. Jalbum 8.1 The current month's photos. slides/dec31.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 Finally, back to photography, just in time for the last shot of this project. :( Too bad so much time was wasted. I shot a photo of the same tree that I started this project with in 2007, Jan 14 (in an ice storm). I will, however, start a Picture365 Take 3 for 2009, starting tomorrow. The reason? I have a new camera to get to know! Sayonara for 2008! Finally, back to photography, just in time for the last shot of this project. :( Too bad so much time was wasted. I shot a photo of the same tree that I started this project with in 2007, Jan 14 (in an ice storm). I will, however, start a Picture365 Take 3 for 2009, starting tomorrow. The reason? I have a new camera to get to know! Sayonara for 2008! slides/dec31.jpg slides/dec30.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 I found a replacement at Wolf Camera (the old Barry's Photo's location on Harry Hines) and returned the other one to Amazon. This shows the what I was supposed to get- see the earlier, similar picture for comparison from last week. I found a replacement at Wolf Camera (the old Barry's Photo's location on Harry Hines) and returned the other one to Amazon. This shows the what I was supposed to get- see the earlier, similar picture for comparison from last week. slides/dec30.jpg slides/dec29.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 Today was the day for contacting Amazon to exchange the camera, but I did also shoot a few more pictures just to make sure. Failure- this is too soft for an expensive camera. Today was the day for contacting Amazon to exchange the camera, but I did also shoot a few more pictures just to make sure. Failure- this is too soft for an expensive camera. slides/dec29.jpg slides/dec28.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 Here is the problem with this camera- I specified the center spot to focus on, but the focus was actually up on the brick. This was the last straw. Here is the problem with this camera- I specified the center spot to focus on, but the focus was actually up on the brick. This was the last straw. slides/dec28.jpg slides/dec27.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 Today we visited Sonora Caverns, with the new camera. Before declaring this a success, the problem with the camera was that what I was pointing at wasn't in focus, but other parts were. And sometimes, downsized and sharpened, they could be recovered. This shot did come out well with the criss-crossing ripples. Things I would do differently: ? Mods: Brightness and contrast to enhance the ripples. Today we visited Sonora Caverns, with the new camera. Before declaring this a success, the problem with the camera was that what I was pointing at wasn't in focus, but other parts were. And sometimes, downsized and sharpened, they could be recovered. This shot did come out well with the criss-crossing ripples. Things I would do differently: ? Mods: Brightness and contrast to enhance the ripples. slides/dec27.jpg slides/dec26.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 We left my in-laws to go to the Sonora Caverna, in near west Texas. We were greeted by a fantastic sunset. This is with the new camera, but it's set on manual focus- I didn't trust it by now. The color response of the camera is great, it just couldn't focus. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: Some brightness adjustment. We left my in-laws to go to the Sonora Caverna, in near west Texas. We were greeted by a fantastic sunset. This is with the new camera, but it's set on manual focus- I didn't trust it by now. The color response of the camera is great, it just couldn't focus. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: Some brightness adjustment. slides/dec26.jpg slides/dec25.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 This is my mother-in-law, taken again by the new camera, now surprisedly opened :) Performance was still bad. This one is OK, but it's been resized down and sharpened- which combined made the smaller version acceptable (but not the full-sized version, i.e., it would never make a good enlargement at the quality it was shooting). This is my mother-in-law, taken again by the new camera, now surprisedly opened :) Performance was still bad. This one is OK, but it's been resized down and sharpened- which combined made the smaller version acceptable (but not the full-sized version, i.e., it would never make a good enlargement at the quality it was shooting). slides/dec25.jpg slides/dec24.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 With all the time spent trying to figure out what was wrong with my new camera, I got totally derailed from the daily creative photo taking that I've been doing the past two years. Throw in a dose of my wife working massive overtime at Samsung, and I had all the chores in the house, gift wrapping, baking, etc..., and we left today for San Anthonio with her relatives. I just did not get any pictures taken. Also, I had by now wrapped up that defective camera as my Christmas gift, to suprisedly open the next day in front of her family. Not a happy gift, just yet, since by now I was pretty convinced it was the camera and not me. With all the time spent trying to figure out what was wrong with my new camera, I got totally derailed from the daily creative photo taking that I've been doing the past two years. Throw in a dose of my wife working massive overtime at Samsung, and I had all the chores in the house, gift wrapping, baking, etc..., and we left today for San Anthonio with her relatives. I just did not get any pictures taken. Also, I had by now wrapped up that defective camera as my Christmas gift, to suprisedly open the next day in front of her family. Not a happy gift, just yet, since by now I was pretty convinced it was the camera and not me. slides/dec24.jpg slides/dec23.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 More testing, more disappointment. The focus spot was the flower, the spent flower on the left was more in focus (it was closer to me, again indicating the autofocus was wrong). More testing, more disappointment. The focus spot was the flower, the spent flower on the left was more in focus (it was closer to me, again indicating the autofocus was wrong). slides/dec23.jpg slides/dec22.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 I found out I could micro-adjust the autofocus, and here I thought I had solved it. The focusing needed a lot of adjustment. Turned out the camera handled close-up somewhat better than distant, and only if I picked the actual focus point. Autofocus didn't work well, and though it occasionally produced a good shot, 90% of the time it did not. I found out I could micro-adjust the autofocus, and here I thought I had solved it. The focusing needed a lot of adjustment. Turned out the camera handled close-up somewhat better than distant, and only if I picked the actual focus point. Autofocus didn't work well, and though it occasionally produced a good shot, 90% of the time it did not. slides/dec22.jpg slides/dec21.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 At least the macro lens worked fairly well. Light levels were too low, so I had to boost up the brightness. But the resolution wasn't bad here. This was the UPS notice. At least the macro lens worked fairly well. Light levels were too low, so I had to boost up the brightness. But the resolution wasn't bad here. This was the UPS notice. slides/dec21.jpg slides/dec20.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 Here is where I really started becoming unhappy- the camera seemed to focus in front of the subject. I was very displeased with this shot- it's way too blurry. Here is where I really started becoming unhappy- the camera seemed to focus in front of the subject. I was very displeased with this shot- it's way too blurry. slides/dec20.jpg slides/dec19.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 This was a test shot with the new camera, and the beginning of my unhappiness with it. Not necessarily visible at this resampled size, it was not in focus. The next series of shots are all along the lines of debugging and figuring out the new camera. This was a test shot with the new camera, and the beginning of my unhappiness with it. Not necessarily visible at this resampled size, it was not in focus. The next series of shots are all along the lines of debugging and figuring out the new camera. slides/dec19.jpg slides/dec18.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 I got my new camera last night, and this was the first shot, from my back deck overlooking the creek behind us. New camera, and crappy, rainy day :) but it does have a pleasant, soft feel to it. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. I got my new camera last night, and this was the first shot, from my back deck overlooking the creek behind us. New camera, and crappy, rainy day :) but it does have a pleasant, soft feel to it. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. slides/dec18.jpg slides/dec17.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 Just a concept in my head- Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme- the SpicyThyme Continuum. Things I would do differently: ? Mods: None. Just a concept in my head- Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme- the SpicyThyme Continuum. Things I would do differently: ? Mods: None. slides/dec17.jpg slides/dec16.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 I bought a dowidget today- whatever you call it- at Radio Shack. It's a multi-alligator-clip thing to help you when you need a third hand to help out, such as soldering. It came attached with a nice magnifying glass, here used as a frame to reflect the red shade of one of our halogen pendant lights over the cooktop. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. I bought a dowidget today- whatever you call it- at Radio Shack. It's a multi-alligator-clip thing to help you when you need a third hand to help out, such as soldering. It came attached with a nice magnifying glass, here used as a frame to reflect the red shade of one of our halogen pendant lights over the cooktop. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. slides/dec16.jpg slides/dec15.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 It was a cold night, and we had the fireplace going, so I thought it a good subject for today's picture. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. It was a cold night, and we had the fireplace going, so I thought it a good subject for today's picture. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. slides/dec15.jpg slides/dec14.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 I put up Christmas lights today, along with some pure red floodlights. This is the yaupon holly tree in the front yard. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. I put up Christmas lights today, along with some pure red floodlights. This is the yaupon holly tree in the front yard. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. slides/dec14.jpg slides/dec13.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 We had a bouquet of flowers from Thanksgiving that finally gave up, and this sunflower, which never opened fully, caught my eye. Hence, I named it 'Unrealized Potential'. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. We had a bouquet of flowers from Thanksgiving that finally gave up, and this sunflower, which never opened fully, caught my eye. Hence, I named it 'Unrealized Potential'. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. slides/dec13.jpg slides/dec12.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 Back home, the sun was rather strong on the deck this morning, so I got this shot of the shadows of a rail crossing the deck slats at an angle. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. Back home, the sun was rather strong on the deck this morning, so I got this shot of the shadows of a rail crossing the deck slats at an angle. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. slides/dec12.jpg slides/dec11.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 I had a little time between meetings and phone calls, so I stopped quickly at Stanford, which was on my way, and got this shot inside the Stanford Chapel, a rather awesome cathedral. Taken from the floor between the pews. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. I had a little time between meetings and phone calls, so I stopped quickly at Stanford, which was on my way, and got this shot inside the Stanford Chapel, a rather awesome cathedral. Taken from the floor between the pews. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. slides/dec11.jpg slides/dec10.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 And this is the view from my hotel room at night in San Francisco. Things I would do differently: ? Mods: None And this is the view from my hotel room at night in San Francisco. Things I would do differently: ? Mods: None slides/dec10.jpg slides/dec09.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 This was the view from my hotel room- the Embassy Suites in Burlingame. Downtown San Francisco in the distance, at sunrise. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. This was the view from my hotel room- the Embassy Suites in Burlingame. Downtown San Francisco in the distance, at sunrise. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. slides/dec09.jpg slides/dec08.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 I always try to get my In-n-Out burger once each trip to San Francisco. Things I would do differently: ? Mods: None. I always try to get my In-n-Out burger once each trip to San Francisco. Things I would do differently: ? Mods: None. slides/dec08.jpg slides/dec07.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 I call this Terminator Begins- it's the start of the day/night terminator on Earth. I was flying to San Francisco during sunset, and saw this scene. It's been level and contrast enhanced a bit to bring out the shadow, but it was definitely obvious this is where Earth's shadow starts. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: Contrast/Level enhance I call this Terminator Begins- it's the start of the day/night terminator on Earth. I was flying to San Francisco during sunset, and saw this scene. It's been level and contrast enhanced a bit to bring out the shadow, but it was definitely obvious this is where Earth's shadow starts. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: Contrast/Level enhance slides/dec07.jpg slides/dec06.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 Yet another beautiful sunset tonight, this one with multiple, crossing contrails. I rather like the zigzag of rooftops at the bottom. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. Yet another beautiful sunset tonight, this one with multiple, crossing contrails. I rather like the zigzag of rooftops at the bottom. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. slides/dec06.jpg slides/dec05.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 Due to freezing weather, I brought the Camelia indoors. Doing so broke off a partially opened flower. I put the flower in a small aperitif glass and in a couple of hours it had opened fully. I placed it on the light table to photograph it. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: none. Due to freezing weather, I brought the Camelia indoors. Doing so broke off a partially opened flower. I put the flower in a small aperitif glass and in a couple of hours it had opened fully. I placed it on the light table to photograph it. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: none. slides/dec05.jpg slides/dec04.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 The oak trees at work have turned dark red. I picked one on the way out the door and took some photos on the light table when I got home. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None The oak trees at work have turned dark red. I picked one on the way out the door and took some photos on the light table when I got home. Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None slides/dec04.jpg slides/dec03.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 More experiments with food coloring this evening. This one I think looks like a fetus, complete with what looks like a human eye, and an umbilical cord! Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. More experiments with food coloring this evening. This one I think looks like a fetus, complete with what looks like a human eye, and an umbilical cord! Things I would do differently: Nothing. Mods: None. slides/dec03.jpg slides/dec02.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 We had a pretty sunset tonight, so I felt obliged to capture it. Things I would do differently: ? Mods: None. We had a pretty sunset tonight, so I felt obliged to capture it. Things I would do differently: ? Mods: None. slides/dec02.jpg slides/dec01a.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:32 -0600 This was an experiment that turned out better than I EVER expected. Two drops of food coloring gave me a flea, or at least what very strongly resembles a blood-engorged flea. I was shocked at how detailed this came out, for what is basically a water-based inkblot test. Things I would do differently: Nothing! Mods: White balance adjust. This was an experiment that turned out better than I EVER expected. Two drops of food coloring gave me a flea, or at least what very strongly resembles a blood-engorged flea. I was shocked at how detailed this came out, for what is basically a water-based inkblot test. Things I would do differently: Nothing! Mods: White balance adjust. slides/dec01a.jpg