See Dave Do

Author: Dave

  • Editing Photos For Instagram [FREE PRESETS]

    Editing Photos For Instagram [FREE PRESETS]

    Hi there!

    Guess you came here to find out either A) how I edit my stuff or B) Improve your editing skills. Or maybe you just came here because your bored and feel like reading something I wrote haha. Ok, well let’s get into it then!

    Regardless if your platform is web, Instagram, print there are a few things you can do to ensure your photos are awesome from the start. First is probably the biggest one, START SHOOTING IN RAW! I find too many people still shoot in JPEG, and I mean it’s fine if you’re just shooting for fun and messing around. But if you want to get the most of out of your shots and your edits, shooting raw will give you the range to do so. The dynamic range you can get is incomparable to JPEG for those that don’t know. you can save a lot of photos that are underexposed or overexposed. Especially if you are shooting with a flat colour setting. You can always bring colour back into your shot if you’re shooting raw, and you will save a lot of the blacks and highlights.

    Here are some examples of before and after shots I took as well as the settings I used to shoot them.

    This is the power of RAW, I”m sure some of you are saying “Yeah I can do that with a regular jpeg image too!” Well yes and no, you can still brighten and edit and bring it up. However due to the limit in information captured, once you start pushing the whites and black in the image you’ll start to see banding and much less dynamic range.

    I will make a video soon just to go over my personal workflow and how I go about editing photos using Lightroom soon, so stay tuned!

    But for now, I will save you some time and give you guys a few presets you can use for your raw files. Note that presets aren’t a magic solution! Learn how to make your own and you’ll be better for it. Also, be mindful that presets won’t magically make your photos better, I’ll have a few presets for lighter photos as well as a few presets you can use for darker photos. Please leave a comment below if these helped you out at all, also let me know if you guy would want some editing tutorials or more presets to help you guys out.

    Orange Teal Presets

    Dark Photo Presets

  • All Images From This Weeks Supreme X Lacoste Drop

    All Images From This Weeks Supreme X Lacoste Drop

    All you hypebeasts, get ready for this weeks drop! Supreme is teaming up with Lacoste to bring you some classics with a Supreme twist. everything from fanny packs to velour tracksuits, I’m very much interested in a few pieces like  Varsity jacket with the iconic croc on the back, straight fire! Supreme has been at the forefront of collabs for some time now and this is no exception, the full 3m tracksuits are super dope, a set of crewnecks and hoodies coming with this drop as well all in typical bold Lacoste colours. In all the collection will consist of a Wool Varsity Jacket; Nylon Anorak and Track Pant with printed 3M® Reflective pattern; Velour Half-Zip Track Top, Polo, and Track Pant; Hooded Sweatshirt, Crewneck Sweatshirt, and Sweatshort; Velour Bucket Hat, Nylon Camp Cap and Twill 6-Panel Hat; a Waist Bag and a Shoulder Bag. Personally, these are the pieces I’m looking forward to HOPEFULLY getting my hands on.

    This is where you can get all this SUPREME x LACOSTE goodness this week!

    FOR LACOSTE: Online only

    Available for Europe & North America on Lacoste.com on April 20th.

    Available for Asia Lacoste e-shop on April 21st.

    FOR SUPREME

    Available in-store NY, Brooklyn, LA, London, Paris, and online April 19th.

    Available in Japan on April 21st.

    What Pieces are you most excited for?

  • That DIY Life With The Ford F-150

    That DIY Life With The Ford F-150

    What’s up guys?! back at it again with some auto goodness. As many of you know Mel and I are almost done our house renovations. But we still have a few odds and ends to polish up before it’s all FINALLY finished. Ford was kind enough to lend me the F-150 Limited to help me with a DIY. Since we had our laundry appliances delivered, I still hadn’t added any storage to the laundry itself. So since I had the F-150 for the weekend I figured I would hit up the local Home Depot and get some work done! But before that I decided to enjoy some time inside this wonderful pickup.

    A little backstory about me and trucks. My dad is a general contractor as are a good portion of my extended family, so trucks have been in my life for as long as I can remember. It’s been cool growing up with them and seeing the technology advance as far as it has. The main difference these days of course being luxury. Incorporation comfort into a vehicle that can handle loads, towing, and off roading is always welcome! Honestly living in the city I was a bit worried about getting around in it, but to be honest, it was a breeze to drive around in once I got used to being above everyone. The Ford F-150 has a BUNCH of bells and whistles that make it a great vehicle for anyone. From massage chairs, Sirius XM, park assist, 360 camera, Built in GPS, Key fob with remote start and push start as well. I almost forgot I was in a pickup truck. I think the other big surprise was how much room there was inside the cabin, we fit so much stuff in the back, reserving the truck for the countertop and shelves. The truck be had some of it’s own cool features including these handy dandy tie off handles! They allowed me to tie off my cargo so it wouldn’t slide around.

    We decided on a simple laundry DIY, adding a acacia wood countertop above the washer and dryer. We also opted for shelves instead of cabinets for the wall behind the machines. All in all it’s a pretty simple setup I think anyone with a drill and a few hours to kill can easily accomplish. Shelving is a breeze, literally i feel like ANYONE can put up some shelving. Bought two white MDF Shelves, nine shelf brackets, one 2×4, and of course the acacia wood countertop.

    First up was the brackets for the shelves, chose an appropriate height, making sure it was level. I predrilled 6 holes and filled them with drywall anchors to help support any weight the shelves would hold. Once the brackets were in place, I just needed to cut the shelves to size and screw the into the brackets.

    Next up was the counter top. Pretty straight forward stuff, i cut the 2×4 in order to create a bracket of sorts around my washer and dryer. Screwing the pieces of wood into studs in order to help support the weight of the counter. Next I cut the counter to size and slid it on. screwed the counter into the 2×4 pieces I have Attached to the wall. and I was all done and ready to go! and the laundry was complete.

    I had a blast checking out the new F-150 and for those looking to pickup a new car and need some towing capacity, or room to put things in, or even if you just want to upgrade to something bigger but still with the luxuries youve come to expect. The Ford F-150 Limited might be for you.

  • NYC With The Lincoln Aviator

    NYC With The Lincoln Aviator

    So last week Mel and I were lucky enough to be invited to a preview of the New York International Auto Show where Lincoln unveiled the new 2019 Aviator.

    We stayed in Manhattan which is super dope, I love New York! So many cool places to shoot, eat, and play! Going to the New York International Auto Show a few days before it opened for the media preview was super cool. Getting to enjoy all the new vehicles coming out without the hustle and bustle of all the people being there.

    Overall first impression of the Lincoln Aviator was great! It’s got smooth lines, and overall has a very sexy look, especially for a midsize. Speaking of midsize, living in the city, as much as I LOVE the Navigator, it’s just a touch too big to be driving around narrow streets. This is where the Aviator finds its place in my opinion. Lincoln did a great job with the design, representing the whole idea of effortless. They introduced a pretty dope feature, being that you can use your phone as a key FOB! For someone like me, technology is king and almost every aspect of my life has tech built into it. So I’m excited to check it out with a hands on experience when it’s released.

    The entire look and feel of it is very pleasing, from the new front grill, which gives the car presence to the aeronautical lines leading to the rear of the vehicle. The inspiration was taken from flight, and aircraft. So it’s pretty cool. MSRP hasn’t been announced just yet but stay tuned, i’m sure it will be out soon and i’ll have all that info for all you looking to buy a dope midsize!

    I’m totally stoked at the release of the Lincoln Aviator and can’t wait to get my hands on it! For for all of you that will be in the market for a new midsize, stay tuned the Aviator is coming!

     

  • Exploring Mexico – Riviera Maya Edition

    Exploring Mexico – Riviera Maya Edition

    I’ve travelled quite a bit over the last 10 years, a majority of which were spent on Caribbean islands. I had been to Cancun 10 years ago but it was a very different type of trip consisting of way too much drinking and partying. Luckily (for Mel) my tastes have since changed when I travel.

    Flying from Toronto to Cancun took about 4 hours, which I find super short of a flight when compared to some of my other yearly escapades. To be on a beach in the middle of Feb, when it’s snowing at home I will sit on a 16 hour flight if I have to.

    Normally I go all inclusive, but this time was different. We rented a car and ate out or just cooked our own food as our room had a full kitchen in it as well. Having a car is SUPER clutch, you don’t have to be at the mercy of tours and taxis and the price generally isn’t that bad depending on the type of car you pick up.

    We in between Cancun and Playa Del Carmen, The Vidanta which hosts a HUGE property housing 3 resorts in one was pretty nice, well kept and clean, good amenities. The only gripe for me was the beach….could have been better.

    But that aside, since we rented a car and didn’t go all inclusive we didn’t spend too much time at the resort and opted for excursions daily which included XPLOR, TULUM, COBA, ISLA DE MUJERES, DOWNTOWN CANCUN, and PLAYA DEL CARMEN. It was a pretty jam packed trip and I will say that when I go back it will definitely be for 2 weeks and not 1.

    So speaking of Beaches, Isla de Mujeres, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum were super nice, white sandy beaches and beautiful water to go along with it. Packing all my stuff in my Poppy and Peonies beach bag helped a lot since we did do a fair amount of walking to and from some of the beaches. Not to mention the ferry ride to Isla De Mujeres. Durable, stylish, and carried literally everything I needed for both Mel and me.

    Every night we would go into either Playa Del Carmen or Downtown Cancun to find somewhere to eat dinner (I will make a post about where to eat another day). If you don’t like spicy food……first…..what’s wrong with you?! and second learn to love it, because it’s everywhere and absolutely delicious! Rocking some of my new favourite pieces from Le Chateaus SS18 line which included what will be my go to spring blazer. Pastels are in and Le Chateau totally hit the mark with this blazer!

    As you imagine being in the sun all day and enjoying the wonderful salt water escapades, my skin took a bit of a beating. Luckily Kiehl’s had me covered with some dope Vitamin C Serum! which I found pretty damn refreshing, I honestly feel like skincare for men is one of the most overlooked aspects of our grooming routines (among a few others). But I just recently started using and trying different products that I HAD NO IDEA about. Not to mention how I do enjoy some good face cream after a hot shower. Kiehl’s had me covered there too with their Ultra Facial Cream!

    So for those of you looking to go to Mexico here’s a quick list of places to visit if you are staying in Quintana Roo:

    • Mayan Ruins of Coba – you can actually still climb their highest temple (the other ruins have been closed due to security risks). You can also rent a bike or rickshaw to hike up to the ruins from the entrance of the park. I suggest the bike!
    • Tulum Beach – easily one of the most beautiful beaches you’ll find. It’s surrounded ruins, which is really  unique since the Mayans never used to build their cities near water,
    • Playa Del Carmen – Cancun, but better. Better prices, more chill over parties, and the quaintest pedestrian-only streets and markets. Extremely lively in the evening! 
    • Isla de Mujeres – a tiny island off the coast of Cancun where you can rent a moped/golf cart and explore the entire island in a day. So much authentic Mexican culture preserved and a lot of amazing architecture
    • Parque de las Palapas – a Mexican night market… for locals. You’ll be 1/3 tourist groups there. Churros, $3-5 food, incredibly friendly people, live music… and all for free
    • Xplor – probably the coolest excursion you’ll find in the area. Zipline across 14 zip lines over the Mexican jungle (take about 2 hours), swim in underground Cenotes, drive an Amphibious car through the jungle… it’s worth it.
    • Cenote Swimming – freshwater pools in a cave. The photos are real and they’re as epic as they look. 

    I will most def hit up Mexico again, it was an absolute blast so maybe next year, we’ll see. So until then, stay classy, keep travelling and keep reaching for your goals people peoples!

     

     

     

  • Meet Alexa and The Amazon Echo

    Meet Alexa and The Amazon Echo

     

    With all the smart tech out there these days, it’s sometimes hard to filter through all the noise to decide what’s what and what’s worth spending your hard earned money on. Well, let me help you meet your new wing woman!

    Amazon has introduced the Echo recently and I had the chance to have some fun with it, I will say I own a few others on the market but Alexa is so dope! beyond the typical stuff, you would normally ask a smart assistant,  from your thermostat to your smart lights Alexa allows you to control your entire house from the comfort of wherever you decide to put it.

    Pick yours up from AMAZON.CA