First: I’ve been into model rocketry almost as long as I’ve been tinkering. Started out with some simple store bought rocket and moved into (of course) making these things myself. Rocket motors are dangerous and when firing you should be a safe distance away. A 9V battery is sufficient to fire the starter but that’s not a decent solution for a maker. I did some searching and thinking and came up with the VERY high voltage circuit from a disposable camera. This thing cranks out about 400V and is VERY DANGEROUS! You should only attempt to make/take apart such a circuit if you have some electronics knowledge.

To make the modified circuit I simply took out the circuit board, got a hobby box and soldered in some wires to extend the trigger. The switch must be rated for high voltage, as there is a lot of “juice” running through it. 30 feet of armature wire was enough for a safe distance for me, and was hooked between the trigger-box and the motor.

I don’t have any images or schematics of the thing availlable but I’ll upload some when I can dig it out.

Second: As you can see from my previous posts, photography is a hobby of mine. I like to capture the unexpected and high speed photography is awesome. It requires some really expensive equipment (or some tinkering and modification). One simple solution I hadn’t considered was this simple little hack (also funnily enough using a disposable camera). WARNING! As with the previous hack, this involves a high voltage circuit and is highly dangerous!

I’m a huge fan of mr. Bre Pettis and his ideas. There’s just something about the way he thinks and presents his ideas that makes you want to make and/or hack stuff.

This was, as seems to be the way I post, a very late night blog. My cat hunkered down in the couch next to me and a movie running on the TV. Can someone please kick me in the behind and whip me until I’m done cleaning out my hobbyroom/workshop? How can I expect to get some of my ideas from my head to paper and even further realized, when I can’t even straighten out a simple little room….?

I decided I didn’t want to re-invent the wheel in terms of a gallery application, since I found one that (so far) covers all my needs and is a pleasure to use. You can find my gallery here: Geir Andersen’s Photogallery. It’s not much in there yet as I’m still setting it up and uploading stuff, but it’ll get there.

There’s the option to order prints in there, and I’ll write a T&C page which will get a link shortly.

For now, please enjoy the gallery and hope to see you again soon.

-Geir

My macro enthusiasm continues to grow with every chance I get outside, camera in hand. I also have started to develop my widlife photography skills, allthough I don’t have the qequipment to get the optics I need.

For now I’m using my newly aquired Canon EF 70-300mm F4-5.6 IS USM. This is a cracking piece of kit and the IS helps a shaky guy like myself. I’d like to have a 500mm prime, but just don’t have the possibility to get that yet. All in good time!

This site does get a bit neglected but I’m doing my best to keep it updated. I’m now writing a Gallery script. It’s nothing big or flashy, just a simple place to show the shots I’m most happy with. The gallery link at the top isn’t it just yet. That’s just a test I did a while back. I’m also implementing a PayPal purchase option (should anyone at any time be interested).

Anyways.. Enough for tonight, I’m off to bed.

Click the image to go to it’s Flickr page.

This was a particularly difficult shot as there was almost no natural light and I couldn’t use flash because I had no diffuser. The flash was to bright without diffuser. Had to use the extreem settings of ISO1600 and 1/60th second @ f/8. ISO1600 on my Canon EOS 400D is noisy, but I did manage to get rid of some of it.

I’m playing with the idea of maybe upgrading my kit though, to get the most of it all. Time will tell.

I still have so incredibly much to learn about photography in general as well as macro, but even I can see a definate improvement since my early days.

If I get the time tomorrow (I have the day off, but there’s tons to do at home) I’ll write a little bit about my new lens and post. This really is an incredible piece of kit!

(More images in the post, click more)

Lately (for a while actually) macrophotography has been a big interest of mine. Ever since I got my dedicated 60mm macro lense, every chance I’ve had has gone to developing my skills. Think I got a bit better since my first attempts, but I still have a long way to go!

This is ordinary at best. I was happy though as I didn’t know any better. Posted it on a community and wanted feedback and comments. I’m always after honest comments and critique and that means I want bad comments as well as good. If nobody tells me what I’m doing wrong if I can’t see it myself, then how am I to get any better? Got some great advice and decided to play around in PS (PhotoShop). Spent a few hours last night and thought I managed to get a better version. As I noticed this morning it was WAY over processed and just couldn’t pass it off as an image. Another member of the same community “pimped” my shot (meaning he edited it as he saw fit, and posted for me to see). Didn’t even bother posting the version I’d done, as that wasn’t even near what I wanted. While I was waiting for the member to answer my question on what he’d done to get the results, I explored PS a few more hours.

Here’s the final edit that I’m quite pleased with:

(Also link to Flickr fullsize version)

It’s not perfect, but I think it’s a heck of a lot better than the original post. This one I feel I could hang on my wall and be proud to have taken.

This just goes to show that one should never give up, and that there’s hope in just about any shot that the photographer has put some time into.

Tech. info on the shot:
Canon EOS 400D using the kit lens EF-S 18-55 @ 55mm focallength.
F/11, 1/30s shutter, ISO100.

Because of the recent changes in my life, I’ll try to dedicate this site directly to photography and to show my work here. Because I’m an avid user of Flickr most, if not all, images will be uploaded there. Those images I’m most satisfied with, will of course be placed under Gallery on this site as well. If the interest should be there, images are for sale and more info on this will come in the Purchase Info section.

All images on this site is copyrighted, and the rights belong to Geir Ove Andersen, if nothing else is stated. Please contact me if you would like to use any of the images.