Picture of the Day 4-30-07 number 2

Fun With Photoshop

Picture of the Day 4-30-07

DxO trial period almost up

With only 7 days left of my trial version of DxO Optics Pro 4.2 and DxO FilmPack I have to decide what I really think about these products. In my limited time, I have come to love DxO FilmPack and will definately want to purchase that program, I am not as sure of DxO Optics Pro. While I do like the batch edit option, sometimes it's the individual attention to a picture that makes it spectacular. It didn't seem to adjust any differently than I was able to adjust the same pictures in Photoshop CS2 with the very big exception to the contrast and saturation settings with DxO - they really can make a picture pop. Although I don't doubt CS2's ability to do this very same thing, the simplicity of DxO is it's ultimate appeal, and also what makes me somewhat reserved about it as well. I think DxO may be a bit limited in what it can do, but I can always use CS2 for those special situations. I like how DxO FilmPack loads into CS2 for easy accessing. That is awesome, and I love some of the B&W settings - they remind me a lot of how my photos looked when I was processing my own B&W negs and pics in photography 1 and 2 in high school.
I'll probably have to do a bit more research into Optics Pro to determine if I can live without it. At the very least, it may be a ways down the road before it's purchased. Although the new camera may make the need for that program more intense. We shall have to see.

So, talk to me about RAW images. How does this work? How huge are the files? Is there even much of a need to accurately compose the shot if it can all be redone in post production?

Help me Obi Wan Kenobi...you're my only hope...

A couple of pictures of a mushroom

This mushroom is growing on a log in our wood pile.



This picture shows the detail of the mushroom.

Picture of the Day 4-23-07

I love the spring when all the flowers and trees start to flower. These buds just emerged yesterday and are still very young. They were macro shot and then magnified in Photoshop to show detail.

Top 10 "For Dummies" books that should never have been written. Ever.

10. Physics for Dummies - Because it's just fundametally wrong
9. Witchcraft and Wicca for Dummies - Nothing good can come from this
8. Cosmetic Surgery for Dummies - This one is just an oxymoron
7. Investing for Dummies - CA-CHING
6. Beekeeping for Dummies - um. I'm speechless
5. Forensics for Dummies - For the idiot criminal guaranteed to get busted
4. Dating for Dummies - The prequel to "Sex for Dummies"
3. Sex for Dummies - If you need this book you're never getting laid anyways, and therefore don't need the book!
2. Genetics for Dummies - Yup; your kids will be stupid too.


And my All time favorite:
1. Islam for Dummies - "A fatua on the author! Infidels!"

priestess aglow

priestess neon glow
Originally uploaded by serpentflame156.

the guardians of the dead

duck on the the bank

duck on the the bank
Originally uploaded by serpentflame156.

Second picture of the day for 4-20-07

learning all about exposures!

After the suggestions I received in my previous entry "photographic issues" I decided to do a bit more research into exposure settings. I was at the library picking up the "premiere pro 2 bible" and looked around for some digital photography books. I found a great one about landscape photography, which is primarily what I do. The book is pretty basic and I knew a lot of what they were teaching but it is set up mostly as a tips and tricks book which was perfect for me. So yesterday I went out to the Mpls chain of lakes and took some pictures at lakes Calhoun and Harriet. I deliberately went during the high midday sun because I wanted to see if I could take the crappy lighting conditions of that time of day coupled with the water and all the glare issues with that time of day and see if I could take pictures that were perfectly balanced...at least ones that weren't overexposed or signigicantly underexposed. The overall result was stunning. Although I had a couple of areas of overexposure here and there, overall the pictures were well balanced and needed little Photoshopping. I don't think I will ever be able to survive without a histogram on my camera ever again. That was extremely useful to me yesterday. I think I may enter these two duck pictures in the National Camera Exchange spring photo contest.

Picture of the Day 4-20-2007

after a nice bath
Originally uploaded by serpentflame156.

Out at Lake Harriet

Camera prowling

I'm seriously thinking about getting this camera - it's a Canon Digital SLR EOS Rebel XTi.

Now, I get that this is a pro line digital, and it's super expensive...we'll be paying it off forever, but it seems like the logical choice, considering I'm getting much more serious about my photography and starting to feel some restrictions with my powershot S2IS which is still a pro line camera but the lenses are fixed. I can add 1 wide angle, 1 teleconverter and 1 close up lens to the S2IS and that's all, whereas the XTi can use any of the EF or EF-S lenses, so I have many more possibilities. BUT, there's always a big "but", the lenses are really expensive. Right off the bat I'd need a macro lens and of course have no idea where to start - there are several different macro lenses in this series. Which is the primary concern with this camera - I am a little intimidated by it. The Powershot, although I can override the auto settings and fine tune in where needed, it is a powershot and therefore user friendly. The SLRs are intimidating. I might want to take a class to learn how to really use it. Although, I would wager that all Canon cameras run similarly and therefore knowing how to use my current camera ought to give me at least a little advantage. Not to mention I have had formal photography training...it's just that it was a long time ago and it was 35mm not digital and there is a lot more different between the 2 platforms than you might think.

photographic issues

I have been having some trouble with over exposure in many of my pictures. Where much of the picture is fine, there are usually a lot of hot spots within it, usually the sky or as seen in the b&w grave marker picture, the bunnies are over exposed. I really need to get a better handle on setting the aperture. Ugh. It's been a long time since I've taken a photography class. Perhaps I should take another one as a refresher course. Anyone have any suggestions or help?

Picture of the Day 4-14-2007

loss of innocence
Originally uploaded by serpentflame156.

These markers are placed under the highway bridge, along the shore of the Rum River. The smaller marker says, "Bless your little soul"' and there are 2 stuffed animals, a pair of children's sunglasses and a small toy car at the base.

Picture of the Day 4-13-07

bandit cropped
Originally uploaded by serpentflame156.

Damn, I'm full.

Picture of the Day 4-11-07

Photo chosen for photographic excellence photo pool

The photo titled Rum River was chosen to be showcased on a Flickr group called National Geographic - by italian people. No one is allowed to post to this group unless a moderator sees your picture on another group requests that it be uploaded. I've never had this happen before. I guess you don't have to be Italian to get invited.

Wade

fun with photo toys

My creation
Originally uploaded by serpentflame156.

Picture of the Day

I downloaded a trial version of DxO Optical Pro to try it out based on the recommendation from tvsteve. I can see some things about it that I may like, but over all, on my first opinion, is that I can adjust the images as good or better than the program can. The benefit would be in the batch fix option, but sometimes automatic level adjustment isn't the best adjustment. That's the negatives, but for positives, I found that some of the softening techniques and film grains were fun. I'll have to explore the program much more in depth, and see what she can really do.


This is the original picture before I applied any adjustments or filters.

Here it's been run through DxO. Interesting.

This one was also "fixed" in DxO. I can see some improvements.

Let thy light chrystalize itself...

High altar of the Gnostic Mass.

clear blue skies

clear blue skies
Originally uploaded by serpentflame156.

This picture reminds me of a Pink Floyd album.

rum river

rum river
Originally uploaded by serpentflame156.

I love taking nature photagraphy. This shot was taken just as the sun was beginning to set over the Rum River. The colors were amazing...making the drab dregs of winter come alive.

mother nature's crown

mother nature's crown
Originally uploaded by serpentflame156.

After warm weather melted all the ice, the rivers rose. Then the temperatures dropped back into freezing and these ice shelves were left behind. Gotta love spring in MN.

sunset

sunset
Originally uploaded by serpentflame156.

Star filter at it's finest.

star light star bright

star light star bright
Originally uploaded by serpentflame156.

The sun almost fully set over a small pond in Ramsey.

we're Canadian, eh.

we're Canadian, eh.
Originally uploaded by serpentflame156.

I love this shot. They were just hanging out on a small island at sunset in a small lake in Ramsey. They were making quite a lot of noise too.

An interesting idea

A friend of mine is posting one picture a day on his blog. I think that's a great idea. It keeps you not only thinking about photography all day but it forces you to look at everything as a potential photograph. I am always finding great stuff to photograph when I don't have my camera on me. So, taking some inspiration from Steve, http://tvsteve.blogspot.com/, I will now be bringing my camera with me everywhere and attempting to post at least 1 picture a day.