took a photo of my side profile today and now I have new insecurities
I wanted to actually see what i looked like. I have like no pictures of myself on my phone and when I look at the mirror I only look at certain parts of myself. So I took photos with flash to see and omg…. I look so awful I noticed all kinds of things I never even paid attention to before and realized how big my nose actually is. It is literally ginormous, I thought it might be a little big but in the photo my nostrils were just so big. I realized also that I have like no jawline my face from the side is so soft I hate it. I have no cheekbones, no jawline my face looks so fat. My eyes are also so small and my dark circles look terrible. And my forehead looks concave. Not only that but my ears are big too!?!!? How have I never noticed this. I feel horrible and it has completely shattered how I thought I looked. I thought I had a decent side profile but now I’m comparing myself to pinterest girls with nice jawlines and full lips and straight noses. I don’t know how to go about my face anymore. I don’t even know what to do now. I just want to hide. How do I face myself??

I just switched from an iPhone 13 pro to the Galaxy Z flip3 and was looking at my files and noticed that the screenshots show a circle with a "12" in it, I'm so curious as to what this means & not getting any luck finding any info online. I figured this would be the best place to get my answer. I obviously get that the pic I downloaded shows the "file" symbol/badge but no clue as to what the 12 stands for... would greatly appreciate knowing what this means
Thank you guys!! Really enjoying this switch so far but still got lots to learn, it has been years since I've last used a galaxy/android os, I still have my 13 pro but I just used up all my memory and the phone completely bugs out where I can't use any apps properly basically not enough space for any of the apps to function properly literally EVERY APP. Simple fix just need a hard/flash drive or SD card to transfer all my photos and videos to since they use up all my storage just been lazy and when I do go to delete something it'll either pop right back up or go to deleted photos and then when I try to permanently delete it just pops back up, won't let me use my camera, snap chat constantly will not post my snap resulting in me loosing some picture perfect moments which really sucks, I had a video of a hawk swooping down catching a rat in the alley over here in the windy city went to post it on my story and ofc it said failed to post and lost that forever.... sorry for the rant just giving my appreciation towards the android team- boy do I miss the freedom and customization.... I think I'm officially team galaxy- Also, opinions on the flip3? My coworker gave me one that he got from his other job since he knew my issues w my iphone.... for FREE. NO BOX or charger or anything just the phone but literally brand new still has the stickers on the screen lol talk about a blessing plus it appeared to originally be linked w Verizon, however i stuck my sim card in and was compatable w T-mobile so im assuming it's unlocked/ not carrier locked & these look like they're still relatively in the 300-500 used range in good condition and for being 2 Years old still up to date and running smoothly only big flaw I've seen is the battery life which is making me consider just selling this flip3 or use it as a trade in and just switch to the S series since that's the "big daddy" of the Galaxy line.

I just bought myself the S24 Ultra and an OtterBox drop case. The OtterBox screen protector sucked though and wouldn't apply well nor let me use my fingerprint anymore so I'm returning that for the $30.88 it cost. I am looking for a very reliable and strong screen protector and camera lens protectors that don't mess with the quality of photos or reflect flash. I also want a screen protector that is durable and let's me use my phone like I should be able to. Fingerprint is my go to if face unlock doesn't work (my old phone is the Pixel 7 Pro) and I'm sick of using a different unlock method like pattern. I want an upgrade, not downgrade... The phone is great except the dude yesterday must have been new and didn't know what he was doing since he locked my SIM card so I have no network connection and my number is unregistered. Also only half of the data from my phone transferred over so I was working on that last night.
Any help in the screen protector and camera lens protectors would be awesome. I like the OtterBox Drop case so far. It is taking a bit of getting used to going from the curved screen to a flat one and the case's edge is a bit high, but it'll be good for the phone safety and it is a minor inconvenience. Woo far it is a great phone though!

My mom has a flash drive with a bunch of pictures on it. It's 10GB and has 361mb of space.
Here's what happens: - I plug it in - Wait 1 min - Drive shows up in explorer - Clicks on drive and explorer stops responding - Try accessing drive via disk digger, application stops responding - Red light on drive does blink
We need these photos for my grandmother's funeral next week. Any help would be appreciated

My mom has a flash drive with a bunch of pictures on it. It's 10GB and has 361mb of space.
Here's what happens: - I plug it in - Wait 1 min - Drive shows up in explorer - Clicks on drive and explorer stops responding - Try accessing drive via disk digger, application stops responding - Red light on drive does blink
We need these photos for my grandmother's funeral next week. Any help would be appreciated

I’m aware that this is unconventional. Believe me, I’ve tried conventional – it didn’t end well for anyone. I require a certain open mindedness that I’m hoping I might find here, but more importantly, I need my future husband to know the rules. Meet-cutes are well and good on the screen, but they don’t guarantee a partner’s ability to follow basic instructions. That was my mistake the first time.
So, begging your pardon for my bluntness, I’m going to be clear about my requirements. Please read carefully – if you can’t meet them, there’s no point in going any further.

• Must want children. At least one child, anyway. I’m open to the idea of more, but one is an absolute must.
• Must be in it for the long haul. Until our child turns eighteen, to be precise. I understand that level of commitment is a daunting prospect, particularly when we have not yet met. After our child is born, you are welcome to ignore me, if you please, or take your pleasure elsewhere – though I will warn you that it might be difficult to come by. But you will live under my roof until our child is an adult.
• Homebody preferred. It will make the next two decades easier on you.
• Must have impeccable manners. I will provide a manual outlining the required etiquette, but you must at least have a grasp of basic courtesy to begin with. If you let your tongue run away with you, or don’t bother to wish your neighbours a good morning when you pass them in the street, stop reading – this is not the opportunity for you. Seriously.

This is the part where I should talk about myself, but let’s face it, this is hardly a romantic proposal. I require commitment up-front and there’s no guarantee that, once we do meet, we’ll really even like each other. If we do? Fantastic! It’ll help the years fly by. If we don’t, you’ll still have the main prize – years of rent-free, expenses-free living at The Old Oak Hotel.
A sanctuary has stood in this spot in one form or another since before the ley lines. During its tenure, it has been flooded, put to the flame, and pounded into dust. Time and again, it has been reimagined and rebuilt. Most of the current building dates back to Victoria’s reign, though the oldest parts were constructed in the 13^th century. At the very bottom of the garden, cut into the surrounding hills, there is a cave bearing handprints of red ochre.
There has always been an Edwards at the hotel, though of course we haven’t always gone by that name. You would think a family so tied to one place would do a better job of keeping records, but no one is certain of our origins. Perhaps it was a cosmic bargain, or perhaps mere luck – whether good or bad, I have never been able to decide. Either way, our presence is required. Throughout our spotty past, there’s a story here and there of an Edwards deserting their post, and it always coincides with a particularly brutal period of history.
I inherited the position five years ago. At midnight on my eighteenth birthday, my parents took their already-packed suitcases and left. I don’t blame them for their abandonment; I intend to one day do the same thing to my – or, hopefully, our – child.
They send me postcards and photos from time-to-time, always smiling on sunny beaches. Money isn’t a concern for them. That’s part of whatever mysterious deal our ancestors made – when a caretaker leaves in good-standing, they will never want for anything again. They could travel the world for the rest of their lives, always sleeping in the softest sheets and dining in the finest restaurants, and never find their pockets empty.
Keep this point in mind, for if you can meet my requirements, you will share my good fortune.
And what must we do in return? I can all but hear you scream the question. Why, very little. The presence of an Edwards ensures that the guests can’t stray from the hotel grounds. Most of our guests are live-in residents, though we do get the occasional walk-in. Where they come from, I don’t know, for we are not visible to most people who stumble upon our lonely corner of the world. I’ve come to believe the hotel chooses to reveal itself when its lacking entertainment, or to fill a need.
Jimmy, my first husband, was one such guest.
For the most part, the guests are harmless. They’ll give you a little fright from time-to-time, popping out from a wall or turning your bathwater into blood, but I find it hard to hold it against them. I’ve found twenty-three years here dreary; I can’t imagine how bored I would be after five hundred.
There are a few exceptions you should be aware of:

• Eric. Our resident serial murderer. He claims to have been Jack the Ripper while he still drew breath, but I think he’s just a blowhard. He knows better than to harm an Edwards, but I’m afraid spouses are fair game. Years ago, my grandmother managed to confine him to the fourth floor, so you will be perfectly safe from him as long as you never set foot there. Occasionally, the lift will stop on that floor even though you haven’t pressed the button for it. Do not get out. Even if the lift appears to be on fire or starts filling with murky water. Wait for the doors to close again, then go to another floor. It should only take a few hours.
• The Thing in the Cellar. I don’t know what It is; no one ever has. We only know It eats rats and must be fed once a day. If I’m ever ill or incapacitated, this task will fall to you. Harvest the rats from the traps in the garden, then stand at the cellar door and throw them down the stairs. Do not walk down the stairs and do not forget to feed It. You don’t want to be the first person to see Its’ face.
• Mrs Jones. Old fashioned and a stickler for manners, she’s the reason I’m advertising for a husband rather than a boyfriend. She won’t abide a couple living in sin under the same roof as her. Really, though, she’s a sweet old thing. Full of stories about the war and always ready to help if I get stuck on a recipe. I don’t blame her for what happened with Jimmy at all. I’d warned him enough times.

Guests aside, there are other rules you will need to follow to ensure a safe, satisfactory stay at The Old Oak Hotel. They are listed in a book that has been re-penned many times over the centuries. If you choose to accept this opportunity, I will insist that you read it until you can recite the pages word-for-word.
However, there are some rules so critical for your survival that I feel compelled to list them here:

• With the exception of the fourth floor, you are welcome to roam the hotel and its grounds as you please. But you must never set foot outside of our land – not until our child is old enough to fulfil their duties. If I were to do so, it would unleash pandemonium – plague, peril, perhaps another world war. I’m afraid you would be less crucial to the fate of the world, but it would certainly be a personal disaster.
• Never look in the mirrors in room 33.
• I’ve touched this point already, but it bears repeating: never be rude to Mrs Jones.

Failure to observe that last rule is what got Jimmy.
She doted on him. I think he reminded her of her long-dead son, for she pampered him as if he were one of her own. Each morning, she had breakfast ready for him before I had so much as opened my eyes, and she developed a habit of trailing along after him, complimenting his skill as he oiled rusted hinges or set a crooked picture straight.
At first, Jimmy basked in the attention. But by the end of his second month, he was growing bored of Mrs Jones, me, and the hotel itself. We pride ourselves on our facilities. If you need more activity than a turn around the garden, we have a lovely indoor pool – it freezes over every now and then, but most of the time it’s perfectly usable. Our library is unmatched. Although the room is cramped, it has every book imaginable; you only need to think of a particular title, and it will appear on one of the shelves. And now that I’ve dragged us kicking and screaming into the 21^st century, we have a wide array of streaming services.
It wasn’t enough for Jimmy. He wanted to go out – eat in a restaurant, watch a film in the cinema, see any faces other than the ones he was surrounded by every day. He began having a drink each evening. One drink turned into several, and after a few weeks, the bar became his permanent residence between dusk and midnight.
He wasn’t the only one getting bored. I had been thrilled when he first arrived; ecstatic when he agreed to stay. How marvellous to feel real flesh beneath my fingers after five years of only the dead for company. What a relief to have some assistance in the many tasks required to keep the hotel running as it should.
The more he drank, the less inclined he was to help – or even spend time in my company. He no longer visited my bed, choosing a room for himself on the opposite end of the floor. When our paths did cross, at best he would ignore me. At worst, he would nitpick or outright rail against me, blaming me for his captivity.
Still, I made an effort to be present whenever he frequented the bar. As lovely as Mrs Jones can be, she does have a tendency to nag. Before and after her death, she was close to teetotal, only consenting to take a single sherry at Christmas, and drinking outside of special occasions is something of a bugbear of hers.
“Think of your health, dear,” she would tell Jimmy brusquely. “You’ll miss it when it’s gone.”
Or, “How about we switch to a nice apple juice now? You’ve had quite enough to drink for one night.”
Most of the time, Jimmy managed to pull himself together enough to flash a charming smile and distract her with a compliment about her latest meal. But after one drink too many, I’d noticed him gritting his teeth and just barely managing to hold his tongue.
It was better if I was present. Playing the doting wife, I insisted on pouring his drinks, watering them down out of his sight. When Mrs Jones’s nagging bordered on relentless, I could always distract her with a game of gin rummy.
On his final day, I was running behind. The ghoul on the second floor – usually the least demanding of our guests – had come down with some dreadful illness, or else decided he wanted to inconvenience me. Either way, I had woken that morning to the foulest stench I had ever experienced. I followed it to his room and found every surface covered in putrid green-blank gunge, its consistency somewhere between mucus and vomit.
All day I scrubbed, taking only brief breaks to step outside before I fainted. By the time the room was restored to a passable state, and I had filled several bin bags to bursting with filthy rags, it was already deep into the night. Mindful of the time, I paused only long enough to wash the streaks of muck from my arms and face before racing to the bar.
I arrived just in time to hear Jimmy’s last words. After he spat them at Mrs Jones, she only stared for a small eternity, her mouth frozen in the motherly smile she wore whenever she scolded him.
Then, like melted wax, her face began to shift.
I shouted at Jimmy to run, but he didn’t need to be told. Before the words left my mouth, he leapt from his barstool and streaked through the door. Mrs Jones followed him seconds later. Her lips were already peeling back to reveal rows upon rows of long, wickedly sharp fangs, while claws sprouted from beneath her lace-edged cuffs.
I sprinted after them, but Jimmy was fuelled by fear and Mrs Jones by whatever force propels the Mrs Joneses of the world. I followed the screeching to the lobby. Breathless, I arrived to see he had arrived within mere feet of the entrance before Mrs Jones grabbed him.
Claws wrapped around his throat, she lifted him into the air. As I watched, her jaw unhinged, the lower part dropping so that it was nearly level with her chest.
That sight drove all the sense out of my head. Forgetting every rule my parents had ever drilled into me, I lunged at her.
She batted me away as though I weighed no more than a fly.
I crashed into the reception desk, the breath bursting from my lungs in a great woosh. I was certain that I would die, for no amount of effort seemed to force air back into my aching chest. At last, as my vision began to dim, I managed to take a small gulp – then another, and another, until I was able to draw myself together enough to regain my feet.
By that time, Mrs Jones had nearly finished her dinner. Jimmy’s chest was splayed open, muscle and shattered ribs protruding every which way from his flesh, and she was devouring the last few bites of his heart.
His head was angled towards me. The light had winked out from his eyes, but they still held his final terror – and an accusation which, I was quite certain, was directed at me. I would like to say I felt only horror, but I couldn’t help my sudden jolt of irritation. How may times had I told him to mind his manners?
Mrs Jones gulped, the sound thick and wet in her gullet, and dropped what remained of Jimmy to the floor.
Then she turned to me.
Here’s another rule for you, one which I hope you never have cause to use: never interfere with a kill.
The Mrs Jones who used to kiss my grazed knees, who argued with my mother for the right to read me bedtime stories, was no longer at the wheel. No amount of pleading or reasoning would move her.
I could only run.
Spinning around, I vaulted over the reception desk and raced for the office behind it. If Jimmy had not been out of his mind with fear and booze, he might have remembered the rules and survived; it was one of several staff-only rooms throughout the hotel warded to keep out unwanted guests.
Just ten steps from desk to door, yet it was the longest journey of my life. My hard-won breath burned my throat; my heart pounded in my ears, deafening me to all other sounds than Mrs Jones’s heavy, pounding footsteps.
Grasping the handle, her hot, copper-tanged breath was on my neck. Fire exploded in my flesh as she raked her claws down my back. A step further away, and I wouldn’t have made it; the pain would have been too great. But I managed to throw myself into the office and slam the door before crumpling to the ground.
Before I passed out, I heard her grunting and shrieking outside, furious that she couldn’t get in.
Three days I spent in the office, emerging only to feed The Thing in the Cellar before scurrying back to my hiding place. Whenever I left, I tried not to look at the mangled heap that used to be Jimmy. There was no avoiding the smell, though.
With no small difficulty, and the help of a first aid kit, I managed to treat and bandage the wounds on my back. They bled sluggishly all throughout the first day, but thankfully didn’t fester.
On the morning of the fourth day, there was a tentative knock on the door followed by the sound of rapidly retreating footsteps. I waited until they had disappeared down the corridor before cracking the door open. On the floor was a freshly baked Victoria sponge and a beautifully written note of apology.
It took every ounce of courage I possessed, but that evening I forced myself to go to the dining room. Mrs Jones was waiting for me, her eyes red-rimmed, a steaming cottage pie on the table. I tried not to flinch as she took my hand, re-iterating the apology she had already delivered in writing.
The next morning, she helped me clean Jimmy up.
We treated each other cautiously for a while, but eventually we got back to playing gin rummy again. When the scars on my back twinge, as they sometimes do, she helps me rub a soothing ointment into them. Even though I’ve told her it’s not necessary, she apologises every time.
So, you’ve heard my story and you have my proposal. If you think you could be the man for me, I invite you to visit. You will need to drink a cup of ram’s blood (a pinch of nutmeg makes it a little more tolerable) and light a black candle before bedtime. When you next wake, you will find yourself at our gates. As travel arrangements go, it’s hardly the Orient Express, but it beats the airfare.
If you have read this without flinching, if you can stomach the journey to get here, if you walk up to our door and find the nerve to open it, I have one more instruction for you.
Just as you enter, look to your right. You will see a deep brown stain on the lobby carpet. I’ve scrubbed and scrubbed but it just won’t come out. Perhaps that’s for the best. It’s a good reminder of what will happen to you should you call Mrs Jones a “nosy old bat”.
And when you run into Jimmy – as you will, for he still likes hanging around the bar in the evening, his silvery wounds glistening as though they had just been inflicted – don’t let him convince you he was some sort of victim.
He knew the rules.

Hi all!
I’m a hobbyist in the transition of starting up a part-time photography business. I’ve got about 20 family sessions under my belt and that’s the main area I’m passionate about, family and lifestyle photography.
I recently had an owner of a dance studio ask if I could photograph a dance recital in a couple of weekends. I let her know that I’m just starting out and have not done this before, she said she totally understood, this is nothing formal just looking for some candids of the recital, and she also thought it would be a good way to get my name out to families. She would like to pay me for my time but I’m hesitant since it’s my first time doing a shoot like this. Not sure how much would be fair to charge (it will be about 3 hours of my time)
I’m actually very excited and would be interested in learning about this type of photography, especially because my kids play sports and I would love to take photos of their games and recitals in the future.
My question is mainly about advice for shooting a dance recital, including gear.
Here’s my thought process: - I have a D750 which does well in low light scenarios. It will be dark and I’m sure flash will Not be allowed so I’ll be relying on best use of settings of my camera - In manual, I’ll play around with aperture and likely keep ISO on Auto, and will try to keep shutter speed fast at at least 1/500 if not more
Questions I have- - I only have a 35mm and 50mm lens, so likely will need to rent a zoom lens. Would 70-200 be a good option to rent? Will I be able to use this without a tripod and still get clear photos? - should I sit stationary in the audience, front and center, or plan on walking around? (It’s in an auditorium of a school)
Any advice is appreciated! I haven’t tried looking up YouTube videos but if anyone has a good one please send it my way :)

https://reddit.com/link/1ctg5xa/video/z77timxf8t0d1/player
[Personally recommended topics to search]

• Project Astra
• Starline

[Highlights]

1. Gemini is now supporting 2M tokens

• 2. Project Astra (cell phone real-time multimodal assistant)
• 3. Gemini Flash (cheaper and faster multimodal 1M)
• 4. Veo (video creation)
• 5. 6th generation TPU (Trillium)
• 6. PaliGemma
• 7. Gemma 2
• 8. NotebookLM (aka. Tailwind)
• 9. MusicFX, VideoFX

[Personal Thoughts]

1. Google mentioned "Gemini" more often than "AI" this time.(Sundar Pichai mentioned AI 121 times.)
2. Google is focusing on integrating Gemini Multimodality across all areas, covering both recognition and generation of video, audio, and text.
3. Increasing Gemini's token size seems aimed at detailed personalized info and integrated services. This was clear in Project Astra with real-time Gemini Pro integration and Context Caching, which saves costs and speeds up processing. - Comparing Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s GPT: - Both have significant multimodal achievements. OpenAI leads in generative capabilities, while Google excels in token range. OpenAI has better API integration, but Google is superior in on-device integration. - OpenAI's massive model has high reasoning abilities, but Google's strategy includes:

3-1. On-device capabilities (Nano in Android OS, circle image search on Samsung phones, PaliGemma). Google’s mobile OS and partnerships give it an edge.
3-2. Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Email, Photos). Examples include organizing receipts in Drive and Sheets or Google Photos creating albums based on specific moments, showing the large model’s business applications.
3-3. As a search engine company, Google is developing technology to verify data with search engine data to prevent hallucinations, giving it a competitive edge.

1. The realtime capability of the multimodal model was surprising. I used the Project Astra demo; multimodal audio recognition was accurate and real-time, with seamless interrupt handling. The process wasn’t in sync but handled with low latency, showing significant improvements in usability for voice interfaces and multimodal models.
   
2. The main takeaway from this I/O was that multimodal models can be responsive enough for actual products and are currently available.
   
3. Examples were provided of how Gemini can integrate into Chrome, Search, Android Mobile, and Google Workspace to enhance user convenience. ("Here's an example" was a common phrase.) Integrating these elements with multimodal capabilities could significantly change everyday life. I have a Gemini Office Hour with a Googler tomorrow, full of questions about Gemini’s multimodal latency. Until 2 PM during this event, I didn't hear keywords like TensorFlow/Jax, and there was little talk about the Cloud. Vertex AI was mentioned occasionally with Gemini, and the rest was about TPU 6th generation.
   
4. The core question was whether multimodal models could positively impact our lives. Even now, there are no significant use cases beyond chatbots. Who will make this a reality? This has been my interest, and at this I/O, I saw numerous examples. If Google had integrated chat and document apps, we’d spend most of our time with Gemini. For code, it seems to be entering with Project IDX, sharing portions of the IDE.
   

LINK TO PHOTOS
Hardie siding was installed at my house and it doesn't look quite right to my (untrained) eye. I'm concerned that this install cause issues, whether by (a) immediate water issues/leaks or (b) causing the Hardie to prematurely fail...
Essentially, the Hardie trim around the windows was installed on top of Hardie siding planks. Everything is caulked where the windows meet the trim, but not where the trim meets the siding planks.
The contractor is saying it's completely fine and won't cause water leak issues.
Questions:

• Is it OK for the trim to overlay the siding at windows?
• Is the window flashing + trim installed properly?
• Do I need to caulk where the Hardie trim overlays the siding around the windows vertically?
• Do I need to caulk where the Hardie trim overlays siding horizontally on the bottom or on top? (My understanding is NOT on top/by the flashing.)
• Do I need to caulk where the Hardie trim overlays the siding on the outside corners?
• Do you see anything else iffy?

Any nuance you have may have re: "this is improper per Hardie recommendations, but fairly common and unlikely to cause issues" vs. "this is improper and definitely will cause issues" would be appreciated.
Thanks for your help and input.

As the title states. I was gifted a 680 from my wife yesterday and so far it's been very exciting, but I don't have any real experience with it. So what would you tell someone just starting out?
The camera was loaded with some B&W film and the test shots I took were okay? but not really enough of an obvious difference or a wow. I am wondering if the new chemistry shots may make a difference.
I then played around with a color 600 pack and the results were stunning. I can't believe I can get photos this sharp and close up! But, I have yet to try and do close-ups with the flash because I'm afraid of overexposing the images. So far it seems no flash does just fine? Or should I be using it?
Also, does the camera adjust the exposure comp on it's own? I could have sworn yesterday I dialed the comp up in very low light, and when I went to take the next shot it was back to the middle.

Hello EtsyPhotographers!
Lighting is a crucial element in product photography, and choosing between continuous light and flash/strobe can significantly impact your results. Here, we’ll compare these two types of artificial lighting to help you decide which best suits your needs.
Continuous Light:

• Pros:
  • Ease of Use: Continuous lights are straightforward to use because you can see how the light falls on your product in real time. This makes it easier to adjust your setup and achieve the desired look.
  • Consistency: They provide a constant light source, which is excellent for video as well as still photography, ensuring consistent exposure and colour balance across multiple shots.
  • Learning Curve: Ideal for beginners as what you see is what you get, making it easier to learn about lighting and shadow effects.
• Cons:
  • Heat Production: Continuous lights can generate a lot of heat, which might be uncomfortable to work with for extended periods.
  • Power Consumption: They often consume more power compared to flash units.
  • Brightness Limitations: Generally, they are not as bright as flash/strobe lights, which can be a limitation in very bright environments or when you need a lot of light.
  • Moving Products: Since continuous light doesn't freeze motion, you'll end up with any movement being blurred.

Flash/Strobe Light:

• Pros:
  • High Power: Flash units can produce a very bright burst of light, making them ideal for freezing motion and creating sharp, well-lit images even in low light conditions.
  • Control Over Light: With various modifiers like softboxes, diffusers, and reflectors, you can shape and direct the light precisely where you need it.
  • Less Heat: Flash units produce less continuous heat, making them more comfortable to use in long sessions.
• Cons:
  • Learning Curve: Flash photography can be more complex to master as you can't see the light until after the shot is taken. It often requires more trial and error to get the settings right.
  • Additional Equipment: Often requires additional equipment such as triggers, stands, and modifiers, which can add to the setup complexity and cost.
  • Battery Dependency: Many flash units are battery-powered, which means you need to keep batteries charged and have spares on hand.
  • Can't use with a Smartphone: You can't trigger flashes from your phone.

When to Use Continuous Light:

• Product Videos: Continuous light is essential for video production since it provides consistent illumination throughout the recording.
• Beginners: Ideal for those new to photography who need to see the effects of lighting in real time.
• Long Exposure Shots: Useful for long exposure photography where a consistent light source is needed.
• Smartphone Photography: Since you can't use flash with your phone, you'll need continuous light instead.

When to Use Flash/Strobe Light:

• High-Detail Shots: When you need bright, high-intensity light to capture intricate details and textures.
• Freezing Motion: Perfect for capturing fast-moving objects or ensuring sharp images of dynamic scenes.
• Professional Shoots: When precise control over light and shadow is required.

Community Activity:

• Light Experiment: Choose a product and photograph it using both continuous light and flash/strobe light. Share both images here and discuss the differences you observe.
• Setup Sharing: Post photos of your lighting setups for both continuous and flash/strobe lights, and provide tips on achieving the best results with each.

Understanding the strengths and limitations of continuous light and flash/strobe will help you make an informed decision for your product photography needs. We’re excited to see your lighting experiments and hear about your experiences!
Feel free to ask questions, share additional tips, and discuss your preferred lighting methods. Let’s shine the best light on our products!

This is almost a month late! It's taken time to reflect and collect my thoughts, as well as rewrite this 50 times over*! There's a blog post about it with pictures and maps for those interested. Apologies if I'm not allowed to post links!
* see one of my lessons further down about over thinking of things!

TL;DR

This is THE race I have been trying to run for years, and when it finally came, it didn’t disappoint despite a sub-par performance on the day. I accomplished most of what I set out to achieve, and had an amazing day.

Goals

1. 3:20:00 - Fail
2. 3:30:00 - Fail
3. 3:40:00 - Pass
4. Bonus: Experience it - Pass
5. Bonus: Raise money for WWF - £800+

Results

Time: 3:38:21
Position: 12,670/ ~50,000+ (masses)

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It was a bright and sunny, but bitterly cold morning. Wind chill was around 0°C. As I threw off my warm layers, and approached the starting gate, I was at the peak of my anxiety. It had been building for days, probably weeks. Finally, I was only metres from the London Marathon start line and everything I had been working towards over the last 4 months was finally being released. The emotion was palpable. Tears moistened my eyes briefly . I could feel the stress starting to evaporate as I crossed the start line. I knew that this was it. Everything I had trained for, everything I had read and learned all needed to be implemented to the letter if I was to get my marathon PB.
3 hours, 38 minutes and 21 seconds later, I was crossing the finish line without a PB. My anxiety and nerves had been replaced with elation and exhaustion. There was pain and nausea mixed with joy and pride. I had a London Marathon medal around my neck finally! There was a tinge of regret that I didn’t get my PB, but after the last few hours, I was more than happy to have made it to the end, and done it in a good time.
The last few hours had been a rollercoaster of emotions. The whole of London had come out along with my family. This was London on one of it’s best days. But it hadn’t all been smooth sailing.
As I had stumbled over the finish line the first thing I wanted to do was stop, lie down and try not to be sick. I’d spent the last 10km struggling hard when my legs just ran out of energy. I hadn’t been topping up with gels since around 25km after getting at stitch, whilst simultaneously feeling sick and hungry. I didn’t have any reserves left in my legs and kept having to stop, stretch and walk. The support kept me going. Incredible crowds kept me going. “Go on Carl. Keep going!”. High fives kept me going! Knowing I had family out there supporting me kept me going, and having people who had made charity donations on my behalf to the WWF kept me going.
But where did my energy go? This all comes back to the anxiety that had been building over the last few days and weeks. From the Wednesday my appetite had just fallen off a cliff. When I did eat, it was just butterflies and they have next to no carbs! I always get race nerves, but that’s normally on the race morning so it doesn’t really affect the carbo-loading during the previous days.

Let's go!

The start went perfectly. I had said to myself, run the first third with my head, the second with my legs and the third with my heart. I didn’t go off too fast, in-fact I had stuck almost exactly to the 4:44/km pace I needed despite the long downhill in the first few km.
I was actually having fun. High fiving all the kids! Enjoying the atmosphere. It was busy on and off the course. there was almost a fun run atmosphere. It didn’t feel like a race, and my legs felt really good. By the time I arrived at the Cutty Sark, 10k in, I felt like everything had bedded down and I was just gliding along. The only issue at this point was my vest starting to rub, but that wasn’t anything to worry about. Somewhere in the crowds was my wife, Shadia, cheering me on but it was that busy I didn’t see her.
At almost the half way mark, is one of the iconic landmarks on the course, Tower Bridge. I got my phone out to take some photos and was surprised to find myself heading up hill. It’s probably the first uphill on the course that’s noticeable and by the time I was halfway across my HR was in the red zone, but I didn’t really notice until after because the crowd here were electric, and the backdrop was incredible. The course narrows over the bridge as you pass under the iconic towers, and on each side there’s people 5 deep cheering everyone on.
Then before you know it, you’ve crossed over and started towards Canary Wharf. I hit the half way mark with a 1:41:55. I was a little behind target, but my pace was good and I had just ran one of my top 5 half marathon paces. On the other side of the road, the pros flew past which was awesome to see and really makes it feel like a big event being on the same course as olympians and world record holders. They have a head start, so it’s not really fair!
It had all being going well, until it wasn’t. As I got towards 25/26km I started to get the sense that the easy bit was over. It started with a stitch, which meant that I just couldn’t keep up the pace. I put this down to 2 things. Coke, and shortbread. Since I hadn’t managed to carbo-load due to the anxiety over the previous days, I had decided to nibble some shortbread all morning before the start in an attempt to gain some energy. Likewise, before the race I’d needed a drink, and my thoughts went straight to something with sugar. Coke. Now a combo of carbonated sugar, and Scottish biscuits were enacting their revenge!
After backing off the pace somewhat, the stitch mostly went away, but I didn’t want it back, and made the mistake of stopping eating my energy gels or drinking much water. About 5km later, in the low 30km range my pace started to fall away from me. People say that the halfway point in a marathon is about 30km. I now understand why. The last 12km felt like more effort than the first 21km. Every time I looked at my watch I could see my pace dropping and felt my PB attempt slipping though my fingers. I would slow, then a dinosaur or a seagull would overtake me and it would spur me on for 500m, then I’d slow and someone would yell “Go Carl” and it would be another 300m or so.
Even when I arrived at Big Ben and I knew it was 1km to go, it felt like an almost insurmountable task. Flashing back to October last year and the Chester Marathon, the last 1km had been hard, but I still had something in the tank. This was just running on fumes. The only thing I didn’t want to do was to walk that final bit. I could see my time was now looking nearer to exceeding 3:40 and if I walked then my final target would have been missed. I just had to grit my teeth and slog on.
400m to go and it was “just one loop around a track”. That felt like a big ask, but I forced myself with all my remaining effort not to slow or walk. Finally rounding the corner in front of the palace with about 200m to go, the finish line appeared into sight. Can I summon up a sprint finish? No. not even a slight uptick in pace. That’s how empty my tank was. Just put one foot in front of the other and reel it in and try not to trip over the timing mats at the finish line. Then, as suddenly as it had started, it was over. LonDone! Someone placed a medal around my neck and I finally the magnitude of what I’d done finally struck home “I’ve got a London Marathon medal. I’ve actually got one. Wow.”
Almost immediately as I finish, Shadia called me to try and meet up. I’m trying to explain where I am and how we can meet but my brain just doesn’t have the ability. It’s a mess.

It’s hard to describe to someone how f**ked you feel when you finished something like a marathon. It’s not like being tired from doing a 5K when you start out running. It’s not like your first 10K either, or even a half marathon. Your body is just exhausted. Every muscle aches. You have no energy. After 30km your energy supplies have dwindled and you are left tired and broken.

Eventually Shadia gets some sense out of me and we try to figure out a place to meet. A bit dazed and confused I shuffled off towards blankets, Lucozade and the exits. It’s busy, so we change the plan a few times, finally ending in Charring cross for a celebratory beer, before heading back to base. And with that, the London Marathon is done.

Route

It's a pretty well known route (see my linked post for the route map)

Kit

• WWF Vest
• Salomon Running Vest
• INOV-8 Race shorts
• Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next% 2
• Darn tough socks
• Garmin HR Pro band
• Garmin Epix 2
• Shockz OpenRun headphones
• Salomon 500ml bottles (water)
• SiS energy gels (various flavours)

Lessons

Post race I jotted down my thoughts in a mind-map so I could quickly explore how things went. This isn't something I have tried before, but it worked really well to quickly surmise the whole event, training and experience of the London Marathon.

Nutrition and energy

My fuelling pre race, was s**t. I know this. I should have been aiming for 600-700g of carbs a day from the Wednesday onwards and failed hard. This hit me hard in the race. that was the fabled wall. There’s nothing more to say about this.
There’s 2 things I’m looking at to fix this. Other types of gel. Energy drinks on the days leading up to it. I think I can handle them despite the anxiety and it’s a good way to load up some carbs at least!

Training plan and goals

I set out in January a goal to beat my Chester PB of 2023. 3:32:36. For Chester I had done no specific training, although I already had a regime with a lot of base (Z3) runs, ParkRun’s ran as races most Saturdays and a long run each week, with a few bing half marathons. There were about 2 30km+ runs over the 4 months before. I was probably averaging 50km per week.
For the London Marathon I started training on the first of January, following my Garmin Epix’s suggested runs. This pushed me pretty well, and was a good mix of long, hard and easy runs. The problems with this arose when Idris went back to nursery and the germs got him! That meant rubbish sleep, and the suggested runs tried to be nice, which meant it was all short and easy.
I started looking at a range of plans which could push me hard enough, whilst also not taking up every waking hour with running. I can’t remember now, because I didn’t write it down, but the closest I got was Jack Daniels advanced or Pfitz 12/50, but both of these still weren’t quite a good enough match, so the only option was to roll my own.
This boiled down to a simple plan:

• Monday: Z2 / Recovery
• Tuesday: Sprints / hills
• Wednesday: Z2 / Recovery
• Thursday: Threshold or intervals
• Friday: Z2 / Recovery
• Saturday: Long run at base, increasing to 33km
• Sunday: Base

Most runs ended up being around 10k in length apart from the long runs. I also dropped ParkRuns on a Saturday so that I could focus on the sprints/intervals and long runs without being too knackered. From February my long runs were around 21km, but during March I started to push these to 33km. All the time this was going on, my predicted Marathon time was improving from low 3:30s towards the low 3:20s. So far so good.
Because of this shift in my predicted time I changed my goal from beating my PB, to going for 3:20. This was probably a mistake, and I should have looked at RunAlyze’s predicted time which takes into account weekly mileage and longest runs over the period. It turned out to be more accurate. I think if i’d gone out of the gate slower, or dropped my pace and continued fuelling when the stitch arrived I wouldn’t have hit such a wall and missed my PB. Lesson learned.

Anxiety and stress

I over think. A lot. Not being at home the lead up added to my stress. Travelling down a few days before and trying to incorporate sightseeing really didn’t help. Add into the mix, trying to do sightseeing with family and help coordinate where to watch was probably the another nail in my PB attempt.
One other aspect around this event was the historic significance of it to me. My previous job, starting 15+ years ago, had revolved around the London Marathon like the earth around the sun. It was seen as one of the pinnacles of the road race calendar. Back then I didn’t even run, but a large part of me started running due to this. Because of Realbuzz I ran my first half marathon and for years I have tried, and failed, to get on to the London Marathon, so to finally be able to run it, and to be in a position where I can run it well (pushing for a PB) was a lot of self inflicted pressure.
My solution is to more races of a big nature. Keeping me out of my comfort zone can only help me get used to it. Mixed in with better planned travel/sightseeing and I might just be race ready. I hope so, because I’m signed up to Chester and Yorkshire marathons in October already!

Fundraising

Remember when you were a kid and did charity fundraising for 5p a length of the pool, or something like that! Well, I hadn't really done any since then. When I signed up for the London Marathon to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund it was always something I kept pushing back to do later. I was a little nervous to ask for donations. When my WWF vest arrived, I knew it was time to grow up and just ask.
The reality is that you have to pester people. Some will love your cause, or your dedication and other’s not so much. You’ll get something from someone and then the ball is rolling. The lesson is, do it ASAP so you have time to ask again, and again in different ways.
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Carl-Topham
Thanks to every who donated, liked and shared my campaign. As one UK supermarket says… every little helps.

Miscellaneous

I’ve always been worried about running out of water. That was never going to happen if I’d looked at the route maps. Every 5km is plenty. I ran with a vest so I could carry 1 litre of water! That’s excessive and caused my running vest to rub and then bleed. This wasn’t a show stopper until a few days after, but unless I’m out on the trails, or self supporting, then a smaller waist pack should be enough.

It’s not all bad

Family support throughout my training and accommodation for my long runs especially from Shadia. They’ve been flexible and allowed me to have time to do what I needed to do which has massively helped.
In the last month or so I started to add in some strength training. Mainly press ups and sit ups with some stretching also. Unlike last years Chester marathon, it may have contributed to me being able to continue running only days after. Chester crippled me for over 2 weeks.

Final thoughts

I’m doing it again, somehow, some day. While it was a very hard day, especially the second “half”, the sheer atmosphere and emotion just made it epic.
This was THE race for me. While I didn’t get the result I wanted to, it was an incredible, enjoyable experience that I already look back on with fondness and pride. I think there are some valuable lessons to take away from it which I can apply already so hopefully this will be a notable stepping point in my running achievements.This is THE race I have been trying to run for years, and when it finally came, it didn’t disappoint despite a sub-par performance on the day. I accomplished most of what I set out to achieve, and had an amazing day.

hi guys, i'm relatively new in the world of cameras. i now have a dslr, more precisely a Nikon D3400, but i find it a bit too complicated for live streaming. the autofocus is a bit trash and even if i get clean hdmi output i don't like the quality. so i want to switch to a mirrorless because it is easier to use. i want to buy a used one, my budget is around 250 euros total for the body and the lenses.
i had the opportunity to work with a sony a6000 and i think this might be the best option for me. there is clean hdmi, even if there isn't the input for an external microphone, the integrated one is good enough for me. it records 1080p at 24/30/60 fps and it's good because i want to use also as a vlog camera. there is also the viewfinder if i want to use as a normal camera when i don't stream. the screen doesn't tilt by 180 degrees but in the end i don't care too much. the autofocus works flawlessly and it also shoots raw photos, so this is the best options. but it has a few drawbacks, the price is too high, on ebay and wallapop is around 300 euros, so even if it is the best option i can't afford it.
so now the options is the sony a5100, the lenses are the same to the a6000 (and this is good, because these lenses are pretty cheap), i didn't test it but after looking on internet i can assume there is hdmi output, it also records 1080p at 24/30/60 fps and it's okay. in this the screen tilts 180 degrees, which is good but as i said before i don't care too much about it. also the a5000 shoots raw, but now we arrives at the drawbacks. there isn't the viewfinder for shooting photos, and i don't trust the lcd screen that much in sunny days. it lacks the hot shoe for attaching flashes and external microphones, because the camera doesn't have the mic input.
then i watched the sony aplha nex-5, the price was pretty good, but unfortunatelly i had to exclude it because it hasn't clean hdmi output.
so, now i want to know your opinion about this. advice on other models are appreciated. thank you in advance
(sorry for my bad english🙃)

hi y’all! i currently have a used canon powershot SD1400 IS that i bought for $130 on mercari a year ago. it works pretty good, but has issues focusing at times. i just wanted a cheap camera at the time to see if i’d actually use it. but i still really only use it when i’m out with friends, because i truly despise how iphone photos turn out. what are some better alternatives that won’t cost me an arm and a leg just because i wont be using it constantly? i’m looking for good flash, better focus and clarity. (bonus points if it has a flip screen) i apologize in advice as i don’t know a whole lot about cameras, and all of the research i’ve tried to do has just overwhelmed me so thought i’d just make my own post on here. i’m willing to spend probably up to $400 ish, not sure if there’s any decent cameras out at this point that i can even get for that price. so if i have to buy another older used model that’s totally fine. it just needs to be small enough to fit in my purse really! i’d really appreciate any suggestions or help, thanks y’all!

As there’s a lot of new users, here’s some info on how the ring / app works - hope it’s of some help
Remember your email and password keep it safe.
The ring holds up to 6-7 days data, all readings that go into app, are held in rings memory until it syncs with the ring and phone app.
No need to have phone with you all the times, but always sync between 6-7 days
Syncing means :- the stored data on ring is sent from the ring via Bluetooth to the app - the app then sends the data to algorithms on the main servers via WiFi from phone - this is decoded then returned within short time from servers via WiFi and loaded into the app so you can read it.
Each time you sync ring this happens as above.
Battery charging :- charging case holds around 18 full charges or more smaller charges - charging case takes 120 mins to fully charge (solid white light ) no indication of charge in case only lights
Over 40% white - orange light under 40% - flashing orange = fault on ring/ chargepower lead poss.
Ring takes 90 mins to charge up ring, charge is indication in the app. ( notification sent to phone when100%)
You can charge ring anytime between 20% and 80% for best efficiency for lithium batteries, - do not let ring go below 20%.
Ring should last between 5-7 days depending on how much you sync ring with app or use exercise mode- sleep apnea etc - these all use extra power
Charger can be charged anytime to top up but do not let go flat, best say every couple months to top it up, just put on charge for a hour if topping up battery.
You can take your vitals measurements live at anytime, ( in heart rate and spo2 vitals area ) using app and ring together by pressing measure in app screen
Heart-rate is recorded every 2.5 mins and spo2 every 5 mins and stored on ring.
Firmware :- firmware is part of the rings brain - if ever you see firmware update available - just accept and install it, do not touch anything until completed - you see dial showing progress.
If firmware does not install it’s possibly ring battery below 30% just charge ring then reinstall firmware - this can be done manually in app.
App update :- the app gets regular updates it will be shown either on phone or may have to go to app/ playstore to update app - usually it’s shown as available in group as well.
If you want exercise mode, in app press the orange running man bottom of screen in summary page. Remember if using outside running you need phone with you to track your gps map and mileage - won’t record without it
On summary page are notes icon - this is really handy for recording daily anything you want - you can go back and look at notes - daily- weekly- yearly anytime in app
Very handy play around with it you can take photo then add it from your saved photos, medication , anything in app of concern - literally anything you want.
Graphs/ bar charts can be changed view in the top right icon in screen, and in vitals can be put to larger screen by pressing icon top right of vital screen and screen goes sidewards / larger zoom.
Slide fingers along any graph it shows times and readings
Aeroplane mode - if using this it stops Bluetooth connection with ring- ring still records all data- when you take aeroplane off you need the charger to reconnect Bluetooth with the app - otherwise will not connect to app
Ring lights - ensure the ring has both small bumps / lights in underside of finger on fleshy part as this area is where measurements are taken.
Solid green: When measuring the heart rate with the ring, both green lights will light up simultaneously for 30~60 seconds.
Solid red and green: When measuring SpO2 with the ring, one red light and one green light will light up simultaneously for 30~60 seconds.
Press your profile in app here you can put in a picture - also fill in user name- birthday- gender - height- weight- you can adjust weight anytime here
Any issues or questions use feedback in app - me- FAQ/ feedback - use this first so engineers app development teams can read and act on your info - do not just send email
Feedback is your main route of reporting anything or asking questions, you will get email back with reply.
Play with the app you can’t break it, don’t be scared of pressing anything lots of other screens in main summary pages - if not sure ask questions in the group lots people knowledgeable in app workings.
Hope that’s of some help don’t be afraid to ask any questions.

The last I'd seen and heard, seven months ago there were photos from the Taipei Hot Toys event that indicated they'd touched up the face sculpt on the Supergirl figure from The Flash to make her look at least a little more like Sasha Calle, instead of a weird cross-breed of Matt Smith and Tom Holland.
I've seen no official updates or new marketing material, however, to show the changes made to the figure. I'm just wondering if anyone here, more in the know than I am, has heard or seen anything new.
I'd actually be interested in buying the figure, but only if the revisions to the face sculpt are officially confirmed.

DC Next presents:

I AM BATMAN

In True Crime
Issue Sixteen: Dark Hair And Face Paint
Written by ClaraEclair
Edited by PredaPlant & DeadIslandMan1
 
<< < Previous Issue Next Issue > Coming Next Month
 
 
Gotham University’s winter term was coming to an end, and that meant the resident varsity football team was finishing out their season — on home turf, no less. The Nighthawks were on a winning streak and were looking to finish off the season with a championship. The entire team felt the energy coursing through them as the stadium filled and crowd chants grew.
There were always major league scouts within the crowds at these types of games, especially for teams as impressive as the Nighthawks had been. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that some of the players on the varsity team would be making it to the national league. The coach, as hard as he could be on his team, felt nothing but warm pride in his heart and mind.
Zack Howard, the captain of the Nighthawks, looked over the 120 yard field from the player entrance, listening to the roaring crowd chanting for the Nighthawks — even fans of the Princeton Tigers felt the pull toward cheering on the Gotham University team. Just as much as his coach, he felt pride in being able to carry his team this far. He hoped to give the best game he’d ever played, to be noticed by big league coaches and scouts.
“Zack!” He heard his coach shout from behind him, no doubt trying to shift his attention back to the locker room and preparations for the game ahead. Zack exhaled deeply and turned around to see Coach Fremlin approaching with a light jog, holding something in his hand. “Delivery for ya,” he said, handing the envelope to the captain. “Some girl said to give it to you, said there’s somethin’ special inside.” With a smirk, Fremlin clapped Zack’s shoulder before turning back toward the locker room.
Zack’s mind flooded with possibilities and fantasies about what could’ve been in the envelope. Something special could have been anything, and it excited him as he ripped it open. His expression quickly shifted, however, as he pulled a handwritten note out of the envelope, scribbled in nearly illegible handwriting.
”Zack Howard,” it read. He opened it, his brow furrowed, and watched as an instant print photograph fell out of the fold and onto the ground. One piece of clear tape had been shoddily applied to the corner and had clearly lost its adhesion. Leaning down, Zack picked up the photo and squinted, trying to make out the subject.
It took a few moments, but the longer he stared at the photo, the more it dawned on him what was depicted in it. Instantly, upon realising what he saw, he rushed back to the locker room and forced himself through his teammates to Coach Fremlin, who was dragging out his playbook. He grabbed the coach by the shoulder, twisted him around to face him directly, and planted the photo firmly on his chest.
“What the fuck is this?” he demanded. Confused, Fremlin chuckled nervously as he tried to grasp the small photo on his chest, not able to see the subject but only the fury in Zack’s face. The room fell totally silent as the entire team watched the coach and their captain with bated breaths.
“What do you mean?” asked Fremlin, turning the image over and squinting at it, trying to make out the details. Just as fast as Zack had initially made out the details, Fremlin’s face dropped at the realisation. “Holy God, Zack, I–”
“What the hell is this?!” Zack demanded once more, resisting the urge to grab his coach by the collar and push him against the wall. “Who gave this to you?”
“I– I don’t know, it was some girl,” Fremlin stuttered, fumbling over himself. “She was short, had black hair, face paint…”
“What’s it say on the back?” asked Tim Teslow, the team’s best running back, pointing toward the image and the messy scrawls on the back of it. Zack snapped it back out of Fremlin’s hands as the coach sat down, head in his hands.
“Section 204, Row 8, seat 9,” Zack read the note aloud. “I’m going to go see what this is,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Dude, that’s across the stadium,” said Cutter Karznowski, the wide receiver that had only joined at the start of the season. “The game’s starting in a few minutes.”
“I don’t care,” Zack snapped back. “I’m going.”
 
 
Good evening, Gothamites, I hope you enjoyed that last one — Barcode by Self-Sacrificial. It’s always been a personal favourite of mine, straight to the point with the best beats and deepest riffs.
In the same spirit, I’ll get straight to the point of why today’s a big day for me — you’ve all known this was coming but I never quite said what it was. When I started this show a little over a year ago, I wanted to look at the dirt of the world. I wanted to bring you my favourite music while trying to figure out my favourite events in this city.
I’ve talked about all the legends, I’ve talked about Joker, Mister Freeze, and so many others. I’ve talked about new shooters like Man-Bat and Professor Pyg. I’ve even, unfortunately, shed some light on the unoriginal copycat hacks that have started popping up in recent years. It’s all been out of love, though. Love for the mind of those who would commit these atrocities, appreciation for what they are and what they represent.
There’s a reason why they are what they are, and it’s always been a goal of mine to love and appreciate what they put into the world. It’s all about the chaos.
But, today, I won’t be talking about that. Today, I’ll be talking about football. Before you all start booing me, it’s my special day and it’s my show, so I get final say. Specifically, it’s the big championship game for the Gotham University Nighthawks. I went to school with these guys, I feel… an obligation.
I’m excited to see how the game will turn out. I get the nagging feeling that their winning streak might come to an end.
 
 
Section 204 in the Gotham Knights stadium, on the north side of Tricorner Island, the southernmost landmass of Gotham, was filled to the brim with spectators and fans. All were cheering as they waited and watched the Gotham University Nighthawks enter the field below, while Zack spent his time searching the section for a small woman with black hair and face paint.
Despite the difficulty of sifting through the crowded seats, he couldn’t find a woman matching that description. He looked back down at the photograph’s note and read it again, making sure he was in the right spot. The location remained the same: Section 204, row 8, seat 9.
People called out his name, but he was quick to shrug them off. He was too focused on finding the woman who’d sent him the photograph. Even asking those who’d been sitting within section 204 had proved fruitless, with no one being able to say anything about the described woman.
Angry and dejected, Zack turned back toward the steps between sections to head back down to the field when something caught his eye as he moved.
“Sir!” He called out, angling his head toward a man two rows above him, pointing beneath his seat. “Sir, what’s that under your seat?” There was some sort of flashing light taped to the bottom of the seat, slowly pulsing between purple and green.
The man looked confused, leaning forward to take a look at what Zack had pointed at, eyes widening the moment he saw the wiring that he sat atop. A complex series of wires and lights traced their way around each seat in the section, though neither he nor Zack could see what, exactly, the wires were attached to.
“I don’t–”
The man could only shout out those few words before a loud explosion rocked the stadium, blasts running down the portion of the stadium from rows 12 to 4. Dozens of seats were annihilated as smoke, fire, and green gas erupted. Cries of pain and fear replaced the cheers of the spectators.
Blood tainted the intact seats while the smoke rose into the air, infiltrating the sky of southern Gotham, visible from all along the city’s coast. What fell across the stadium, permeating nearly every seat on the west side of the stadium, making its way into the halls that traced the inner workings of the building, was a thick green gas, forcing its way into the lungs of the men and women who were running for their lives, trampling each other.
Those closest to the explosion felt intense convulsions in their abdomens and spasms in their faces, involuntarily forced to bear wicked grins while their shattering breaths overtook the screams of terror in the form of wicked laughter.
Amidst the chaos, the charred photo that Zack once held fell slowly and gracefully, slightly charred, ignorant of the horror that it had been subject to. Slightly charred, it landed a few sections away from the explosions, trampled upon by infected spectators who had no idea what was being done to them.
 
 
A Few Minutes Earlier…
James Gordon’s office at the Gotham City Police Department headquarters was quiet as he sat at his desk, resting his elbows on its surface with his hands clasped, opposite Astrid Arkham, the frail-seeming daughter of Jeremiah Arkham. She had requested a meeting with him, and he had assumed it was for an update into Batman’s investigation into her father.
“Gotham City needs something new,” she began, catching him by surprise. His eyes widened slightly, then his brow furrowed. “We’ve been in this… this state of insanity for decades now, and it is only getting worse. This city is no longer livable, Commissioner.” He resisted the urge to groan. The only difference in Gotham City as it was and the Gotham City of before was that the murders had become spectacle.
When supervillains pushed out mobsters and gangsters, there was a shift in crime, but the results remained the same. Salvatore Maroni and Carmine Falcone knew how to keep their business quiet to the public unless they were in active war. Those were the good old days, now.
“Insane, maniacal supervillains,” she continued. “They rule the streets whenever they so choose. The police cannot deal with them, not under you. You rely on the Batman,” there was venom in her voice as she spoke the name, “and she sweeps up the problems while bringing deranged cultists and assassins into this city. She’s the heir of a small personal army with untold technology and she runs free. The Joker Riots, the assassin siege, Simon Hurt, all because the Batman has infested this town with these misguided thoughts of the supernatural, supposedly haunting our city.” Gordon remained silent.
“Essen’s incentives are now failing,” she said, watching Gordon closely for a reaction. If he gave one, she couldn’t see it. “How many companies that were enticed by her incentives have moved headquarters out of Gotham? They pay nothing in taxes, they have Essen licking their boots, and it’s still not enough. Despite all that’s happened, we haven’t been through hell yet, Commissioner. We’ve only arrived at the gates.”
“If I may, Miss Arkham,” said Gordon, leaning back in his chair, scanning the young woman up and down. “What’s your point?” He understood what she was saying, and he feared she was right, but he didn’t like the conclusion she was bringing forth.
“You are antiquated, Commissioner,” she replied, her face straight. “Obsolete. Your methods don’t work anymore, the law you uphold is no longer effective. Besides that, you are getting old. I can see the fatigue in your face, the bags under your eyes, your paleness. You’re not the detective you used to be.” Astrid leaned forward in her seat, putting her weight on her cane. “Gotham needs something new.”
Gordon’s phone rang, and for a brief moment he was thankful for the reprieve — but only for a moment.
 
 
I’d say I feel bad for the people at the Nighthawks game, but, if I’m totally honest, they had it coming. It’s about time everything caught up to them.
While we all ruminate on what’s happening at the game right now, let’s listen to some good music. This is Confetti by Viscera.
 
 
Batman had listened to as many notes as she could about a green gas that made anyone who inhaled it laugh uncontrollably. It typically led to suffocation through the inability to control the diaphragm, but this time it didn’t, and it confused the Dark Knight. A familiar sight, an attack that resulted in eery laughter, and yet it wasn’t what the city had seen before. None of the victims that hadn’t been in the initial blast had died, though medical care for each of them was necessary.
As much as she cursed herself for being late, not able to save anyone as the events unfolded, she knew that she needed to take control as fast as possible. She, along with every person in the city, dreaded what this attack meant. The name of a particular clown lingered on everyone’s tongues, though no one dared invoke his name.
Batman wasn’t so sure, and she hoped that her gut feeling was right. Most of the bodies that were recoverable had been extracted from the blast zone, over a dozen dead and dozens more injured. Blood and soot equally covered the destroyed seats, and even more on the concrete below.
One thing caught Batman’s eye amidst the mess, two sections away from the initial blast. A small instant print photograph, half burnt, laid on the ground, covered in dirty boot prints. She picked it up and looked it over, squinting as she studied the subject.
It was a blonde woman, head down with wet hair covering her face. Almost lost in the details was a small trail of blood behind the hair, mixing with trailing makeup. Batman frowned as she flipped the image over, seeing the note for a specific seat in the section of the stadium that had been blown to bits.
She approached the seat and kneeled, ducking down to see under the seat. It was one of few that remained intact after the explosions. Zack Howard’s Final Stop was scratched into the bottom of the seat, and at the sight of it, Batman signalled to Oracle to scan the engraving. She couldn’t identify the woman in the photograph, but she could see clearly enough that the attack was targeted at a specific person.
Another killer, she thought to herself, fearing what it could mean for the city. Pyg almost tore the richest members of the city’s economy apart, and they were ready to throw their own to the wolves. Now, there’d been a deadly gas attack at a football game — one that had been sponsored by many of Gotham’s elite.
The idea that the Clown Prince of Crime had returned was already making its way through the city — Batman knew she would have to exert control over everything she could to keep it from tearing itself apart at the seams. She was more than prepared to do so.
“It doesn’t look good,” she said to Oracle.
“Yeah,” she said, her voice distant. “I hope it’s just another copycat, they’re much easier to deal with.”
“I don’t know,” Batman replied, looking back at the photograph. “Something’s different.”

I've owned my Canon 60D with the kit lens (18-135mm f/3.5-5.6), the nifty fifty (50mm f/1.8), and a 430EX II flash since 2011. I'm primarily a hobbyist that uses my camera for anime/comic conventions (about 3 a year). I had a break from attending conventions for a few years due to college/career change then covid happened and only started attending conventions again last year. I was thinking about updating my equipment since a lot has changed in the decade since, but haven't kept up with the changes. Any advice on where to start or what to look at in regard to mirrorless? Budget will probably be around the same (~$1200-$1500) and might use the camera for streaming on Twitch if possible as well (not a high priority, photos > videos). Also, are any of my current lenses (although not the best, but still usable) and flash worth keeping or should I sell it all after I get a new camera?

Hey everyone,
Is it possible for photo files to seemingly spontaneously vanish off of a hard drive, never to be seen again?
I took a vacation and shot a ton of pictures on my Nikon D810, RAW format, with a Sandisk Extreme Pro 128GB "Compact Flash" memory card. I loaded all these pictures onto my G Tech 8TB external hard drive, which I had set up as a RAID array (thinking if one drive fails, the data will be safely duplicated on the second drive.
I went to look at the pictures not too long after ward, maybe a couple of months after they were transferred tot he hard drive, and nearly ALL the pictures were simply missing. Vanished. There were some sub-folders i had created to house a time lapse sequence, and most of those were gone, too. All drone video footage and stills were gone, along with the subfolder.
I tried to run a recovery using just about every DIY recovery software out there (EaseUS Data Recovery, Disk Drill, Tenorshare 4DDiG, Ontrack Recovery Pro; I even sent in the drive to 2 different prominent data recovery labs. One couldn't seem to find the files, the other never provided evidence of being able to recover the files, but was willing to charge $3500 to do so.
The hard drive is back in my possession. Has anyone ever heard of such a situation, where pictures just vanish off the hard drive, and even a professional recovery attempt turns up nothing?
I made two mistakes.
1) I ran a recovery attempt on a different memory card that turned up pics from the final 2 days of the trip, and like an idiot, put the recovered photos on the same target hard drive I was attempting to recover things from,
2) There was another trip shortly after the initial trip, and I loaded pics from that trip also onto this hard drive. I don't recall if the pics from the first trip were still intact or not; possible they were still there, OR had already vanished - not sure.
I haven't moved any files around, added or deleted anything since. Honestly willing to offer a reward at this point to anyone that can figure out what's going on, if the data is still somewhere in a corrupted sector or if the pics may be gone forever. Happy to provide specific info, but as my rant demonstrates, I'm rather desperate at this point.

Hey, yall. This is fganniversaries and apologies for missing last week; I genuinely thought that I posted for the week but turns out that I didn't upon looking. As per usual, I will be recapping anniversaries relating to fighting game announcements/releases this week. Like always, if I missed one, do please let me know in the comments. Here would be the following anniversaries:
May 13

• 2023: SF6 20 Days Left & 19 Days Left Countdown Illustration
• 2022: KOFXV Team South Town Press Release
• 2022: Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl - Official Jenny, Hugh Neutron & Rocko Reveal Trailer/Jenny DLC Release + Moveset & Gameplay Showcase
• 2021: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles Kyojuro Rengoku Reveal
• 2021: KOFXV Leona Heidern Tomohiro Nakata Sketch
• 2020: Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath - Official Gameplay Trailer
• 2020: Samurai Shodown (2019) - Iroha DLC Release
• 2020: TFH Post-Launch Development Update #1 + Story Mode Chapter 1 Dev Commentary
• 2016: UNIB 5-13-16 Information Division Corner
• 2014: BBCP Version 1.1 Patch Notes
• 2014: JJBA:ASB Lisa Lisa & Ikuro Hashizawa DLC Release
• 2014: Skullgirls Encore 1.02: Are You Ready For? Edition Patch Notes
• 2014: SSB3DS/Wii U 5/13/14 Director’s Room Post - Charizard’s Flare Blitz Special Move Reveal
• 2013: Divekick - New Character Reveal: Markman + #eSports Hour #5
• 2010: Battle Fantasia Xbox Live Distribution
• 2010: BlazBlue PC Release Postpone Announcement
• 2005: SvC Chaos releasing on Xbox at AU.

May 14

• 2023: KOFXV Sylvie Paula Paula Character Breakdown Trailer
• 2023: SF6 18 Days Left Countdown Illustration/Dan Tails
• 2020: GGST 1st Delay Announcement
• 2020: KOFx WWE + Cinematic Trailer/Razer Giveaway
• 2019: Samurai Shodown (2019) - Return of a Legend Trailer/Character Trailer #6 - Genjuro & Character Trailer #7 - Haohmaru
• 2019: SCVI Update Ver. 1.40 Patch Notes
• 2018: ARCommunity Sol Badguy of Guilty Gear - Digital Painting by Nainsoo
• 2018: Blade Strangers - Kawase Gameplay Trailer
• 2018: Guilty Gear NS, PS4, and PC Digital Port Announcement
• 2015: MKX Patch Notes 5/14/15 + Reptile Skin
• 2014: BBCP Version 1.1 Release
• 2014: SSB4 5/14/14 Director’s Room Post - Brittany Trophy Reveal
• 2013: Injustice "The Killing Joke" Skin Pack Announcement
• 2013: Skullgirls Color DLC Today, New Characters Coming
• 2009: Bleach: Heat the Soul 6 originally releasing on PSP at JP.
• 1998: Guilty Gear: The Missing Link originally releasing on PS1 at JP.

May 15

• 2023: Street Fighter 6 - Open Beta Video 1: Characters & Battle System/17 Days Left Countdown Illustration
• 2022: KOFXV Team South Town Team Story
• 2021: PS5 releasing at CHN.
• 2021: Tough Love Arena 0.52.2 - 0.52.3 Change Log
• 2020: KOFAS x WWE Blogpost
• 2019: GBVS Trailers: Gran, Katalina, Charlotta, Lancelot, Ferry
• 2019: GGXXACR NS Promotional Video
• 2019: Guilty Gear releaisng on PC via Steam WW.
• 2019: MK11 Combo Breaker Tournament Stage Variant Reveal + Gameplay Footage
• 2018: Blade Strangers - Noko GameplayTrailer/Blade Strangers Joined by Indie All-Stars
• 2018: FEXL 01-2018/05/15 Battle Video
• 2017: Injustice 2 - Official Gameplay Launch Trailer
• 2015: Killer Instinct (2013) Textual Stream Part 2: The One About Hisako, Cinder, and Q&A/ Retro Hisako & Cinder
• 2015: Tekken 7 - Jack-7 Reveal Trailer
• 2015: Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[st] Announcement + Phonon Reveal & Location Test Announcement
• 2014: Arcana Heart 3: Love Max!!!!! PS3/Vita Promotion Movie
• 2014: P4AU Labrys Trailer
• 2014: SSB4 5/15/14 Director’s Room Post - Color TV-Game 15 Assist Trophy Details
• 2014: UNIEL System Page
• 2014: USFIV Pre-Order Costumes Trailer/Balance Changes Videos for Ryu, Gouken, Evil Ryu, & Cammy.
• 2013: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle Kars & Kishibe Rohan Reveal
• 2013: Skullgirls - Early Work-in-Progress River King Casino Music - Piano Melody
• 2012: Asura Wrath's Lost Episode 2 releasing on PS3 and Xbox 360.
• 2008: Bleach: Heat the Soul 5 originally releasing as a PSP exclusive only at JP.
• 2007: Art of Fighting Anthology releasing on PS2 at US.
• 1998: Clay Fighter: Sculptor's Cut originally releasing as Blockbuster rental exclusive on the Nintendo 64 at NA.
• 1994: ClayFighter Tournament Edition originally released as a SNES exclusive only in NA as a Blockbuster rental exclusive.

May 16

• 2023: KOFXV Sylvie Paula Paula DLC Release + Character Profile, Story + Smartphone Wallpaper
• 2023: Street Fighter 6 - Open Beta Video 2: Battle Hub/16 Days Left Countdown Illustration
• 2022: MultiVersus – Official Cinematic Trailer - "You're with Me!"
• 2021: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles Character Intro Trailer #10: Kyojuro Rengoku
• 2021: Guilty Gear -Strive- Story Trailer Livestream
• 2021: Samurai Shodown (2019) Shiro Tokisada Amakusa Reveal + Steam Port Announcement
• 2021: Tough Love Arena 0.53.0 - 0.53.2 Change Log
• 2019: Flappy Fighter - Battle 2
• 2019: GG1 + GGXXACR releasing on Nintendo Switch via eShop WW + Guilty Gear 20th Anniversary Collection releasing at JP
• 2018: Blade Strangers - Helen Gameplay Trailer
• 2018: BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle - RWBY Highlight Trailer
• 2018: FEXL 01-2018/05/16 Battle Video
• 2017: Injustice 2 originally releasing on PS4 and XB1 at NA.
• 2017: UNIST Experience Event Announcement
• 2014: P4AU Ver.1.11 Update Notice
• 2014: SSB4 5/16/14 Director’s Room Post - Villager Alternate Costumes Reveal
• 2014: UNIB 2014 Summer Illustration Contest Announcement
• 2008: GGXXAC+R Hidden Element Annonncement
• 2001: Project Justice releasing on Dreamcast at NA.
• 2001: Super Smash Bros. Melee Official Reveal + Trailers #1 & #2/ Reactions

May 17

• 2023: GGST Season Pass 2 Playable Character #4 [Asuka R♯] Trailer/Gamespot Exclusive Gameplay
• 2023: SF6 15 Days Left Countdown Illustration
• 2021: Mortal Kombat 1 - Tomorrow Is A New Dawn Teaser
• 2023: KOFXV Sylvie Paula Paula Concept Art
• 2023: Street Fighter 6 - Open Beta Video 3: Competitive Features & Events
• 2022: DNF Duel｜Story Mode
• 2022: KOFXV Team South Town DLC Release/Geese Howard Tomohiro Nakata Sketch
• 2021: ExplaMaytions with May! Episode 1 - What is Magic?
• 2021: Tough Love Arena 0.53.3 - 0.53.4 Change Log
• 2020: DBFZ Goku (Ultra Instinct) Launch Trailer
• 2019: GBVS Closed Beta Exhibition Match
• 2019: Guilty Gear 20th Anniversary Collection releasing at EU + Launch Trailer
• 2019: Kill la Kill If Story Mode Chapter 1 Movie Preview
• 2018: Blade Strangers - Liongate Gameplay Trailer
• 2018: BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle - Persona 4 Arena Highlight + Yang Gameplay - Distortions, Combos & Assists
• 2018: SCVI Yoshimitsu Reveal + Screenshots
• 2017: Injustice 2 releasing on PS4 & XB1 at AU.
• 2017: Tekken 7 - Character Trailer #2
• 2013: BlazBlue Anime Adaptation Announcement
• 2013: Skullgirls Beowulf Announcement
• 2013: UNIB 2013 May Q&A Corner
• 2012: PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Hades Brawl & Colorful Battle Videos
• 2010: BBCS 2nd PV Trailer
• 2008: SCVI Ashlotte Reveal
• 2005: Nintendo Wii Official Reveal at E3 2005
• Super Smash Bros. Brawl Announcement
• 2005: Spectral VS Generation originally releasing at arcades at JP
• 2001: Super Smash Bros. Melee Official Website Launch/IGN E3 Hands-On Impression & Gameplay #1, #2, #3

May 18

• 2023: Guilty Gear -Strive- Starter Guide - Asuka R♯
• 2023: Mortal Kombat 1 - Official Announcement Trailer
• 2023: KOFXV Sylvie Paula Paula Theme BGM Composer Statement
• 2023: Street Fighter 6: Days of the Eclipse #3: Manipulation Issue Release/14 Days Left Countdown Illustration
• 2021: ExplaMaytions with May! Episode 2 - Worldwide Development and Gears
• 2021: Fighting Game Glossary by Infilament originally launching
• 2021: KOFXV Ralf Jones & Clark Still Silhouette
• 2021: Skullgirls 2nd Encore 2021-05-18 Beta Mode Update
• 2021: Tough Love Arena 0.53.5 Change Log
• 2020: Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath - Official Friendships Trailer
• 2019: TFH Early Access Patch #19
• 2018: Blade Strangers - Curly Brace
• 2016: KOFXIV Team Gameplay Trailer #2 - Yagami
• 2012: Cartoon Network Punch Time Explosion XL releasing on the Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360 at EU.
• 2012: UNIB Waldstein SD Wallpaper
• 2011: BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II releasing at arcades at NA.

May 19

• 2023: Mortal Kombat 1 Kollector’s Edition Liu Kang Statue Preview
• 2023: SF6 13 Days Left Countdown Illustration
• 2022: DNF Duel｜Practice Mode
• 2022: KOFXV Team South Town Kou:G Illustration
• 2021: ExplaMaytions with May! Episode 3 - The Crusades
• 2021: KOFXV - Character Trailer #19-20 - Ralf Jones & Clark Still + Screenshots/Team Ikari Reveal
• 2021: Tough Love Arena 0.53.6 - 0.53.7 Change Log
• 2021: Umbrella Animation Stream with Persona! (May 19, 2021)
• 2017: Injustice 2 releasing on PS4 & XB1 at EU.
• 2017: Tekken 7 “No Glory For Heroes” English Story Trailer
• 2017: UNIST Home Information
• 2016: Killer Instinct (2013) Gargos Release Date Reveal/Gargos Ultra Combo & Montage, Gameplay Footage vs. Mira, Thunder & Tusk
• 2015: Street Fighter V - M. Bison Reveal Trailer
• 2015: Tekken 7 Jack-7 Release
• 2014: BB x BB Collaboration Beginning
• 2014: SSB4 5/19/14 Director’s Room Post
• 2013: Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- Announcement Trailer + Screenshots
• 2011: Dead or Alive: Dimensions originally releasing on the Nintendo 3DS at JP.
• 2010: BBCS Tager & Litchi Information
• 2005: IGN E3 2005: Shigeru Miyamoto Interview
• 2005: Vampire: Darkstalkers Collection originally releasing as a PS2 exclusive only in JP.
• 1998: Bio F.R.E.A.K.S. originally releasing on the Nintendo 64 at NA.

May 20

• 2023: SF6 12 Days Left Countdown Illustration
• 2021: Blazing Strike Publisher “Aksys Games” Reveal + Press Release
• 2021: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles Tanjiro Kamado (Hinokami Kagura) Reveal
• 2021: ExplaMaytions with May! Episode 4 - The Second Holy Order Selection Tournament
• 2021: Tough Love Arena 0.53.8 - 0.53.9 Change Log
• 2021: Virtua Fighter x eSports Official Announcement Live Stream Reveal
• 2020: Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath – RoboCop vs. Terminator Round 1 & Round 2 Gameplay Footage
• 2020: TFH Version 1.0.3 Patch Notes
• 2016: One Piece: Great Pirate Colosseum Announcement
• 2016: UNIB 5-20-16 Licht Kreis Information Division Corner
• 2015: M.Bison Makes His Return in SFV
• 2014: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle Vannila Ice, Pannacotta Fugo & Narciso Anasui DLC Release
• 2014: P4AU Ken Armada & Koromaru Reveal
• 2014: SSB4 5/20/14 Director’s Room Post - Assist Trophy Item Capsule Showcase
• 2014: USFIV PS4 Pre-Orders Beginning
• 2013: ASW 25th Anniversary Book Release Window Reveal + Festival Conclusion Message
• 2013: Injustice Gods Among Us v1.03 Patch Notes
• 2011: BBCS 3rd Patch Distribution
• 2011: Dead or Alive: Dimensions releasing on the Nintendo 3DS at EU.
• 2011: Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus releasing on Wii at EU.