saturday morning photography

These four photographs, from the roll I took this morning, stood out at first pass. Olivia fits between the glass doors and the blinds. She could really scare the pants off someone if they didn’t know she was back there.  Should have taken the time to blur out our dirty window in the image below.

I’m about halfway through Scott Kelby’s “7-point System for Adobe Photoshop CS3.” Kelby’s method describes 7 main editing steps that are done in order. Not knowing what order to make edits in, or what tools are best for photography, has always frustrated me. This book remedies that uncertainty. He begins with RAW processing using ACR or LR (LR has ACR built in). The other 6 steps are done in PS CS3. This was all well and good until LR 2 was released in July. Why? Because LR 2 now has localized editing. In other words, you can make edits to parts of an image now rather than the whole image. This will significantly reduce the amount of time I’ll be spending in PS. Unfortunately, this breakthrough feature has essentially rendered Kelby’s book useless to me. Although the tools are similar, they work differently in LR. Kelby is now selling his “Lightroom 2 Book for Digital Photographers.” Guess its back to the book store. ; )

 

 

 

word art of obama speech

This was created by pasting the transcript of Barack’s convention speech into Wordle.  I forgot to remove all of the applause lines but I think it ended up perfectly.  Notice that McCain is the third most used word.  That strategy, tying McCain to Bush, is going to be the key to success for his campaign.

dnc coverage inside and out

The Democrats in congress have utterly failed to carry out the mandate given to them by the American people. Their ties to corporations and lobbyists and their unwillingness to stand up for the basic progressive ideals that this country was founded on has been a slap in the face to those who voted them into office.  That being said…

The last two nights of the convention were amazing.  This photograph, taken by Tom Roeth, says it all.  There were over 75,000 people in attendance when Obama gave his acceptance speech Thursday evening.  I was completely taken in by the whole thing.  If you missed it, here are the parts to go back to:

• Teddy’s Speech
• Bill’s speech
• Biden’s Speech
• Hillary’s motion to nominate Obama
• Gore’s speech – this was incredible oratory but he may have spoken too quickly for conservatives to understand ; )
• The normal folks they had speak (this was pure genius)
• The produced video about Barack’s upbringing and family
• Barack’s acceptance speech

Thankfully, I had independent news sources to rely on that sobered me up when necessary.  Newshour on PBS extended their broadcast to cover the convention each night and did an amazing job.  The guests they had were diverse and relevant.  They didn’t talk over the speeches and spoke candidly about the issues rather than just the politics.  Their coverage of the goings on inside the Pepsi Center and Invesco Stadium were second to none.  But that wasn’t all that was happening in Denver.

Democracy Now! also extended their broadcast during the week and covered what was going on in the streets.  They called it “Breaking With Convention.”  They interviewed the protestors and third-party candidates, the activists and the voiceless.  I highly recommend that you check out the episodes of Democracy Now! from this past week.

www.democracynow.org

confusion about that sign

there was some confusion about that sign in my last post. does this help?

chick-fil-a

They didn’t even charge me shipping and handling. Aren’t you going to ask what a vegetarian was doing at Chick-Fil-A?

wordle.net

This is a cool little app that lets you put in any text or url and get a visual of which words have been used the most.  The above is a representation of my blog showing the posts still on the front page.  Check it out wordle.net

Hate when this happens

The tea is still too piping hot to fish that out! Hope it’s a hemp rope…

she’s back

My camera has returned from service safe and sound.  She had us worried a bit there.  It was touch and go for a while.  The paper showed that the aperture assembly was replaced.  The body was cleaned very thoroughly.  Maybe I’ll do a dust reference photo to see if the sensor was also cleaned.  Well, she seems to be working like new again.  Thanks to all of you for the outpouring of support during our time of need.  Come to think of it, she does look a little different, eh?

what i have been reading

 

“A Thousand Splendid Suns” is Hosseini’s second novel.  His first, “The Kite Runner,” was a melancholy tale focused on the father-son relationship.  You can read my mini-review of “The Kite Runner” in a past blog post.  “A Thousand Splendid Suns” is a story about the sacrifices of motherhood.  Two Afghan women, from very different backgrounds, end up as wives of the same tyrannical husband.  Hosseini begins by giving us deep background on the two women, going back and forth between their separate lives until they eventually become intertwined.

Although these two novels seem to follow the same theme, one about fatherhood and the other about motherhood, they are quite different.  Hosseini’s latest is as much about the setting as it is the personal relationships of the characters.  That is to say, the characters are so shaped by the context of the setting that they become one in the same.  So important is the time and place that the novel has the aftertaste of historical fiction.  After reading both, Khaled Hosseini’s greatest strength seems to be his ability to make readers feel deep empathy for his characters.  This should be the next fiction writer you read.

 

Empathy (here comes the segue) is one of the main themes of the other book I recently finished, “The Political Mind.”  The author, George Lakoff, is a cognitive scientist interested in ushering in a New Enlightenment based on what we now know about brain function.  He compares the stark differences between conservative and progressive modes of thought, referring to them as strict and nurturing respectively, and then explores how these modes get baked into our unconscious.  The text gets technical and dry at times but overall fascinates and amazes.  Lakoff clearly favors the progressive mode of thought and states that it is based on empathy.

The idea that stood out for me was that there is no such thing as a “moderate” on any one subject.  People use conservative modes of thought about certain issues and progressive modes of thought about others.  Self-described conservatives use the conservative mode of thought for most issues and self-described progressives use the progressive mode of thought for most issues.  This is something I’ve been saying for a long time.  So-called moderates are politically schizophrenic and hinder progress in any direction.  Lakoff, as it happens, does not go that far.  ; )

I discovered George Lakoff when he was interviewed on one of my favorite radio shows, “Radio Open Source.”  I highly recommend giving this episode a listen!  Christopher Lydon is such an engaged and well spoken interviewer.  Listen to the episode, aired on July 11, at the link below:

http://www.radioopensource.org/george-lakoff-obama-in-a-bind/

starting from scratch – part 2: bigger isn’t better

This is a real product by Sigma.  Look closely, you may even be able to see the camera mounted to it.  ; )

 

A relative of mine is applying to an art school and needs a portfolio of photographs to present.  This post is for her and anyone else looking to produce great photographs quickly.  My main goal here is to challenge the idea that a DSLR is the best tool for this job.  The day I bought my first (and current) DSLR I thought it was broken.  All my images were out of focus and the the colors were dull and boring.  In fact, I had taken much better shots with our little four megapixel point-and-shoot camera.  With the DSLR on Auto mode and my image format set to jpeg I figured I should at least get something as good as the point-and-shoot!  But my camera was not broken.  It was functioning just as designed.

Eventually I came to realize that most DSLRs are just not cut out for full automatic operation.  Unlike point-and-shoot cameras, they are designed to give photographers total control over their exposures.  The auto mode is usually an after-thought.  Because of this, most first time users are disappointed in their initial images.  It happened to me and it also happened to a buddy of mine who recently purchased the same model camera I did.  That is not to say there aren’t DSLRs that are geared toward point-and-shoot photographers.  There are.  But there are always trade-offs to be made in photography and the battle between control and automation is a big one.  That is to say there is a difference between consumer and prosumer DSLR cameras.

Here is what new DSLR users should expect from their prosumer camera:

• Weak Colors – The in-camera processing that is done to jpeg images on a prosumer DSLR is minimal compared to a point-and-shoot.  The assumption is that you are going to do your own post processing.  RAW is worse in this regard because it is the data coming right from the sensor with no real color interpretation.  You will want to shoot in RAW most of the time anyway.  Why?  Because I said so.  Look it up, lazy!
• Unsharp Subjects – Auto-focus systems in DSLRs are very different than those in point-and-shoot cameras.  You will need to study your auto-focus system to be able to make proper focusing decisions.  Another reason subjects come out blurrier than expected is the lack of image stabilization on DSLRs.  Point-And-Shoot cameras have image stabilizers, that compensate for camera shake, built into the body of the camera.  With DSLR systems the image stabilization is almost always in the lens.  Most kit lenses (read reasonably priced) do not have stabilization built-in. Until you buy better glass, you will need to use camera support in situations that may not have required it with a point-and-shoot.
• Zoom Range Less Than Expected – You figure that because the lens on your DSLRs is so large it must be able to get close-ups at very long range.  Not so, I’m afraid.  This is because the sensor is much bigger than on a point-and-shoot.  You can search and find out the reason for this on your own.  Just be aware that point-and-shoots can achieve a high zoom range relative to their size.

These are really but a few of the many surprises that new DSLR owners can face.  I don’t want to make these cameras sound too complicated.  DSLR photography just takes a little bit of learning and experimentation to master when compared to a point-and-shoot.  I’d say that if you are looking to get great looking photographs in a short amount of time (i.e. for a quick portfolio to demonstrate your creativity to an art school) stick with a point-and-shoot.  That way you can concentrate on your creative ideas rather than on buttons and menus.  Of course, it all depends on how quickly you need to produce fantastic images.  If you have enough time to take an extensive class on photography, or to study it at length on your own, then a DSLR may, in fact, be the best tool for the job.

our moral authority

 

“In the 21st century, nations don’t invade other nations.”

That cringe. That feeling of embarrassment in your gut. That deep sense inside you that there has been a fundamental shift in the global balance. These feelings are the new paradigm for us as Americans, so get used to them. Our moral authority, to the extent that we had any, is lost. Those emotions you felt while watching the above clip also manifest themselves as a collective global chuckle, a world response to our utter arrogance. How dare we make such statements now? While giving a prepared speech on the Georgia conflict McCain also said the following:

“Anyone committing human rights abuses or acts in violation of the laws of war should be held accountable.”

As the world rolls its eyes at us we must ask how we arrived here.  What has become of our great democracy?  We have pawned off our moral authority, but for what? For the invasion of a country that was of no threat to us? For the suspension of habeas corpus, our most important guarantee of freedom? For the ability to torture prisoners, violating both international law and rational thought? For the secret wire-tapping of our own citizenry?

Although John McCain is the one I quote, this post is not an attack on him per se. In fact, had he said these same words eight years ago, they would not be remarkable at all.

James Traub is a freelance writer who specializes in international affairs. NPR’s Fresh Air interviewed him on the crisis in Georgia. I highly recommend you listen to that episode to get a better understanding of what the conflict is about.  The link is below:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93561996

odds and ends

“Why god why” department:  Called the camera repair center to update my phone number and they told me my baby had already arrived and was assigned to a technician.  Woo Hoo! I’m half hoping they say it is hopeless so I can get a D300, although I can’t afford the difference.

“I’ll probably lose half my audience over this” department:  I registered thedailyflashkube.com so the domain matches the title of the blog. Please update your bookmarks accordingly.  theflashkube.com will not be renewed when the bill collector cometh.

“Crackberry Lifestyle” department:  Anyone out there on twitter?  The guys at work have got me using this damn thing and I am addicted to it.  Check me out at twitter.com/jalalabadass to see what I’m up to.  If you join up you can follow me and get txt messages with my updates.  I’ll of course follow you as well.  It is quite fun.  I especially enjoy getting live updates by silicon valley celebs throughout the day.  John C. Dvorak, Kevin Rose, Leo Leporte, and on and on.

a confession

Flugtag Tampa, FL – 1/400 f/5.6 ISO 200 300mm

There has been a great weight on my chest that I can no longer ignore. It is affecting not just my breathing but also my sleep, appetite, and happiness.  I have held on to this terrible secret for far too long and it is here that I will relieve my conscience of its awful suffering.  The burden I have carried is immense and the implications of this confession, devastating. Family and friends, forgive me the grief I am about to unleash upon you.  Please know that the shocking truths that follow come from the deepest regions of my heart.

You may have noticed that my last few posts have contained photographs that are recycled from earlier shoots. Today, for example, I have posted a photograph made almost a month ago. So here it is:

My precious baby (my camera) has been sent off for repair…

Shameful that I did not tell you all sooner. Will you ever be able to forgive me? They say she will be gone for up to four weeks!  So, I feel so much better having let that knowledge free. Unfortunately, you will have to suffer through more of my noxious and bloated ranting until she returns.

Well, what the hell did you think I was going to confess?

on journalism

Flugtag 2008 Tampa, FL - 1/200 f/4.8 ISO 100

So far I have only posted photos of Flugtag that I took from my Blackberry.  This one was taken with the D80 on a tripod with shutter release cable.

This is a response to a comment from my post yesterday titled “In Search of Conservative Comedy.” The context of what follows can be best understood by reading said post and said comment.

It must certainly be true that the scientific community is not in total agreement about “exactly” how much influence human activity is having on climate change.  The quote you cited below was, I concede, written in the heat of the moment.  My thought can be more clearly stated in the following way: Peer-reviewed scientists are not debating the existence of global warming or whether human activity largely contributes to it.

Climate change is a very important issue, but I am much more interested in the topic of ethical journalism. It has been said that freedom of the press is limited to those who own one.  Luckily, the internet is beginning to change this unfortunate reality.  Mainstream media, though, is fast becoming the great leveler of information.  No longer is there a quest for the truth. If there were an ethics statement among today’s mainstream journalists it would be, “Always give equal time for bullshit.”  Forgive me when I say that the articles cited in the comment strike me as examples of shoddy journalism.  Rather than a point-by-point rebuttal in defense of global warming, I’d rather share some ideas in defense of responsible readership and ethical journalism.

The first thing that caught my attention while reading Nigel Calder’s article is the first sentence in paragraph two.  He has this to say regarding the certainty of the IPCC about its findings:

“The small print explains “very likely” as meaning that the experts who made the judgment felt 90% sure about it.”

I’ve read that statement several times and I simply cannot get my head around it.  Calder seems to be saying that 90% isn’t enough to be called “very likely.” He goes on to claim that, because a scientist said in 1958 that he was 90% sure of something and turned out to be wrong, the 90% certainty quoted in the 2007 IPCC report must be equally wrong.  This is exactly the kind of unscientific argument made by Penn and Teller. Calder’s only scientific evidence hinges on a single experiment done by a man named Svensmark.  Now, I wouldn’t dare challenge Svensmark’s findings without knowledge of their validity, but he eventually reveals the following:

“Thanks to having written The Manic Sun, a book about Svensmark’s initial discovery published in 1997, I have been privileged to be on the inside track for reporting his struggles and successes since then. The outcome is a second book, The Chilling Stars, co-authored by the two of us and published next week by Icon books. We are not exaggerating, we believe, when we subtitle it “A new theory of climate change”.

And, of course, the bottom of the article tells readers how to purchase said book:

“The Chilling Stars is published by Icon. It is available for £9.89 including postage from The Sunday Times Books First on 0870 165 8585”

Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean to say that because Calder is selling a book that his writings, thoughts, or ideas are invalid.  What it does mean is that his article is useless as a credible source of information.  And yes, the same goes for Al Gore and company.  If it is true that Al Gore has financial interest in the “green” marketplace, he too is in the same leaky scientific boat as Nigel Calder.

Lastly, one need only look to the article’s publisher for a reason to question.  The Times of London has been owned and run by Rupert Murdoch for over 27 years.  Yes, that Rupert Murdoch.  Hardly an example of journalistic integrity.

The most wonderful thing about science and reason is that conclusions matter little as long as the method is sound. In thinking about these things I often think of my children.  Every chance I get I encourage their creative questioning of the so-called experts and authorities. I will know I have succeeded when my children freely question the claims of politicians, teachers, clergy, and especially the claims of yours truly.

in search of conservative comedy

A funny thing happens when you have something on your mind. Situations and events jump out at you that are related to that something. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about political comedy.  Don’t ask me why.  It just suddenly occured to me that there isn’t any conservative comedy out there that comes close to the quality of progressive comedy. I did a google search for conservative comedy and there wasn’t a single funny link on the first page of results.  I found something from YouTube called “NewsBusted” which I believe is a home-based production using canned audience laughter.  There was also something called “The 1/2 hour News Hour” put out by Fox that is reportedly their answer to “The Daily Show.”  It was not only aweful but it seemed to use the same canned laughter as the first one. This in the face of Maher, Colbert, Stewart, Carlin, Gerafalo, Franken, and on and on.

The other day I was at a friends house and we were watching television.  While trying to decide what to watch I mentioned that I was in the mood for comedy.  He flipped through the on-demand stuff and came across Penn and Teller.  Now, everyone knows that Penn and Teller are a comedian/magician duo out in Vegas who sometimes make appearances on television.  But, did you know that they have strayed from their charming and hilarious act in an attempt to make political humor?  In fact, their show “Bullshit” has been on for six seasons! “How did I miss this,” I asked myself.  And then I sat through some of it.

The episode I saw was called “Being Green.”  Let me try to sum it up for you. Penn and Teller were attempting to make the point that because many so-called green products don’t actually help the environment, global warming isn’t real.  The other argument they made was that because Al Gore is a huge polluter, global warming isn’t real.  Oh, and I can’t forget the woman who heals people’s “green guilt” through some kind of weird group councilling mumbo jumbo.  And, by the way, her existence means that global warming isn’t real. In an attempt to give their arguments credibility, they interviewed a weather man. No, I’m not kidding. An actual stand-in-front-of-a-map-and-point-at-it-with-a-stick weather man. And after each point Penn would say “Bullshit” loudly with a mean look on his face. I think right there is where the audience is supposed to laugh. But instead, right there is where I realized why I had not heard about this show. It simply wasn’t funny. And its not because I disagreed with what was said.  It just wasn’t witty, smart, or timely.

Of course, their points are the classic corporate arguments that are meant to divert attention from reality.  Its like, “Look! Over here at these hypocrites, opportunists, and wackos!  Don’t look over there at all those scientists that don’t seem to be debating at all whether global warming is real and caused by humans!” The fact is that there is really no disagreement in the scientific community about global warming and its causes. But then again, some still argue that evolution is “bullshit.”

It is quite clear to me now that the most intelligent and wity comedy is that which comes closest to the truth.  I welcome any suggestions that might change my mind.

NOTE:  The above photo was found at failblog.org.  One of the comments was something like “Oh shit.  Ohio is screwed.”  Funny on so many levels!

starting from scratch – part 1: equipment

 

Crabby Bills, St. Pete Beach – 1/250, f/11, ISO 100

This post is a response to some recent inquiries by family and friends about beginning photography.  As you read this, keep in mind that I have been taking serious photographs for only about 18 months.  In other words, take what I say with a grain of salt.  Imagine a seasoned professional who is essentially his art and no longer has the perspective of a novice.  Now imagine me, someone who has learned much but is no expert.  I may not be able to produce stunning museum quality artwork, but I have gone through enough trial and error to have some advice about where to start and what to avoid along the way.  That said, here it is.

First, I would say that purchasing a digital SLR camera is not what it seems.  As a veteran technologist (read junkie), I lust after gadgets and gizmos.  Typically, a certain type of product will catch my eye and I will engross myself in review after review, article after article, trying to find the best brand and model.  Only when I have convinced myself that the model I have drilled down to is the very best on the planet (in my price range of course) will I allow myself to even consider purchasing it.  Digital SLR cameras, on the other hand, are a completely different beast.  Never before had the perfect model so eluded me.  Never before had I strained myself to such a degree to find the “right” one.  Why was this so?  It comes down to the nature of photographic equipment.  Here is the single best piece of advice I can give you in terms of buying your first digital SLR:  You are not simply “buying a camera,” you are investing in a photographic system.  You better be sure that the brand of camera you buy is a serious player in the world of photography.  If not you will be sorely disappointed the first time you are trying to find a dome diffuser for that off-brand flash you found on Ebay (that doesn’t quite fit the hot-shoe by the way).  I didn’t choose the word “investing” for fun.  After you shell out a thousand smackers for your first camera and starter lens, moving your money back into your 401k is going to be tough.  Choose wisely.  And if you are having trouble understanding my meaning I’ll say it more clearly.  Buy Nikon or Canon.

There is one more thing I’ll say about equipment.  You will hear over and over that its not the camera that makes the image, its the glass (lens).  That is just plain bullshit.  There is no doubt that quality glass can go a long way, but saying that the camera doesn’t matter is like saying all you need is a great graphics adapter and your frame rate will be like warm butter.  CPU be damned!  Ok, that analogy really sucks if you don’t know computers.  I think you catch my meaning.

So this is already getting lengthy and I’ve only hit on equipment.  Guess this will be a multi-part series.  Ciao.  ; )

check out olivia’s site

I posted the latest of my daughter over at olivia.thelucaslife.com. Was debating cross posting these on both sites.  More to come here this weekend.