After looking through various documentation, I have concluded that I am going to try my hand at iPhone App development when Flash CS5 is released. Seems like the best way to create an app within the windows environment without breaking any of the rules set out by apple, and this way it will run on non jailbroken phones and devices. Have a look at the following video which I found quite helpful in understanding how to get to grips with some of the basics.

I have recently delved into the world of mobile web apps. I am doing research for my job on mobile marketing and app development. Having said that I have been downloading apps like crazy over the past week or 2 and here I would like to share my top 5 list.

iTouch

1. Pandora Internet Radio
I was blown away to find this app. Nothing inspires me to work like a good song playing on the radio. The difference with Pandora is that it learns what songs you like to hear based on your initial choices. It is (for me at least) very accurate in suggesting a new song to listen to. You can create countless radio stations that cater to your individual tastes. You can also add variety to your stations by selecting more artists that Pandora will then use a template for what you like. And the best thing is – its FREE!

2. Google Earth
I have always loved exploring Google Earth on my computer, but now being able to explore the world in 3D on the go is a new level of coolness. I am surprised at how well the iPhone handles the graphics, rendering maps in high resolution within seconds of zooming in on an area. Its entertaining as well as being actually very handy for figuring out a the best route to take to a place of interest.

3. Flickr
Being an avid photographer, I was glad to learn that the photo sharing site Flickr was available. I can now check up on my own photo stream as well as my know immediately when any of my contacts have added new material to their own respective streams. I can instantly comment on photos I find interesting as well as respond to feedback left on my own stream. This app is a must for anyone that loves photography and new technology.

4. Flixster
I am a self professed movie buff, having watched movies my entire life I have amassed a staggering amount of useless but humorous movie quotes and trivia that are on permanent standby in the back of my mind. Flixster keep you up to date with the newest releases at the box office as well as keeping you informed of upcoming DVD releases. Also, you can search its vast database of movies from the past and watch trailers for many movies (which I love to do). You can also browse whats playing at cinemas in your local area and even bookmark favorite theaters that you can instantly check out at the touch of a button. You can also view trailers of upcoming movies (up to almost a year down the line). If you love movies, then Flixster is the app for you.

5. Twitterrific
Twitterrific as you might guess is an app that keeps you in constant contact with your twitter account. You can find out what your friends are doing instantly, as well as search tweets in your area. Its the perfect way to use Twitter to its full potential as the quickfire nature of micro blogging is often difficult to keep up with if you aren’t able to make posts as and when you need to.

Honorable mention – Flashlight.
This sounds like a stupid app, but essentially what it does is fill your display screen with a bright white light (this is actually changeable to different colors etc). After downloading this I was in my basement looking for something in a dark corner that the light didn’t reach to. I then remembered that i had just downloaded this app and tried it out. It worked great and I found what I was searching for within a few seconds. For that reason I feel it deserves a mention here. It could come in handy for situations such as walking into a dark movie theater when you would normally be stumbling your way into your seat. Cool idea and it serves its purpose very well.

This afternoon I went for a walk in the historic burying point graveyard in Downtown Salem Massachusetts. The Burying Point is the oldest burying ground in the city of Salem. Here is buried Justice John Hathorne, an ancestor of Nathaniel Hawthorne and one of the judges in the Witchcraft Court. I have always been fascinated with the macabre history that Salem has. Below is a small selection of the shots I took from today. Enjoy!

This past Sunday I was commissioned to take photos for a local Salem fine dining restaurant. I took approx 200 photos and have posted a small portion of them here. The final photos will be used in both the new website and printed menu. I shall create a separate post to show these when they are ready. I used a Canon Digital Rebel Xti variety of lenses such as a 50mm macro lens, 24-70mm and 12-24mm for wider angled shots.

Click a thumbnail below to view a larger sized image:

I have been re-exploring Adobe Illustrator recently having seemingly used nothing but Photoshop for many years. I wanted to draw something iconic that would be instantly recognizable to everyone. I downloaded an image of Bruce lee from the web. I then took that image into Photoshop and put it through the threshold tool to simplify the design. I then took that into illustrator and initially used live trace. This provided the rough framework for me to draw over. I used a combination of layers to achieve the end result below. The Chinese writing I researched is how Bruce Lee is written in Chinese. I used some stroke effects with Chinese ink style brushes I downloaded for this.

Bruce Lee

I was in Parsonsfield Maine this weekend. This morning we went on a road trip around the local area and happened upon this historic church. The sunlight was spectacular and positioned perfectly to shine through a stained glass window high on the church steeple. I took several photos and have posted my best ones below.

Click the thumbnails to view the images larger.

Tonight I attended a Bonfire in Salem for the towns used Christmas Trees. Below is a photo gallery of my best shots from the night.

Happy New Year (and new decade) to all who stumble upon this blog. Today I took a short drive down to Salem Willows. I plan to go a short road trip every day time permits me to do so and take a photo of whatever I find of interest. I noticed a huge number of geese sitting near the tennis courts and tried to quietly get my camera ready to snap them as they took flight. See the photo below:

Geese in Flight

I also shot this Panoramic looking towards the Beverly Bridge:

Salem Willows Panoramic

The weather was in stark contrast to when I took this photo a few summers ago:

Sunset Over Salem Willows

Hoop Shot

The first shot I took at the end of the parking lot just before entering the beach area. I put a little bit of a soft focus on this to focus more on the hoop.

Lucid Daydream

This shot was taken from the boardwalk heading down to the beach. I thought this one looked nice with the sepia tint added. It was interesting to see snow on the sand. It was a remarkably mild day for being December 24th in New England.

Snow, Sand & Sea

I liked this shot because it had layers meaning a distinctive foreground, focal point and distance. There was also a kind of haze present from the sun on the water, although I don’t think this shot really does it justice. Also it was rare for me to see snow on a sandy beach.

Long Road Home

This shot was taken looking back down the boardwalk. I like this boardwalk for photos because it has a lot of dips and turns making it very unique to take photos of as you walk along. This one got the sepia/soft focus treatment also. My wife is the person in the distance.

On The Crest of a Wave

This one was taken just as the sun was about to set. The waves as they cascaded where being lit up by the dying sun. I took this just as the wave was about to topple. There’s also a little bit of ocean spray caught in the sunlight.

Anyway, that’s it for this Christmas eve posting. Keep coming back for updates.