Category Archives: Photography

Outdoors, Photography

Carolina Portraits at Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park

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We just recently realized that we never got around to posting these portraits we took of our good friend Carolina!Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park is a beautiful backdrop for some unique headshots. Carolina had no problem looking great even after two days of camping and roughing it in the woods!

If you live anywhere in California and haven’t visited this incredible park, you owe it to yourself to pay Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park a visit. There are plenty of amazing sights to see – including Moro Rock and of course the General Sherman Tree, the largest tree on Earth by volume.

Again, if you live in California, chances are you only live less then a few short hours’ drive from the park. For a refreshing outdoor getaway over the weekend, it’s hard to beat Sequoia. Make sure you bring your camera!

Deals, Movies, Photography, Style, Technology

Happy Thanksgiving + Black Friday Deals

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Happy Thanksgiving from PRAKTICALA!

We hope you spend the holiday with friends and family. On the other hand, we acknowledge the rush one gets from Black Friday shopping. So why not compromise a little and do your shopping at from home, in your pajamas?

We’ll compile some of our favorite Black Friday deals here, so come back often for updates!

TECH:

Need a tablet? You can get the Kindle Fire from Amazon for a measly 35 bucks!! WHAT?!

If you’re into streaming TV, the Amazon Fire TV Stick is on sale for just $25!  You can steam Netflix, Amazon Video, and much more to your TV.

Low on hard drive space? Get a blazing fast solid state drive from Sandisk – 240GB for only 60 bucks! No spinning disks or other moving parts to wear out!

MOVIES:

My favorite movie from 2015, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD for $16.81 at Amazon! Read our review here!

JURASSIC WORLD Limited Edition Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD is only $10 on Amazon! Free shipping with Prime!

Or if you need the whole series (all four movies), the JURASSIC PARK Collection on Blu-ray  is only $25!

Need more sci-fi? EX MACHINA on Blu-ray + Digital HD is only $5, also shipped free with Prime!

Also, the STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy is also only $5!

MORE sci-fi! The ALIEN QUADRILOGY Blu-ray, including all four ALIEN films, is just $15 on Amazon! Awesome deal on one of the greatest film series ever!

One of our favorite comedies from the last few years, BRIDESMAIDS, is on Blu-ray + DVD for $5 from Amazon!

BOOKS:

One of my favorite books ever – The Authoritative Calvin and Hobbes – only $4 for the hardcover on Amazon with promo code HOLIDAY30! If you have that one already, you can also get the great The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes (hardcover) for $4, or The Essential Calvin and Hobbes for $5!

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Photographers – Adorama has the Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 lens starting at $249. This is a great price on a fast wide angle lens! Available for Canon, Nikon, and more.

STYLE:

Looking for a pair of shoes or some AWESOME dress shirts (review coming soon)? Get 20%  off your order at Charles Tyrwhitt by clicking here and entering the code CYBER20 at checkout! Or, get 15% off plus free shipping by clicking here and entering the code CYBER15! (expires 11/30)! Read my review of their Clarence Cap-toe Semi-Brogue shoes here!

Great watches don’t all need to be expensive. Take 50% off the Timex Weekender watch with promo code TIMEXGIFT to make it a cool $11 (multiple colors available!

OUTDOORS:

Amazon has a folding knife with Speedsafe from Kershaw for $10! A great name in knives if you are into camping and the outdoors. Might need to refresh a few times to see the price!

Stay tuned for more Black Friday deals throughout the weekend! Have a tip on a hot deal? Leave a note in the comments!

Have a safe and fun Thanksgiving!

Photography, Style

Review: Double Monk Strap Dress Shoes by Meermin Mallorca

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Now that you know about the James Bond test, it’s time to talk about monk straps. I have these double monks from Meermin Mallorca.

Be honest – sometimes you don’t want to hassle with shoelaces. What do you do? One option is to wear loafers, like these from Beckett Simonon. OR… put on a pair of monk straps!

Continue reading Review: Double Monk Strap Dress Shoes by Meermin Mallorca →

Outdoors, Photography

Liz and Francis’ Family Portraits

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I did these family/baby portraits a few weeks back of Liz and Francis and their beautiful family. Thank you for being great subjects!

What  a great-looking family! We can’t wait to do your next shoot!

The holiday season is a great time for photoshoots. If you are looking for a photographer for your headshots, portraits, or event coverage, PRAKTICALA is booking photography sessions now – contact us for more information, and don’t forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram!

Photography, Style, Video

Review: Hamilton Khaki Aviation Swiss Automatic Watch H76565835

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Looking for an entry into the world of Swiss watches? There’s the Tissot I reviewed a while back. There’s also Hamilton, a brand with proud American origins, having provided timekeeping devices for the American railroads during the rail expansion of the late 1800s, as well as for U.S. troops during World War II.

EDIT: Added new video review below!

Hamilton was eventually acquired by Swatch Group, and moved their manufacturing to Switzerland. Like Tissot, Hamilton is a reputable and well-known name in Swiss watches, yet won’t kill your wallet (too much). The brand is notably a favorite among filmmakers and can be seen during critical plot points in several movies, from MEN IN BLACK to BURIED to INTERSTELLAR, making it a popular household name in watchmaking.

Continue reading Review: Hamilton Khaki Aviation Swiss Automatic Watch H76565835 →

Deals, Photography

Deal: Nikon D5300 or D7100 + 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G Nikkor ED VR DX Zoom Lens

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People: If you have been looking to up your DSLR game, Amazon has a killer deal right now on either the Nikon D5300 or the D7100, plus the 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G Nikkor ED VR DX Zoom Lens.

The D5300 is a from Nikon’s mid-range line of cameras, newer than the venerable D90 (probably the best Nikon DSLR ever) but missing a few pro-level features that most amateurs won’t give two hoots about, like a built-in AF motor or high-speed flash sync (if you don’t know what it is, you’ll never miss it). But it does have some exclusive features, like built-in GPS and wifi. What the heck? Back my my day we were lucky if our SLRs could push ISO to 1600.

The D7100 is the successor to the D7000, which is my primary camera. I ditched my “pro” level D300 way back when because the D7000 was lighter, faster, and easier to use. I don’t have any hands-on experience with the D7100 but I expect that it would perform just as well.

The 18-140mm Nikkor lens gives you a crazy zoom range. I have a great 18-50mm f/2.8 Sigma lens, but sometimes I wish I could get some more range in there without having to switch lenses. This Nikkor lens gives you that versatility (although unfortunately you don’t get to keep the f/2.8 – beggars can’t be choosers).

If you add either camera to your Amazon cart, and then add the lens, Amazon will knock off $400 at checkout. In other words, you can snag the D5300 + lens for under $700 or the D7100 + lens for under $900. It is an insane deal. Jump on it now or you will regret it!

  1. Add either the D5300 or D7100 to your cart.
  2. Add the 18-140mm Nikkor lens.
  3. At checkout, you should see a total discount of $400!
Photography, Style

Review: Cohen Loafers by Beckett Simonon

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Last year I reviewed Beckett Simonon’s Caine Oxford cap-toes and determined that they provided a decent value for the price, offering many high-end features (full-grain leather and goodyear welting) normally found on much more expensive shoes.

Beckett Simonon’s shoe lineup has since been updated. I was able to get my hands on a pair of their Cohen loafers to see some of the changes in person.

EDIT: Now, take 20% off your order with our exclusive promo code PRAKTICALA20!

EDIT: Beckett Simonon is launching a somewhat new, pre-order based business model, so the Cohen loafers are no longer available. You can read about the relaunched business here, or visit here to see Beckett Simonon’s current lineup of products.

Continue reading Review: Cohen Loafers by Beckett Simonon →

Photography, Style, Technology

Review: Citizen BL5250-02L Titanium Eco-Drive Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Watch

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I’ve already mentioned what I think is the best watch ever. Some of you, however, probably care less about the timeless elegance of an automatic movement and more about the accuracy and functionality of an everyday timepiece.

Nothing wrong with that! If that’s you, here is perhaps the last watch you’ll ever need – the Citizen BL5250-02L Titanium Eco-Drive Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Watch.

Super long name, but it is practically bulletproof,  never needs batteries, and has a crazy accurate quartz movement. And once you set the calendar, it will never need to be adjusted again. Not even for leap years. WHAT?!

Continue reading Review: Citizen BL5250-02L Titanium Eco-Drive Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Watch →

Photography, Style, Women

Shoe Review: TOMS Black Canvas Cork Strappy Wedges

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After some positive feedback from my recent post on the Clarks Ashland Alpine shoes, I learned that, shockingly, women are more interested in reading about shoes than men. So I figured that there could be a substantial niche at PRAKTICALA for content targeted at women.

It just so happens I have these Black Canvas Cork Strappy Wedges from TOMS that I think you people might be interested in. Hey I won’t fight against the basic laws of economics. Supply and demand!

Continue reading Shoe Review: TOMS Black Canvas Cork Strappy Wedges →

Food, Photography

Eat: Krispy Kreme Triple Decker Burger at the OC Fair

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This past weekend I was forced to had the privilege of taking my new cousins to Costa Mesa to see the Fifth Harmony concert at the OC Fair.

The kind-of good news is that I got to try this crazy thing – a triple decker burger with Krispy Kreme doughnuts in place of regular buns.

#dieyoung

I asked if I could get it with just one patty. They said I could, but I would still have to pay the full price. What the. This darned thing set me back 11 bucks.

As I walked back to my table with this monstrosity in hand I garnered the stares of several envious bystanders. They all made comments about how crazy it looked and how badass I was. At least I think that’s what they were saying.

I dumped some ketchup and mayo into the burger and sank my teeth into the unholy mess. It fell apart pretty quickly.

Don’t try this at home.

Bottom line: Pretty good, mainly because of the beef. The Krispy Kremes are mostly a side note. All in all, I’d prefer to eat a regular burger next time. I will surely miss the years it shaved off my life.

Plenty of other fun stuff to do at the OC Fair, though. Pig racing, ice sculptures, and more!

What activities would you recommend at the fair? Let us know!