Free sample of the Pentax K-3 e-book and Free Focus Check Charts.

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com 

 Hi Photographer friends,

I received many emails telling me that the free Pentax K-3 sample e-book and the Free Auto-focus charts will not download from the e-commerce store. It appears that Paypal is blocking any free transactions although I posted them at $0.00.

I understand your frustration and I will upload the free stuff on a different server.First, I need to open another account with a provider. In the meantime, just email me at brqyvn@gmail.com and I will manually send you the file(s) you request (Samples or AF charts). I am not sitting at my computer all day, but do check periodically.  I do receive emails on my iPhone, but I can't transfer the files from my iPhone as it would take too much memory to install the files there to begin with.

The bottom line, if you haven't been able to download the free e-book samples or AF charts, email me. I will fix it.

Best Regards,

Yvon Bourque

The e-books for the Pentax K10D, K100D, K20D, K-7, K-x, K-r, K-5, K-5II, K-5II e, K-30,  K-50, K-500  and the K-3 are available here: http://www.ebooks4cameras.com

First workshop for Pentax Cameras only.

(C) Me - 2012

(C) Me 2012 - K-5

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

I had my first workshop last week in Las Vegas and Vicinity. I believe all had a good time, learned a bit more or a lot more about photography, got great images and made new friends. The Hotel was included as well as the e-book corresponding to their own  Pentax DSLR. A coffee Table book will be sent to each participant in the next few weeks, that will include every participant's best images, with caption as well as a commemorative section with the dates, locations and other participant's names. The book is formatted as though all photographers were Professionals, on assignment.

Picture taking took place at Red Rock Canyon, the Neon Signs Boneyard and around the Las Vegas Strip and Old  Downtown at night.

Since the expertise level was different with each person, the teaching was individualized to each person's own needs. Among the things I do photographically , there isn't much that's more rewarding, in my mind, than getting someone excited about photography. Consequently, there isn't much that gets me more pumped-up than photography.

The following images were all  taken during the workshop. These are just a few images, as several full SDHC cards were full.

(C) Roland 2012 - K-7

(C) Monique 2012 - K-x

(C) Annie 2012 - K-r

(C) Henry 2012 - K-r

(C) Monique 2012 - K-x

(C) Annie 2012 - K-r

(C) Henry 2012 - K-r

(C) Roland 2012 - K-7

For information about our next Workshop, at the end of May, email me at brqyvn@gmail.com

Thank you for reading,

Yvon Bourque

New iBook coming soon for the Pentax K-01

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Apple came up with a new App recently called iBooks Author. It brings e-book writing to a new level. It only works on iPad but allows multi-touch books. You can incorporate videos, animation, photo galleries, interactive diagrams, 3D objects and more.

Pentax just announced the new Pentax K-01, with availability in March. I am going to publish another e-book "Everything you need to know...and then some" for the Pentax K-01. It will be available in PDF format, like my preceeding e-books, but it will also be available for iPad  owners in this new iBooks Author format. Take a look at Apple's  https://www.apple.com/ibooks-author/

Click above to see how Apple iBooks Author works. See the video within Apple's page. You will need to have Apple Quick time player to see this video.

Click above for a short introduction to my upcoming iBook on how to use the new Pentax K-01. This will bring you to the You Tube site.

Click on the above to see the video on this page.

Until march, you can purchase the Pentax K-5 at a reduced price. If you need a little help, you can get my e-book for the K-5, as well as other Pentax fine cameras, such as the K-7, K-x, K-r, K20D, K10D and the K100D. Check it out here

.

As always, thank you for visiting,

Yvon Bourque

Yes, the "Still Crazy after all these years" weekend was great.

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

My reunion with my friend Pierre went as planned and even better. Firstly, you know, it’s been thirty four years since we have seen each other, and that’s a long time by any standard. That's more than half my life and his as well.

I imagined what he would look like after all these years, and I'm sure he did the same. Well, our physiques have changed, but our craziness hasn't. Of course, our brains now make promises that our body can't fulfill...but we try anyway.

I was hoping that all would go well between Pierre's wife "Marie" and my wife "Anne" added to the mix, and it did. Both wives got along really well and that made the weekend an even more enjoyable and wonderful experience. All four of us felt like we were all old friends. Their dog, "Jinny", a full size female Poodle was also part of our weekend. What a great dog.

A lone palm tree along the Colorado River.

The view on the River is spectacular.

Tthe Jet Boat Pierre brought with them for the winter.

A baby Burros in Oatman, Arizona.

They come in the Town everyday to get their share of food.

It rained on the way back home, but even the rain was beautiful.

The first day, aside of reminiscing, we went for a long boat trip along the Colorado River, between Needles and Lake Havasu. I didn't know that the Colorado River was that nice along that stretch. We closed the first day with a good steak at the "Outback".

We were going to go boating the next day, but as it turned out, it was a little cold and windy. We went for a long drive in the area, on the old Route 66. We ended up in the small town of Oatman, Arizona. This used to be a gold mining town. When the gold rush was over, the burros that were used to carry materials in and out of the mines were abandoned. They survived in the wild, and still today, they come to town to get fed by the local people and tourists.

We spent a day in Lake Havasu City, and were surprised at how much it has grown over the years. That's where the old London Bridge was moved to and reassembled one stone at a time, like a gigantic puzzle. Lake Havasu is known for its boat racing and Pierre has been there often during his career as a power boat owner and racer. He owned many racing boats and won major races through the years. He broke some bones at one time or another, but racing was in his blood, and still is. His eyes light up when the conversation includes boats and racing.

I believe Mr. Cognac was his first sponsored race boat, about thirty some years ago.

This is the last boat he raced with...scary!

That was the reunion on the surface. The other part of our reunion was one that few people get to experience. Pierre and I were best friends from the day we could walk through our primary school years. We were both dreamers from the "get-go" and dreamed of building all kinds of revolutionary stuff, and God knows...we tried. My wife Anne, realized quickly why we were such good friends...we're both alike, yakking away about technical stuff, things we did as young boys, and wondering how we made it thus far, etc. For me, it was sort of a bitter sweet reunion. Sweet because we started right where we had left off,  just like we had never gone on a different path in life.  Bitter, or more like a little sad, because looking at our older selves, it made me think of how fast life goes by and that we should never take anything for granted. We likely have more years behind us than ahead of us, and I intend to live each day like it was my last. It won't be another thirty four years before we get together again. We're already planning to get together in the near future. This time around, I plan to stay in touch. Like I said in the previous blog, you have a lot of acquaintances in life, but very few true friends. I feel blessed that Pierre and I are true friends.

Thanks for reading,

Yvon Bourque

Pierre and Marie

Me and Anne

P.S. This article, being on a photography blog, I would like to mention that all the pictures were taken with my trusty Pentax K-5, the K-r and the new Q.

Our first outing with my new Travel Trailer / Photo Studio

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

 Hi Photographer friends,

A few weekends ago, we took my Travel Trailer for our first outing. I purchased this Trailer several months ago and wanted to rebuild it to it's original condition...and then some.  I'm almost completed. I converted the inside so that it could also serve as a field photographic studio. I have the same computer equipment and printing capabilities in it as I have at home. We have Internet by using the Verizon cellular service. WE have our own electricity when we need it via a Honda quiet generator and also a 1200 watts inverter hooked up to the Chevy Silverado.

We chose a very desolated place for our first trip. It's called Mojave River Fork campground. It's part of the Mojave High Desert, and if one needs some quiet time, that's the place. All we could hear was the wind and the birds.

I worked on testing my new AlettA Stabilizers Generation II and had fun doing it. There weren't anybody around. My spouse was a little reluctant to join me at first, but she ended up coming, and she enjoyed the quietness a lot.

Unlike a regular trek, I was able to bring all of my photographic equipment. That is all of my Pentax lenses and four cameras, The K-r, the K-7, the K-5 and the new Pentax Q. Here, in Southern California, we can camp all year round. It gets a little cold at night but the trailer has a good heater. It's really a home away from home. The best part, is that I purchased it for about the same price as a Pentax K-5 with a good lens attached. I added lot's of work and about $1,000 in repairs and upgrades.

We had the choice of space as we were alone.

It was a beautiful day, with a moderate temperature of about 70 degrees F.

It took all but five minutes for Anne to get a long chair and soak up the sun.

I'm not a birder, but they were all around and unafraid.

A lone tree, among the rocks and tumble weed.

Our tax dollar at work...a fire hydrant in the middle of nowhere.

This is a close up of a dead tree trunk. I liked the pattern.

Testing the K-r with the DA* 300 mm set on the Stabilizer G-II, QR system and L-bracket.

Here, we have the K-5 with the DA*300 mm on the G-II. Perfect horizon on not so perfect surface.

Testing the K-r with the DA 18-55 mm set vertically on the Stabilizer G-II, QR system and L-bracket.

Thank you for stopping by,

Yvon Bourque

alettaphoto.com

Today's photographs tend to be a little over saturated...but most people see that as clearer photographs.

 Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Pentaxian friends.

I don't know if it's just me, but it seems that photographs are, more often than not, over saturated these days. It is so much that way that camera makers over saturate their JPEG images right out of the camera.  To top it off, reviewers praise manufacturers for doing so and condemn the brands that produces natural looking images, calling them soft. I think they confuse natural looking images with soft looking images. If you read this, you likely use Pentax equipment which has always been accused of producing soft images in JPEG mode out of the camera. (We, Pentax users, all know that the saturation and clarity and numerous other presets are left for us to change... to our taste.)

Who am I to make judgment on what the general public like or perceive as being a great image or clear image? I look at images on various forums and some of the pictures are so over saturated that they look like someone poured varnish over them. I find myself doing the same at time. Images should look like our human eyes see them. If the real world would look like some images posted on various sites, we would have to wear shades all the time.



As captured by the camera



Over saturated

Under saturated

As captured by the camera

Over saturated

Under saturated

That said, if over saturation is viewed as an artistic expression, maybe you should try under saturation for a different artistic expression.  The images herein were taken with  Pentax cameras and each set has an image as produced by the camera, one over saturated and one under saturated. All images are good images in my opinion, they just convey different feelings. What do you think?

Best Regards,

Yvon Bourque

Mini vacation in Palm Springs and Anza-Borrego Desert with Pentax K-5, K-7, K-x and K-r.

 Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Pentaxian friends.

My brother and his wife visited us this past week. We took advantage of their visit and spent four days in Palm Springs and visited the Wind Farm.. While there we also drove to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. We had a good time, although I broke my K-5 by dropping it on the ground, with the telephoto lens hitting first and tearing the k-mount completely off the camera.

I will write more about the vacation, the K-5 and pictures we took, but I thought I would just post some pictures tonight.



First morning in Palm Springs, on our way to the Wind Turbines.

© Yvon Bourque - K-5

 

The sun peeping through the clouds and dark skybehind  gave us some unique opportunities.

© Yvon Bourque - K-5

How lucky can we get, a rainbow to top it off.

© Yvon Bourque - K-5



Second day, 7:00 A.M, entering the Anza-Borrego Desert State park.

© Yvon Bourque - K-5



The cactus were in bloom.

© Yvon Bourque - K-7



And so were most of the wild flowers, however, we had to get off the paved roads.

© Yvon Bourque - K-7

Look at what we found; The famous  "Great Road Runner", roaming around for food!

© Roland Bourque - K-x

I'm not a "Birder", but this one was pretty. Anyone knows what it's called?

© Yvon Bourque - K-7
it's an adult male Bullock's Oriole. More info here:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bullocks_Oriole/id
Contributed b yMiserere...Thank you.

What a nice Church, in the middle of the desert.

© Roland Bourque - K-x

We were being watched. These are wild dogs that people just leave behind. We couldn't approach them.

© Roland Bourque - K-x

P.S. The AlettA DSLR Stabilizer will be available sometime early April. I have my first big order scheduled for delivery to me next week.  I won't advertize it again before I get them in my hands.

Coming soon...

Best Regards,

Yvon Bourque