March, 2010

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On Keeping Caught Up (DVDs)

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

With over one hundred blogs in my feed reader, several publications, numerous books and videos to keep on top of, how do I keep up?  Such was the question asked recently.

The purpose of questioning, I suppose, was due to curiosity: I spend so much time doing things, that it seems impossible that there would be time for learning.  Since most of us are busy, including the questioner, there is also the subtext to the question: “how can I keep up?” questions the questioner.

The answer is, perhaps, not helpful: “it depends.”

However, I do have a few tricks.  So consider this the first installment: Keeping Caught up with Educational DVDs.

What sort of DVDs, you ask?  Mostly Photovision’s Video Seminar (note: not a plug!). Every other month they send a 2-hour DVD, and I have to find time to watch it.  Time in front of a TV or screen with a DVD player.  This competes with various other DVDs: Tony Sweet videos like Visual Literacy and Visual Artistry (both highly recommended, BTW), or Annie Liebovit’s Life Through a Lens.

Watching these takes away from work, rest, and family time.  But I do make time: when I get them, I rip them to MP4 and load them onto an iPod.  This gives me a mobile viewing opportunity, and then I watch: during downtime, when waiting for appointments, etc.

So that’s it: the cheap way of keeping caught up with DVDs.

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A note on CostCo printing

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

As mentioned in a post the other day, we did some low-quality prints for my daughter. I suppose I should have mentioned: after my previous review putting CostCo down as a poor print shop, I want to re-emphasize: CostCo just doesn’t do it.

What I’m seeing: I really spiked up the colors & vivid settings before printing. Hey, a five-year-old likes colors, right? So I did this, and made everything nice & bright. When getting them back: just as before, the colors were slightly off and (more importantly) everything was much, much *darker*. To the point that you lost details in the shadows.

So, as mentioned the other day: acceptable quality for a five-year-old. Not acceptable to me. Kinda the last straw; gonna avoid them in the future…

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Something fun to do with your five-year-old

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Or four-year-old, or six-year-old, or… well, you get the picture. Being somewhat bananas about photography (has anyone noticed that I call myself the “photo-chimp”?), a good way to spend time with two of my favorite things is to go on a photowalk with my daughter. She enjoys it, I enjoy it, we both end up with pretty good photos.

But then, what? In my daughter’s case, she’s seen plenty of photos printed out large. She wants prints too. But she’s small, and quality isn’t really a concern yet.

The answer? print out some 4×6″ pictures for her. But, put two pictures on each photo, sized to 3×4″. Print & get home, and you’ll end up with unusually-but-perfectly-sized photos for a smaller person!

Prints in the hands of a five-year-old

Prints in the hands of a five-year-old

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Taking photos with your small child

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

The title may be misleading. I don’t mean taking photos of your kids, but with them. As in: go on a photowalk. You might be surprised what you get – for example, this: Click to continue »

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The most interesting part of a Photo

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

I was reading a missive only recently (sorry, have absolutely lost the link), and came across a nugget of semi-wisdom: it was posited that the most important (or interesting) part of an image is the background. This struck me, as I’ve heard similar thoughts from a variety of photographers.  Shortly after the article came out, I came across a black-crowned night heron.

Now, here’s the thing.  I had a decent (400mm) lens with me,  and actually had a decent opportunity to catch a good shot.  So, first thing: just catch the guy, right?  Here was the initial result:

Black-crowned heron, first take

Black-crowned heron, first take

Click to continue »

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The places I’ve been

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

and the things I’ve seen:

Dolphinscape

Dolphinscape

The last two weeks of posting were done remotely, and planned in advance.  Because I was doing this – diving off the Kona coast, with dolphins…

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To sit by the still waters

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

(ctd. from A Brief Respite)

To nourish the soul, to escape the cold. Hear the water trickle, the sound of life force replenishing.

Fairmont Fish Farm

Sit beside still waters

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