CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2012-03-07 07:54:19 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

New blog post out on epfdp: Road trip to Musandam. More storefronts than you can shake a stick at, a burnt car in the middle of the mountains and a helicopter shell. And storefronts, did i mention storefronts?

2012-03-01 06:31:57 (0 comments, 3 reshares, 12 +1s)

Some photos from Liwa Oasis.
Full blog post over at http://www.epfdp.net/2012/03/01/liwa-forts/ and http://www.epfdp.net/2012/02/29/the-liwa-dunes/ where you can even find the GPS coordinates for these little marvels.

#UAE #Liwa #Desert

2012-03-01 06:28:31 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

2012-03-01 06:28:25 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

2012-03-01 06:28:24 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

2012-03-01 06:27:10 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

2012-03-01 06:27:05 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

2012-03-01 06:27:01 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

2012-03-01 06:27:01 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

2012-01-22 07:23:48 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

A neat idea!

2012-01-22 03:06:15 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

Project P52 - Week 4: Up
Of course, this was a no brainer - the highest tower in the world, for the theme "Up" ... Yes I could've put in a bit more thought into it, but i'm actually quite proud of the picture. It's a combination panoramic (4 shots) and HDR (5 exposures for each shot) and I'm really happy how it turned out.

Thanks to +David Nightingale 's HDR crash course for getting me out of the 3 exposure rut ;-)

+GPLUS::P52::2012
+Project52-2012

#2012Project52

2012-01-22 03:02:35 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 10 +1s)

Project 52 2012

2012-01-20 04:59:16 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Via io9 today, a beautiful gallery of underwater pictures from Marine Zoologist +Semenov Alexander . He hasn't posted anything yet on google +, but his pics are just mind blowing.

HT to io9.com

2012-01-17 03:47:07 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

OK, so let's try that again (using the right URL this time) ...

I've just launched our new Photography and post-production blog and would really appreciate some feedback on my first post (in the comments on the blog rather than here) as I'm scheduling the topics I'm going to be writing about over the next few months. It would be great to get your input.

2012-01-22 03:07:16 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 10 +1s)

GPLUS P52 Project - Week 2 Rule of Thirds

One day I'll get the handle of this time zone thing ...
Anyway, here's the subject for today
The wonderful beach view from my compound, with the industrial port in the background.


+Project52-2012
+GPLUS::P52::2012

#2012project52

2012-01-22 03:00:50 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

New years soup

2012-01-11 02:38:14 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

2012-01-22 03:07:53 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

Inside Al Ain Oasis
Here in Abu Dhabi, there are no real differences between the seasons. It's a bit cooler (you can actually stand outside without being instantly dehydrated...) but it's still the desert --- except for the oases, which are greener.

Week 2 photograph for +GPLUS::P52::2012 +Project52-2012 #2012project52
Theme Winter/Summer.

2012-01-22 03:08:07 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

New Year's day at a japanese restaurant nearby.
Ō-zoni soup

iPhone pic.

+GPLUS::P52::2012
+Project52-2012
#2012PROJECT52

2012-01-01 02:51:53 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 7 +1s)

My Project 52 2012 album : a photo a week for a whole year.

2012-01-01 02:40:42 (11 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Happy 2012 to all

2011-12-30 20:59:25 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Wax Tailor earlier in December. Only 50 people in the crowd. If only the Alliance Française knew how to market that kind of stuff a little bit better.
Nice moment, though. Didn't really know his music before ... and really, really close access to the stage for the pictures!

2011-12-16 04:14:48 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

So the iPhone 4s is finally available in the UAE. I was wondering how they could screw this one up: well it seems that simple "order processing" is taking forever. As in, it's been an hour and they've charged my credit card, but they haven't even acknowledged the order .... I can see this being fun.
Also, a subsidised handset at etisalat is more expensive than through the apple store? What gives.

2011-12-11 12:02:23 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

When I was a young intern, I spent 3 months in Japan. Midway through my stay, our then prime minister, Edith Cresson, described the Japanese as "ants who stay up at night finding ways to screw Europeans" (I quote from memory. Wikipedia is your friend). I spent the last month of my internship explaining to slightly puzzled Japanese that no, all French people don't think that. (If you've ever been to Japan, you'll realize that a Japanese asking you this question in a very polite and reserved tone is the equivalent of a Frenchman shouting at the top of his lungs that he's going to kill you for this insult)

Cue many years later. As an expat in the UAE, Bahrain and the GCC. Now it goes both ways. I have to explain to my local friends that no, the French are not all fundamentally anti-muslim. That actually France, and Europe, are much more diverse than they may realize. And of... more »

2011-12-10 03:41:38 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

Camel sleeping with a Labrador Dog - cute and good quality

2011-12-10 03:32:17 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

For the National Day festivities, my work organized a little get together - some song and dance in the amphitheater, then a parade in the street in front of our office, and finally some food.

I'm very impressed by the patriotic fervor shown by Emiratis: it's a bit over the top, and some of the artistic choices (on cars especially) are ... questionable, but there is no disputing the enthusiasm they have to celebrate their history and realizations. More importantly, it doesn't seem fabricated by the state or for commercial purposes. People are genuinely proud of where their country has gone in the past 40 years. And frankly, even though the cynic in me wants to dispute some of the more outlandish claims, you have to be taken in by the refreshing enthusiasm.

So good luck to them on the next 40 years!

2011-12-10 03:18:57 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Abu Dhabi National Day 2011

2011-12-08 12:32:33 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

Two towers being built on the eastern ring road in Abu Dhabi...

#BTLCritique, #critiquepls

2011-12-03 12:37:45 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

2011-12-03 12:33:50 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 3 +1s)

2011-12-03 12:29:55 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2011-12-03 12:28:05 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2011-10-25 19:48:50 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

*How do albums work"
Adding to my Abu Dhabi Demolition pictures - i had to convert "post" photos into an actual picasa album, but lost all comments and +1's on it...Maddening.
Am I doing something wrong?
Of course, #BTLcritique #critiquepls

2011-10-25 03:42:55 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Abu Dhabi Official Buildings ...
#BTLcritique #critiquepls

With the progressive reopening of one of the main arteries of Abu Dhabi, I can finally get nice pictures of the iconic "soviet style" Municipality building ... Here's one (handheld shot, HDR, 7 exposures ...)

2011-10-25 03:42:16 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

Abu Dhabi buildings

2011-10-25 02:08:53 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

NO Construction ...
A new Novotel is under construction near my son's school... They seem to be waiting for the rest of the sign for the past two weeks ... classic.

2011-10-24 05:50:16 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

start with a color one...Long exposure gives something dreamy ..

2011-10-24 02:47:19 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Did google change the way we can view circles, or am I going crazy?

I thought I could view the people who followed me but who were not in my circles. But now I can't ...
Am I missing something obvious?

2011-10-23 15:41:24 (11 comments, 2 reshares, 3 +1s)

Some more pictures of my neighborhood
#BTLcritique #critiquepls

Following the pictures of the demolition in my neighborhood, a completely different treatment ....

2011-10-22 19:23:12 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

#BTLcritique
Yet another view of ruins in Jordan. If you look at the lot (and the ones in my Portfolio album) you'll notice i've been heavy handed with the Topaz Adjust filter ... I'm slowly weaning myself, but oh those textures.

2011-10-17 10:58:06 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Sorry to people who have circled me in the last few days ... encountering the "Cannot Circle" error.
Wait 'till it's fixed.

2011-10-15 19:36:30 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

*Want To See the Magic Of Google Plus*?

Follow these simple 3 Steps... anyone who actually does this can not EVER say Google plus is dead... or "I don't get it".. I dare ya.

1) Circle at least 25 People. These will probably be people you don't know. Get Over that. Suggested users no good? Type whatever search word you are interested in, in that lovely "search google+" box at the top there. Circle at least 25 people up.. but more is obviously better. 100 is golden.

2) Make sure you have a Profile photo, something in your about me section and make at LEAST 1 public post... Go do it. Right now.

3) The most important step - Go through your stream and write a comment of some kind on every single post that you even kind of, sort of find interesting. Try and do something better that "lol" or "yeah" but honestly... more »

2011-10-10 04:39:25 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

(Maybe it’s one of my less than stellar ideas, but it could work... please share this post if you think it will.)

Do YOU want serious feedback about your photos?

Just think about all the combined creative power of some of the best professional and amateur photographers on the planet that is available right here on Google+. What if they knew that you are interested in some serious and constructive feedback about your photos?

How about a hashtag to mark those pictures with? I present to you: #critiquepls. It stands for CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM OR COMPLIMENTS PLEASE. What does it do? Well, if you add the hashtag #critiquepls to a photo in a public post, it means that your picture is now marked as “Open for Critique”.

In order to make this work, we need a LOT of people on board. Not only people posting pictures, but also people willingto co... more »

2011-10-10 02:07:20 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Yet another photo from the Al Dhafra festival. Only after coming back home did I realize there's an "Automatic Jockey" on the back of the camel.
I think those little machines where introduced to replace the little kids who where traditionally riding the camels into the race: less dangerous, and less potential for bad press ... All they do is wind up the little arm you see on the right. It then turns continuously during the race, hitting the camel at every turn. Fascinating insight into camel psychology, I guess ...

As usual, #pleasecritique

2011-10-09 11:56:58 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

Hi folks :O))

Do you use a Canon 7D camera too? I just created a list so we could find each other :O) http://gpc.fm/l/canon7d.

Please feel free to add yourself ~ Password is 7d, password is not secret if you know anyone else who uses the camera.

Cheers Heidi

2011-10-09 08:31:51 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Hi everyone,
Please give me an honest Critique/comment about my pictures,I'm learning here and I will really appreciate all your words :)
Kind Regards,
Helminadia

2011-10-08 18:36:05 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

See Me, She Whispered.

2011-10-08 12:09:41 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

Sorry, had to upload again. Seems I messed up the exposure. So :

Another sunset shot from the Al Dhafra festival. This one is PP using Nik HDREffects. I kind of like the gritty feel that comes out of it, much like I remember feeling at the time, after driving 3 hours, getting lost, to finally only get there as everything was wrapping up.

As usual, comments and critiques welcome

2011-10-08 12:05:36 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Abu Dhabi life

2011-10-08 11:51:43 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 0 +1s)

Great Google Update... you can finally control who can send you notifications!

Cut down your notification spam by going to https://plus.google.com/settings/plus

Enjoy!