Lots of editing going on so I snapped a photo of my dual screen setup at home. I am running a 24″ iMac with a 20″ monitor on the side. I really thrive on a dual screen setup. You can have your main work on one screen and the other will have supporting panels, windows or just iTunes running. Saves a lot of time switching windows. People are 60% more efficient with a dual screen computer.
Dual Screen Set Ups are the best way to edit photos
July 24th is a quasi-holiday in Utah. They are celebrating Pioneer Day. In 1847, the Pioneers moved into the Salt Lake valley – which was part of Mexico. And it was part of Mexico until 1848 – so the Pioneers were illegal immigrants! Oh, how the tables have turned.
Anyway, there was another event on the 24th of July. It was the second World Wide Photowalk. And Nicolesy organized the Salt Lake City photowalk. We started in City Creek Park and went through Memory Grove and then up to the Utah State Capitol and back down to City Creek Park. There were about 80ish photographers that showed up and I think everyone had a lot of fun. We all took photos of each other, of plants, trees, flowers, people, ponds, the Capitol, and more.
So here are a few of my favorite photographs from the day. Some photos were taken with my Nikon D300, some photographs were taken with my Canon 5DII. I even broke out my Lensbaby Muse for the Canon 5DII. One of these days I might go on a photowalk with only one lens, however, I love to carry a variety of lenses so I don’t miss a shot.
And I am glad I brought my Nikon 18-200mm lens. I was able to create this photograph – and it is my favorite from the walk. At 200mm the lens creates the illusion that the photographer is photographing a building right in front of him. Compression is the science behind this photo. You need a LONG lens to get this shot. I love it!
dav.d's photos from the World Wide Photowalk 2010
dav.d's photos from the World Wide Photowalk 2010
Horse and carriage shot with a Lensbaby with Soft Focus Optic
Macro photograph of a sunflower
City Creek Park shot with a Lensbaby with Star Aperture Disk
Birdhouse shot with a Lensbaby
Stars created with a Lensbaby Muse and the star shaped aperture disk
Flowers through my Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro IS lens
Utah State Capitol
Nicolesy organized the Salt Lake City Photowalk this year. Thank you!
Utah State Capitol
Rich Legg through a lensbaby with double glass optic
I finally ditched my cubical at lunch! Usually I will grab lunch at the Nu Cafe and eat in my cubical. I need to get out of the office if only for an hour during the day. I grabbed my camera and I went on a mini photowalk around downtown provo. And today’s photograph is of the Provo Tabernacle that I created using my Canon Lensbaby with the wide angle attachment. I created the HDR in Photoshop CS4 – it did an OK job – it looks real. I can’t wait till Photoshop CS5 is released, well, all I can do is wait.
Provo Tabernacle in HDR with a Lensbaby
Several goals that I am working on include losing weight and saving money. There is one thing that can destroy both – Starbucks. However, I will treat myself on occasion to a trip to Starbucks. This morning I got a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato with non-fat milk.
This was photographed with my Canon 5DII and the Lensbaby with the double glass optic and a macro close up lens attached. Right now that is my only way to photograph macro shoots with my Canon. I think I will be saving up to buy the Canon 100mm f/2.8 L IS macro lens. Mmmm, caramel goodliness.
Starbucks Caramel Macchiato
Mother nature played a cruel April Fools Day joke. I woke up to find my car covered in 8 inches of show and with 4 inches from the day before there is just a lot of damn snow. And it was freezing – and so I really wasn’t motivated to photograph much and so I unfortunately felt obligated to take some craptactular photographs for the day’s 365 daily photograph project.
But they are with my Canon Lensbaby with the .42 wide angle attachment – which makes a world of difference. I find that the normal Lensbaby is just too narrow and you really really need some wide angle attachments to make it work.
So here is a photo of my evening routine – packing my camera bag and my gym bag. Get that done in the evening so everything is ready in the morning.
Packing my camera bag and gym back
And when I thought that photo was boring I decided to photograph my Canon 50mm f/1.2 lens. I liked the concept of photographing an amazing lens with a Lensbaby (which has nothing but imperfections).
Canon 50mm f/1.2 photographed with a Lensbaby with Wide Angle
And finally I thought I would see how easy it is to photograph a dog with the Lensbaby. It isn’t easy. Since the Lensbaby is manual focus and dogs don’t keep still for too long. The wide angle was also a poor choice because you have to get really close. So animal photography with a Lensbaby only works if the animal is dead or tranquilized.
Annie the dog (is evil)
This weird photo is actually created by my new Lensbaby Fisheye optic on my full frame Canon 5D Mark II. There are a number of fisheye lenses that create this kind of circular effect for a photograph. This phone doesn’t look too fisheye – probably because of the composition. I will be playing with that lens more to see what I can do with it. I think it’ll be fun. I am enjoying the Lensbaby on a full frame camera – that is for sure.
I just wish spring would get here someday soon. It feels like we should be putting up Christmas decorations.
Snowing in Spring through a Lensbaby Fisheye
Ok, I have yet a new lens! Well, a new Lensbaby. Yes, I have one already for my Nikon cameras and I figured I would get one for my Canon 5D Mark II. It is almost night and day difference to have a Lensbaby on a full frame sensor. There is a lot more blur on the edges of the frame. Very cool indeed.
I would have tried something more cool to photograph today (I had photographed action figures the other day for the daily photo project). However, the sandstorm or whatever is blanketing Utah has sucked dry the desire to go outside. Hopefully the weather clears and turns more spring like.
Yeah, the action figures again
Now that I have finally taken photos with a real Holga camera – I know what it looks like and the qualities of a true film camera with a plastic lens. And no matter how much I joke that film with the wave of the future – digital really is where it is going.
This photograph is pretty dang close to a digital version of a Holga camera. I used the Lensbaby Muse with their plastic lens accessory. I put in the f/8 aperture ring and I had the lens straight forward rather than try and tilt the plane of focus. I didn’t try to up the contrast – because the plastic lens is supposed to be less contrasty and just soft at the edges. The one thing I couldn’t fake too much is that the Holga shoots in a square format. This will work perfectly when I upgrade to a full frame 35mm DSLR. Until then I am stuck with the cropped version.
Digital Holga style photograph with a lensbaby
But I am still a fan of Holgas. But to have digital and the Lensbaby really does lead to some creativity that film can’t achieve. And of course with digital you know exactly what you shot without waiting to finish the whole roll of film and then wait to get it processed.