Celebrity-Inspired Make-Up How To’s

Lauren Luke, an absolutely pleasant English woman, posts videos on YouTube about celebrity make-up how to’s.  The video I stumbled upon is her Leona Lewis Bleeding Love (US Version) inspired look.  Naturally, I watched the official Leona Lewis Bleeding Love music video to compare; and Lauren was on point.

Though the main purpose of Lauren’s YouTube videos is simple–how to apply make-up–she has reached such great success on YouTube that she is a YouTube Partner and was featured on BBC.

What also amazes me is that she never took a single beauty course.  Her skill is natural, just like her beauty and video presence.  I hope she overcomes her lack of confidence because she has the talent and already has a following.

Good luck, Lauren and keep the videos coming!

Excellent Free Photography Online Tutorials

Just stumbled upon a wonderful photography website offering easy-to-understand tutorials.  Plus, everything is for free!

The site covers everything from aperture and ISO to taking TV pictures and night photography.  Check it out, and if there are other photography-related websites offering similar/better tutorials/tips, please forward on over.

Future Full-Time photobucket User

With my recent camera purchase, I have been concentrating on everything photography-related and expanding my knowledge of this hobby since. Through my obviously more web savvy cousin, Allen I am now using the free photo hosting and sharing site, photobucket.

Now, now before you think of me as completely out-of-tune with the Internet and its endless offerings (I am blogging aren’t I?), I have looked at a few other photo hosting/sharing sites (i.e. smugmug). Also, I have been using Kodak Gallery and was satisfied with it until photobucket entered the picture. No pun intended.

Anyway, if Kodak Gallery had an easier and faster way to upload files, I doubt I would have switched to photobucket. I am not yet fully on the photobucket bandwagon, but I will be ordering my photos through photobucket (really via QOOP) soon to compare quality, delivery, cost. I checked out QOOP’s price list and so far the prices are the same. Kodak Gallery, however, does from time to time have promotions of $0.10 per print as well as 10% off orders over a specific amount, and has multiple, convenient options to pick up the prints.  I am hoping QOOP/photobucket has similar offerings.

We will see; hopefully purchasing print via QOOP will be as convenient and cost-effective as Kodak. I am a one-stop-shop type of shopper and with all the gadgets and features that photobucket offers for free, it is slowly becoming my favorite website to store and share my photos.

Lucha Libre Tres

Definitely ate at Lucha Libre again before my red eye flight back to the East Coast. Last night’s meal was my third at the taco shop, and I am officially hooked.

While ordering my favorite–Full Nelson Enchilada–, I gathered the cajones to ask the manager/owner for its recipe. Hopefully, he will share the enchilada’s recipe to help hold my Lucha Libre cravings until I fly to San Diego, CA again.

If I get the recipe–No, I will not post it (it’s mine and Lucha Libre’s only)!–but will let you know.

Bit the Semi-Professional Camera Bullet

After two months researching and visiting B&H, I finally bit the bullet and bought my first non-point-and-click camera.  I bought a Nikon D80 SLR Digital Camera with 18-135 mm lens, and am slowly learning its capabilities.  Despite still taking pictures using its digital-vari features (which is pretty much point-and-click), the image quality level justifies the camera’s price tag.   In fact, last weekend I went to the Red Bull Air Race in San Diego and captured the planes’ paint detail–even from afar.

Anyway, I am looking to taking a few Nikon-sponsored classes to take advantage of all my camera’s capabilities.  But need to pay off the camera’s and its accessories first.

Lucha Libre

Whenever in San Diego, CA I make sure I eat as much In-N-Out and Mexican food as possible. So the other night, I went to Lucha Libre and ordered the Full Nelson Enchilada with green sauce. The “smack down” good enchilada had the traditional Mexican flavors but had a light hint of lime that surprised my taste buds with each bite.

As I wish that the East Coast had In-N-Out and Rubio’s, I am now adding Lucha Libre on that list.