Dunk

No Rules Photography (part2)

noreply@blogger.com (Fabrice) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:43:00 +0000

more no rules pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fabjacob/

No Rules Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Fabrice) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:35:00 +0000

As I was walking downtown in Oslo, I was medidating... yeah, actually it's happen to me from time to time. Call it a time collapse, but it was great. It has been about one year and half that I falled in love with the art of photography after my trip to Uganda. Since then I have spent many hours asking for advices, visiting forums, shopping until these days. I'm really tempted to pass to the dslr world. It's happen when you know professionnel photographer. But I discover something and I will probably discover plenty of others. Photography is not a science. It isn't the material that makes the photographer. And I notice that I'm really creative when I'm not planning. Because the beauty, bizarre, uglyness and everything is around.
So while I'm learning and maybe not:I decide to forget the rules. No composition, no exposition, no filter, no nothing, no time. However I know that's you find rules in anarchy so there are probably some in my no rules experience. I will try to follow this path: have the eyes open, beeing an enthusiast, beeing patient and spying.

It was time for this medidation after that I sold some pieces of my work. Anyway I will come back time to time here to share my no rules trip.

Back in the 80's

noreply@blogger.com (Fabrice) — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 17:09:00 +0000

Lakers vs Celtics in 2008 .
We're back in the old fashion deja vu finals,except that's this time it is Kobe versus Garnett, Pierce and Allen.
I give you my pronostic : 4-2 for the Lakers.
Why?
The Lakers has proven to be capable on the road more than the Celtics.
Secundo, Kobe want it like Michael jordan wanted it; Maybe you don't know but these two guys are sicks. Madness are inside them, they want to win so badly that their partners becomes punchy balls. And Kobe want to have a Jordan season: MVP of the year, MVP of the playoffs, golden olympics medals and prove that he can win without Shaq.
The lakers has the best bench of this NBA season, and 2 guys, I'm not talking about bench guys like Cassell for the Celtics, who have reached the finals together Kobe and Fisher.
The Lakers are long and athletic on the wing.
The celtics needs someone to defend on Bryant meaning that they would have to sacrifice one of their three heads: Pierce, Allen or include James Posey in the 5.

The important matchups:
Garnett vs Odom: The edge to Garnett but Odom has been incredible and if it doen't failed mentality, he can keep up with the speed of Garnett. Turiaf is going also to use his body on Garnett.

Kobe vs Allen, Pierce, Posey: Kobe the winner.Who can stop him? He'll have to chase Allen but he loves it and the two doesn't really like each other. Posey has long arms but we 'll see a lot Kobe on the line.
Maybe the best here is Pierce, he has improve his defense,. He's strong and can post Bryant.

Gasol vs Perkins, Powe and Brown: winner Celtics; Gasol is long but has been a little tender against the spurs. The celtics trio are tough and will muscle him inside. Gasol will have to use his touch.

Fisher vs Rondo: winner Lakers. Rondo is young, fast and a really good rebonder for his position. But Fisher doesn't turn the ball a lot and he can defend fast guard like Rondo. Cassel is there also for the celtics but he is to prone to shoot the ball before to serve his partners.

What we know:
We'll see Kobe a lot on the line.
Allen has to make his threes. We'll see a lot of them.
The Celtics is one of the best defense in the league. The Lakers one of the best offensive machine.

Bye bye San Antonio

noreply@blogger.com (Fabrice) — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:27:00 +0000

San Antonio did it once again. Incapable to reach the NBA finals 2 years in a row. One of the reason this year has been the injurie of two majors players, Parker and Ginobili. If Parker has maintain his status and statistics during the playoff run, it wasn't the same for Ginobili.
In fact the sason 07_08 has been so tuff in the west conference that a team like Golden State (50 wins in the season) has been eliminated. And That Ginobili who has fight and produce an mvp caliber season to fight and obtain the home court advantage. Unfortunately for the spurs the load was to heavy for the argentino, and Manu has never be again the same after the hornets-spurs serie.
The numbers of Parker and Duncan were predictible, but the Spurs really needs Ginobili to be on the top. He is the poor's Kobe Bryant. Unpredictible, an offensive machine and a hard nose defender, when he is healthy. In fact he has the same season as Kobe last year. Forced to take the team on his shoulder in order to reach the playoff or a good position.
What the Spurs have learn with this defeat?
They need a solid power forward to support Tim Duncan. The spurs has been destroyed by David West in the hornets series. The lengh og Gasol, the rapidity of Odom in the offensive block has contributed also to the destruction of the Spurs in the Lakers serie.
They need more athleticism in the wing. Finley and Horry are showing their age. Someone like Idoka even if he's 30 years old can take Finley place.

And maybe it would have been better to force Kobe go to the line. Bowen has been spectacular on Kobe, even if the guy has put great numbers. Kobe is apart like Michael Jordan was and maybe like Lebron James will be. The only guy who can stop him is himself. So you have to play smart defense and force him to go on his weakness. Meaning playing a one man game . But by force him to share the ball, the spurs has created confidence on the Lakers roster.

Give also credits to Fisher to defend so well on Parker and force him to play away from the paint.

Real politics is cynical

noreply@blogger.com (Fabrice) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:47:00 +0000

International politics is really cynical and realistic. The China's olympic crisis reminds us that's only the strong survives, writes the history, and put their stamp on the worlwide map. The olympic comitee, the great democracy of our modern world are talking about the long term and the positive influence that can have the organisation of the next olympic games in Beijing. China it's the biggest marketing potential market in the world so forget about the burma repression, the tibet and the Daila Lama.
After all sport is not politics. So what is sport, in it ultimate representation of olympism? Let me remind something. Sport is a politic intrument to control the violence who is in all of us as human being, but also a fantastic tool of promoting the belonging feeling to a tribe, a communauty, a country, a nation, a system. So If sport isn't politic, I must be crazy. Like I am now. International Politics is cynical... Turn the spot and just imagine if Turquia or Iran try to organise the Olympics. Oh my goodness come on there is the Kurde's repression. Come on Iran,it's a terrorist state who want to blow the planet up.
At least we know that's the reality is there and that's the rality of money. The quastion is what I' m going to do at my personal level and you what are going to do.
Reality is cynical...I'm writing this entry on my powerbook, wearing a nike shoes.
I really enjoy basketball. Should I follow the final between USA and Spain or Argentine. Or seeing Howard dunking on Yao Ming.
What I'm going to do here in Norway when the french soccer team will meet the brazilian one. Well, I will drink a coke. Reality is cynical... It's up also to the sportman to stand up and to make a statement. Ater all that's them who are the hero of the story and they can confront the marketing vilain.

Canon sx100 and S5 review

noreply@blogger.com (Fabrice) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:51:00 +0000

These camera are really similar in terms of Image quality, even if I think the edge is going slightly for the sx100 in low light situation.

Concerning this one, it's 10 zoom (36-360mm), with total manual control and habituals scene mode. The stabilisation is quite good and the face detection is ok. Filming is very good when you consider that it is not a camrecorder. You can record at a rate frame of 30 img/s in a 640/480, big enough for TV screen.With an aperture of 2,8 and 4,2 at full teleporto, the lens is light. And that's really the strong point of the sx100. The zoom quality plus the total control on the camera, iso, white balance, aperture, speed, focus, and the stabilised function.
+: good overall image quality, stabilised and 10 zoom, good video, good macro
-: bad high iso performance, keep it between 80 og 400 iso, purple fringing, no viewfinder, no wide angle

Canon S5is is probably the best compact on the market in terms of video. Stereo sound, still image during filming, focus control. Like its little brother, the image quality is good but forget about taking picture above 400 iso. Purple fringing is present as well as noise in the shadow even at low iso setting. But the S5 is a versatile camera with a 12zoom (36-432mn), exceptional video with zoom available, a hot shoe for external flash, good macro, and all the bracketing options for HDR pictures, and add lenses also in options. That's a huge package who misses the wide angle and good iso picture quality.
+: good overall image quality, exceptional video, manual control, great zoom and stabilisation.
-: bad image quality at high iso (keep it at 200 iso max), artefacts at all iso setting, purple fringing, no wide angle, no manual zoom ring.

These two camera are really good with good lights but don't try them in a nightclub, parties, inside sports like basketball or snowboarding at night . If you forget the long zoom and the S5 video quality. It's better to invest in the canon a720 who has better iso i.q and save buckets. Unfortunately I have both of them, but I prefer the Sx 100 for his edge at high iso. That's the reason one why I'm looking in vain for a fuji f31fd.

NBA MVP

noreply@blogger.com (Fabrice) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:50:00 +0000

Here are my four MVP candidates: Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Kevin Garnett, Chris Paul.
I take the bet that Kobe is going to be the 1. The reason is that is several season that is carry The lakers on his shoulders and it's time for the NBA to recognize her best talent in the game since Michael Jordan.
Lebron James has the time for him not Kobe. Even if since his arrival in NBA, the King has been a constant progress, a constant alien unstoppable capable of qualify a second role team in the last NBA finals. Concerning Chris Paul, who is playing in the same league as Steve Nash and Chauncey Billups, that's amazing what "the little guy" is capable of. However he needs to prove that he can play to this level for several season.
Kevin Garnett is there to but he's surrounding by a nice cast in Allen and Pierce who is really the go to guy in the fourth quarter.
Sorry you guys from Houston but the 22 victory in a row is going to nowhere. Mc Grady have still to prove that he can pass the first round in a playoff series.
This is Kobe year and the number 24 is shinning.

Can you wake?

noreply@blogger.com (Fabrice) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 19:21:00 +0000

A wakebording trip with some buddies near by Oslo. I was really confident, you know I'm manage pretty good with a board in the snow. Well the sea was an other story, painfull, I'm still amazed that we are alive. Check out the video. Anyway it was a good oportunity to test the video capacity of my old canon a540.
A very good compact with manual mode, AA batteries so you don't have to worry when you travel, 4x zoom, good pictures quality (I made a safari in Uganda with it). But I will upload it soon, probably with one of the new canonpowershoot.

Greg Oden, the next Ralph Sampson?

noreply@blogger.com (Fabrice) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:23:00 +0000

Remenber the 1983 draft, R.Sampson is the future, the number 1. Taller than 7ft, the guy has the softness of a guard and fly like Drexler. Sampson was supposed to form with Hakeem Olajuwon the first twin towers, the original before Tim Duncan and Robinson, before his knees vanished.
But history can be cruel and has a tendancy to repeat. Oden is suppose to form a tremedous pair with Aldridge. Thus we can only hope that Oden will not be the next "no knees Sampson". And as I said history is a cycle including the recent one of Amare Stoudemire. Oden is young, strong, even if he looks like my grand'pa, and intelligent. So expect him to work on his offensive game. However Aldridge will be a focus point in attack after a strong summer league with the addition of the skilled Fernandez, who is playing actually in spain for a birth in the next olympics. Portland has a nice young core to build around and wait and see this year. In fact, what will be the situation in one year? Oden is the face of the franchise. And with only the limit is the sky for Lamarcus Aldridge, how will be the status in the team... A future clash Marion#Stoudemire or "I get off the bus" like Tracy Mc Grady did in Toronto. The days of the twin towers seems to be far away...

Sniper shoots around

noreply@blogger.com (Fabrice) — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 08:04:00 +0000

Today is a great sport day, sorry darling. But 2day it's potato ships, pop corn, beer, me and my TV. Start with the EuroBasket 07 meaning qualifications for the next olympics in China. Nowitzki against Parker. The MVP (most valuable player) of the season vs The MVP of the nba finals. It's Dallas vs San Antonio. Germany vs France. It's a sniper confrontation like the one in Stalingrad, both are the best scorer in Fiba euro 2007.
Oh yeah my potatoes, I love you today.
And 1, France vs Italy, in football, for the European qualification. Zidane where are you? This one is a slam on the head (sorry it's an easy joke). Sound like a revenge of the last world cup. Hum, beer I like you today.

FIBA 07

noreply@blogger.com (Fabrice) — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 21:00:00 +0000

Exit the FIBA america tournament... no defense, no public, a fast break exibit. Even if I like show , close games are more funny. So I can't wait to see this argentina team with Ginobili, Oberto , and Scola reunited. Anyway thanks Kobe & Co for the run and see you in the Olympics.

Well here in Europe, the heavy loaded starts, and the stars Nowitzki, Parker, Gasol are already shinning. But Beyond Greece and Spain, the favorites, almost any team can reach the third place. The last ticket for an ultimate qualification before the next Olympics. So Wich team will be on the winner. I'm french so you know where my heart is. And please Wake up Boris Diaw!

Sommeren saga

noreply@blogger.com (Fabrice) — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 06:04:00 +0000

Om sommeren i NBA, den proffesjonelle amerikanske basketligaen, er det vanlig at drama og business blander seg. Og når det skjer i Hollywood, spør vi oss hvem som har skrevet filmmanuset. Etter et vanlig usedvanlig år, gikk Kobe Bryant ut i den første runden av NBA's playoffs.

For en mann som lever i den daglige sammenligningen av Michael Jordan, er det nok. Kobe Bryant er den selvutnevnte nye Michael Jordan. Han var den eneste som kunne bære arven etter Jordan. Men siden 2003 er ikke lenger Kobe i dette bildet: Nå snakker mediene om Lebron James eller Dwane Wade. Og i 2005 var Dwane Wade Champion og MVP (beste spiller) i NBA-finalen. Dette året var det Lebron "King" James som var i finalen mot San Antonio Spurs.
For Kobe det er ikke god: Ikke god for business. Ikke god for sin framtidige historie innen NBA. Han vil ikke se ut som den en som kunne ikke vinne en NBA finale uten Shaquille O'Neal. I alle typer sport, eksisterer forholdet mellom ego og business.

Så Kobe Bryant lager bråk: han vil ut fra Los Angeles Lakers. Han skriver på websiden sin http://truth.kb24.com/ at han vil ut fordi han vil vinne.
Men hva er sannheten mellom Kobe og Los Angeles Lakers?
Først og fremst er det umulig for Los Angeles Lakers. Hvis Kobe forsvinner, trenger de en figur som kan selge billetter. En sportsmann som kan tiltrekke Hollywoods personligheter/kjendiser.
Unntatt Lebron James eller Dwane Wade er det ikke så mange som kan gjøre dette. LA må bare vente på de beste mulightene.
For Bryant er 'eastern conferance' et stort marked, spesielt New York, men også et svakere nivå. Adjø til Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio, Denver. Adjø til Bruce Bowen og Raja Bell, de to beste forsvarerne mot Kobe Bryant. God dag Spike Lee, The Larry King Show... Dessuten, på grunn av en spesiell status i kontrakten hans, kan Kobe gå hvor han vil. Hva vil han? Vinne i et stor marked og gjøre svakere konkurranse mot James og Wade. Som Jordan gjorde det samme mot han selv.

Summer in NBA is a soap opera sometimes boring, other time a poor "Desperate Housewives" show. After the Garnett trade to boston, the Donaghy scandal and illegal bet in NBA, the case of Kobe Bryant is still waiting to be resolve. Remenber a few month ago Bryant give the lakers an ultimatum: build a team for the championship this year or trade him. Until now, the lakers has been really calm. C'mon guys: Kobe, Mr 82 pts in a game, mister 50 pts for breakfeast. Do something. Meanwhile Kobe is practicing with USA team and asking himself if he will never be on the same level with Michael Jordan, The Lakers seems to be more interessing by attracting the celebrities of hollywood. Unfortunately for Kobe.
And to access the club of Duncan, Jordan, Bird, Magic, Shaq, it's a long way. Kobe knows that he needs some help to shadow the new generation of Wade and Lebron as Jordan did for him. All we know, it's that we will see Kobe in gold and purple next season, and until the market of february, he will have to bring his team on his shoulders, as he did for so many years. Unless Jermaine O' Neal show his face in L.A to make him smile.