The original camera battery that came with my Canon Digital Rebel was starting to lose the ability to hold a full charge. I tried to squeeze every last drop out of the battery by constantly taking it out of the camera and holding it in my hand but even after this desperate measure it still would only last for about 20 minutes. So the first place I turned to find a new battery was eBay which has a wide range of BP-511 generic batteries to choose from. The prices were so good I ended up winning an auction for two batteries at the final price of $15.00, including shipping. Normally a single original Canon battery would go for $35.00 but I was willing to take the risk of going with a generic.

After a couple weeks of testing, the batteries are working great. They hold a charge for many photo sessions now and I can focus on taking more shots instead of worrying about how much juice I have left. Everything was great until I got to the point where I needed to take it out of my camera. The Digital Rebel has an orange latch that holds the battery snug and in place. When I would release the latch with the old battery, it would pop right up so I could grab hold of it and lift it out. These generic batteries are heavier than the original so when I released the latch the battery just sat there like a rock. It took me 15 minutes and a bobby pin to pry the thing out of my camera. This would not do if I were out shooting so I devised a quick fix.

Using regular scotch tape, I stretched out a piece and folded over the top of the tape back onto itself to make a firm loop. Next, I proceeded to cut the strip of tape in half vertically so I had two, long skinny strips with loops on the end. With the battery warning sticker as a guide, I pressed the two pieces of tape firmly in the groove leaving the loops hanging over the edge of the top of the battery. What I have left with is this…

Now I can easily hoist my batteries out of the camera turning a former deal-breaker trait into only a slight inconvenience. It still takes a little fiddling to pull the battery out but at least I don’t need to wiggle a bobby pin around the battery compartment. And the best part is they don’t get in the way of charging or using the battery. These knock-offs are totally worth the initial risk of going generic.

Gas or a typical frat party?

Tonight Kristina and I went to a Bladensburg 7-11 which is one of a select few that have been converted into a Kwik-E-Mart. It was fun seeing the popular fictional brands as live products such as Buzz Cola and Squishees. The Simpsons convenience store facade was a big hit as there were people coming in taking pictures the whole time we were there. I managed to take a couple picture myself.

See the rest of the gallery

Other highlights of the trip included randomly seeing an old friend from college who happened to stop by the store after work and getting a banana Squishee. We also stocked up on Krusty-Os and Buzz Cola for later treats. Yummm! If you want to see a Kwik-E-Mart store near you then you better hurry because as of Saturday, July 28th, all of the stores wil revert back to plain old 7-11s.

I have tickets to see The Simpsons Movie tomorrow night after work and afterwards I will post my review for Simpsons Extravaganza Pt.2.

… in a yellow jumpsuit no less. Bravo!

(via My Dark Lord Chris)

This morning while getting ready for work I noticed a good size spider hanging out on the door trim right next to my head. Most people would freak out and begin to smash the creepy-crawler into oblivion, but I decided to take some photos.

After his photoshoot I took the little guy outside where he belongs. I think it is time to get a macro lens for my Canon Digital Rebel.

On June 21st I took a trip to Kings Dominion with my girlfriend Kristina, good friend Katie and her family. You couldn’t ask for a more perfect day to go to an amusement park with beautiful weather and hardly any crowd. We managed to tackle most of the big rides and the water park — unthinkable on a weekend.

The highlight of the trip was the Hypersonic XLC which goes from 0-80 mph in 1.8 seconds before heading straight up, then over, and down a huge bump before finishing out by winding around several bends. It is a quick ride, but boy does it pump some adrenaline through your blood.

The Drop Zone stunt tower was equally unnerving especially since they wait a few moments before releasing you at the top, 305 feet above the ground. This Google video gives a pretty good impression of what the ride is like as a passenger.

What may be as equally unnerving as waiting at the top is the fact that a Kentucky girl lost both her feet when a ride similar to the Drop Zone malfunctioned that very same day at a Six Flags. I had no idea this happened until I got home but that explains why they closed the ride early after we went back at the end of the day for one final scare.

Luckily there were no accidents where we were and everyone came away with just as many limbs as they came in with. The only thing we probably lost the whole day was a gallon of sweat from all of the gut-wrenching, scary rides we went on all day. It was fun.

See more pictures taken from atop the replica Eiffel Tower.

Unlike the rain-soaked DC Filipino Festival that took place last weekend, the Towson Filipino Festival was bright and sunny. Because of the weather the turnout was far greater than the DC one which provided a lot of great opportunities for photos.

My girlfriend and the University of Maryland Filipino Cultural Association performing a dance.

A tiny Filipino girl in authentic Filipino wear.

Lots of Filipino food around.

The youth even get in on performing.


Street scene from the festival.

Such a large turn out.

While still a small festival, the Towson Filipino Festival was a lot of fun. We were there for only a short amount of time but look forward to going again next year.

See more pictures from the festival.

Photo Info
Camera: Canon Digital Rebel
Lenses: 70-300mm Sigma & 50mm Canon
All shots hand held.