Otaku Dan: The Life of an Anime Fan

O-Talk Episode 31: Sexy Sexism Part 2 Electric Boogaloo

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Fri, 04 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

In this episode of O-Talk, here is the second part of the Sexy Sexism episode.

Note: this episode was recorded on 4/29/12

Can't use the player, just download it

Sites mentioned in the episode:
The opener is Seize the Daylight by ParaDox
The link to the questionable Magic card artwork

We are also available on iTunes. We started to add bonus content and it's only available on iTunes.

O-Talk RSS Feed

Send us feed back at danielmer@otakudan.com

You can also find us on Twitter at Otakudan, The_Patches, studyofanime, and carouselcarouse.

O-Talk Episode 30: Sexy Sexism Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:01:00 +0000

In this episode of O-Talk, we talk about Sexism and yeah, it's a 2 part episode.

Note: this episode was recorded on 4/24/12

Can't use the player, just download it

Sites mentioned in the episode:
The opener is Seize the Daylight by ParaDox
Violence Jill's Room

We are also available on iTunes. We started to add bonus content and it's only available on iTunes.

O-Talk RSS Feed

Send us feed back at danielmer@otakudan.com

You can also find us on Twitter at Otakudan, The_Patches, studyofanime, and carouselcarouse.

O-Talk Episode 29: Anime Boston 2012 and The New Spring Anime Season

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 04:01:00 +0000

In this episode of O-Talk, we talk about Anime Boston and the new spring anime season.

Note: this episode was recorded on 4/11/12

Can't use the player, just download it

Sites mentioned in the episode:
The opener is Seize the Daylight by ParaDox
Pictures of Charles cosplaying the ninth Doctor(He's the guy with the banana)

We are also available on iTunes. We started to add bonus content and it's only available on iTunes.
O-Talk RSS Feed
Send us feed back at danielmer@otakudan.com
You can also find us on Twitter at Otakudan, The_Patches, and studyofanime.

O-Talk Episode 28: Rambles, The No Topic Dragon

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 04:01:00 +0000

On this episode of O-Talk, we just ramble about different topics that interesting to us.

Note: this episode was recorded on 3/20/12

>
Can't use the player, just download it

Sites mentioned in the episode:
The opener is Seize the Daylight by ParaDox
The SCP Foundation

We are also available on iTunes. We started to add bonus content and it's only available on iTunes.
O-Talk RSS Feed
Send us feed back at danielmer@otakudan.com
You can also find us on Twitter at Otakudan, Laureninspace, The_Patches, and studyofanime.

Mid March Figure Preorders

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 04:01:00 +0000

More figure preorders have appeared in the middle of March. Come on in and check them out.

Nendoroid Ika Musume by Phat Company. This figure will be coming out in July for the price of 3,077 Yen.

Kurama by Kotobukiya. This figure will be coming out in August for the price of 4,930 Yen.

Haiwajima Shizuo by Alter. This figure will be coming out in August for the price of 5,440 Yen.

Figma Griffith by Max Factory. This figure will be coming out in July for the price of 3,077 Yen.

Alice Pajamas Version by AlphaMax. This figure will be coming out in October for the price of 6,290 Yen.

Nendoroid Jack Frost by Max Factory. This figure will be coming out in June for the price of 2,590 Yen.

Super Sonico Nurse Version by Orchid Seed. This figure will be coming out in August for the price of 7,043 Yen.

Konohanasakuya by Bandai. This figure will be coming out in June for the price of 3,570 Yen.

Nendoroid Shinguji Sakura and Koubo Set by Good Smile Company. This figure will be coming out in August for the price of 3,643 Yen.

Nendoroid Estelle Bright by Good Smile Company. This figure will be coming out in July for the price of 2,833 Yen.

Megurine Luka Tony Version by Max Factory. This figure will be coming out in July for the price of 6,704 Yen.

Rorona by MegaHouse. This figure will be coming in late June for the price of 6,630 Yen.

Kneesocks by Alter. This figure will be coming out in July for the price of 6,630 Yen.

Fate T. Harlaown -Summer Holiday- by Alter. This figure will be coming out in July for the price of 7,480 Yen.

Himegami Kodama Bikini Version by Chara-Ani. This figure will be coming out in June for the price of 6,460 Yen.

Amaya Haruko Bikini Version by Chara-Ani. This figure will be coming out in June for the price of 6,460 Yen.

Both Rorona and Nendoroid Sakura figures are awesome. I'm a fan of Sakura Wars and after so many years, I'm glad that a nice figure of Sakura is going to be released. As for Rorona, I find her character to be pretty cute in Atelier Rorona. Everything else list here should be checked. So, what are you planning to preorder from this new batch of figures?

MTG: Dark Ascension Fat Pack

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 04:06:00 +0000

For the longest time, I wanted to buy a Dark Ascension booster box but those can be pricey. As a good and cheaper alternative, I got myself a nice Fat Pack.

What came in the fat pack included, 70 basic lands, 9 Dark Ascension booster packs, special D-20 dice that is used as a life point counter, 2 cheap deck boxes, a booklet that illustrates every card in the set, and a small how-to-play instruction manual. Pretty much I'm only interested in the booster packs, dice, and the box it came in. As for everything else, it is pretty much useless for me but not for someone starting out.

These are the Rare and foil cards that I got from this set. Pulled 2 really useful cards from it.

I'm super happy that I pulled a Vorapede, that's the third one I have pulled and it's going straight into my Standard Green / Blue Birthing Pod deck. As for Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, I could make a white commander deck based around it or trade it off.

This is the remanding stack of common cards that I pulled. There are a lot of useful cards if I ever think of making either a werewolf deck, vampire deck, or a zombie deck. I have my Vorapede next to the stack as a size comparison.

If you are planning to build a standard legal deck from scratch, this is the way to go. I also recommend getting a few packs of Innistrad, the two sets compliment each other when it comes to the werewolves, vampires, and zombies.

O-Talk Episode 27: Piracy ARRRRG

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 05:01:00 +0000

On this episode of O-Talk, we talk about the sensitive topic of piracy.

Note: this episode was recorded on 5/09/12

Can't use the player, just download it

Sites mentioned in the episode:
The opener is Seize the Daylight by ParaDox

We are also available on iTunes. We started to add bonus content and it's only available on iTunes.
O-Talk RSS Feed
Send us feed back at danielmer@otakudan.com
You can also find us on Twitter at Otakudan, Laureninspace, The_Patches, and studyofanime.

March Figure Preorders

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Here are the brand new figure preorders for the month of March. Come on in and check them out.

Figma Satonaka Chie by Max Factory. This figure will be coming out in June for the price of 2,429 Yen.

Chichinoe+3 Young Hip Cover Gal by Orchid Seed. This figure will be coming out in July for the price of 7,043 Yen.

Revoltech Queen's Blade Sigui by Kaiyodo. This figure will be coming out in early April for the price of 2,347 Yen.

Travelingmood Hatsune Miku by Hobby Stock. This figure will be coming out in April for the price of 3,189 Yen.

Kriska Barchnowa by Kotobukiya. This figure will be coming out in July for the price of 5,950 Yen.

Saber Fate/Extra Beach Queen Version by Wave. This figure will be coming out in late September for the price of 3,230 Yen.

Saber Maid Version by Alter. This figure will be coming out in July for the price of 6,630 Yen.

Mikaduki Yozora by Good Smile Company. This figure will be coming out in July for the price of 5,505 Yen.

Armor Girls Project MS Girl Wing Gundam by Bandai. This figure will be coming out in June for the price of 4,080 Yen.

First of all, the legendary Saber Maid figure by Alter is being re-released. I'm personally excited by this because it has to be one of the best made figures I have seen and I'm also a fan of both Saber and maids. If you have guessed by now, I'm planning to preorder her. As for everything else, that Yozora figure looks good. So, what are you planning to preorder?

O-Talk Episode 26: KATSUCON!!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000

In this Episode of O-Talk, Charles talks about his experiance at Katsucon and Dan just sits there and listens quietly.

Note: this episode was recorded on 2/15/12

Can't use the player, just download it

Sites mentioned in the episode:
The opener is Seize the Daylight by ParaDox

We are also available on iTunes. We started to add bonus content and it's only available on iTunes.
O-Talk RSS Feed
Send us feed back at danielmer@otakudan.com
You can also find us on Twitter at Otakudan, Laureninspace, The_Patches, and studyofanime.

Mid February Figure Preorders

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:01:00 +0000

More figure preorders have appeared in the middle of February. Come on in and check them out.

Touwa Erio by Chara-Ani. This figure will be coming out in May for the price of 6,460 Yen.

Nendoroid Inami Mahiru by Max Factory. This figure will be coming out in June for the price of 3,077 Yen.

Figma Pricess of Crystal by Max Factory. This figure will be coming out in June for the price of 3,886 Yen.

Akaza Akari Beach Queen Version by Wave. This figure will be coming out in late August for the price of 3,230 Yen.

Kashiwazaki Sena Beach Queen Version by Wave. This figure will be coming out in late September for the price of 3,230 Yen.

Laura Bodewig Beach Queen Version by Wave. This figure will be coming out in late September for the price of 3,230 Yen.

Menma by Sen-Ti-Nel. This figure will be coming out in July for the price of 6,314 Yen.

Minase Irori Princess Melody Version by MegaHouse. This figure will be coming out in late June for the price of 6,120 Yen.

Honey Bee Maja by Kaitendo. This figure will be coming out in mid May for the price of 6,630 Yen.

Enomoto Saori by Kaitendo. This figure will be coming out in mid May for the price of 8,330 Yen.

Both Erio and Inami figures look really adorable. I'm thinking of getting those two figures but I need to check my budget first. As for everything else, they look great. So, what are you interested in preordering?

Reason Why For the Lack of Post

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Usually, I'll make this post explaining why I haven't made any post for the last few days due to be being lazy. This time it is a legit reason, I was diagnose with tendinitis in my left wrist and my fingers have Repetitive Strain Injury. In a simple way to explain what I have, the outside tendon of my left wrist has a constant sharp pain when its moves and at times my pinky and ring finger end up losing all feeling. As for the rest of my fingers, I have lost bit of strength in them and they get tired after typing for 15 minutes. So yeah, it sucks.

I took a week off to give my hands some time to rest. I started wearing one of those silly looking hand braces to keep some pressure on my wrist. I've been also bathing my hands in a epsom salt and warm water mix to relax the muscles. After one try, it felt like I had new hands. Stretching my hands does a lot of help too. I know there is no permanent cure for what I have, but all I can do is smile and hope for the best.

Weekly Round Up: 1/30/2012 - 2/4/2012

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:54:00 +0000

Here is the weekly round up for the week of 1/30/2012 - 2/4/2012

My Posts:
February Figure Preorders
O-Talk Episode 25: A Magical Gathering
WOW, 4 Years of Blogging
Spring 2012 Anime Season Chart V2.0

My Favorite Posts of the Week:

LifeHacker
Avoid Working Long Hours of Overtime to Reduce Your Risk of Depression
How Can I Tell If My Diet and Exercise Routine Is Actually Working?
The Best Things to Buy in February
How to Get Better Battery Life and Performance on Your Android Phone with a New Kernel
Top 10 Ways to Travel Smarter, Safer, and Cheaper

Apartment Therapy Tech
How To: Upgrade a Wall Outlet to USB Functionality
Bedside Manners: Reasons for Powering Off Your Phone Every Night
Get Smart: How To Avoid the Top 3 Online Shopping Scams
Palm Reading Made Easy: 6 eBook Apps
10 Easy Tune Up Tips For Your Windows PC
Decluttering: First Your Desk, Then Your Desktop

PetaPixel
Portraits of People in Two Different Times
Street Photography Do’s and Don’ts
How to Manually Create an HDR Photo in Photoshop
Ghostly Portraits Captured Using Stencils and Light-Painting
Portraits of Abandoned Cars Taken From the Back Seat

Spring 2012 Anime Season Chart V2.0

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:01:00 +0000

The new spring anime season chart is out and it has quite a bit of interesting anime series worth watching. Come on in and check them out.

Source: Neregate

What I will be watching:
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2
FATE/ZERO SEASON 2

What I may watch:
Kore wa Zombie Desu Ka?: Jigoku Hen
Hyou-Ka
Queen's Blade: Rebellion
Eureka Seven AO
Upotte!!
Shining Hearts

If you can guess, I'm pretty damn excited for the second season of Fate/Zero due to the first season ending at a cliffhanger and it is such a great series. I personally enjoyed the first season of Kore wa Zombie, so I may as well watch that too. Everything else will be viewed after reading reviews on them. So, what are you planning to watch next season?

WOW, 4 Years of Blogging

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:01:00 +0000

So, I have been blogging for 4 years. I'm surprised that I have been going for so long due to my fickle nature. Well, I want to thank all of those who read my blog, the O-Talk cast, and the super cool people that I have met over the years due to blogging.

Thank You

O-Talk Episode 25: A Magical Gathering

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:01:00 +0000

In this brand new episode of O-Talk, the gang talks about one of the best and nerdiest card games ever made, Magic: The Gathering.

Note: this episode was recorded on 1/31/12

>
Can't use the player, just download it

Sites mentioned in the episode:
The opener is Seize the Daylight by ParaDox

The breakdown of the two decks Charles spoke about:

The Burner from Hell Deck:
4X Seismic Assault
4X Lightning Bolt
4X Incinerate
4X Thunderbolt
4X Kindle
2X Howling Mine
1X Furnace of Rath

37x Mountain

The Banned tournament Deck
Red
4X Stone Rain
4X Pillage
2X Balduvian Horde
2X Shivan Dragon
2X Lightning Bolt

Black
4X Icequake
1X Ihsan’s Shade
4X Hymn to Tourach
4X Hypnotic Spectre
2X Black Knight
2X Pump Knight
3X Dark Ritual
3X Sengir Vampire

Artifacts
1X Icy Manipulator
2X Millstone
1X Black Vise

8X Swamp
8X Mountain
4X Strip Mine

We are also available on iTunes. We started to add bonus content and it's only available on iTunes.
O-Talk RSS Feed
Send us feed back at danielmer@otakudan.com
You can also find us on Twitter at Otakudan, Laureninspace, The_Patches, and studyofanime.

February Figure Preorders

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Here are the brand new figure preorders for the month of February. Come on in and check them out.

Figma Irisviel Von Einzbern by Max Factory. This figure will be coming out in May for the price 2,429 Yen.

Miki Sayaka by Good Smile Company. This figure will be coming out in June for the price of 6,314 Yen.

Celty Sturluson by Alter. This figure will be coming out in June for the price of 5,780 Yen.

Nendoroid Petite Racing Miku Set 2011 Version by Good Smile Company. This set of figures will be coming out in June for the price of 3,077 Yen.

Rita Mordio by Alter. This figure will be coming out in June for the price of 7,480 Yen.

Samus Aran Zero Suit Version by Max Factory. This figure will be coming out in June for the price of 6,314 Yen.

Figma Samus Aran by Max Factory. This figure will be coming out in June for the price of 3,077 Yen.

Hyperdimension Neptunia Purple Heart by Ques Q. This figure will be coming out in June for the price of 6,460 Yen.

Nendoroid Cordelia Glauca by Good Smile Company. This figure will be coming out in May for the price of 3,077 Yen.

Hirasawa Ui Swim Wear Version by Alphamax. This figure will be coming out in August for the price of 5,780 Yen.

There are a few nice figures that I'm personally interested in. Purple Heart for the first Hyperdimension Neptunia game looks pretty cute in my eyes. Samus Zero Suit figure looks amazing and any fan of the series needs to pick up this figure. I honestly never thought that a DRRR figure would never be made but it did, Celty looks hot in her black outfit. So, what are you thinking of preordering from this batch of new figures?

Weekly Round Up: 1/15/2012 - 1/21/2012

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Here is the weekly round up for the week of 1/15/2012 - 1/21/2012

My Posts:
Mid January Figure Preorders
Sexy Oppai Pantsu Ass Gallery
O-Talk Episode 24: Winter Anime Season

My Favorite Posts of the Week:

LifeHacker
Use Dryer Sheets to Clean Out Dusty Computer Case Fans
Use This Infographic to Pick a Good, Strong Password
Why I Won’t Hire You
Sign Into Your Google Account on Public Computers Without Typing Anything
How Can I Beat My App Addiction and Clean Up My Smartphone?
The Best Video Card Overclocking App for Windows
The Manual Photography Cheat Sheet Keeps You Familiar with All Your Camera’s Different Settings
Keep a Journal of Awesomeness to Boost Your Self Esteem
Five Great Alternatives to MegaUpload

Apartment Therapy(formally known as Unplggd)
Buying Tech for the Long Run
Remove Unwanted Images of Yourself From Google Search
Ways To Free Up Valuable (Computer) Storage Space
Tales of a Late Adopter: Update Now?
10 Tech Things Everyone Should Know How To Do

PetaPixel
Haunting Portraits of the Homeless
Famous Photographers Holding Their Iconic Photographs
365-Day Time-Lapse of a Bike Locked on a NYC Sidewalk
Is HDR Acceptable in Photojournalism?
Take a Virtual Stroll Inside B&H Using Google Street View
Famous Black and White Photos with Color Breathed Into Them
Make a DIY Collapsible Beauty Dish

O-Talk Episode 24: Winter Anime Season

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

In this episode, the cast talks about the new winter anime season.

Note: this episode was recorded on 1/17/12

Cant use the player, just download it

Sites mentioned in the episode:
The opener is Seize the Daylight by ParaDox

We are also available on iTunes. We started to add bonus content and it's only available on iTunes.
O-Talk RSS Feed
Send us feed back at danielmer@otakudan.com
You can also find us on Twitter at Otakudan, Laureninspace, The_Patches, and studyofanime.

Sexy Oppai Pantsu Ass Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:46:00 +0000

Pretty with some stuff so here is a great gallery. New O-Talk should be out tomorrow.

SOPA sucks, take action against it. Learn more on SOPA

Mid January Figure Preorders

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

More figure preorders have appeared in the middle of January. Come on in and check them out.

Nendoroid Nanasaki Ai by Good Smile Company. This figure will be coming out in May for the price of 2,833 Yen.

Momo Velia Deviluke by Alter. This figure will be coming out in June for the price of 6,630 Yen.

Aiba Ruri Beach Queen Version by Wave. This figure coming out in late July for the price of 3,230 Yen.

Anjyo Naruko Beach Queen Version by Wave. This figure will be coming out in late July for the price of 3,230 Yen.

Holy Angel Kamineko by Max Factory. This figure will be coming out in May for the price of 6,704 Yen.

Wakura Yuina Beach Queen Version by Wave. This figure will be coming out in late August for the price of 3,230 Yen.

Oshimizu Nako Beach Queen Version by Wave. This figure will be coming out in late August for the price of 3,230 Yen.

Tsurugi Minko Beach Queen Version by Wave. This figure will be coming out in late July for the price of 3,230 Yen.

Matsumae Ohana Beach Queen Version by Wave. This figure will be coming out in late July for the price of 3,230 Yen.

Sakuya -Mode: Cerulean- by Kotobukiya. This figure will be coming out in May for the price of 5,780 Yen.

Black Hanekawa by Kotobukiya. This figure will be coming out in May for the price of 8,330 Yen.

Saber & Saber Motored Cuirassier by Good Smile Company. This figure will be coming out in May for the price of 11,171 Yen.

Figma Phantasmoon by Max Factory. This figure will be coming out in May for the price of 2,590 Yen.

Nendoroid Inui Sana by Good Smile Company. This figure will be coming out in May for the price of 2,833 Yen.

Nendoroid Taneshima Popura by Max Factory. This figure will be coming out in April for the price of 3,077 Yen.

Figma Millhiore F. Biscotti by Max Factory. This figure will be coming out in April for the price of 2,590 Yen.

Kusugawa Sasara Samurai Style by Daiki Kougyo. This figure will be coming out in May for the price of 11,730 Yen.

Konoe Subaru Beach Queen Version by Wave. This figure will be coming out in late June for the price of 3,230 Yen.

Mikaduki Yozora Beach Queen Version by Wave. This figure will be coming out in late June for the price of 3,230 Yen.

So, Wave is releasing a lot of new figures. Now that's out of the way, Black Hanekawa and Saber look amazing. I like Black Hanekawa because of the details, pose, and paint job. The reason why I like Saber is because she is one of my favorite female characters of all time and she looks great on that bike. So, what are you planning to preorder from this new batch of figures?

Weekly Round Up: 1/8/2012 - 1/14/2012

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Here is the weekly round up for the week of 1/8/2012 - 1/14/2012

My Posts:
My Current Experience as a Pro Photographer

My Favorite Posts of the Week:

LifeHacker
View Tight Clothing as Motivation to Lose Weight Instead of an Excuse to Go Shopping
Top 10 Tricks for Getting Better Sleep
Quickly Estimate Serving Sizes and Measurements by Using Your Hands and Knowing Your Cooking Utensils
How to Use Your Smartphone to Remotely Send Downloads to Your Home Computer
Mount An External Hard Drive Underneath Your Desk with Velcro to Keep It Hidden Away
How to Properly Clean All Your Gadgets Without Ruining Them
How to Sync Your Bookmarks from Your Computer to Your Smartphone
How Often Should I Charge My Gadget’s Battery to Prolong Its Lifespan?
Build a Computer Into Your Desk for Easy Upgrades, Hidden Cables

Apartment Therapy(formally known as Unplggd)
5 Basics for a Tech Clean Up Kit
Why You Shouldn't Leave Your Cell Phone Plugged in at Night
How To Survive When You Don't Have Internet
Essential Tools to Keep Your Camera Clean
How To Hack Apple TV in 3 Easy Steps
3 Things You Need To Clean After a Cold
How Long Should You Keep Electronics and Appliance Packaging?
How Your Smartphone Can Get You a Job

PetaPixel
Powerful Moving Portraits of the Elderly
Happy At One Hundred: Emotive Portraits of Centenarians
How TIME Magazine’s Portraits of Protestors Were Photographed
Bathtub Self-Portraits in Bizarre Locations
This Photograph Is Not Free
Photos of Artwork Created From Nature

My Current Experience as a Pro Photographer

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Well, I have been working for the last few months as a professional photographer. It has been an interesting ride and I want to share some of the trues that people don't know about. Warning: These are my own personal experiences and it might be different for others.

Being a photographer is not for everyone, if you enjoy it as a hobby, that's great. However, if you're thinking about doing it as a profession, ask yourself this question "Do I really have the passion to do this everyday of my life?". From the moment I wake up, to the moment I go to bed, all I think about is photography. I know I sound like a jerk questioning someones passion, but it's the harsh truth.

When being a professional, you have pretty much two options for work; freelancing on your own or work for someone else. If you're going the route of freelancing, it is going to be tough out there competing with people trying to offer the lowest price for a job. Also, establishing a business on your own will be difficult if you have zero financial backing. My advise is to take accounting and business classes. Ejen Chuang, the author of Cosplay in America photography book gave me this advice when I decided to go on this route. I'm glad that I listened to him because photography is not just taking pretty pictures but it is also a business. Hell, I'm going back to college part time to get a degree in accounting and business administration just to have something to fall back on.

Now working for a company is something completely different. It can be good and bad at the same time. The good thing is, you will have a steady paycheck and have the chance to learn from other people. The bad is, any single picture you take during a job, the company will have the copyright, you will be working crazy hours, and you cannot pick your customers. I must have taken over 50,000 pictures at my old job and I do not have ownership of a single one. My work hours were crazy, there were days that I had off and they called me into work. The extra cash was great but working 9 to 15 days in a row and not having any free time was effecting my health. The worst part out of working for someone else is one's job security. As of this post, I'm out of a job because the owner just closed the studio with no warning. It sucks because 15 people including myself woke up to find they lost their job due to an irresponsible douche bag.

For those who are wondering if some of this stuff has turned me away for photography, it hasn't. To be honest, it did the complete opposite and it has fueled my drive to continue it as a career and to achieve my dream to become a photographer for National Geographic. This has been my current experience as a professional photographer, if you have any questions, just ask in a comment below.

Weekly Round Up: 1/1/2012 - 1/7/2012

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Here is the weekly round up for the week of 1/1/2012 - 1/7/2012

My Posts:
Happy New Year and 2012 Resolutions
My New DSLR Camera

My Favorite Posts of the Week:

LifeHacker
DIY Ikea Monitor Stand for $12
How to Start Your Information Diet
Choose the Healthiest Options from a Vending Machine
Store Weights by Your Computer for a Quick Workout While Watching YouTube
Mount Stuff on the Back of Your Monitor for a Clutter-Free Desk
A Three-Step Approach to Ensuring Resolution Success
Why Placebos Work, and How You Can Use the Placebo Effect to Accomplish Your Goals
Unlock Root Roots Nearly 250 Android Devices in One Click
Make Your Android Wallpaper Depict the Weather with Tasker
Replace Compulsive Shopping with Exercise to Save Money and Get Healthy

Unplggd
The Energy Impact of LED vs CFL vs Incandescent Lighting
Make Trimming "App Fat" a New Year's Resolution
Apps to Get Inspired, Unstuck or Jumpstart Your Creativity
Meditative Retreats From Tech to Unwind
The Cautionary Tale of Second Hand Electronics
The Mini Tech Janitor: BuzzBrush
Three Cable TV Alternatives
Resolution: Buy Smart & Love Thy Current Tech
The Typical Android User Infographic

PetaPixel
Photographer in Parking Lot Captures ISS Passing In Front of the Moon
The Value of Photography: Portraits Are More Than Paper
Photographs That Resemble Traditional Chinese Paintings
Make a DIY Snoot Using a Coke Bottle
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My New DSLR Camera

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

More than a year and half ago, I started saving for a new DSLR camera. It was a long and grueling task that seemed impossible but doing a little saving here and there, I made it. I finally had the money to buy a new Canon T3/1100D, then the holiday season came and it was sold out every where and if they had it in stock, they would raise the price. I waited once more and when the moment seemed right, I order it. Now I have in my hand, the new DSLR camera that I've desired for so long.

Wall-E was pretty impressed by it.

The Canon T3 is a pretty good camera if you're on a budget. The one complaint I have about it feels fragile because of the plastic body. I'm pretty use to using at work a both the Canon 60D and Canon 1Ds-Mark III, but I can say that this Camera is great.

As for the kit lens, it is neither good or bad, just okay at best. I do not like that all plastic and to be honest, I'll never use it again after I build up a decent collection of lenses.

Battery that runs on happiness and unicorn blood.

Tons of useless cables, CDs, and papers that I'll never touch.

Here is a test shot. The detail seen on Wall-E is great.

Happy New Year and 2012 Resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (Otaku Dan) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Happy New Year

Resolutions for 2012:
1) Get back to blogging in a regular bases
2) Do more of my personal photography
3) Start working out again
4) Cut spending and save money
5) Get my own place
6) Read more books that are not manga
7) Play more Magic: The Gathering
8) Think up of new blogging ideas
9) Become a millionaire
10) keep enjoying life