January 26th, 2010
Re: Avatar What an incredible movie! The special effects
and 3D were simply amazing. The story was both uniquely interesting a bit of a wakeup. The hawks and doves go at it in digital splendour, and it ends with an
analog arrow or two. It's a win from within... Truly, a must see movie.
In case you missed the "Trailer" for the movie and/or "The World Of Pandora", here's a link, (be sure to watch both)...
January 23rd/24th, 2010
Re: First video with the Canon EOS 7D... Always fun to add a new
dSLR to the camera bag, especially one with an HD video. It was a blue sky, sunny day today,
perfect for a serious attempt to use the camera, and maybe make a movie. The setting was off the Bruce Trail where the stream from the old St.Davids
spring was running. Took
about eight clips both into and away from the sun (on a basic tripod)... Camera settings ~ (M) Manual, 1/30 sec., f22, ISO's Auto, ~ HD 30 fps, 1920 X 1080.
By using f 22 the depth of field was so large that autofocus wasn't an issue. (Lens ~ Canon EFS 17 - 55mm (IS - off)...
Took a few hours to work and edit the clips in iMovie 09. Most transitions are not that smooth but
fade to black between clips works ok (left one clip without a transition just to see). Not bad for a first effort. Need to find some action now
and get serious...
Uploaded the first version to see what the HD looked like, then removed the too lengthy video for the one currently showing.
Be sure to try HD and it may take a while for the movie to download/play out depending on your computer and hi speed connection...
January 20th, 2010
Re: Day 2 with the Canon EOS 7D SLR... The camera's ability to
perform is absolutely amazing. Still shots are gorgeous. And, why not with an ISO range of 100 - 12,800 , 19 AF points, 18 megapixels, 1/8000 sec.,
and so much more!
That said, using the video program presents a bit of a learning curve. The first downloads were not as smooth as expected
and even the transitions in iMovie 09 were a bit jerky. A floating video head on the tripod, a 16 GB 300X Compact Flash card and some helpful
conversation with Bob from Henry's Photo/Scott St. in St. Catharines
today may help to smooth the video results in the next few days.
Watched some videos on YouTube created with the 7D and became
hugely inspired, checked the manual again, and read some reviews. All very positive, so if it's going to be it's up to me.... The camera
certainly has the potential. Here below are three of many videos available showing the 7D's video capability.
>> Canon 7D ~ Surfing <<
>> Canon EOS 7D rollerblade/skateboard action <<
>> No Woman ~ No Cry (sound test) <<
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January 19th, 2010
Re: Why do you freeze the action of the duck wings? Try a slower shutter to
show the movement... Am just in a fast shutter habit perhaps. Ok, here's two, one at 1/250 sec. the other
at 1/125 sec. Was wandering around the Falls with the Canon EOS 7D shooting some video and had the Canon EOS 40D ~ 70 - 200mm zoom in
tow hoping for a duck shot to try, camera preset at 1/250 sec. Will experiment with this a bit, maybe 1/500 sec. will work as well.
It seems that panning at 1/125 sec. in the second shot blurred the image (could have simply been hand holding the longer lens caused the shake),
(but, check the interesting, left wing).
I rather like the movement in the wings in the left pic, the human eye is used to blur (compare
these to duck shots below on January 6th at I/1000sec. - it becomes a subjective call.) I still like the sharp image captured at 1/1000 sec.+
because it isn't often seen other than in a picture.)
(Please click the thumbnails above to enlarge the pics)
January 17th, 2010
Re: Plans for the winter...
Had a few unforseen challenges that had to be worked through this past month and then we were late booking for January in Miami.
Current plans involve a family trip to California and then likely on to Florida, still working out all the details....
January 16th, 2010
Re: iPhone videos (new) + iMovie 09 (new) = (a new challenge creating a video)
The hope of making a really good video in the next few years is both real and doable. Have the updated iMovie editing program and a few clips
from Christmas on the iPhone so the journey of a thousand miles is now somewhere nearby milepost 25. Having used the older iMovie 06 the
thoughts of working the very different iMovie 09 were somewhat optimistic. Did a quick iPhone download on the MacBook and opened iMovie.
Not at all like iMovie 06. Very, very different. When in doubt check the manual.
Watched each of the many well made tutorials several times and did exactly what they said. About 5 hours later a new video had been stitched together and
seemed to work not badly.
The iPhone vid is only 3.2 Mgpx so the result was only fair and also rather juddery in places especially while panning (has to do with frames
per seconds ~ likely more about that later once that's figured out and factored in)...
Nauseous best describes the feeling after 5 final views to add music and some transitions with the new glasses low on my nose. Should have been
shooting stills but that's water under the perverbial bridge at this point in time...
But hey, when it's one amazing grandson and a most wonderful family it's just gotta be a keeper, no excuses. Milepost 35 and counting.
(Will begin experimenting with the Canon EOS 7D HiDef vid next.)
Click to have a look.
Christmas Day 2009 ~ (iPhone clips/iMovie 09)
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January 15th, 2010
Re: wrong lens once again for the moment: Had just gotten out of the car to take a picture
of ice-packed and snow-covered Reeb's Bay, when a pair of foxes darted across the road and back. Had the Canon EOS 40D with a 17 - 55mm lens ~ 1/125 sec.
& ISOs at 800 as it was a late afternoon landscape shot. The EF 70 - 200mm, (the ideal long lens for the fox shot), was packed away in the bag and out of reach
for the moment.
Dad had once said, John, never carry just a knife to a sword fight. Despite his great but forgotten advice I took the shots
with the shorter, less lethal, EFS 17 - 55mm. Hey, you never know when that moment for a great photo opportunity will suddenly appear! Pro shooters carry two cameras and two
lenses for just this reason. Thank goodness the landscape shots (right) worked just fine...
(Please click the thumbnails above to enlarge the pics)
January 14th, 2010
(Sold the Canon 5D) and just added a Canon 7D (with HD video capability and up to 12800 ISOs) to the inventory.
Batteries are charging and the new manual is out of the package...
January 12th, 2010
Re mobile phone uploads: It's quite easy to use mobile phones to upload pics and videos to
Facebook and YouTube because of the way in which their software utilities work. Working the html in a website like this one using an iPhone 3Gs 16GB
(in this case) is very difficult/impossible for me at this point even though versions of Photoshop.mobile are available as current iPhone Applications.
Getting a picture into a placement on the site requires having an html target to upload it to and a way (FTP - file transfer) to transfer the file there.
Still have to use the MacBook (or PC) to write/save/upload the html-script which accompanies the pictures.jpg. (Can't name/rename the
pic within the mobile phone for a site html target.)
Am quite certain (oh really?) that the next generation of mobile phones will have
the capability to both work and upload html and pics with ease.
(dream on John) (umm nudge nudge ~ Remember in Back To The Future 4
what Doc said to Marty about no need for roads in 2015? ~ hey, that's coming very soon and his prediction was for October 21st, 2015 to be exact...)
>> check out Doc's words <<
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January 10th, 2010
Was sent a picture for a compositional critique. It's a magnificent shot of the Cable Car, well
exposed, and about to cross the Niagara Whirlpool. Please click on the thumbnails below to enlarge the pics...
After studying the pic my only thought and suggestion would have been to shoot the picture with the cable car a
bit more off centre or to crop it that way. The Rule Of Thirds was applied to the composition and resulted
in these two crops ~ a 4 X 6 (3:2) and an 8 X 10 (5:4).
It's a very subjective call and would be interested to receive any other thoughts about the suggestion.
Comment: ...liked the 8 X 10 crop because of the sky equally as well as the original without the Rule Of Thirds
being applied to the cable car. Great Shot!
Comment: ...definitely shoot/crop off center to get rid of the the holding structure on the right which is distracting.
Comment: ...Like the way the whirlpool shows (left) along the river in the 4 X 6 (the reason for the cable car trip) Maybe
have shot the image to include the perimeter (shoreline) of the whirlpool.
January 6th, 2010
Re: Birds in flight. Trying to get the contorted wing configurations when birds take off and land
is a fun challenge. Was using the EF 70 - 200mm with the Canon 40D. This combination of lens and camera is ideal
for this type of shot because of the smaller camera sensor (crop magnification). Tv shutter priority was set at 1/1000 sec., ISO's 800.
It was late afternoon and the light was fading rapidly. No image stabilization was used as it slows the camera reaction time
in order to configure the shot (shots as you see them can be delayed)
(Please click the thumbnails to enlarge the pics )
January 5th, 2010
Re: Photoshopping filters and greyscale to add some effect...
Took this shot late this afternoon into what was left of the sun along the Bruce Trail at Firemen's Park. Canon 40D, EFS 17 - 55mm,
Tv (shutter priority) ISO's 800, 1/60th sec. Was disappointed with the initial result reviewing the pic at home.
So, with Photoshop used the Shadow Highlights tool to first bring out the snowflakes a bit more ( pic 1), then added a warming filter at 25%
(pic 2), then~ with Mode ~ used greyscale (pic 3) to flatten the image to b&w. The Photoshop effects somewhat improved
the picture. The b&w is perhaps a bit of an overall improvement...
(Wishfully going back, a flash might have been a better tool to have used to both bring out and highlight the nearby snowfakes.
It was cold and snowing, my glove was off, snow was way up my leg, my feet were wet, and HINDSIGHT is so painfully 20/20...)
(Please click the thumbnails to enlarge the pics then click again to fill your screen)
Getting the shot right at the time is the challenge. (Post correction should be minimal.)
January 3rd, 2010
Re: video ~ Don't Put Me To Bed Dirty, Mom
(Click to enlarge SVP)
Most of the comments received were actually quite favourable. A few like, "What the hell
were you thinking?" "I can't get that (bleep)n song out of my head." "I liked the dog the best!"
were simply initial overreactions in my opinion. Ha!
It was truly one of those spontaneous moments, We were driving back to the condo from a restaurant last winter and
Grant William and I were in the back seat. He was over tired, quite upset and being very fussy. I started singing to him
and he settled down a bit. Bethy said maybe we'll just put him right into his crib when we get back. Her words
worked their way into the song pretty much as it was last recorded. Not really my fault, was just going along with what
his mother said.
He loves the song in all it's versions, the dog, the wig, the YAY! on the rock, and watching himself bump and slide.
His self concept may become disproportionally affected but we'll somehow work that out sometime later if it's necessary.
(In case you missed them or want to rethink your opinion just click on either song version below)
the latest version of the song
the original version
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January 2nd, 2010
Re: Am still thinking about site
objectives for 2010, and creating an index of sorts. Making a few new .gif(s) for the main page and about
to upload a few pics of our amazing grandson. It's snowing and it's cold. The van is safely
tucked away till spring with its trickle charger showing a green OK. Was just informed that the
Christmas decorations have to come down and be put away for another year. Life is good.
About to get bundled up to hike to Firemen's Park along the Bruce with the 70 - 200mm/40D in tow to see if the fresh snow has attracted
any downhill action (Tv - ISO's 800, spot focus, & 1/500sec.) and maybe, just maybe, see the deer before today's light is lost.
(please click to enlarge)
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