About storage and backup.
Mood:  happy
Topic: Learning

This was just itchin' to get out!  So we all hear the same old drivel about backing up and organizing your photos and music.

If you don't you'll regret it.

 I just want to say for the record:  "It's true."

But you can avoid this very easily.  If you have a collection of images that need to be backed up, you need to copy them and store those backups.  I'll simplify by posing three scenarios.

One: Say you have a collection and would be happy if you saved just the favorite pictures.  In this case you could rate your images in say Google Picasa and backup the images that have higher ratings.  Burnt onto CD, DVD or BlueRay.

Two: Let's assume you have a huge collection of a variety of media.  This would require at this point in technology a series of hard drives.  Formed into a nice box with a fan, in most cases.  These have been called RAID or use some other proprietary method of redundantly storing data across all of the drives.  While at the same time considering that drives do fail.  It can then be removed and replaced; data replaced or redistributed; and off you go.

Three: In the very least go out NOW and get an external drive and plug it into your computer, and synchronise your stuff between the two. 

Then you must ask yourself where best to put this drive.  The answer is not in the same locaton of your computer.  You must relocate your stored backups some place entirely different.  Firesafe, shed in yard, friends place, at work, or in the chest freezer.  Get the idea?

That's it for now.  Questions?

Low light photography...
Mood:  bright
Topic: Learning

  So, this evening I was present at my daughters awards evening for school.  I took my trusty Pentax K10D along to capture the moment. 

  The lighting was poor as is with most events like this.  I am shooting at 6400 ISO and my aperture was wide open.  The shutter speeds were very slow, as I was using a 200mm zoom.  I made a point of switching on the IS and bracing myself with one knee as I was seated on the bleachers. 

  All in all the night was wonderful and I have some images of the evening.

TTFN

Time Lapse Photography...
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Pentax Suggestion

Now, I've been thinking about DSLR Time Lapse Photography for some years now, and have captured many images using this technique with film and now digital.

Just the title as it stands needs clarification.  The lapse of time should be broken down into a couple of parts though.  The first being a single exposure of a long duration, of say over one minute.  The other type would be single exposures captured at a set interval, over an extended duration.  This blog entry is mostly concerning single exposures of a long duration; nighttime exposures.

With that in mind, even with the advent of technology, we aren't able to have decent exposures without excessive experimentation.  As is/was the case with film and reciprocity failure.  I am however, able to make exposures and preview them and make any adjustments on my digital SLR in a reasonable amount of time.  My current camera being a Pentax K10D, allows me to do long exposures using the Bulb setting.  Although when the captures exceed a minute, the camera processing is time consuming (better than film, but still trial, wait and error). 

My suggestion to Pentax (Hello are you listening?), would to be able to see the exposure as it progressed in a live view.  It would be like when I was in the darkroom and slipped an image into the developer.  The image would appear faint at first and get better.  Except this would be way better!  I can see it now:

Introducing:  Smart Bulb with Live View!  Set to "B" and Just press the shutter release, and press again when it appears done.

Actually, that would be the basic idea.  Except I would expect some control through the IR remote or corded release.  I have also considered the fact that a tethered monitor or laptop for expanded capability and better viewing would be an option.

·       Imagine for a moment, that the image you are creating is of a highway at night, with cars streaking by periodically.  Bolts of lightning or fireworks.

Imagine each of these, they are intermittent time exposures.  Each one requires a certain amount of guesswork as the sources overlap and multiply the effect.  One too many and the composition is sacrificed.

So, I leave you with this.  Thoughts?

The Project is coming along...
Topic: DIY
Just a note to say that the electonics project is progressing on the Gallery site to see if I like the formatting.  Other than that, see ya!

December 2007
Mood:  bright
Now Playing: So you know...
Topic: DIY
This is a simple "heads-up" that there will be some DIY projects posted on the main site.  I am thinking positive by putting an "s" on the word "project".  I feel compelled to share some of the tinkering and experimenting of the trade.