INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:"Competition will always place your life in the hands of others, while initiative gives you the freedom to choose your own destiny."
- Willard & Marguerite Beecher

BEAT THE OTHER GUYS!

From childhood we learn to win by competing. If one marble player wins, the other loses. If our football team wins, the opposition loses. If we earn top honors for the greatest sales volume or number of transactions, our fellow associates don't. We are taught to be competitive - and we learn the lesson well.

In being competitive, however, we must always measure our success in relation to others. First we choose the leader whom we must surpass. Our objective is to exceed the performance of that individual - the current Number One. Then, when we become the leader, we live in constant fear of having our performance exceeded by those striving from below to surpass us.

By always competing, then, we are not free to focus on doing our very best. Everything we do is related to what others have done or may do. A refreshing alternative is to put initiative to work. You freely choose your own destiny, then work to achieve it - totally oblivious to what others around you are doing.

Initiative begins with a delightful vision of yourself achieving what you think is important. Followed up with action, you achieve not only your objectives, but also the thrill and satisfaction of knowing you are in charge

Need information abut the Wilmington, NC real estate market? Visit my website http://www.russmay.com/ to search area listings, find New Hanover County school information, local links and more. And if you have questions or comments, contact me at (910) 619-1501 or russ@russmay.com

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:"Life is not always what the brochure promises."

- Amb Alon Pinkas


AWAKE THE SLEEPING GIANT!


So . . . which brochure have you been reading? Maybe it's the one that promises "clear sailing" or "romantic sunsets" or "excitement guaranteed!" Maybe you're into the financial brochures that read "no money down" or "financial freedom in 30 days" or "sell a million dollars a month without leaving home."


For many years now, the brochures of our lives have promised and delivered success, satisfaction, and wealth. It's been a good run. There's another brochure many of us have signed onto - "for better or for worse." Notice that the "for better" comes first, and so it has been for a long time.


Nevertheless, our country experiences cycles, as do our lives. Few of us living today have ever experienced a serious "for worse" part of the national cycle. Yet, it has been those periods in the history of our country that have brought out the best in us. The Great Depression of the thirties was the catalyst for the strong work ethic of the baby boomers. Two world wars taught us to value our freedom.


So, maybe life isn't always "what the brochure promises." If we're entering one of those periods when we are to be tested, so be it. We are a resilient people. While we may have been dozing at the internal security wheel, lulled by the smooth purring of our national economic engine, we are also able to awaken in an instant. Our purpose and principles can quickly be brought to full throttle.


No matter the threat, we are a people united by the brochure's great promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness - ready, willing, and able to serve. Be alert and be of service!

Need information abut the Wilmington, NC real estate market? Visit my website http://www.russmay.com/ to search area listings, find New Hanover County school information, local links and more. And if you have questions or comments, contact me at (910) 619-1501 or russ@russmay.com

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:"Men are disturbed not by things that happen, but by their opinions of the things that happen." - Epictetus

NO FEAR!

A well-known motivational speaker once said, "No one knows enough to be a pessimist." He also quoted statistics showing that a very high percentage of the things we worry about are either A) things that never happen, or B) things over which we have no control anyway. His point? Not only do we not have enough information to justify our worries, we also are virtually unable to alter the outcome of most situations.

Our worst fears are generally of the unknown (not enough information). Our imagination runs wild, conjuring up worst-case scenarios. We become fearful, anxious, and even overwhelmed - yet the source of our fear is non-existent (except in our minds).

"Think you can - think you can't - either way you're right."

"As a man thinketh, so is he."

"Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they're yours."

In other words, by your thoughts alone, you control the outcome. Although there exist many risks to our peace-of-mind during this uncertain time, we still have the ability to pursue our very best hopes and dreams. We may find that their achievement requires more effort than usual. Doubt may creep in. Nevertheless, as you have heard many times, "It's all in your head."

Thinking about buyinf or selling a home in the Wilmington, NC area? Want to know what's going on in the Wilmington, NC real estate market? Do you know how low current mortgage interest rates are? Call me or visit my website http://www.russmay.com/ for up to date information.

THINKING

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY: Everyone says it differently, but the message is the same.

Here are three oft-quoted thoughts on "thinking": "You are what you think about all day long." "Your life is what your thoughts make of it." "As you think, so shall you be."

THINK!

 What is a thought? Scientifically speaking, it is nothing more than a random electrical impulse in the brain. If you are relaxing, not focusing on any particular thoughts, your brain continues to fire off those random impulses which, in turn, are triggering random, unfocused thoughts - like the itch on your arm, how hummingbirds fly, or your Aunt Ellen's new car.


What's interesting is that everything in sight of you right now is the result of someone's focused thoughts. The computer screen, the window nearby, and the chair in which you are sitting came into existence as the result of a single focused thought. Henry Ford thought about a V-8 engine for his cars, and then insisted that his engineers create it. Jonas Sauk thought about eliminating polio - and did.

Whether you choose to focus your thoughts or not, your day will be filled with them. They just don't stop. But wait - there's an "Aha!" or a "Voila!" in here for you. Just think of the possibilities when you realize the power of thought - and put it to work for you. The amazing thing about thoughts is that you have complete control over them. You either put these electrical impulses to work for you through focused attention - or they happen anyway, but in a random, impotent manner akin to a static electrical discharge.


Everything tangible in our world today was created by an action, preceded by someone's thought - from a straight pin to a Pentium processor, from a blight-free American chestnut tree to your garage-door opener. So - what thoughts will you be having today?


They don't have to be life-changing or global in scope to make your personal world better. They need only be focused. Just remember, you control your thoughts - and their possibilities are endless.

Choose wisely when picking a real estate agent. Search all available homes for sale in the Wilmington, NC area at http://www.russmay.com/  and check out my latest website at http://www.wilmingtonconventioncenter.com/

BUILD A WALL OF HAPPINESS!

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY: "To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts." - Henry David Thoreau
"To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition." - Samuel Johnson
"Before I built a wall I'd ask to know What I was walling in or walling out." - Robert Frost


BUILD A WALL OF HAPPINESS!

To affect the quality of anything first requires action of some sort. Affecting is the opposite of passivity. In a passive state we can only BE affected, but we ourselves have no effect on our surroundings or other people. Hold that thought for a moment and consider next the result of your "affecting."

If, as Johnson recites, being "happy at home" is the ultimate result of your ambition, then why are you working so hard? Is there a way to avoid working evenings and weekends? Could you schedule your child's soccer game into the week's plans? Is that next appointment more important than celebrating life with your spouse at anniversary time?

One way to affect the quality of your day, which in turn may result in happiness at home, is to "build a wall," to paraphrase Frost. Keep in mind that walls may limit you if they are constructed of heavy gauge steel and mesh rimmed with concertina wire. Walls can also be formed as a low hedge or a split-rail fence - even more simply as a line in the sand. Rather than limiting us, they become a mere reminder of how far we are willing to go.

As we affect the quality of our life and push our ambition to the limit, we may also make choices about the boundaries of our lives. By choosing sound principles of living, for example, we may say "No" to friendships with those who operate outside our boundaries of accepted activities. We may decline meaningless activities, or the occasional committee appointment, which robs us of our valuable time.

Ambition leads to action. Your ambition leads you to affect the quality of the day through some action. So what is the ultimate result of your ambition transformed into action? Johnson suggests it is "to be happy at home."

In the end, WE are solely responsible for affecting the quality of our individual lives. We must choose wisely.

Choose wisely when picking a real estate agent as well. Search all available homes for sale in the Wilmington, NC area at http://www.russmay.com/  and check out my latest website at http://www.wilmingtonconventioncenter.com/

An Important Message For You & Those You Love -- It Can Wait

Click on this video link -- AT&T Don't Text While Driving Documentary

When you're searching for Wilmington, NC real estate information, please call me or visit my website http://www.russmay.com/ For information regarding the Wilmington Convention Center, please visit http://www.wilmingtonconventioncenter.com/

Make Your Own Wake

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:"You can be happy without expecting others to agree with you."

- Kathleen Russell & Larry Wall, from "Achieving Your Dreams"

DON'T TELL!

One of Garth Brooks' tunes goes like this: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained - sometimes you've got to go against the grain!" What is this "grain" we seem to fear going against? Chances are it's really what people will think about us for venturing in a new direction - not some immobile obstacle we cannot physically overcome.

Author/philosopher Wayne Dyer speaks on this topic in one of his programs. He equates our lives to being in a boat and watching the wake it leaves behind as it moves through the water. He explains that the wake is not what powers us through life, it is merely what we leave behind - our history - where we have been.

Often, the "grain" we go against is really someone else's "wake." Others may say something like "That's never been done before," or "We've always done it this way," or "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." That's their wake - not yours!

Do you have a dream? Is there something you want to achieve that others might not understand? Don't tell them! It's not necessary to tell anyone what you are doing or planning. If your plan is radical, "they" probably wouldn't understand anyway.

So - live your dream. Plan it, execute it, and enjoy it. Make your own wake!

When you're searching for Wilmington, NC real estate information, please call me or visit my website http://www.russmay.com/ For information regarding the Wilmington Convention Center, please visit http://www.wilmingtonconventioncenter.com/

Make it a great week!

Tuna Surprise

Bart Simpson: I am through with working. Working is for chumps.
Homer: Son, I'm proud of you. I was twice your age when I figured that out.

There's a company called Predicto http://www.predicto.com/ that's figured out that working is for chumps. They have a way to make money by taking it from working chumps . . . you and me. They can take your money from right in front of your nose and you may never realize it.

Here's how it worked with me. Apparently, my wife received a text message on her wireless phone from 654654. Although she did not ask for this message, she did not respond to this message and she probably ignored the message, because she RECEIVED this message, she was automatically subscribed to a service that bills $9.99 per month on my Verizon wireless account. Now, my wireless phone bill has 77 lines of charges, credits, discounts, surcharges, taxes, etc., so it's pretty easy to miss one line item. Who among us understands how our $129 wireless package winds up costing $165?

When I saw the $9.99 charge last month on my bill, I went to the Verizon store to inquire about it. I was told that my wife had SENT a text to some premium service -- like texting a vote for your favorite performer on a TV contest show. I was skeptical, but I did not have my wife or her phone with me, so I accepted the charge, but asked how I could prevent future charges. A very helpful Verizon rep checked her computer records, found a telephone number and talked to a Predicto rep who refused to cancel the service without talking directly to the account holder -- me. So, I took the phone, politely explained that I did not want to continue the service and that I wanted to cancel my account. The Predicto rep told me that by maintaining the account, I would be eligible for contest prizes. I told her again that I wanted to cancel the account. As a matter of fact, I told her more than a dozen times that I wanted to cancel the account, until my polite self was exhausted and replaced by a less kinder and gentler persona. By the end of my phone conversation, I noticed that the store rep had retreated to what she considered a safe distance from me. I think she was wondering where she left her pepper spray. However, the Predicto rep had finally agreed to cancel the account.

Upon checking my most recent wireless bill, there was the charge again. This time, I called Verizon's customer service. I had determined that my wife had NOT sent the text, so I figured that I was being slammed. The customer service rep told me that my wife had actually RECEIVED a text from 654654. While still on the phone with Verizon, I Googled "text 654654". The results were overwhelming and all negative.

The Verizon rep told me that, to cancel the service, I HAD TO SEND A TEXT TO 654654 with the word "STOP" and then have Verizon put a block on my account so that I cannot receive or send premium text messages. The rep offered to credit the most recent charge. However, he also told me that the charges had begun three month ago. I simply had not caught them. I'm still trying to get Verizon to credit ALL of these charges, but here's the best part of the story.

After the telephone conversation, I went to the local Verizon store to pay my bill. Thinking that I had discovered some new scam, I told a different store rep my story. She said, "Yes, I know. We see it all the time." So here's the deal: VERIZON AND ALL THE OTHER WIRELESS PROVIDERS KNOW THAT PREDICTO IS SLAMMING THEIR CUSTOMERS. Predicto's charges appear on your wireless bill tucked in with TXT/PIX-FLIX, Megabyte Usage and dozens of other line items.

For a sampling of what others have to say about Predicto, click HERE. And then, my friends, check your wireless phone bill.

What's this have to do with Wilmington NC real estate? Nada, but I hope it's helpful.

Scoot on. Don't be a chump.

School o' Tuna

You can only be young once. But you can always be immature. - Dave Barry

School starts this week. That means school buses and that means that I'm always confused as to when to stop and when it's OK to pass.

A little Googling led me to the following site
http://www.nccrimecontrol.org/safebus/rules.html

to get the rules shown below.

In North Carolina, passing a stopped school bus while it is loading or unloading students carries a fine of up to $200, five driver's license points, and possibly 90 days in jail. A conviction usually means a 90% increase in a driver's insurance rates.

With respect to real estate, remember that there are only three more months left to take advantage of the $8,000 first time home buyer's credit. If you have questions about the credit or the Wilmington NC real estate market, call (910-619-1501) or e-mail.

Scoot . . . safely.

Aged Tuna

Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64? - The Beatles, When I'm 64.

B-Day today. I stayed up 'til midnight last night; didn't want to turn a year older any sooner than I had to. Overnight, I forgot my password to access this blog. It's all downhill from here.

Last time, I wrote about needing undies to replace those I bought when Clinton was prez. Mom-in-law came through for B-Day; who knew Hello Kitty made briefs in my size?

I did make an effort (small) to buy my own. The local department store has senior night where everything is discounted for us mature folks. Everything, that is except Jockey brand undies (my boys are brand loyal). I approached the checkout counter with an armload, but since I couldn't get a geezer discount, put them back, on principle. So, the same store sends me a $10 coupon for my birthday. The catch is that I have to spend $50 to save $10. That's like me saying I'll take you out and buy you a dessert, but first you have to buy me dinner.

I thought I might get a deal online, so I went to the Jockey web site; had to scroll through two pages of crotches to find what I wanted. Those male models must not have had any place to put their keys and wallet during the photo shoot, 'cause there's a lot more going on in their briefs than in mine. I'll bet theirs aren't all bagged out in the back like mine either. Anyhow, slight savings + shipping = better off buying locally and put all this talk of unmentionables behind me.

Let's talk real estate. The local news(?)paper says June was terrible month for home sales. However, in the last three months, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty, put over 1000 properties under contract. That's one home sold every 3.7 hours! That's the results you get from a bunch of dedicated hard working real estate agents.

Want to know what's going on in the Wilmington real estate market? Confused about financing, short sales, foreclosures? Call, e-mail, tweet or come in to see me. If I can't answer your questions completely, I'll put you in touch with an expert who can.

Life is good. Have fun. Be grateful. Find someone in the military and thank him/her. Scoot on.

Tuna Briefs

The first rule of underpants is: Do not talk about underpants. – www.topfive.com

I woke up this morning feeling in an especially grateful mood and I thought . . . I’ll blog about gratitude. I was preparing a mental list of all the things in my life for which I am grateful when I got into an argument with my wife about underpants, which, as the saying goes, got my panties in a bunch.

So, gratitude’s out. I’m going with underpants.

Now, I’m sure that there are people who’ve had an argument about underpants, as in your wife finds a pair (not hers) in your glove compartment. Not me. I’m just saying . . .

No, for me it was an answer to a simple question that got the ball (slight pun) rolling.

Wife: Your birthday is coming up soon. What would you like?
Me: Underpants.
Wife: No way. You have way too may pairs now and you never throw the old nasty ones away.
Me: Yeah, but . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The little dots indicate the space where I was trying to make my point, but my wife was the one actually doing the talking. The question in my mind was, how did I get myself in this situation? As a Wilmington real estate broker, I analyze information, market statistics, trends, etc. and advise clients so that they can achieve goals and make informed decisions. I'd like to think I’m a smart guy and a decent problem solver. You would have thought I could have (should have) avoided the underpants argument. After all, I’ve been here before. Our discussion ended, as it always has, with a curt directive to buy my own underpants. We have similar conversations about socks.

See, the crux of the matter is that I don’t like clothes shopping. I under-like shopping for underpants. So, every once in a while, I stock up like a crazed underpants survivalist. In a digital age, my underpants are analog. My stash is disintegrating. The clothes dryer has rendered most of the elastic bands the consistency of dead leaves. The fabric has the ripped look of designer jeans. Moths are appalled that I blame my briefs demise on them. It’s time to clean house.

Once, years ago in my youth, I mistakenly dried a load of laundry at a laundromat for an hour and a half. The results were tiny potato chip brittle underpants, sized to fit Barbie’s boyfriend, but he wouldn’t have been able to sit down.

So, faced with the choice of duct taping my briefs to my belly or going s-s-shopping, I guess shopping is slightly less painful than tearing off the duct tape at the end of the day.

Here's a thought for you first time home buyers. The government is offering an $8,000 tax credit as an incentive to purchase a home. You can buy a lot of underpants for eight grand.

Scoot on.

Tuna Speak

Me fail English? That's unpossible. - Ralph Wiggum (The Simpsons)

I've gone on this mini-rant before, so please forgive me for repeating myself, but I continue to be perplexed that the general public, as well as many of my colleagues, cannot properly pronounce what we do for a living. We're REALTORS, two syllables; not REAL-A-TORS. Nobody calls a doctor a DOC-A-TOR or a plumber a PLUM-A-BER. What's the prob-a-lem here?

Our training director stopped using the phrase "sphere of influence" in her classes and, instead, uses the phrase "center of influence" to describe the group of people upon whom we have some influence just because they know us. Why the change? Too many people were saying "spear of influence." Things might go a little smoother for me sometimes if I DID have a "spear of influence."

Me: Are you ready to list your home with me?
Homeowner: I'll have to think about it.
Me: How about I poke you with my spear of influence. Say hello to my little friend.
Homeowner: Where do I sign?

In addition, I've noticed some language manglers advertise a house for "sell", while other are "saling" a house. Sell. Sale. It's not that confusing. How about "sailing" a house? Carl did it in the movie UP. Our print and e-mail communications make a statement about us. I think sometimes our grammatical/spelling zipper is down, but we don't seem to notice.

OK, now to some info you can use. As in all occupations, real estate agents and mortgage lenders have their own vernacular. Here are three terms that are used when describing a buyer's loan qualification.

Prequalification - full verbal loan application, credit check, "approve" received through Automated Underwriting.

Preapproval - All of the above PLUS receipt of income documentation (pay stubs & W2's or tax returns) and proof of assets needed for down payment. Review of any unusual circumstances with underwriter.

Loan Commitment - All of the above PLUS signatures on all applications and disclosures, appraisal received and approved, title insurance, rate locked, underwriter review and approval of all documentation.

If you have questions on loan programs, interest rates, closing costs, etc., please contact Grace Bass at Alpha Mortgage grace.bass@alphamortgage.com

And, as always, if you have questions about the Wilmington Real Estate market, please feel free to contact me at any time.

Stupid Tuna Tricks

Homer Simpson: My ears are burning.
Lisa: I wasn't talking about you, Dad.
Homer: No, my ears are really burning. I wanted to see inside, so I lit a Q-tip.

Yesterday, I sat through a few hours of District Court. I was there as a witness to a hit and run traffic accident, but the court involved traffic violations, some breaking and entering, a little drug possession . . . Homer wasn't there, but some of his real life counterparts were.

Now, maybe I'm out of touch, not having any experience with going to court, but I'm pretty sure that you might want to strive for a better chance of making a good impression on the court than the guy who showed up wearing camo baggy shorts, flip-flops and an I "heart" Party Girls T-shirt; however, that pretty much summed up the dress code on the public side of the fence. Here are some of my favorite moments from my morning (with only a little embellishment).

Judge: Mr. Jones, you're here today because you were cited for driving while your license was revoked. And, you're late. Why were you late?
Jones: Well, there was a lot of traffic and I had to drive real slow.
Judge: You were driving?
Jones: Yeah. . . . . . Oh!

Now the funny part isn't that Jones got tripped up by admitting to driving to court on a revoked/suspended license. It was the four people after him, charged with the same offense, who answered the same way. Pay attention people!

Judge: Mr. Smith, you were not here when we called your name. You were supposed to be here at 9:00. Why were you late?
Smith: I wasn't late your honor. I was here at 5 after 9:00.
Judge: 5 after 9:00 is not 9:00. And, by the way, we did not call the roll until 9:30.
Smith: Huh?

Judge: Ma'am, are you Mary Brown?
Brown: (wearing blinking blue-tooth earpiece): No, that's my daughter.
Judge: Why isn't your daughter here in court?
Brown: Her grandmother is having a colonoscopy.
Judge: Your daughter's grandmother? Would that be your mother?
Brown: Uh-Huh.
Judge: Ms. Brown, let me explain how this works. When your daughter is supposed to be in court, she can't send in a substitute. It's court, not basketball. I'll be issuing a warrant for her arrest.

A man is brought in wearing a jail uniform. He has added to his impressive resume of drug possession, stolen goods sales and larceny with some new charges. The judge tells him that he is sentenced to 60 months in the Department of Correction and that he should seek substance abuse assistance in the slammer. He insists that he has changed his ways and cleaned up his act. In fact, he says, he is going to start a new job tomorrow. He's going to be late for work.

I know it's not right to make fun of people, but you can't make this stuff up. People make poor decisions, won't take responsibility for their actions and seem genuinely surprised when the judge doesn't believe their outrageous excuses. My only regret is that I did not know how to tweet from my phone. I'll learn and I'm going back for more. Next time, I'll take a sandwich.

OK, none of this has anything to do with Wilmington Real Estate, but if I say Wilmington Real Estate enough times and link it to my website, it'll help in the Google searches.

Use sunscreen. Scoot on.

Taking Your Tuna For Granted

Lisa, Vampires are make-believe, like elves, gremlins and Eskimos. -- Homer Simpson

The current issue of Coastal Living magazine has a feature article titled Coastal Dream Towns. The article starts off by saying that they found the best places to live at the shore (I grew up in New Jersey, so I know the shore means the beach).

Coastal Living's pick for the Southeast? You guessed it -- Wilmington, which the article describes as a cultural gem. The magazine cites the following "allure factors" -- a symphony, theater groups, plenty of live-music clubs, and festivals, celebrating jazz, blues, and film. It says that the downtown Riverwalk is a model of adaptive reuse, with shops and restaurants bringing a faded commercial district back to life. I've been here since 1984 and lived in the Historic District for over 19 years; the "fade" has been gone for quite some time!

Here is another tidbit from the same article. It says that Wilmington will soon be home to the world's third-largest sound-stage. The EUE/Screen Gems facility, under construction, incorporates the largest water tank (for filming underwater scenes) outside of California.

So, the next time that you and the rest of the school of tuna are slowly swimming up Military Cutoff Road, remember, you're living in a cultural gem.

Wanna live at the beach? Sleep with the fishes? (no, wait, that's New Jersey talk). Looking for a great deal in the Wilmington real estate market? E-mail or call me. Our market has really come alive this Spring. Great inventory, great prices and great interest rates -- a real estate hat trick!

Ho Hum Tuna

No good deed goes unpunished. . . . Don't ask.

I bought a new video camera to begin making video blogs, but still am not comfortable speaking into the camera yet. So while I continue to practice, take a look at this informative article I found on MSN.com. It's good advice for every home seller.

The Wilmington real estate market is picking up. It's great to see buyers who understand that buying when prices and mortgage rates are low is a smart move.

Make it a great week. Scoot on.

Tuna Time

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true. - Homer Simpson

As a Wilmington, NC real estate agent, I shoot a lot of photos of the properties I market. Since I do not use flash in my indoor photos, I try to make the most of natural light from windows and doors, and the lighting in the room. This tip will work whether you're just shooting to show the room or if you have a subject (friend or pet) in the room.

In most cases, it's best to have the light source (window or lights) behind you instead of shooting into the light. The first photo here illustrates the problem. With the camera facing the window, the light meter took the reading off the brightest part of the scene (the window). Consequently, the room itself was too dark. To solve that problem in the second shot, I moved the camera slightly to the left and pointed it just to the right of the fireplace. I pressed the shutter button down halfway to set the focus and exposure and, while keeping pressure on the shutter button, moved the camera back to the right to re-compose the scene. Then I pressed the button the rest of the way to take the photo. The result is that the room looks more natural. The down side is that the window appears bright white. However, unless you're going to use a strong flash to balance indoor and outdoor lighting (and most point and shoot cameras don't offer this option) your going to wind up with a properly exposed window with a dark interior or a decent looking interior with the equivalent of a small nuclear blast outside.

So, as a general rule indoors or outside, try to keep the light source behind you and illuminating your subject(s). If that is not possible, use this tip. If your subject is a friend and the light is behind him/her, try aiming the camera at something else about the same distance as your subject. Press the shutter halfway, then (with pressure still on the shutter) move the camera back to your subject and take the shot. As I've said before, with digital cameras, you can check your results right away and take additional shots until you get the one you like.

For additional examples of indoor shots, click on any one of the three photos on the right side of this blog. Questions? Contact me. Scoot into the light.

Scoot Tuna Factoids

Constantly choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil. - Jerry Garcia

I've been tagged on Facebook, by my wife no less, to provide 25 Things About Me. So, being a two birds with one stone kind of guy, I thought I would post them here and make my Facebook friends read my post. The part I don't cherish is tagging 25 other people to do the same. That has all the appeal of a chain letter. Here's my 25.

1. I've had five dogs in my life -- Snooper, Dusky (aka Sam), Bulgie, Callie and Maggie
2. I believe that the toilet paper should roll forward off the top and not come from behind (no pun intended).
3. Back in the day, there was a military draft. Teaching was an exempt status. Right after college, I taught 6th grade in an attempt to avoid the draft. It didn't work.
4. In Viet Nam, I was a Vietnamese translator. I was awarded a Bronze Star for meritorious service.
5. I died once.
6. I knew my wife for less than three months before we were married.
7. I'm a procrastinator. More about that later.
8. I live my life with an attitude of gratitude.
9. My favorite meal is turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy. I used to order that at MOI.
10. I studied photography at Maryland Institute of Art.
11. I once captured a bat armed with a yard stick and wearing nothing more than a laundry basket on my head.
12. I can wiggle my ears.
13. I got my first pair of cowboy boots this past Christmas.
14. We were married in the county court house. In attendance were my wife's parents and younger sister. When the clerk pronounced us married, Nancy's mother said to her, "Now you're Mrs. DAY."
15. For a while, my hair was shoulder length.
16. I'd like to be a good photographer.
17. The movie Rudy chokes me up . . . every time.
18. My parents offered to buy cigarettes for my brother and me so we would not have to sneak them. Consequently, neither of us ever smoked.
19. It bothers me that some people in my profession cannot pronounce what they do. We're REALTORS (two syllables, real-tors, not real-a-tors). Doctors know they're not doc-a-tors; plumbers know they're not plum-a-bers. What's the problem?
20. I never had a chocolate chip cookie I didn't like.
21. Sometimes when I'm distracted, I put on two wristwatches . . . on the same arm.
22. Briefs, not boxers.
23. In high school, I went out for the football team. I was terrible, but did not want to quit. One day at practice, Buddy Tallman ran over me and I sprained my ankle really badly. I was on crutches, went to the games with the team and got lots of sympathy in school. The coach even commented on my commitment. I ate it up. The next year, I went out for band.
24. In college, I played drums in a band called The Saturday Knights. If I took a date to a job, she had to sit in the back seat of my Volkswagen because the bass drum only fit in the front passenger seat.
25. My middle name is Morris.

Want to know about the Wilmington NC real estate market? Ask me. Next time, photo tips. I promise.

Fresh Tuna

When I die, I want to go peacefully, in my sleep, like my grandfather . . . not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car. -- Unknown

Today, I want to talk about distractions. For example, say you're at work and you're supposed to be, well, working. But, instead, you're distracted, as in reading this blog. You need to be aware of distractions in your photographs as well.

Below are two shots of my wife, Nancy, in her art smart car (named Bebe). She wanted some photos to include on her website and on her blog. So, in following my own advice, I took a bunch of shots from various angles and distances. In the first shot, there's stuff going on in the background that distracts from the image I want. There are boats around the car and part of one that appears through the window. In the second shot, I moved in closer and got down lower, eliminating the distractions from the image. These shots were made late in the day so I added some fill flash to the second shot, but the point (less I become distracted) is that Nancy and the car are the main focus of the shot. You can tell that it's getting dark and that the photo was taken near water, but I don't think that the soft background competes with the subjects.




Click on the photos to enlarge them. Don't be afraid to move in close and change the angle from which you take the shot.





As a Wilmington NC real estate agent, I take a lot of photographs of the properties I market. I try to be aware of any situations that will detract from the main focus of the photograph. For example, I'm sure you've seen interior photos of homes with the TV on. So you wind up looking at the TV instead of focusing on the room. Another typical interior distraction is shooting directly into a mirror or other reflective surface, especially with the flash.

Sooo, the point is to make the effort to try to include only those elements that are important to the photograph. Sometimes, that means moving in close, maybe to one side, maybe high, maybe low. Other times, you may want to move back so you can include other elements that add to the story you're trying to tell. Just try to take control. The more thought you put into the process, the better your photographs.

Eat more tuna.

Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Tuna

Success comes in cans, failure in can'ts - Unknown

This afternoon, I went to photograph a new river front lot listing for my website, but got started too late to take decent photos of the lot itself. The .94 acre lot is on the Cape Fear River and includes a boatslip and dock -- a long dock. I walked to the end of the dock as the sun was setting and spent my time taking photos of the water, clouds and sunset. I'm realizing that one of the beauties of a blog is writing as though someone cares, when actually I'm a cult of one. Anyhow, here is one of today's shots.

The tide was low and the water flat. The reflections were wonderful. I took a lot of shots and encourage you to do the same, no matter what the subject. With sunset shots, depending on where you point the camera to take the light reading, you will wind up with different results. Those differing results are not necessarily right or wrong; it just depends on what you are looking for and what you like. You'll find that the quality of the light changes rapidly at sunset and each minute has a particular beauty all its own. I aimed at the darker clouds just above the horizon, pressed the shutter down halfway, then made the exposure. I like this shot; as good a reason as any to put it here. Taking the light meter reading at a different area of the same scene produced slightly different results, but this is my favorite.

I forgot to follow my own advice on keeping the camera level and made several shots with the horizon at an angle. Of course, I can make corrections in the post production software, but if you/I do it right in the camera, you/I won't have the work to do later. For this shot, I added a little contrast after the fact, but this is essentially the scene I saw.

Remember, press the shutter down halfway to set the focus and light meter reading. With your finger still on the shutter, compose your shot, and press the shutter the rest of the way in a smooth, not jerky, motion. Try variations. Take plenty of shots.

As always, e-mail with any questions. I'll do my best to answer. And don't forget, keep an eye out for Bebe, the Art Smart Car. If you see her around town, take a photo and send it to me. I'm not sure what I'll do with it, but I'll think of something.

I'm Dreaming of a White Tuna

You can observe a lot just by watching -- Yogi Berra

With digital cameras, it's so easy to point and shoot without giving too much thought to exactly what is in the picture frame. After all, you can always crop the photo to exclude any unwanted objects (or relatives). A better way is to try to pay attention to the scene composition as you're taking the picture. That way, you don't have to spend time "fixing" the photo in a photo editing software and you don't have to make excuses for an almost great picture. As you are composing your shot, take a moment to look around in the viewfinder (or LCD screen) to make sure that you can see to the edges. If there are unwanted objects, and time permits, move closer, zoom in or change your position to get a better shot.

Also, pay attention to where the light is coming from. For the most part, try not to shoot facing the sun or a bright window. When you do, you will typically find that your subject looks very dark. If you are trying for a special effect or if you are using a "fill" flash, it's a different story, but in general, you want the sun or bright light source behind you.

If you do want to edit your photos, I found a free online editor at DrPic.com. I have not played with it yet, but it looks like you can resize photos, improve contrast and color, and add some nice effects. If you try it, let me know what you think and I'll pass along your comments.

Have you seen the Art Smart Car? My wife, Nancy Noel May, purchased a new Smart Car, which she named Bebe. Nancy's a painter and manager of Spectrum Art and Jewelry. Bebe is wrapped with an image of one of Nancy's paintings. You can follow the adventures of Bebe on her blog.

If you see Bebe out and about, take her photo and send it to me. I'll post it the next time.