Friday, November 9, 2012

Water Lily

Water Lily
I sincerely enjoy these plants and their blooms.  I think that the water lily is one flower which needs to be photographed in the morning sun.  It just sets them off.  I hope I get to see them bloom next year.

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Thursday, November 8, 2012

Eulalia Grass

Eulalia Grass
I think that this is probably a domestic grass which has escaped into Gorman.  It is, non the less, beautiful especially when the sun strikes it just so.  This is the second year that I have noticed it.  Below, are last year's shots.

Eulalia Grass
Eulalia Grass
I wanted to shoot video of it in the wind but have not done so.  I wonder if it is too late.  We need the right light.

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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Gorman Nature Renovations

Gorman Nature Center
Gorman has been undergoing some renovation this past summer and fall.  It is the old part back by the trees.  It has been updated to match the interior of the new front part.

Gorman Nature Center
This door way was removed and replaced by windows.

Gorman Nature Center
The old garage doors were removed and replaced by windows.


Gorman Nature Center
Some framing and insulating was done on the interior.  

Gorman Nature Center
I have been meaning to go inside and check out the finished product but have not done so as yet.  I will share pictures if and when I do.

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Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Rethinking High DOF or Focus Stacking

Geometric Shapes in Bedding
I find this rock shard interesting because it has the two kinds of material and contains geometric shapes.  I have become intrigued by "How the Earth was Made" and similar shows on the Science Channel.  I like to imagine how this shard was formed.  The white material might have been liquid and then crystallized.  The brown is granular and might have precipitated onto the white.

Geometric Shapes in Bedding
  I made this closeup capturing images focused on different depths.  This is necessary because DOF is extremely shallow at this magnification.  Those multiple captures are combined by software designed to select the sharply focused portions and create one sharply focused compilation.

Geometric Shapes in Bedding
I had just completed the first two images when I read an article, "Focus Stacking", by Dan Burkholder in the Nov./Dec. issue of "Photo Technique Magazine."  It discussed the issues related to producing high DOF images of small objects.  You might imagine that I read the article with relish.

In the article he considered the physics of making these kind of shots.  It caused me to take another look at my technique.  He used a mirrorless camera, Olympus OM-D.  I found his description of the process of the functioning of such a camera interesting.  As I understand his thoughts, it functions about like my Canon 7D functions in live view.  Dan says that there are vibrations inherent in the closing of the shutter before making the capture.  He seemed of the opinion that a DSLR with a mirror using mirror lockup mode has less in the way of vibration.

He also advocated using a focusing rail instead of adjusting the focus with the lens.  He thinks it is better to not change the distance of the lens elements from the sensor during multiple captures such as these.  

I decided to try what he suggested.  I dug out my focusing rail, dusted it off and mounted in on the tripod for these captures.  I used mirror lockup not live view.

I have used Helicon Focus for several years and was interested in his discussion of how to do it in Photoshop.  He used CS6 but I was able to accomplish the same result with CS5.  The above shot was completed in Photoshop.  I must confess that I did not know Photoshop would do this.

Geometric Shapes in Bedding
I did this one in Helicon Focus.  I think it is slightly better than the previous one but you may not notice any difference.  I noticed more artifacts when viewing the individual pixals in the one done in Photoshop.  I think that my computer likes Helicon Focus better.  It had serious problems doing it in Photoshop.  I wonder if CS6 is easier on the computer.  I had Photoshop go non responsive several times before I got it done.  

Take a look at Focus Stacking by Dan Burkholder if you care to.


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Monday, November 5, 2012

Town & Country Coop in Mansfield

Town and Country Coop
I suppose it is my farm roots that causes me to enjoy "elevators."  This is the local terminal.  They have been adding bins and reorganizing for several years.  

Town & Country Coop
You can see some of the new facilities in this shot.  They have added three enormous bins and a new dryer which looks to be at least four times the size of the old one.  This view looks across the parking lot in which they used to pile overflow grain.  They have increased capacity to the point that they no longer need the overflow storage.

Town and Country Coop
This view looks across the main line tracks and several sidings.  It appears to me that they have additional siding on which to park grain cars.  The unloading area is behind the white concrete bins.


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Sunday, November 4, 2012

Frogs of Summer II

Green Frog
I seems that I did not sit by the vernal pool enough last summer.  It might have been the weather.  There were not as many dragonflies.  The frogs were plentiful, though.

Green Frog
Something was blooming.  I can't remember what it was, if I knew at the time.  The surface of the water was littered with its detritus, even this frog.  I wanted to record the sounds of the Green Frogs and Bullfrogs but did not get it done.  Maybe next summer.

Leopard Frog
If you sit quietly, moving little, the frogs will forget you are there and you can observe their behavior.  I have a question about frogs.  Does anyone know?  Where do the tadpoles go when the vernal pool dries up in the summer?

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