Daily Macro View
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My main man Gary Farber at Hunt’s Photo has generously given me a $50 gift card, but I don’t need any more equipment, I’m all set. So I’m giving this card to whomever can convince me that they need it the most. Tell me your story on why you need it, and which ever story amuses me the most, will win the card. Sorry but only open to US residents. Just add your story in the comments. For those who haven’t commented before on my blog, there will be a delay until I approve it. Winner announced on Monday Sept 2nd.
https://www.huntsphotoandvideo.com/
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Mike Moats 
Stuff stuff stuff. I love photography stuff. When I attended your presentation at NANPA I bought a diffuser to help with my Macro photography. Then I attended your bootcamp and bought a set of reflectors. I follow your blogs and bought Topaz. So as you see it costs me a lot of money so I need the $50 gift card to pay for another fun thing to assist me in my journey of photography.
Sorry Mike, my answer is not humorous, but it is true. Reading your blog and following your tutorials makes me go out and buy stuff I never knew I wanted. Just a few weeks ago I bought a 12″ diffuser and reflector for my macro work. I have to say it really makes a difference. You have got me spending to get better photos.
Hello Mike
I am an amateur photographer, I ben learning a lot from you. I haven’t attend any of you seminars yet but I will love to.
I live in Malden Ma. a city about 8 miles north of Boston. I love art I know everything related to it is expensive It does not matter if you panting which I do since I was 9 years old or photographing. I love to explore and to challenge my self to go the extra mile on my art work.
Donating lots of my time for the Boston Church of Christ on witch I pretty much involved leading a group that we call The kids Club is a great joy. We offer lots of activities not only bible classes witch are the main focus but almost like the boys scout type a thing, for boys and girls from Kindergarten till fifth grade.
My wife and I are in charge of it, I admit if it wasn’t for her excellence, effort and creative ideas the Kids Club it won’t be the same.
I document all the activities by taking pictures making videos and at the end of the school year we organize a camp and do a graduation. All this is by working hard and getting donations by organizing tons of activities.
All of the Kids came from a low income families. All this at the end of the year is a great joy seen every body working hard and giving the best for the little ones. I can use a Hunts card to get some very basic gear like a photographer back pack that I do not have and that way may gear won’t be damage when we go out doors.
Thank you for having such a heart, and for taking the time for reading it
Best regards.
Juan Bautista.
Love reading your blog every morning, I have been taking a lot of pictures lately. The other day someone asked me what type of SD card I used, I told them I didn’t use them. They told me you have to, it’s like putting film in your camera. OOPS, I guess I better get some.
I put my camera in my car
And drove to the museum.
I met “Mike the Macro Man’
And it was good to see him.
I needed inspiration,
My images were lacking.
It was the draw of his workshop
that finally sent me packing.
He talked of lines and angles,
Of patterns and reflection,
It got me thinking creatively
It helped to have direction.
“Stop down the lens.” “Use time delay.”
were suggestions he would mention.
“You need a tripod to hold ‘er steady.
It’s a photog’s best invention!”
“Get on the floor, try looking up.”
“It can improve your composition.”
His gentle prods were humbly given
To help us meet our mission.
The day went fast, as did the next
We all got smarter quick!
We were so grateful for Mike’s help
To learn a tip or trick.
He taught us how to edit pix
Into creative works of art.
He did not force his style on us
It was more a la carte.
In the end, us photogs beamed
At how our skills had bettered.
We unleased our best potential.
Creativity unfettered.
So now here’s my advice to you
To get out of your rut
Sign up for Mike Moat’s workshops
Right now! Get off yer butt!
There’s one thing that I clearly missed,
A $50 gift card.
So why would so need it?
Oh, that won’t be hard.
See, these workshops inspire us
To creative inspiration
But sometimes better tools can help
when pursuing this vocation.
A camera bag, a light diffuser
can help me raise my game.
A tripod head? Now that’s the thing
to keep my pix from shame.
Tools are great, they have their place
to make a nicer picture.
But its the person –not the camera!!!
Let’s remember that now, mister!
I am a highschool student who only really got serious about my passion for photography last January when I started my own photo a day blog. Currently, I have a wishlist of a thousand things I want for my photography set-up, and the only thing I have so far is one camera. With the $50 I would buy a tripod first, as I feel that my photography really needs a leg – or three – up. In the long run I also want to buy a small lighting set up and a macro lens. My parents are very supportive of my creative ventures, but they seem to think that one camera is all the equipment I need to bring my visions to life. I, on the other hand, say the more the merrier.
Oh, man, Bill is totally cheating!! 😉 Clearly, I need the gift card worse than Bill, as I would use it to buy some type of popup flash diffuser so I can catch my indoor, low-light butterflies in action! Bill, on the other hand, would simply use it to buy more time to make more rhymes. He’s a wanna-be rapper, not a pap… per. I rest my case.
Oh Lori, you caught me!
I need the $50.00 gift card because my wife will not let me buy any more camera stuff!!. I am sure many others can relate. I am trying to reach out to my artist side of photography.
O.K, I’ve gone through Mike’s Macro Check List, packed my gear and I am off to the park for a morning shoot. This looks like a good spot, I’ll set up here. I think I will give my polarizing filter a try today. Oh, nuts, it’s cracked. Plus it is the wrong size for my macro lens. It’s a little windy, so I can use my Plamp to steady the flower. Oops! where did the end go? (Maybe I can wait for the wind to calm down.) Wow, it’s really sunny. I will use my diffuser to cut some of the glare from the sun. What the…? It’s full of holes. Oh, I remember, the kids were using it to play Frisbie with the dog. Allright, the sun is behind a cloud, the wind died down, I am focused, and ready with my remote release. Wait a minute, why is it not working? Oh, yeah, I took the battery out to replace it and forgot to put the new one in. Well, there is always the old manual way. Here we go, and…NOW WHAT? What is that flashing in the LCD screen? “WARNING! Can’t format memory card.” Oh, well. At least I got some exercise and some fresh air. When I get home, I’ll call Gary Farber at Hunt’s Photo and Vidio and get this stuff replaced before my next morning shoot.
We just moved to Alaska and it iis so beautiful and there is so many things I want to photograph and do in the year we r going to be here. I also realize I don’t have half the things I need to do this photography. My husband has an alert on his credit card so every time I go to the photography shop he gets home and says I see you went to Stewart’s photography. If I won this card I could actually buy something without my husband knowing lol. By the way look forward to opening email every day and seeing your posts
Short but simple answer Mike. Passionate about my photography with two daughters (and myself) in college. Essentially I’m gonna spend the next 30 years paying off three mortgages. Gear? What gear?
A long long time ago as a kid, yes a long time ago, I dreamed of being a Macro photographer shooting bugs, flowers, and tiny things, but woo no skills had I. Then I found Mike’s Boot Camp and was hooked. Learning about DOF, fstops, composition, and many other aspects of macro photography, I ventured forth, armed with my Boot Camp knowledge. So it was into my wife’s flower beds, hikes in the swamp, and bugs and flowers on my desk to shoot. I was hooked. But woo is me so many thing to shoot and trying it from every angle as I was taught, I found myself with a broken over used shutter button. Now Canon holds my camera hostage awaiting my payment for the repairs.
You ask why do I need the $50, to get my camera back and continue living the dream.
I have no kids, a good job, no health issues, no poems or passionate pleas to offer. I just keep buying more photo gear and I am in general a really greedy person. Gimme Gimme Gimme. 🙂 Actually, just kidding. Give it to one of people in the list like Juan or Sue or someone else who actually deserves it!
Well, Mike…I really need to get just a basic lens again for my Canon DSLR. I originally bought 2 Canon xSi’s; one for me and one for my daughter to use while taking pictures of my granddaughter. She carries her camera with her all the time in her purse/bag. Somehow, she managed to ruin it with dirt or something getting in the focusing ring. So I ended up giving her my lens like it. I usually use my 28-300 Tamron, but there are times when I’d really like to just have the basic 18-55 lens again for making it easier to carry, etc. I haven’t replaced it yet, because of the cost. Would really like to get some money towards it! Thanks.
What I would do with the $50 is put it towards Epson paper and ink to cover the portraits I will print of people in a nursing home near us.
Hi, my name is Kathy and I have an addiction. My friends and family don’t understand my addiction and sometime I don’t either. My addiction is photography equipment and I must have this $50.00 gift card. You see if I go too long without buying something to support my habit I start to get the chills, shake incessantly and mumble unintelligibly. Pretty soon I am on the floor in a ball crying my eyes out. Please, please, I must have this gift card to support my habit. You don’t mind being an enabler do you?
DUDE, I have a body, kit lens, and highhhhh ah ighhhhh hopes, high apple pie in the skyyyyyy ah ighhhhhh hopes. . .’NUFF SAID. PS . . . and a dream
here’s a little ditty,
but it ain’t very pretty
bout a friend of mine
trying to take some time
to document beauty
cause her current life duty
is to care for her lover
fighting hard to conquer
the curse of cancer
she’s his strong anchor
in this awful life storm
That ditty stinks I know.
But I would like to give this to a friend of mine who is the primary caregiver of a cancer patient.
She has recently taken up photography to remind herself to look for beauty, as it refreshes the heart.