December 9, 2013

Sophie and a Small Town at Night

Thanks for takin' a looksie.

November 26, 2013

I picked up an Experimental Lens Kit for my Oly ELP2

If tack sharp images with perfect exposures is your thing then you should definitely pass on this. If you like experimenting and creating images 'in camera' then this is a great little kit. For about $80 you get 3 lens, colored filters, and the lenses have some unique features that allow you to create interesting photos.

So for I've only played with the fish-eye lens. The main thing I tested was the 'zone focusing', which is sorta' kinda' just estimating the distance from your subject and the camera.

Now that I've gotten used to working the lenses I can take them all out for a day trip. Anxious to see what the light will show me.

















Thanks for looking.

November 17, 2013

>> NOVEMBER PRELIMINARY PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST THREAD 2<<

Preliminary Voting Thread 1

The Theme for the November Contest is: Metaphor – Abstract
Entries are allowed to focus on Metaphor, Abstract, or Both. The Processing Rules are ‘there are no processing rules’. Anything goes.

Please take a moment to comment on a photo or photos and help keep this thread kicked (and recommended). This has been a challenging Theme for some so your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

And don’t forget to Vote in both Threads:

Preliminary Voting Thread 1: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024045437

NOTE: Skinner has authorized this contest be run in GD.

Aura



Getting Your Feet Wet



He shined during his darkest hour



The Road Less Traveled



Winter’s Dance



America?



Calm at the center of the Storm



Colorblind



Let’s Put Our Heads Together

November 11, 2013

I missed out on most of the Autumn Color

I completely missed the awesome Autumn Color this year, but it didn't stop me from heading out. I love this time of year, color or no color.

Mountain Pond



Autumn Light



Ground 1



Ground 2



Ground 3



Fluffy in Black & White



Bursting



Autumn Grain



Trio



Path



Thanks for looking.

October 29, 2013

November Contest Information

I'll be trying my best to have this contest run smoothly but I can't give any guarantees.

The Theme for the November Contest is: Metaphor – Abstract

Submissions will begin Friday November 8 and go through Friday November 15.
Submissions will be open which means you will post your entry to a specific thread.

Preliminary Voting will start on November 16 and go through November 19.
Finals Voting will start on November 20 and go through November 23.

Voting will last for 72 hours in both the Preliminaries and the Finals

Dates are not written in stone and could vary.



Anything goes regarding the processing of your photos. We're talking Abstract here so there really are not any boundaries on your creativity.

Have a question? Just ask.

Thanks!

October 9, 2013

I'm clueless

Perhaps I'm over thinking this whole thing but judging from the lack of entries I sorta' kinda' think I'm not alone. I'm not looking for a 'winning' photo I'm just looking for something that comes fairly close to the actual theme. These are a couple I found while digging through my virtual shoebox.





Anyone else clueless? Or am I the lone idiot here?

September 25, 2013

Ice Cream, Water Spirit, and Stairs

3 of my favorite things







Thanks for looking

August 2, 2013

Is this a sign of life?

Could there be intelligent life on this planet? I'm cautiously optimistic.

July 25, 2013

Hopping and Skipping Through a Garden

It had just rained and the light was changing every 10 seconds which was causing me to be a bit uncomfortable but I was determined to get a few garden pics. Hop. Skip. Click. Repeat.

















Apparently there is an old Amish saying that I thought I'd also share here:

Wealth is not measured in how much you give or get, it is measured in how much you share.

July 8, 2013

Heroes of Uncertainty

Mental diseases are not really understood the way, say, liver diseases are understood, as a pathology of the body and its tissues and cells. Researchers understand the underlying structure of very few mental ailments. What psychiatrists call a disease is usually just a label for a group of symptoms. As the eminent psychiatrist Allen Frances writes in his book, “Saving Normal,” a word like schizophrenia is a useful construct, not a disease: “It is a description of a particular set of psychiatric problems, not an explanation of their cause.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/28/opinion/brooks-heroes-of-uncertainty.html?_r=0

A short read. An Op Ed piece.

I've often felt that slapping a label or two on me wasn't productive. Making me feel 'normal' again. Making me happy. This is all I've ever wanted. I know that labels are needed to decide which drug cocktail to throw at someone. But after that, what?