The New SnapFactory site is up…

Last year I decided to start teaching photography courses. After I sent out an e-mailthe response was overwhelming. So I threw together a couple of web pages and uploadedthem. The pages were ugly but good enough. This spring a local newspaper ran a littlestory about the classes and we’ve been swamped with requests ever since.

Even though we’ve been getting steady inquiries I just haven’t had time to fix thoseugly pages. Well this week I decided I’d do some house cleaning. I finally createda new style sheet and revamped the site. About two days into the project my hard drivedecided to die. I’ve been nursing my computer through constant crashes (hardware failure).Work a little, crash, reboot, repeat. It’s been frustrating.

But I’m finally finished. The site is missing the video and flash animations I wasplanning on adding. With all of the crashing my registry is hosed and I can’t launchFlash 8. It looks like I’m going to have to put in a new hard drive and reinstallmy operating system and all of my applications.

Luckily I have backups of all my data. A couple friends of mine had hard drive crasheslast year and I decided to invest in an external backup system. I’m so glad I did.No data loss. Woo hoo!

It’s late and I need to go to bed. Click hereif you’d like to see the new site.

Posted by admin Posted in: Photography No Comments » March 2006

ShutterStock

For those of you photographers out there who’d like to make a little extra cash,check out ShutterStock.  You can upload your photos and they will sell them foryou.  It costs you nothing.  I uploaded a bunch of stuff that was not highenough resolution for my normal stock agency, much to my surprise I had sales thevery first day.  Who knew?

Click Here to Submit Photos toShutterStock and make $$$!

Posted by admin Posted in: Photography No Comments » March 2006

Technology fatigue

OK, I know I haven’t updated my blog in a while. I guess I needed a break. It seems that I’m in a constant struggle with web sites, PDA’s, cell phones, my laptop, remote controls, DVD player, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I love that stuff but it does get to be tiring after a while. It’s sort of like the relationship between men and women. We love each other but sometimes we have to take a break or we’ll go nuts.

Is it just me or are there other people out there that are getting some technology fatigue? It seems that 90% of all my interaction with friends and family is through e-mail, instant messaging, blogs, photoblogs, or text messaging on my phone. I don’t actually interact with anyone anymore. It’s wonderful to have this technology to stay in touch with friends who are all over the world, but sometimes it’s nice to just hang out.

But even hanging out seems to be technology centered. We watch movies on the big DLP flat screen with DTS sound pumping through the speakers, maybe it’s hooking up computers to a network so we can shoot each in the game Counter Strike. Sometimes the fun is going to Fry’s Electronics - a techno toy super store.

Even conversations tend to revolve around technology; check out my new 16 megapixel digital camera. How do I work this new cel phone? Have you seen my new Zen Vision:M? And my favorite time waster - Google Earth! Have you seen that, it’s awesome!

Technology has even invaded (or improved) our spiritual lives. Every church now hasa super duper sound system, video projector or two, theater lighting, blogs, web sites, videos, instant CD of the sermon, WiFi on the campus, etc.  If Jesus was walking around today he’d have to have a Blackberry and he’d blog the Sermon OnThe Mount so everyone would be able to comment.

Well now you know why it’s been a while.  I just needed a break from one more techno responsibility.  But the break is over and I’m back to blogging. Have I told you about my new MP3 Player…?

Posted by Mark Wallace Posted in: Random Stuff No Comments » March 2006