I hope many of you got out and celebrated Naima Day!
It has now been almost 5 years since I drove home from a farm near Hubbard with America’s favorite dog.
Here are a couple of pictures of her to help you celebrate!
Mark your calendars! Only 365 days until the next Naima Day!
Here are a few daisies from the Iowa Arboretum.
I was surprised how spry their daisies still are considering that my daisies went the way of the dodo bird almost a month ago.
PARTICULARS
CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 100
FOCAL LENGTH: 60mm
APERTURE: f/5
EXPOSURE: 1/100
DATE: 07/03/2016 – 20:01
LATITUDE: 41.93805°
LONGITUDE: -93.86141°
PHOTO ASSISTANT: A gentle summer breeze
EDITING SOUNDTRACK: “Clean My Wounds” by Corrosion of Conformity
Before you head out, I decided that starting on July 1, I wanted to wish “happy birthday!” to any subscribers that I know the birthday of AND have a photo of.
The first person to meet those criteria is Jay.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAY!
For he’s a jolly good fellow! Which nobody can deny!
Happy Independence Day to all of you from Photography 139!
Now get out there and celebrate like you don’t have to go back to work tomorrow for the first time in 17 days…
Another rose from the State Center Rose Garden:
Wish I would’ve been able to spend more time with better light there.
PARTICULARS
CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 500
FOCAL LENGTH: 60mm
APERTURE: f/4
EXPOSURE: 1/100
DATE: 06/04/2016 – 20:37
LONGITUDE: 42.01488°
LONGITUDE: -93.16005°
PHOTO ASSISTANT: JOE LYNCH
EDITING SOUNDTRACK: “Better Get Hit in Yo’ Soul” by Charles Mingus
As I promised, after two days of having to look at disgusting Coca-Cola products, I would reward you with fuzzy cuteness. If I am nothing, I am a man of my word!
A week or so back, I was in the backyard with my legendary hunting pooch Naima. We were in the process of putting away a tarp that I was drying out. As I picked up the tarp, Naima started going crazy. After I moved the tarp I uncovered one of her favorite toys. I naturally assumed this is what she wanted so badly. I pointed it out to her, but she ignored it and she kept barking.
I turned around to see what she was all jacked up about. Turns out having fallen out of the tarp was this cute little baby possum.
After snapping a few photos, I placed the tarp over him and let him be. Despite the advice of legendary outdoorsman and animal lover Micky Augustin to just hit it with a shovel and throw it in the garbage.
When Naima woke me up at 5:30 in the morning the next day (as is our custom), I went outside and removed the tarp. Baby Possum was gone. Having moved on to spread his fuzzy cuteness to the rest of the world.
I hope our paths can cross again and and if they do I’m sure he will give me a knowing glance that says, “Hey pal. Thanks for not hitting me in the head with a shovel and throwing me in the garbage. That was doing a brother a solid.”
PARTICULARS
CAMERA: Sony SLT-A65V
ISO: 500
FOCAL LENGTH: 60mm
APERTURE: f/4
EXPOSURE: 1/100
DATE: 06/09/2016 – 19:50
LATITUDE: 42.05525°
LONGITUDE: -93.87058°
PHOTO ASSISTANT: Naima
PHOTO EDITING SOUNDTRACK: “My Name Is” by Eminem
QUESTION 20
Even though I can’t find a good glass of it in Kansas or Minnesota or anywhere else I may travel outside of Iowa, what do I always drink with my breakfast?
ANSWER: CHOCOLATE MILK
BONUS
What decidedly Iowa food item do Scottie D. and I travel the backroads of the Cyclone State to eat, rate, and seek out the best of?
ANSWER: Tenderloin
Today we take a look at the second half of the “made to order” HDR EFEX PRO 2 filters.
As a refresher, here is the original image:
Here is a look at the filters:
Then, of course. If you want, you can play with the numerous options and come up with a creation of your own. Like so…
I am, once again, sorry for the disgusting subject of these photos, but like I wrote, tomorrow will be something fuzzy and cuddly.
We will touch base with the Nik Collection again in the near future.
QUESTION 19
In youth, my friends and I tried and failed to make 1 horror movie STAYIN’ ALIVE: THE SPORTING twice, an action movie (SWORN TO VENGEANCE), and another horror movie (QUIETUS). However, we did successfully finish a movie starring Jay Janson (as an androgynous ne-er-do-well), Bill Wentworth as his manservant, William McAlpine as a short tempered natural philosopher, Anders Runestad as a hen-pecked husband with a gambling addiction, Corey Faust as an omniscient narrator, and Christopher D. Bennett as a trash talking homophobe, playing a deadly game of RISK. What was the name of this nearly cult classic?
ANSWER: GAMES
BONUS
What was the unfortunate name of the “studio” that produced this film?
ANSWER: CHEESEDICK FILMS
A month or so ago I wrote about a free Photoshop Plugin from Google called the Nik Plugin Collection. Today I’m going to share some of their default filters.
This post is going to concentrate on the the HDR EFEX PRO 2 tool, which creates HDR (High Dynamic Range) images.
This Plugin can work in two ways. It can either create an HDR Image by merging multiple images or it can do HDR Tone Mapping from a single image and make sort of a faux HDR Image.
Because there are 28 different “ready to go” filters I am splitting this post into 2 different days.
I apologize for the disgusting nature of the base image, but I considered it a good example. I’ll make up for it on Friday by publishing something cute and furry.
Here are the first examples from the HDR EFEX PRO 2:
I know. Coca-Cola. Disgusting. On the positive, it is a rusted out, old abandoned Coca-Cola machine. Just like all Coke machines should be.
For the record, I found this one in Strong City, Kansas.
The rest of the filters will be unveiled on the morrow.
QUESTION 18
What movie was the theme of the birthday party invite for my 30th birthday?
ANSWER: LOGAN’S RUN
BONUS
What two other people were featured in these invites?
ANSWER: ANDERS RUNESTAD & JESSE HOWARD
I had a recent trip to Marshalltown to try some pizza with some friends, co-workers, and co-working friends. On the way back Joe begged me to stop at the State Center Rose Garden. I obliged him.
It is one of my favorite places to visit every year and I can almost always have it to myself. Like Lone Wolf(s) like it!
PARTICULARS
CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 400
FOCAL LENGTH: 60mm
APERTURE: f/4
EXPOSURE: 1/100
DATE: 06/04/2016 – 20:31
LATITUDE: 42.01533°
LONGITUDE: -93.16016°
PHOTO ASSISTANT: Joe Lynch
PHOTO EDITING SOUNDTRACK: “Bakai” by John Coltrane – COLTRANE (Track 1)
QUESTION 15
I was hardcore even as a child. As a youngster, what band was the first rock concert I ever attended?
ANSWER: REO SPEEDWAGON
BONUS
I saw my current favorite band in concert at First Ave. Who are they?
ANSWER: THE SWELL SEASON
Here lieth a few PERSPECTIVE attempts that weren’t quite up to snuff.
Such a sad and pathetic bunch.
QUESTION 14
This year I will be going on my 5th Mission Trip with my church’s Youth Group. Name the 4 places I have already gone: (Hint: 1 place twice)
ANSWER: KANSAS CITY, MINNEAPOLIS, KANSAS CITY, MARTIN (SOUTH DAKOTA)
BONUS
Where is the Mission Trip going this year?
ANSWER: MILWAUKEE
Another automobile I found fascinating in the car graveyard that is Strong City, Kansas.
I have maybe a couple more pictures left to share from beautiful (cough, cough) to me Strong City, Kansas.
Added a new category in PARTICULARS since I love minutia.
PARTICULARS
CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 100
FOCAL LENGTH: 18mm
APERTURE: f/6.3
EXPOSURE: 1/160
DATE: 04/03/2016 – 10:46
LATITUDE: 38.39543°
LONGITUDE: -96.53934°
PHOTO ASSISTANT: Nate Miller
PHOTO EDITING SOUNDTRACK: “Straight, No Chaser” – Thelonious Monk from the album STRAIGHT, NO CHASER
QUESTION 13
I was born with limited musical skills. What instrument did I play poorly in the Boone High School Band?
ANSWER: TROMBONE
BONUS
Who was my high school locker partner?
ANSWER: Lowell Davis
