Ratz2Derby

I haven't posted a blog about my Wednesday night bike rides for a while - but I still do ride with a varying, loose based group every Wednesday. Last week we opened the group up for a slower roll for our third annual ride to the Demolition Derby at the Summit County Fair. The turnout was great and instead of taking stills I brought my GoPro and cut this little video of the ride.

Common Threads - Summit Lake

The latest in the Common Threads series focused on the people of Summit Lake. The event kicked off with some music and dancing by 'Congo to Akron' and was a lot of fun. Being a really hot day we then moved inside for the open format discussion. Summit Lake has a lot going for it and I'm glad organisations like the Knight Foundation and Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition have been focusing energies there. People still seem to have a negative perception of the area - hopefully events like this will help to change that.

Live at Lock 4

The Devil Strip hosted their monthly Live at Lock 4 event last night. They had a food truck, beer trailer, and three bands - and it was finally great weather. I rode my bike down and took a few drone shots and some shots of Relaxer with my 5D mark IV. I love that there are so many outdoor events in downtown these days...

From Above

I picked up a DJI Mavic Pro drone a few weeks ago. My goal is to use it for some of the video projects I have in the works and for some event photos too. I've been mostly just practicing flying it and have just started dabbling with the camera settings. These photos were all shot flying from the studio in the RAW format DNG. They are pretty impressive for the little camera. The above shot is looking down on the plaza my studio is in.

I'm working on a video about the drone today too - the 4k footage is really nice.

Snow Angels - Christmas in July

The Akron Snow Angels are a group that works to help the homeless by providing necessities on the spot. Most of their missions take place during the cold months but for the third year there was also a Christmas in July event. Essentials were passed out and a free lunch was provided - the big guy in the red suit also showed up to deliver school supplies to children.

A Roll of Tri-X

I started this roll of Kodak Tri-X in my Minolta X-700 sometime last winter. I took it on a few hikes, out to PA, and finished it back at the studio. I've been shooting more film this summer - I just need to get around to developing it(and getting the color developed). I also just received some new Italian monochrome film from a Kickstarter I invested in - I'm excited to see what that will look like. In other words, stay tuned for more analog.

Finger Lakes Video

Here is my latest road trip video - the first containing drone footage! The couple of opening shots are actually from the first two times I ever flew the drone - it is on beginner mode and I haven't changed any of the default settings from the camera. It wasn't that hard to fly - albeit a little nerve wracking. I'm sure it will get easier - and I'll dive into the menus to improve the footage.
The trip was awesome and the rest of the video is a mix of GoPro footage and 5DmkIV footage.

Finger Lakes Reunion

I spent the Fourth of July Weekend in the Finger Lakes for the second year in a row. It was a kind of anniversary/reunion for Kyle and Getta's reception last year and a group of us rented the same house. We enjoyed some great sightseeing, swimming, hiking, beer & wine tastings, and some good chill time with a great group of people. This was my third time in the Finger Lakes and I feel like there is still plenty more to discover - I love this region of the country.