Snow-pocalypse Update...

So, for anyone who remotely cares, (which won't be many, I'm sure) you may have noticed that the blog has had another dead patch without any updates. This has been mostly by design as I have been waiting to hear from a full time job I interviewed for. However, the recent blizzard has both delayed their decision and is starting to give me cabin fever, so I felt like I needed to post a small update and maybe a few winter pics I have shot.

First, an update on a previous post. I recently showed you how I was able to make a quick release strap for my 550D for free, but if there is one thing that you sacrifice with free, it is definitely cosmetics. It worked great, but it was ridiculously ugly and only meant to be temporary anyway. So, I finally made that trip to the hardware store that I mentioned and picked up a couple black Snap Clips to replace the casino clips. They not only give it a more polished look, but they are made out of aluminum instead of plastic so they offer bit more sturdiness and piece of mind.

Sleek and Shiny

The next item is another freebie that I came across recently. While digging around DIY video sites, I came across a blog called The Frugal Filmmaker where they were talking about getting proper exposure and the use of grey cards. They said that they picked up their grey card 100% free from this posting that linked to the Wilsonart website, a company that makes laminates for interior design. I was very skeptical as to what these "free" samples were going to cost me (I'm sure I'll get some kind of junk mail eventually), but I went ahead and ordered one of each anyway. Three days later, I got them in the mail and they seem exactly as advertised. See for yourself below.

They come in three sizes, 2x3, 3x5, and 8x10. I first ordered the 8x10's with the mindset that bigger would be better, but after realizing that carrying them in any kind of pack would be a bit cumbersome, I went back and re-ordered a set of 3x5 samples. To my surprise, the smaller set came with a hole punched in the end making it easy to put them on a keyring and keep them organized. Based on a comparison photo, I would say that the gray card is a bit dark, but the matte finish white and black cards are spot on. They are also ridiculously scratch resistant (I took a car key to one of the 8x10s and didn't phase it) and being laminate on a wood backing they are heavy duty. Simple travel in your kit is not going to hurt these. In fact, I'm pretty sure the only way you are going to break or crease one of these is if you set out to do it on purpose. Definitely a great freebie.

Finally, just because there's 16 inches of snow outside, it doesn't mean I haven't been able to get out and take some pictures. I didn't have any ideas for a video this time around, so I settled for taking a few shots around the yard. Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by. As always, your comments and suggestions are always appreciated. Subscriptions are a nice gesture as well. :)

##