Some Cosmos to Look at on Rainy Days and a Dang Cocoon

Will the April Showers Ever End ?

 

Somebody needs to tell the rainmaker, we've had enough.

This photo was taken back in March.

We really don't need any more April showers to bring on the May flowers.

Flowers, bloom year round in Okinawa, Japan.

Sunshine, is what's needed.

Being Cooped Up on Rainy Days Can Make You Go Buggy

 

As a matter of fact, I'm babysitting a bug, right now.

It's some sort of cocoon, I found crawling around so, I captured it.

Instead of me getting all bloody, crawling after it, I put it in a clear cup.

That way, if it ever decides to come out, I can shoot it with my camera.

Experience Has Taught Me

 

Chasing little insects with a DSLR can ruin your day.

In the past, I have shredded my jeans, bloodied my elbows and knees and destroyed my office.

It happened because, I wanted to know what that thing, in a cocoon was.

We bought a special bug cage for it.

And, it died before I could ever figure out what it was.

Now, I wish I wouldn't have threw that stupid bug cage away.

Bug Experts Advised Me

 

Keep the thing alive until it matures.  Then, you'll be able to identify it.

So, that's the plan, this time around.

The little rascal gets around.  It escaped once.  And, I found it crawling on my ladder.

Now, it's in a pudding cup with another pudding cup taped above it.

As long as it isn't allergic to Scotch Tape, we'll be in business.

But, if the sun comes out this week, I'm outta here.

The cocoon and pudding cups, I'd give away for free.

This rainy weather make me crazy !

Related Posts:

Free to a Good Home

Ladybug in My Office

Lessons Learned From a Lizard

Why Don't They Have a Be Kind to Radishes (大根) Week ?

The Neighbor Gave These to My Wife

 

 

That's probably because he knows the way I am.

These daikon (radishes) probably weren't the best, to display at the market.

But, they make great subjects for photography.

And, I do blogging stuff, too.

My cameras were back at the office.

So, I propped them up on the wife's chair, quick, before she washes them and chops them up.

And, shot the image with my cell-phone .

Title:  Just a Couple of Radishes Watching TV

The thought, occurred to me, I should probably lug a DSLR home with me every night.

It may be too late to get another photo of these characters.

They might have already been cooked.



Related Link: Daikon (大根) Japanese Radish Photos

Firework Photos: What's Kenny Rogers Got to Do With That ?

It's a Lot Like Being a Gambler

 

 

 

When you take a tripod and digital camera to a festival for fireworks, it's a gamble.

The best way to insure a few good photos is shoot plenty.

Then, when you get back to your digital darkroom, you have some decisions to make.

Since I'm borrowing the words, "Know what to throw away and know what to keep",

here's a little tune Kenny Rogers said it so well in:

A DSLR, shooting RAW photos creates some humongous files.

It's fairly easy to know what to throw away, once you view them on a computer monitor.

The hardest part of the job is deciding what to keep.

Cropping the photos that have some pretty fireworks in them is an option.

That only works when you have room to follow some of the rules of composition.

Some folks get out their paint brushes to remove distracting elements from the photo.

There's too much work outdoors, for me to do so, I don't have time to fool with painting.

If a burst has a tail hanging-off of it, that's what you get.

This photo is not really a keeper, to me but, it got me thinking, someone might use it.

These days, I hear people break-up with each other by text messages.

So, a gal could write something on this and send it to her soon-to-be ex.


Sold the fishing pole for ten bucks

The rest of your junk is in the garage

Stay out of my house

You don't live here anymore

LOL

If they had a shot like this, in the bar I go to, I'd probably think I had way too much to drink.

And, I'd get home a lot earlier.

Here's one I liked but, couldn't follow the Rule of Thirds so, it'll be history.

This one might make a good glow in the dark fridge magnet.  In the space you could write:

DON'T EAT SO MUCH !

If somebody comes up with a catchy title for this photo, I could email it to them.

The throwing away part of these fireworks is just about done.

Now, I just have to figure out, which ones to keep.


MORE IN PHOTO TIPS



Canon G12 on a Dog Walk Nabs a Butterfly (Images)

No Animals Harmed in this Series

 

The DSLR's are resting for a big event tomorrow and, I'm supposed to be, too.

When the wife and I took the dogs for a walk, I slipped the G12 in a cargo pocket.

She walks the little white rat, I take the huskies.

We were almost home when the missus spotted this butterfly.

These days, you can never be too careful.

Gizmo, checks things out.  Friend or, foe; we gotta know, before I start shooting.

All clear.  The subject is unarmed.

With the little Powershot, I pointed and shot from the west.

Then, snapped one to show you the road heading from east to west.

The butterfly is a Blue Triangle.

If I was smart, I'd stuff that Canon G12 in my cargo pocket, everyday !

How-to Take Winning Screenshots With No Hassles Whatsoever

This post was inspired by many people asking me how to do a screenshot.

Trust me, I am not the brightest light on the Xmas tree when it comes to computers.

My MACS for DUMMIES book just taught me this the other day.

Push SHIFT, COMMAND and NUMBER 3 all at the same time.

The computer makes a CLICK noise just like a DSLR CAMERA.

And, the Screenshot, which is really a JPEG photo, shows up on your monitor.

Windows PC's are a little different.  You can go to Windows HELP and try what they tell you but, I could never understand all the hi-tek talk they use so, I went to this place.

AND GOT SCREENHUNTER 5.1 FOR FREE !

What you see when you double click the Screenhunter 5.1 installed on your desktop is pictured in the photo above.  I always set mine so it's on STANDBY and single hotkey F6.

So, when I'm ready to snatch a screenshot, I just press CTRL and F6 and the thing snaps a shot CLICK and a little window pops up asking me if it's alright to save it on my desktop.

So, I say "OK".  And that's what it does, after I push the OK button.

Here's a screenshot of SOPHIE'S WORLD

Always give credit (Links are best) to anyplace you take screenshots from, or you could wind up in big trouble.  Some people, such as myself, don't take kindly to thievery.

Another hint: It's best to set your browser window to fullscreen before you take the screenshot.

SPLICE TODAY COMES TO MY OFFICE DAILY

Take fullscreen shots, so you have room to edit them later.

I'm hoping that NEWSMAN OVER THERE DON'T MIND MY EDITING.

.

He could take me to court, but probably, already knows, I ain't got no money.

Jim over at HOLES IN MY SOLES well, he knows how it is these days being a cameraman.

After I took this screenshot, I cropped and sharpened it a bit so I can go back and read it later.

SCOTLAND HERE AND NOW

Once you know how to shoot screenshots it's important to learn about filing them.

They will have real long names like, Screenshot, or ScreenHunter_01, 02 May, 18 13:54 .

Before the month is out your whole dashboard will be cluttered up with screenshots and you won't be able to see clearly anymore.  So, get them off the monitor and stick them in  folders.

GOYA REPUBLIC

It's a lot easier to find stuff when you rename the file something like Goya Republic.

Cut and Paste it into a Goya, Scotland, Holes, Splice or Sophie Folder.  Or, a Nov 2011 Folder.

Then, it's easy to find if you ever need it again.

 Doc, I didn't want to leave him out of this demonstration.  So, here he is adding some color and contrast to my blog post today.

Learn how to take winning screenshots on your computer because I'm looking at how to celebrate the 750,000th view on this blog. A screenshot of the event may determine the winner. 

Standby for more.....

Visit the links to my screenshots above and give them a thumbs up, that's what I do !

The Canon G12 Powershot is Now One of My Three Amigos

This Canon G12 isn't ready for a full-blown Mad Mike's Review, yet but, I'm starting to like it already.

I just need awhile longer to put it through all its paces; get used to the little buttons and wheels.

It passed the Missus tests, which is ain't about happen to the other two amigo cameras of mine.

The photo above (taken with a cellular camera) shows the three types of digital camera you may want to consider if you are just getting into photography.  Brand name doesn't matter.  From left to right are a DSLR, a Bridge Camera and a Point and Shoot.  There are advantages/disadvantages for each of them. 

No one size or brand of camera shoots better than another.

In my case, I started off shooting digital with the Bridge Camera, a Panasonic DMC-FZ50.  It's a great little camera but, wouldn't reach out far enough for the wildlife I like to shoot.  So, I moved on up to a Pentax DSLR and the capability to change lenses.  That's not what everybody needs or wants to do.

A DSLR can get heavy.  Some of the lenses I use weigh more than two or three cameras.  Groan.

Photo above taken with the Canon G 12

The Canon Powershot weighs less than the Pentax 18-250mm lens I like to keep on my Pentax K5. 

Photo above taken with PANASONIC LUMIX.

The G12, which can shoot RAW files and can be operated in Manual Mode, fits right into my back pocket. 

Photo taken with PENTAX K5.

This allows me to sneak into places where someone with a DSLR can't normally go and take professional, high quality photos, theoretically speaking. 

So, theoretically, yesterday, that's what I did.  And that's how the Canon G12 became my 3d amigo.

No more spinning around on the floor after BEING THROWN OFF THE ESCALATOR FOR THIS OLD BOY !

This photo made me decide I should probably get someone else to do the modeling next time I need to demonstrate what you can do with a Powershot. 

It looks like some drunk outside the back door of my bar but, it ain't. 

I just hate throwing things away, as you can see from the pile of junk assembled in the alley.

The batteries for my three amigos are done charging so, I'll be headed out the front door anytime now.

Have a great weekend, wherever you are and drive safely !


VISIT MY HOMEPAGE FOR THE PHOTO OF THE DAY

PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: DSLR PURCHASE

Are you ready to move up to a DSLR Camera?

If you already have a Point and Shoot Digital Camera and are getting the itch to move on up to a DSLR there are a few items I’ve listed below that you may want to master before getting into the very expensive world of lenses that go along with those puppies.

Hardly a week goes by without me running across folks toting thousands, (sometimes tens of thousands) of dollars worth of DSLRs and lenses. I shoot the breeze with them and look at their cameras and assume they’re Pros when I see $40,000 to $50,000 hanging off their camera strap. I envy them.

Then, when I get a closer look, I discover they are using their DSLRs just like a Point and Shooter. They have the damn things in AUTO Mode! They are just filthy rich, clueless, ignorant people who know nothing about cameras, film or digital. They should die and leave their cameras to me. Am I right?

 
Here's what you need to know before buying a DSLR:
 
1. Exposure: There are 3 things (Think Triangle) that affect the exposure of the photograph: Shutter Speed, Aperture and ISO. You have to master them. Take a camera class, read a book, even read your camera manual, because if you’re not intimately familiar with how they all relate to each other, you are not ready to move up in the photographic world with a brand new DSLR.


2. Depth of Field (DOF): Aperture settings, the lens you’re using and the distance you are from your subject have a direct impact on how your photo turns out. Know how to make the background and foreground in sharp focus or background blurred and the subject sharp. Make sure you’ve mastered this before you buy a camera where you have to make decisions on which lens to use with it.

3. Camera Settings: Take your camera off the AUTO MODE setting and use Manual, or if it doesn’t allow that, use Aperture or Shutter Priority and shoot at different settings, changing ISO’s, Shutter speed and Aperture from the highest to lowest ranges. Know the camera’s capabilities and limitations.

4. Read the EXIF Data: What’s that? The information your camera’s computer stored on how you made the shot. If your camera software program doesn’t display it automatically, RIGHT CLICK on the photo and hit Properties when the photo is opened in a folder. The date, time, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focal length, even whether you used manual or auto focus should appear. Study and this information for every shot you take. I do, and I’ve learned more from this data than any instructor, photography class, book or video could ever teach me. I look at every shot I make and ask myself how I could have done it better. Eventually, you photography will get better from your self critiques. You’ll remember!

5. Having thoroughly schooled yourself and mastered steps 1-4 above, you may decide, it’s high time you get yourself a DSLR; you’re ready to step up to a more professional model than what you already have. Congratulations and welcome to my world! Only you can do the research on Models and Lenses and decide what’s best for your style of photography and your size bank account. I can’t help you there.

My final words of caution: When you go to the camera store, “BEFORE BUYING A DSLR” talk to the salesclerk and tell him you don’t want the lens that comes with the camera. You want the lens you decided you need; not the kit lens that comes in the box with a brand new camera. Tell the clerk he can keep that piece of junk and give you a deal on a real lens. Kit lenses are OK, for people just buying cameras for Auto Mode, snap shooting or to give away as gifts but, they are NOT professional lenses.

Confused? Repeat steps 1-5 above until it all becomes clear or you really won’t be happy with a DSLR.  Holler at me over on Facebook anytime you have a suggestion for a new Photography Tip and I'll see what I can cook up for you.

PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: JPG VS RAW

For Today’s Photography Tip I’m posting two photos in order to give a quick demonstration on the difference between two file formats used by Digital Photographers in the field. They are JPG and RAW. I shoot RAW files, exclusively.


In the past, pretty much only professional photographers or really serious hobbyists would bother using RAW when taking pictures. Nowadays, lots of people are getting into the act. Until recently RAW files weren’t available in Point and Shoot models, only in your larger DSLR cameras.

Canon is now manufacturing a Point and Shoot which can make RAW photos. You can bet on it, everyone will follow suit.

The dark photo of an Okinawan Shisa (Lion-dog) posing under a red-tile roof with blue skies is an example of what a RAW photo looks like. It looks dark, way underexposed, almost like one of those old-fashioned film negatives from the 20th Century. And, so it is; it’s raw and needs to be developed.

The photo in which the Shisa is clearly visible is a JPG file. You can Google to find out more about the different types of files most commonly used with digital cameras today, but my quick explanation may help you decide which format is best for you.

JPG files, when copied, loose some of their details each time you copy them. If you’re just shooting for your own personal use or scrapbooking, JPG files are the way to go.

RAW files allow you more flexibility in creating JPGs. From a RAW file, you can create 100’s of JPGs, every one different from the one before it. The trade-off being, you have to develop every shot after you download your camera. If you’d have shot JPG’s, the camera would’ve developed them for you.

In a nutshell: RAW lets you be a bit more creative, artistic, flexible in what you do after the camera is downloaded, but makes more work for you and creates the need for more storage of files.

JPG’s are just fine for most photographers who are not getting into commercial production with their photography. RAW shots allow you to interpret the information your camera’s computer has saved a bit differently than the manufacturer of your camera does when it creates the JPG.

If you found this Photography Tip helpful please, feel free to leave a comment or question below.

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Photography Tip: Cleaning Your Camera

IT'S AS IMPORTANT AS CHECKING UP ON AND CLEANING A BABY'S BACKSIDE:

I haven’t had to watch a diaper-wearing baby in quite awhile and hope it stays that way. But, I thought this would make a great analogy. If you were going out somewhere in public with your little tyke in tow, you’d probably check out their rear end before you left the house and several times while you were away. Treat your camera the same way and you won’t be embarrassed.

THE EQUIPMENT YOU NEED

In photo #1 my trusty Pentax is filthy from a twelve hour day crawling around in pineapple fields. So, it’s shrunken down in the background. The rest of the gear is what you need for the care of your baby (camera) whether it’s a Point and Shoot or DSLR. All that equipment fits nicely in my shoulder holster camera bag you see under the pile, all but the large black bulb (turkey baster-looking thing); that’s only required when you change lenses on a DSLR. So, for any camera, here’s what you need to clean:


1. A lens brush for removing dust and the bulb forces air to blow it away. The brush is removable, allowing you to use a blast of air for drying your lens.

2. Lens Cleaning Paper is probably no different than eyeglass tissues but, I always buy mine at the camera store. You wouldn’t buy baby wipes from an auto supply shop, would you?

3. Lens Cleaning Solvent, not Windex, or any substitute is what you want to use. Camera lenses have a protective coating on them which you’ll want to last forever.



A kit, with all three items listed above costs less than US $10.00 so, there’s really no reason to be caught without one. Yet, I have people all the time asking me how to clean a camera lens and they’re surprised such equipment even exists. Makes you wonder if they are allowed to have babies, doesn’t it?


 

HOW IT'S DONE

1. Use the brush and bulb to remove dust from the lens. If you have a lens shade on, remove it and dust it off as well.


2. Your fingers contain oil that you don’t want to get on your lens. Tear a piece of lens paper from the pack by one corner, at the edge, being careful not to touch the paper anywhere else.

3. Lightly, spray the opposite end of the paper with lens cleaner. This little bottle of spray should last the average camera-shooter about a year. It doesn’t take much spray at all to clean a lens.

4. Place the moistened portion of the paper on your lens and crumple the dry portion over it. Gently swirl the paper in a circular motion being careful not to touch the lens with your fingers.

Pretend it’s a baby with diaper rash but, be gentler. Cameras cost money.

5. Next, you pull out one more lens tissue and dry, if you need to. I’ve found that I can clean and dry a small Point and Shoot with just one lens paper, if I’m careful.

6. If there’s any remaining haze on the lens after you’ve done all that, use the bulb to air-dry with a few blasts and your lens should be ready to go.


 

THE BACKSIDE OF YOUR CAMERA

A closer look at the backside of my baby shows you why I wanted to hide it from public view; it’s filthy. When I’m out shooting in the hot sun, sweat, dirt, grime, pollen and whatever else can collect on a camera get all over me and my baby. This particular day, it got so bad I couldn’t even read my light meter through the viewfinder. I composed my shots through the viewfinder but had to use the external light meter (on top of the camera) for exposure settings). I had cleaned it twice, earlier in the day, but was facing a busload of tourists coming my way at the end of a twelve hour shoot and just wanted to finish, pack up and run. So, the camera and I came home filthy. It’s easy to remedy. Here’s what you do:

1. Grab the brush and bulb and clean the dust off everything. On DSLRs you can even peel away the rubber molding around the viewfinder for better access to the glass.

2. The viewfinder glass and LCD screen aren’t as sensitive as a lens. Many LCD screens even have a plastic coating you can peel off and replace with a new one. I still use the same method, spraying the lens paper first and repeat the process as above but, it isn’t really that critical.

3. The rest of the camera body, an old toothbrush is safe to use for dust and grime removal, just make sure your lens cover is protecting the lens you’ve cleaned before grinding away dust and dirt from the body of the camera.

4. Any soft cloth and some lens cleaner should remove stubborn spots from the backside of your baby.

5. One more thing you may consider doing before sticking your cleaner-than-brand-spanking-new baby back into its cradle (Camera Bag) is this: Empty that sucker, turn it upside down, shake it and whack the underside a few times. You’ll be surprised at some of the things that find their way into your camera bag while you’re out shooting. Pine needles, sand, spiders, ants, leaves and dust have a way of sneaking up on you while you’re busy composing your masterpieces. Every once in awhile, it pays to run a vacuum cleaner hose inside a camera bag to control the population of unwanted guests.

TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR CAMERA AND IT'LL STILL BE SHOOTING TERRIFIC PHOTOS FOR YOUR REAL LIVE BABY'S COLLEGE GRADUATION CEREMONY !

If you have a question or suggestion for my Photography Tips, please don't hesitate to give me a holler over on my Facebook Page. I value reader's input.