Glamis Easter 2008

Glamis, that big pile of sand located in southern California is full of giant dunes that seem to go on forever. Rising from the desert in graceful curves and ripples, the sand is both inviting and menacing at the same time. The riding area is so big it takes several trips to just see the major points of interest (Oldsmobile Hill, Competition, China Wall, and many others). The small dunes around the edges are regular and predictable, fun riding the whole family can enjoy. The enormous central dunes are also very regular with smooth transitions and eye popping scenery. Normally known for wild times, this Easter was a little more subdued with a lot of families enjoying the holiday weekend.

 

The coolest event of the weekend was the Tres Regatta, a gathering of mini three wheeler enthusiasts. There was an mx race, drag race, and lots of other events for those in attendance. The mx races were fun to watch, and it looked like the competitors were enjoying the action also. From bone stock Honda seventies to radical customs, the enthusiasm of this group is infectious. This is a must attend event for next year, very unique family fun.

Better Pictures

Most people these days have a digital camera for taking shots of family, friends and special occasions. Digital point and shoot cameras like this one can be much easier to use than traditional 35mm film. The ability to see our shot, make an adjustment and take another (better) shot is one of the things that make digital so popular these days. With a little effort these simple, inexpensive cameras can produce stunning results. For most photographers this will be enough to capture the images they are looking for. The photo above was taken with a 5 mega-pixel similar to this one. Just by reading the manual you can easily improve the photos you get with even the simplest digital snapper.

Now let's be honest here. If you want to take better pictures than you're getting with your digital point and shoot it's not going to be as simple or cheap. A professional camera body, several high quality lenses, some lighting equipment (and accessories), along with a computer and editing software are some of the items you will need. Not to mention learning how to use all of these gadgets. At least there are some great resources out there like this blog by Scott Kelby or David Hobby's blog Strobist. There is also a lot of great information in books like The Photoshop CS3 Book For Digital Photographers, Light: Science and Magic, and many more. By combining quality equipment with a dedication to learning, you can start to get the pictures you've been envisioning. Changing your camera from a copy machine to a memory maker can be very fun and rewarding. Hopefully these tips can help, but if you have any questions please leave them in the comments.