#forgot the macro lense

[naturelvr-69]

Our walk today. A hidden gem in the city. This is our “gym class”

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/naturelvr-69

#life during covid-19 #mom's gym class #iowa #midwest #our walk today #hiking #photographers on tumblr #photography #forgot the macro lense #my photography #nature lover #no mushroom hunting #have a great day!!

[silly-jellyghoty]

Since today is abeautiful day and since there haven't been any frost in almost a month, the time has come to compare and mix the indoor and the outdoor vermicompost.

However, for whatever reason, i have blanked out and forgot to take any pictures of the first part - that is opening both bins and seeing what it looked like to begin with. In other words, there are no pictures. BUT to describe the initial state, the outdoor compost was GONE. There has been several very cold nights over the winter and i have a feeling that all worms have died in that time, since they couldn't escape from the bin deeper into soil as they would in wild. As a result the majority of composted materials have been at some point entirely consumed by the fungus, which then died and froze as well, leaving behind sad little clumps of partially frost dried material over the course of past 3 months.

Meanwhile the indoor bin was thriving as usual. It was able to process INSANE amound of material all through the winter and while i don't cook at home that much, basically all of my kitchen scraps have ended there, including coffee grounds, lose tea, paper towels, an insane amound of bana peals, and even dead plants from my repotting spree in early december. Oh, and one deceased mouseling because i wanted to see what happens if i burry it there. About that time, i have also added a colony of about 100 white dwarf isopods to the mix (spring tails were already present there for the majority of compost's existence, no idea where they came from but they are welcome).

But to the picture part! This is how the indoor bin looked like after i scraped out the surface debree made of coffee filters (paper ones) and black banana peals:

I have never ever seen such dark coloured soil mix that wasn't literally a manure.

As i was digging through, just to see if there were any strata, anaerobic bacterial growth, or unprocessed pieces deeper down, this random tiny isopod came to say hi (see where my finger is pointing). This is about how big these little guys grow. Understandably, they are almost impossible to take a picture of without a macro lense, but i assure you that the whole thing was CRAWLING with hundreds of baby isopods the size of a poppy seed and smaller.

A mandatory worm picture. And again. As i dug in, they were everywhere all through the material

With exception of pieces of actual egg shells, these little guys managed to eat through everything, including the mouse corpse, leaving a moist but crumbly humus every gardener and house plant lover would kill for. All while giving off exactly zero smell whatsover.

But anyway - time to mix things up a bit. After a little reorganisation, big still unprocessed surface pieces were moved to the dead bin, living culture has been broken apart, fluffed, and partially moved to that bin, then i covered both bins in generous 2cm layer made of the dusty dead soil from the outdoor failure and this is the result:

The plan is to let one bin to continue its maturing process and eventually use it as a new planting soil (and also as a part of Helio's bioactive terrarium), while the other one will continue its function of a kitchen trash can until the next spring.

That is all.

So do yourself a service and start a compost bin. There's nothing as cheering as a bunch of worms in a box, especially in these sad times.

#also like save the planet #stop producing waste #greenpeace ecobio yadayada #i just like worms and apparently also isopods #as i have learned from past 3 months long experience

[dodollsdream]

Do you enjoy taking photos of your dolls outside? 📸♥️ It’s always a big event for me, even if I just go to the nearby park! 🌱🌲🌳⁣ ⁣ I’ve felt a bit stuck with my next YouTube video after the first attempt didn’t turn out as I hoped for 🤨🎀 Sometimes it’s difficult to stay creative and I was hoping a change of perspective (and place!) would be a good start. I failed again with the video again (overexposed it and forgot my macro lenses…). But at least I took ONE nice photo! 😅♥️💦⁣

#Do Dolls Dream Clementine Lily #witchy aesthetic #bjddoll #balljointeddollphotography

[charlloween]

I forgot I once got a macro lenses for my phone and took a picture of my eye.

Found out I have a tiny brown fleck in my iris.

#eye #macro lense #close up #me #blue eye

[anthelid-day]

Some Good News!

No, my camera is still stolen...

...BUT! My husband just found the memory card that was supposed to be in the camera and said “oh... I guess I forgot to pack it...” AND FOR ONCE I AM SO GLAD HE DID!

The bronze spider photos were blurry, I can’t use them, unfortunately, but today I travelled past where I saw it and it was still there so I plan to come back as soon as I can. The caterpillar will be good to go ANNNND I forgot that I took these nice photos of this massive beetle and I will be doing an upload tomorrow to show them off!

Small win!

In the meantime, I’m selling off other lenses that didn’t fit the new camera in order to recoup some costs so that I can replace my lost macro kit. Fingers crossed someone will buy.

As for how I emotionally feel? I’m still a little delicate but doing a lot better. If the universe wants my camera to come home to me, then it will come home to me. If not... then I really hope that whoever has it treats it well. That camera meant an awful lot to me and I would hate it if it was treated badly. I still hope to find it so that it can be safe with me again... I’ve still got some feelings to unpack.

Until then, onwards and upwards! I will not be defeated by scum so low that they free-fall off a snakes arse.

Much love and thank you all for your support. I really appreciate it!

Anthelid-Day

[technologyreviewsgadgets]

New Post Vivo X50 Review - More Than The Specs, Better Than You Expect! has been published on https://www.reviewcenter.in/10169/vivo-x50-review/

Vivo X50 Review - More Than The Specs, Better Than You Expect!

Vivo recently launched the new Vivo X50 Series of smartphones. There was the Vivo X50 Pro which is a high-end flagship and the Vivo X50 which offers value for money while not skipping the most essential features. The camera is the USP of the all-new Vivo X50 and the phone surely performs on par expectations. The Vivo X50 base variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage is priced at ₹ 34,990, while the top variant with 8GB RAM & 256GB storage is priced at ₹ 37,990. I got the base variant with 8GB RAM & 128GB storage and I used it for like almost two weeks till now. Here’s my full review of Vivo X50.

Vivo X50 Review – More Than the Specs, Better Than You Expect!

But before we jump into the actual review, here are the quick specs of Vivo X50.

6.56-inch (2376×1080 pixels) Full HD+ 19.8:9 E3 AMOLED 90Hz HDR10+ (3D curved for X50 Pro) display with 105% NTSC color gamut, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, up to 1300 nit brightness

Octa-Core (2.2GHz Dual + 1.8GHz Hexa) Snapdragon 730 8nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 618 GPU

8GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128GB (UFS 2.1) / 256GB (UFS 2.1) storage

Android 10 with Funtouch OS 10.5

Dual SIM

48MP rear camera with LED flash, f/1.6 aperture, Sony IMX598 sensor, four-axis OIS, 8MP 120° ultra-wide lens with f/2.2 aperture, 13MP portrait bokeh camera (50mm equivalent) with f/2.48 aperture, 5MP 1.5cm super macro with f/2.48 aperture, 2x optical zoom, 20 digital zoom

32MP front-facing camera with f/2.48 aperture

In-display fingerprint sensor

USB Type-C Audio, Hi-Res audio, 3 microphones for audio zoom

Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS/GLONASS/Beidou, NFC, USB Type-C

4200mAh battery with 33W fast charging

The specs of the phone look impressive on paper, but do they really reflect on the performance of the phone in day to day life? Let’s find out.

Built & Design

Vivo X50 has a glass and metal body with glass on both the front and the back with an aluminum side rail. The phone is quite slim with a thickness of just 7.49mm. The corners maintain a subtle uniform curve. The Vivo X50 feels quite premium to hold and it’s not heavy.

On the front, the Vivo X50 has a 6.56 inch full HD AMOLED panel with 2.5D glass and a punch-hole camera. There’s an in-display fingerprint scanner. On the back, at the top left corner, there is the rectangular camera module that blends well with the overall footprint of the phone. The camera module houses four camera sensors along with an LED flash. On the right side rail there is the power button and volume rockers while on the left edge, there is the SIM card tray. The bottom of the phone houses the USB-C port for charging and data transfer, which is also used for connecting audio devices as there is no headphone jack. Along with the USB-C port, there is the speaker grille.

Display

As mentioned earlier, the Vivo X50 has a 6.56 inch full HD AMOLED panel with 2.5D glass. The display offers a resolution of 1080×2376. The screen-to-body ratio is impressive with 92.8% as there are very slim bezels around the display. The display offers DCI-P3 Color Gamut & HDR10 producing rich & accurate color and a wider dynamic range for video content. The display is bright and vibrant and the sunlight readability is good enough.

As it’s an AMOLED panel, you can be sure that the display will be consuming less power compared to an IPS LCD panel. The display has a refresh rate of 90Hz so that everything feels very smooth and I particularly enjoyed scrolling through Reddit and Twitter on this device. The touch response time is 180ms, so it helps in tasks like gaming. There is an in-display fingerprint scanner that is fast and accurate. Overall, I’m quite pleased with the display on the Vivo X50 with a high refresh rate.

Performance

On paper, the Vivo X50 specs don’t impress everyone, but everyone forgets that this phone is more focussed on photography. However, in real life, the performance is quite good for everyone. The phone is powered by Qualcomm’s mid-range Snapdragon 730G chipset coupled with 8GB of RAM. I used the phone mostly for tasks like browsing the web and social media, emails, streaming music, and video content, and some gaming. During regular tasks, there are no noticeable lags.

Multitasking works like a charm and there are no issues while switching between the already opened apps in the background. The RAM management is quite good with no aggressive behavior killing idle apps in the background. I also played games like PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, 8 Ball Pool & Clash Royale. While you can easily get the best kind of performance in games like Clash Royale and 8 Ball Pool, in heavy games like PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty Mobile as well the gameplay experience was satisfactory. During heavy gaming sessions, the phone heats up just a little bit but the temperature range is within the comfort zone.

Camera

Vivo X50 is a camera-centric phone and I was already expecting a lot. Gladly the phone didn’t disappoint me at all. However, Vivo has made quite a different kind of lenses for its X50. There is a primary Sony IMX598 48-megapixel rear camera with an f/1.6 aperture. The primary sensor has got Optical Image Stabilization. Along with that, there are three more lenses- an 8-megapixel 120° ultra-wide lens with f/2.2 aperture, a 13-megapixel portrait lens with f/2.48 aperture and a 5-megapixel 1.5cm super macro with f/2.48 aperture. The Vivo X50 offers a 2x optical zoom and up to 20x digital zoom.

The main camera captures sharp impressive shots in broad daylight. The colors are punchy, saturation levels, and the dynamic range is good. Even in low lighting conditions, the main camera with f/1.6 aperture managed to click some good pictures. The 8-megapixel wide-angle camera captures decent shots. There is a dedicated depth sensor and with it, I experimented a bit and tried to take some shots while the lens is covered and even without that bokeh lens the phone managed to pull off some nicely composed portraits. The macro lens works fine, but it could be a lot better if Vivo could add at least an 8-megapixel lens.

In terms of video, the phone is capable of recording videos at up to 4K at 30 fps and the output is awesome I would say. The combination of OIS and EIS makes it possible for anyone to record videos while holding the phone and walking, without degrading the video quality.

The Vivo X50 offers quite a few camera modes including extreme night vision for super low light photos. This mode helps a lot while taking shots under very low light. There are also a few night filters to enhance photos. There is also a Pro Sports Mode, assisted by Motion Auto Focus which offers quick exposure and shutter speed for taking shots of moving objects for some amazing shots. It’s quite hard to explain everything in writing so here are some camera samples for you. Look and judge yourself.

In terms of selfies, the Vivo X50 comes with a single 32-megapixel punch-hole camera with f/2.48 aperture. The selfie shooter clicks some nice sharp shots with a good amount of detail and the camera also works well in dim environments, making it a good contender against many other phones which offer a good rear camera setup but suck in terms of selfies.

Software

Vivo X50 runs Android 10 out of the box with Vivo’s own FunTouch OS 10 skin on top. FunTouch OS 10 is a blend of the old and new, as it retains some of the old, most-loved features while bringing a new fresh look and improving the user experience. The FunTouch OS 10 is much improved and packed with features.

The new FunTouch OS 10 brings performance improvements, quick sharing features, new system dynamics, and minimalistic design. The Vivo X50 also brings DocVault which uses the Government of India’s Digilocker platform as an authorized partner. It’s very useful for easily managing documents on the go.

There is the system-wide dark mode which reduces strain on the eyes and as Vivo X50 comes with an AMOLED display, the dark mode would also help save power. There is also the new Desktop Mode where the phone would switch to a desktop mode when you connect your phone to an external monitor. Along with these, there are other features like easier file sharing, new privacy-focused settings, multitasking via floating windows, and much more. The UI has improved a lot when we look back and the overall experience with the FunTouch OS on Vivo X50 has been really good.

Battery

The Vivo X50 packs a 4200mAh battery which seems to be quite good. The phone saves quite a bit of power if you use dark mode. However, if you normally use the phone without the dark mode, then also, you can get a full day usage easily and may need to plug it in by the end of the phone. I mostly charge my phone overnight but when I forgot to plug it in once, then also, by the time I wake up and leave home, I could easily get the phone charged up to 78% thanks to the ultra-fast 33W charging.

Final Verdict

Vivo X50 is a phone that you can rely on for video creation. The camera on the phone is really good, the device feels premium and due to the design, the phone quite reminds of Huawei. A high refresh rate AMOLED panel, solid battery, and stable performance, along with superfast 33W charging make the Vivo X50 phone quite a complete package for most users.

Pros

Premium build & design

Great photo & video capturing capabilities

90Hz AMOLED display

Cons

Single Bottom firing speaker

[jabphotos]

Exactly 1 week ago my mom asked me what kind of caterpillars were on her parsley. She thought they were either a monarch or a tomato worm, if it were the latter it would have been evicted. I grabbed my macro lens and fired up the internet (In that order - photos first! I don’t want to miss an opportunity!) This will be one of few truer to size images, since macro lenses get you up close and personal with small objects, that’s what I intended to use it for. 🐛🕵🏻‍♀️ A quick search informed me that, though often mistaken for Monarch caterpillars, this is a Northern Swallowtail Caterpillar. And they actually turn into some strikingly beautiful butterflies! For the past week I have been researching and documenting them, I forgot to mention - there are 2! I hope you’ll stick around and enjoy the (so far) week long journey I now refer to as #thecaterpillarchronicles 🐛🐛🐛🐛🐛🐛 . . . . #backyardwildlife #northernswallowtail #caterpillar #butterfly #metamorphosis #parsleyplant #animallover #animalphotographer #wildlifephotography #petphotographer #animalsofinsta #animalsofinstagram #photographer #lifeofaphotographer #photooftheday #photographylife #propetpix #julieannbloniaszphotography (at Sixteen Acres) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCUyb0apwOA/?igshid=101ag1ck0r6ne

#thecaterpillarchronicles #backyardwildlife #northernswallowtail #caterpillar #butterfly #metamorphosis #parsleyplant #animallover #animalphotographer #wildlifephotography #petphotographer #animalsofinsta #animalsofinstagram #photographer #lifeofaphotographer #photooftheday #photographylife #propetpix #julieannbloniaszphotography

[qwordy]

NIKON D3200 CAMERA FOR SALE

Hey tumblr, I wanted to post this here before I start posting on like the facebook marketplace or ebay but I have a nice camera that I’m looking to sell.  I just don’t use it much anymore and I need money for school.   This is everything that it comes with:  Instructional manuals, diagrams (not pictured but I found them after)  Lens Cleaner Fluid and Air Puffer with Bag 2 Batteries and battery chargers 52mm UV protector lens 4 Adapter rings- 46, 49, 52, and 55.  (52 is the main adapter ring) 4 lenses - aspherical .28m, zoom lens which is amazing .95m,  wide angle lens 58mm, and telephoto lens 58mm which I believe somehow can become a macro but I forgot how.  

HDMI cables (not pictures cuz I forgot) Color ft LCD monitor with hood, cable, and charger Nikon camera bag Neewer CN-160 light with 3 shades in white, pink, and orange but the bottom clip broke when my mom toppled my tripod with the camera on it 2 tier attachable mount Adjustable small mount 3 SD Cards, 2 64 gb and 1 32gb with case Both cd-Roms And I also have 2 gorilla pod adjustable tripods.   They’re green!  For everything I’m looking for $500 but that’s my top price, you can negotiate with me and if you only want certain things we can talk about pick and choose prices.  I’m just trying to make some money for my tuition bills while I’m still looking for a job and my poor camera is just all alone as I’ve been filming more of my vlogs on my phone than anything else.  

#camera #for sale #nikon #nikon d3200 #please buy my stuff

[hnd1dmonikaszepielamajorke-blog]

Structure

ANTHONY WELLER is a professional architectural and interiors photographer whose clients are the best architects, contractors, interior designers, and developers. His images are used to promote clients’ projects. We can find images of architecture, interiors, cruise ships, living spaces, hotels, construction, aerial and industrial in his portfolio.

I choose three of his aerial images as examples of how using different approaches and different features of the structure photography might emphasize the function of the building at the same time being an artistic image. It might be helpful in the realization of my project.

The light and mood on photographs of cooling towers are dramatic. The smoke seems to be so heavy what emphasize the industrial meaning of the structure.

On this photograph, the windmill is surrounded by the green field. As we can imagine soon the grain is growing and will be ready for ground in this windmill. Apart from the function it also includes the esthetic feature. It reminds me of the paintings of Dutch painters.

The last one is the image of solar panels. The pattern is used to create this photograph which makes it look a bit abstract. It looks like from space what links the subject with the Sun and the purpose of the structure.

The latest quadcopter drone technology was used to create these photos.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to use this kind of equipment but I learned how important the view angle and surroundings are on architectural photographs.

References:

https://pixta.jp/photo/17664621

http://www.archimage.co.uk

Matthias Haker is a German freelance photographer and artist. He captures architectural photography, landscape, nature, urban, travel, portraits, and wedding photography.

He uses mostly abandon places for his architectural photography and keeps location in secret to save places from devastation.

I chose one of his interior photos which present a modern interior. The light is used skillfully and creates an abstract image. The contrast between white and color elements attract attention at first but then we have to take a close look and then we see what the structure really is.

The kind of perspective which was used makes the image dynamic and almost 3D.

References:

https://www.topteny.com

https://publichouseofart.com/nl/kunstenaars/matthias-haker

Roland Halbe is one of the most recognizable architectural photographers, earnings international commissions from architects and agencies. He is a co-founder of Artur Images.

He photographs architecture to capture how it reacts with light. He uses its geometrical and symmetrical forms, surroundings and people to create really stunning images.

Before Halbe start shooting he makes recognition for a few days following the lights in the building.

Equipment: large format camera(ALPA MAXI) with Schneider and Rodenstock lenses from 23-150m.The Photoshop for post-production

I choose three of his images as examples of how skillfully he uses light and geometrical forms.

References:

http://rolandhalbe.eu

https://www.complex.com/style/2013/02/the-25-greatest-architectural-photographers-right-now/randy-scott-slavin

https://www.archdaily.com/469030/architectural-photographers-roland-halbe/

Planning:

All these photographers and their works might be very helpful in my project. I am going to shoot a bridge for my exterior images and the college building as the interior. I would like to use all the advantages of natural light. I understand now how significant meaning the recognition of the structure has. I am going to make some test shots from both locations to establish when is the best time of the day for shooting. Bracketing would be helpful.

I am planning to emphasize the geometrical forms of the structure, function and optimize the use of the light.

Equipment:Canon 1300d,wide angle(50 mm Canon lens) and telephoto lens(70-300 mm Tamron),tripod,light meter.I am going to use the 50mm lens due to the angle of view is the closest to the human eye and so like the human eye doesn’t produce distortion.

Lens distortion is when a lens produces curved lines where straight lines shoud be. There are two the most common types of distortion.

Barrel distortion is where straight lines bend outward from the center of the image. The lenses with a wide field of view (wide-angle lenses and zoom lenses) produce images with this kind distortion when the camera is too close to the subject. The distortion is most common in architectural photos(due to straight lines)

Barrel distortion correction

1.Photoshop- lens distortion correction filter

2.Special ”Tilt and shift” lens (designed for architectural photography, expensive)

If we can’t use this expensive lens there are a few ways to minimalize the barrel distortion effect during the shooting.

1. Try to avoid shooting buildings and objects that have clean, straight lines with an extreme wide angle lens

2. Keep any straight in the image as close to the center of the lens as possible

3.As you shoot an object take several photos of the same object using a variety of zoom lens magnification levels

The other one is pincushion distortion when the straight lines bend or “pinch’ inward from the center of the image. Usually, it happens with telephoto end of a zoom lens such as 70-200mm.

Pincushion distortion correction

1.Photoshop - lens distortion correction filter

How to avoid it during the shooting

1. Try to avoid shooting objects with straight lines. If you have to try to keep them as close to the center of the frame as possible

2. Try to avoid shooting at the maximum magnification of the telephoto zoom lens, move closer to the object.

3. Move to a different location and see if a different perspective of the object reduces the pincushion distortion effect

There is also perspective distortion when the photographer stays too close to the building which is going to shoot the subject might look too large or distorted in comparison to the other objects in the background.

Perspective distortion correction

1.Photoshop - lens distortion correction filter, Adaptive wide angle tool

In camera-Keep your focal plane at 90 degrees to your subject(it may help in landscape photography but might be difficult in architectural to achieve )

References:

https://clickitupanotch.com/lens-distortion/

https://www.imagenesmy.com/imagenes/barrel-distortion-and-pincushion-2c.html

http://www.estiasis.com/category/glossary/barrel-distortion-pincushion

https://imgarcade.com/perspective-distortion-photography.html

https://photo-works.net/image-distortion-correction.php

https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-barrel-lens-distortion-493725

https://www.canon.co.uk/lenses/ts-e-50mm-f-2-8-l-macro-lens/

https://digital-photography-school.com/use-photoshop-to-correct-perspective-distortion-of-buildings-in-your-images/

I’ve made some test shots of the indoor of the college. Unfortunately, the light was quite flat that day but it gave me an idea what I would like to photograph

My other subject is the bridge. These test shots allowed me to recognize the best time of the day when the Sun is in the best position for my shots. It was also very helpful to see the background and recognize all distracting elements which I should avoid during shooting.

The time between 11-12am when the Sun illuminates the building in the best way.

I’ve taken some test shots today but unfortunately, the light was to flat to achieve proper quality. I am going to reshoot using a tripod because it’s needed especially in the inside of the building when the part of the light is blocked. I also decided to stick only with college building what will give my project a more unitary view. During today’s research, I discovered so many interesting shapes and angles of view which give the range variety of unique images.

The final images of my project. I edit images a bit changing saturation, exposure, and contrast. I also fixed distortion use tools in Camera Raw Filter.

My final images for structure project

EVALUATION

The project Structure was quite demanding. At the very beginning, I planned to photograph 2 different objects- the college and the bridge.

Unfortunately, the weather which was the decisive factor made it very difficult. The sunny day with strong, bright light giving strong contrast would be perfect for that project. Unfortunately, most of the days were rainy or cloudy with flat light.

Due to difficulties, I decided to photograph only college building what was more suitable for me and give me more opportunities to capture proper images.

During this project, I have learned to always check my equipment. When finally the weather was perfect for shooting and I came for location turned out that I forgot to take my memory cards. It was an incredibly stupid mistake and a very annoying experience.I wasted time and good weather conditions.

I take my shoots accidentally because the forecast for that day did not predict sunny day. I was counting on lucky luck. The light on my images is not so good as I would like to but it is good enough to take images satisfactory for me.

I used 50mm EF 1.8 Canon lens and 18-55mm Canon lens, self-timer, and a tripod. The tripod was helpful especially inside the building where the light was much worse and allow me to reduce the blur.

I tried to find the proper angle and crop the images in an interesting way. I took the photo of the whole building.I used  for that 18mm lens, wide angle which caused distortion I fixed it in Photoshop. In Camera Raw is a tool which allows for perspective correction. The horizontal and vertical perspective might be corrected also image level and lens correction might be made.

The lens correction allows for barrel and pincushion distortion which might be helpful to balanced distortion of the image.

Taking images inside the building was demanding due to worse light.I was not able to achieve as strong contrast as I would like to.

The structure project was quite interesting though and I really liked this kind of photography. I had taken architectural photographs only using film camera so far. I definitely would like to take more photos of structures.

I love the abstract forms which might be created if the structures are captured in unconventional angle.

I have visited a nice small village, with lovely old houses recently.It gave me an idea about a personal project with I would like to realize during the summer holiday. The structure project experience was definitely helpful and gave me valuable experience.

The most important aspect of the structure project was light. It is significant to check the forecast weather before shooting. I have learned also how important is recognition on the location even if we are going to shoot in the place well known to us. It gives the opportunity to find out about the Sun position on particular times of the day and how it affects the building.

Also when I was shooting indoor the Sun gave a much better quality of the image, produced shadows which gave the images deeper. The stronger light gave images more contrast and details.

This time I was limited by time but if I would have the opportunity to photograph architectural structures again I am would definitely choose the best time of the day to use optimally the advantage of the light.

#structure

[goatsby]

  I have been known to get hit with Gear Acquisition Syndrome from time to time, but this terrible affliction has really slowed down over the past few years. A proof of fact in this matter is that my Leica X Vario has been in my care since late 2014, an eternity in my camera bag and the camera industry as a whole. Why has this maligned crop-sensored, outdated, and unsupported camera stayed with me for so long? The short answers are image quality and ease of use. I won’t go into the Leica’s tragic Mini-M campaign as its been beat to death, but want to focus on the things it gets right, its shortcomings, and its place in today’s camera landscape.

Some of the accoutrements I have acquired (and kept) over the years.

Like everyone else, I balked at the nearly $3,000 price tag when the Leica X Vario first came out. An eager and early adopter of the Leica X1, I should have been thrilled about the announcement but with reports of the slow lens and mediocre performance it appeared Leica had played a cruel joke. I forgot about the X Vario for a while but eventually saw one at Leica Store Miami, and this is where my mind was changed. In the hand it felt good; solid, well built, balanced, and once I started playing around with the camera I was sold. So, with a bee in my bonnet my quest for the X Vario began. It didn’t take me too long to find a used one in like-new condition and get shooting.

When I first received the X Vario it was easy to pick it up and get going. With the shutter speed, aperture, focal length and focus being able to be set manually without even powering the camera on, only a few menu tweaks were needed to get things how I like them. My brain is funny and likes things simple (which is probably why the Leica M system most appeals to me) so its nice for me that the X Vario is also simple in its operation. Though, much like the X1 and X2 it does take some time to get the best out of the images and this is where its limitations come in. I found out real quick that the lens speed is a limiting factor as there is no optical image stabilization and the sensor does good until 1600, or 3200 in a pinch. IOS 6400 and above are discouraged. The XV quickly became my daily camera, fitting in my briefcase / backpack for work where most of my non-family photographic opportunities present themselves and it is in these areas that the X Vario does extremely well; landscapes and macro. Not that the XV is incapable of handling day-to-day family shots, but it definitely takes some practice and knowing what it can and cannot do (such as fast moving kids in fair to low light) is imperitive.

One of the things that drew me to the XV was its macro capability; macro is reached at the long end (70mm) of the lens which is different than most zoom camera lenses which have he closet focus point at the widest setting. The XV’s implementation allows a greater working distance for those things which you normally shoot macro with such as bugs and flowers (or Gila monsters!). Macro photography with the X Vario can be further enhanced with add-on lenses. In my case, a Raynox  M150 lens is the key but there is a M250 and various Leitz Elpro lenses that are reported to work .

Like all Leica X cameras, there are shortfalls to consider. First, no viewfinder. Sorry, but the slip on EVF’s do not count. Sure, it gets the job done but like a car that only goes 40 miles per hour down the highway it is not a great solution. It is, though, certainly better then nothing. The fact you can use the Olympus VF2 to save a few bucks is also nice. Second, autofocus speed; yeah it stinks. I’ve heard comments about how accurate it is but that can be misleading as well. I have found this to be a common factor of the X family, and as long as you know what you are up against it can usually be mitigated or at least accounted for. Shooting still life, landscapes, slow moving objects, or sleeping children are obviously not the issue but get a moving target in questionable light and you are out of luck. Manual focus is good but still a little tricky in lower light situations as the screen gets buggy in lower light. While the XV feels good in the hand, it definitely benefits from the grip, a Thumbs-Up, or a case with a grip like my Artisan & Artist leather half case.

The positive attributes easily outweigh the negatives in my book. Image quality is outstanding. I can, and have, printed and sold magnificent 36″x24″ prints that look fantastic. The lens is truly nothing short of spectacular; I read the Peter Karb article  where he states that the lens was made to match M quality lenses at every focal length and I concur. Although there is a weak anti-aliasing filter the photos are plenty sharp and need little, if any, sharpening in post processing. The XV is built very well; I’ve not babied it or kept it sheltered and it still looks great. In wet or rainy conditions I cover the microphone ports with electrical tape and have not {yet} had a malfunction. Ease of use is great with the menus straightforward and most of the controls you need on the outside or accessible through the buttons on the back. Battery life is good and I can get through a day of shooting on a single fully-charged battery. Want wi-fi? Pop in a Toshiba FlashAir and the XV can send photos directly to your phone, tablet or computer. I recommend the excellent PhotoSync app for this task as it works better than even the Leica made transfer applications.

Here are a couple shooting tips for the Leica X Vario;

Shoot at /125 or above to ensure sharp photos.

Practice with the manual focus, it can be a lifesaver when autofocus is being finicky.

Keep ISO at 3200 or below. 6400 is for B&W grainy photos but bad for color. Forget 12,500.

Pick up a good quality macro conversion lens; it really does open up a world of possibilities.

Don’t blindly trust the green autofocus confirmation, look at the screen and see if it looks right.

I’m not a huge fan of the EVF option, but it does help in manual focusing and to steady your shots in all light.

Try the Olympus VF2 instead of the Leica-branded EVF2, its truly the same thing!

So where does the XV live in today’s camera landscape? With a few add ons it has most of the features one would ever need, and the image quality is more than sufficient for most so it is, and will remain to be a viable camera for many years to come. Leica has not updated the camera since it first came out and will not update it again, but it is perfectly capable just the way it is.

The Leica X2, Leica T, Leica Q, Leica D-Lux 109, Olympus OMD EM5 and various other cameras have come and gone through the years, but the X Vario has stayed. I can’t say it will be kept forever (only two cameras have earned that right; my immortal Leica M6 and Contax T2), but for now it does its job as a reliable, enjoyable camera that takes great photos. What more can I really ask for? I will end this review with some of my favorite photos from the Leica X Vario, showing the versatility of this misunderstood, but brilliant, camera.

2017 Solar Eclipse by Leica X Vario

Thousand Oaks solar filter fitted to the lens hood

Leica X Vario: The Long-term Review I have been known to get hit with Gear Acquisition Syndrome from time to time, but this terrible affliction has really slowed down over the past few years.

#Leica #Leica X Vario #Review

[greencproductions]

See previous posting.

Now only with the macro lens. Still have to figure out settings. Canon is not as users friendly as Sony but also has certain great advantages. BUT I’m getting there.

bee

pelargonium

Echeverea

Passion fruit flower opening

forgot the name

My second trial and error pictures with new camera and lenses See previous posting. Now only with the macro lens. Still have to figure out settings. Canon is not as users friendly as Sony but also has certain great advantages. BUT I'm getting there.

#macro

[krnaturalphoto]

Exploring Ithaca, NY

So apparently 6 months ago I started writing this post and never got back to it. Distractions, procrastination, just plain forgot. You name it. It happens to the best of us. I added all these photos to a draft and then never came back to it. I have no idea why.

I went to Ithaca, NY. One of my favorite places and I just wanted to explore the area a little more in depth than I had in the past.

I went to my favorite locations, but I tried to focus on different things. Sometimes the little things. Sometimes things that are just a little askew. I wanted to look at things from different angles. Use my different tools that I had at my disposal. This included several different cameras and lenses all with their own set of capabilities.

Sometimes you are lucky and nature simply grants you the perfect set up for interesting photographs. I love waterfalls and I love Buttermilk Falls State Park, but seriously can you beat to huge trees jammed up in a waterfall and one of them is at an angle so you can show it coming right at you. That was one of the advantages of my different camera set up on this trip. I would not likely have been able to capture that image with my traditional waterfall shooting set up.

Sometimes you just need to get close to the subject. This photo was taken at the perfect angle to allow me to focus on the flower blooming inside the leaves an blur out the rest of the irrelevant detail in the image.

And when you are walking around the Cornell Botanical Gardens there is an abundance of oportunities. And something just catches your eye and you see a tree with surrounding flowers and you just know that this is the image you want to capture. It just makes sense. You get the correct camera and lens combination and you create an image that matches your vision.

I used my macro lens to get p close and personal with these flowers growing low to the ground. My lens is only 60mm so I was likely in some kind of strangely contorted posture taking this photo. I was either hunched over, crouched, on my hands and knees, or lying down. The things one will do for a photo.

I loved this little grouping of flowers. I was very happy I was able to capture three of them in focus together with another flower out of focus in the background. The little twig adds another element in the photo from the time of year when flowers are blooming and pushing up through the dead debris of the past.

Really this photo does not require much commentary for me. If you are familiar with our part of the Finger Lakes at all you know what this is a photo of. This is Taughannock Falls State Park. This photo is from the upper look out area near the visitor center. It is quite a majestic view. This is a place that must be experienced.

This photo is from along the lower portion of Taughannock Falls State Park as the water runs away from where the falls pours down it creates this stream and nice rock formation through the gorge.

  from Exploring Ithaca, NY

#Exploring Ithaca #NY

[storiesforpatreon]

#001 — Stories I Will Not Ever Or Have Not Yet Published Publicly (A.K.A. “Secret Stories” #001)

Wednesday, June 7th, 2017

Metro-Detroit, Michigan

Accompanying video link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpIPIjh_BEQ&feature=youtu.be

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This post illustrates how lengthy I can be if I do not check myself. This post is why I try to keep videos short. I go on for too long. I suppose this exists for posterity’s sake. It fills in the details better for the things discussed today. I will absolutely never be as organized as John Wesley, but I certainly am nearly as talkative as the man was. Hahaha.

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0.   BLUR

I messed up. I forgot to set the focus on my face after I set it on the camera straps. Yeesh. A lesson for next time. And, I will remind you—that was my fifth try at the video! Hahaha.

1.  MARCY AND TYLER

A couple weeks back, my assistant and I met this wonderful couple in Detroit. One was from my neck of the woods (30 miles north of downtown Detroit at 15 Mile Road and Harper Avenue in Clinton Township); one was from Grand Rapids (2-3 hours away from the city). They are two young aspiring actors. We had so many laughs. I took them to Greektown and Hart Plaza and up Washington Blvd and Woodward Blvd. I took them to the Fox Theatre and the David Klein Gallery and past a few other noteworthy places. It was glorious. One day I will get along to culling the hundreds of photos that my assistant and I took of them.

 2. DOMINIC

As my assistant kept getting lost in Detroit, I happened upon a truly unexpected photography opportunity. I had to holler at her to come over. Haha. She was walking about the median of the street. Dominic wanted to me to photograph his friend and himself coming out of the limo and going into the restaurant. He said he was going to pay me extra at the end of the little shoot. It was 10:20 pm, so I thought I would be done by 12:20 am. I made sure to keep a regular watch on the time. He asked what my rate was, and I told him that we could talk about that later (I have never had a “rate”). It was clear that he hardly knew the girl that came over. He was using my assistant and I to make him look “important.” He said we were his paparazzi. Hahaha. His buddy backed up his claim. What Dominic had claimed was a possible marriage proposal to a serious girlfriend was likely actually a first or maybe second date with a girl. A second girl arrived, and she was not comfortable with the cameras, so Dominic said he was happy with our work thusfar. We left. I had $200 in cash, and my assistant had $15 in cash. This was fair, since she had no clue what she was doing the whole time. She kept pulling me aside and telling me her photos were blurry or too bright or too dark, so I would trade her cameras. When I would then use the camera she had, I was able to get good photos. I still am dumbfounded as to how she was having such a hard time photographing. We traded cameras many times. When I got back home, I looked at the shots before I went to bed. She had a few good ones but a lot of bad ones. It is a learning experience for her, and she got $15 for an hour’s work. That is the same rate that makes up the independent living wage here in Michigan. That is good money. That is the rate that the photographer that I want to work with offered to start me at. That was not good enough for my assistant. She shook me down for more money. I have never taken a cab or uber before, so I gave her the $20 that the restaurant folks gave me. I was infuriated. For context, this girl has no need for money ever. In midtown, at Wayne State University, there is a law building named after her grandfather. Her family has a membership to the Detroit Athletic Club (the most expensive place to have a wedding in the state). She has 18th century furniture from England (that she is trying to get rid of) and ~2000 year old Chinese tapestries and Japanese samurai swords at her house. She has a $40K emerald ring from the 1920’s. She has no need for cash. She was just being very petty. She likes that I am doing something meaningful, so she comes along. I work light. I never eat in the city unless she wants to pay (I would rather work than spend cash on food). I don’t live frivolously. She has never paid me, and I have never paid her—until today. She got that cash from me, and I felt used. I suppose it hurts the most when you are betrayed by someone you count on and hope to trust in.

 3. D600 SENSOR

The Nikon D600 has a physical issue involving its shutter mechanism. Nikon used to make all their gear in Japan, where they are based; now they make most of their gear in China, and that has resulted in poorer build quality. That is one reason why I love my cheap, old, manual focus Nikon lenses. They were all HAND MADE!! That is amazing! That also makes them simpler to repair. If something can be assembled by hand, it must also be easier to disassemble and reassemble it by hand too (compared to something produced by a specialized machine). The shutter on the D600 sloughs off plastic bits from the shutter and also spits oil droplets onto the camera’s image sensor. That is akin to a camera doing that to the film inside of the camera body. The thing that makes this worse than if it was a film body is that you are stuck with the same sensor, so that means you have to be careful to keep it clean. I took my two cameras in to be cleaned it was $25 per camera, and the guy, Joel, did both for $40. On top of that, he gave me two camera straps for free! I knew I wanted to buy a vintage strap for the D600. I just think they are classier. Plus, they are WAY cheaper than a $50 boring, modern strap! I remembered they had a good selection of old, used straps from before. Well, they only had three left this time. I bought the last one for $5. I knew when I did that he might have given that to me for free too, but it was not right after he had saved me $20 between the cleanings and the straps. I think he admired my passion for photography. We had a glorious conversation about photography. I had him check out my D200, and he cleaned it for free! Hahaha. This was in part because he sold the D200 to me, and the camera had a speck underneath the sensor (a $100+ fix at a different store), which was impossible to clean without a very expensive procedure. This speck was likely there before I bought the camera. I did not notice it until he pointed it out to me. Perhaps that was why he was so nice. Haha. I brought in some of my old lenses and asked him questions about them. I joked that he was around and a working photographer when these lenses were produced, so he should know more than me about them. Hahaha. I have this macro lens I got for $10 (usually around $100 used) that would not stop down (let the aperture get narrower). I thought it was missing the aperture. He said that the lens likely had oil that leaked on the aperture that made it recede into the lens. All I would have to do is take apart the lens and wipe off the oil spot, and it would work like it was brand new. That is amazing! I guess the new, plastic lenses are not as fixable as the old metal ones. I mentioned that cars used to be able to be repaired at any gas station (or at least I heard). He said that his present car’s headlights cost $200 to replace, since the engineers designed the bulbs to only be accessible by getting to them beneath the engine! Hahaha. It really was a wonderful talk.  

 4. STRAP FOR ASSISTANT

I sewed cotton batting, fleece, nylon trim and elastic together (along with a 9” zipper) to make the ultimate comfortable strap for my assistant to use with the “new” (used) 2012 Nikon D600 camera. That took nine hours. I got another strap from a camera store for $3 (again, the only vintage strap they had on hand), and I have poured 12-20 hours (so far!) into that $3 strap to hopefully try to improve upon the original modification to the other strap. Maybe if I can do this to a few straps, I will make a video for it. I just sit and sew as I listen to Al Mohler’s “The Briefing” or “The World and Everything In It” (my two favorite weekday news podcasts) or a B&H Photo lecture on some photographic topic.

 5. RODE MICROPHONE

This microphone is invaluable for video making. It is the standard microphone used on the streets by YouTubers just as the microphone I used in this video is the standard one used at home by many YouTubers.

 6. LACUNA IN VIDEOS MADE

Lacuna

[luh-kyoo-nuh]

noun, plural lacunae [luh-kyoo-nee], lacunas.

1. a gap or missing part, as in a manuscript, series, or logical argument; hiatus.

2. Anatomy. one of the numerous minute cavities in the substance of bone, supposed to contain nucleate cells.

3. Botany. an air space in the cellular tissue of plants.

Origin of lacuna — Latin  —  1655-1665  —  1655-65; Latin lacūna ditch, pit, hole, gap, deficiency, akin to lacus vat, lake1. Cf. lagoon

 7. CAMPING JAKE DAD AND STRAP

My best friend’s step mom and actual dad both died of cancer in 2016. This camping trip was a chance to spread his dad’s ashes. The last time he went on a vacation was the last time he and I camped there. It was a very good week to decompress. I sewed the whole time. I knew I would have trouble reading a book during the down time there. Jake rented an RV for the week. Haha. His brother was sick and stayed in the whole week watching The Three Stooges and Abbott and Costello movies (we are a classy bunch). His girlfriend (who I forgot to mention was there) stayed in and texted much of the time. His mother and sister only showed up for a day and then went home. That left him and I to sit by the fire and talk and talk as I sewed. We biked and hit up the beach that was immediately beyond our site. Haha. It was only maybe $150 for five days and four nights for the six of us (though not all of us stayed the whole time). That is a deal for being right on the beach! The RV was a different story. He paid for that himself. I thought I was going to sleep in a tent, but the RV had room for me, and he insisted I stay there. Haha. What a glamorous way to camp. Jake, his brother, and I remember the other side of camping. I guess one time, there was this horrible storm, and our tent was leaking from above and flooding from beneath. I slept through the nearly whole thing. Jake and Justin were frantically trying to patch up the top of the tent with a tarp. Haha. finally, I awoke and was very confused as to what was going on! Hahaha. Jake, Justin (his little brother), and I have a legion of stories like this. Haha. Needless to say, this was a huge upgrade. I would have been more than happy, though, to sleep in a tent. I got to know the people at the general store at the camp site (it was right next to our spot). The lady, Kris, there told me that we had the worst spot in the park, since is was the first one to flood whenever there was a good rain. I told her that I knew it flooded, but I did not know it was so particularly bad in that way! Haha. Jake and Justin got a good laugh from that. Hahaha.

 8. WALK AND TALK ARE FUN BUT LONG

Well, I forgot to mention this in the video. I am having trouble getting the Walk and Talk videos to be edited, since there is just so much footage to comb through. My solution is to set a time limit when I am in the city to use for shooting the video. This will combine the sublime structure of a lesson with the equally exquisite openness of the walk-along video. I just have so much fun making the walk-along videos, and I think that happiness and energy help make those installments more compelling than the more formal lesson videos. I really need to find a way to marry the two. To do a candid walk around that contains a lesson on a topic. For some reason, I am too dumb (for now) to figure out how that would work.

 9. EMAILED PHOTOGRAPHER - ONE AT A TIME

Parmenides (the founder of western philosophy, who said “whatever is is.”). I say “Parmenides” to say “it is what it is.” Haha. I emailed the guy. That is what it is. Haha. There is little more to explain here. I hope he hires me.

10. HOW DO I HAVE A BETTER WITNESS IN DETROIT

This is an ongoing desire. I need to find my angle. I am cut to the quick. It is said that George Whitfield could not go more than half of an hour without telling someone of the Grace and of Christ on sinners. He just was a bloodstained believer with a holy fire in his belly. I need to get my way of being as the greatest evangelist of the past 2000 years was. Even D. Martin Lloyd Jones said he would give up anything to have even just a week of George Whitfield’s life. The man was that effective and great.

#Secret Stories #Detroit #Camping #Jake Fleming #Fleming #Jake #Dominic #Assistant