I actually starting shooting an SLR camera way back when you could only put film in the camera (that stuff that required a chemical bath to process), and that meant processing was something that was done by someone else. The complex techniques of dodging and burning were left to those elusive black and white photographers who mysteriously did their own chemical bath with a very dark room and very red light.
Of course today that is so far removed from the type of post processing that is done, but only in the physical method used. The techniques for processing an image actually remain very similar to what has been done for decades, if the image was overexposed you process the image to correct it. Today of course your skills as an editor and processor greatly depend on your computer skills and how well you can master Adobe’s Photoshop. I am not sure the actual programmers who wrote Photoshop for Adobe have even mastered the complexities of CS4 or CS5 but that’s what makes it so powerful in post processing (LR or LightRoom is another favorite among photographers), and that is what has made Adobe the choice among photographers. Creating great HDR (High Dynamic Range) images, extreme low light, and unheard of ISO speeds are becoming commonplace. Even Apple in their latest iOS 4.1 release will allow their iPhone to now shoot HDR images, can’t wait to try that out.
The images being produced today by amateur photographers using basic consumer equipment is just stunning, and it has as much to do with their abilities as a post processor as it does with having an eye for subjects, placing, framing, and exposure. If you are new to photography it can be totally overwhelming. Your photos shot using the “automatic” settings can sometimes look flat and dull, but get a good basic understanding of the rules of photography and the post-processing will follow.
By example I give you the image below. The same base image can have two totally different looks and present different ideas and feelings. The image below is much more harsh and full of contrast, some people like high contrast, some people like soft pastels like the image at the top. Either way it still took a photographer with a certain vision to shoot the original image, and that why it is called “post” processing. The veteran nature photographer John Shaw has two great eBooks out if you are looking for some instruction. He has a book on both “Lightroom 2 and CS4″ and “Lightroom 3 and CS5″, both well worth the money.
Which edit do you like better?
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I thought I would post something a little more lighthearted than my last few posts, and I have wanted to get back into doing my weekly series called Friday Feet, so here it is. My last Friday Feet post was one year ago, almost to the weekend, so I think it is about time to pick it back up again. Seeing that this is the last weekend before football season starts, the push is on over at our place to get as much grass cut as we possibly can so we can skip the process over the football weekend when Auburn plays Arkansas State.
Too bad it doesn’t feel like football season outside… it still seems to be hovering around 100*F every day but I know colder weather is on the way. We do have quite a bit of grass to cut out here so I thought I would get a head start and go out and start cutting today. Some people hate cutting grass but I really don’t mind at all, it gives me time to transfer my studies from in front of the computer to my headphones. Of course I am sitting on various sizes of John Deere tractors that propel me ahead, otherwise I probably wouldn’t like it.
I really find that changing your routine and environment are as important to study, contemplation, and worship, as going to church on Sunday morning. Jonathan Edwards often got on his horse (literally) and went out into greener pastures for several hours at a time to refresh his mind. I know the connection between cutting grass and Edwards’ contemplation is a stretch, but it clears the mind as much as running or cycling does for some.
Jonathan Edwards Resolved #1
Edwards wrote two types of pieces that are now referred to as Miscellanies and Resolutions. His resolutions are one of the most fascinating short pieces he ever wrote. These are not your ordinary resolutions, and today, I am reminded of Edwards’ first “resolved”.
#1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty, and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great soever.
I think I will chew on that over a few hours and a few acres of grass. Have a great weekend.
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It is starting to be that time of year again. Today was the first day of the new year I actually had to get out the grass cutting paraphernalia and chop away the spring growth. Since I just got back from the Unleash Conference late last night, our Friday Feet today was just some work at home and some dinner in town. The conferences are always a huge amount of information and even though this one was only a one day event, it was very draining mentally and physically, so we didn’t plan a whole lot for today.
I have been trying to run back through the events of yesterday in my head. All the various one liners I posted on twitter, (sorry for the twitter dump yesterday to all my followers, next time I will probably use Scribble Live) the volumes and volumes of information given out in just a few hours on how to lead and grow today’s church body, and the face to face contacts I made were great but almost overwhelming. The photo below is me in the hotel room the night before contemplating about the day ahead.
To clear the head, I love to get out on the John Deere tractor today and take care of business on the farm. For those who don’t have a tractor or any large plots of grass to mow, it is one of the more relaxing things I know to do that of outside just sitting on the beach (which we should be doing soon I hope). It was an enjoyable day and I am looking forward to a nice evening with Deborah.
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This was taken out by our pond with the photo shoot from Thanksgiving. I love the simplicity of two or three colors in photography. Such a simple picture yet so much can be seen or written about the simplicity seen here.
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It’s Thanksgiving week and that means that Auburn University classes are over for the holiday break. For the last few years this week has been the time which my dad, Larry Fillmer, takes a few days off from work and gets on the John Deere tractor and cuts the pasture grass for the winter. There is around 20-30 acres of actual grass to cut, so it usually takes most of the week. Today was a bit cloudy and cold, but, it’s November. I think there are a few people in his office that read my blog so I thought I would let you know what Larry Fillmer looks like when he is not in a suit and tie on campus.
I would love to hear from those who know Larry but don’t normally comment on my blog. Can I have a caption for the photo above??
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Today was going to be one of those relaxing days of doing nothing and enjoying this unbelievably beautiful weather. Well, the weather was gorgeous today. I was looking forward to our worship time today since we have been out of town the last few Sunday’s, and it was incredible. A series on missions, which I was told ahead of time to expect something “different”. Well it was different all right, and very uplifting and challenging (see The Mission Field is Fluid for details) service.
Before we left for church I was able to work on some photo scans of old family members and add them to an older blog post piece. I love looking at and working with images of all kinds so this was an enjoyable start to the day.
There is Always a Tree to Move and Grass to Cut
I started working on a blog post over on scottfillmer.com and stopped to do some of my daily walk about. Short today, only about 2 miles but after lunch it was decided that a fallen tree on the road needed to be cut up and moved for fire wood for next winter.
I like getting the chance to work with my dad and working outside so we cut up the tree that Alabama Power deemed un-necessary and a bother for power lines. It still needs to be split up for fire wood, but it is better than rotting on the side of our driveway.
Of course once the tractor is out, better cut some more grass, there is always grass to cut.
Nature in View
This morning before we left for church we had 4 deer drink from the pond and then walk across a shallow section of the pond. This was about 8:30am, not when it was dark at all. We often have deer come by at night but not usually during the day. Probably has to do with the missing 100 acres of trees that was taken down last week bordering our property. It was nice to see the deer in the day light. We did have a visit by a very large woodpecker who found our Dogwood sapling a nice place to sit. The woodpeckers are all over the place now.
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Today was a day for one thing, cutting grass on the tractor. I think I started about 8am in some light misty rain and stopped about 5pm to go for a short walk. It was short because I was so tired from the days work I couldn’t really put in a full 4-5 miles. I probably cut about 10 acres of grass today, but since we were out of town the last several weekends it really needed to be cut. The grass was higher than the dog and he was not wanting to go outside anymore. Granted, we have a short dog, but still, the grass/weeds, were very high.
Last year we didn’t have any rain for almost 12 months straight, this Winter and Spring we have received a little bit more, not much, but a little, so the Bahia grass has actually grown this year.
Minor Other Items
I was able to do a few other items besides cut grass today. I did copy of a few more CD’s of images onto my compute and updated one of my blogs, My Life in Europe, a blog I edit. On thing that was a nice surprise at the end of the day was hearing from an old friend, Thangles. Deborah and I (and Deborah’s mom and husband David) worked with Patrick and Mary from Thangles at almost all the same quilt shows, for years until we stopped vending at shows. It was really nice to hear from them again after so long. I am looking forward tomorrow to getting back to our church. I was told to expect something different, still not sure what that means but we will see.
Nature in View
We sat out by the fire on the patio tonight after dinner and just about sunset when there was still a little bit of light in the sky, we both witnessed a great shooting star, with a huge contrail turning white to green. It was probably some space junk falling to earth but it was incredible to see. We always get to see some unique parts of nature when we take the time to sit out by the fire. We also seem to have a huge population of Whippoorwills. They call all night to each other. Usually they are competing with the Mocking birds and Barn Owls but not yet. If you haven’t ever heard one, they are LOUD.
