Daily Image - Aug 2018 Archive

29 Aug 18 Going with something for the first time again today. As most folks know one of the major drawbacks of a raster image (one comprised of pixels) compared to a vector image (one comprised of formulas) in that the former is lossy in scaling while the latter can be scaled up or down to the cows come home with no degradation. Of course all our digital cameras work with raster images, often called bit mapped images, and known to most folks in the form of jpg images. You can of course scale a jpg some with better results in scaling down than when scaling up, but you can get away with it to some degree with many photo editing programs out there. Last week Topaz Labs released a new program called A.I. Gigapixel which uses artificial intelligence, hence the A. I. in the name, to compute the scaled image. Not surprising to some of you I was part of the beta testers for the new program. I've been playing with it for a few weeks and thought I'd share a photo I created using the new program. I started with a RAW image from the D500 which was 4303 x 2864. I then made a crop of that original reducing the size to 2116 x 1593. This step wasn't a downsizing but just a crop off all 4 sides. Then I ran that crop file through Gigapixel creating an image 8464 x 6372 pixels. Amazingly the enlarged image is better than the original RAW capture. So the base image for today is that up-scaled shot originally taken about 10 days ago. While driving a friend around the area Jan noticed a large bird just sitting on a grassy area of a local property. We stopped to shoot it while the home owner of that same property was walking up close to the bird taking its portrait and asking me what kind of bird it was. The property owner practically had to kick it to get it to fly which it eventually did but just briefly before returning to the same spot. There was something of great interest to the bird at that location but try as we might we couldn't figure out what. I'm no expert on raptors but I do believe this to be a juvenile Osprey (fish hawk.) All the info about the image is in the body of the text. Defending Territory Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture priority; ISO 320; 1/500 sec @ f / 9.

09 Aug 18 A few days back I saw an interesting image of a object coming out of a photo onto a continuation of the photo's background. It being Theatrical Thursday, I thought I'd give it a try. First time I've tried something of this nature but I rather like the effect - made 6 versions, yes I did - so I thought I'd share one of them. The idea is that of the old coming into the new but I probably didn't need to say that. It took a little effort to get it at least close to right but thought it worth the effort. The original image was taken back in May of 2009 when Jan and I spent a full day up at Mt Rainier on a Mt Rainier Scenic Railroad outing setup just for photographers. Got to ride on different trains, I got to ride in the engineer's cab for a while, and then we had staged runs where we got off at a strategic location and then the train made several passes in front of us for photos. It was a fun day and quite long but it was a great day of memories. For those of you who ever get an opportunity to do something like this I highly recommend you take advantage of it and give it a go. The image was created by first getting the raw file where I wanted it, just as I do for every photo I share. Then I duped it and made a selection for the print part. To that I added a border and converted to the old look you see with Topaz Digital Frame and Texture Effects. Then that "photo" was layered onto the original. I first skewed it to get the angled look, then removed part of the border, and finally blended in the two edges to get the smooth transition. Then the starburst was added to the already lit light on the engine. From Out of the Past Nikon D300s; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 400; 1/250 sec @ f / 5.

13 Aug 18 Despite the storm that followed us into Budapest and plagued us during the day, the evening hours were relatively quiet as the storm abated and the Captain thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to take a short cruise up and down the Danube to show off the city from the middle of the river. The rain was still around and reminded us with an occasional splatter now and then. Depending on one's perspective that rain was either an annoyance or an opportunity; perhaps both simultaneously. With a drop or two of moisture on the lens and the right lighting setup there was a couple opportunities to capture some interesting images. One such I'm sharing for today's submission. These aren't the kind of things for which you can really prepare, they just sometimes fortuitously happen and I was delighted with what was provided. This shot was taken near the end of the cruise as we were approaching our mooring when most all of the other tour members had returned to a lower and warmer/dryer deck for the evening's festivities. But remaining topside for a few more minutes had its benefits. This is pretty much what the camera saw. Invasion of the Globes Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 6400; 1/60 sec @ f / 4.

06 Aug 18 Back to Budapest for today's image and a full monty of the main attraction in Hero's Square. As I mentioned earlier our first day trip in Budapest was to be a full excursion into the city but the weather was such that all it amounted to was a quick tour with one stop, that being Hero's Square and then only for 15 minutes. But it was long enough for me to know we had to go back which we did on the third day in beautiful weather and much to my delight with not too many people there, just enough to be slightly irritating. This is a 7 frame composite of the main attraction and just for fun I've converted it to a painting to imitate van Gogh. I'm thinking I may share this one as a triptych so you may see it Tue as a B&W and Wed as a straight shot. We'll see. I was considering getting rid of the distractions (people) but decided to leave them in for size comparison. The folks in front don't count but those next to the wall give you a good idea as to its size. I don't know the significance of the 7 chieftains, but I'm thinking it has something to do with a bringing together of seven warring factions sometime in the past. I haven't looked it up but I'm rather certain all the info is available on some web page. Obviously if you visit it is one of the must see attractions and while we took the subway to see it because Jan wasn't up to the walk, one certainly could walk from the center of town to the square and in the process see a lot of wonderful architecture along the way! As I mentioned above this is a 7 shot composite and I had to do a lot of straightening to get it right as I once again was not holding the camera level to the ground. I didn't take the tripod along and I really should have. By Vinny Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 320; 1/1600 sec @ f / 9.

08 Aug 18 Decided to do the three so here is the last one and this time it is the straight one. Nothing more to add to the story other than to comment on how hard it was to remove all the distractions behind the statues. I couldn't even come close but did the best I could moving around until I had the fewest possible which is the reason I didn't take the shot(s) from the exact middle of the display. Probably should have removed the lights and bare tree but didn't think it worth the time (probably wrong). Of course the real solution would have been a dozen carefully orchestrated images making sure the perspective was identical in each but that would have required far more time than I wanted to devote and Jan would have rightly lost patience with me as she was not feeling the greatest so I guess it became a case of what you see is what I got. Same info as before. Main Attraction Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture priority; ISO 320; 1/1600 sec @ f / 9.

07 Aug 18 Spent the day working on building a shed (8 x 8 x 8) for firewood so didn't even turn on the computer until just now, so obviously I didn't spend any time working up an image so thought I'd just go with my idea from yesterday and send part two of the triptych, this time in B&W. As the three images are identical having been created form the same shot, one can make a triptych in a couple of different ways, one being placing each image full size next to one another with or without a border and another being cutting a third out of each image and placing them side by side. Or three different sizes the combination of which is the full image. Lots of ways to play with them. Nothing much more to add to what I wrote yesterday so I'll cal it quits. Only thing different for today is I've converted it to B&W. Tonal emphasis Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 320; 1/1600 sec @ f / 9.

01 Aug 18 On the hill behind our condo I'm told there are several nesting pair of Sand Hill Cranes although I've yet to see even one. Full time residents have assured me that they are there and one of these days I hope to capture one of them. These are lovely large birds, and having them as subjects would be wonderful. But they are certainly not limited to where we live and each year for the last four we've been seeing more and more of them in the surrounding countryside. Last spring's visit gave us an opportunity to see them on several occasions, and our last day of visiting we saw a wonderful display of their behavior. The first show we watched was brought to us by an adult male strolling around on a mound of ground near the pond next to Beaver Creek just tending to his own apparent territory when out of no where another younger adult flew in to survey the situation. That was apparently seen as a challenge by the older bird and an immediate battle occurred which lasted for the better part of a minute before the younger bird was driven off. I was privileged to watch the entire show which was thoughtfully refereed by a local Canada Goose. These cranes are big birds and watching them maneuver just inches above the ground was truly spectacular. In this photo you can not only see how close they are to the ground, but look closely, you'll see the older bird biting the younger bird in the tush and the younger bird voicing his disapproval. If it isn't readily apparent zoom in to 100%. Other than cropping this it is just as the camera recorded. Close Air Combat Maneuvering Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture priority; ISO 400; 1/1000 sec @ f / 9.

02 Aug 18 It being Theatrical Thursday today's offering is creative. Today we are looking at the challenger after having been declared the loser and sent on his way, which was just across the street. The body of water, I'll refer to it as a large pond, which is adjacent to Beaver Creek is divided by the road so there are two separate locations for the wildlife to inhabit. So far in the 6 years we have been driving past the area we have never seen a group of animals transit from one side to the other but our guy might just have been doing so when he made the mistake of challenging the older bird. Post match he simple flew to the other side and began hunting for a meal. I followed him for about 15 minutes as he made his way along the nearest edge of the pond. At the time I took the shot he was just leaving the dry land and about to enter the water which at the point he chose was perhaps 18 inched deep. During the time I was watching I saw him get one small meal but I'll wager before bedtime he had a full tummy. I cropped the original some small amount for composition and then converted it to this painting look using Topaz simplify 4. Painted Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 400; 1/500 sec @ f / 9.

03 Aug 18 Walking down the road a couple weeks back Jan noticed a "something" clinging to a stalk of grass. We moseyed over to find a cecropia moth that had just emerged and had not yet pumped up its wings. As the morning wasn't all that warm we ventured that the critter would still be there upon our return and sure enough it was so we pulled up the stalk of grass and brought it home. I took it up into the studio and shot it for a while but the heat of the room soon had it becoming far too active so I took it outside and continued to shoot in the cooler air. All the while it was pumping the fluid from its body into its wings and it wasn't going to be long until it took off. I got as many shots as I could and then left it to go on its way. This shot was taken of it resting on a small container garden Jan has on the front steps and I've modified it just a we bit to "simulate" the way it was vibrating in the process of pumping up its wings for flight. Other than the modification using Topaz Glow 2, this is what the camera recorded. Getting Pumped Up Nikon D500; 105mm macro; Aperture Priority; ISO 500; 1/100 sec @ f / 9.

16 Aug 18 Among our favorite locations for lavender as I've mentioned prior, and shared images from there, is the farm Jardin du Soleil. You may recall the wooden mailbox sent earlier this year and a large grouping of birdhouses I shared several years back. Today's submission is of a small garden just opposite the mailbox. I thought it being Theatrical Thursday that I would make it creative in the form of a painting of the 19th century genre. The original version is pretty nice but I greatly prefer the more romantic approach I've given it here. If you have a chance to visit the farm look for the garden as I'm betting that it is in flower for most of the spring and summer. The base image is straight from the camera and this creative version was created using Topaz Impression 2. A Pastoral Setting Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 500; 1/400 sec @ f / 9.

15 Aug 18 Considering all the chatter about Sasquatch and all those doubters out there (there out to be a law making it a crime to doubt such) I thought it would be reasonable to put to rest any misunderstanding about our local icon and provide a real clear picture so we can dispense with all this talk about there not being anything such as a Sasquatch. This photo for today should once and for all make it obvious that not only is there such a thing as Sasquatch but that they are friendly loving creatures taking care of others as they are able. This individual was seen along Highway 101 about 10 miles east of Sequim and we've seen him more than once. Traveling along the highway, if you keep your eyes open, you too may have an opportunity to see him. This is STRAIGHT from the camera, no messing with it what so ever. Proof Positive Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 320; 1/200 sec @ f / 9.

10 Aug 18 As you are all aware my favorite type of photography is macro and Fridays are dedicated to that area, this Friday being no exception with a photo of a cone flower with, surprise, a bee on it. A few weeks back I was watching a series of videos on macro photography touted as being the cat's meow on the subject put on by a major player in the digital editing software arena. To say I was disappointed would be a gross understatement but in the course of watching them all in hopes that there would be some small kernel of new information I was introduced to a couple of new lenses of which I wasn't aware. So the time spent wasn't a total waste. My current stable of macro lenses, the 55, 60, 105, and 200 mm Micro Nikkor lenses all go to a 1:1 ratio, meaning they can shoot life size, but not beyond. To go further I need to add a bellows, close up rings, extensions tubes, or reverse the lenses. All these approaches work but they require additional time to set up, degrading the glass in the prime lens, or jerry-rigging components together to get the necessary magnification. Here is where those programs fit in. One of the lenses demonstrated is a Chinese macro lens from a company called LAOWA. They offer a 25mm f/2.8 (to 16) ultra macro lens that provides 2.5 to 5.0 X continuous magnification with 0.5 x marked increments. At this point I'm sure you know I had to have one, and order one I did based on the sample images I saw produced with it. It arrived today and so far I've gotten it out of its shipping case, removed it from its vacuum wrapped bag, and read the manual if you can call what comes with it a manual, 15 pages 3.5" x 2.75". Tomorrow it goes on the camera to see how it performs for me. So be on the lookout for something next week in the 2.5 to 5.0 x magnification. I have no idea what it may be, but it will be something. I've substantially cropped the original but that's all. Ground Zero Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 250; 1/ 250 sec @ f / 8.

14 Aug 18 We went on a short drive around a part of Hood Canal today winding up in Brinnon and visiting a local waterfall, Rocky Brook Falls, that I've shared before and I'll be sharing again either later in the week or next week. Never visited the falls before in August and was pleased with what the falls presented with little water, in comparison with Spring melt, falling down the face of the falls. As a result much of the rocky cliff face was displayed in full color not being masked by a rush of water. Took a number of shots playing with that color most of which I've not seen prior. Today's submission is from the base of the falls and I used a slow shutter speed to give the falling water some character. I didn't bring along a tripod, (naturally I knew better), so had to shoot hand held. Fortunately the hands were sufficiently steady to pull it off today. In reality the water was whiter looking to the naked eye but I've exchanged the pure white to which everyone is accustomed for the character of the water. I trust you'll accept that as a fair exchange. This is not what the eye saw but it is what the camera saw do to the slow shutter speed. Showing Off Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200; 1/10 sec @ f / 25 hand held.

17 Aug 18 A bit of a variation today in that I believe this is the first time I've shared a B&W macro/close-up. On our drive to Brinnon earlier in the week we passed by a community garden in Quilicene that had as a part of it a section of sunflowers that are not replanted by the community but rather are reseeded naturally. There was a fairly large section of them considering the size of the garden and we stopped on the return leg to shoot for a few minutes. I got a number of images I liked and this one in particular. Of the 6 versions I made, this is my favorite with the straight color being a very close second. What's a bit unusual is that both a good friend from VA who has been with us this week and Jan both picked this version over all the other 5 so this one gets three thumbs up. Not much more to say about it as it is just a shot of a flower in a garden, and one without some kind of insect involved on top of that. This is straight from the camera save for some cropping off the top and bottom of material that added nothing. Shining Bright Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 250; 1/320 sec @ f / 9.

28 Aug 18 Common on many "homesteads" in our area, and something Jan has been pestering me (unsuccessfully) for years to add to our landscape, are chickens, not only for the eggs, but for a bit of color on the premises. I would venture that those of you who are not familiar with these common egg producers would be amazed at the variety of species and how colorful they are, both in plumage and in antics. I wouldn't mind having a dozen or so once we stop traveling but until then they can be put on hold. Friends from church, our next door neighbor, and my cousin all have a small flock so it is easy for me to go use them as subjects anytime I desire. This trio is from my cousin's farm and they belong to his daughter. Maggie was with us when I visited and at first we couldn't find them but she flushed them out from their hiding place so I could do a little shooting. They are used to a dog so her presence didn't do much more than just move them from spot A to spot B. These guys reminded me of a security patrol as they made their way around the field surrounding the house accounting for all the members of their flock. Other than some cropping and of course converting it a little from the original to give it some character, this is what the camera captured. In Training Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 250; 1/400 sec @ f / 9.

23 Aug 18 Time for both a vertical presentation and the whole flower, but from the back showing "the rest of the story" (flower) as Mr Harvey used to say. This is what the camera captured and is from the same series as all the rest I've shared this week as well as Friday's. Rear View Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 250; 1/160 sec @ f / 9.

21 Aug 18 Based on what feedback I got, I'll do a set of three images for today and then just one each for the remaining three days. Not much more to say about what I'm sharing as I pretty much said it all yesterday. The base image is With Internal Lighting with the others being made from it. The only difference in today's preparation from that of yesterday was that I started working on this one in Topaz Studio and then brought it into Photoshop for the manipulations. My favorite of the manipulations is the B&W and I'd love to find an actual dahlia in that color. Black Magic Nikon D500; 105 mm macro; Aperture priority; ISO 320; 1/640 sec @ f / 9.

31 Aug 18 Heard this evening from a very reliable source that with the next auto update to Adobe Photoshop CC that they will no longer support any M$ product older then Win 10 and similar for the Apple OS. So apparently it is just a matter of weeks before I will no longer be using any Adobe products. A truly STUPID move in my opinion with all the competition currently available and more arriving each year. Bottom line I guess is that it will be saving me a fair amount of money. Time to move on to any of several options I currently have and with Topaz Studio being the likely winning candidate. Finishing this week's animals with yet another shot from the dahlia garden but with a bee of course! This bee however I believe to be important as it is not a Honey bee and while I can't be certain, I believe it to be a Mason bee. I'd be far more certain if it was wearing the little apron and brandishing the proper symbol - which it isn't - but I 'm going with Mason bee because there are lots of them around here and I'm seeing more and more of them all the time. With all the talk of the demise of the Honey bee - no evidence of which have I seen - it's good to see more and more of these guys just in case. On the day I shot this there were several blossoms featuring ants as well as three different types bees, this one, Honey bees, and Bumble bees. Lots to choose from, both insects and blossoms, which made it a fun shoot. This is basically what the camera saw. Pollenators Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 320; 1/1000 sec @ f / 9.