Log & Photos of Jorge Quinteros

Grounded with Focus Booster

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:34:44 PST

Walking into a supermarket is very similar to launching your browser to navigate the web in that if you don’t establish a purpose before your visit, you inevitably spend more time trying to recall or stepping away from what you came for other than focusing on what needs to get acccomplished.

We’re all guilty of this and while having all the time in the world would be ideal for perfecting a task, that’s simply not reality, so setting up perimeters for ourselves to “getting things done” is what’s most critical. Add to that the extra effort we need to put forth in fighting for our time from all other distractions (Twiter, Youtube, etc ) that we still willingly participate in daily and things get worst.

I’m personally a time freak and especially as it pertains to anything computer related. Not by choice but because I feel like have to. Any type of activity on these machines is equivalent to walking into a dark room and the presence of having a system to manage your time on them is the railing that will bring you back to reality.

Keeping Me Grounded

Focus Booster is this amazing, simple and elegant application I’ve been using that’s powered by Adobe AIR and it’s designed to help you eliminate the anxiety of time and enhance your focus and concentration. There’s quite a few other effectual applications that excel at the same thing but I really don’t need all the extra features that others offer.

The timer eventually changes color as time goes by as added pressure to get things done.

If you don’t feel like downloading the application to your desktop, there’s also a neat online version with identical functionalities. The application is essentially based on the principles of the Pomodoro Technique which is a time management method created by Francesco Cirillo. It can be used for any kind of task and enables you to view time as a valuable ally in acomplishing what you want to do.

The idea is to focus on one task at a time through the following steps -

Pick a task and perform that task for 25 minutes straight.
Take a short break — about five minutes.
Work on the task again or pick another one to do for another 25 minutes.
Repeat until you’ve done this four times.
Take a longer break.

The first time I applied this technique on my day off, I think I became more mentally exhausted thinking back how much I had accomplished in a day and not because I really was. I played Xbox, read chapters on my Kindle, published an article and cooked dinner all revolving around the 25min limitations. It felt great knowing there was still time left on the table to focus on other responsibilities.

I can’t highly recommend enough Focus Booster or the technique it applies. Test it out. I leave you with a passage by Keith Robinson which is what inspired me to embrace the method.

In my opinion, one of the biggest discouragements to getting things done is having a system that has to be managed. If you’re spending more time looking for new ways to help you get things done you’re missing the point. Keep it simple.

Having taken the waterproof housing for the Canon with us on...

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:08:48 PST

Having taken the waterproof housing for the Canon with us on vacation, I could not have left the cruise without the opportunity of going down the slide a couple times with it. Photographing in the caribbean was incredible but extending that obsession onto video and water was refreshing.

How I Cover the Afghanistan War with the 5D Mark II

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:38:05 PST

How I Cover the Afghanistan War with the 5D Mark II:

Video has really become quite another world especially with the added bonus of being able to record in HD with DSLRs. More video enthusiast are selecting them as equipment of choice in making something new and wonderful and Danfung’s incredible work as a photojournalist in Afghanistan is no exception.

His filming is both editorially and visually compelling – especially given the extreme conditions under which he works. He is currently working on his own documentary, “Battle for Hearts and Minds” and in this article he responds to the inundation of emails asking what camera rig he used to film.

Magic Mouse Allure

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:33:00 PST

The main selling point of Apple’s Magic Mouse is that it bares that much admired fruit logo branded on it that we all love, so immediately there’s no question ask or assumptions made about how wonderful the product will perform or look once we’ve gotten our hands on it.

From someone who hasn’t been a fanatic at all of any of Apple’s mouse units, without question this new edition looks remarkable and appears as refine and gracious in its packaging as in its usage. The experience with it feels almost as an extension of the gestures we’re already accustom to on our iPhone, minus the pinch/zoom feature.

View the unboxing of the Magic Mouse

Prior to the Magic Mouse, I used a Logitech device for all my scrolling but all I knew about it was that it was small, portable and got the job done but I could never confidently describe the actual model when someone asked. But why is it that when you suddenly incorporate an Apple product to your exisiting computer setup, you’re thereafter able to fully describe every detail about it including a public shout out a year later celebrating when it was first introduced?

Perhaps because “Apple doesn’t sell functional products; they sell fashionable pieces of functional art” that you in time admire and develop an emotional connection with. Apple wipes the fog that often exist with products that get you from point A to B and makes you more mindful of what it was like using their product rather than just saying you have.

When else would I have ever imagine myself drooling over a mouse much less having a thorough conversation with someone about how functional and seamless the experience with it is? Never. The amount of detail that Apple placed in the Magic Mouse is the same specifics that bring outs how much we can accomplish with a device that appears to offer less.

Costa Maya, Mexico was 1 of 4 destinations that we visited...

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:52:34 PDT

Costa Maya, Mexico was 1 of 4 destinations that we visited during our cruise vacation. Once we disembarked, visted and looked pass the recently spruced up privately own facilities with swim bars, duty free shops and vibrant people that occupied the port to welcome cruise passengers, that’s when we really establish a sense of what lied beyond the fascade that you see when you first arrive.

Back in 2007, the port was set to receive up to almost 1 million passengers traveling via cruise lines but after the category 5 devastation that resulted from hurricane Dean, anything that looked promising then still appeared bleak 2 years after.

Like anywhere else, the local vendors that constantly approached us wanting make a sale of their hand-made products were just trying to make a living, raise a family and get through an ordeal that is more than noticable when we toured the town. Abandoned shacks like these were numerous but a decent portion has been rebuilt to keep the fact alive that the Costa Maya still offers that refreshed and unique experience that travelers seek.

Speaking Spanish came in more than useful to me and when you have a connection with the people, the news you hear about the place even after you’ve left becomes somewhat personal.

Nikon's Learn & Explore App

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:03:13 PDT

Nikon's Learn & Explore App:

Nikon has just released this amazing App for both beginning photographers and experienced enthusiast where it offers them a new way to access the educational and editorial content found on NikonUSA.com right on their iPhone.

You don’t have to necessarily own a Nikon to appreciate the App because it provides articles on the fundamentals of photography, various shooting techniques and a glossary of those terms you hear a lot about but need more clarification on. This is truly a gem I’m excited to have around and refer to during shoots.

Is Book Sharing a Threat?

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:04:23 PDT

Is Book Sharing a Threat?:

As a proud Kindle owner, I’m not afraid to admit that Barnes & Noble’s Nook is absolutely gorgeous, perhaps because it brings me closer to a visual presentation of what Apple’s version of an eBook reader would look like.

The touchscreen looks slick enough to entice anyone but what wooed me more was the LendMe feature that has attracted an equal amount of attention because it creates an efficient way to mimic the physical book world.

The question has been whether the “lending” of books will discourage potential consumers from buying their own copy. I think not especially since the feature does come with limitations and in how the following scenario is very frequent and conducive to spending anyway -

We’ve all had friends push a favorite book on us. Sometimes it’s annoying, sometimes it’s a life changing. Frequently we end up buying other books by the same author as a result of the initial loan. In that respect, loaned books are like a gateway drug. It’s in the publishing industry’s best interest to ensure that the loaning of books continues in the digital era.

Internet access onboard is rather expensive (¢75 per minute),...

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:51:00 PDT

Internet access onboard is rather expensive (¢75 per minute), hence the lack of updates but I can tell you that the weather and vacation has been amazing so far and I’m pretty content that I rented the fisheye lens for the trip. Here’s a quick shot as we sail away from Miami and we enjoy some drinks to kickoff the evening onboard.

Cruise vacations are not only amazing but they’re just...

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 15:53:41 PDT

Cruise vacations are not only amazing but they’re just straight down addicting. Depending on when you book, they are an excellent value because so much is already included in the price that all you have to do is bring a hearty appetite, a tolerance for liquor and a passion to explore new destinations.

My wife and I are flying down to Miami to board a 7-day Western Caribbean cruise on Carnival between Oct 18 -25th. Every port of call will be new to us and at the moment all I can look forward to is the endless photographic opportunities. Among some of the gear that I’m taking with me is a Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye lens and an underwater housing for our Canon P&S. Peace out!

Insanely Useful Blogwriting

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:21:07 PDT

Insanely Useful Blogwriting:

Blogging has always had its similarities with the act of keeping a diary or a journal with the exception that what you blog is intended to be read by an audience and not secretly hidden. The reason I blog has always been very simple - sharing information and when close friends stumble across my site, I think they have a preconceived notion that the content would be all about what I ate for breakfast or what a terrible commuting day I might have had.

Not to say that content like that has no value to anyone else other than the person who publishes it but sometimes readers can be very fickle in that if you’re not giving them something that will hold their attention, they’re likely to just leave.

As a reader I’ve done it before and I’m sure you’re no stranger to the act of unsubscribing. So what do you do to maintain that audience that categorizes having a blog in the first place? Leo Babauta presents some invaluable blogging tips and these are the ones that stood out the most for me which I always keep in mind before clicking that publish button -

Write for the reader - While a blog can be a personal journal, if you want an audience of more than your friends and family, write for an audience. Don’t just write about your random thoughts and experiences, but think of what the reader wants to know, what the reader’s concerns are, what the reader is interested in, and how you can help provide that.
Make it worth talking about - Don’t just write what everyone else writes. Write about something that’s a bit (or a lot) different, or in a way that’s different. Write about something that people will want to respond to, pass on, talk about with others. Be bold and be different.

Light in Action: I’m a complete sucker for long exposure...

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:43:00 PDT

Light in Action: I’m a complete sucker for long exposure photographs because rarely do they ever fail to impress. Like anything else, the technique just requires a little patience and the results can truly be absolutely amazing.

To assist with the process, Clayton Wells this has put together a very comprehensive tutorial on the topic where he shares his experience on the technique from equipment, to preparation, to processing and to the technical details in knowing how to achieve similar results. (photograph by pfn.photo)

"The internet has opened a lot of doors for younger people and we’ve seen a lot of successful..."

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:55:14 PDT

“The internet has opened a lot of doors for younger people and we’ve seen a lot of successful teenagers. So it’s clear that you do not necessarily need a post-secondary education to have a fulfilling career. We have to let go of the notion that without an education you can never be successful. I know way too many psych majors who are working for minimum wage.”

- Brilliant Chris Bowler interview conducted by Nathan Smith

Moving Multiple Icons on your SpringBoard

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:37:09 PDT

Moving Multiple Icons on your SpringBoard:

Among the many impressive features that iTunes 9 brought to the table, the one that I was mostly excited about was the ability to manage your iPhone/iPod Touch applications directly from iTunes. It’s purpose was to essentially minimize the hassle of fiddling through so many pages of Apps that needed organization.

The amount of times that I’ve used this feature? Twice and while it’s effective, I really never use it because the ideal solution for me would have been to implement a new approach to simplifying this burden right into the device rather than finding a way around it with iTunes.

It’s no surprise that I’m quite fond of my jailbroken iPhone and through Cydia, I found this ingenious add-on called MultiIcon Mover which allows you to move multiple iPhone SpringBoard icons at once very quickly and easily.

Among so many other admired tweaks that I would love to see be native features on the iPhone, this video gives you a quick demonstration of how the multiple icon moving function works on mine after installing it.

"Ability determines what you can do. Aptitude determines what you can learn to do. Aspiration..."

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 04:12:09 PDT

“Ability determines what you can do. Aptitude determines what you can learn to do. Aspiration determines what you hope to do. Attitude determines what you believe you can do. But passion determines what you want to do!”

- Mark Sanborn, The Encore Effect

Separate Twitter Apps

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:10:09 PDT

Unknowingly I seemed to have established a framework for how I handle my participation on Twitter. The biggest thing to remember about the service is that it’s a tool for strengthening our communication and not bringing on more confusion to try to keep up with everything that happens.

At first glance it may seem contradictory that I have several Twitter Apps installed but they each serve a distinctive purpose that maintain sanity in my involvement with the service.

Twitter Apps I Use

Tweetie 2 - Just recently upgraded from Tweetie 1 and this is the dominant App responsible for any form of Twitter interaction you can think of. It’s just beautifuly designed, super fast and it’s the epitome of what a Twitter experience should be like.
BirdBrain - I turned off email notifications to track new followers and now rely on this App to brief me more on them as well as controlling spammers.
Birdhouse - Indespensible App that literally contains a litany of Tweets that may or may not see the light of day as well as pre-written content that I intend on publishing when the day comes.
Twitbit - Another well-designed Twitter client but I have to admit that I don’t publish much content from it but what justifies its presence is the push-notification feature that I enjoy. It works perfectly and any mentions that I get, I launch Tweetie to reply to them.

Wouldn’t it be great if we had just one App that accomplished all of these functions? With the exception of push-notification intergration in all Twitter clients, my answer to the question would be no.

Too many features just equals too many problems, which leads to cluckiness which later leads to forsaking a product that sounds appealing to use in theory but not in reality. I love having separate Apps that excel in one function only.

Features sell but if they get in the way of making them work for you, it defeats the purpose saying you have a product that does everything.

Kindle International Burning Questions

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:35:09 PDT

Kindle International Burning Questions:

Amongst all the features and perks that are included to highlight a product on a company website, sometimes even all that information can get in the way of find out what you really want to know about something. In this case it’s about the newly introduce Kindle with International Wireless and K.indled site has answered any questions you may have had about the device.

Free Apps with Appulous

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:04:16 PDT

I assume that within the social circle of people that I follow on Twitter, very few have taken the leap in jailbreaking their iPhone because not often do I come across any chatter on the topic.

I’ve shared in the past my reasoning in being a daredevil with the device but rarely spoken on the added sweetner that comes with having pages full of Apps that may have not reach my iPhone by traditional means.

I buy Apps all the time. In fact, perhaps a little too much and I have the App Store Expense Monitor to remind me of it daily but as much as you’re inclined to purchase one, there’s always that bit of doubt that lingers on whether this expense will meet your expectations. Applications generally don’t cost too much but small charges add up.

So essentially the problem is that there’s no method for you to test drive an app without commiting to buying it first. Why hasn’t Apple implemented this? Don’t know but I surely feel more pursuaded in purchasing a book once Amazon has allowed me to download sample chapters for it first on the Kindle.

Solution to the Problem

Like I said, I do buy Apps and I do it because that sense of obligation exist in supporting the talented single person or crew behind applications that I truly enjoy.

But before I reach that “supportive” level, there’s a dark side that I rely on to ensure that I’m going to take pleasure in whatever I’m buying 90% of the time. With a jailbroken iPhone or iPod Touch, you also inherit a pass to take part in a community site called Appulous -

Appulous is a collection of links to allow iPhone and iPod touch users the ability to try out full, unlimited versions of device software before making the decision to buy it.

Yes, you read right and that my friends is how I’ve been able to be very judicious in the Apps that I actually buy as oppose to just winging it and hoping that anything I purchase will be a keeper.

Is this illegal?

Appulous states on their site -

Appulous is not illegal. This website is merely a collection of user-submitted links, and Appulous takes no responsibility for what users submit to this site or use this site for. Appulous does not host any illegal files, does not submit any of the content, and does not police its database.

Absolutely no money is generated by this web application. If you feel the need to spend money, use it to purchase your favorite iPhone applications, showing developers your appreciation and encouraging them to produce more excellent work

And this is exactly what I do. I try an App and if I love it, I go ahead a buy it, already knowing that my experience with it was amazing. No regrets, no second thoughts, just pure commitment to something you deem worthy investing in. I would be a hypocrite if I said I don’t keep Apps that I haven’t paid for because I do.

Is everything there?

No all the newest Apps are always readily availble. It generally takes a couple days or weeks but the wait is worth the money you could end up regretting spending.

How do you do it?

I’ll be honest in saying that my brother really is the one that does all the jailbreaking for me after he’s done it on his iPhone. Once the operation is complete, I simply head over to the Appulous site, search for a particular app and once the download is complete, it automatically imports into iTunes and appears as if it had just been purchased on iTunes. The next step is to just sync your iPhone to load the Apps.

Safari for some reason doesn’t do all this automatic import process and downloads the App format differently, which is why I recommend Firefox for any downloads on Apppulous.

So there it is. That’s what I do and it’s mostly because I hate this feeling that Pat Dryburgh goes through which I’m sure a lot of other potential buyers go through and this is my way around it.

Instant Pocket Shots

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:46:00 PDT

When someone looks at a photograph, there’s generally two thoughts that come to mind and depending on which side of the fence you stand, that will determine how much creative breathing space you could have in believing that you too can capture the most amazing photographs just like the ones you admire.

First thought - Wow, that’s an amazing photo. What camera did you use?

As an avid photographer and tech enthusiast, I’ll be the first to admit that the more you get involved in the craft, the easier it becomes being dependent and wanting the latest equipment to produce great photos. Certainly overall expensive gear does help but it’s nothing compared to capturing the right moment at the right place.

This first thought is very gear oriented, so immediately the assumption is that the reason why this photo is “amazing” is because of the camera.

Second thought - Wow, that’s an amazing photo. What was your thought on getting this image?

I love to hear photographers talk passionately about their work as much as I enjoy listening to chefs introduce their dish to a panel of judges on a Food Network series. From the idea, to the execution and to the approach in formulating elements that focus on highlighting the end product and not the instruments used to make them.

When you start approaching photography with this mentality, it becomes easier believing that you don’t take photographs with a camera, you make them with it.

With this mindset, I’ve become less worried about carrying my D90 with me everywhere and rely on my iPhone to turn those chances I come across into a photographic opportunity. During travels, of course the DSLR takes precedence and the iPhone becomes a support.

Until a couple days ago, the photos I took with the iPhone existed only in the device but if something you experience means anything to you and if you have interest in photography, then share it. I now share those quick moments through a creative space I call Pocket Shots. Photos captured, edited and uploaded exclusively with the iPhone.

Home Screen Exposé for iPhone

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:28:18 PDT

Home Screen Exposé for iPhone:

Excellent video presentation concept created by Ocean Observations whose aim is to improve the overview of your apps and their notification badges by giving you an “Exposé”-ish on your iPhone. It would be phenomenal if Apple implemented this feature in future upgrades. (via Louie Mantia)

Things Shot is a side project I began as a direct response to...

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 05:08:00 PDT

Things Shot is a side project I began as a direct response to the positive feedback I was receiving on my photography. As friends and family began commenting and pointing out which photographs they loved the most, the collection of images I managed to accrue during our travels began to show higher value in and of themselves and not just as a reminder of the places we’ve visited.

The value of digital photography is in its ease of distribution and so I’m always honored in people asking where they could purchase a print of one of my photos and now my quick response has been, “Head over to Thingsshot.com” which has been performing pretty well.

All photos are printed on Kodak Professional Supra Endura VC Digital Paper (aka Traditional E-Surface Paper) by the wonderful folks at MPix. Standard flat rate shipping of $5.95 on any size ordered and transactions handled through PayPal.

The site is powered by Tumblr and all photos featured on the site are automatically imported from my Favorite Set on Flickr. If you come across any photo on my stream that you love, feel free to suggest it so that I can make it available for print.

The Shades

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 22:47:55 PDT

Angular Home

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 02:53:42 PDT

Gondola in Venice

Sat, 30 May 2009 08:47:44 PDT

The Coliseum

Tue, 26 May 2009 08:54:00 PDT

Dumbo Brooklyn

Wed, 20 May 2009 05:14:55 PDT

Bokeh Dots

Mon, 18 May 2009 06:29:00 PDT

Hollywood Blvd

Fri, 15 May 2009 08:07:05 PDT

Colorful House

Thu, 14 May 2009 05:36:00 PDT

View of Paris

Wed, 13 May 2009 04:57:00 PDT

Big Ben

Tue, 12 May 2009 19:40:00 PDT

Miami Lamborghini

Tue, 12 May 2009 05:05:00 PDT

Rear Perspective

Mon, 11 May 2009 06:00:00 PDT

Waiting at the Light

Sun, 10 May 2009 15:53:00 PDT

Tranquil Plant

Sat, 09 May 2009 19:03:58 PDT

Paris View

Sat, 09 May 2009 18:57:00 PDT

Beach Dock

Sat, 09 May 2009 18:50:00 PDT

Ferrari Wheels

Sat, 09 May 2009 18:45:00 PDT