Wednesday, February 27, 2008

how to use my camera

Olympus SP-550 UZ

adjusting the ISO- Click the menu button.  Then select camera options and scroll down to the ISO command and change it as you want.

adjusting the white balance-  Use the scroll wheel to select "my".  Then click menu>camera menu> WB.  This allows you to select a preset white balance option.  If you want to create your own white balance setting, hit the custom option then take a picture of a blank sheet of paper with no shadow.  This will set the white as pure as it can get.

adjusting exposure compensation- Use the scroll wheel to select "P".  Then use the left and right arrows to either lighten or darken the image, compensating the exposure.

setting file size and compression- Press the menu button.  Then select the file output tab.  You 
can select the file size and compression type there.

setting the exposure meter- Hit the menu button.  Then hit camera menu.  Scroll down to 
metering and select the metering that you want to do.

setting macro focus-  Turn the scroll wheel to guide mode.  Then select the option "taking 
pictures of things that are really, really close/small".  The camera automatically sets itself to macro focus.

setting flash mode- Press the button with the lightning bolt on it that is located directly to the right of the menu button.  From here, you can select the different kinds of flash modes that are available for the camera.

My Camera Settings

I have a Canon EOS D30 which is an older 3.25 megapixel SLR camera. I got it secondhand from Steve because I wanted to learn about photography and, especially, digital. I have had it for a few years and always used it on Auto settings because I knew nothing.

I sat down the other day with the camera and the manual and learned a ton of stuff about it already. As I read stuff, I tried stuff and it was pretty neat.

1. How to adjust the ISO? Menu button on back > LCD panel > use thumb wheel to change
Also, can use the set button and make it so that the thumb wheel controls ISO.

2. How to adjust white balance? WB/AF button on top of camera > use Quick Control Dial (QCD) to choose 1 of 7.

3. How to set exposure compensation? Use QCD > Press down 1/2 way and choose + or - for over or under expose.

4. How to set file size and compression? Menu button then use QCD to select which one you want.

5. How to set exposure meter mode? Left knob > Can do 5 types - Auto, Full Auto, Auto Depth of Field, Aperature Priority or Shutter speed Priority

6.How to set Macro focusing? On the lens

7.How to set flash mode? Open flash up with button on left side near lens. In most easy shooting modes, flash is automatic as needed.

So...anyway, I got out the manual and promptly lost it somewhere in the house so I downloaded the manual in .pdf format and printed only the pages that I thought I might use.

My Camera Setting!!!


  • How to adjust the ISO
  • How to adjust white balance
  • How to set file size/compression

The 3 items can all be seen by just clicking the “menu” button in the middle; this menu is called, “Rec mode menu” and these are all on the first page.

  • How to set meter mode

Same as above, except for Meter mode is on the second page of the “Rec mode menu”.

  • How to set macro mode

Just turn the Dial to “Marco mode”

  • How to set the flash

The settings for the flash are very easy; you just click on the button to the right of the menu button.

  • How to set exposure compensation

This is adjusted by clicking the button above the menu button.

Week 4: Taking Photographs: How does the camera work

Week 5: How does my camera work?

My camera is a Z700 Kodak EasyShare, zoom digital camera

How do you adjust the ISO?

To adjust the ISO, go to any one of the P.A.S. and press menu, scroll down to you see ISO, select the ISO needed and press the ok button.

How do you adjust color balance?

Press menu on the camera, Press up or down highlighting the setting you wish to change, then press the ok button, choose an option you want, which is color balance (mode), and choose either auto, daylight, tungsten, or fluorescent, then press the okay button, press the menu button to exit.

How do you set exposure compensation?

To set exposure compensation, you have to be in either P.A.S mode. Next, choose what you need by moving the arrow left to right, in my case it’s to the left and press, once you have done that, then you choose left to right for either + or – setting, and press ok button.

How do you set file size and compression?

To set file size and compression, first, press menu button, press up or down button on the camera to highlight the setting you wish to change then press okay button.

How do you set the exposure meter mode?

Press menu on the camera, Press up or down highlighting the setting you wish to change, then press the ok button, choose an option you want, which is exposure meter mode, and choose either auto, daylight, tungsten, or fluorescent, then press the okay button, press the menu button to exit.

How do you set macro focusing?

Set the camera on the tulip setting, after that you can choose what setting you like.

How do you set the flash mode?

Press the flash button repeatedly to scroll through flash modes. There are several flash modes such as auto flash, fill, red-eye, and off.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1S

Adjusting the ISO:
  1. Go into menu (center button)
  2. select ISO Sensitivity (right button)
  3. set it to desired point with up/down buttons

Adjusting white balance:

  1. Go into menu (center button)
  2. select W. Balance (right button)
  3. set to desired point with up/down buttons

Setting exposure compensation:

  1. press up button on camera
  2. set to desired point with left/right buttons

Setting file size and compression:

  1. Go into menu (center button)
    1. Select Pict. Size (right button)

i. Set to desired point with up/down buttons

    1. Select Quality (right button)

i. Set to desired point with up/down buttons

Setting the exposure meter mode:

  1. Go into menu (center button)
  2. scroll down (with down button) until Metering Mode is highlighted, and select (right button)
  3. set to desired point with up/down buttons

Setting macro focusing:

1. simply turn wheel on camera to flower icon.

Setting the flash mode:

1. while in a shooting mode, press right button to change flash options, seen in the upper right of the screen.

Setting adjustments for the Olympus C-2100UZ

To adjust ISO:
Set Mode Dial to any setting (P, A S, M, S-Prog, Video) > press Menu button > scroll to ISO option > Select ISO 100 to 400 > press OK button.
To adjust white balance:
Set Mode Dial as above > Menu Button > scroll to WB > sellect Auto, Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten, Fluorescent . press OK button.
Adjusting Exposure Compensation:
Set Mode dial as above (the exposure setting will be displayed) > press the left or right arrow on the Arrow Pad for +/- compensation adjustments.
Setting file size and compression level:
Set Mode Dial to any setting (P, A S, M, S-Prog) > Menu Button > scroll to Mode Settup > select setup > select SQ or TIFF (no settings options for HQ & SHQ), for SQ > select setup > select 640x 480 or 1024x 768 or 1280x 960 all at either high or normal compression; for TIFF > select TIFF > select setup > select 640x 480 or 1024x 768 or 1280x 960 or 1600x 1200 (TIFF is uncompressed).
Setting Exposure Meter Mode:
Set Mode Dial to any setting (P, A S, M, S-Prog, Video) > default mode is digital ESP metering, to change > press Metering Mode Button on top of camera to select either Center-weighted averaging metering or Spot metering as indicated on screen.
Setting Macro focusing:
Set Mode Dial as above > press Macro button atop camera to either enter or exit Macro Mode.
Setting the flash mode:
Set Dial Mode as above > open flash > press flash button to move through the flash options: Auto flash, Red Eye Reduction or Fill-in Flash

My Camera is a Canon EOS Rebel XTi 400 D

How do you adjust the ISO? The camera needs to be set to manual settings. Then push in the button that says ISO. By doing this the different ISO settings pop up 100, 200, 400, 800, or 1600 by using the arrow keys the ISO can be chosen.
ISO Speed /Normal (No flash)
100/200=Sunny outdoors
400/800=Overcast skies, evening
1600=Night or dark indoors

How do you adjust white balance? The camera has to be in manual setting mode. Next, push (WB) for white balance. From there different options are given, they are daylight, shade, cloudy, Tungsten light, White florescent lights, flash, and custom. The custom white balance is also explained which can give you better accuracy if needed.

How do you set exposure compensation? This feature can be used when taking a picture of something black or white like clothing. The white may turn out darker or the black may turn out lighter therefore you would want to set the exposure compensation. To do that put the camera in manual mode the push in the AV+- button on the right hand side of the LCD screen. While holding the AV+- in use the dial on the front of the camera to change from brighter to darker.

How do you set file size and compression? Set the camera to basic mode and select the menu button. Select tab one and hit set, quality then is selected and you push set again. From there you can choose the quality of you pictures = file size and compression.

How do you set the exposure meter mode? By pressing the bottom that reminds me of an eye the meter mode pops up. From there you use the right and left keys to select the desired metering mode. Then you push the shutter button half way down and the selected metering mode will display on the LCD screen.

How do you set macro focusing? I would chose automatic setting of the tulip, unless I had a macro lens.

How do you set the flash mode?
The flash will be on as long as you are taking picture in the automatic modes. To turn it off push the lightening bolt. The flash-sync speed can be set in the specialized modes. The red eye can also be adjusted by choosing the menu button and either turns on or off the red eye. FE lock can be used when precise flash exposure is wanted for a particular area of the subject,

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

How does the camera work?

<Model DXG 608>

Flash is controlled by the flash button. Pressing it will cycle the camera through all the settings. The cycles are no flash, force flash, auto flash, auto flash w/ red eye reduction, Force flash w/ red eye reduction and slow sync flash.

Macro function is enabled by toggling the joystick to the left.

Exposure compensation is set by pressing the menu button and toggling left and right to highlight the EV option. Then toggle up and down to select the setting and press the joystick to set. Values run between 2.0- ~ +2.0 in 1/3 increments.

White Balance is set by pressing the menu display and toggling to the WB option. Then use the joystick, up and down, to select the WB setting. Press the joystick to confirm.

ISO and Metering can be found in the Detail option. Display the menu and select the setting. ISO has the options of 100, 200 and 400. Metering can be set to matrix, center weighted, spot, or the auto focus area.

There doesn't seem to be a file size and compression option to this camera.


 

How does my Sony Mavica FD-71 works

How to adjust the ISO- Press and hold the shutter button half-way down to display various settings on the LCD screen

How to adjust the white balance- The White Balance is set automatically.

How to set exposure compensation- Select +EV (to increase) or -EV (to decrease) on the LCD screen with the control button.

How to set file size and compression- The camera doesn't contain this feature

How to set the exposure meter mode- This feature is done automatically

How to set the macro focusing- Set the Focus button on Manual and press the Focusing button to set the macro.

How to set Flash Mode- Make sure the Camera is in "Camera mode" and press the Flash Button, with the light being on.

Week 4 Lesson

How Does My Canon Digital Rebel XTi Work?
  1. Adjust the ISO by pressing the ISO speed set button on the back of the camera and then pressing one on the cross keys to select the desired speed.  The ISO is set automatically in the basic zones.
  2. Adjust the White Balance by pressing the WB button on the back of the camera and then pressing the left or right cross key to select the desired setting.
  3. Designate a custom WB by photographing a white object or 18% gray card under the desired  lighting, ensuring the object fills the viewfinder center.  Focus manually and set the correct exposure.  In the menu, select "Custom WB" under the "Camera 2" icon and import white balance data by selecting the image captured then pressing "set."  Select custom WB as stated in "2" above. 
  4.  Adjust exposure compensation by holding down the AV+- button on the camera back and turning the main dial left  for darker or right for brighter.  Reset to zero when finished as it does not automatically reset.  
  5. Adjust the flash exposure compensation by selecting "flash exp comp" under the "camera 2" icon in the menu and pressing "set."   Press the right cross key on the back of the camera to make the photo brighter and the left key to make the photo darker, then press "set."  Reset to zero when finished as it does not automatically reset.   
  6. Set file size and compression by selecting "Quality" under the "Camera 1" icon in the menu and press "set."  Select the desired quality and press "set."  
  7. Set the exposure meter mode by pressing the left cross key on the camera back and using the left or right cross key to select the desired mode.
  8. Set macro focusing by turning the mode dial on top of the camera to the tulip image.
  9. Enable the flash mode by pressing the lightening bolt image on the left front of the camera (from behind the camera).  Disable the flash by selecting the "flash-off" mode in the basic zone on the mode dial.  Otherwise it is automatic in the basic zones.  


How Does My Camera Work?

I own the Olympus FE-170, which is a digicam. It's more on the budget side, and works well for what I use it for. I visited Olympus.com to find the advanced manual for my digital camera. The manual I have isn't detailed enough. So this is how this camera works:

  • ISO
To adjust the ISO you don't do anything. This camera is set for auto (64-400).

  • White Balance
Automatic color balance. This cannot be changed on the camera.
  • Exposure Compensation
To set exposure compensation go to menu, exposure comp., and then set it with the forward or back arrows. Then press, ok.
  • File size and compression
To set your desired image size go to menu, image quality, and then select which option you want. You can choose, SHQ, HQ, SQ1, or SQ2, then press, ok.
  • Exposure meter mode
This camera didn't show how to set exposure meter mode.
  • Macro Focusing
To set macro focusing press the tulip button on the camera and you can set it for super macro which is about 2" or macro 4" close, and then press, ok.
  • Flash mode
You set the camera to the 'auto' mode which will work if in low light areas or not if in bright surroundings. You can change this setting by pressing the right arrow flash icon and then choosing red-eye reduction, no flash, flash and auto flash, then ok.

Researchers look to spot photo hoaxes

Researchers look to spot photo hoaxes
This is an important issue for the future of photography. How much of the value of a photograph as a document for memory is destroyed by manipulation.

Monday, February 25, 2008

my camera assignment

KonicaMinolta Dimage Z6

1. To set the ISO I use the manual M setting, go to the menu, tab 3, under the "sensitivity" choice I can select "auto" 50, 100, 200, 320. (pg 64)

2. The white balance has 3 settings: automatic, preset and custom. It is set independently in the in the M, P, A and S settings on the mode wheel on top of the camera. The AUTO adjusts in most settings to the ambient light and will "create beautiful images, even under mixed lighting conditions". In this mode the white balance sets to the flash when it is used. In the PRESET mode, a symbol appears onthe screen giving choices for daylight, cloudy, tungsten, fluorescent or flash. These are adjusted by the controller arrors to the right of the screen. In the CUSTOM setting they recommend using a piece of white paper, press the central button on the controller wheel to set the balance, This remains until it is reset. It also has a recall setting. (pg 60)

3. Exposure compensation can be adjusted in the subject programs , the P, A and S exposure modes. With the subject selections, the compensation is reset when the camera is shut off. In the P, A & S settings, the compensation remains in place until reset. To adjust the exposure the photographer uses the right and left arrow keys on the controller wheel. This is a very cool feature I did not know about! (pg 41)

4. Image size is set in the menu, first tab under the "quality" heading. It can be fine, standard or economy. It gives a multitude of numbers in the manual by these setting, which I do not understand. I have been shooting in standard (growl) but have now switched to fine. :) (pg 55)

5. The exposure mode is set by the mode wheel at the top of the camera. P = program. This allows the photogrpaher to see an image when the shutter release button is clicked halfway. If it is red the subject is too far away. The A = aperture setting mode. This allows the photographer to set the aperture and the camera selelcts the shutter speed. You use the up down keys of the controller to set the aperture, and again use the halfway stop onthe shutter button. I don't quite understand the part about the blue double arrows. In the S= shutter mode, the photographer selects teh shutter speed and the camera selects the appropriate aperture. There's the double blue arrow indicator message again. This also uses the up and down arrows. (pg 36-37)

6. Macro is one I have used quite a bit because I like to take close up pictures of flowers and mushrooms. However, I did not know the difference between the macro and the supermacro feature until I read this. The setting is on the top of the camera, with a separate button to push, next to the button for setting the flash. Standard macro in the wide angle position is for 3.9inches to 3.3 feet. In the telephoto position it is for 3.9 feet to 8.2 feet. When supermacro is used the lens automatically zooms to a specific focal length from .4 inches to 3.3 feet. You can cycle through the choices by pressing the button repeatedly until you get to the setting you want. (pg 35)

7. The flash button is also on the top of the camera. It cycles through auto, auto with reduced red-eye, fill, slow sync and cancel. The flash is activated when you raise the unit. Slow sync is for dark settings when you want to get details in the background. They say to ask your subject not to move and they recommend a tripod for the slow sync setting. They recommend up to 11.8 feet for the wide angle with the flash and between 3.9 -7.2 for the telephoto position with the flash. (pg 26)

Patty Meritt

Thursday, February 21, 2008

A great photo and photographer


I stumbled upon this photographer's web site and thought it had some beautiful scenery photos, African animals, Alaskan animals, and photos of Maine and Switzerland. His name is James J. Stachacki and I really enjoy looking through his photo gallery. His photos have beautiful, bright colors and sharp images with great detail. The color contrast caught my eye and all the detail of the pictures show up great. I think you will enjoy his gallery.

James Nachtwey

James Nachtwey
Many people consider James Nachtwey the most courages and committed current photographer. He takes photographs of war and tragedy, very powerful, and even artistic, stuff!

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

I just want to kill something!!


This pictures slays me. I think of Dick Cheney!!

Steve McCurry - Nat Geographic Photog

So, now this is the third try to get this to post and I'll probably end up with all 3 posted...anyway...this is one of my favorite pics that I have loved for many years. He went back and found her some twenty years later and got another picture. Here is the link...
http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/Photography/Images/Content/afghan-girl-portrait-127438-ga.jpg

Or just click on the title and that is the link.

my favorite photographer

My favorite photographer is Vincent J. Musi.  He is a photographer for National Geographic who takes pictures of everything from wildlife to third world countries.  My favorite photo of his is one of a dolphin vertical in the water but looking horizontally at the camera.  Click on the link to see that photographer and to visit his site so that you may see his other work.

link:  <http://www.lightstalkers.org/vincent_j_musi>

Week Three

Week 3: Photographic Seeing: What do I see? What makes a good
photograph?

The homework I had sent in earlier was a misunderstanding in my part, I now have a new homework.

I have a photograph of my hometwon, well, its a very small area of my hometown, its called uptown. What you see is a couple of buildings, its a lot bigger with many houses and offices. Take a look at this site http://www.tumtum.com/kayak/trips/Sheenjek03_images/Sheenjek03_021_CentralFtYukon.jpg
Here is my hometown by air
http://www.warbelows.com/images/Village%20Pictures/Fort%20Yukon/DA_FORT.JPG
My favorate photographer is my brother Raymond, he is a photographer. Please visite his site at www.raysolomon.com.

Lsn 3

David Douglas Duncan is my favorite photographer as he has captured faces of people facing the stress of war.  But his photography far exceeds war and the chosen websites will illustrate that.  His photo work from Vietnam stirs me the most as I am personally familiar with the time and the events where he took them.


What do I see? What makes a good photograph?

http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=6079669
I really enjoy macro photographs that is why I picked this photo.
http://www.nytimes.com/library/photos/leibovitz/bourgeois.html
I feel that this photogragher was really able to capture the essence of women.

Photographer I like:

Annie Liebowitz is a national icon as far as photography is concerned. It may seem a no brainer, but looking at her portfolio on women this morning was, again, astounding. She picks up on the joy, love, failures, resentments, and life's ordeals in all her pictures. Whether black and white or color they all have a statement in them. It always amazes me.

What makes a Great Picture/Photographer?


Well I did some google searching and came across this photographer, which I really enjoy his photos; these are the type of pictures I would like to capture some day…I need to do some traveling!!!

My favorite picture of John Chiasson;

I enjoy this photographer’s pictures and his bio;

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Amazing photo

Hard to limit myself to just one! Wish I could igure out how to post the photo, not just the link.

Photography sites












A random picture i saw a just really liked :)

http://jlmphotography.smugmug.com/ I liked this, i hadn't seen it before and there are so many to choose from

wonderful photographer

Hard to find a "favorite", but Deborah Dubois captures people in ways I admire. If I could take photos like this I would never be humble again!

PHOTOGRAPH/PHOTOGRAPHER

A PHOTO

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xtdmsx/70334727/

I’ve always loved photographs of this hockey brawl, being that I’m a life-long fan of the Detroit Red Wings, and that they won the brawl, and the game. This is possibly the best one I’ve seen that captures most of the donnybrook in one picture.

This fight, which occurred on March 26, 1997, started off with a small scuffle between Peter Forsberg, number 21 of the Colorado Avalanche (blue and purple jerseys), and Igor Larionov, number 8 of the Detroit Red Wings (red and white jerseys). Using this as a distraction, Darren McCarty, number 25 of Detroit attacked Claude Lemieux (as revenge for Lemieux’s cheapshot the year before that put a Detroit player out of the season), which is the center of the photo, Lemieux doing what the media later called “turtling”. Behind them, Brendan Shanahan, number 14, of Detroit, Adam Foote, number 52 of Colorado, and Detroit’s goaltender Mike Vernon, number 29 are charging forward. This is in response to, off of the picture, Colorado’s goalie, Patrick Roy, number 33, skating out to try to help Lemieux (as the referees were busy trying to break up Larionov and Forsberg’s fight). What resulted afterwards was a mid air collision between Shanahan and Roy, then, while Shanahan and Foote squared off, Roy and Vernon had a spectacular goalie fight, arguably the best in NHL history. This picture shows the very beginning of the brawl, and brings back many memories of that game, and that season. I am extremely happy I found this photo of that infamous “Fight Night at the Joe” (Joe Louis Arena, the Detroit Red Wings’ home rink).

Here is a link to the video of the full brawl. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7DlAjrhm9s

A PHOTOGRAPHER

As for a favorite photographer, I don’t exactly have a favorite, but I’ve always liked Doug Blane’s extreme sports photographs, especially the base jumping and climbing ones, since a friend showed me them a few months ago. Being a climber myself, I especially like the image of the climber with snowy mountain peaks behind him. Something I’d like to do one day.

Doug Blane’s website:

http://www.dougblane.com/


My favorite photographer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansel_Adams

Landscapes


























I find myself leaning heavily toward landscape photography and I’m particularly impressed with this photo by Jack Dykinga. When viewed along side a Navajo rug it is not hard to see one source inspiring the Navajo weaver’s palette.
http://www.dykinga.com/Site/IMAGES/Pages/Utah.html

I enjoy the work of Christopher Burkett, he has a way of capturing that exquisite time in a season when nature has something very special to show us.

http://www.andrewsmithgallery.com/exhibitions/chistopherburkett/index.htm

Monday, February 18, 2008

Week 3 Lesson

Photographic Seeing....

Week 3: Photographic Seeing: What do I see? What makes a good Photograph?

Week 3: Photographic Seeing: What do I see? What makes a good
photograph?

I spend many hours this week looking for a photograph that I can turn in, however, I have found none. I have decided to choose several pictures that do not belong to a famous or professional person listed on the web site; it belongs to my brother Raymond who is a photographer. The pictures were taken in Phoenix, Az during a shooting match with guns. I thought it was great to see the bullet casings come out of the gun while being shot.

www.raysolomon.com is the website I have decided for the photographs and photographer for my assignment this week. When arriving at this website you’ll see a women at the front but moving down the scroll, you’ll see pictures of people shooting with their bullet casing coming out.

The reason I have decided this website is because other pictures bore me too death and I am being honest. I enjoy pictures as long as it catches my interest the first second I look at it, if not, I am bored. To me, pictures must show me something amazing, something that is hard to capture on film but captured through years of experience and patients.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

ORCHID


RAVEN


7:00AM 2-17-08
I'M BACK

Family Reunion Forks Washington 1978: Stephen Cysewski

Family Reunion Forks Washington 1978: Stephen Cysewski
It is all your fault! After reading the photographs not taken postings I realized I had some family photographs from a family reunion that I should edit and share, so this weekend I created this web site. Sure brought back many memories.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

5 photos I wish I took

1.  My younger cousin was standing on a beach in North Carolina.  He was holding a wiffle bat and the sun was just setting behind him above the ocean.
2.  2 grizzly cubs wrestled playfully nearby their mother in Denali.  I happened to be on the wrong side of the bus.
3.  My twin brother was hanging from a Cherry Blossom tree during the annual Cherry Blossom festival in Washington D.C.  The Lincoln Memorial and the tidal basin could be seen in the background.
4.  At the lake behind our house, a bald eagle circled some mallard ducks, swooping in and badly wounding one.  I wish that I could have gotten a photo of the eagle the moment it hit the duck.
5.  During a cruise out of Valdez, an Orca Whale jumped out of the water so close to the boat that it splashed water onto the upper decks.  It happened so fast that I couldn't snap the photo.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Ivan Completes Week 2 Blog Entries

Five photographs that I did not take but wish I did.

1. My mother in Karate class when I was 17 years old. She was a brown belt, 1 step below a black belt in Shudo-Kan. I was in the class with her and it was a lot of fun.

2. The Pizza shop that I worked in during my first round of college in Columbus, Ohio. This place holds a lot of memories for me. Like dough ball fights and going out on deliveries with a two person escort armed with 2 foot long pizza cutting knives.

3. My grandmother riding around in her golf cart with her dog sitting in the seat beside her. This is just so typical grammy. She has a dog that is half Chow and half Border Collie. It is big and fuzzy like a Chow but has the happy personality of a Border Collie. It would hop up in the passenger seat and ride around with her just like it was a person, looking around and enjoying the ride.

4. My father and mother and the neighbors all in front of my house target shooting. This happened once, my mother, father, uncle and I were in the front yard shooting at a gravel pile we had made along the edge of the Chena river. The noise attracted the neighbors who came through the woods next door with half a dozen rifles and various weapons to join in. We had a real good visit and a good time. This was before so many people became afraid of guns and other inanimate objects.

5. My mother digging up old dumps out in the woods. Ever since I was a baby my mom has been going out in the woods “bottle digging” with her buddies, I learned to walk on an old dump. She would have her backpack, a packed lunch, her digging tools (probe, rake and saws) and her 44 pistol on her hip. Oh yes, there would also be a good supply of insect repellent. Those were always defining times for me when I was growing up. I have some pictures but none of good quality, or of her later years. She never gave up until forced too by her health. Her last big dig was an area discovered after somebody found an old old dump while digging a foundation for a house. One of the people working in the construction crew told my sister who told my mother and her bottle digging buddy and they all ended up in a hole for a week. They actually ended up digging unstable tunnels and taking unnecessary chances with caveins. They found several rare bottles and determined the dump had to be from a saloon. I wish I could have gotten some pictures of that. There was a lot more to be found but the crew working on the house had to bury every thing. My mother dreamed about that site up until she died, my sister still dreams of it.

Motivation: Quick Quotes: Garry Winogrand

Motivation: Quick Quotes: Garry Winogrand
An excellent summary of the photographic challenge.

5 photos not taken

Several of the photos in my memory bank that I dearly wish that I would have taken concern events during my first tour in Vietnam and in wilds of Alaska.  The first was of my squadron mate, Geoff McCarthy having battle damage which would not let the gear come down on his F-100D fighter where he engaged the barrier to come to a sudden stop gettting our unscathed at our airfield in Vietnam.  (2)The second was of myself pulling people onboard when we picked up a patrol of South Korean Marines in the Vietnamese highlands while I was flying on a U.S. Army UH-1 from the 48th Assault helicopter company out of Ninh Hoa.  (3)Another was of five pallet loads of metal caskets I observed being loaded on C-141 transport aircraft at Danang airfield for the trip back to the USA containing those less fortunate than I who served in country.  Other photos include those photos I wish I would have taken here in the wilds of Alaska.  (4)The fourth was of a large black bear and her two cubs on the shore of Lake Eyak outside of Cordova while kayaking....I did get blurry shots but missed shots of a lifetime.  (5) The fifth shot I would like to have had was during a wildfire when a firefighter tanker overflew my position near the Eielson Air Force base dropping retardant or slurry that just missed me...was too busy ducking to get the shot but it would have been magnificent.

Ivan Completes Week 1 Blog Entries

Why I Take Photographs

Why? Well because… I primarily take photographs of things I want to remember. I could present an artzy reason but it’s really very simple. I have a bad memory and sometimes it needs a little help. Of course I might be struck by something I see as being odd or beautiful, but I really would like to remember friends and family and places I have lived. It all goes away so fast in this day and age as things change and “progress” keeps occurring. When I was younger I never thought much of keeping any records but then I lost so much because I didn’t. There is no catch up in this game, you either have it or you don’t . So I am going to do the best with what I have left. That’s pretty much my reason for taking photographs, it’s simple and to the point.

Photographs I Imagined Taking When I Bought My Camera

When I bought my first camera I imagined taking pictures of UFO’s and things that go bump in the night. Of course I have never seen a UFO and the only things that go bump in the night is usually me tripping over the cat. have taken the occasional picture of family and friends but I never realized the importance of it until the last year and an half when my father and then my mother died. I had very few pictures of them that really captured who they were. I would have loved to get a picture of my mother out in the woods with her digging tools, flannel shirt and her 44 pistol strapped to her hip. She loved to be out in the woods digging up old dumps left by the miners in the late 1800’s. She had quite a collection of old bottles and bits and pieces of history. My father on the other hand wanted to mine gold or farm. He wasn’t very particular about which, I managed to capture a few good pictures of him and his brother so I am fortunate there. The one important thing is that I thought about when I purchased my latest camera is how to capture who a person was, not so much what they looked like. Nobody looks “real” wearing a suit and tie in some studio picture. You have to capture them when they are being who they are. I would rather have that picture of my mother covered in dirt with a big grin on her face holding an old bottle then any studio picture. A picture is worth a thousand words it is said, but sometimes it’s not the words that are important.

Photographic Intention: Why do you take photographs?

Week 2: Photographic Intention: Why do you take photographs?

1. I was upset when I did not have my camera working on Christmas day of 2007. The reason I was upset is because I could not capture the moment she opened her gifts with excitement and joy. She made it her business to tear each and every gift with forceful to find a surprise in each gift. The smile on her face would have been many pictures alone. The camera I had and still have has a problem of running dead when you really need it the most. I could only take a memory shot in my mind.
2. My husband, children and grandchildren love to go sliding at the UAF hill and we keep forgetting to bring our camera, disposable or digital, we forget. We would watch each other go down the big hill fast and some fall over and some don’t. If we had taken our camera, we would of gotten really good pictures of kids and adults falling off the sled and screaming as they go down, especially me.
3. I try to remember to take pictures during the World Eskimo Indian Olympics but again, I forget. The one year I wished I did but didn’t is when this man broke the record for ear weight, he went a long way and I could not get a camera fast enough to take a snap. To me, this was a big deal and I missed it, however, I kept it in my mind because that year, I too broke the women’s record for ear weight. To have a camera and take pictures of his expression on his face as he continued to walk on made me want to cry.
4. The year my father passed on, I really needed a camera to capture the moment of all those people who cared for my father. If I had a camera, I could of capture the tears, emotions on their faces, the moment of their walk as they carried him from the plane to the church, the church to the center and from the center to the burial ground where he laid. I really missed out totally on that because it would have been my memories.
5. When my family went to Beaver Creek in 1977, we went out to the woods to stay for the summer, I was at the top of the world. If I had a camera, I would of shot so much beautiful pictures that would of made many people envy of me. I got to hunt and watch wild game up and close, I took a ride on a plan, and got to swim with the fish. I land was so beautiful and the surrounding was something to die for. I have it in memory but would of rather have it on film.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Five pictures I wished I took

1 I use to work on a small cruise line called Alaska Sightseeing. We traveled up and down the inside passage from Seattle to Juneau. One day in Glacier Bay we were extremely close toa the glacier when it decided to calve. The sight of the ice falling into the water was amazing and the waves sent toward us and the expressions on all the passengers faces.

2 My daughter's high school graduation.

3 I made it to a concert in Boulder Colorado one year and saw the Rolling Stones, but the picture I wished I had took was of another band called Kansas. The organ player jumped his height and more while playing music and never missing a note or lyric.

4 Out at Chena Hotsprings at -30 in the hot tub outside. All the frozen headed patrons with smiles on their faces.

5 All of the double rainbows I have seen through out my life.

Why I take pictures/Photos i imagine taking

Last week I thought I had posted. Live and learn. Hopefully whoever got my comment had a good time with it!! Ha ha

Why I take pictures:
I take pictures for severalreasons. One is to remembergood times, cruises, birthdays, holidays, etc. Other pictures have beeen fo work related items. To set up menus, photos for SOPs and for advertising. I have taken photos of natural phenomenon, such as the full moon over the Tanana Valley from ridge above Ester, and of manmade delights like the fireworks at the Fair two years ago. that one became a screen saver for my cell phone.

Photos I have imagined taking:
I have a photo of my daughter when she was five years old. A friend had loaned me her 35mm camera with a telephoto lens. I focused and shot a picture of my daughter's face from avout 75 ft. away. It came out perfect!! it is the center of all my other pictures because it is so perfect and it was just a stroke of luck.
I have always wanted to take pictures like this, showing the insights of peoples faces, the expressions, the experience and innocence.

Five Pictures I Wish I had Taken

The first picture I wish I had taken was of a situation at a Nanooks hockey game last semester. UAF's goalie was run, and the resulting pushes and shoves from both sides almost started a donnybrook. It would've been great to catch the simmering conflict in a picture, and yes, I am a hockey fan, so it would've been even better if the donnybrook had happened!

The second picture I wish I had taken was in September of last year when I was driving up to UAF with a friend. My camera battery was dead (I plugged it into a surge protector... but didn't turn the surge protector on...), so I couldn't take a picture, but we had a mother brown bear and two cubs cross the road right in front of us. The mother and cubs stopped for a few seconds and looked in our direction. She and her cubs pretty much posed. Everything about this situation screamed "You should've charged the camera, you idiot!". This is one situation I think I will never be able to forgive myself about, as I missed an incredible picture opportunity.

The third picture I wish I had taken would have to be one in which I’d have to be in two places at once. A few years back, I had a snow machine accident. I won’t go into the details, as it is a rather long story, but it ended with the snow machine almost crushing me. I was saved by a stump that I had hit my head against when I was catapulted off of the snow machine, as the giant vehicle fell and got propped up on the stump. It would’ve been great to get a snapshot of me holding my arms out as the machine fell, a picture of fear and surprise.

The fourth picture I wish I had taken was when I went climbing out at grapefruit rocks at the beginning of the previous semester, about 1 hour’s driving time north of Fairbanks. Thought I went back two weeks after that and got a picture, it wasn’t the same. I wanted a picture of the lush greenery and the pipeline, both of which could be seen for a good distance from the stop of the highest rock. Went I went back, the greenery had begun to turn yellow, and though still looking nice, it wasn’t nearly as beautiful as the scenery before.

The fifth picture I wish I had taken was at night about 1 year ago. I was driving with a friend of my to a party and as we pulled into the driveway of our destination, we saw a fox in the woods off to the left of the house, illuminated by the headlights of the car. I had a small animal in its mouth. I couldn’t tell what kind, but that still would’ve made an interesting “hunt” picture.

Five Pictures I didn't take


In 2006 I had the pleasure of going to the Dominican Republic. While I was there I took a lot of pictures, however there are many pictures that I wish I would of taken and didn’t. The first one would be of their homes. It was truly amazing to see what people lived in. Poverty was ever where we looked and nothing signified this like there homes. The second picture that I wish I had from there would be their means of transportation. This was truly a scary sight. It was not uncommon to see a family of four on a little motor bike. The third picture that I wish I had from there would be of the open market that was on the beach. I got picture of the vendors, but not of the whole market which I regret dearly. The fourth picture I really wish I would of had taken is of this banana truck we where driving behind. Just imagine a little tiny 2 door pick up piled with bananas higher then the cab and wider than the truck. I just don't know how they got them in there like that. The weight that the bananas put on the little truck was very evident. The last picture that I whish I would of had the guts to take was of a peddler that was on the beach. His look made me uneasy and suspicious of his true intensions, but he will always stick out in my mind when I think of The Dominica Republic. I only wish I had all these pictures and more, because I know with time the memories will fade.

Five Pictures I wish I took...

The first picture I wish I took is of Michael Jackson in his studio, listening to demos of the new songs he is making. He slowly grooves with the rhythm of the music and smiles. The second picture I wish I took of are a school of dolphins passing by a cruise ship, jumping out the water and spitting out water from their spouts; the crowds of people lining up by the starboard looking down at the passing dolphins. The third picture would be of a snow-covered pine tree and the sunlight that glitters off the snow. Some snow falls off the tree, making the branches move slightly. The forth picture would be of a dog pulling a little child on a sled through the snow. The little child has a smile on his face as he pulled, throwing snow to the side. The final picture would be of a beautiful, hillside view of a small town at night, all of the lights shining like stars.

PC World - Four Essential Photo Editing Tricks

PC World - Four Essential Photo Editing Tricks
A brief, but useful, list of essential editing tasks. I would add cropping to the list.

Five pictures I missed...

I wish I would have taken this picture of a mama moose and her baby in our parking lot, a couple of weeks ago. Too bad, it would have been a great picture of them together and in our apartment complex parking lot. Some people were outside their porches taking snapshots of them. It was awesome to see that! Word is that these two moose come into this part of town quite a bit. They were really calm and just minding their own business.

Another one is of the gorgeous Fairbanks sunrises that we get. I used to work at a clinic here in town and every time that I viewed one of these spectacular sunrises I told myself, "man I wish I had a good camera right now, it's beautiful !" You get the best picture from the roof of the clinic, but I didn't have access. I love all the many different hues of pink, orange, yellow and some purple of the sunrise. Shooting through the window would not do it justice...maybe one day...

I was at a Kutless concert at the Hering Auditorium. The music was great and the band members were playing awesome. My friends were up front, dancing, head banging and singing with the band. A picture of them up there all close to the band and squished up with everyone else, would have been a great picture. I would have loved to gotten up there to take some close ups and some great action pictures of them head banging and jumping up and down. All the energy was so great, to capture that on film or a photo would have been a good picture to have and share with them.

You know how you sit at a graduation with everyone else just waiting, and waiting? Well, this was my sister's high school graduation. Of course I was sitting with our family and pretty far from the stage. I would have liked to be right there in her face, well maybe not that close physically. But a good close up of her facial expressions as she sat waiting for her name to be called, as she got up and walked to the stage, when the principal called out her name, as she smiled, nervous looks, the handling of the diploma, and just capturing her moment of success. But unfortunately I wasn't allowed to go up that close and get in the way of everyone else's picture taking. But I know she would have loved to have those photos and my Mom and Dad too.

And lastly I would have like to take a picture of myself deep sea fishing and fighting with that halibut. I don't have any from that trip and it was fun! Also it was a big deal to me, because I had never done that before. I went with my Mom and Dad and then husband (ex now). I had the most action on my side of the boat and not many pictures to show for it. So does that count? Although I can't take pictures of myself. I wish they would have taken the pictures.

Monday, February 11, 2008

45 Photo Sharing Sites : Photography Bay

45 Photo Sharing Sites : Photography Bay
If you are interested in exploring alternatives to FLICKR this site is amazing.

Photos i wished i'd taken

1. The scenery around our cabin. There was a fire a couple of years ago that took thousands of acres around our cabin. It didn't take our cabin but did take the outhouse. I wished i had taken more pictures everything around there before that happened. It was my childhood and now will never look the same.

2. Dog mushing in the middle of the night. I never remember to take my camera with me on night runs. I would love to be able to get a shot of the dogs in front of me on a full moon night with no head lamp on. Just the illumination of the moon. See the breathes as we trot along the trail.

3. Denali Highway by dog sled. I did a race a couple years ago and was going thru the mountains as the sun was coming up. It was amazing!! I had a disposible camera with me but in the essence of the moment i didn't care. I just looked around. The colors, wow!! I don't know what else to say, hopefully someday i'll be able to see it again.

4. I went to Europe when i was 13 years old with a school group. I was actually just looking thru these photos last week and thought to myself..i wish i had known more about what i was seeing! I took a lot of photos of the two weeks i was there but i know there was so much more to take in then just what i got. As i went thru high school i learned about things i saw and i was like oh thats what that is lol.

5. Action shots. I have been working with dogs for the last 12 years now and it is hard for me to get action shots of them. I always see it happening and think wow that was awesome but never get the shot. Maybe i'm to involved in the process to hold on to the camera but maybe someday.

Week 2 Lesson

5 Photographs Not Taken
  • When I was a child we lived in the country and my father was a caretaker/chauffeur  for an elderly lady on an estate.  My grandparents had died before I was born and the lady of the estate, Miss Edith, was like a grandmother to me.  It was a wonderful estate with a mansion-like house, barns, horses, goats, chickens and large grounds with beautiful gardens.  Miss Edith loved to walk in her gardens and pick the flowers and I would often accompany her.  I would love to have a photo of her enjoying her garden.  
  • The maid and cook for the estate was an elderly lady named LuLu, and she was often our babysitter.  She told us many great stories and was also an important part of my life as I was growing up.  I wish I had a photo of her.
  • Clyde, our first Siberian Husky, loved to porpoise through the deep snow; he was like poetry in motion, so fluid and so euphoric!  He usually did this when we were out running and we didn't have a camera with us as they were bulky then. Besides, you always think you have plenty of time to capture those moments....
  • Clyde and our Lynx Point Siamese, Winston, were great buddies.  Winston would sneak upstairs to visit Clyde and the two of them would rub their faces together, much like two cats.  It was always so much fun to watch that I never wanted to miss a moment by taking a picture.  
  • When Clyde passed away we acquired another Siberian Husky, ET, who was 12 weeks old.  Puppies do such amusing things and they all happen at the speed of light.  At that time I had a Canon G6 digital camera and the processor was so slow that I would press the shutter but by the time the photo was recorded, ET was long gone.  I missed many puppy memories with that camera!  

A Conversation with Olaf Otto Becker (Conscientious)

A Conversation with Olaf Otto Becker (Conscientious)
Scroll to the bottom on this posting and explore the links to different photographers. There is an excellent selection of photographers to explore for the photograph and photographer assignment.

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Missed Pictures

1.) I remember one beautiful picture I missed. It seems like 99% of the time when you fly over Mt. McKinley it is cloudy. Well one time it was clear and the pilot even flew around again.

2.) I have seen tons of beautiful sites in my hitch hiking days, missed them all.

3.) Coming down Johansen Expressway in March around the year 2000 the moon was so huge. It looked like the moon was sitting on the Ft. Wainwright’s runway.

4.) A couple of weeks ago when my Dad picked me up, I missed a really excellent picture. The moon was half-way in the trees, all of them were birch(no leaves), clear sky = beautiful site

5.) When the battery goes dead in my camera.

Friday, February 08, 2008

PopPhoto Flash: Your Photo: Our Critique

PopPhoto Flash: Your Photo: Our Critique
This is the kind of photo critique that I hate. I just do not agree with the criteria or judgment. I subscribe to an RSS feed of these critiques, and mostly I just end up irritated by the superficial unimaginative judgments.

Picasa Web Albums - Cysewski - Unedited Phra...

Picasa Web Albums - Cysewski - Unedited Phra...
This is an unedited set of photographs to explore color and black and white. I can also use this set to show the selection and editing process. Use the Picasa Slide Show to see the effect.

To see the end result of the editing process you can see the final edited set of photographs here http://www.cysewski.com/wit07web/thaimarkets07/phrapradaeng.html

Picasa Web Albums - Cysewski - Georgetown Se...

Picasa Web Albums - Cysewski - Georgetown Se...
This is a Picasa Album set of photographs from Georgetown in Seattle. There is a color and black and white version of each photograph. It was a drab day so the color is subtle. Sometimes drab gray days are the best for color photography. Run the slide show to see the comparison between black and white and color

Thursday, February 07, 2008

5 Photos I Didn't Take

First view of the Grand Canyon as an adult. You are traveling on a mesa but don't really realize it until you walk to the edge of the Canyon and then you see it and it is so awesome. I had to fight back tears it was so amazing. I took other pics that day but that first view I wish I had today even though a picture could never come close to the real thing.

Tornados in Texas as a Child. I remember traveling to see my Grandparents near Lubbock, Texas and a storm blew in and we could see the tornados across a field as we stopped our car and just held on. I remember my sister singing to me to calm me down even though she was scared to death herself. There was hail the size of golfballs totally hammering the car. I don't remember how long we hung out but it was a scary moment and cool at the same time. The storms would come in so fast and then be gone when I lived in Texas. One minute it would be clear and then the next huge black thunderheads and tornados, piercing rainfall and/or huge hailstones. Certainly glad I don't live there now.

My Dad When He Finally Let Go and Died. He was such a great guy and when he got very ill I went down to Oregon to see him again. His last lucid words to me were "What are you waiting for?" when I told him I was there to take him home. We met with the hospice folks, had them put in a morphine pump, and took him home. We had a hospital bed set up in the living room for him and the 3 kids kept watch and cared for him. My Mom was a bit distant at that point and I think she felt guilty for wanting it to be over yet not wanting that. I'm not sure about that. I stayed with him until I could not stay awake any longer and when I had slept for a few hours my brother came to tell me that Daddy was gone. I think it would be a good thing to have a picture of him then. I had never seen him so fragile.

Pagosa Springs, Colorado as a Child. I remember going through here to ski (I lived in Northern New Mexico) and just to visit the area in the summer. One memory I have is of the greenest fields and deer just standing there grazing. I have always wanted to return to this spot and maybe even move there but now there are a gazillion condos and such in that spot and it has lost the glamour it had when I was young.

Any Candid Shot of The Family When I was a Child. I have some photos but none are really candid shots of what really went on every day in our lives. Maybe if I had more of that type of shot I would remember better how things really were. I think I do but I'm not sure.




Five photos I would like to have taken.

My Son’s birth.

Watching a life come in to being, with my wife cussing me and the attending physician telling bad jokes is totally awesome, groovy and out of sight. Don’t think I’ve ever had such a proud moment in all of my life.

My Son’s mother in death

I went to the hospital to take care of the paperwork, I asked if I could see her body. The attendant said she hadn’t been prepared but she would see what she could do. She lay on a gurney with a sheet up to her neck, her face was dirty and her hair was matted. She died of hypothermia in a wooded area on the edge of town. I looked down at her, “That was her body but it wasn’t her”. Later, the mortician did his best to make her lifelike…but no, it was not her, of this I am sure.

The Sixth Fleet returning from the Pacific war.

I had come home from school for lunch. Dad said, “Come on, we’re going to watch the fleet come in”. We parked on one of the approaches to the Golden Gate Bridge, along with several hundred other cars, and ran over to the guard rail. In vast array before us steaming into San Francisco Bay was one of the mightiest collection of war ships I could have ever imagined; in the center was a line of Battleships interspersed with Aircraft Carriers, flanking these were Cruisers and these by Destroyers and Submarines. It was the most awesome parade I’ve ever seen, maybe that ever was. Admiral Bull Halsey was bringing the valiant fighting ships of the Sixth Fleet home at last from the war in the pacific. Wouldn’t you know it, the next day my third grade teacher gave me hell for missing class!

The “Green Flash”

A peculiar phenomenon the takes place at the last moment of a sunset if the sky is perfectly clear to beyond the horizon. For a fraction of a second the sun turns green: Kona, Hawaii, 1971.

Death in a barrel.

I was running a rat lab for the Psychology Dept at U.C. Berkeley. Part of my job was to get rid of the animals at the end of a study. I had a dozen white rats and a dozen brown rats to get rid of. What to do?! I decided to dump them all in a barrel, toss in a chloroform soaked rag, seal the barrel and go a way for a while. I really felt bad about having to do this kind of job. Hearing the animal's frenzied scampering when the chloroform rag hit the bottom of the barrel didn’t help any. About twenty minutes later I returned and with trepidation I removed the lid of the barrel expecting to see some kind of disgusting mess. I caught my breath, I couldn’t believe what I saw, there in the bottom of the barrel was the most beautiful pattern of interwoven brown and white paisleys!

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

5 Photos I did not take

1. BURNING UP - On my way to Anchorage, not too long ago, near the top of the pass this side of Nenana, I came across a car engulfed in flames with black smoke pouring upward in a column. There were no emergency vehicles there yet and no one attending to the fire. I didn't take the photo for fear of personal injury if the car exploded. Later, I read about it in the News-Miner and wished I had been courageous enough to take the shot and send it in.

2. FISH FRENZY - Snorkling in Hawaii, surrounded by beautiful tropical fish and colorful coral, with my daughter feeding the fish underwater, I didn't take the shots because I lacked the camera equipment. It is a reminder that some things which seem insurmountable are worth the effort and investment.

3. FLYING A - When I was in high school, we used to go to a Flying A gas station. There was a tall sign that posted the gas prices at 35 cents a gallon. At the time it seemed routine, but it's a picture I wish I had today.

4. DADDYS DEATHBED - When my Dad was dying of cancer I would go over every day after I taught preschool and stay with him while his wife went to her afternoon job. Much of the time, especially near the end, he stayed in the master bedroom with the curtains shut so he could watch the small old black and white TV they had in there. There were signs of illness around: the extra padding to keep him from getting bedsores, the box of tissues and trash bag, the feeding instruments needed for his feed tube, the crystal bell he could ring to call when he wanted help and the TV tray/stand that it all sat on next to the bed. The day he died we had him transported to the hospital in the afternoon. My stepmother left with him in the ambulance and I followed shortly after so I could eventually give her a ride back to the house. Before I left I took the time to dismantle the bedroom. I opened the drapes, aired out the smell of sickness, changed the sheets and tidied it up so she would not have to come home and do it. I wish I had taken a photo of that room after he had vacated it, before it was sanitized. It was such a symbol of his absence. At the time I was so emotionally embroiled I did not think to preserve the moment, but now I know those are the moments TO preserve, if possible.

5. COOK CITY CREEK When I was a teenager my family went on a driving trip to Yellowstone Park and had trouble finding a place to stay. Eventually we wound up in a small community at the edge of the park called Cook City Montana. Early the next mroning I got up and explored a creek that ran behind the place we stayed. The beauty of that spot has haunted me ever since. I wish I had preserved on film a piece of that serene moment because it was such a contrast to the chaos of my life at that time.

Why take pictures?

Entertainment. Money. Fame. Power. Wealth...

Alright, so none of these reasons. I've always found a sort of simple enjoyment from taking pictures with my father's digital camera. I bought my own and, though busy with college classes and work, I snapped a few pictures here and there. Some of them turned out rather well, and I wanted to know why, and be able to snap better pictures. That is my reason for taking pictures, and, more specifically, taking this class.

Week 1 Assignment

Photography is a hobby of mine. I have always liked taking pictures. All different kinds. I am definitely the kind of photographer that takes picture when the occasion arises. I really enjoy doing it. I high school i took a photography class and really enjoyed developing pictures. To have so much control over what your outcome was a lot of fun. I am still learning about digital but enjoy seeing the product right away.
When i bought my digital camera i imagined being able to take the random pictures of what was going on in my life. Essentially i have been able to do that but not the quality that i want. I'm unhappy with the camera i have and never satisfied with what i got out of it. Hopefully i will be able to take the pictures i want someday and be happy with them.

Why I take photos

An antique box camera was given to me as a child and I’ve been taking photos ever since. Reasons for taking photos have varied through the years; most of the time they have been to preserve memories. Occasionally I have been lured by the challenges of new camera technology. With increased life experiences and viewing of the photography of others, I’ve begun to see photos as a method of communication and perhaps even a legacy for future generations. The process of framing the subject, composition and lighting can make such a difference; the way several people can take a similar shot with significantly different results is fascinating to me. Recently I’ve been in contact with very skilled photographers who photos grip the viewer; they inspired me to take this class.

Photos I imagined taking:

At first I intended to take pictures that would capture people and events, to preserve the memories, but more recently I have hoped to have wider appeal. Sometimes I fantasize about winning awards. A few people have been very complimentary about some shots, which fuels the imagination. My current camera, a Konica MinoltaDimage 6 with a 12x zoom and anti-shake feature, was purchased because I wanted to take closer shots of wild animals, without the shaking, out-of-focus results of previous cameras with long zooms. My next camera will be a digital with removable lens options. In my dreams, I would love to be a photo-journalist that captures the essence of people in far away or exotic places - maybe in my next life, or my retirement! More realistically, I have had some success with photos taken at weddings. A position that I have considered seeking is the portrait photographer at a place like Sears or Wal-Mart. I love children and this could give me a professional photo opportunity, teach me some “tricks of the trade” and supplement my income. Ultimately I aspire to achieve some results that make both strangers and friends react - to ponder, laugh or exclaim in awe. Patty Meritt

Panorama Photography: It's Easier Than Ever

Panorama Photography: It's Easier Than Ever

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Through His Touch


This really was made from a photo that I took of a rose. Photoshop Elements 6 is a WONDERFUL program!! :) Have a great week and stay warm!!
-Kathy-

What makes a great portrait? (Conscientious)

What makes a great portrait? (Conscientious)
An amazing discussion of portraits, with excellent historical examples.

Why I take photographs




When I take a picture I want to capture a moment time. Yes, that is a very cliché thing to say, but that is the basic reason why I want to take the pictures that I take. Let me expand on that a little more. When taking a picture of people I wish to capture the essence of the individual the joy and excitement, or the hurt and pain. When people look at the pictures I take I want them to fell as if they where there in that very moment in time. When people look at my photos I want them to be able to connect with the people or person in the photo on a personal level. I also enjoy taking scenic pictures. The world is constantly changing and to be able to capture its beauty in that moment I believe is incredible thing.


When I bought my camera I wanted to be able to take great pictures. By that I mean the shot that is always in focus, the hard to take night time shots, and anything else that I could think of. I have had my Canon EOS digital Rebel XTI for only about 4months or so, and to be honest I have not been as successful as I think I can be. This is one of favorite butterfly pictures that I took on a recent vacation in Aruba.

Why I want to take photos:

Since I owned my first camera at age 12 (which was an el cheapo from chuck e. cheese's) taking pictures was so much fun for me. As I kept on taking photos most were of friends and family members, which made great pictures for my photo albums. By this time I finally had a better film camera. I take photographs to remember that moment in my life and the feeling at that time with the people that surrounded me. Whether I knew who they were or not, looking back at the picture strikes many memories or thoughts I had in that time. I like to stroll down memory lane and reminisce of certain times of my life that are captured in a photo. Even now, though I don't do it often enough, taking pictures is still fun and I enjoy looking at them and remembering that moment in time.

The kind of pictures that I imagine taking are real life photos. I have taken a bunch of posed pictures and they are just fine for my photo albums. But I see myself taking more candid pictures and I am trying to do this more often than not. I like the look of the candid pictures much better, because of the way facial expressions look, actions are more real, people look more interesting and looking at these make me feel more when I revisit the photo. Also there is a more relaxed feeling when it is candid and fun!

Why I Take Pictures/Pictures I Imagine To Take

Well, I guess I have always wanted to be a great photographer (whatever that means). I never really had a camera as a youth and when I was around 19 I finally got a little Brownie thing that I took very odd photos with...I still like many of them today. But, alas, film is expensive and processing even more so I never got to go for the gusto as I hoped.

One Memorial weekend I was ice climbing in McCarthy and wanted to have photos of the day and I put the film in my partner's Pentax camera and did everything, I thought, correctly. Took a full days worth of great photos and when we got back, realized the film had never quite caught and so I took a days worth of nothing. At that point I said no more film for me. Steve had a digital SLR Canon D30 and I bought that from him as he needed a new toy I expect. :)

Since then, I have been going crazy with digital everywhere I go and I love it. I have been doing pretty much everything on an auto setting though and would like to learn all the ins and outs of my camera and cameras in general so I can get better shots.

I imagine I would like to take pictures for myself and friends, that I would hang in my home because they are really good photos. I have no real subject matter in mind, just cool or neat things I see (whether anyone else thinks so is not important to me).

Diego Goldberg :: The Arrow of Time

Diego Goldberg :: The Arrow of Time
Another fascinating series of photographs of people changing over time, amazing.

Alison on the Behance Network

Alison on the Behance Network
The history of a daughter growing up, fascinating! Also look at the Behance Network, an interesting idea.

SLR or Ultra zoom?


My Son presented me with an Ultra zoom digicam for Christmas and I have a friend with a Canon SLR. We haven't had time to shoot and compare...yet, but I found a way of doing the next best thing. Steve's Digicams, a digital camera review hardware site, has reviewed just about everything digital that been offered this century. Steve does a very nice thing: he shots some of the same scenes with every camera he reviews. There's one scene in particular, a small playground in a park, that is rich in textures and colors. I downloaded this scene taken with my Ultra zoom and three taken with SLRs. I then brought them up as pairs in Photoshop, adjusted for brightness and made comparisons at 100% and 200%. I was amazed at how well the Ultra zoom did when compared against the SLRs. What differentiated the cameras more than anything else was their capturing capacity in mega pixels. Two of the SLRs were 10MPixel, one 6MPixel, mine an 8MPixel. When compared at 100% it was hard to say any one was any better than any other, at 200% the 10MPixel SLRs had a slight edge and that in detail only. This was not a perfect comparison, the scenes were shot at different times of day and at different seasons, but it's good enough to give you some idea. I was impressed how well my Ultra zoom David did against the SLR Goliaths, especially when you consider prices.

Monday, February 04, 2008

Why Do You Take Photographs

I enjoy taking photographs because it makes me feel relax, I have always enjoy taking pictures of scenery such as mountains, rivers, flowers, and buildings. My husband thinks its a waste of pictures to take pictures of buildings or a broken car, to me, I enjoy such views. I also enjoy taking suprise pictures of co-workers and families working or playing and when they least expect it. My most memorable moments are taking pictures of my grandchild, she is my heart.

I recieved my camera for Christmas 2 years ago and I have loved it since because its a digital and I have many pictures on disk to save forever. I take many pictures of my grandchild, daughter, husband as well as dogs and whatever I take. I am so glad they invented a camera where you don't have to get it developed, just shoot and save. I love modern technology. :)

Why I take Photographs

Why do I take photographs? Well, the main reason I take photographs is because there are certain moments that I want to see for a long time and never forget. I've been taking photos since I was a little kid and I always thought it was really neat. And I was thinking if I take pictures, I would never forget a certain moment.

The kind of photographs I imagine taking are those that are not overly fancy. I just wanna photograph something that is just ordinary, yet amazing. For example, like a scene of a park with a pine tree by a swing. Those kinds of photographs always amaze me.

Creamers Field 2007 Fairbanks Alaska: Stephen Cysewski

Creamers Field 2007 Fairbanks Alaska: Stephen Cysewski
Here is the Creamers Field web site.

www.wanderinginfairbanks.com

Mes deux paragraphes
















Rocks majik

Some things really grab my eye, these I enjoy capturing by camera for later viewing or display, but always with the idea of letting someone else see what I saw. I do a lot of hiking during the summer and fall and I’m always seeing things that I would consider spectacular. Take rocks, for example, some rocks are ordinary, with no intrinsic character, having nothing to say. These kinds of rock leave the viewer unsettled, suggesting he keep going. While other rocks somehow have a kind of a magic, these rocks leave the viewer with a sense of peace and tranquility. How can that be? Well I guess you’ll have to see my pictures of rocks to find out.

When I bought My first digital camera I don’t think I had a real good idea what kind of pictures I wanted to take. I had a growing preteen son, so I new he would be the subject many of my pics. I also new I would be taking many pics for him, a kind of pictorial archive of his younger years, something he could look back on when much older. Of course, I’d been doing this for years with a film camera, but digital technology opened up new avenues of exposure (no pun intended). Now, he’s off to college and my focus (again, no pun intended) has changed. Other than rocks, I want to explore unposed human composition. I’m thinking that’s where the real drama might be. I have a hunch people will turn out to be a lot like the rocks I’ve been photographing.

Msr Philip Low