Summer 2018 - Final Full Moon

This Hot Summer Will End Soon

All my furry friends should stop complaining about the hottest summer on record.

Next month, it could get even warmer for all we know.

For sure, about the third week, it won't be summer anymore.

In the wee hours of the morning, I went out to check on the moon.

Surprisingly no rain came pouring down so, I decided to attempt moonset photography.

Here's what I saw at 4:46 AM.

As long as the weather kept cooperating I would keep walking and shooting.

The plan was to get closer to the ocean for moonset and catch the light over water.

It's 5:01 AM and the ocean isn't visible yet. I walk slowly in the dark.

At 5:20 AM  the sea is visible below me but, I wait for the moon to get lower.

The first three images were taken at a focal length of 700 MM.

Get Ready Furry Ones

We're standing on level ground, several meters above sea level, using a tripod.

Below lies Red Beach Pier with Ishikawa (Uruma) in the background.

Here's my final full moon photo for the summer of 2018.

It's 5:36 n the morning and I've been awake for 3 hours. Go home and get breakfast.

My furry friends should quit complaining or, do like I did once. Shave!

Henza Island Image: Kobashigawa Mitsu 小桥川みつ

Friends Along the Way in Okinawa

 

Every now and then, in traveling these islands, it's easy to get sidetracked.

The mission April 13, 2013 was to document a cultural event on Henza Island, the Sanguacha.

Meeting Kobashigawa Mitsu, turned out to be the highlight of my day.

She was sitting at a picnic table in the shade.

Stopping to get a drink of water and cool-off, out of the hot sun, I met her.

We became friends in just a few minutes.

When I asked if I could take her photo, she agreed and, even signed a model release.

My release forms are in Japanese because, that's mostly who I deal with in my line of work.

She signed the form in Japanese and English.  I promised her some prints.

She told me to just bring them to the store we were sitting in front of.

Everyone there knows her.

Time Flies and a Month Went By

 

 

 

On the last, rainy Sunday in May, I drove back to Henza Island to deliver the photos.

Inside the little Mom and Pop store, there were only three or four people.

When a woman saw me showing the photos to the cashier, she took a look at them.

Then, she pointed to a corner where a woman was bending over at a freezer.

It was Kobashigawa Mitsu.

When she saw me, she busted out in smiles.

Handing her the prints, I apologized for taking so long and thanked her.

Then, I paid for her ice cream. 

Don't tell the wife !

Making Friends with the Tiger Dog

A Second Visit with the Ryukyu Inu

Getting down to eyeball level with a dog takes awhile, when you are a stranger.

So, I went back for round two with the cameras today.

Tora, means tiger, in Japanese and, that's this dog's name.

The photo was taken, zooming with the tripod standing tall and I'm looking down at him.

 When I get down to his level and start snapping-away, he doesn't seem too happy.

 So, I figured it would be a good idea to back-off and leave the camera near him.

There's a signed pet release, for this tiger dog, in my wallet.

Now, all we have to do, is get used-to working together.

This Ryukyu Inu is going places.

Wait and see.

Related Post-- Special Ryukyu Dog Photo: The Turaa Inu

Flower Photo: Yellow Water Lily

Found in Nago City, Okinawa, Japan

 

Today was a fun filled day traveling around the island of Okinawa.

We saw some old friends and made a few new ones.

Map It Okinawa dude and I even went over to checkout some other islands.

Everywhere we went, things just clicked.  I can't remember when was the last time I had a day like that.

This yellow lily was the last photo taken today.

When you've had a great day, it's best not to spoil things by squinting at computer monitors.

So, I'll be leaving you with this yellow flower and going uptown for awhile.

Did you know beer spoils, even in the fridge, if people don't consume it fast enough ?

Other things that need to be tended to are waiting.  I'll be back.....

Facebook Likes Worth a Look and a Like by RyukyuMike

Not sure if this will become any regular feature around here but, I decided to do some screenshots of Facebook Fan Pages today.  Along with the pages I've visited, I'll post links so you can see where I've been and if you're so inclined, you may like them, too.  It's real easy. Just push their LIKE BUTTON !

BEERS AND BEANS

BUDGET TRAVELERS SANDBOX

CALAMITIES OF NATURE

GO NOMAD TRAVEL

ISHIGAKI-JAPAN

JASON AND ARACELY TRAVEL

TRAVELING GREENER

TURKEY'S FOR LIFE

VISIT OKINAWA JAPAN

Y TRAVEL BLOG

What inspired me to do this ?

Well,  I ran out of BENGAY and my legs are sore from cave exploration.

So, the cameras and I decided to take the day off.

Then, I got to reading that MACS FOR DUMMIES BOOK and figured out how to take screenshots. 

So, that's what I did.

Somewhere along the line these Facebook Friends have helped or inspired me and I thought it would be nice to let you know about their Fan Pages.

There are plenty more pages I look at daily on Facebook.

But, there isn't enough space on this blog for all of them.  So, I'll just do 10 at a time.

HOLLER AT ME IF SOMEHOW I MISSED YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE,  OK ?

VISIT MY HOMEPAGE FOR THE PHOTO OF THE DAY

Adobe Elements Product Review (Photos) and How To

HERE'S A QUICK REVIEW AND HOW-TO FOR FRIENDS WHO SHOOT UNDEREXPOSED PHOTOS AND FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T MY FRIENDS, YET.

        A BEFORE ADOBE ELEMENTS 8                                                     AND AN AFTER ELEMENTS 8

This is a product I use every single day.  Now, nobody can get away with calling me a PhotoShopper because that's not what I use the stuff for.  The idea I got into my head when I first started takin pictures with a digital camera was learn to shoot photos that don't need anything done to them but framing after they came outa my camera.

Once I started posting photos online I discovered there's a buncha thieves around the world who think it's alright to just take your stuff for FREE !

So, I ended up buying programs to help me discourage them. Let's just say I alter the photography enough to make it worthless for printing and easy for me to find when some knucklehead decides to swipe my picture and re-post it on line as his or hers.

Today, all I want to show you is a few steps you can take in Adobe Elements.  I'm using Elements 8 but, there is a newer version available, Adobe Elements 9.  Either one you can get for under $100. 

I have used other programs.  For the computer challenged nothing beats Adobe Elements.

HERE IS ALL I DID TO THE PHOTO ABOVE WITH ELEMENTS 8 IN 30 SECONDS OR LESS


Clicked on FILE and opened my Pictures File for 17 April 2011 and clicked on this image.
Boom.  There she is and she's underexposed.  So, I want to enhance her.  I CLICK "ENHANCE". Hah !


Being the lazy person I am, all I did next was hit AUTO SMART FIX and let somebody else do all the work.


         Little guys running around inside my computer fixed her up in no time.  Bless their hearts.


Next, I CLICK on IMAGE to size it for my blog and HIT "ROTATE" to get the gal standin on her feet. 

All that took me less than 30 seconds.  You can probably do it even faster.  I only type with one finger.

Adobe Elements gets a five star rating from me. 

Would I reccomend this product to my friends ?

Yup. They'd be crazy not to have it.

RELATED POST: HDR PHOTOGRAPHY BASICS USING ELEMENTS 8

Twice Within a Week

It's been awhile since I've updated here. I've been too busy researching and typing on other people's blogs and neglecting my own.

It started paying-off, though. Twice in the past week my photos and attempts at writing have hit online travel magazines. This photo of a Mud Festival, along with another of dragonboat races got published at http://www.apogeephoto.com/

Another version of my Bullfighting in Okinawa was published 3 days earlier in a travel and culture online magazine http://www.nihonsun.com/2009/07/03/bullfighting-in-okinawa/

One thing I've learned, recently is that this internet thing, I'm always complaining about is a pretty handy tool when it comes to making contacts. You can meet all kinds of professional writers and photographers, help each other out, get published and avoid getting caught in scams (Which there are plenty of, out there).

To all my friends, photographers and writers: Thank You and have a good week !