I Actually Got Paid to Take Pics

Friends have been telling me that I need to go into the pic business. Lately I've had quite a few people ask me to manipulate, correct, or even take pics. I took the baseball pics and actually got about $50 of free meals from our favorite joint. The waiters there asked me to take pics a few times, each time getting more and more out of the meals, can't argue with that!

I posted on facebook that I was going to make it a business, get paid for my time. I spend 10+ hours at times editing and touching up pics. I see plenty of photographers online posting some sucky pictures.  Some good one, sweet pics of sunsets, cars, cities, but when it comes to people, I've seen and know a few that are paid photographers who just snap the pic and charge the customer.

Heck, one gal showed me some pics she took during an engagement shoot. Pretty bad! I edited a couple with permission to show her the benefits of using her program properly (Lightroom). She said it was too much work and she just wanted to take the pic and then take her money. Gee! I can't do that even if it's a pic I take just for the fun of it. I can't imagine charging somebody for a pic then handing them a pos picture. Just not me!

So I edited the pics for her. Lightened up the faces so one could see their faces. enhanced the crap colored water to blue, the sky to pretty. Some other stuff and she was impressed. Then she asked me if she could send the pics I edited to her customer. Sure! They deserve it I think.

So then she asked me if I would mind editing all her pics for her that she takes at photo shoots. Uhhhh no! Unless I get half the money. In my opinion, taking the pics is the easy part if you know how to focus, which she didn't. Really funny thing is that she took a college course in photography. But yet she couldn't set up her camera properly. I feel sorry for her customers.

Saddest part I think is that she said she wanted to do as little work as possible but collect her pay. Wow!

I do pics for fun and if they don't look good, I feel bad.  I use a point and shoot on my bike rides and I think I have gotten much better shots than many of the photographers I have seen. A relative who has a $2000 camera showed me his website, paid pro photographer. I almost laughed.

He told me I need the $2000 camera like he had. Umm, I saw your pics and no I don't need a $2000 camera. I just need to know how to focus properly and edit pics to look nice. No that junk you pull out of your camera while using auto and semi auto settings.

WTF spends $2,000 for a nice camera but doesn't learn how to use it, then opens a business taking crap pics cause you can't use the settings properly? I use FULL MANUAL settings. They say the camera is smart but you are smarter. Make the camera do what you want it to do, not what IT want's to do!

So after experimenting with the camera the first few days, I realized I needed to go full manual. Surprises me that EVERY photographer I have had a chance to chat with, uses a semi auto setting. I'm sorry but no!

That is just me though! I have met several photographers and have not chatted with them about their settings so I do not mean every photographer does this because there are some awesome photographers. I am simply saying the photographers I have chatted with about photography. There are plenty of awesome photographers on Instagram.

So anyway, I have spent hours editing pics taken at family functions. Editing pics by request for funerals, and just in general old pics.

I also have the aunt that knows I take my camera to family events just to snap pics for my own sake. You know the aunt who asks for a pic of her with her daughter. OK no problem! But then she says she wants a pic with her son, the three of them, one with her father, one with her mother, one with her brother, one with the group, one with the baby daddy!

Sorry but I am not your personal photographer. I take a few pics of things I like, edit them to please myself and learn. I'm not running a photo booth! You want pics, bring your own camera!

So I mentioned I was starting a business to make a little money for my time. Like I said, I can spend 10 or more hours on editing the pics I take. If I shoot pics, I end up taking 150 or more. Sorting through, ending up with 60 edited pics, will take me 10+ hours to finish them off. I use 3 different programs and many times, one or two of the programs more than once.

Few people have said they like my style so if I started a business, they would be happy to pay for some pics. My cousin's daughter was my first customer. After her pics were finished, I got another customer, a friend of hers who saw the pics on facebook. Another potential customer for a sport event. But did get another person asking for anniversary pics and Christmas pics. OK, we can do that!

These were some of the pics I took for my cousin's daughter, their 5th anniversary. I took 170 pics, Gave them 62 edited pics and all 170 of the original unedited in case they wanted to fiddle with the files. Plus I through in a pic video.

All for $100. I figure for a couple, engagement pics, anniversary pics etc, that is a fair price for my time considering it is a hobby for now.

One group of 20 people asked me for a price. With all the individual sittings they want as well as group pics, they said another photographer wanted $500. No editing. I saw her work and it's a bit shabby. Lots of sun spots on subjects, lot of washed out backgrounds. I can't do that, hate sun spots on faces, shoulders etc. I quoted them a price of $300, edited and a video. They thought it was too much.

OK, pay some self appointed pro photographer $500 for crap, no video or me $300, and it's too much? BYE! I'm not stupid. I think they wanted a quote of $50. That doesn't even pay for my gas to get to the photoshoot seeing as they wanted it in Yorba Linda at a paid parking park. Pfft!

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SO anyway,. some of the pics. 62 edited pics, 170 originals, 3 pic videos (experimenting which looked better so I gave them all 3)....I think I will offer 30 edited images. I did 62 this time just experimenting with time requirements.

I like this format the best but it shrinks the pics too small and they look blurry in the video.

But this may be better as the pics show more but get cut off a bit. From scratch style I made.





This one shows the pics but I don't like the way the pics just sit there motionless. I have to look thru the options to see which shows best.








Few of the pics. I tell you, women are harder to edit because of all the makeup and fly away hair in their faces. :-P

Different stuff too, black and white with little color. I do these things after I am done with the pics just for entertainment. They like it.

Gina SART Sunday

Just a nice 32 miler with Gina. Increased her mileage by 6 miles over last week so I slowed the pace a bit giving her time to settle back into form ha ha! Nice sunny day, dark at the coast then hot on the way back but Gina did well. On the return, Tony and Thai joined us and rolled back to their exit on our tail. Lucky guys live only 5 or 6 miles from the coast so they didn't have to ride in the hot sun ha ha!

I waited so long I actually forgot what happened that day. If I remember correctly, Bad Bob stopped by for a visit. Always good to see him, good chattin'!

Jose's bike.

Fat Bastard on GMR

So I wore my Fat Bastard jersey again on GMR ha ha! Started much earlier today, 8:15 vs last week's 11:15. Temp was 70 when I started today but the first 4 miles there was no shade. Thought the temp was cool it still felt hot. Logging in my data after the ride, Garmin said average 88 and high of 105. Wow, did get warm but thankfully as Mat says, after 4 miles up to Newman's Point, 80% of it is shaded. That was the benefit I needed vs last week with NO shade. I did make it up to the shack today. The final mile seemed to cool off thankfully. Not cool but not quite as hot ha ha!

On the way up I saw a chick and a dude roll by me like I was standing still. OK so most do right now ha ha seeing I haven't done much climbing, riding, or dieting.  But anyway, these riders go by and the gal says don't pass me or I'll attack you. The dude says he is just trying not to get "chicked". They roll away pretty fast.

After they roll by, I see a couple other guys with the same team jersey. I think she left them in the dust. But then I see her and the dude roll down. I keep going but a little later she rolls by me again! Wow, she is moving pretty fast, this time with 2 dudes. As she rolls by she shouts,"YOU AREN'T A FAT BASTARD!!!" ha ha ha! I told her I must be because I just got "chicked" twice by the same chick! :-P

Feeling much better than last week but yeah it was hot after a couple miles of riding in the sun. Air isn't hot but the sun beating down on a rider is. But I do remember there is shade after the 4 mile mark. How much I don't remember but makes sense as the sun is on that side of the mountain as I can see.

But just as I approach the 4 mile mark, I see GMR and Mat rolling down the mountain. This time they both turn around and stop for a chat. At this point I had been debating on whether or not to take a break. Glad they stopped me because that made up my mind for me and I will say, I needed it ha ha!

We chat then Mat says to take a look back down toward the parking area. He says that is why we get tired. True! It is a long way down but at that moment, I couldn't look. I think I was slumped over my bike gasping for air ha ha!

But hey, I felt better today and I did take another 2 minutes or so at Newman's Point just to relax my legs. But the point is I made it today vs last week when I was feeling pretty beat. Though I was determined not to say uncle today, I was going to make it. Though I don't feel that strong right now, Mat says I bring strong legs to GMR. Again I don't feel strong but something must be. Not setting any records but making it up GMR is a good thing. And the legs can only get stronger for riding the trail and wind. And since Gina has been spending Saturday's with her son at the dialysis center, I figure I can make the best of this op and ride GMR on Saturdays! ;-)

Must have been hot today as well. Did see a few riders but not many. The parking areas were pretty empty so hey, getting on GMR is a darn good thing!

                                                                      GMR and Mat

She is so tiny! She was standing on the bank above me and still she is barely shoulder height. :-P

I made it to the shack so hey, I'm taking my Fat Bastard pic!

I ran out of water, it was hot but once I collected my marbles at the shack, I could smile again!

Cycling Video Saturday SART

 As Mentioned, Gina is a strong woman, physically and mentally/. Got a good chance to meet up with her friend Aimee this weekend for a ride. Really tough times like Mat said, been hit over and over but still getting up. If you know what Gina has been going through with her 2 sons over the past 2 or more years. More like 18 years and kidney problems.

Well it was good to get Gina back out there. 2nd ride since her son passed and many think I am crazy to get her back on the bike. But hey, cycling is good for the soul. Probably why she has been able to make it through what she has been through lately.

And tell me, talking to great friends soother her emotions, crying with her, talking with her and sharing their experiences doesn't help. Some friends we know have experienced the same heartache so it's great for Gina to talk with her friends once again.

Got some good cycling people out there! Thanks for being great friends to Gina, Dixie, Aimee and even Bad Bob. Guys really helped her. I really don't care if you like me but seeing you guys again really helps when you guys chat with her.

So anyway, a nice steady ride, 26 miles 15.9 average speed.

She's back on the bike.  Little slo mo section is Jose R. and his buddies rolling by.

Gina SART

26 miles 15.9 average speed. Nice to get Gina back on the bike again. 2nd ride since her son passed away and today happened to be the 2 month anniversary of his death so she was rather sensitive. On the way to the trail she started crying and apologized. It's OK Honey, cry, you need to cry to get it out.  Soon we would meet Amiee at the parking area and again she would cry. First time she has seen Aimee since Chris passed so I expected it. Aimee has been too sweet with Gina since it happened, as a matter of fact, long before. So I knew she would but I figure it's good to get it all out for now. Can't expect her not to cry but hey, if she gets on the bike, I'm good!

Mike ended up meeting us at the start, I think he was doing 60 from Green River. He rode with us to the coast. A bit breezy but much better than the last few weeks imo. Mike hung out a bit at the beach but headed back early while we remained. I know Gina enjoys Aimee's company and though I don't like Gina hanging around with Aimee much, I thought it would be good for her! Ha ha ha just kidding Aimee! She views the blog once in a while so I thought I would mess with her ha ha! She has been a really good friend to Gina through the hard time! Even sent her a few gifts to cheer her up. Enough to put a smile on Gina's face over the thought of it. Mine too Aimme! ;-)

But then Bad Bob shows up and again, the first time seeing Gina so she gets sensitive again. Of course again I think it's good for her to cry and get it all out. Last time it was Dixie couple weeks back. It's all good! So Bad Bob has a pretty good chat with us all had some laughs, I talked about jerk faces ha ha and actually got my bit of letting it out too ha ha! Good to talk to someone who knows what you're talking about ha ha! Oh and the talk about RBF ha ha ha! Resting Bitch Face! Thank God I married Gina, so sweet, I don't have to deal with RBF here!

But then we head back and Gina is feeling good. I think we had a nice tailwind for once. Very enjoyable and though we were just cruising, I figure a nice 16.0 average speed. But as we get further inland, it gets warmer and Gina gets more tired. About 2 miles from the finish I see 15.9 on my Garmin and thinking 16.0 will be our final and I'd be real happy with that figuring Gina hasn't been on the bike much at all.

But she starts really sweating, looking pretty worked over and the speed drops a bit. Dang it! just my personal goal but happy she held the 15.9, next time! :-P

Overall a good ride and good company. :-)

                                                                         Starting out!

Gina's good friend Aimee. She doesn't like me much but she really likes Gina.

Almost done!

My Cranky Old Bastard jersey. I love this one! :-P

Bob and his gal arrive, oh wait, he just happened to show up in the pic.

Confidence. I have to give her credit. Something sexy about most women and I'm sure somebody will enjoy this!

GMR for 2,000 Please

Well actually it was a GMR fail but it wasn't! I think only the second time in my life I didn't make it to the shack. I climbed up 5 miles but man I started way too late and it was freaking hot. How do the hipsters say it now, it was HOT AF!!!!

I noticed the temp at 4 miles up was 91 degrees. I started after 11 and I should have known better. But the time I got up to the 5 mile point, it was 93. One of those days you are not breathing real hard, you don't feel tired but your body just feels like it doesn't want to move. I stopped took a few pics figuring maybe my legs would recover and loosen up. Nope! I took a few pics, got back on the bike and it was like I hadn't stopped at all. I actually remounted and restarted 3 times before I said screw it! Each time was like misery.

Meh, so I sucked today. Been there done that! I remember back in 2009, I started out to the shack and got to the 4 mile point. Something just wasn't right so I turned back. Some may think this a fail but it's actually a smart thing to do imo. If you push yourself too hard, you're going to get sick or something bad is about to happen. That day I went home feeling sad but 3 days later, I rode to the village. Amazing how the body works.

So though I didn't make it today, I will consider it a victory because on the way down, I decided that being at 1650 feet, I would turn around, head back up and make it an even 2,000 ft.

Well OK, I ended up with 2018 feet over the 14 miles. When you feel beat down but can find it somewhere deep inside to turn and head back up, that's a victory. Mat and I were just talking about that at the start. Us guys are strong. Some days after time off we might suck once or maybe even twice, but we always come back! That is the strength, accept defeat them fight harder next time. We cyclist suck at time, we all do, but hey, we are here, riding, climbing the mountain, and not at home working out our fingers on the  TV remote.

I know Gina and I have been hindered by a hundred things lately but I won't use that as an excuse. Cycling hasn't been the same but only one way to get it back, RIDE! I told Mat that I had not been feeling my old strong self on the bike lately so what other way to build strength and stamina???? RIDE GMR!!!!

I will say it is quite different from the trail. I could have easily done 40 there today. But GMR, trying to do 6 was tough today ha ha!

I won't use little riding as an excuse, but I will say in this heat, GMR is tough. Figure even when it is hot, I see on my Strava about 100 fly bys, tons of riders!

But today on my Strava GMR ride, I saw only 20 other riders out there. So though it was tough today, another victory getting out there and doing GMR at all!

2,000 ft, 13 miles, I'm good with it for today!

This was my second time up at about mile 2. I wanted a pic with that road in the background. After this is when I thought to myself, at least 2,000 ft you big baby ha ha!

Mat, always something good to say! Hopefully I see him more often as I plan to do GMR more often on Saturdays. Gina's plan is to spend Saturdays with her younger son while he does dialysis at the center. Then she'll ride on Sundays. So hopefully I get to chat with Mat a little more. Always a good time with Mat.

The famous GMR Blogger!

Matt, GMR, and Mr. GMR heading down GMR.

5 miles up, legs were shot from the heat. Just wouldn't move so I stopped to take pics thinking they would recover. Nope! 

There is a thread in a cycling forum I frequent. "Post your bike by a gate" thread. What better gate than that to GMR?! This will go in the forum thread! ;-)

Mat took this pic! He actually knows how to take a pic. Most people cut the frame right at the head or squeeze the subject in so there is no room to edit. Not only is Mat a cool dude, he knows how to take a pic ha ha!

I Have Been Hitting the Grass Now That it is Legal

Not that kind of grass people! Mr. Beanz does not do alcohol or drugs no matter how legal they are. I do ice cream but no drugs or alcohol. Matter of fact, I gave up cookies and ice cream all of last month just to get back on track. I wrote a pledge and posted it on a bulletin board. As of today, exactly one month. Really don't have the urge so hopefully I carry on for quite a while!

But back to the grass. My father passed away 10 months ago. He had been sick for 10 years. Doing dialysis for several years as well. Had a ton of trouble with his knees, arthritis and other stuff. So he could not do maintain this big house any longer. Nor could he maintain the yard. They had hired a lawn mower man, we call him that because he really sucks imo and if I had it my way, he'd be gone.

I mean c'mon, you know my Dad can't get out of bed, you see a rock, trash, board, bucket, ball or something someone threw in the yard and you can't freaking pick it up to move it? He would use his weed whacker and go around whatever was there. When we moved in, I noticed a 2 X 4 in the yard, middle of the yard. Something had fallen and the board ended up there. He trimmed around it for a couple of weeks. Right in the middle of the yard, grass growing over, around it, not even using his weed whacker to trim it. Just let the grass grow around it, WTF! Then Mom says he is a nice guy and tips him besides the fee. WTF! Mom is legally blind and can't see WTF he doesn't do ha ha!

Someone who cuts the grass but does not edge it? Dude left a panel from the neighbors fence laying in the corner of the yard, behind the shed, letting the grass grow through it and around it for like 3 months.

Well I stopped that BS! I mentioned things to him, taking my Mom's money and doing a half ass job on the yard. I went out and started doing some things on my own because Mom is too nice. So I did them hoping this dude would get the message figuring I could do the yard and if he doesn't move his ass, he's gone.

It worked because he is on his toes now! I think he was taking advantage of Mom and Dad. Mom can't see and Dad can't walk outside to see what was really going on. Really pissed me off but nice Mom wouldn't say much. I took her hand and took her outside so she could see a few things. She is legally blind but not totally blind. I think I opened her eyes ha ha! She started mentioning things to the guy as well. He ended up doing a little more than expected a couple of times. I think he got the message.

Before I forget, the grass was getting dry about 3 months before Dad passed. Mom asked him to set the timer on the sprinklers. He said he didn't know how, he was just a landscaper, not a sprinkler installer. WTF! I didn't know all this so I went out and set the freaking sprinklers. Plus I watered the yard trying to get it back to green from yellow!

So I started watering to yard to see where we were at. GOPHERVILLE !!! The ground was so tore up that if one walked on the dead grass, one's feet would sink into the ground. OK maybe I am too nice as well but if some old people had a problem, I'd freaking set the sprinklers and place gopher poison pellets in the ground if they asked me.

So I got some vibe stakes that are supposed to keep them away, after chasing them. But they work OK but not totally. Then I got some mechanical traps, dug out the holes and placed them inside. OK that stuff looks good on youtube but when the gopher is approaching the trap, he's pushing dirt and the dirt sets off the trap before the gopher gets to the trip plate. OK so I stuck my entire arm in the ground, got scratched up and dirty for nothing.  I dunno, maybe the gophers on youtube are more sophisticated and can follow the obstacle course thing ha ha!

So anyway, got lots of stuff cleaned up and look at the grass now! ;-)

                                        This is the back. It was totally wasted when we got here!

This was after 2 months. I had been doing the inside of the house but watering it hoping it would start to come back as I worked on the inside. So this is much better than when we got here.

This is the front as of this morning. Ton of gopher holes when we moved in. Yellow dried up grass but now back to green. May not be perfect but I'm looking for green as in a sign of life living her ha ha!

A small dried patch toward the top of the image. That was where the gopher ate his last meal! ;-) Pellets work the best IMO.