Just a Little Tilted

I've been talking about photography a lot at work lately. Our new IT guy shoots photography in his spare time and my boss has a business selling art photography and t-shirts (more on that later). One of my conversations today about photography turned interesting. While I was waiting for my computer to have some software installed this afternoon, I was talking with Jeff, our new desktop guy and he happened to mention making miniatures. The conversation went a little something like this.

Him: It's like creating miniatures in photo.

Me: You mean tilt-shift?

Him: Exactly, how do you know about tilt-shift?

Me: Are you kidding, I'm fascinated by that type of photography. What types of things have you done?

Him: I've taken a couple downtown shots. I just have fun with it.

Me: You'll have to bring them in to show me. I would love to see them. It's something I've always wanted to learn.

Him: It's actually really easy. I can show you how to create them.

At this point I'm salivating. Not only does he do tilt-shift work but he'd be willing to show me how to do it. Of the long list of things that I would like to learn, this is right there at the top. Of course now that means I'll have to actually take some real photos. And pick up photoshop.

arcticnomad

If you've forgotten, tilt-shift photography is taking photographs, blurring the edges and creating miniature scenes from real landscapes. It is taking what are often sweeping aerial views and making them look like models. I've posted some Olivo Barbieri images before but here are some other tilt shift images to get your imagination going.

mcsixth

I'll check with Jeff to see if I can post some of his images.

B Tal

Toxicity

I try hard to be a relatively nice person. After years of being tormented in grade school and middle school, I'm pretty well aware of what is hurtful. I try never to cause any person or animal suffering. I may joke occasionally with someone in a teasing manner but I try to make sure I don't hurt any feelings or if I do I apologize quickly.

That said, I have a countdown going for the number of hours that I have to deal with a coworker of mine. She's retiring today and I'm literally counting down the hours. I feel crappy about saying that but it's true. I've met a few negative people in my life but this woman takes the cake. She's what most psychologists would consider a toxic person. And to be honest, the negativity coming from her office has been starting to affect me.

When I first started at the office, four years ago, I was a bit worried to hear deep heavy sighs coming from the office across from me. The first time or so I walked over to see if everything was okay. And after listening to 45 minutes of everything that was wrong in her life, I backed away and didn't come back. Now I realized that she sighs all the time, hundreds of times a day. I don't even hear it anymore. I've heard this woman swear at customer service personnel in some of the nastiest ways. I've heard her complain to coworkers over and over about how nothing is going right in her life. I've even had her approach me a couple of times to ask how I'm doing just so she can rant about how terrible everything is for her. And even when things are going fine she can always find something to complain about.

And it really is starting to affect me. I try not to let anyone else dictate my mood but it's been hard to listen to her verbally put people down over and over without finding myself smirk a little at her misfortunes. If she was even a bit sweeter I would try to befriend her. I assume that she's lonely but I've heard nothing but nastiness come out of her mouth. Everyone hates to come to ask her for anything. So I roll my eyes when she starts yelling at yet another person. I smirk a bit when she complains to a neighbor about her financial/health/relationship/work...woes. And I hope that when she's finally gone, I can stop being so mean. I feel bad about disliking her. I've even gone as far as calling her a troll. But I think her toxicity is wearing off on me. Luckily I only have about four more hours to go with her. I think I'll breath a sigh of relief when she's gone. Heck I may even give a deep satisfied sigh.