Photog/Snow Blog

i like hobbies that i can analyze with science. i mean, not to say i get all super technical and geeked out, but let me spotlight how i view two of my more favorite activities. Snowboarding and photography.

So there's snowboarding: i look at snowboarding with my very rudimentary knowledge of physics. i try to plot jumps based on trajectory to ease the downward force of landing. i carve the mountain while thinking of what motions and movements i can and can't do to fall on my face. i use my observations about the surface (powder, slush, or the dreaded ice..) to figure out what i should and definitely shouldn't do to avoid destroying myself. i calculate the time of runs and estimate lift times to find out how many runs i can get in before closing time. i can't say i process all these factors like some super computer tracking weather patterns of the world, but more like a LeapFrog computer teaches math to grade schoolers.

Well, not quite THAT dumb, but closer to that than the supercomputer unfortunately. And it's more entertaining that way. The subtle improvements i can make with my mind and current body far outweigh any of the improvements i am willing to make by toning my body for snowboarding. Or i'm just lazy.

And with photography. i wish i wish i wish that i could view that hobby with more artistic flare, but alas that is not how i view it. i like sharp pictures. i like clarity and manipulating bokeh. i suppose i'm working on my angles and point of view, but mostly it's the science of the camera that draws me in. The technology at minimizing noise at higher ISO. The image stabilization of the better lenses along with a beautifully fast, low aperture... those are what i like. The movie capabilities of newer digital SLRs. Perhaps it's akin to a fan of NASCAR marveling at the power of the cars instead of actually caring about driving the car or winning the race... or i'm reaching for loose analogies. But yeah, i like to say i'm more a documentary-style picture taker. A very straightforward "this is what happened" and "this is what people looked like". So yeah, i'd be a crappy wedding photographer. Plus i get super sweaty for some reason when i'm under pressure and taking photos. It's gross.

So, yeah, i wish i could view these hobbies with a more even methodology. A way to mix the art with the science; but i guess that's just not the way it works (fragment + semi-colon = awesome). In a lot of ways, it's ok though. i like looking at other peoples' great pictures and enjoying them for what they are. Sure, i can think of the technical aspects (PHOTOSHOP!) about a person's pictures or the mechanics of a snowboard trick, but in the end.. they did what i couldn't do and i can honestly say i'm glad for it. The world would be a crappy place if it were based on my limitations.

p.s. not to say i'm crappy, because i'm totally awesome. just saying that i'd have no room to grow because i'd be the king! mwah ah hahaha. Time to catch up on the Office!