elusive fotografy blog

Example of "Focus B&W" function in Picasa

2008-11-11T07:57:00.013-05:00

Continuing my crusade for wide spread use of Google's Picasa program, again a FREE program, here is an example of its function called "Focus B&W". It gives you means to convert an image to black and white overall, but leaves an adjustable area of the image untouched in color. You can control the location of the color focus point, as well as size and blending sharpness of the untouched area. It's

Adding a new feature

2008-11-10T16:44:00.014-05:00

Oh, don't be scared, that's just me looking after you....I've been hearing about the great photographs I take on occasions, so great in fact, they're even worth putting on a computer screen. So from now on, I will give access to "monitorialised" versions of some of my photographs in 2 or 3 popular screen resolutions. Why?One: to prevent unnecessary manipulation of my images by unrelated parties,

I've been away, I've been busy, I've been ... well, still shootn'

2008-11-10T16:24:00.010-05:00

Not so long ago, I had a chance to enter the New York harbor from the sea side and click at some of the most known features of NYC. I could not control the path of entry, so some may be disappointed, but here is my choice (always matured in Google's Picasa program, on that a bit later).The engineering marvel of its time, the Brooklyn Bridge.and the monument of the free World, Statue of Liberty...

Evening clouds

2008-03-10T16:55:00.004-04:00

Shot on the way up to Port Arthur, TX....

Choosing your web site host

2008-02-26T14:38:00.009-05:00

Below I'm copying my article from a forum. I'm hearing about people experiencing problems with hosting providers. While the overwhelming choice isn't helping, you need to employ patience in the search, so once you upload your web site, you're not going to start loosing sleep over it soon after. And always DO READ the fine print. If you don't see one, ask for it.I have a couple of hosts that I

The "American Queen"

2008-02-22T12:41:00.003-05:00

"American Queen" - one of the few remaining river boats on the Mississippi. Here cought on a misty morning alongside in New Orleans, LA....

Foggy riverside

2008-02-21T10:27:00.005-05:00

Yet another foggy day in the Mississippi river. Mornings are usually best. As the sun rises things change fast, although if the sky has "holes", it may bring along very interesting lighting....

Small web site about skansens in Poland

2008-02-20T20:09:00.005-05:00

I have put together a small web site about open air museums (skansens) in southeastern Poland. I will add more images in a near future, as well as more info, directions, maps etc. Worth a trip, if you're headed that way....

Tank farm

2008-02-13T13:16:00.003-05:00

Light (thus time of the day) plays big part in the way tank farms get rendered. It's like a never ending game of highlights and shadows going at each other....

Exposing for RAW?

2008-02-05T09:21:00.000-05:00

There is an interesting article in 2007 November issue of Digital Photo Pro magazine (which I frequently enjoy) about exposing for RAW. It brings up an unknown to many (including myself) issue of using camera LCD preview and histogram as means of correcting exposure WHILE shooting RAW. What's the problem, one might ask?Assuming the author is correct (as I have no way of checking that out, but

Sailing in the "dust"

2008-02-03T20:17:00.001-05:00

Foggy Mississippi river.

This ooold house

2008-02-03T18:59:00.001-05:00

Shot in skansen in Sanok, southeastern Poland.

Preserving planet Earth

2008-02-03T11:46:00.001-05:00

Can we really live without this?

Love the chimneys

2008-01-21T18:41:00.001-05:00

Chalmette, LA

More options from Picasa

2008-01-20T20:24:00.001-05:00

This image had a "graduated filter" applied, followed by "filtered B&W" and cropped. I'm working on a set of effects for Picasa feature comparison.

Nostalgic New Orleans

2008-01-20T19:12:00.001-05:00

It's 17:45 on January 20th, 2008. The sun has set, but life continues.

Another photo adjusted in Picasa

2008-01-20T09:21:00.001-05:00

This photo has been adjusted in Picasa using "focal B&W" and several levels of "sharpenning". Adjustments can be "stacked" or effects are cumulative. Some will get cancelled out, for example if you use "focused B&W" and other B&W modes, the first one will loose color.

JPEG replacement announced (kind of old news)

2008-01-15T22:19:00.000-05:00

Well, here we go: a replacement format for the venerable JPEG has been announced last year, but may not get implemented until 2009. It's called (for now anyways) JPEG XR and is based on Microsoft's Windows Media Format also referred to as HD Photo.JPEG XR was apparently chosen on Microsoft's promise to deliver the technology FREE of charge. JPEG consortium is going to be the governing body of the

One more photograph from previous set up

2008-01-09T10:51:00.001-05:00

This is another one from that $70 2-"cool"-light set up, slightly toned.

What I'd like to see in the digital progress

2008-01-07T03:16:00.001-05:00

I'd like to see sensor improvements in noise handling far more than a pixel count (which has already reached an above-needed level, especially in small cameras). Call it "Quality over Quantity".There should be a focus on cutting down the noise AND some strict standard of testing for such, by which ALL manufacturers would have to go by - well, that's a pipe dream.I'd like to see serious effort on

Simple portrait in B&W

2008-01-06T11:26:00.001-05:00

This simple portrait was shot using a $70 2-"cool"-light set-up with umbrellas. Not ideal, but quite satisfactory. Some more tweaking and would be even better.

Elements of Black and White Photography, review

2008-01-06T00:57:00.001-05:00

Written by George E. Todd and subtitled "The making of twenty images". I have recently purchased this wonderful book for $5.00 and this is one of the better five bucks I have spent in recent times. I thought it would be only logical to review it here.What struck me most at first , were the great many images that span the whole book. It's quite refreshing to see that in a photography techniques

Embeding Picasa based gallery in your website

2008-01-05T01:36:00.000-05:00

Here I go again, bragging about Google's Picasa features. It must feel like I'm making money from promoting it. Anyhow ...Having used Picasa2 for a little bit now (and creating my Picasa Web Album in the process), I must say I'm more and more impressed with how well Google thought this whole thing out. It isn't perfect, mind you, but for the cost of NOTHING it's impressive.Here I'd like to

Just a photograph

2008-01-05T00:22:00.001-05:00

Within Port of Jacksonville, FL - taken on 02.25.2005

Forum announcement

2008-01-02T22:31:00.000-05:00

I have set up a discussion board that currently consists only of sections related to photographer's web site building/evaluation/review.Perhaps there is something of similar focus, but I can't find any. Many most popular photography forums have threads that deal with this subject in depth. However, in most cases it is buried deep and searches don't always bring everything up. In addition, this is