Top Diaries

Beautiful photos Mill Man. Do you have a new reflex or was that Man from Middletown?

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 04:33:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Yeah it's a new Nikon D40x along with this lens. I really love the setup.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 04:40:06 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I covet that lens, but it's beyond my budget at the moment. I looked at your Flickr site. Your photos of the Hawaiin skys and waters are stunning!

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 04:45:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Thanks. I think it was worth the money - I was initially feeling a bit bad about dropping $1400 on camera gear. Most of the sunset shots would have been impossible without the lens' VR feature unless I had been using a tripod.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 03:37:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: France made of Legos? (none / 1)

By the way. It's not Legos.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 06:11:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

These are fantastic, thanks!

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 06:34:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEQnmA-Q4AI

The flower is excellent, just looks like it has internal illumination.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 06:41:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: France made of Legos? (none / 1)

Heh, yeah it does now that you mention it. I was surprised by how flawless it was.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 01:44:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

From estHer. (4.00 / 10)

August 2007

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 05:12:13 AM EST

Re: From estHer. (none / 1)

Clever shot!!

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 06:25:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (4.00 / 12)

They don't make white balance like they used to:

Transformer (police turned up minutes after I took this):

Self portrait with laser light:

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 05:29:18 AM EST

Re: Self portrait. (none / 1)

Hey, you're a good lookin guy!

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 05:34:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Self portrait. (none / 0)

Great self portrait. Did you have to get the camera to focus in the dark for this or was the laser light enough to autofocus? That's the bit I find hardest in low light conditions, to focus correctly, I just can't tell through the viewfinder. Great shot though!

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 06:24:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Self portrait. (none / 1)

It was manual focus, with the main light on. But still quite a bit of fumbling to find the focus point in the dark after it had been set.

Dark focus is always a problem outdoors. If it's something static and fairly close you can help the AF along with a good torch.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 10:16:44 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Self portrait. (none / 0)

Ah, thanks for the tip.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 11:20:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Self portrait. (4.00 / 4)

Coherent photons bring out my natural complexion.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 11:13:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (4.00 / 7)

Taken in Thailand in the Khao Sok National Park. This Buddha was in a cave in a monkey temple.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 06:22:37 AM EST

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (4.00 / 7)

Slightly out of focus unfortunately but I like it nonetheless. It is a photo of a very old sink in a very old country home I was in last week.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 06:28:59 AM EST

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (4.00 / 12)

A staff awayday last week, in a very beautiful, middle of nowhere hotel. Rolling hills and woodland around us. The sun was shining all through lunch and we opened the patio doors at the end of the dining room. It felt like the last of the warm summer breeze was coming through. The air has been chilly ever since.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 06:33:30 AM EST

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 1)

I love this last photo. How do you achieve the blurred background. Is that done in the camera settings or with photoshop.
I was discussing this blog with a friend in the U.S. He's quite a good photographer and photoshopper. He really liked the shot of Gioele last week of the German policeman checking the bicycle but thought it should be cropped and the background blurred, either through aperture or photoshop. I asked him to show me what he meant and he redid the photo. If Gioele comes on later I'll ask him if he'd like me to post it here.
P.S. I don't know if Gioele is a man or a woman.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 07:59:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 1)

Aperture, in camera. I'm actually rubbish with photoshop, so I try to get my shots as I want them in camera and do as little as possible on computer.

There is enough of a distance between the table and the background to completely blur out the background. I used f/2.8.

Large aperture (smaller f stop number) reduces depth of field which means only a small distance/area is in focus.
I usually shoot in manual now so I have this kind of control over the shot.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 09:57:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 1)

I almost always use aperture priority.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 09:59:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

That's quicker than setting the exposure as well. Not sure why but I seem to have developed a preference for entirely manual. Maybe because that is how I used my old film camera, there were no other settings for it.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 10:21:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Posting... and gender. (none / 1)

Hello LEP,

Please post it, I'd love to see what he did with it...

BTW: I'm a man... (spelled with a capital 'M'!).

I can't ever write that without thinking of these two songs.

Muddy w/ The Band:

The Yardbirds:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9F0MtZCCZU

by gioele (gioele(daught)sandler(aaaattttt)gmail(daught)kom) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 01:28:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Posting... and gender. (4.00 / 4)

I thought you were a guy, but I've been wrong several times on ET. Here's your photo cropped and blurred.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 01:56:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Posting... and gender. (4.00 / 2)

No slight, 'women are smarter' (GD reference).

It's interesting taking the scene out of its larger context. It makes it seem more surreal, and mysterious.

Cool...

by gioele (gioele(daught)sandler(aaaattttt)gmail(daught)kom) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 02:19:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Posting... and gender. (none / 0)

it does make it a bit seamy though.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 02:20:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I'm a man... (none / 1)

And the Chicago Transit Authority:

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

by Melanchthon on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 02:03:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (4.00 / 8)

here are three pix i took yesterday on lake trasimeno

moorhens

castiglione del lago from the middle of the lake

ditto, longer view

wednesday photoblogs are a great addition to this site!

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 06:52:52 AM EST

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 1)

Gorgeous scenery, thanks for your contribution and it's good to know the photoblog is a hit!

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 06:55:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 1)

you're welcome, and thanks for all you do to make this blog the hit it is...

love your pics.

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 08:10:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 1)

This photo is one of a walled city somewhere in the Midi in France taken in the year 2100.

And it certainly looks like it! ;-)

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 07:48:16 AM EST

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 1)

It's a real photo. People should be able to guess what it is. The first one to guess gets invited by me to a sushi dinner, the next time they're in Paris

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 08:04:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 1)

I'd settle for a ride in your time machine.

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 08:19:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (4.00 / 2)

So would I. I'd love to go back about 45 years.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 08:21:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (4.00 / 2)

There's no point, he younger you won't listen to the advice you want to give him ;-)

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 09:58:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

One of those hoardings that get put up to hide redevelopment?

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 12:04:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

Nope. I'll post the original photo tomorrow as an update.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 12:29:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 1)

Ah. I thought it might be rotated, but it's completely ambiguous - even with the tree.

Maybe we could have a 'What's this?' mystery photo blog special edition some time.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 05:52:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 1)

Never occurred to me it would be rotated... I think having special edition photoblogs would be great.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 06:01:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

I second that.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 06:24:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

Themes for the following week?

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 08:06:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 1)

I'm in charge of next week's one. Do we want an entire themed photoblog or maybe have it in 2 sections - one for guess what this is and the second for regular photo posting? Won't exclude anyone then, not everybody has obscure or abstract stuff to post.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 10:30:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

divide it in two much as the morning Salon is?

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 10:56:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 1)

Yes I was thinking of sections in a similar way to the salon. I'll see how that works then!

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 11:11:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

so is next weeks theme "can you guess what it is yet"?

Damn, my Internal voice has had an attack Of Rolf.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 11:24:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

Argh. Now my head has "Rolf's Cartoon club, Rolf's cartoon club, Rolf's carTOON club!"

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 11:40:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

Mines got his breathing, humming, ANNNOYING, soundtrack along to whatever he was painting, so count yourself lucky.

(although you've probably got it as well now) ;-)

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 11:43:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

What's Rolf's cartoon club?

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 12:54:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

It was a kids series on British TV where Rolf would teach a group of about 10 kids each week to make their own cartoons and animations. I desperately wanted to be on it.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 01:00:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

have some Rolf (none / 1)

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 01:04:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

Try it!

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 11:27:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (4.00 / 9)

I may have inadvertently posted my best photo evar on last night's open thread, but here are 2 more that I rather like, from a hiking trip in Turkey.

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 08:35:50 AM EST

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 1)

You can repost it today, dvx; no problem.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 09:12:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (4.00 / 10)

Uh, oh, ok. Thanks, LEP.

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 12:08:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Two weeks ago In Wales and TZT (4.00 / 11)

were discussing shooting people in public and I promised tzt that I would post some of my "street people" photos, several of them where I was asked to take the photo.

This one was shot in February. The cook in a Greek-Turkish fast food place kind of looked at me and he knew I was going to take his photo. He never budged.

At the same moment this guy was crossing the street, saw me take the photo, and said "Hey man, take me." (check the lady in the background.)

A few days earlier I caught this lovely lady in the streets of Montmartre, unaware of my presence.
As the old vaudeville line goes: "Hey, that's no lady, that's my wife!"

In early March I was walking past a cafe and was asked to take this guy's photo through the window.

At the Agricultural Faire in March I was taking a photo of the Brazilian Restaurant and this guy stuck his head in just as I was clicking.

I was at sidewalk cafe talking to these two and I took their photo.

In June, I was waqlking by a bar with its doors open and these two guys yelled: Take our picture."

Finally, in August, I was walking around my neighborhood and this guy was painting a bar.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 09:06:39 AM EST

Re: Two weeks ago In Wales and TZT (4.00 / 10)

Wonderful photos! I especially like the one shot through the window.

I was walking in Amsterdam a few months ago and these two gentlemen asked me to take their pictures.

So I did. Would have given them copies, as well, but they were not drinking on the same street corner a week later.

You have a normal feeling for a moment, then it passes. --More--

by tzt (tzt) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 12:30:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Two weeks ago In Wales and TZT (none / 1)

These are great. You really have a knack for capturing people.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 12:32:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Winter in Wales (4.00 / 11)

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 10:01:11 AM EST

Re: Winter in Wales (none / 0)

Wonderful shots.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 10:13:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Winter in Wales (none / 0)

Lovely Wales! Great photos.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 10:13:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Notes from the middle (4.00 / 11)

Went to St. Louis last week for two days. Drove along the Mississippi both ways.

The little town of Hannibal Missouri was the home to Mark Twain as a child. It was on the way. This Coke machine encapsulates the sort of tourist trap they have made this small town into.

Had never seen the arch in person. It is VERY large (192 meters to the top) which makes it almost impossible to photograph.

The observation space. Unlike tall buildings, the arch doesn't sway in the wind. It's like standing on the ground.

A small ferry in use about 100 km upstream from St. Louis.

"Remember the I35W bridge--who needs terrorists when there are Republicans"

by techno (reply@elegant-technology.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 10:18:54 AM EST

Sepurb!

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 10:30:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Superb!

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 10:31:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Notes from the middle (4.00 / 10)

Always trips me out to come to the European Tribune to find this. Why were you in St. Louis? I've mentioned this before, but in case you missed it, I'm from one of those quaint river towns between St. Louis and Hannibal. The drive you took would have been amazing in about 2 or 3 weeks, when the leaves change. The fall foliage along the bluffs is truly stunning.

Keeping with the photo theme: (not my pictures)

Pretty fall colors along the Great River Road:

Keeping with the European theme, if you'd headed in the opposite direction, you'd have seen Ste. Genevieve, Mo, a well preserved old French settlement and town.

"Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.

by poemless on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 12:04:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Why was I in St. Louis?

We decided to refinish our hardwood floors and thought getting out of the house for three days would be a good idea. I have read a LOT about the Arch and have even discussed its designer (Saarinen) with some Finnish friends who are architecture fans (maybe everyone in Finland knows a LOT about architecture--the sentiment seems to be that designing the Arch was pretty easy but building it was difficult.) But, I had never seen the Arch. It was even more impressive in person than I expected.

As someone who has lived in three Mississippi River towns (St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Red Wing Minnesota) I had some idea what to expect of the drive. The bluffs are much higher and the river and flood plains are much narrower in the north, but the Mississippi still dominates everything. Our color peak is around October 10th.

I also noticed that we seem to have many more successful preservation efforts in our river towns. We wandered around Quincy IL for an hour looking at a map showing historical neighborhoods and didn't see ANY careful preservations. Got home to read the Strib's architecture critic write about the importance of our presevation efforts. Made me glad to get home.

http://www.startribune.com/562/story/1452935.html

"Remember the I35W bridge--who needs terrorists when there are Republicans"

by techno (reply@elegant-technology.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 01:33:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Lol. And here I am thinking you are from Europe and I'm educating you on the beauty of the bluffs... hahaha.

I've never been to Quincy, so I can't comment. I can tell you that there is extensive historic preservation going on in Alton. Always has been. History is about the only thing that place has going for it...

I stayed in a convent in Galena once. Another quaint (read: creepy) river town lost in time.

"Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.

by poemless on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 02:14:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Notes from the middle (4.00 / 5)

Sorry I missed Alton, then. After seeing the Arch, I drove over the Eads Bridge and promptly got on the wrong streets of East St. Louis. By the time I got my bearings, I think I was past the roads to Alton.

As for the beauty of the Mississippi bluffs, my favorite views come from the little municiple park in Lansing Iowa. The perch is SO high.

"Remember the I35W bridge--who needs terrorists when there are Republicans"

by techno (reply@elegant-technology.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 07:43:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Looking at http://usbridgemap.com/ that bridge is marked as Functionally obsolete with a sufficiency rating of <20

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 08:15:44 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I have NO doubt the bridge rating is true--perhaps even generous.

"Remember the I35W bridge--who needs terrorists when there are Republicans"

by techno (reply@elegant-technology.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 10:57:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I love your sigline.

We have met the enemy, and it is us — Pogo

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 10:59:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

having found that site, whenever a US bridge appears, I'm just magnetically drawn to seeing how solid it's reportwed to be.

then I have an instant paranoia about what the situation post Thatcher etc bridges in the UK are like.

the main reason I worry about something similar is I rmember a UK county council discovering it was cheaper to post slippery road signs on its county borders and halve its resurfacing schedule for major roads during the height of the Thatcher Years.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 11:12:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I'm sure Twain would have been amused - probably in an axe wielding kind of a way.

How do you get to the top of the arch? Are there stairs, or a lift? (Or levitation?)

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 05:35:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

There is a set of tiny lifts that you sit down in (at least when I was there back in 1992). It was set up like a pendulum so that you would stay vertical towards the top.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 08:03:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

just a few more (4.00 / 12)

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 10:33:00 AM EST

Re: just a few more (none / 0)

LOVE good winter photography (although the new lambs suggest early spring).

Thanks

"Remember the I35W bridge--who needs terrorists when there are Republicans"

by techno (reply@elegant-technology.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 10:45:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: just a few more (none / 0)

I think it was late in February a couple of years ago.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 11:01:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: just a few more (none / 0)

<snark>Gotta do that to have them ready by easter...</snark>

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 11:53:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]

estHer took this of her brother, Rahhael (4.00 / 5)

in August at music camp. She doesn't think it's worthy of posting. I think it's fun.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 12:39:11 PM EST

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (4.00 / 9)

Rue du Bras de Fer, old Montpellier - and visitor :-)

Couple, Nice

Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner - that I moved to Nice.

by Ted Welch (tedwelch-at-mac-dot-com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 01:03:52 PM EST

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (4.00 / 7)

A cross-processed skater guy

(sorry for the thumbnail size, would be too large otherwise - click to see it properly)

You have a normal feeling for a moment, then it passes. --More--

by tzt (tzt) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 01:31:03 PM EST

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

I saw this (or a similar one) in your album when I looked last week. Such a good photo. How do you do the cross processing?

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 02:39:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 1)

Um.. have to admit this was a PaintShopPro plugin script. The film way, or the "real" way, if you will, is to use slide film but process it as it was a color negative (or the other way 'round). You'll end up with unpredictable results and weird colors.

You have a normal feeling for a moment, then it passes. --More--

by tzt (tzt) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 06:50:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Weekly installment (4.00 / 6)

Legoman Party/Fleamarkt, Berlin, DE

by gioele (gioele(daught)sandler(aaaattttt)gmail(daught)kom) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 01:36:52 PM EST

Architecture (4.00 / 8)

Old and New/NY, NY

by gioele (gioele(daught)sandler(aaaattttt)gmail(daught)kom) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 01:40:24 PM EST

More architecture... (4.00 / 8)

Dam and spillway/Baden-Württemberg (Schwarzwald), DE

Window detail/Prague, Czech

Will you be mine (dinner)?/Prague, Czech

by gioele (gioele(daught)sandler(aaaattttt)gmail(daught)kom) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 01:48:52 PM EST

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 1)

Intellectual roughage from this month's Art Review, discussing the links between photography and painting:

The painting appropriates (or repudiates) the clarity (or obscurity) of the photograph, restages (or refuses) its fleeting engagement with the real, approaches (or blanks) its embrace of the instant. Whatever its take on the photograph, in other words, the painting is marked by it in ways that, thanks to our comtemporary nous regarding photographic conventions, we can articulate with relative ease.

I hope that makes it clearer for everyone. [nods slowly]

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 05:42:36 PM EST

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

What's the remedy? It's not enough that art writers quit writing. I've tried that. It's not enough. They should start speaking. Art writing should be replaced by art talk, art dialogue. The perfect replacement for the turgid, static monograph is the recorded live symposium. Absolutely live, ers and ums included. Plato got that idea right. And Burroughs expanded on the possibilities of the dialogue as the generator of a dialectical "third mind." The technology exists to reproduce a lively exchange, should one miraculously occur. Perhaps this is how art criticism should have been working for the last twenty years.
The solo review should be replaced by the dual. The defender and the prosecutor. Or the panel of experts.
Tonight on our panel of experts we have Donald Kuspit, Jenny Holzer, Steven Wright, Stephanie Seymour, Tom McEvilley, Eileen Myles, and Andrew Dice Clay. Give them slide projectors and stun guns and let them work it out.
But if they insist on writing about art then they should live up to the standards of art. Art writing should be art or shut the fuck up you're bringing me down.
Artists themselves should write more. For one thing they'd be putting it on the line at a time when the norm is to dissemble and cultivate ambiguity. For another thing, they couldn't do it worse than the critics, and in many cases they would undoubtedly bring some creativity to an activity generally practiced by rote.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0268/is_n1_v32/ai_14580155/pg_2

Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner - that I moved to Nice.

by Ted Welch (tedwelch-at-mac-dot-com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 04:39:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Depth of Field (4.00 / 7)

Ref discussion about depth of field above. I was experimenting with my new 80-200/f2.8 in Macedonia, near Skopje, and took this photo of an otherwise pristine wheat field. I thought to name it "Flower of Peace." But, I guess it's technically just a weed with a flower!

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 10:43:48 PM EST

I'm just learning this stuff, but I take it you need an f2.8 lens to achieve this affect. When I go to America in a few weeks I'm going to buy a 50mm with an f stop of 1.8(amazingly it's very cheap) so perhaps I can experiment with the "depth of field."
This photo is beautiful, by the way.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 02:04:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]

LEP, most of your lenses will have variable aperture, if not all? You can alter the aperture through the camera settings to get the effect you desire. The f stop value given for a lens is the lowest it can go to usually (ie maximum aperture). So the 50mm f/1.8 will also go to f/22.

For the photo I took, my lens aperture was set via manual mode (or you can use aperture priority) to f/2.8.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 02:34:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Depth of Field (4.00 / 2)

I think my lenses only go to f 3.5 now. Do I also have to change the focus settings, I'm not sure how they are called.
I'm also learning to shoot in manual; sometimes I'm forced to if the setting is very dark, eg., this concert I shot last week that my kids were in. It was in a very dark church and I was far away and I only had my 28-105 lens with me. It would have been easier if I had my 55-200 lens. But I got a few decent photos by raising th ISO to 1000.
Here's one that I shot with manual. Its a choir of young adults from France and Argentina.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 03:23:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]

That turned out decently! If you were in completely manual mode then I guess you were changing the shutter speed and aperture, as well as the ISO.

The balance is between having the aperture wide enough to let in enough light and retaining the depth of field you want (if that is an issue), and having the shutter speed long enough to let enough light in without camera shake or movement causing too much blurring.

And with ISO, having it high enough to be able to further reduce the shutter time but without becoming too grainy (unless you are after this look).

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 04:45:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I was happy to get several clear photos with the lens I had. I guess I was about 75 feet away and if I went to the 105mm it's very hard to take a shot without blurring.(No VR) And my lens will open up to only f3.5.
When I get my new 50mm I'll have to get up closer (that means arriving earlier) but I expect much better results.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 05:10:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]

As Colman said further up, the 50mm is a lovely portrait lens. You can't zoom in or out with it which limits flexibility if you are stuck in one spot (ie you can't move forward or backwards to get more or less in the shot) but once you learn how to work with it, it is brilliant.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 05:27:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Depth of Field (4.00 / 2)

DOF is also affected by the focal length of the lens. I'm guessing that Gringo had that lens (which one was it exactly?) extended out towards the 200mm end of the range, so he's getting very shallow depth of field.

The 50mm 1.8 won't have as extreme an effect, though it's a wonderful portrait lens on the digital bodies. 50mm lenses are cheap because they're very simple. I think they're the simplest to make.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 02:59:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]

So, according to this site, at 10m a 50mm set to f2.8 has about a 4m interval in acceptable focus while a 200mm will have about 0.28m in focus.

At f16 that becomes 1.58m for the 200mm and everywhere from 4.4m out for the 50mm - the background won't be blurred at all.

By way of further contrast, my 20mm would be in focus from 4.15m out at f2.8. You don't get blurred backgrounds with short lenses!

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 03:10:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Thanks for the info Coleman. (By the way, my ex-wife's maiden name was Coleman and my stepson's first name is also Coleman. He lives in America.)
When I see discussion of lenses people are always talking about good boceh. Is that what we're discussing?

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 03:36:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Well that explains your ability to insert an extraneous 'e' into my name ...

Discussion Bokeh here. Basically it's the shape and qualities of the out-of-focus parts of the picture.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 03:52:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]

"Coleman" must have been the poor side of the family.
Please excuse the error.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 03:59:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I'm not sure whether it's a simplification of the spelling, or a separate name. The Irish form of my name is Colmán, with the accent - called a fáda - lengthening the vowel so the pronunciation in Irish is Col-mawn, a form I use in places where the short 'a' of 'man' causes trouble for the locals.

I'm always perplexed when people who almost always see my name only in print misspell it. Annoys me almost as much as mis-accenting Jërómê's name does him.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 04:46:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Coleman is 10 times more common than Colman according to Google.

But I mean, people misspell principal as principle and lose as loose, so what are you complaining about?

I admit it is almost as annoying to have people call me Meewell even after they have heard me repeatedly say my own name properly.

We have met the enemy, and it is us — Pogo

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 05:09:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Bleh (none / 0)

I saw that now.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 02:47:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Well, I used to think a lot depended upon the exact spelling of a name, but since researching my family history, I have come to realize/realise that many if not most surnames have changed in spelling numerous times over the years. My paternal grandmother spelled/spelt her maiden name differently than her brother did. She even had my father's birth certificate corrected to show her spelling vs. yet a third way. Jameson, Jamison, Jamerson, Jemison, Jimmison, etc. It's no wonder people are confused.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 10:28:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Exactly, it must have been cranked out to 200mm at f2.8, which is kind of extreme, but you can get a nice background blur for portraits at f4 as well when in the 200mm neighborhood. As you've pointed out a lot depends on distance between camera and subject.

I would say to all interested that you don't have to spend huge amounts of money. 50mm lenses, though less expensive, are also typically among the sharpest, and this was the lens that was usually included with cameras in the era before zooms became so popular. They were also very fast with some opening as wide as f.7 that's point 7, or faster.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 09:58:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

That's really nice. It's so hard to get a very narrow depth of field just right so the bit you want is completely in focus!

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 02:35:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

You know, I think my camera/lens combo did it all here, but I may have manually focused, can't remember for sure.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 10:08:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

You used technique effectively to draw attention to the flower, and imagination to suggest a way of thinking about it - stick with it :-)

I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.
Einstein

Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner - that I moved to Nice.

by Ted Welch (tedwelch-at-mac-dot-com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 04:51:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Thanks Ted, that is nice to hear/read. It so happened that Macedonia was having lots of problems at the time and was walking a fine line between peace and civil war so the idea kind of popped into my head. The process of working out political solutions is kind of like finding and focusing on this flower (or weed) in a large field.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 10:06:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

This extra information enriches one's thinking about the photo and what you had in mind - include it. Image and text is a powerful combination - very few people make silent films these days :-)

Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner - that I moved to Nice.

by Ted Welch (tedwelch-at-mac-dot-com) on Fri Oct 5th, 2007 at 03:14:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Bangkok o Bangkok where have you gone? (4.00 / 9)

A couple of photos taken of Bangkok from my hotel window.

Above ground metro

Roof tops of some of the few remaining older buildings. More interesting than the new steel and glass. Love the awnings.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Wed Oct 3rd, 2007 at 10:49:26 PM EST

Re: Bangkok o Bangkok where have you gone? (none / 0)

Your photos arrived late for us in Europe, but were well worth the wait!

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 01:59:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bangkok o Bangkok where have you gone? (none / 1)

Thanks LEP. I didn't get on the computer till 10pm or so Eastern US time.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 09:34:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bangkok o Bangkok where have you gone? (none / 0)

You stayed in the cosmopolitan part of Bangkok? I was a few miles along the river near the Khao San Road, where most of the buildings are far from shiny! It's an amazing city, full of contrasts.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 02:37:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bangkok o Bangkok where have you gone? (none / 0)

I can't wait to visit. I might do 3 months in SE Asia.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 01:17:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bangkok o Bangkok where have you gone? (none / 0)

Yes, we always stayed in this part of Bangkok, but as late as 1991 it didn't look like this at all. None of the skyscrapers existed then. I returned in 1999 and they were just there and all of the older buildings had just disappeared. I know the old downtown section remains as it was and along the klongs and river as well, but it seemed to me me that even the flavor there had changed quite a bit.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 09:39:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

Great pictures and great diary - as usual. Unfortunatelly Wednesday is one of my busiest days of the week, so I can not really participate. Will try next week. :-)

by Fran on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 01:55:09 AM EST

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 (none / 0)

You are allowed to post late!

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 03:11:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

A september morning ... (4.00 / 7)

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 04:32:43 AM EST

And a September evening (4.00 / 4)

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 04:35:02 AM EST

Re: And a September evening (none / 1)

These are terrific photos, Colman.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 05:04:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 [WITH UPDATE] (4.00 / 4)

I'm in the country today where it's very warm, but, since I'm in the middle of the forest, very humid. So, I've lit my great Godin wood stove and would like to share it with you. I've had it for 4 years and I love it. I'm never cold anymore.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 06:22:30 AM EST

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 [WITH UPDATE] (none / 1)

I want one.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 06:37:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 [WITH UPDATE] (none / 0)

You live in an apartment, no?

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 06:41:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 [WITH UPDATE] (none / 0)

I do, but that really is not the point.
I want one.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 07:52:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 [WITH UPDATE] (none / 0)

Time to think about buying a little weekend cottage in the country, then.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 07:57:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 [WITH UPDATE] (none / 0)

With what money?!!

I've always wanted to have my own field though, ever since I was really little.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 08:02:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 [WITH UPDATE] (none / 0)

Is there any place in Wales where you can buy land cheap?

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 08:08:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 [WITH UPDATE] (none / 0)

five years ago land and houses were still relatively cheap around where I am. but in the last few years houses and land have trebled in value.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 08:57:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 [WITH UPDATE] (none / 0)

My apartment in Helsinki had two gorgeous stoves. The building used to have those in every apartment, but the silly owners had renovated them and ripped them off. Our landlord hadn't, luckily.

You have a normal feeling for a moment, then it passes. --More--

by tzt (tzt) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 08:56:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Mine is dual fuel (4.00 / 2)

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 08:23:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mine is dual fuel (none / 0)

Is that coal and wood?

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 08:26:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mine is dual fuel (none / 1)

yes. if it's set up with some of its controlls in one direction it runs best on coal, if they are set up in a different way it runs best on wood.

it also has a back-boiler to heat water and run radiators.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 08:55:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 [WITH UPDATE] (4.00 / 4)

Bonus vanity pic of myself doing the photoing:

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 01:34:51 PM EST

Re: Wednesday Photography Blog No. 5 [WITH UPDATE] (none / 0)

Nice bonus!

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 01:41:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Friday vs Wednesday? (none / 0)

How do people feel about moving PhotoBlog to Friday?

We've had Fran saying she's busy mid-week, and I tend to feel like I have my mind on other things.

I'm also thinking a Friday slot could spill over into the weekend more easily, if it wanted to.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 02:38:57 PM EST

I don't mind. Shall we take it to the open thread and see what people think?

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 02:44:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Sounds good to me. It could even be promoted to the FP on Saturday, when there is often nothing posted.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 02:48:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Friday would be much better for me, actually.

by the stormy present (stormypresent aaaaaaat gmail etc) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 02:53:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Me too.

You have a normal feeling for a moment, then it passes. --More--

by tzt (tzt) on Thu Oct 4th, 2007 at 03:19:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]