Saturday, January 07, 2012

Now I Need A Coffee Table...

I just created a 30-page Coffee Table book.

The 9" x 12" hard cover book is filled with colorful photos I've taken with my small digital camera - a Canon S90 - at concerts, music venues and Blues Festivals.I don't own a SLR (Single Lens Reflex).

This is really slick looking!

An online company called MyPublisher makes it easy and simple to do.

I was able to self-publish it in just a few days so you KNOW it can't be too complicated.
I was surprised that it wasn't very expensive either.

One of the members of my local photography group brought a beautiful one to a meeting a few years ago.

We passed it around and were impressed with the quality of his book.

His wife had tapped into his photo files and blew him away with the surprise Christmas present.

In fact, he told us, she did a 2 for the price of 1 deal and he sent the other one to his son.

I downloaded the free software and then gathered together the pictures I wanted to include in my first book.

There are many page layouts just a click away.

You can easily change your mind, enlarge or shrink the photos and choose to use captions or not.

I decided to have text only on the cover and on the spine.

My photos include a 2-page spread of a Paul McCartney concert in Charlotte.

There's a shot of me holding a ticket to a 1965 Beatles concert in San Diego.

Other music venues include the Pour House in West Ashley, the Music Farm, North Charleston Performing Arts Center, the Tin Roof, Home Team BBQ, Windjammer, the old Dough Re Mi and the Charleston Music Hall.

Trombone Shorty is on the cover, joyfully performing at the College of Charleston Cistern.

John Mellencamp is onstage in Columbia, as is Billy Joel and James Taylor...in three separate shows.

I was front row center for a ZZ TOP show and have an extreme close up of one of the two long-bearded guitar players.

The trio's drummer is clean shaved but his name is Frank Beard.

(Click on the photos - twice - for more details.)

Take a moment to see what kind of book you can make with MyPublisher.

They have various special offers and I think you'll be pleased with the possibilities to be creative.

I'm planning a sequel.

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posted by chuckography @ 10:58 PM 2 Comments

Monday, May 03, 2010

Wow. A Lot Going On .....

My new camera has many, many manual settings. Until now, my compact digital cameras were mainly "point-and-shoot."

One setting shows a symbol for FIREWORKS.

Well, you really need some "rockets red glare" to check that out so I figured I'd have to wait until the 4th of July.

Or.... after a music concert up in Myrtle Beach last Saturday. Yeah! It works fine.

Myrtle Beach decided not to continue with Bikers and Motorcycles (they even passed an ordinance that requires helmets) so the city is setting up family-friendly alternatives to bring in visitors.


Like a free concert that starred Blues Grammy-winner Buddy Guy and Atlanta's Tinsley Ellis.

Did I mention FREE?

The site of a former large mall is now a vacant field - with paved parking - so the City set up a huge stage, generators turned on the lights and sound and vendors brought their foods and beverages to test this new venture.


We opened our folding chairs and relaxed to listen to the Big Boys play.

Buddy Guy starred at the first Charleston Chazzfest in 2006 at Family Circle Tennis Stadium where he did his trademark "walk through the crowd while playing."

He walked that walk in Myrtle Beach too and it seems that everyone was holding a camera - more likely a cell phone - over their head to catch a photo of the "legend" walking by.

First time I saw Guy do that was on a cold January evening at his LEGENDS club on Wabash Avenue in Chicago.

Tinsley Ellis comes to Charleston often - playing at the Pour House in West Ashley, the Windjammer in Mt. P and the Sand Dollar on Folly Beach. His hard-rocking blues-soaked music had the crowd up and dancing.

Back in town, Home Team BBQ held its 2nd Annual Crawfish Boil all day Sunday.

The Louisiana finger-food staple was being heaped on plates and bands played inside and out back.

Many of us who attended last year were pleased to see Stewart & Winfield return to top the musical bill. It was especially great to hear them start a second song!

If you were there in 2009, you know what I mean.

[Click on the photos - twice - to make 'em bigger and better. Great camera.]

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posted by chucker @ 5:56 PM 3 Comments