Category Archives: photos

scout

02 Tuesday Aug 2011

Posted by in gadgets, photos, video

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Look what I just bought!

Which may have been a bit foolhardy after my experience with The Bear (which was returned to Amazon after an unsuccessful trial period. Mostly because I didn’t like the photos and at the time it was meant to also be a temporary back-up for Niko while he was in camera hospital – for two months!!). But I digress. The Bear just wasn’t what I wanted or needed at the time. And now that I have the new Pippin I don’t need a back-up camera anymore because the iPhone4 takes excellent pics.

But I still need a video camera, something that became very apparent after I stupidly made what would have been a much better video of Diego making palomas if I hadn’t been holding the iPhone the wrong way – duh! I also have a job coming up next week where I’ll be taking several videos that will require editing (I cannot edit the iPhone Quicktime vids).

So I thought I’d try this different version of the Kodak pocket zx5 video camera that I saw on special offer at Fnac. It seems very well suited for what I’ll be doing (mostly interviews and shots inside rooms, so not much zoom required). She has HD quality, a simple intuitive menu and I think she’ll do just fine. Because my first use will be wandering through Malaga mountain vineyards taping interviews I’ve decided to call her Scout.

As always, it’s tough timing for a new purchase with very little work this month (just barely scraped the rent for August together today) but what the hell. That’s what credit cards are for and it’s an investment because I know I’ll get more videos made this way. Especially because Scout is a sleek pocket model. I kind of hankered for the usual type with the flip out screen and hand-strap, but that wouldn’t fit in my bag.

Scout has lots of groovy features like being waterproof, the HD thang, and being able to take 5 megapix photos. I also got a special deal that came with a 4GB card and a cute little zip-up case. Anyhow, we shall see. As the salesclerk told me when I was hemming and hawing… I can always try her out for two weeks and, if I’m not happy, I can bring her back for a full refund. Win-win. But I kind of think she’s a keeper.

no photos allowed

28 Thursday Jul 2011

Posted by in photos, restaurants, sevilla

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Last night I was out with my friend Eduardo from Different Spain for a short tapeo. I got to our first stop a bit early so, while I was waiting for Edu, I took some photos of the place in case I liked it enough to put in my Sevilla Tapas blog. No problem. Got a few outside and interior shots and, though the waitress looked at me with curiosity, she didn’t say anything. When Edu arrived he took his iPhone inside to take a few pictures and the cook told him that the manager didn’t allow people to take photos. Huh?

Then I remembered one time I was in El Corte Inglés and saw somebody taking a photo of something on a shelf, presumably to remember a price or show someone at home, and the security guard came up and told him he wasn’t allowed to take photos.

So this morning I asked on Twitter if it is actually legal for a place that is open to the public to ban photo taking and the general response was that it was at the discretion of owner/manager, regardless of the location being open to the public. Someone also pointed out that many museums and monuments don’t allow photos, but in those places you are clearly warned with signs when you walk in. Somone else mentioned that once they were in a London bar and were told they could take photos of the bar but not of the bottles on the shelves (eh?). It was also mentioned that in many railway stations they don’t like people taking photos.

What’s been your experience? I’ve never thought twice about taking photos of the restaurants and tapas bars I visit, and to date have never had anyone tell me I couldn’t. I can’t imagine why they would.

[also posted on azahar’s Sevilla blog]