El escarabajo de oro
Gualda
It was not that cold, actually
Closeup portrait of Aleksey Nuzhnov with Sony NEX7 and Sigma 60mm f2.8 DN
Cambalache
Cambalache
Que el mundo fue y será una porquería,
ya lo se;
en el quinientos seis
y en el dos mil también;
que siempre ha habido chorros,
maquiavelos y estafaos,
contentos y amargaos,
valores y dublés,
pero que el siglo veinte es un despliegue
de maldad insolente
ya no hay quien lo niegue;
vivimos revolcaos en un merengue
y en un mismo lodo todos manoseaos.
Hoy resulta que es lo mismo
ser derecho que traidor,
ignorante, sabio, chorro,
generoso, estafador.
Todo es igual; nada es mejor;
lo mismo un burro que un gran profesor.
No hay aplazaos ni escalafón;
los inmorales nos han igualao.
Si uno vive en la impostura
y otro roba en su ambición,
da lo mismo que si es cura,
colchonero, rey de bastos,
caradura o polizón.
Que falta de respeto,
que atropello a la razón;
cualquiera es un señor,
cualquiera es un ladrón.
Mezclaos con Stavisky,
van Don Bosco y la Mignon,
don Chicho y Napoleón,
Carnera y San Martín.
Igual que en la vidriera irrespetuosa
de los cambalaches
se ha mezclao la vida,
y herida por un sable sin remaches
ves llorar la Biblia contra un calefon.
Siglo veinte, cambalache
problemático y febril;
el que no llora, no mama,
y el que no afana es un gil.
Dale nomas, dale que va,
que alla en el horno nos vamo a encontrar.
No pienses más, echate a un lao,
que a nadie importa si naciste honrao.
Que es lo mismo el que labura
noche y día como un buey
que el que vive de los otros,
que el que mata o el que cura
o esta fuera de la ley.
Letra y Música de Enrique Santos Discepolo
Hola! This is Pako
Pako Dominguez is an experienced photographer who takes enormous pleasure in being part of your special day. He will document your exceptional moments with candid, lively, artfully-crafted photographs. Pako has photographed weddings and events internationally and offers excellent, personalized services in English, Spanish or French.
And yes, that’s me when I was 22 years old… 😉
La vista vistosa
From my window…
ZA 85f1.4 vs SAM 85f2.8
During the summer of 2005, I had the chance to find a beautiful sample of the Minolta 85mm f1.4 G non D –and I was really lucky because by that time Konika-Minolta future was a big mystery, the D version of this lens was unavailable, as well as other gems from the late Minolta era. I paid about 600$ for it and put it on a shelf, using it exclusively for portraits at my home studio.
The following year, Konika-Minolta sold all their assets in the photography(cameras) business to Sony, who didn’t re-brand the 85mm but introduced a Carl Zeiss version instead. Price tagged in the 1400$. I felt good, because the deal I had and because I rented from the Adorama Rentals Department (it came in the “kit” along the A900; 24-70f2.8; 70-200f2.8 (and the HVL58 flash) and did a quick test between both lenses. My conclusion was that the Minolta was a little bit warmer and the Zeiss slightly sharper wide open, and had neutral color cast.
I didn’t use the 85mm that much, the lens is a little too big, heavy and I always fear to damage it (event photography is not good for equipment cosmetics…) so I decide to sell it after Christmas 2009. I got 900$ for it (I can only tell good things about this lens!) Anyway, since I got the A850 I use the Minolta 100 f2.8 Soft Focus as my main “Portrait Lens”
Last summer (2010) Sony introduced a “Easy Choice” SAM 85mm f2.8 for only 250$ and, for that price, I choose to give it a try. I bought the first sample arriving to the Adorama store and, after I overcame the first impression about the plastic mount, I start carrying it with me to my event jobs. So far, this little lens gave me an advantage, it doesn’t intimidate people, the way a bigger lens does. And it is a great companion to the ZA 24–70 f2.8 — you can hardly find a difference in image quality between this 2 lenses.
For a last test, I went to the Adorama Rental Department and borrow the ZA 85f1.4 for a 15 minutes non scientific comparison. It is unnecessary to say the Zeiss is bigger, heavier and overall construction quality is nicer and sturdier.
But, how about the optics? Falloff on the SAM is noticeable at f2.8, while the Zeiss at f2.8 doesn’t show any issue. The SAM focus closer, and that was a surprise, but the Zeiss is corrected for Macro and you can notice that also. Another noticeable surprise was the fact that the SAM focus faster and it is less noisy than the ZA
You can see and download the samples (JPG and ARW) here:
Summer time in Union Square — NYC
Long Island City – Panorama
It is hard to get a “perfect’ panorama with the NEX, but this one came really good.
Confidence in the glasses, not in the eye – Confianza en el anteojo, no en el ojo
Confidence in the glasses, not in the eye;
in the staircase, never in the step;
in the wing, not in the bird
and in yourself alone, in yourself alone, in yourself alone.
Confidence in the wickedness, not in the wicked;
in the glass, but never in the liquor;
in the corpse, not in the man
and in yourself alone, in yourself alone, in yourself alone.
Confidence in many, but no longer in one;
in the riverbed, never in the current;
in pants, not in legs
and in yourself alone, in yourself alone, in yourself alone.
Confidence in the window, not in the door;
in the mother, but not in the nine months;
in destiny, not in the gold die
and in yourself alone, in yourself alone, in yourself alone.
César Vallejo
Confianza en el anteojo, no en el ojo;
en la escalera, nunca en el peldaño;
en el ala, no en el ave
y en ti sólo, en ti sólo, en ti sólo.
Confianza en la maldad, no en el malvado;
en el vaso, mas nunca en el licor;
en el cadaver, no en el hombre
y en ti sólo, en ti sólo, en ti sólo.
Confianza en muchos, pero ya no en uno;
en el cauce, jamás en la corriente;
en los calzones, no en las piernas
y en ti sólo, en ti sólo, en ti sólo.
Confianza en la ventana, no en la puerta;
en la madre, mas no en los nueve meses;
en el destino, no en el dado de oro
y en ti sólo, en ti sólo, en ti sólo.
César Vallejo