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It's coming.... an event of monumental proportions.

A once in a lifetime happening. Literally. It will happen once, and never again.

It happens in a few days.... here is the moment in various timezones around the world:

All the examples above represents the same moment in time....

....the moment that UnixTime rolls through 1234567890.

Mark your calendars, and ensure that your children are safe; some of the parties are likely to get well out of hand.

(Yes, I am a geek 🙂 )

UPDATE: You can follow the exciting second-by-second coundown here.

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If my previous post about Anthony's first ski experience didn't give away the answer to the “What am I?” quiz in the post prior to that, maybe these clues will help...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 340 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/4.8, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Clue #1

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 340 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/4.8, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Clue #2

Those were other shots I took with a “What am I?” quiz in mind.

If that doesn't help, try this clue:

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 130 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/4.8, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
🙂 Clue #3 🙂

Christof got it right in his answer, even getting the exact manufacture correct! It's a Pisten Bully PB 260 D snow groomer built by Kässbohrer.

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Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 340 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/7.1, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Kindergarten Olympic Slalom Time Trials
ready to hit the gates

Anthony spent the weekend at a “ski camp” with the Kyoto YMCA. I put “ski camp” in quotes because over the course of the entire weekend they spent only two hours on skis.

The real point of the weekend, as it is with all YMCA events, is the overall experience that fosters “Caring · Honesty · Responsibility · Respect” (as per their logo). Still, getting on skis was certainly the highlight of the sleepover weekend. It was held at a small ski area an hour and a half north (Hakodateyama Ski Area), and I scooted up on Sunday morning to catch them during the actual ski time.

It was the first time for six-year-old Anthony.... and most of the kids.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/1600 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Anticipation

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 180 mm — ¹/1250 sec, f/4.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Final Instruction
before his first run

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/1600 sec, f/4.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
First Run: Like a Pro

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 320 mm — ¹/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Sportsmen and their Gear

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 220 mm — ¹/1000 sec, f/4.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Second Run
amid a few flying flakes of snow

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/14, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Hakodateyama Ski Area
Anthony's group spent the entire time in this little area (mouseover to see)

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 230 mm — ¹/500 sec, f/8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
First Run With Poles

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 130 mm — ¹/1250 sec, f/4.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
High-Speed Pass

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 120 mm — ¹/1250 sec, f/4.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
End of Run
runs ended with an oomph into the arms of a YMCA “leader” volunteer

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 340 mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/4.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Break Between Runs

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 130 mm — ¹/2500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Group Photo-Op
Before Heading Home
( the guy in the foreground is a “leader” YMCA volunteer taking a photo )

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/6400 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Heading Home

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 86 mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
About to Descend the Mountain
to busses waiting more than half a kilometer below

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Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 340 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/4.8, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos
What Am I?

The quiz in my previous post doesn't count as one of my “What am I?” quizzes, so I thought I'd post one of those as well.

I had originally planned to spend the day chipping away at the mountain of email I have awaiting my attention, but instead I went out and took 1,000 photos, including this one. What is it?

Looking at the photo metadata will likely give it away, so if you do, don't answer (or don't admit that you looked :-).

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¹/160 sec, f/10, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Color By Numbers
a repeat of a shot from yesterday's post

I forgot something when writing yesterday's post on spot metering. I'd posted the photo above as part of a pair, but forgot to pose this question: why is there a red outline around the sun?

It's not an effect of overly-harsh post processing (or any post processing).... you should be able to answer from just the information in yesterday's post. I don't intend this to be one of my “What am I?” quizzes, but rather, I pose it as a self-check “exercise for the reader”...

(By the way, despite a mention in an overly generous comment to yesterday's post that it was a tutorial on spot metering, I'd prefer to consider it an introduction: there's plenty about spot metering that I know it doesn't cover, and likely more that I'm ignorant about.)