Tag: Passion

Photographing Scale Models

We have all seen crappy photos of breathtaking models and wished they put the same effort in taking photos as they did in to building their masterpieces. From poorly lit images, distracting backgrounds to badly composed shots. Photographing scale models is essentially Macro photography. Which requires having an understanding of how to control your depth of field while shooting close to your subject. And like every creative craft, photography is a learned skill. I’m going to share my process of photographing models that I’ve used over the years that may help you get better results photographing your models using a DSLR or a point & shoot camera. It doesn’t matter what scale you build or if you build cars, armor, ships or aircraft, all the techniques are going to work the same.

Disclaimer: This tutorial is not the only way to photograph scale models. This may or may not work well with you.

There are three things I want to clarify before we get started. First, this tutorial will focus on giving you a better understanding of the photo process, it is not to speed it up. As well as this is not for someone who is submitting images to a publication. This is to help the everyday modeler take better photographs of his or her models to share online.

Another thing is the time frame of photographing your model. This is not a 5 minute job. Just like building models, If you rush it your results will be shit. You’re going to have to take your time with this process. It could be two or three hours.

And the last point is cost. This is not a cheap and easy way to photograph your models. Nor is it going to be expensive. But there will be a few items you will need if you’re to complete this tutorial.

Let’s start with a brief discussion about the pros and cons of DSLR’s, point & shoot cameras and why not to use your mobile device. Some types of cameras outperform others and the old saying “You get what you pay for” holds true in photography. But if you know your camera’s limitations and work within them, you can capture some quality images.

Digital single lens reflex (DSLR) and Mirrorless DSLR offers the greatest control over the look of your photos along with having better image quality. They have the ability to switch lenses unlike point and shoot cameras. But it comes with a steep price and a higher learning curve.

Point & shoot cameras(P&S) are compact and user-friendly cameras. They offer similar features like their more expensive siblings. But have simplified controls along with the inability to change lenses.

Mobile devices have come a long way from a few years ago but the major drawback is that they lack control. You can not select your aperture, shutter speed, ISO… anything to control the look of your image.

But before we continue, there are some basic photography terminology you must know and understand. Don’t be intimidated with these new terms, it’s just part of the learning process.

Aperture is the opening in the lens that lets light pass through and enter the camera. It is measured in f-stops. Here’s where it gets weird, the larger the f-stop, the smaller the number. For example, f/1.8 is a large f-stop and f/22 is a small one. The aperture also controls the depth of field in your image. More about that below.

aperture graphic

Shutter allows light to pass through the lens in a time frame. Shutter speeds are measured in fractions of a second. Example, 1/500th, 1/400th, 1/320th.

ISO is how sensitive your camera’s sensor is to light. For example, an ISO of 100 means the sensor isn’t very sensitive. And at ISO 3200 is more sensitive. The trade off is at high ISO the grainier the image.

Depth of Field (DOF) is the area in front and behind the focal point that’s in focus. Controlled by the aperture, the larger the f-stop like F/2.8, the shallower your DOF. And with a smaller f-stop like F/11, the larger your DOF. And the closer you are to your subject, your DOF gets compressed. Meaning if you focused on something about 12 inches away @ f/2.8, your DOF will be very shallow, like an inch or less. But if you focused on something 100 ft away, your DOF will be measured in feet and not inches.

Exposure is simply how light or dark your image is. Which is determine by a combination of aperture, shutter and ISO.

Exposure Compensation allows you to override the exposure selected by the camera’s light meter, in order to darken or brighten your image. Have you ever taken a picture of something and the photo turned out too dark or light? It’s because the cameras light meter sees things differently then we do. For example, if you focus on something that is white, the camera sees it as super bright and wants to select the fastest shutter speed it can. Resulting in an underexposed image that is dark overall. This is due to there was not enough light getting to the sensor during the extremely short time the shutter was open. And the opposite happens with dark subjects, the camera wants to select a longer shutter speed. Making the image look too bright and washed out due to too much light reaching the sensor.

exposure-3

Below is an example of using exposure compensation. The first image was shot with no compensation and looks a bit dark. The second is a full stop under(-1) which is way too dark. And the last is a full stop over(+1).

no compensation
-1 stop
+1 stop

White Balance is the color temperature in your image. Setting it can be frustrating and tricky. Even I, a seasoned photographer doesn’t like playing around with it.

Auto focus points: Your camera has multiple auto focus points to select what is to be in focus. If you’re using a DSLR or P&S camera, you’re going to have to know how to select and change the auto focus points. Look in your camera’s manual to learn how. And if you don’t have or lost it, check Google for an online manual.

File type: For sharing images on social media and various online sites, you do not need the complexity of shooting and processing a RAW file. For this tutorial as well as to simplify things, Jpeg will do fine.

If you’re new to photography, I know that this is a lot to digest. But the more you know and understand the terminology associated with photography, the better off you will be. There are a bunch of informative sites out there to further help your understanding. Remember, Google and YouTube are your know it all friends.

Let’s get into what you’re going to need for your photo shoot.

Camera: If you have a DSLR, Mirrorless DSLR or a point and shoot, the process are pretty much the same. Don’t try this with your mobile device.

My Sony ZV-1
My Canon 7D MKII with 17-85mm and 100mm Macro

Lense: You don’t need a super expensive lense to photograph scale models. Most kit lenses that comes with DSLRs will do fine. You don’t want to use a wide angle lense because they tend to distort the perspective and produce unnatural looking images.

Tripod: If you don’t have one, it’s time to get one. They come in all shapes and sizes. Search your favorite online store for “small tripod” and find one that is in your price range. My only advice is don’t get a flexible/bendable leg tripod. The ones that look like insect legs.

Backgrounds: Just like your kits, don’t be cheap. Do not use a bed sheet, driveway or sidewalk. What you want is a smooth seamless solid color material that is larger than your model. Preferably neutral colors such as tans and grays.

Background paper
Canson Mi-Teintes Art paper

I have two different methods for setting up backgrounds. The simpler way is to use any large flat surface. Such as a big piece of foam core or a large tabletop so when I zoom in and tilt my camera downwards, it fills the frame. This does require more space but it’s super easy. The only drawback is you can only shoot the model so low before you start to reveal the lack of a vertical background. But you can get around this by having a solid color surface such as a wall close to it.

The other method uses a wall to hold up your background with a few pieces of tape. Let whatever material you’re using naturally curve from the wall to the surface your model is on. This will create a seamless and clutter free backdrop behind your model. This setup allows you to place your camera as low as you want.

Set up two
Image from Set up two

Shutter Release: An essential tool to remotely fire the shutter without touching or disturbing the camera.

Self-Timer function: If you don’t have a shutter release, the self timer is the next best thing. Most DSLRs and P&S cameras have some form of a timer feature. Turn to your manual to how to access it.

Photo editing software: If it’s Photoshop, Lightroom, GIMP or whatever program, you should have a basic understanding of the program to edit your images. I suggest searching on Google and YouTube to find informative tutorials. If you do not have any editing software, look here for an available free program.

https://www.techradar.com/best/free-photo-editor

Another editing option is to do it on a tablet or iPad. Adobe Lightroom is available on iPad as well as Photoshop Express Photo Editor.

Now that we gone over some new vocabulary along with gathering our photographic supplies, it’s time to shoot right?! Not yet. Before we start taking pictures, we must set up the photo shoot.

Photo shoot setup

You probably noticed that “lighting” is not included in the list of things needed. This is because the Sun will provide all the light you will need. Moreover, using sunlight as our light source means we do not have to deal with setting up multiple light sources. I suggest shooting on a sunny day over a cloudy one. Also, using the Sun as our light source make selecting our white balance simple.

We are going to set up our photo shoot near or in front of a window but not in direct sunlight. Shooting in direct sunlight will cause the highlights on your model to be too bright along with the shadows too dark. I often set up my photo shoot on a wall that is 90 degrees from the light source window. I’ll use a large table and sometimes even use the floor for my shooting area. Make sure you have plenty of space to move your model in various positions along with room to move your camera around the photo shoot.

Photo shoot set up

As I discussed earlier, I have two ways to set up backgrounds. Whatever method you’re going to use, make sure it’s larger than your model so that it fills the frame. It’s time to move on to setting up the camera.

Camera setting

  • Firmly attach your camera to your tripod.
  • Turn ON your camera.
  • Take lens cap OFF.
  • Make sure auto focus is ON.
  • Turn the flash OFF. There is no need to introduce a new light source. Plus, using the flash at such close range, will produce harsh, unnatural and distracting shadows.
  • Plug in shutter release or switch to timer.
  • Select “Aperture priority”. On most cameras it is labeled “A” or “AV”. Then select a F-stop somewhere in between f/10 to f/16. I can’t tell you the perfect F-stop that will have the best depth of field for your model. You’re going to have to shoot, check your depth of field and adjust accordingly. If your depth of field is too shallow, change it to a smaller F-stop (larger number), reshoot and review.
  • Select an ISO in between 100 and 200 to reduce the digital noise.
  • If your P&S has a Macro setting, make sure to switch to it.
  • Set your White balance to “Auto” or “Sunny”.
  • File type, Select the largest and finest Jpeg.

Now that we have our background and camera set up, now it’s time to start taking pictures. It’s not as simple as placing your model in front of the background and start snapping photos. There are a few things we must consider as we take photos.

Photo process

• While looking through the viewfinder or rear display screen, look around the model to make sure the background fills the frame. Make sure all you see is the background color.

• Select and change the auto focus point to the most logical area of interest on the model. Such as the cockpit of an aircraft, the turret of a tank, the bridge of a ship, eyes of a figure…

• While the shutter is open, do not touch the camera, tripod or the table your model is on to ensure it remains completely motionless. The shutter is going to be long. Don’t worry. This is not action photography with lightning fast shutter speeds. Let the camera do its thing and wait to see the results.

• After the shutter closes, review the image. Is the image in focus and sharp? If not, reshoot it and make sure you don’t move the camera, tripod or your model.

• Is the depth of field covering the whole model? If not, change to a smaller F-stop (larger number)

• When you’re reviewing the image on the rear LCD screen, ask yourself “Do I like this shot?” If not, recompose and reshoot until you’re happy. Remember, the number of photos you can take is only limited to the size of your memory card. So, take as many as you like.

• If your image is too dark, you’re going to want to overcompensate to get a proper exposure. Start at +1/3, shoot and review. If it’s still dark, compensate some more until it looks right. And do the opposite when your image is too light.

Basic shots

If you struggle with the artistic part of photography, don’t stress. Let’s go over a few basic shots to help you show off your model. Here’s a few shots to try.

Three quarter front

Three quarter rear

Sides

Underside

Three-quarter front
Three-quarter rear
Side view
Bottom

Don’t be afraid to play around and try something different. Move around the model and when you see something that catches your eye, place your camera in the same location as where you saw it and take a picture. Review the image to see if it matches the image in your minds eye. If not, zoom in or out, get higher or lower, move left or right… shoot and review until you feel you got the shot you were looking for.

Detail shots

With the basic shots out of the way, it’s time to capture all those wonderful little details. Something you should be aware of for both DSLRs and P&S cameras, are focus limits. All lenses have a minimum distance it can focus in on something. Meaning if you’re too close to your model and try to focus the lens, the auto focus will hunt around and not “lock on”. If this happens, just move the camera a couple of inches away from your model and retry. Here’s a few ideas for detail shots.

Weapons

Wheels and landing gear

Head and taillights

Flight controls

Intakes, engines and nozzles

Cockpit of aircraft, bridge of a ship, turret of a tank, face of a figure, grill of a car…

Panel lines and markings

Keep your background and model in place while you review your photos. So, if there is a photo that didn’t turn out the way you liked, you can easily reshoot it. While reviewing your images, check the depth of field, sharpness of the photo and overall aesthetics. Once you’re happy with your images, take down your background and put your model away.

Sorting your images to share

Now that your photo shoot is over, it’s time to download your images to your PC or whatever device you’re going to use to edit them. Selecting what images to share and what not to share can be frustrating. You want to select photos that highlight the features of your model. Maybe it’s the paint job or weathering, some custom or scratch-built item. It’s those things you want to concentrate on. And on the flip side of that, you don’t want to flood your viewers with a ton images that’s very similar. It’s a balancing act for sure. Below is a link to my sorting process which I developed over the years and can help you with the pain of sorting.

https://anadventureinawesome.com/2020/03/26/the-pain-of-sorting/

Too many similar images
Just enough

Post Process

Post process is where we are going to edit our images with photo editing software. If it’s photoshop, Lightroom or even GIMP, the task should be the same. How you achieve them will vary from program to program. Removing dust spots, leveling the image, adjusting exposure, resizing and resharpening are the things you want to accomplish. If you do not know how to do these tasks, again Google and YouTube are your know it all friends.

Again, this is not the only way to photograph scale models. This is just a process I’ve developed and use successfully for years. And you can see my results on my website. Every image was shot using this natural light process. Remember, have fun and keep learning new stuff about photography and your gear.

Until next time,

Steven

2020 Year Review

First off, I hope you and your loved ones are safe, healthy and continue to be into 2021. This year has been a complete dumpster fire, and this post is not about the historic gut-wrenching events that shaped it. But it will be about how my creativity was affected by the well fueled Inferno. And how my passions help me to keep my mind occupied and stay in a positive place during these trying times.

Like many, I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions. But having some yearly goals is more my taste. I feel they are not set in stone and I can change or adapt them as the year goes on. And at the beginning of 2020, my goals were…

  • To travel more.
  • To write more and continue to develop my writing style.
  • To get a pocket-size camera.
  • And to keep building from imagination and not reality

I started 2020 in Japan with my sister and her family. And after such an unbelievable journey, I was enthusiastic about traveling along with blogging again. So, I started planning adventures for the coming year. Starting with in February for my birthday, I headed to the desert southwest of Arizona and I finally got to see the dream like colors and fluid shapes of Antelope Canyon. Then in April, I was to travel to the Pacific Northwest to see Crater Lake along with the giant coastal Redwoods. But in March, the dangers of COVID-19 were real, and the world stopped. And like so many others, I started my time in quarantine.

Being a creative individual, I didn’t have a shortage of projects to work on. Very early in quarantine, I started and maintained a daily routine that kept me busy and productive. It started every night before bed, I would write down things I would like to accomplish the next day. At first it was easy but as time pass by and I finished up projects, my “To do” list started to shrink, and I had to adapted it to help maintaining my peace of mind. Like how to stay informed on events of 2020 but not damage my peace. And start to recognize and cope with things that eroded my fragile tranquility.

My routine was so effective, there were days that I would overwhelm myself trying to accomplish too many things. And it would turn my productivity into frustration. Fortunately, I have come to notice it when it happens. I must stop what I’m doing and change my pace to let my mind and emotions settle. Catch up on shows, cook some of my favorite foods, Zoom with friends…anything other than keep fighting my frustrations. And when I feel like being creative again, I didn’t try to do a thousand things in one day. It was OK not to cross out everything on my daily list. And what I didn’t finish today, I’m fine with letting it carryover into tomorrow.

IMG_7069

Due to my lack of traveling and personal adventures, I worried that I would not have anything to write about being a travel blogger. But that wasn’t the case. I discovered that I didn’t have to make my way painfully through the TSA to write new post. This year I managed to develop, write, edit and post an astounding 20 times after my Antelope Canyon trip. Far more than last year.

The Pain of Sorting
Aesthetics
Bored and in Lock-down? How to keep yourself occupied
The Importance of Post Process
Detroit’s island Getaway
What does photography mean to You?
A Study in Color
Elements of Art in Photography
New site announcement
Memorial Day- Photo essay
The Story Behind an Image, Part 5
Aviation Expo 2020
The Truth
Banners of Change
Common mistakes made in Aviation Photography
The Right Massage
How I shoot with intent: Setting some personal goals
Stay informed and keep your mental health: How I watch the News
Photographing more Consistently: Having a Shooting Routine
Fall Color with my new little Sony

Looking over my list of post, I can remember with vibrant clarity my inspirations and motivations behind each of them. The wrestling with different ideas and how to express them with my writing voice. Along with the endless hours of searching through my photo archive for the right images to show. Some were ideas I had for some time and finally got the time to properly complete them. And others were spontaneously developed from something I had seen or read and wanted to share my opinion about it. But I surprised the shit out of myself that I came up with so much new content with such a wide range of topics while working on my other passions.

Speaking of other passions, I completed a new series of Airbus A319’s based on imagination rather than reality. From a retro Eastern Airline scheme to a NOAA hurricane hunter. I’ve been photoshopping for over 20 years and I’m always willing to learn something new. And having the time and money, it was a no-brainer to start taking online classes. I join Skillshare and took advantage of my time away from work. Taking courses from creative writing, leadership skills to new techniques in photoshop and illustrator. Your never too old to learn something new.

USN VQ 2 EP A319

One creative writing course I took, the instructor used Instagram as a platform to write and share stories. This idea resonated with me and I wanted to give Instagram another try. A few years ago, I had an account and to be honest, I didn’t understand the nature of the platform. Like how to use hashtags, what to share and really lack the patients and knowledge to let my account grow.

So, I started a new account with the idea to reach out to a possible new audience for my blog as well as share images of the things I love doing. And again, I found myself getting annoyed and frustrated with the slow pace of how my account was growing. This was due to what I was sharing, images from my adventures, my aviation profiles along with photos of my modeling projects on the same account. Three totally different audiences and once I separated them into different accounts and began posting consistently, that’s when they started to get some noticeable traction.

2020 Top Nine

Of my three accounts, @adventuresinawesome is the least successful. My post to follower ratio is nearly one to one and I’m going to slowly stop posting on that account. For one, it’s damn near impossible to get people to leave Instagram and go somewhere else, especially to a blog. And second, WordPress is a much better platform for me to share images and stories from my adventures. The account for my aviation photography is definitely my success story. It’s growing by leaps and bounds with each new post receiving hundreds of likes. The next time you’re on Instagram, be sure to check it out @far148studio and @far148models for my creative madness.

Let’s get back on topic. In terms of photography, I added another tool to my camera bag this year. During my trip to Japan, I noticed it was easier for me to use my mobile device then my DSLR to capture images without slowing down the experience of site seeing abroad. And I wanted a pocket size point & shoot camera to fill in that gap. What I ended up choosing was Sony’s ZV-1. And it arrived just in time for the peak of fall color in my area. It’s a great little addition to my camera bag and I’m looking forward to using it more. Now on to me torturing plastic.

My time in quarantine, allowed me to stretch out my builds far longer than normal. To the point of when it came to doing something, I would do it the hardest and sometimes the most illogical way possible. From scratch building new master parts to be pressure cast, to new ways to scribe panel lines along with adding various surface details. Like everything I love doing, I’m constantly challenging myself to attempt different techniques to continually grow as a model maker. Some things worked out amazingly and others got tossed in the garbage. I did manage to finish my 1/48 scale Hunter/Killer drones which I started back in August of 2019.

We finally made it to December and another holiday season. It would be a gross understatement to say, “I cannot wait for this troubled year to come to a close”. And I want to hope that 2021 is going to be better. But only time will tell. Until then, continue to stay safe, think positively and keep busy.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by my little blog, left a like or comment and welcome to all my new followers.

Until next year,

Steven

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Fall Color with my new little Sony

During my first of many adventures in Japan, I noticed that I had a camera gap. Meaning I felt there were times where my DSLRs were too much camera to use while site seeing. As well as my iPhone 11 Pro max did not offer the versatility of a point & shoot camera. I really enjoy how freely it is to capture images with it and not interrupt the pace of the experience. But the major drawback of smartphone camera systems is the inability to change settings such as aperture, shutter or ISO.I still love shooting any of my DSLRs but… they are cumbersome when it come to taking photos in the moment without becoming an observer.

And ever since then, I’ve wanted a point and shoot camera to fill in that gap. Something pocket size with a respectable auto focus system, about 20 megapixels and with a fast wide to medium zoom. And Thursday, my new Sony’s ZV-1 showed up. It has a 20.1-megapixel sensor, Zeiss 9.4-25.7mm (35mm equivalent, 24-70mm) F/1.8-2.8 lens. It too has a shit ton of autofocus points and I can fit it into any of my pockets with no problem. Now with new gear, it’s testing time.

I wanted to spend some time getting familiar with my new Sony’s features and functions along with capturing some images of the fall foliage in and around Detroit. After a long non-creative workday Friday, I was eager to get home and play with my new little point & shoot. But unfortunately, Mother Nature was being a bitch and was not willing to cooperate. The weather conditions were hit or miss, and I’d hope for more favorable weather in the morning. Woke up early Saturday morning but my plans were to do chores before playing. I needed to start laundry, gas up my car along with do some grocery shopping. And after that, I was going to go and have some fun at Belle isle with my little Sony.

During the overnight hours, the temperature dropped down close to freezing, so I remote started the car. Grabbed my glasses, wallet, keys, mask and was out the door. Stopped at 7-Eleven to get gas before heading to the grocery store. And as I was patiently pumping gas in the frosty morning air, I looked up and noticed the abundance of fall color popping all around me in the soft morning light. That’s when I heard myself say, “Go back home, get your camera and let’s go shooting!”

So, I raced back to my apartment, left the car running and doubled stepped it up the stairs. I thrust the key in the door, twist right, push and the door fly’s open! Sprinted directly to my cheap Meijer nightstand where my Sony was chilling and scooped it up. Locked the door behind me and it was a mad rush to the car. As I made my way to the freeway, I spotted a vibrant autumn scene at a nearby church. It looked like there was something going on at the entrance of the church and I didn’t want to disturb them. So, I timidly pulled in the driveway, stopped short and turned on my hazards. With my little Sony in hand, I respectfully and inconspicuously captured the stunning autumn scene. Then jumped back in my ride for some quick heat and was excited to continue taking photos on at Belle isle.

Once on the island, it took me a hot minute to scope out my subjects. And when I did, my little Sony preformed magically. It rekindled my dwindling passion I once had with photography when I first began. I found myself wanting to shoot anything and everything. One subject after another, I stop, half ass park my car, rapidly compose and shoot then hop back in to warm up and chimp. After about an hour or so, that star of ours was well on its daily journey to the horizon and it was time to make my way back to Southfield.

After a few stops to get groceries, I made it back to my apartment safe and sound. And once I got my food put away it was time to see how I did with my little Sony. The images straight from the camera are amazing. Sharp details and rich colors. And no, I did not bump up the saturation or add any vibrant in post. (Only minor exposure adjustments and resized them). I was a little leery about the touch screen and using it to select what I wanted to be in focus. But the more I used it, it quickly became second nature and thoughtless to use. The only issue with my new Sony is that it didn’t come with some type of lanyard or hand strap. But a quick search on Amazon took care of that.

All in all, I’m really excited about my new ZV-1 and the rekindling of my passion for photography. I can’t wait for the United States to get its shit together and get healthy so I can safely travel again and experience new adventures.

Stay safe and keep busy,

Steven

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Life Quote List

Here’s my ongoing list of quotes I’ve found helpful. Most of them are from life lessons learned the hard way and others are quotes from various individuals.

  • Be kind! Don’t Be a Dick, a Douchebag, or a Bitch!
  • Don’t hurt Anyone!
  • Have Fun!
  • Never wear white socks.
  • Call your mom!
  • Love people and not things.
  • Don’t Lie.
  • Eat Healthy.
  • PPPPPPP! (Google it)
  • Stay away from Stupid!
  • Don’t Make fun of others!
  • Know your Limits.
  • Remember, Hurt People, hurt people.
  • Make time for yourself.
  • Live within your means!
  • Find your own Path! Stay away from the Herd!
  • Do what you Love as long as it doesn’t harm others and or yourself.
  • Expectation is a down payment for Disappointment.
  • Life is not about getting what we want but to love what we have.
  • Never assume, anything.
  • Before you go outside, check the weather.
  • While driving, Do not tailgate and stay away from asshole drivers.
  • Go to bed on time.
  • Say No to projects that won’t fit into your schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
  • Take one day at a time.
  • Do something every day for your inner child.
  • Write down your thoughts and inspirations.
  • Talk less and listen more!
  • Slow down.
  • Separate worries from concerns.
  • Laugh, then laugh some more!
  • Never laugh at anyone’s dreams.
  • Don’t listen to “Talking heads” on TV and on talk radio. Do your own research and form your own opinions.
  • Never talk about something you know nothing about.
  • Don’t cosign and put up with anyone Bullshit! (That includes coworkers, boy/girlfriend and husband or wife)
  • After paying all your bills, when buying something ask yourself “Will this add meaningful value to my Life?”
  • Don’t waste your time with people that never get back to you.
  • Never stereotype people.
  • Never stop learning.
  • Don’t rush growing up, grow into your life.
  • Never use racial slurs, any.
  • “Live the life you love, Love the life you live” – Bob Marley
  • At home, at work and even at play, don’t let others take advantage of you.
  • It’s a much better to ask for permission than forgiveness.
  • Never get too Hunger, too Angry, too Lonely, or too Tired!
  • Don’t let horrible people and negative things damage YOUR inner peace.
  • Never stop making new friends.
  • Prejudice is an emotional commitment to ignorance.
  • Don’t live with unmanageable debt.
  • Don’t live with car, computer and or significant other problems. Fix them as quick as possible!
  • Be careful what you search and watch online, something’s you can’t unsee and hear.
  • Stop watching TV and start doing the things you want to do!
  • Celebrate others unique differences.
  • Listen to music in the shower or while taking a bath.
  • “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” — Vivian Greene 
  • Get a hobby! Stop wasting YOUR time talking about what YOU want to do! (Eating food, drinking alcohol, doing drugs, watching TV, or playing with weapons is NOT a hobby)
  • “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” — Martin Luther King Jr
  • Conversations are not about waiting for your turn to talk.
  • Don’t waste your feelings and time on people who don’t value you.
  • Don’t stay where you are not wanted or appreciated. That includes at work and at play.
  • At work, don’t talk about Religion, Relationship, News and Politics!
  • There is more to Life than just work!
  • Don’t make things difficult for others.
  • The World is larger than your county, your state, your country, your city or county, or your neighborhood.
  • Share any joy in your life!
  • Dream big but live realistic.
  • Do not reaction to stupidity.
  • “Variety is the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor.” — William Cowper 
  • Don’t participate in things that normalize Hate!
  • Don’t do anything out of spite!
  • Don’t waste your time with people that don’t listen to you.
  • Remember your coworkers are not meteorologist, news or political experts, car & home repair professionals, drug/alcohol or marriage counselors nor are they financial advisers. Don’t not take they’re advice. Do your own research and talk to trained professionals!
  • “Never let your fear decide your fate!” — Allie Knight
  • Don’t say or do hurtful things to your friends and family. 
  • Who you surround yourself with plays a huge part in who you are subconsciously.
  • The hardest lessons in Life can’t be taught, they must be experienced. 
  • Don’t let horrible people foul your peace and damage your state of mind!
  • Stay away from people that who don’t consider other feelings!
  • Want better mental health, restrict your time on social media.
  • Want to eat healthier, if the ingredients are as long as a paragraph, maybe you should not eat it.
  • Stay away from people who think showing love is a sign of weakness.
  • “Love has many symptoms, such as Charity, Grace, Good-will, Tenderness, Generosity, Kindness, Tolerance, Sympathy, Mercy, and others” —-Anonymous
  • Don’t waste your time. Nor let anyone waste your time. As well as don’t waste others time!
  • Don’t let others devalued your stock! You are worth more than you know. At work, at home, at play… don’t let others devalue you and who you are!
  • Your life is more than what going on in social media!
  • Don’t measure your happiness with money!
  • “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” Mark Twain
  • Jealousy is map to where you want to be.
  • Be informative, be original or be funny!
  • Don’t compare yourself to others but identify with what they are going through. 
  • To stay away from people and things that upset me. 
  • The world can see me however it wants. It means nothing to me. 
  • I’m a nerd! I hate having conversations without knowing.
  • Remember, nothing is going to go “As Planned”
  • “I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become”— Carl Jung
  • The things in my power are “My thoughts”, “My beliefs” and “My actions”, Nothing else. 
  • Don’t believe your assumptions! You don’t know everything about any given situation!
  • Nobody gives a shit about what you want. That is up to you to fulfill. 
  • Our perceptions define our experiences
  • Remember a fundamental rule of life, constantly ask yourself “Is this up to Me?” And “Who am I dealing with?” 
  • Don’t judge yourself based on rules of those who do not know how to live themselves.
  • Closed minds don’t get fed.
  • Life is hard. Those who intentionally make life harder for others, they are worthless pieces of shit. 
  • It’s a poor excuse to say I don’t have time for something. The reality is that “something” is not a priority to you.
  • Struggle is a good in the right dosage. 
  • Assumption are you believe in your own ignorance fueled by entitlement over facts. The false feeling of being intellectually superiority. Your bullshit is greater than facts and or your willingness to ask questions. 
  • Managers/supervisors are only as good as their experiences of managing employees and how competence his or her staff.
  • That people will always complain. Even when they get exactly what I asked for. 
  • It’s a game of knowledge and learning is the fun part. 
  • The world and everything in it are an irritation. The key is to not scratch at any of it. 
  • The world is always fishing, don’t sample the bait and avoid the hooks!
  • humans are herd animals. They show immense loyalty to groupthink and resolute opposition to independent analysis.
  • “Aun aprendo”- Francisco Jose de Goya
  • Old is a state of mind.
  • Stay busy with the things that You enjoy doing as much as possible. And don’t give a fuck about those who discourages or makes fun of You about doing it.
  • The human condition is the struggle between reality and how you perceive it. 
  • Be thankful you don’t know poverty, hunger, homelessness, war, torture, imprisonment 
  • The Rule of Cool states “The limit of the Willing Suspension of Disbelief for a given element is directly proportional to its degree of coolness.”
  • The amount in which people litter is a proportion to the amount of how much they give a shit about their surroundings
  • Prevention is better than a cure.
  • Don’t waste your emotions on people who are not worth it.
  • “A man is only as good as what he loves”—Saul Bellow
  • “Your success and happiness are forgiven you only if you generously consent to share them. But to be happy it is essential not to be too concerned with others. Consequently, there is no escape. Happy and judged or absolved and wretched.” —Albert Camus
  • “The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.”—Michel de Montaigne
  • If you’re not changing, you’re not pushing yourself hard enough.
  • The world is an ugly place and will always will. The key is to forget about it, not get caught up with its madness and make the best with what you got. 
  • People speak matches their lives!
  • Stupid people can’t comprehend working smarter. So don’t expect them too.
  • Knowledge doesn’t equal truth! If you believe that, you’re delusional.
  • “That’s part of the dilemma of being an American Negro; that one is a little bit colored and a little bit white, and not only in physical terms but in the head and in the heart, and there are days — this is one of them — when you wonder what your role is in this country and what your future is in it. How, precisely, are you going to reconcile yourself to your situation here and how you are going to communicate to the vast, heedless, unthinking, cruel, white majority, that you are here? And to be here means that you can’t be anywhere else.
    I’m terrified at the moral apathy — the death of the heart which is happening in my country. These people have deluded themselves for so long, that they really don’t think I’m human. I base this on their conduct, not on what they say, and this means that they have become, in themselves, moral monsters. It’s a terrible indictment — I mean every word I say.”—    Jame Baldwin
  • Where is my peace? It is here? Maybe it’s over there? No, it is in my well protected quiet spot away from the world. Free from perturbation and it’s madness. It’s calm, inclusive, vast, rich with wonder and it is all mine. 
  • A great position requires a great mind.
  • How you use (not spend) your time is as important as who you choose to be around you.
  • You’re always going to living your life wrong according to someone else. What matters most is how you feel about your life. 
  • Stupidity is like mud. It easily and completely covers all it touches. It’s discouraging and messy when you see it bog down and hamper progress. And when you see it during your adventures in life, do your best to avoid it. But if you have to wade through some to get to more stable and solid ground. Don’t worry, it completely washes off with open mindfulness and education.

Judge a Country by how it treats those in the following list.

Their Elderly

Their Sick

Their Poor

Their Criminals

Their Minorities

Their Veterans

Their Women 

  • “Oppression makes a wise man mad.”— Frederick Douglass
  • At home, at work, on vacation, whenever the hell you’re at in life, Never Stop Learning! Along with stay away from those complain about and refuse to learn anything new or different. 
  • “If it makes you happy, it doesn’t have to make sense to anybody else. “
  • “Nothing will kill a great employee faster than watching you tolerate a bad one.” – Peter Belcher
  • “According to Robert Greene, there are two types of time in our lives: dead time, when people are passive and waiting, and alive time, when people are learning and acting and utiliz­ing every second. Every moment of failure, every moment or situation that we did not deliberately choose or control, presents this choice: Alive time. Dead time. Which will it be?”—Ryan Holiday 
  • Remember in every line of work, there’s countless number of people who have absolutely no knowledge of their own profession.
  • Those who suck up to their bosses, has no valuable knowledge or meaningful experience to offer.
  • “The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for.”—Bob Marley
  • If you can’t endure suffering, then you’re not free. You’re a slave to whatever protects you from suffering.
  • Family, friends and other loved ones can help free you from the sticky grip of depression 
  • Just because you do, doesn’t mean others do it too.
  • “The first wealth is health,”—Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • No one can escape Anxiety. But I feel we can choose if we have bad(negative) or good(positive) anxiety. 
  • I think it’s time we start to look at the world for what it is and not do the lens of an inadequacy and false superiority.
  • Stupidity does not permit them to recognize their ignorance. — Ernesto O. Hoffmann, M.D.
  • “Fun is good for the heart. Having it with friends is even better!” —Me 🙂❤️
  • “To know that we do not know is a great knowledge. To think that we know, when we do not know, is a great disease.” Lao Tsé 
  • “Compassion to others start with kindness to ourselves” … Pema Chödrön
  • “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”— Hanlon’s razor
  • “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. “—Alan Watts
  • “Consume philosophy like drinking water”—Me
  • “The soul is dyed by the thoughts.” — Marcus Aurelius, The Meditations
  • “I was once a fortunate man, but I lost it, I know not how. – But fortunate means that a man has assigned to himself a good fortune: and a good fortune is good disposition of the soul, good emotions, good actions.” — Marcus Aurelius, The Meditations
  • “Ponder for a long time whether you shall admit a given person to your friendship; but when you have decided to admit him, welcome him with all your heart and soul. Speak as boldly with him as with yourself.”—Seneca
  • Not everything deserves a response.
  • The options of others have absolutely nothing to do with my peace of mind, serenity or my happiness.
  • Peace of mind is a choice. Test it out. What thoughts and ideas you’re entertaining now? Are they positive or negative ones? If negative, why are you continuing to do something that is causing you to suffer? Why not think about the last time you laugh out loud. Or what was the last thing that made you smile. 🙂 Even if you feel like everything is going to hell. You can take comfort in nothing last forever. It should be stated that this no easy task. But it gets easier the more you do it.
  • Sick of money problems? Learn to live within your means. Along with do not live with unmanageable debt. 

  • “It will be found that a man is sociable just in the degree in which he is intellectually poor and generally vulgar”— Arthur Schopenhauer, The Wisdom of Life.
  • Bullies are the absolute worst kind of people.
  • Let their options, attitudes, perspectives and whatever speculations they can come up with pass you by like clouds floating away in the sky. 
  • Frequently ask yourself, “I’m I happy? If not, what am I doing about it?” 
  • Want to change your life? Start with changing your routines. Your routine shapes your mood and mood forms your perspective (positive or negative). Having the right perspective steers, you toward having a better peace of mind. 
  • “No one has the right to do wrong, not even if wrong has been to them” … Viktor E. Frankl
  • Suffering is lack of our growth
  • We can’t let pain and fear dictate our internal dialogue.
  • Don’t waste your awesomeness on those who don’t see it.
  • I don’t have to be neatly packaged so people to understand Me.
  • Stop letting others small mindedness get the way of your happiness and peace of mind…Me
  • Stay away from those who all they have to talk about is gossip and have no creative or intellectual ideas for themselves. 
  • Most people just want to be seen and heard. Save your creative ideas and thought experiments for those who is will not be wasted on.
  • Avoidance is as important as choice.
  • They can say whatever they want, I can choose to react or not… Brianna Wiest
  • Those who are unqualified and unlearn assume they know things. While those who are intelligent and wise ask questions and learn things.
  • “Human happiness has absolutely nothing to do with how much money you have, what your job title is, what brand of whatever you have along with what others think of you. I believe that happiness starts from within. Within your body, mind, soul and perspective of one’s thoughts. Define for yourself (and not what the world wants you to think) what success is, how you want to love as well as how you want to be loved, how you maintain and nurture your peace of mind and contentment.” — Me
  • Don’t let anyone forced their misguided opinion and thoughts on you.
  • Marriage licenses doesn’t equal Love. Job titles doesn’t equal Success. Believing in Religion doesn’t make you a good person. As well as having money doesn’t equal Contentment. 
  • Fun is good for the heart❤️ 
  • What I have learned from my studies of self-help and various forms of philosophy. That if I want to have better mental health it starts with changing my routines. Having positive and healthy routines that I enjoy. Because my routines shape my mood (if it’s positive or negative). If positive, it leads me to a much healthier perspective along with having peace and serenity. And from the brief time I’ve been practicing it, I have noticed my thoughts are not racing and focusing on “bullshit”. 
  • Want a better life, learn how to nurture Your peace of mind. 
  • “For he who is unmusical is a child in music; he who is without letters is a child in learning; he who is untaught, is a child in life.” … Epictetus
  • Our minds are as fragile as styrofoam, and poor mental health is gasoline. Everyone has some form of mental erosion it’s ok as long as it doesn’t turn into napalm. We tend to think our problems is a large splash that will dissolve a vast amount of our mental health. Fortunately, with the proper set of tools, we can manage to turn an overwhelming splash into a tiny drip. 
  • Shit happens and assholes are the cause!
  • Stay out of their moronic conversations. They drink their own Kool Aid and co-sign their bullshit!
  • Remember, that Your ego loves to stir up your soul.
  • Fly above the madness of others. 
  • Laughter re-energizes the soul. Especially with loved ones and friends.
  • Kindness, generosity, compassion, heck…Love is a social gemstone. They are very difficult to find and precious. 
  • Silence and Stillness is sweeter for my peace of mind.
  • “Anger is a crime of the mind” — Seneca
  • “Without wisdom, the mind is sick”— Seneca
  • Share things you find beautiful with your friends and family 
  • “If you have proven everything, you no longer need to prove anything”
  • Anxiety is living with frustration of future in the present.
  • Changing your perspective can change your mood. Changing your mood can change your life. 
  • “As Plato said, every soul is deprived of truth against its will… It’s essential to constantly keep this in your mind, for it will make you more gentle to all.” – Marcus Aurelius
  • With all things difficult, there’s no such thing as pain-free learning. 
  • “People beautify only what they love. And death repels us, and tires are patience” … Albert Camus
  • I would rather be around beautiful personalities then beautiful people.
  • “Compassion to others start with kindness to ourselves” … Pema Chödrön
  • “My life has though me to be more curious than afraid”
  • “No one has the right to do wrong, not even if wrong has been to them” … Viktor E. Frankl
  • Having the Right and being Right are two different things.
  • You are becoming who you are going be. So, you might as well as not be an asshole. 
  • “Anger is a desire to repay sufferings” … Aristotle
  • “Spirituality is not religion. It is a path to generate happiness” … Thich Nhat Hanh
  • “Anger doesn’t bring about anything grand or beautiful” … Lucius Annaeus Seneca
  • “More evil has been done then can be healed by punishment” Lucius Annaeus Seneca
  • “Those who are stupid, have no idea how to work smarter” …Me 
  • “For our own habits copy from whose we associate” … Lucius Annaeus Seneca
  • “Do not set yourself on fire to keep others warm” …Einzelgänger
  • Fear is based on ignorance.  
  • Love is the capacity to reduce pain
  • “Being informed V’s Peace of Mind. For me, peace of mind wins every time. 
  • The world is a fucked-up place. It always has been and always will be. This is just our time to experience it. 
  • Time is running out for everyone. It passes by the young and the old. Time is the most precious nonrenewable resource. Once it’s gone, you will never get it back. Stop wasting Your time with shit people, toxic environments, and relationships as well as any situations that damage your peace of mind. Life is too short. 
  • Oversee your own information diet. Consume the news and social media when it is healthy for you. For me, If I feel I must “plug in”, I do so in the middle of the day. This gives me time to digest and process it. And if I find I’m re-consuming yesterday’s news, I stop and continue with my day. This way, I’m not starting or ending my day with the world’s madness. It is important who you share with and what.
  • Be considerate when you share. Don’t share things that could harms others. That includes their mental health and peace of mind. My philosophy on sharing is, “Be funny, Be helpful or Be informative”.
  • Remember when speaking, “I “is your ego talking.
  • “Do not argue with ignorance people. Those who never been taught anew unwilling to learn” …. Seneca
  • Communicate, learn, and connect 
  • Suffering is the refusal to accept what is. 
  • What would you say if you could tell the world one thing? 
  • Happiness is a product of how you cope with your problems.
  • Make sure you’re living more than you’re thinking about living. 
  • The monster everyone is running from is themselves.
  • The world is sandpaper and I’m pink and raw from it.
  • “Don’t let other’s demons decide what your happiness is”
  • Cleaning is contagious, so is frustration and impatient
  • “We don’t gain freedom from fighting” … Chögyam Trungpa
  • “Action without compassion is like planting a dead tree.”  Chögyam Trungpa
  • “The path is made out of obstacles” … Chögyam Trungpa
  • “Winning, grinning, happy.  So, no complaints here” … Pestily
  • Toxic people are carcinogenic to your serenity. They have countless names and faces. The Manipulator, The Bigot, Negative Nancy or Nate, the Narcissist, the Energy drainer, the Gossiper, the Criticizer and the One-Sided Friend to name a few. Don’t play into their madness and head games, don’t let them set your mood, as well as do not respond to the chaos that surrounds them. Identify them and their bullshit. Remember, maintaining your inner peace requires a constant vigilance effort.
  • The importance of earbuds or headphones is underrated. You never know when you need to drown out some stupid motherfucker. 
  • “Expectations are premeditated resentments”
  • “The routine cruelty to human existence” 
  • “The benefits of health douses pain”
  • “Constant positivity is form of avoidance rather than a solution to life’s problems” 
  • “Blaming others for your problems only hurts yourself”
  • “Certainty is the enemy a growth “
  • “Being wrong is an opportunity for growth”
  • “Our ignorance is greater than us all” 
  • “No one has the right to do wrong”
  • “We must continually seek wisdom to help us see the world as it really is”
  • “Nature never creates a storm that never ends”
  • “My emotions are not Me; my emotions are Mine”
  • Listening to others bullshit and nonsense. It is mentally taxing as well as serenity damaging. Invest in your inner peace!
  • “When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous and surly. “ … Marcus Aurelius
  • Negative visualization is the ability to anticipate the worst so that we can adequately prepare ourselves for the challenges that lie ahead. 
  • Understandings doesn’t mean I agree with you.
  • Learn to manage your expectations.
  • “It has been said, ‘time heals all wounds.’ I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens, but it is never gone.” …Rose Kennedy
  • How to embrace your inner nerd. Ask yourself this, “If I could live forever, what’s something I want to learn and master?” Go and do those things. What are you passionate about? And seek out people that encourage your inner nerd and not ones that make fun of it. To be clear, doing drugs, drinking alcohol, eating food doesn’t count. 
  • Imagine all the things you will say to one of your loved ones at his or her funeral and say it to them today. You never know when time is going to run out. 
  • Steer clear of those who hold common information and knowledge hostage. 
  • Remember, the world is filled with stupid people and it’s their first and only time at being human!
  • “Your happiness shouldn’t be based of anything outside yourself”. Not your husband or wife, not your house, car or anything you own, not your social status… 
  • Resentments is like drinking poison and waiting for the other people to die.
  • Duration, path and outcome
  • “Everything evolves and moves on”
  • Lean into discomfort
  • Start with what you least want to share.
  • Comfort is the killer of creativity 
  • Stop, being present and enjoy things
  • Just like time, you have a limited number of “fucks” to give. Don’t waste them on those who are not worthy of them. 
  • “…And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation – some fact of my life – unacceptable to me and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.  Unless I accept life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world and on what needs to be changed in me and my attitudes.

  • Don’t let the thinking of the old upset You!
  • Don’t listen to stupid conversations.
  • My resentments are an absolute poison to my inner peace.
  • You do not need the approval of entitled, unqualified, and inadequate people.
  • Don’t ever let anyone invalidate your feelings, thoughts, ideas, believes and passions. 
  • Be the best “Me” I can be and not try to better than others. 
  • It doesn’t matter what religion you are a part of you cannot have a mouth full of scripture and have a heart full for hate. 
  • Some people are sick, and you can’t see the symptoms of their illness. 
  • Don’t assume the others want what you want or have. 
  • Don’t make fun of things others love. 
  • Don’t compare yourself to others but identify with what they are going through. 
  • Live comfortably but not excessively.
  • Happiness as well as sadness is a matter of perspective. 
  • “If you judge people, you have no time to love them” …Mother Teresa 
  • There’s no meaning to this life, it’s a struggle. Try to find a way to enjoy the struggle. 
  • Be aware of manufactured false needs 
  • My expectations deeply influence my emotions.
  • I don’t have to be perfect for anyone. 
  • Don’t fellowship with fools.
  • Judge content, not delivery!
  • Read, understand and reduce stupidity. 
  • That this is My journey and it’s up to Me make it beautiful. Do not waste your time filling it with hateful ideas, negative thoughts and shity people. Fill it with people you love and spend your time doing the thing You love.  
  • Pay less and less attention to the world and more on me and my attitudes. 
  • “It’s about enjoying the experience and the journey” …Pestily
  • “Kindness starts from the point of understanding someone struggles” 

Steven

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