I don't like being in front of a camera

I really don't like being in front of the camera lens.  I really don't.  I'm very self conscious.  I don't like the sound of my voice, let alone how I look.  I'm 43 years old.  I should not be this self conscious.  Especially in 2019.  I'm not a high school teenager anymore.  I went out today to do a video blog today for YouTube.  Unfortunately the little mic I bought off Amazon was the wrong one so no audio at all.  First world problems.  Ordered the correct one when I got home.  Should be here tomorrow.  Thanks free Amazon Prime.  😇

I forgot I have a...

...DJI Spark drone that I can fly.  Time to go out and fly the drone.  Take some ariel shots and some ariel footage.  I haven't flown the drone in months.  I think it's time.

I think I need to upgrade my drone

So I bought a DJI Spark last year and 3 months later, the remote control lost connection with the actual drone.  So I got another one and it's been functioning ok.  I don't fly it like I did anymore.  I won't fly it more than a 100 meters away from me and definitely not over water.  Someplace accessible where I can retrieve it if it goes berserk again.  It only shoots in 1080p at 30fps and photos are only in JPG.  Not RAW or 4K.  

I think I'll get a DJI Mavic Pro 2 in the spring of 2020.  I am saving my photo money until I get the new DJI Mavic Pro 2 which costs about $2000 Canadian.  One day.

I flew the drone again

DJI has some of the worst products on the market.  Their customer service is atrocious and their stuff is probably spying on us  and sending it back to the Chinese government.  I wish there was a Canadian or American company that made good, inexpensive drones.  The last time I flew my DJI Spark, I nearly lost it twice in a span of 5 minutes.  Do I trust the drone?  Hell no.  It's my second DJI Spark since I lost the first one last year somewhere near Pakenhanm, Ontario because my remote lost connection with the actual drone. I think next year, I'll actually spend more than $1,500 on a real drone that shoots raw and 4k videos and use that for my microstock photography business.  In the mean time, the above shot was taken with the DJI Spark and edited in ON1 Photo Raw 19.5.

Another precarious day with the DJI Spark

Decided to go fly the drone after work today.  I went to Almonte, Ontario today as I wanted arial pictures and footage of the falls.  I setup and started the drone, connected with my Remote controller and started a flight.  Within a second of me taking off, the battery popped off the drone.  I had thought again that that I lost the drone or at least severely damaged it as it fell at least 15 feet onto some rocks.  The battery was easy to get.  Just climbed over the wall and got the battery within 30 seconds. The drone wasn't easy to get.  Had to climb down rocks to the base of the waterfalls.  The rocks were slippery from the spray from the falls.  There was a lot of moss which did not help.  Luckily I was able to retrieve the drone.  It took about half an hour to retrieve the drone.

Luckily the only damage to the drone was to one of the propellors which were easily replaced.  I decided to fly again and the drone started to act weird.  When I tried to land it, it literally took off on my climbing up at least 30 metres.  I luckily got control of the drone and brought it back down.  It would not land at all.  I literally had to grab it by the underside of the drone and remove the battery from the drone to get it to stop. 

After this debacle I wanted to just go home and not fly the drone again as I feared losing a second drone within a month.  But I gave the drone a second chance and flew it out maybe 25 metres and just started taking shots and video.  Luckily the DJI Spark did not act up.  I got what I wanted and I just left.  Luckily the only damage to the drone was the rear left propellors had to be replaced which was easily done.  

And I thought October would be a good month

And I thought October would be a good month on Shutterstock.  3 videos sold in a span of 2 days and now we're back to one or two photos a day at just thirty six cents a day.  Luckily the month isn't over yet and isn't even a third of the way done.  I hope that I sell a few more clips on Shutterstock and a few more on Pond5 and Videoblocks.

After work I took my drone out to fly for about half an hour.  Got the footage and shots I wanted.  It was actually a pretty good day today to take photos and videos.  It was very foggy this morning and I got a few shots I wanted including the parliament buildings in the fog.  I just have to edit and upload them to my three favourite micro stock sites tonight so they'll be available for sale in the next few days.  

On a side note, I'll be going back to my previous employer starting next week to finish off a contract. I honestly do not like working where I am right now.  The red tape is just amazing there.  You can't fart without having a meeting about it.  

The girlfriend and I will be moving at the end of the month and saving up money.  April 2019 our plan is to move out of Ottawa.  Neither of us speak French so getting a descent job is out of the question.  Last year, I was in Calgary on a contract and I fell in love with the Rocky Mountains.  I think our plan is to either move to Calgary or Kingston, Ontario.  I prefer Calgary as there is hardly any French out there and the mountains are 45 minutes from the city.

So if anyone needs a full time photographer and you pay well, let me know.  ;) 

Shutterstock has sunk to a new low

When I say a new low, I mean a new low.  Today I sold a footage clip for a whopping $1.80.  You read that correctly.  A whole $1.80 for a video clip.  What resolution are you going to get.  Less than Standard definition?  A $1.80 for a video clip.  That's more than insulting.  It's amoral to sell a clip for less than $10.  Who in their right mind would buy a clip let alone sell one?  I did not agree to this.  Typically I sell my footage from $14 to $199.  My best sellers typically sell $96 and above.  And that's my profit.  I'm sure Shutterstock gets more than I do.  On Pond5 I sell my footage for $199 and I get $99.50 for each clip sold.  A $1.80 is insulting.  Does Shutterstock not realize they're ripping off the contributor and their client?  I mean really?  How insulting.  My camcorder cost me $1500 before tax.  My Apple iMac cost me $2000.  My editing software cost me $199.  All of course before tax.  So I spent a grand total of $3699 pre tax to sell a video for a $1.80.  It's insulting.  It's immoral.  It's a kick in the nuts.  Shutterstock beats you down and when you think they're done.  They come back and beat you some more.

I have 12,425 photos and 1487 clips currently being sold at Shutterstock as of October 3, 2018.  I've tripled my portfolio in that last 3 years.  Some day I sell absolutely nothing on Shutterstock.  I admit some of my stuff is uninteresting and should not really be up there.  Then again I have photos and footage that I though were crap and have been my best sellers.  But a $1.80 for a 1080p/60fps clip sells for $1.80?  This is the exact reason I've stopped uploading to iStock.  They sell my photography for 2 cents.  2 cents!!!!!  People are pissed with micro stock agencies like Adobe Stock, iStock and Shutterstock.  They are completely devaluing contributors.  They are devaluing photography and videography.  It's an insult to any hobbyist, amateur, semi pro and pro.

The clip I sold for a $1.80 was a 4k clip as well.  The lowest price I see it being sold for is $65 for a standard definition edition.  That's an even bigger kick in the nuts.

Like I stated above, I spent $1500 for a camcorder, $2000 for an Apple iMac, $199 for Final Cut Pro X.  I spent $32 to get into the park to take photos and videos.  I spent roughly $45 for gas.  I probably spent roughly $25-$30 on food during the day.  Plus my time.  In the end, all of that is worth $1.80 for a clip.  

I just have a simple question.  Where and when will the spiral to the bottom end?  Contributors like myself work hard.  We enjoy doing what we do.  You cannot recreate a photo.  Or a clip.  We create memories.  We capture a moment that will never, ever occur again.  The race to the bottom will eventually hit rock bottom.  The question is.  Who will start digging to continue the longer race to a deeper bottom?

Parc Omega

It's been a while since I've been to Parc Omega.  Last time the girlfriend and I went was probably in March of this year.  With the heat wave we've had this summer it's just not worth going.  The animals just hide in the forest to get away from the heat.  Today I did photography with maybe a dozen or so footage shots.  I did not take my camcorder with me.  Only shot 4k a few times today.  The next time I go, I will be going during the week and alone so I can concentrate more on composition of my nature shots.  We left the house around 10am and got back around 9pm after visiting the park and going for dinner after.  Let's just say it was a long and exhausting day.  But we had a lot of fun

I think this week I'll be going back to Parc Omega by myself with the Sony RX10 Mark II and the Canon Vixia G40 to do some more photography and more footage shots.  I shouldn't have taken any 4k footage yesterday.  It's just takes too much space and too much time to edit and upload.  That's why I like shooting with my Canon Vixia G40 camcorder.  It's great 1080p/60fps footage.  I also like the colours of all the Canon products.  Much better colour reproduction.  

Astrophotography

Tonight, we go do some astrophotography and flying the drone.  Hopefully we'll see some Northern Lights and some nice long meteors.

Going flying after work

The humidity finally broke and the temps are actually nice.  So after work, I'm going flying with the DJI Spark.  I don't know where I'll fly but I need to.  I need more Ariel footage.

I love drone photography

I've wanted a shot like this for a few years.  With drone technology, shots like this are now possible for the every man photographer.  No more needing to rent a helicopter, permits, insurance etc.  Now you can buy a $500 drone, a remote control and the ubiquitous cell phone.  Most people now have a cell phone and a computer.  Some photographers and videographers have a drone.  You just have to be aware of your surroundings and be really careful not to hit anything or anyone.   I am glad to have a drone and enough skill to take some nice pictures and videos.