Michael Ball Photo2023-02-10T00:06:30-08:00https://michaelball.coMichael Ballcycomachead@gmail.comhttps://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/24/Back-In-BerkeleyBack In Berkeley!2012-06-24T08:23:00-07:002012-06-24T08:23:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Well, I’ve spent a few days-busy days-moving everything back to a new apartment in Berkley where I’ll be for the summer. It feels pretty good t0 be back up here and getting more involved with summer classes, so I thought I should post a Berkeley shot for today.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/19/Carthay-Circle-aterCarthay Circle Theater2012-06-19T08:50:00-07:002012-06-19T08:50:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Here’s a proper shot of the Carthay Circle Theater - and before the craziness of the 15th. It looks great and it really Flo’s well with all the new improvements (see what i did there?) and is already a DLR icon if you ask me. The 15th was great by the way but I have yet to go through photos because apparently I’ve been taking too many lately and I needed to upgrade my hard drive. :O Now that that’s done hopefully I post a few soon. :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/17/Catalina-DockCatalina Dock2012-06-17T08:34:00-07:002012-06-17T08:34:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Many years ago, I had the opportunity to go the Catalina Island Marine Institute with school, way back in 7th and 8th grade. Not only was this great for just enjoying scenery and learning, but my science teacher was also a wedding photographer. I owe him at lot for really pushing my interest in photography, and doing awesome things- like helping me develop a couple rolls of film! :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/16/Broad-Tailed-HummingbirdThe Broad-Tailed Hummingbird2012-06-16T08:27:00-07:002012-06-16T08:27:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Well, this is one of those times where you pack the extra lens (the heavy 70-200 in this case) and are really glad you did! :) While at Zion we found this female Broad-tailed Hummingbird (or Selasphorus platycercus if you really wanted to know), and she wasn’t really afraid to get close to the camera. It’s amazing how fast they move because we were in very bright daylight and I was only at f/10 - and the wings are still a bit blurry. I’m very happy to have been borrowing the 1D Mark IV at that time because the speed of the AF system really came in handy! I didn’t do much to this shot except for a bit of a crop and boosting the color in Aperture a bit.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/14/Old-CartThe Old Cart2012-06-14T08:14:00-07:002012-06-14T08:14:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>When I went to Utah last month, I got to stay with some friends and they recently had their backyard landscaped and found this, which really does fit in with all the scenery around! :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/12/Rarther-Large-SodaA Rather Large Soda2012-06-12T08:00:00-07:002012-06-12T08:00:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>AT&T Park in San Francisco has one of the largest bottles of Coke I’ve ever seen. Of course, it is actually fake but I think that’s ok because inside here, there’s about 4 (maybe even 5…) metal slides which are not only long but are also designed for racing in pairs!</p>
https://michaelball.co//blog/2012/06/11/Round-Tripping-with-ACR-Aperture-3Round Tripping with ACR and Aperture 32012-06-11T07:27:00-07:002012-06-11T07:27:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m5g0uphwpB1qjg6k8.png" width="150" height="150" align="left" alt="" />
Aperture has long made it easy to round-trip with an external editor. That is, if you want to edit an image in Photoshop or GIMP, then all you need to do is right click the image from within Aperture, and it will open in your desired editor and when it’s saved, the image is automatically in your Aperture library, right alongside its original version. However, open files in Adobe Camera Raw has takes a bit more configuring. The reason is that when Aperture round trips, it creates a new file from the master, and ACR will only open files under certain conditions, and it won’t open PSD files.</p>
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<p>If you want to use ACR with Aperture round tripping here’s what you need to do:</p>
<ol>
<li>Open your Aperture preferences and go to “Export”. Then set your Aperture External Editor preference to Photoshop, and then set the file format to TIFF 16-bit. (I suppose 8-bit may work, but that would defeat the purpose of using ACR). <img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m5g0lnHM8l1qjg6k8.png" width="260" height="200" alt="" /><br /></li>
<li>In Photoshop open your preferences, and go to the “File Handling” tab, then select “Camera Raw Preferences…”<img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m5g0me3aDX1qjg6k8.png" width="477" height="359" alt="" /></li>
<li>Change the TIFF settings to say “Automatically open all supported TIFFs” Click OK and you’re good to go!<img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m5g0mrb6TN1qjg6k8.png" width="341" height="355" alt="" /></li>
</ol>
<p>Yes, now every time you round trip you will be presented with the ACR dialogue. For me, this is great because there are a few ACR options I really like. If you’d like to temporarily change your preference, then you can simply set Aperture to use PSDs which ACR won’t open. As far as the difference between PSD and TIFF - there’s not too much difference as both support layers. My personal preference leans towards TIFF as it has a larger max file size and is an open standard.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/11/Doges-PalaceThe Doges' Palace2012-06-11T07:23:00-07:002012-06-11T07:23:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>There’s nothing like the detail of old buildings in Venice (and other parts of Europe)! The Doges’ Palace is the place where the Doges (who were the rulers of Venice long ago) lived and met. Inside is even more interesting, though photography is a bit limited inside because they’d like to preserve everything.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/10/Tours-Departing-DailyTours Departing Daily2012-06-10T07:26:00-07:002012-06-10T07:26:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Wow, there’s just so much detail for the Jungle Cruise, and I’m not sure why the ride has such a poor reputation - it is quite nice. (Though admittedly, being 10 feet away from Indy is quite a tall order, and that may be cause for some of it!)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/09/Very-Haunted-HouseA Very Haunted House2012-06-09T07:10:00-07:002012-06-09T07:10:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>This is was taken a couple weeks ago, well after park closing while we were hanging out as long as possible. :) There’s always so many fun shots of this place, especially in the dark! Not to mention, it was while I was still borrowing a 1D Mark IV, which is honestly a beast! It’s a very fun camera, and capable of amazing things, but way out of my league!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/08/Night-by-Golden-Gate-BridgeA Night by the Golden Gate Bridge2012-06-08T07:13:00-07:002012-06-08T07:13:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Just after classes ended my friends and I spent a day exploring San Francisco and our last stop with the Golden Gate. (It was also the furthest point from downtown.) The skies were nice a blue, and relatively clear, but surprise surprise, there was a layer of Bay Area Fog to deal with. Still, the bridge at night is a great sight!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/07/Under-Tuscan-SunUnder the Tuscan Sun2012-06-07T07:06:00-07:002012-06-07T07:06:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Under the Tuscan Sun</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/05/Rushing-RiverRushing River2012-06-05T07:52:00-07:002012-06-05T07:52:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Rushing River</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/04/We-Welcome-Carthay-aterWe Welcome the Carthay Theater2012-06-04T07:45:00-07:002012-06-04T07:45:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>We Welcome the Carthay Theater</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/03/Stormy-NorCal-DayStormy NorCal Day2012-06-03T07:38:00-07:002012-06-03T07:38:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Stormy NorCal Day</p>
https://michaelball.co//blog/2012/06/03/Importing-Large-Memory-Cards-to-iPadImporting Large Memory Cards to the iPad2012-06-03T07:34:00-07:002012-06-03T07:34:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m522lv2XO31qjg6k8.jpg" alt="iPad with Camera" /></p>
<p>If you’ve ever used the <strong>iPad Camera Connection Kit</strong> (CCK), then you know that using memory card readers for importing compact flash cards is dicy, and anything other than an SD card is more work. Often, we resort to using the camera and a USB cable. However, this is not the best solution as it can be slower and will drain the camera battery.</p>
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<p>Occasionally, you can find small compact flash readers which don’t use much power. These can be plugged into the USB plug of the CCK. The problem is that these readers are usually slower. Also, with larger and faster CF cards, they may still draw too much power to be of use with the iPad.</p>
<p>The solution I’ve come up with is to use my USB card reader with a USB “power-sharing” or “Y” cable, and a USB battery pack. The battery pack I use is one which has a standard USB connection so that it can be used with any device (and is primarily used for my iPhone). These are fairly common now, especially as reserve power sources for cell phones. While there are many great ones made specially for the iPhone, to be of use here they will need to be able to provide power though a USB cable, and not just the dock connector.</p>
<p>The USB cable is another matter, and depending on your card reader there are two different options:</p>
<ol>
<li>If your card reader has a detachable cable, hopefully, it has mini- or micro-USB because this will make things simplest. What you need is a cable usually referred to as a “power-sharing” or “Y” cable. This will have a male mini-USB (or micro-) connection at one end, and a standard male USB plug at the other. However, different from a normal cable, it will have a second USB at the end which will simply provide additional power, and no data transfer. These cables are commonly supplied with portable hard drives so that they’re compatible with computers whose USB ports don’t provide enough power. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-USB2HABMY1-Cable-External-Drive/dp/B003WV5DMO/&t=micbalpho-20/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=micbalpho-20&linkCode=ur2&acamp=1789">Here’s a common example on Amazon.</a></li>
<li>If you card reader does <em>not</em> have a removable USB cable, the strategy is basically the same, and you still need a power-sharing cable, but this time is needs to be a female-to-male power-sharing cable. Though these aren’t as common, they’re still pretty cheap on Amazon, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041CFFBM/&t=micbalpho-20/?ie=UTF8&tag=micbalpho-20&linkCode=ur2&">like this one</a>.</li>
</ol>
<h3 id="so-how-does-it-work">So, how does it work?</h3>
<p>Well, the picture makes it pretty simple: The card reader gets plugged in with the power-sharing cable. The main end goes in the iPad Camera Connection Kit and the second USB plug goes in your battery pack. Put the memory card in the reader and you should be good to go!</p>
<h3 id="some-notes">Some Notes:</h3>
<ul>
<li>I’ve tested this with 2, 4, 8 and 16GB CF cards from both Lexar and SanDisk. They’re all UDMA cards (300x and 400x). I once tried using a friend’s 32GB 1000x CF I was borrowing that couldn’t wouldn’t be read by the iPad. I don’t know if this was due to my card reader, or the iPad as I didn’t have a chance to test in my computer.</li>
<li>The card reader I have is a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cardette-Media-Card-Reader-Black/dp/B000XPAG6K/&t=micbalpho20/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=micbalpho-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">Moshi Cardette Ultra</a>, and my battery pack is an Energizer like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Energizer-XP2000-Universal-Rechargeable-Power/dp/B0029U2WWI/&t=micbalpho-20/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=micbalpho-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">this one</a>. They make larger ones too.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041CFFBM/&t=micbalpho-20/?ie=UTF8&tag=micbalpho-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">This</a> is the USB cable I use. If you were looking to buy a reader specifically for the iPad, I would recommend looking for one that has a detachable cord, like the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lexar-Media-Reader-Professional-LRW307URBNA/dp/B007FEFQDA/&t=micbalpho-20/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=micbalpho-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">Lexar USB card reader</a>, since there’s a good chance you already have the proper USB cable from a hard drive or phone.</li>
</ul>
<p>While a little bit of work, using a good card reader definitely has made working with photos on the iPad much better!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/02/Great-Day-at-MillGreat Day at the Mill2012-06-02T07:31:00-07:002012-06-02T07:31:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Great Day at the Mill</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/06/01/Maaaaaark-TwwwwwaaaiinnnMaaaaaark Twwwwwaaaiinnn!2012-06-01T07:24:00-07:002012-06-01T07:24:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Maaaaaark Twwwwwaaaiinnn!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/05/31/Virgin-SkyThe Virgin Sky2012-05-31T07:18:00-07:002012-05-31T07:18:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>The Virgin Sky</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/05/30/Virgin-RiverThe Virgin River2012-05-30T07:11:00-07:002012-05-30T07:11:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>The Virgin River</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/05/29/Stormy-BeachStormy Beach2012-05-29T07:04:00-07:002012-05-29T07:04:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Stormy Beach</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/05/28/Grand-TetonA Grand Teton2012-05-28T16:38:00-07:002012-05-28T16:38:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>A Grand Teton.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/05/26/Full-Circle-PartnersFull Circle Partners2012-05-26T16:24:00-07:002012-05-26T16:24:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Full Circle Partners</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/05/25/Empty-BeachEmpty Beach2012-05-25T16:18:00-07:002012-05-25T16:18:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Empty Beach</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/05/24/Mt.-Rainier-National-ParkMt. Rainier National Park2012-05-24T16:12:00-07:002012-05-24T16:12:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Mt. Rainier National Park</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/05/23/Spring-in-YosemiteSpring in Yosemite2012-05-23T16:05:00-07:002012-05-23T16:05:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Spring in Yosemite</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/05/22/Not-Your-Normal-LobbyNot Your Normal Lobby!2012-05-22T16:59:00-07:002012-05-22T16:59:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Not Your Normal Lobby!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/05/19/Lots-of-Books-Above-MeLots of Books Above Me2012-05-19T16:39:00-07:002012-05-19T16:39:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Lots of Books Above Me</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/05/18/Mickey,-Mickey-and-WaltMickey, Mickey and Walt2012-05-18T16:33:00-07:002012-05-18T16:33:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Mickey, Mickey and Walt</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/05/17/Spring-Day-at-HubSpring Day at the Hub2012-05-17T16:33:00-07:002012-05-17T16:33:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Spring Day at the Hub</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/05/04/Sunset-Under-Golden-GateSunset Under the Golden Gate2012-05-04T15:41:00-07:002012-05-04T15:41:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Wow! I finally got a chance to get down to Fort Point. That was amazing! It took more than 10 miles of walking throughout the day, but it was totally worth ending the year walking through SF with friends. (Also, it turns out, the bus to Fort Point wasn’t running last weekend, though this led to a couple shots I would have otherwise missed, so that was good.)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/04/21/Yellowstone-ButterflyYellowstone Butterfly2012-04-21T14:55:00-07:002012-04-21T14:55:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Yellowstone Butterfly</p>
https://michaelball.co//blog/2012/04/21/My-Thoughts-on-Online-EducationMy Thoughts on Online Education2012-04-21T14:55:00-07:002012-04-21T14:55:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>This was written a few weeks ago during midterms and I’ve finally gotten a chance to actually clean it up a bit—since my first draft was not good at all. Actually, this could probably use a bit of cleaning up, but I figured I might as well share some thoughts. :)</p>
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<p>Midterms week: I’m admittedly stressed from probably (err, definitely) not having studied enough multivariable calculus these past couple weeks and have found myself on YouTube. (Naturally, I’m watching one of the many excellent videos by Sal Kahn or “PartrickJMT” or MIT’s 18.02 course.) So, what hit me?</p>
<p>This was my moment for really seeing the value of online education. To be sure, I’ve always enjoyed the idea of learning online and the opportunities it can offer, but I’ve never been one to scoff that the traditional university either. I mean, I love almost everything about college so far, except exams naturally.. And I don’t love the old notion of learning something just because you’re supposed to, or just because there’s an order to it.</p>
<p>Fortunately, there’s a way around the latter problem—sort of. I’ve found myself more interested in, and indeed singing for graduate level courses offered at Berkeley. That’s not to say I’m above the rest of my undergraduate education already, but the topics and types of classes which are available here for graduates are FAR FAR more interesting a much less pedantic than those required of undergraduates.</p>
<p>Back to YouTube. That class I’m studying for by watching YouTube videos is Math 53, or a common course in Multivariable Calculus. Naturally it makes sense as a prerequisite for most later mathematics, engineering, or computer science and science courses. However, why should I take a standard class (of material from which I can learn pretty much anywhere) and be spending thousands of dollars to teach myself? I don’t mean that this should even be a totally different case were my professor to be competent (though I can assume you that while his Math knowledge is great, none of it has transferred over to the realm of teaching). Why can’t I have a way of just taking these types of classes online and then focusing on the classes which are interesting or unique?</p>
<p>And that’s been the case for the graduate courses I’m interested in, and indeed a few very unique undergrad courses as well. (Though, I’m actually working to help bring one of those courses online.) The first graduate course I enrolled in was CS294, which is a seminar on education technology at large scales. It’s an incredibly interesting class and a format which the personal interactions make all the difference. In addition, I’m working with the professor on an online education platform. The next class I’m signing up for is CS301 or Teaching CS Education which is normally required only of Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) and not for undergraduate TA’s. Currently, I’m auditing CS302 (301’s small, seminar based follow up course) because the professor is awesome, and the topic is interesting.</p>
<p>But why does it have to be this way? What basis is there for saying the undergraduates should be relegated to the rank and file approach which we currently use (with only some success I might add) for elementary and secondary education. Graduate level education is prohibitive to many (and more so than a standard 4 year degrees) so why can’t we start changing the model sooner, rather than later? I hope you’ll watch <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U">this</a> amazing video by Sir Ken Robinson about Changing Educational Paradigms. In reality, I don’t think there’s any reason we need education to work this way, but as many things are-the system is just stuck in its ways. I think the emergence of the “flipped” or “inverted” classroom shows that we clearly are ready for change. This is the idea that the lecture becomes a homework assignment and students work on homework in front of a teacher where they can get rapid feedback. I don’t know that this is really the correct answer as there are many obvious problems (like concentrating at home) but it shows that there are definitely paradigms that are breaking down. I love lectures — when done right — but even then, it’s clearly obvious they’re not the end-all-be-all of education.</p>
<p>So, I’m not exactly sure if any of this is really new, but maybe it gets you thinking. :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/04/15/On-Way-to-SchoolOn the Way to School…2012-04-15T14:18:00-07:002012-04-15T14:18:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>On the Way to School…</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/04/09/Defending-Public-EducationDefending Public Education2012-04-09T13:23:00-07:002012-04-09T13:23:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>A few weeks ago there was a rally at Cal for Defending Public Education. It’s pretty interesting to see how many people show up to even small rallies there was last least a thousand or two people at this rally, many of whom weren’t students or professors.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/04/05/Along-Arno-RiverAlong the Arno River2012-04-05T13:57:00-07:002012-04-05T13:57:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Awnings along the Arno River in Florence, just past the Ponte Vecchio bridge.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/04/03/Rancho-del-Zocalo-RestauranteRancho del Zocalo Restaurante2012-04-03T13:44:00-07:002012-04-03T13:44:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>The Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante in Frontierland, Disneyland, Anaheim, CA.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/04/01/Nice-Day-at-Hollywood-Tower-HotelNice Day at the Hollywood Tower Hotel2012-04-01T13:30:00-07:002012-04-01T13:30:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>What could possibly go wrong on a nice spring day in California Adventure?</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/03/31/Blue-Hour-in-HearstBlue Hour in Hearst2012-03-31T13:27:00-07:002012-03-31T13:27:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>I really doubt I’ll ever get over my fascination with this building! It’s been pouring lately soI thought I’d go back from some photos from when it was last like this a couple months ago.</p>
https://michaelball.co//blog/2012/03/31/Some-Tips-on-Metadata-in-Aperture-3Some Tips on Metadata in Aperture 32012-03-31T13:25:00-07:002012-03-31T13:25:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Recently, I had a problem where my entire autofill list disappeared from Aperture. Yikes! I’ve got a few years of metadata saved in there. So here’s some things I’ve learned from the process:</p>
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<ol>
<li>All your autofill data is stored in your main Aperture preferences file, <code>com.Apple.Aperture.plist</code> in ~/Library/Preferences</li>
<li>Each metadata item is sorted as an array with your auto-complete data stored as items in that array as strings. You can manually edit the prefs file with no ill effects if you'd like. (Perhaps using Find and Replace to correct a few common metadata differences or some other errors.) If you do make changes to the file, make sure Aperture is closed so it doesn't over write your changes when it saves.</li>
<li>If your autofill list does disappear: Restore an old version of your preferences file. To do this, you'll need some sort of a backup.
<ul>
<li>If you have Time Machine, navigate to ~/Library/Preferences and then enter Time Machine backups, go back a couple days and then select the <code>com.Apple.Aperture.plist</code> file and click restore</li>
<li>If you have any other backup try to find wherever you would have ~/Library/Preferences saved</li>
<li>You MAY need to change the permissions on your preferences file. To do this, in Finder open the Info window for the prefs file and move down to section that says "Sharing and Permissions" and make sure your user account says "Read and Write". If it doesn't, click the lock to put in your password, then click the plus to add your account and select "Read and Write" once it's been added.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
<h3 id="multiple-libraries">Multiple Libraries</h3>
<p>Storing the Autofill items in the User preferences folder is interesting. This means it’s tied to your User Account and <em>not</em> a particular library, so here’s some things to consider.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>If you work with different libraries on the same user account, they will have the same auto-complete data. (This may not be bad depending on how you work).</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>If you work with <em>one</em> Library on two different accounts or computers (say a mobile device and a main machine) then you will need to “sync” the preferences files (via manual copy and paste) in order to have the same auto-complete data — if that matters to you.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="metadata-presets">Metadata Presets</h3>
<ul>
<li>Items saved in Metadata Presets aren’t related to auto-complete at all (at a settings level). If you lose your preferences, then your metadata presets should be completely intact. (They’re saved in ~/Library/Application Support/Aperture). Items which are saved in a metadata preset are <em>not</em> added to your auto-complete list when they are used. However, if you change the data in the in the preset while importing, using the metadata pane, or while batch processing, then it will be added to the auto-complete list. Essentially, if you change the actual metadata preset (via the edit interface) then it changes the preset, but not the autofill list, but if you modify a preset on the fly then it treats that metadata field differently and will add it to the autocomplete list.</li>
</ul>
<p>Well, I hope some of these findings help someone in the future!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/03/27/This-is-HappeningThis is Happening!2012-03-27T13:02:00-07:002012-03-27T13:02:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Drop the Charges!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/03/25/Busy-Day-at-Ferry-BuildingBusy Day at the Ferry Building2012-03-25T12:22:00-07:002012-03-25T12:22:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>If you can’t tell by the rest of my posts, it’s one of my favorite buildings in the city! :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/03/24/Storms-Above-BayStorms Above The Bay2012-03-24T12:28:00-07:002012-03-24T12:28:00-07:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>A view of the San Francisco Bay from the UC Berkeley / Lawrence Berkeley Labs, Lawrence Hall of Science.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/03/05/Memorial-Pool,-BerkeleyMemorial Pool, Berkeley2012-03-05T10:23:00-08:002012-03-05T10:23:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Memorial Pool is a small, and somewhat secluded reflection pool which sits along the edge of memorial glade with views of both the campanile and a little bit of Doe Library. It’s surrounded by trees which makes it nice and quiet and an excellent study spot when the weather is warm!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/26/Fill-Up-at-Goofys-GasFill Up at Goofy's Gas!2012-02-26T10:37:00-08:002012-02-26T10:37:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Given Goofy’s nature, I’m sure this is some of the highest octane fuel you can find in So Cal! There’s no guarantee of what it may do to your vehicle, but you’re sure to have a fun ride!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/25/Wheeler-HallWheeler Hall2012-02-25T10:30:00-08:002012-02-25T10:30:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Wheeler Hall has a reputation on campus, especially within the last two years. Initially, everyone has mixed feeling because Wheeler Hall is home to UC Berkeley’s largest lecture hall where we’ve all spent plenty of time in both good and bad classes. However, recently, Wheeler has a sense of excitement around it. Since the UC financial crisis began in 2009, Wheeler Hall has been the place for many gatherings, protests, and other (not so great) incidents. It’s one place on campus where there’s always something going on.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/24/Hyde-Street-PierHyde Street Pier2012-02-24T10:23:00-08:002012-02-24T10:23:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>If you follow Hyde Street to North Beach you’ll end up at Hyde Street Pier which was once used a ferry dock among other things. Today, it’s home to a great collection of historic ships and other maritime artifacts, and great views! Behind the sign is the ship <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka_(1890)">Eureka.</a></p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/22/Vatican-MuseumThe Vatican Museum2012-02-22T10:11:00-08:002012-02-22T10:11:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>The staircase at the Vatican Museum is pretty amazing from the top! It’s also pretty interesting when you look at it, the staircase is actually a double spiral design, so there’s really two sets of stairs in the same column.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/21/Making-RoundsMaking Rounds2012-02-21T10:06:00-08:002012-02-21T10:06:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>This Monorail is making it’s journey around the Lagoon! I’ll let you see if you can guess which one it is. :)</p>
<p>So, today I went to a presentation at Berkeley which talked about Ansel Adams involvement with the UC and the collection of 6,700 which they are going to scan and share with students! I’m pretty darn excited, and since I was in a B&W mood, I thought I’d try it for today’s shot!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/20/University-LibraryThe University Library2012-02-20T10:00:00-08:002012-02-20T10:00:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Doe Library is generally referred to as the main library on campus, though I’m pretty sure most people go to specialized libraries on campus or head to the Main Stacks if they actually need one of those antiquated things we call books.</p>
<p>However, Doe is an excellent place to study with its large reading rooms and has a very cool advantage: There’s a bust of Athena of the main entrance here, and according to a legend if you walk under Athena into the library she will bestow all her knowledge on you. BUT, if you walk back under her, she’ll take all that wisdom back. :( Fortunately for those of us who like want to believe quirky school legends, there are many entrances and exits for which we try to beat the system!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/19/Window-Into-HearstA Window Into Hearst2012-02-19T09:33:00-08:002012-02-19T09:33:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>By now, it should be no secret that I love Hearst Mining Building at Berkeley! Built in 1902 this is one of the older buildings on campus which has a very cool stone look, and one of the few with real wood for decoration. It just has one of those “academic” feelings, like real learning is supposed to be going on there.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/18/SF-Maritime-ParkSF Maritime Park2012-02-18T09:27:00-08:002012-02-18T09:27:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Well, it’s been a little while since I posted a shot! This is from the San Francisco Maritime Park area looking towards the Golden Gate. It’s a pretty cool area because there’s lots of places to get both high and low, and Ghirardelli square isn’t too far away as well! :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/11/Galleria-Vittorio-EmanueleGalleria Vittorio Emanuele2012-02-11T09:47:00-08:002012-02-11T09:47:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>This shopping center in Milan is one of the most interesting malls there probably is in the world. It’s shaped like a giant cross and in the center of the arcade are drawing on each side to represent the ‘four’ continents. (You can see two of them).</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/10/Coming-Soon-to-Disneys-California-AdventureComing Soon to Disney's California Adventure2012-02-10T09:41:00-08:002012-02-10T09:41:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>The entrance has been complete, and currently a maze of walls rests behind it. We’re all waiting for the opening of Beuna Vista Street and the Carthay Theater which will hopefully live up to all the hype! So far, the progress seems pretty exciting. :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/09/Roman-ConvergenceRoman Convergence2012-02-09T09:36:00-08:002012-02-09T09:36:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Space is definitely a premium in Rome, and though the buildings are no where near the height of sky scrapers, looking up at the many obelisks gives a feeling of being closed in despite the semi-open spaces. This is the Solare or Obelisk of Montecitorio, located just past the Piazza de Spanga which is home to the famous Spanish Steps.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/08/Sunset-StudyingSunset Studying2012-02-08T09:31:00-08:002012-02-08T09:31:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>It’s a bit cold sometimes in the winter, but sitting by the Campanile is a good place to study! (Or, perhaps, check your phone in this moment.) It’s also really interesting to see how the scenes changes here throughout the year.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/07/Welcome-to-DisneylandWelcome to Disneyland!2012-02-07T09:25:00-08:002012-02-07T09:25:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>One of the very first things you see upon entering Disneyland! This 3 shot HDR was made just as I heard “Your attention, please: the Disneyland Limited, now arriving from a trip around Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Passengers will stand by to board.” through the loud speakers.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/06/Up-or-DownUp or Down?2012-02-06T09:20:00-08:002012-02-06T09:20:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>This is another image from Embarcadero Center in SF. The place is just full of interesting photos, although, apparently photography is only allowed with <em>written permission</em>. So, I wrote myself a mental note, and made some images.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/05/Paradise-BayParadise Bay2012-02-05T09:14:00-08:002012-02-05T09:14:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>It really is one of the most fun places to shoot in the park!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/03/Ferry-BuildingThe Ferry Building2012-02-03T09:02:00-08:002012-02-03T09:02:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>I love the angle of this shot which was made from the top of Coit Tower in San Francisco. (Clearly I have some favorite subjects!)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/02/On-HorizonOn the Horizon2012-02-02T08:36:00-08:002012-02-02T08:36:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Joshua Tree National Park, the morning after the Perseids Meteor Shower 2011.</p>
<p>Joshua Tree is an amazing place because it’s open and pretty quiet, but HOT! Even in the morning, it gets warm pretty quickly, but there’s still plenty of time to shoot in good like before it gets too bad.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/02/01/Two-Ways-DownTwo Ways Down2012-02-01T08:31:00-08:002012-02-01T08:31:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>2 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA.</p>
<p>Embarcadero Center has a very odd, yet very cool design as it spans 3 or 4 levels high over a period of about 4 small blocks stuck in the middle of the Financial District. This is one of the many many curvy staircases which are scattered all across Embarcadero Center.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/31/Quiet-Night-in-HearstQuiet Night in Hearst2012-01-31T08:25:00-08:002012-01-31T08:25:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Here’s another shot of Hearst Memorial Mining Building at Berkeley. It’s one room where you cam easily spend hours taking photos of the interior, which is pretty much what I did a couple weeks ago. What fun, too bad projects are in full swing now.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/30/CALifornia-SunsetA CALifornia Sunset2012-01-30T08:21:00-08:002012-01-30T08:21:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>This was made while walking around at sunset working on some photos for a project of mine. The skyline was absolutely amazing that night, and it also happened to be during the Cal-Stanford basketball game, which we won!</p>
<p>GO BEARS! :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/29/Sunset-on-EmbarcaderoSunset on the Embarcadero2012-01-29T08:15:00-08:002012-01-29T08:15:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>The Embarcadero in San Francisco runs along the water and while sections of it are a little, well… sketchy, it’s an amazing walk to see views of the bay. Fortunately, the Ferry Building is a great sport, because not only is it probably one of the least sketchy places in the city, but it’s filled with excellent food and gift shops!</p>
<p>This was a hand held 3 short HDR which went through Photomatix and Aperture.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/29/Blue-Paradise-BayA Blue Paradise Bay2012-01-29T08:08:00-08:002012-01-29T08:08:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Paradise Bay is one of those (large) spots which always has so many interesting angles! This one was made shortly after sunset during Blue Hour.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/26/Ferry-BuildingThe Ferry Building2012-01-26T08:57:00-08:002012-01-26T08:57:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>A view from Embarcadero Center, San Francisco.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/25/Storm-Above-HearstStorm Above Hearst2012-01-25T08:51:00-08:002012-01-25T08:51:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>One of my newest fascinations with Berkeley is Hearst Memorial Mining Building. It’s a pretty cool building, especially for photographers! I spent about an hour or so in the entrance to the building the other day, and will go back again sometime soon. I’m also going to use it as a great place to teach some people who are interested in photography, too. :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/24/Dizzying-CupA Dizzying Cup2012-01-24T08:45:00-08:002012-01-24T08:45:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>I love playing with long exposures and the tea cups! This one was hard to do as I wanted. I really wanted a photo from a tea cup with light blur, that would have no other motion than the circular motion of a tea cup. This one came out pretty well, though there is a slight shake evident in a couple of the lights. It was also tough to get a good balance of the lights with the tea cup spinning asynchronously from the platform, but I do like the affect it had on ‘looping’ the green and pink lights.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/23/Wet-Day-at-CalWet Day at Cal2012-01-23T08:39:00-08:002012-01-23T08:39:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>It’s been raining a lot here lately, and that’s all the more reason to go out and take some photos! I really wish this courtyard had a name, but it’s a very cool place to walk through (and quite convenient too).</p>
<p>This was a 3 shot HDR which went through Photomatix, and had the colors and contrast improved in Aperture.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/22/Beads-In-NightBeads In the Night2012-01-22T08:34:00-08:002012-01-22T08:34:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>This was made as I turned around to leave the Court of Angles at Disneyland. In some ways, it was a type of happy accident because I wanted to see how the light would turn out, but I didn’t really have time to compose much of a shot since we were on the way out, rushing to get to somewhere..Plus, this was with my 70-200 f.2.8L and handheld which isn’t generally a very good combo at night!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/22/Soaking-up-SunSoaking up the Sun2012-01-22T08:30:00-08:002012-01-22T08:30:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>As with many SoCal natives, it seems this tree has had many years to soak up all the sun it can get, seeing how it’s grown outward, even if it is the winter and all its leave are gone.</p>
<p>This image was a 3 shot HDR in Photomatix and B&W processed in Aperture 3.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/19/150-Years150 Years!2012-01-19T08:16:00-08:002012-01-19T08:16:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>A completely unexpected surprise during our trip to Italy this summer was the timing of their 150th year of Italian Unification. It was pretty cool to go during a week of national pride and celebration, including this fun shot. While walking around St. Mark’s Square one morning we got a very cool fly over! These plans were relatively low (this was only at 70mm) and flew over us two or three times.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/18/Sunset-at-Woods-CoveSunset at Woods Cove2012-01-18T08:10:00-08:002012-01-18T08:10:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Woods Cove was an amazing little find in Laguna Beach! It’s rocky, but pretty spacious, and easy to get to. Because it’s Southern California, it’s also lovely even in winter, when this shot was made.</p>
<p>This was a 3 shot exposure which I merged with Photomatix and the used Aperture for some additional work. Mostly a vignette, and adding a bit of contrast, and darkening the rocks.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/17/Very-Fine-DustA Very Fine Dust2012-01-17T08:02:00-08:002012-01-17T08:02:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>From a little winery in Barollo, Italy. It was a very cool tour to see everything, especially all the old stuff they’ve been keeping!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/16/See-Ya-Real-SoonSee Ya Real Soon!2012-01-16T07:39:00-08:002012-01-16T07:39:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>As Disneyland closes for the night, the Partners kindly bid us farewell from their Magic Kingdom.</p>
https://michaelball.co//blog/2012/01/16/Semester-of-TechA Semester of Tech2012-01-16T07:29:00-08:002012-01-16T07:29:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6712574633_a8991ca168.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Clock" style="text-align:center;" /></p>
<p><strong>A New Mac</strong></p>
<p>Well, my previous Mac had been having a few problems over time and I had multiple trips to both the Berkeley and San Francisco Apple Stores. Finally, today Apple decided to simply replace my Mac with a newer, but equivalent, model! Thunderbolt seems so cool, and I can’t wait to use it for something exciting, but so far the Intel i7 is amazingly fast.</p>
<p>I just want to publicly say Thanks to the guys at the San Francisco Apple store, and especially the market leader, Larry Verter who has been helping me with everything the past couple months. Apple does stand by their products and AppleCare is an excellent value and if you ever have problems, someone will help! It’s great that even though it took a little while for everything so get sorted out, it all went better than I expected in the end. :)</p>
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<p><strong>A Semester of Tech!</strong></p>
<p>TEN of my 17 Units this semester are listed as CS classes! Another 4 are Math, and another 3 are a history class which is titled “The History of Information” and will talk about technology as it evolves, and the implications of language, to books to SMS. So, in other words, every class I have involves technology in some way which is pretty exciting! Some of my computer science classes include Python, Objective-C for the Mac and iOS, and a photography seminar! I’m looking forward to hopefully writing a bit more about what’s going on this semester, and if I’m lucky I’ll keep up with my photo a day. :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/15/Very-Mad-Tea-PartyA Very Mad Tea Party2012-01-15T07:33:00-08:002012-01-15T07:33:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>The tea cups are an excellent ride at Disneyland! Not only because they’re fun to spin as fast as possible, but they also make excellent photos at night when playing with long exposure.</p>
<p>This was made standing outside the attraction in one of the viewing areas, and was a 3 exposure shot which I merged in Photomatix (though clearly it isn’t an HDR photo by definition).</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/13/Grand-CaveA Grand Cave2012-01-13T07:19:00-08:002012-01-13T07:19:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>It’s interesting how in Italy quite a few wineries want to produce wines “the new way” with more control and technology like is done with modern wineries in California. Argenteria winery fairly recently renovated much place and built an amazing new cave for all their barrels to age in.</p>
<p>If there were a way to have smell-o-vision, this photo needs it! :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/12/Hollywood-Tower-Doesnt-Feel-so-TallThe Hollywood Tower Doesn't Feel so Tall2012-01-12T07:16:00-08:002012-01-12T07:16:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>I’m always amazed by Bugs Land when I actually spend the time to stop and look at the detail. It’s pretty amazing how well the imagineers were able to completely change the scale of life. I think this shot helps capture that because not only do things already seem out of proportion, but with the hotel in the background, it really appears much smaller than it actually is.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/11/Detail-at-topDetail at the top2012-01-11T07:11:00-08:002012-01-11T07:11:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>A more detailed view of the Campanile from the top.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/10/Colorful-CatalinaColorful Catalina2012-01-10T07:03:00-08:002012-01-10T07:03:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>An early morning view of California from a great little island. I believe it’s facing Long Beach, but I can’t be sure since this shot was taken many years ago while at CIMI in 8th grade. It was the idea of a few of us photographers (one of whom is a teacher) for a sunrise hike. :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/10/CampanileThe Campanile2012-01-10T07:02:00-08:002012-01-10T07:02:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>It’s taller than Hoover Tower. :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/08/Big-Thunder-Mountain-RRBig Thunder Mountain RR2012-01-08T07:52:00-08:002012-01-08T07:52:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>This here’s the wildest ride in the Wilderness!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/07/Screamin-at-TopScreamin' at the Top2012-01-07T07:44:00-08:002012-01-07T07:44:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Whether you’re scared out of your mind, or having the time of your life, California Screamin was very aptly named!</p>
<p>This was made from Micky’s Fun Wheel, and I’m glad I brought my 70-200! It’s a shot that I’ve wanted to try for a while, and I’m glad they let me bring the lens in the park as white Canon zooms tend to get questioned…</p>
<p>P.S. Does anyone else think it’d be totally cool to have a camera mounted at the end of the blue overhang and get a burst of the train coming straight at you? (Especially if you could do it at the launch site…) Though I doubt there’s any way they’d ever let a camera be mounted there in a million years!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/04/Florence-PanoFlorence Pano2012-01-04T07:32:00-08:002012-01-04T07:32:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Taken from the top of the Duomo (Cathedral) in Florence. I walked all the around the top and took around 40 shots, but there’s a bit less resolution because I overlapped quite a bit…</p>
<p>If you get a chance please try and view the large version on Flickr and zoom in. It looks neat to see everything in detail from a bird’s eye view!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/03/Which-wayWhich way?2012-01-03T07:26:00-08:002012-01-03T07:26:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Take your pick of which way you’d like to go!</p>
<p>This was during setup of one of our high school rallies. They’re quite a large production and these arrows (which represent one color for each class) were part of a 5 or so foot sign. I loved the colors of all of them laying there, especially against the bright red mats which lined the gym floor.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/03/IndecisionIndecision…2012-01-03T07:15:00-08:002012-01-03T07:15:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>A couple days ago a friend and I decided to head out to Laguna Beach and try some long exposures.</p>
<p>This shot was done as a 3 exposure HDR in Photomatix and a bit of work in Aperture. I love both the B&W and the color version of this image, and while I was playing around with both this crazy idea got stuck in my head and now you see the result. I’m not sure it’s my absolute favorite version, but the juxtaposition of colors is keeping eyes and mind on this shot! :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/02/LightThe Light2012-01-02T07:20:00-08:002012-01-02T07:20:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>I was bored one day and looking for interesting things in my dorm… this is the ceiling light and is at the minimum focus distance for the 70-200 which made some really interesting DoF.</p>
<p>It’s my attempt at something a little more abstract.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2012/01/01/Mickeys-Fun-Wheel-at-Paradise-PierMickey's Fun Wheel at Paradise Pier2012-01-01T07:13:00-08:002012-01-01T07:13:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Disney’s California Adventure.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/31/On-Road-AgainOn the Road Again…2011-12-31T07:10:00-08:002011-12-31T07:10:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>This was made somewhere around Zion National Park in Utah, but it’s hard to pin point exactly where, however, it did have a very cool and unique reddish color!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/31/Ferrari-CaliforniaFerrari California2011-12-31T07:08:00-08:002011-12-31T07:08:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Yes, I rode in one… for about 10 minutes and everyone was having too much fun to pay attention to the speedometer, but it was amazing!</p>
<p>In Maranello the “test drive” happens on city streets with an instructor who yells “Faster” over the wind. It’s a nice city car. ;)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/29/Crystal-CoveCrystal Cove2011-12-29T07:00:00-08:002011-12-29T07:00:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>It’s funny how there’s just a little shack at the entrance to the beach.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/28/Blue-Bottle-CoffeeBlue Bottle Coffee2011-12-28T06:34:00-08:002011-12-28T06:34:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>It’s a lot smaller inside than you might think given the hype but it’s worth the wait in line if you’re around the city.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/28/Huntington-BeachHuntington Beach2011-12-28T06:23:00-08:002011-12-28T06:23:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>This was made waiting for the stop light to change standing on the corner before we ran down the pier to continue shooting. Despite the somewhat cliche nature of SoCal and Huntington Beach, there are plenty of cool opportunities as long as you’re careful in such large crowds!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/25/Merry-ChristmasMerry Christmas!2011-12-25T06:20:00-08:002011-12-25T06:20:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>This is definitely a benefit of Berkeley, BART and good breaks!</p>
<p>The Pier 39 tree is pretty awesome to see and there’s great views of it from everywhere, including the bridge to a parking structure (though most people seemed to pass this view up, until I set down the tripod…)</p>
<p>Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/23/Castle-GeyserCastle Geyser2011-12-23T06:09:00-08:002011-12-23T06:09:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Castle Geyser, Yellowstone National Park.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/22/St.-Marks-SquareSt. Mark's Square2011-12-22T06:04:00-08:002011-12-22T06:04:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Rome, Italy. It’s a shame there’s always construction.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/21/Grand-TetonsThe Grand Tetons2011-12-21T06:59:00-08:002011-12-21T06:59:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>A classic view from Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.</p>
https://michaelball.co//blog/2011/12/21/Quad-Solver-UpdatesQuad Solver Updates!2011-12-21T06:57:00-08:002011-12-21T06:57:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Great news! There’s finally an update to <a href="/ios">Quad Solver</a>! Quad Solver 1.5 brings mostly small, but welcome updates:</p>
<p><img align="left" height="350" style="margin-right:10px; padding:.5em;" src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvcm2eIXqA1qjg6k8.png" width="180" /></p>
<ul style="margin-left:1em;">
<li>New Loading screen</li>
<li>Better/faster keyboard for entering numbers</li>
<li>Dismiss keyboard by tapping outside any field</li>
<li>A couple minor typos and bugs fixed</li>
</ul>
<p>If you already have a current version, the update is free as it always will be! If not, do me a favor, and please head over to the <a href="http://itunes.com/apps/quadsolver">App Store</a> and check it out! Thanks!</p>
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<p><strong>cycomachead - version 1.1</strong></p>
<p>So, I’ve gotten around to doing some cleanup I’ve wanted to do for a while. Mobile viewing will be much better now, and things shouldn’t overlap at all on small screens or low resolution displays. I’ve also made minor changes to various other parts of the site. If you would like to add a link to the Home Screen on your iPhone or iPad (or iPod touch too) I’ve now created a special icon for that.</p>
<p><em>…one more thing:</em></p>
<p>Comments! I’ve added comments. So, now I guess this is a real bona-fide blog (if there is such a thing). I’d love to hear what you think, and comments should make that much easier. So, please, say hello. :)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/20/Wellington-WatersWellington Waters2011-12-20T06:54:00-08:002011-12-20T06:54:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>This was taken in New Zealand on a drive trough Wellington to one of the stops on our debate tournament. It’s actually from a moving tour bus, so I’m pretty happy with the result. Except, I just feel like the cars are on the wrong side of the road.</p>
https://michaelball.co//blog/2011/12/20/Cal-Part-1-of-8Cal: Part 1 of 82011-12-20T06:51:00-08:002011-12-20T06:51:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6542299475_9a076e59f0_z.jpg" alt="Berkeley in the Rain" /></p>
<p>Reducing college to 8 semesters feels weird, but kind of exciting. Things do move pretty quickly!</p>
<p>So, what’s happened? Lots! Though most of it was reading, projects, and other homework, naturally. It turns out the classes you expect to be easy aren’t, and the hard ones are still hard. (This is Cal, so I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.)</p>
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<p><strong>Computer Science @ Cal</strong></p>
<p>Cal is without a doubt one of the most amazing places to study computer science! I’ve lost count of the free meals, shirts, and other things from companies which really do want to give jobs and internships to students. It’s awesome, and no college student will ever turn dan free stuff. :)</p>
<p><img align="right" height="253" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7161/6542299575_dd2392fd00_o.png" width="400" /></p>
<p>I’ve also had the opportunity to work on a project to solve the game <a href="http://www.kenken.com">KenKen</a>. KenKen is similar to Sudoku, but instead of matching based on boxes, you have a cage which has a total value and a math operation to get to that value. It turns out, that in your first few months of a programming class, this is REALLY difficult. Some of this may have been more difficult because of our programming interface <a href="http://byob.berkeley.edu">BYOB</a>, but that’s a different issue. BYOB, by the way, is a pretty amazing way to do visual programming using “blocks” and dragging them in as you’d like to create really complex programs without getting bogged down in syntax. If you’re at all interested in programming, check it out! </p>
<p><strong>My Website – (like This page…)</strong></p>
<p>So, when solving KenKen got particularly crazy and difficult, I decided to finally get a new site up and running. It’s definitely no where near finished, but in the meantime, I hope you’re linking what I’ve done so far. Doing a photo a day is harder than it sounds, but it’s starting to pick up! :) As for the future, I promise I’ll post more, and comments should be coming soon!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/19/Ghirardelli-SquareGhirardelli Square2011-12-19T06:49:00-08:002011-12-19T06:49:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco during the holidays. It’s too bad the lines are always way too long to get something there.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/18/It-really-does-leanIt really does lean!2011-12-18T06:44:00-08:002011-12-18T06:44:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>If you haven’t ever been, it’s the most freaky/amazing feeling walking around stairs which aren’t parallel!</p>
<p>However, I do have a word of caution: Slippery when wet! As you may have been able to tell by the sky it was raining that day. Awesome sky, not so awesome on the top of an old and titled marble building. :-)</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/17/AgingAging2011-12-17T06:38:00-08:002011-12-17T06:38:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Argenteria Winery in Tuscany, Italy</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/16/In-case-it-falls...In case it falls2011-12-16T06:33:00-08:002011-12-16T06:33:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Home for the next few years! :)</p>
<p>According the rumor/legend/fond story of tour guides, that road was left open so that in the event of an earthquake if the Campanile were to fall down, it would just slide down the road.</p>
<p>We all know that it’s not going to fall, and if it did, that wouldn’t happen, but it’s a fun story!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/15/SupermoonThe Supermoon!2011-12-15T06:28:00-08:002011-12-15T06:28:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>The Supermoon is a full moon when it’s at its closest distance to earth. Unfortunately, there was a bit of cloud cover that night so it was hard to get a perfectly clean image, but the clouds also made for other very interesting views.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/14/Florence-from-DuomoFlorence from the Duomo2011-12-14T06:24:00-08:002011-12-14T06:24:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>The <em>Duomo</em> is the Italian word for Cathedral, every large city, and most smaller ones have one. In Florence you can go to the top of the Dome as well at that tower which you can see, though the Dome provides much more interesting views of the city, and from a greater height, the downside is that there isn’t an elevator.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/13/Bryce-CanyonBryce Canyon2011-12-13T06:19:00-08:002011-12-13T06:19:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Bryce Canyon</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/12/Vatican-Museum-StaircaseThe Vatican Museum Staircase2011-12-12T06:12:00-08:002011-12-12T06:12:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>It’s just an awesome staircase!</p>
<p>Notice how the size of the steps changes as you descend the stairs?</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/11/Rainbow-in-MistRainbow in the Mist2011-12-11T06:09:00-08:002011-12-11T06:09:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Along the Mist Trail in Yosemite on the way up to Nevada Falls in Yosemite National Park.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/11/Martin-Lur-King-Student-CenterMartin Luther King Student Center2011-12-11T06:07:00-08:002011-12-11T06:07:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>It’s a pretty quite day down there actually! This was just before classes started.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/08/Warming-UpWarming Up2011-12-08T05:45:00-08:002011-12-08T05:45:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>In the early morning of Joshua Tree, the light is bright and warm, but not yet deadly.</p>
<p>It’s a similar take on the image I just posted.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/07/Double-RainbowDouble Rainbow2011-12-07T05:30:00-08:002011-12-07T05:30:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Looking out towards Zion National Park.</p>
<p>What does it mean?</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/06/Morning-FogMorning Fog2011-12-06T05:15:00-08:002011-12-06T05:15:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>There’s a bit of a mist around this Joshua Tree in the wee hours before it’s met with unbearable heat.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/12/02/Dark-Side-of-MoonThe Dark Side of the Moon2011-12-02T05:00:00-08:002011-12-02T05:00:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>The Dark Side of the Moon</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/11/30/Catalina-SunriseCatalina Sunrise2011-11-30T05:57:00-08:002011-11-30T05:57:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Catalina Sunset</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/11/29/Wet-Day-in-YellowstoneWet Day in Yellowstone2011-11-29T05:52:00-08:002011-11-29T05:52:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone during a somewhat rainy day a few years ago. I wish the rainbow showed up a little bit better in the picture, but it is an amazing view still!</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/11/28/This-is-why-we-do-ralliesThis is why we do rallies!2011-11-28T05:47:00-08:002011-11-28T05:47:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Let’s Go Class of 2014!!</p>
<p>This must be one of my all time favorite photos from a school rally. Look at how excited the new freshmen were their very first rally. How can someone say they didn’t have a good time?</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/11/27/Weared-Ponte-VecchioThe Weathered Ponte Vecchio2011-11-27T05:44:00-08:002011-11-27T05:44:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>My take on a classic icon of Florence.. For all it’s age, the colors are still very interesting–even in midday.</p>
https://michaelball.co//photo/2011/11/27/Cold-Day-in-WellingtonCold Day in Wellington2011-11-27T05:44:00-08:002011-11-27T05:44:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>The Port of Wellington.<br /> Russel McVeagh Debating Tour 2011, New Zealand.</p>
https://michaelball.co//blog/2011/11/27/WelcomeWelcome!2011-11-27T05:19:00-08:002011-11-27T05:19:00-08:00Michael Ballhttps://michaelball.co<p>Well, there is it! I’ve finally gotten a new site together. Actually, I think it speaks for itself at this point so there isn’t too much to say. My previous site was OK, but hosting on my old laptop wasn’t the greatest idea for reliability. So, welcome!</p>
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<p>What’s new? Well, I’ve got a new layout, a better format, more links to everything. Oh and Tumblr. Yep, this a blog, but that’s honestly not my main focus. I simply want to share what I’m working on right now. So, please, check my links to the side, or <a href="mailto:cycomachead@gmail.com">drop me a line</a> and let me know what you think!</p>
<p>P.S. This site isn’t quite finished, so do expect some changes for a while, or forever! If you’re curious I’m looking to add better features to share individual posts, maybe have a sticky post, and who knows what else. I’ll always be adding to the <a href="/photography">Photography</a> page too.</p>