Changing Lanes

I'm off to Salalah tomorrow for a short vacation with my family. I'll be gone till the 8th of August which means a total of almost 10 days of photographic opportunities. I'm all loaded up and Inshallah I'll be able to take a lot of pictures. I'm aiming for about 2000 pictures minimum that also in RAW format which means 20GB of data in total(not counting the videos from my sisters camera and our camcorder). I hope the laptop can take the load so as a precaution I'll be taking aminimum of 10DVDs with me to create back ups. This trip does mean 10 days of isolation from my beloved computer and the addictive internet but I think I'll survive... ;)

Anyway here's two pictures I took on two different days but here they are together cause they made me think of something....(read the captions)

Dubai Summer Surprises.....trying to put a smile on everyones faces...Shooting Date/Time : 7/10/2008 5:33:10 PM
Tv( Shutter Speed ) : 1/200
Av( Aperture Value) : 5.6
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Focal Length 96.0 mm

But not everyone is smiling.....Shooting Date/Time : 7/21/2008 6:21:55 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/1600
Av(Aperture Value) : 5.6
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Focal Length : 28.0 mm

I hope it makes sense....in a way!!!

Clouds have been a rarity in the past few months unless you count the day where we had rain through cloud seeding. Anyway is it just me or is this summer hotter than it used to be.....I think it has something to do with the increase in pollution due to cars/industries/power plants and the increase in sand/dust in the air due to the construction sites. The dust reason might not make sense but the sky has been more gloomy than it has ever been so I'm trying to join the dots and make a logical reason for this sudden increase in heat.....Anyway here's the picture of the clouds....Shooting Date/Time : 7/27/2008 7:18:25 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/60
Av(Aperture Value) : 3.5
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 200
Focal Length : 18.0 mm

Went to the Sharjah Aquarium yesterday morning. It is still under construction but they have opened a section of it to the public. Entry fee was AED20/- per person and a camera is allowed but you can't use the flash inside.The Aquarium or the fishes on display were quite small but the different colors of the fishes kept us all happy especially my Niece. The whole trip through the Aquarium took us about 90minutes and I would say it was almost worth it though I'd avoid the gift shop as they are complete rip-offs but I did buy a dolphin soft toy for my Niece(after she threw a tantrum). All in all I would advice people to go have a look at it as it is a first for the UAE(not counting the Burj Al Arab Aquarium thing) and I would surely go back once the whole thing is completed.....Shooting Date/Time : 7/26/2008 12:29:00 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/30
Av(Aperture Value) : 3.5
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 800
Focal Length 18.0 mmShooting Date/Time : 7/26/2008 12:35:20 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/15
Av(Aperture Value) : 3.5
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 800
Focal Length : 18.0 mmShooting Date/Time : 7/26/2008 12:36:03 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/2000
Av(Aperture Value) : 3.5
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 800
Focal Length : 18.0 mmShooting Date/Time : 7/26/2008 12:45:51 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/60
Av(Aperture Value) : 3.5
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 800
Focal Length : 18.0 mmShooting Date/Time : 7/26/2008 12:51:38 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/15
Av(Aperture Value) : 3.5
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 800
Focal Length : 18.0 mmShooting Date/Time : 7/26/2008 1:12:25 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/100
Av(Aperture Value) : 3.5
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 800
Focal Length : 18.0 mmShooting Date/Time 7/26/2008 1:15:37 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/50
Av(Aperture Value) : 5.6
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 800
Focal Length : 78.0 mm

Saw this van on Al Khail road today morning....Shooting Date/Time : 7/23/2008 9:19:47 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/800
Av(Aperture Value) : 5.0
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Focal Length : 51.0 mm

Tonight I'll be going to IMAX for 'The Dark Knight' show(I think it's the premiere) at 9pm so today being happy won't be that hard!!!

Reef Mall in Deira got two new sign boards on the sides(in addition to the one they had in front). I wonder what took them so long to put them up as the mall has been open for more than two years.....Shooting Date/Time : 7/22/2008 10:04:47 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1.6
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Focal Length : 200.0 mm

I was washing 'Moong Dal' or 'Split Green Gram'(I think that is what it's called) today for lunch and I see the water turn yellow. Now it's been a few years since the first time I realized Dal had some artificial coloring added to it but it used to be quite less as compared to today. The water had turned so yellow that it looked like I had literally added yellow paint to it. So if I had taken a few more cups of Dal, I could seriously use it to dye a white shirt yellow......

So basically however healthy we eat, such artificial chemicals do end up in our stomachs some way or another........Life sucks that way!!!!Shooting Date/Time : 7/21/2008 12:05:27 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/60
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Focal Length : 200.0 mm

My computer is refusing to recognize any USB device connected to it through the only USB-firewire wire I have so I am unable to transfer any new pictures taken by me from my camera. I hope it's wire problem and has nothing to do with my computer hardware/software. So for now I am going to post some older pictures.....

This picture was supposed to be a long shutter speed(with a very high aperture) picture of the cars driving across the junction but I think I was forced to move the camera somewhere in between while the picture was being taken as the signal had turned green and I didn't want the camera on the dashboard while I drove.Shooting Date/Time : 10/24/2007 10:07:02 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 30
Av(Aperture Value) : 22.0
Metering Mode : Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Focal Length : 18.0 mm

On a side note....I miss fud, more than I thought I would and possibly should.....

I keep wondering how many of the laborers can read all those 'Safety First' boards that are plastered all over construction sites....Shooting Date/Time : 7/13/2008 10:42:34 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/125
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed L 100
Focal Length : 200.0 mm

I get the whole ETA star 'Built on trust' thing but why have they placed a butterfly on the edge puzzles me....weird!!!! Shooting Date/Time : 7/11/2008 4:44:33 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/100
Av(Aperture Value) : 8.0
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Focal Length : 200.0 mm

Pink is usually not considered when it comes to men. Seeing Pink among the usual blueness of these construction workers was kinda interesting....Shooting Date/Time : 7/9/2008 11:25:50 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/200
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Focal Length : 200.0 mm

Repair work for the Kabayl discount Centre board in Deira....Shooting Date/Time : 7/7/2008 5:48:23 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/60
Av(Aperture Value) : 5.6
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 200
Focal Length : 115.0 mm

Shooting Date/Time : 7/8/2008 12:09:37 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/60
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Focal Length : 154.0 mm

Yesterday I was walking to Pizza Hut from home. It was very humid though there was a slight warm breeze that did make it a bit bearable. I had seen the crescent moon when I walked out of my building but wasn't bothered to click a picture (I have too many moon pictures). I was meeting a couple of friends at Pizza Hut at 8:30pm so I had left home at 8:20pm. On almost reaching my destination I called one of my friends and wondered if anyone had reached; he said no. As usual people are never on time due to traffic or lack of taxis. Anyway I decided to make my way to Ghurair to escape the humidity and possibly dry out. I again spotted the crescent but now it was placed in a more interesting spot. I think I might go back tonight (if I can that is) as the picture I took is kinda blurry due to slow shutter speed....Shooting Date/Time : 7/6/2008 8:33:27 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/4
Av(Aperture Value) : 4.5
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 800
Focal Length : 21.0 mm

I like the way a few helmets are lying next to the water tank while a few are on the heads of the laborers. You can also see one of the in charge wearing a white helmet to distinguish him from the rest just like how kings are shown to wear different armor and stuff in movies(don't know if it happened in real) during battle which distinguished them from the soldiers. I always thought the different clothing would make them susceptible to an attack so I found the whole concept kinda stupid especially when the king used to be the inspiration/motivation to fight for the rest. So if the King was knocked out, the army would weaken and break off...Shooting Date/Time : 7/6/2008 12:01:38 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/640
Av(Aperture Value) : 5.6
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Focal Length : 78.0 mm

I spotted this car parked on the pavement right outside the Muraqqabat Police Station. By the dust accumulated on it, it seemed that the car had been parked there for a long time right in front of the police station without any action being taken but I guess it must have been recently driven there by the owner for a report on an accident it must have had by the look of that rear (with the missing bumper and those hanging sensors)....but I might be mistaken as my Dad pointed out....
Shooting Date/Time : 7/5/2008 6:01:56 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/50
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Focal Length : 35.0 mm

This tree is right next to the road that acts as a Diversion for the traffic from Galadari to Quasis. I liked the way the whole tree next to the road with the cars looked so I clicked a picture.
Shooting Date/Time : 7/5/2008 6:13:10 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/50
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Focal Length : 18.0 mm

The thing I noticed while editing this picture is that this person's shirt looked the same in black & white and in colour...
Shooting Date/Time : 7/2/2008 10:11:30 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/100
Av(Aperture Value) : 5.6
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Focal Length : 96.0 mm

Btw...an annoying thing about Mozilla Firefox is that it keeps telling me my spellings are wrong even though they are correct. Like 'Colour' should be 'Color' or 'Realised' should be 'Realized'. Very annoying that I sometimes get confused with my spellings...

Talking about spellings, we usually come across shops with mis-spelled signs in the UAE. I came across one the other day in Deira....
Shooting Date/Time : 6/30/2008 6:38:03 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/20
Av(Aperture Value) : 5.6
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Focal Length : 78.0 mm

I had mentioned the concept of numbers that exist in our life in this post. Here it makes a comeback!!!

A Mercedes Mclaren SLR (the first one I've seen in white) fashioned the number 'B 69' on its number plate. My sister looked at it and said that it could mean a lot of things, but I cut her off and said that the only reason this number plate was bought, and if not bought, then has been placed on the car is for that one particular reason most of the people my age(and older) know of....
Shooting Date/Time : 7/1/2008 6:40:28 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/8
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 400
Focal Length : 28.0 mm

The number 10 and 20 is going to matter a lot to car owners. 20 is the number of years you can drive your brand new car till 2010 when they reduce it to 15 years, while the 10th year is the last year you can sell your car ...

I see two problems to this though...

1) What if in 2015 I want to buy a 2000 Ferrari 360 Spyder in mint condition, which has done only say about 40,000kms. What happens then as it shouldn't be exempted since it won't be a classic/antique car....
2) What happens to insurance? Will a car after 10 years be valued at its scrap value irrespective of the fact that it's a high end Mercedes Benz S600 or an ordinary Toyota Rav-4 as no one will be able to buy it in UAE?

This Nissan Cedric was just bought by the current owner (its a J number plate so it means it was recently registered). I wonder how many more years he/she will be able to drive it...
Shooting Date/Time : 7/1/2008 5:47:16 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/250
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Focal Length : 31.0 mm