for the picture: when shooting strangers who are working or really anyone in general, it is best to blend in for those candid shots. If you are found out by you subjects, you have a variety of options: run away quickly, pretend you are shooting something else (actually take photos of different subjects in case they want to see what you did), see if they care (if they don't you are set, if they do RUN), or make an excuse like you work for a local paper and shooting for an article (but then you will get posing subjects). Whichever way you choose is fully up to you, just so long as you are happy with your product. Also, just to be prepared, if the opportunity ever arises, it would be helpful to be in-shape.
-Simply Complicated

The Passing

I have been doing so much today, it is totally stressful. Editing mountains of photos, hours of studying, and doing my homework all with the added distractions that fill up the time. It has made me so extremely exhausted that I did not even notice how fast the time flew. Any good artist should get a good amount of sleep, and boy will I not get very much tonight.
-Simply Complicated