Spatter

Blog Change

In case you're wondering, Spatter's taken on a new look.  It's called "free".  As a freebie, gone are the font choices, the ability to schedule posts to be published ahead of time, and of course, the customized look and links I had.  I downgraded because I saw no reason to keep giving Typepad money for a tool that I'm barely using.

Spatter has been in existence for over four years and during that span it's served me well...both as a creative outlet and as a vehicle for meeting some really great people. Call it a sign of the times, but it's been becoming  a bit obsolete for me and the reasons to keep Spatter going are waning:

• I'm finding Facebook is mostly fine for my "spatter"  and I now spend most of my time interacting there and on Flickr.   People interact with me more there too. In fact, most established blogger friends are on Facebook and I see them there more than I do on our respective blogs.

• And Spatter has become mostly a re-post of my photography with links to Flickr.  It's become redundant most of the time.

Still, it's hard to abandon my "baby"...the vehicle that was born when my creative juices were reborn. and I do still think there's a place for an archive of my life.  For those reasons...and because there's a group of friends who, for now at least, only keep up with me via Spatter,  I downgraded in lieu of cancelling.  The new format isn't as pretty and isn't as capable, but I think it'll do. 

 

 

Checking In

I'm four days into my trip and have to say it's been a treat for the eyes.  The Canadian Rockies are nothing less than spectacular. I've never see anything like them.  This is Lake Moraine...near Lake Louise. 

We arrived back in the States today and are spending the night at Whitefish, Montana.  It's a charming little town.  We drove into Glacier for a quick look and a short hike, but tomorrow's our first full day in the park.  While there I'll have no internet...in fact, for all but the last day of the trip I won't...so this is probably the first and last post I'll be making until back home.   

BebopHoedown

Each Thursday between May 6th and October 28th, the Hotel Floyd holds a free concert at the amphitheater on its grounds. 

We've been wanting to go, but weather and schedule conflicts have kept us from it.  Well, this week the stars lined up and Judy, our neighbor Caroline, and I finally got to experience the event.

 

This week's performers:  BeBopHoedown. Needless to say, we were wondering what the heck we were in for. Well, we were pleasantly surprised. 

The band's a mixture of bluegrass, pop and jazz with a unique feel to it.  One minute we were listening to Michael Jackson's "I Want You Back"...and the next Duke Ellington's "Caravan"...and the next the traditional bluegrass/Irish drinking song "Whiskey 'Fore Breakfast".

At one point, they even incorporated bagpipes into the mix.  This eighteen second video clip isn't good, but it'll give you a taste of what that sounded like.

For a better sampling of them, click here.

We had a great time...stayed to the end enjoying music, people, wine, and Bootlick BBQ.  I'm certain we'll be back for more!

Free Hugs

If this doesn't move you, you'd better check your pulse!

Sold!

Both of my "old"  backpacks have sold.  One through Amazon.com and the other privately. It brings a smile to my face to think that I've (1) reduced the net cost of my new pack, (2) cleared the closet a bit, and (3) recycled.  Between this and selling the mower...I'm getting an itch to see what else can be disposed of! 

For those not familiar with selling on Amazon, it couldn't be easier...so long as you have a product that they have listed already.  You have to set up a seller's account, but once that's done...and  you have to do that only once... you just click a link on the product's page and you're in business.  You get to use their photos, their description, their reviews.  All you have to do is indicate the condition and the price.  Of course, Amazon takes a cut for this...but you're buying exposure and anonymity.

On a different note...our gas grill is back in business with all of its new insides and a cleaned up outside.  Done for less than $150 and we've still got the grill we like so much.

Wrinkled Ladies

For those who missed this on Facebook...

My new point and shoot camera arrived today.  I spent the rest of the afternoon fiddling with its settings and taking test shots...quick ones. My first impressions are good.

These shots demonstrate its zoom capabilities.  First is a shot of our shed from about twenty-five yards away.  Camera is zoomed out all the way which is at about 1x/25mm.  Note our neighbor's house in the background...you'll see why later.

 

Now here it is zoomed all the way in with Intelligent Zoom on.  That brought the 12x/300mm out to 16x...which I think equates to about 400mm.

Interestingly, I found I could get equally good...maybe better...results by keeping it at 12x and cropping. I have to experiment more with it. 

Just for fun, I took a picture of our neighbor's house...the one you saw in the background in the shed photo.  It's about 1/4 mile away.  Now for this one, I might have activated the extended zoom feature that allows you to go out even further by reducing the megapixels/file size.  I reduced this from 12MP to 5MP and in doing got an 18.8x/458mm.  At 3MP it would have a 23.4x/584mm length.  No problem unless you plan to crop it.

Blown up, there were some ragged edges along the roof line, but a little tweaking in Lightroom made it acceptable.

Of course, it'll never match my DSLR for quality and abilities, but for what it does, it  seems to do well. I think I'll keep it...which is a good thing since I just read the fine print re: returns.  While I have 15 days to get a full refund, it can't be returned once you go over 200 shutter clicks.  That's reasonable...but I didn't think to check that out and I wasn't counting as I played around with it. 

Post Note:

The GPS works well and IS fun. 

 

 

OK, I confess...I've been on a bit of a spending spree lately.  The mower...that was absolutely necessary...but now I've bought some discretionary "necessary" gear and I've rationalized it rather well.

First, a new back pack to use on my trip to Canada/Montana.  The intent  was to get a pack that can serve as a good computer and camera carry-on bag while traveling, and then serve as a functional pack while hiking.  I have packs, but neither gets both jobs done.  One does the carry-on part but is too bulky and has insufficient space to hike with; the other is light and while it can be used to hike, its space is limited and it doesn't have a waist belt. In other words, it doesn't carry well.  Enter The North Face Surge:

 

This pack will do both jobs.  It has great reviews for durability, weight distribution, comfort, and function.  I like that it's got two side bottle pockets...one I'll use for water, the other for bear spray....and that it's got ample room for clothing that gets shed and still leave room for other stuff.  It's got both sternum and waist straps for stability and compression straps that can be cinched to reduce bulk. 

Then there's my other purchase...this a bit more indulgent, but again, "necessary".  I purchased a Panasonic DMC-ZS7 camera.

My current "point and shoot" is an old HP with 3MP and 3X zoom.  It's not good for much either in quality or ability other than the occasional family snapshot.  When it got dunked in the river last month, I was going to replace it, but it dried out and I didn't bother.  Then two friends showed me their wonderfully adept point and shoot cameras...one a Sony, the other a Nikon Coolpix..that got my mindset back into the idea of having one of my own.

I got to thinking it would be nice to use a smaller, lighter camera for longer, more strenuous hikes.  My DSLR can be quite a load after a few miles, and can be precarious to handle when using a walking stick and maneuvering rocky trails.  I found this to be the case in both the Tetons and in Maine. Unless anyone out there is volunteering to be my mule, I'm thinking this camera will be a lot more manageable. 

It would also be nice to have a better tool to take videos.  I discovered the joys of video while in Maine using my Nikon D90, but its video capabilities are limited. It seems this is an area where point and shoots excel.  I had a blast with my friend's Sony when they visited.

And thirdly, it would be nice to have a less obtrusive camera for casual photography settings. 

Of course, a "point and shoot" would have to take good pictures if I was going to use it instead of my Nikon DSLR while hiking...and...it would  have to offer some attractive features.  The Sony and the Nikon Coolpix were in the running for sure, but this Panny seems to fit the bill best for me, and with its price lowered, I couldn't resist:

12MP

Focal Length: 35mm equivalent 25mm-300mm.  I usually carry my 18-200mm while hiking.  This is almost there on the wide end and exceeds on the long.

Optics:  Leica Lens 8 groups/10 elements

12x Optical Zoom, but optical zoom goes out further if image size is reduced from 12MP.. 14.7X at 8MP, 18.8X at 5MP, and all the way to 23.4X if you take it to 3MP.  This is NOT digital zoom that degrades quality.  That would be on top of this if ever I wanted to use it.  For a lot of images, I could certainly do with less MP...especially if zooming in keeps me from having to crop in to get a close up.

Aperture Range:  f3.3 to f4.9

Focus:  19.7"

Macro Focus: 3cm

Manual/Aperture/Shutter shooting modes in addition to a gazillion scene settings

Auto Focus Tracking

11 area focus points

Image Stabilization

Exposure Compensation

Burst Shooting

Auto Bracketing

ISO 80-1600

Histogram

Built in GPS!  It always will give coordinates, but in about 1/2 million places it'll also tell you what you're looking at.  That'll be fun. 

High definition video with auto focus/zoom

A 460,000 pixel anti-glare LCD screen that they say can be seen in bright daylight

Both the pack and the camera will likely arrive on Monday. I can't wait to check them out and see if they live up to my expectations.  Meanwhile, my old packs will be donated or sold...no need to keep accumulating....and Judy already has dibs on my HP camera...it does just what she uses it for...a perfect match.

Returned from DC late this afternoon to crisp, clear skies...one of the few occurrences of this unusual summer.  Unpacked, got settled and looked out the window:  we're now smack dab in the middle of a cloud as thick as pea soup.  I'm always entertained by how quickly the weather conditions change here. 

Our trip was a nice one. No photography while there. No time and a lot of rain. We spent our time doing what we set out to do: being with friends and family...had good visits and good food.  And we were particularly heartened to see that our friend who has cancer is doing so well.

But as is always the case...we were glad to get back home...all three of us...Shaynee especially.

Tomorrow's calendar is a full one:  a guy is coming to put the new insides into our gas grill and get it hooked up; a guy is coming to appraise our house for the refinance; Shaynee gets an acupuncture session; and I'll be mowing...hopefully, before the appraiser gets here.  

Post Note:

On the way to DC we stopped at the REI store in Fairfax.  I had purchased some waterproof hiking shoes last summer for my trip to Wyoming, and had noticed lately that there seemed to be some moisture getting in... just a trace, really...but more than I thought should be getting in.  I decided to take them up on their members' lifetime return policy.   I'm here to report they made good on it with barely a question.  I walked out with a brand new pair! Pretty darn nice! 

Off on a quick trip to DC to visit friends.  There won't be time for a photo outing, but hopefully a shot will come to me! 

First Impressions

My new point and shoot camera arrived today.  I spent the rest of the afternoon fiddling with its settings and taking test shots...quick ones. My first impressions are good.

These shots demonstrate its zoom capabilities.  First is a shot of our shed from about twenty-five yards away.  Camera is zoomed out all the way which is at about 1x/25mm.  Note our neighbor's house in the background...you'll see why later.

 

Now here it is zoomed all the way in with Intelligent Zoom on.  That brought the 12x/300mm out to 16x...which I think equates to about 400mm.

Interestingly, I found I could get equally good...maybe better...results by keeping it at 12x and cropping. I have to experiment more with it. 

Just for fun, I took a picture of our neighbor's house...the one you saw in the background in the shed photo.  It's about 1/4 mile away.  Now for this one, I might have activated the extended zoom feature that allows you to go out even further by reducing the megapixels/file size.  I reduced this from 12MP to 5MP and in doing got an 18.8x/458mm.  At 3MP it would have a 23.4x/584mm length.  No problem unless you plan to crop it.

Blown up, there were some ragged edges along the roof line, but a little tweaking in Lightroom made it acceptable.

Of course, it'll never match my DSLR for quality and abilities, but for what it does, it  seems to do well. I think I'll keep it...which is a good thing since I just read the fine print re: returns.  While I have 15 days to get a full refund, it can't be returned once you go over 200 shutter clicks.  That's reasonable...but I didn't think to check that out and I wasn't counting as I played around with it. 

Post Note:

The GPS works well and IS fun. 

 

 

New Additions

OK, I confess...I've been on a bit of a spending spree lately.  The mower...that was absolutely necessary...but now I've bought some discretionary "necessary" gear and I've rationalized it rather well.

First, a new back pack to use on my trip to Canada/Montana.  The intent  was to get a pack that can serve as a good computer and camera carry-on bag while traveling, and then serve as a functional pack while hiking.  I have packs, but neither gets both jobs done.  One does the carry-on part but is too bulky and has insufficient space to hike with; the other is light and while it can be used to hike, its space is limited and it doesn't have a waist belt. In other words, it doesn't carry well.  Enter The North Face Surge:

 

This pack will do both jobs.  It has great reviews for durability, weight distribution, comfort, and function.  I like that it's got two side bottle pockets...one I'll use for water, the other for bear spray....and that it's got ample room for clothing that gets shed and still leave room for other stuff.  It's got both sternum and waist straps for stability and compression straps that can be cinched to reduce bulk. 

Then there's my other purchase...this a bit more indulgent, but again, "necessary".  I purchased a Panasonic DMC-ZS7 camera.

My current "point and shoot" is an old HP with 3MP and 3X zoom.  It's not good for much either in quality or ability other than the occasional family snapshot.  When it got dunked in the river last month, I was going to replace it, but it dried out and I didn't bother.  Then two friends showed me their wonderfully adept point and shoot cameras...one a Sony, the other a Nikon Coolpix..that got my mindset back into the idea of having one of my own.

I got to thinking it would be nice to use a smaller, lighter camera for longer, more strenuous hikes.  My DSLR can be quite a load after a few miles, and can be precarious to handle when using a walking stick and maneuvering rocky trails.  I found this to be the case in both the Tetons and in Maine. Unless anyone out there is volunteering to be my mule, I'm thinking this camera will be a lot more manageable. 

It would also be nice to have a better tool to take videos.  I discovered the joys of video while in Maine using my Nikon D90, but its video capabilities are limited. It seems this is an area where point and shoots excel.  I had a blast with my friend's Sony when they visited.

And thirdly, it would be nice to have a less obtrusive camera for casual photography settings. 

Of course, a "point and shoot" would have to take good pictures if I was going to use it instead of my Nikon DSLR while hiking...and...it would  have to offer some attractive features.  The Sony and the Nikon Coolpix were in the running for sure, but this Panny seems to fit the bill best for me, and with its price lowered, I couldn't resist:

12MP

Focal Length: 35mm equivalent 25mm-300mm.  I usually carry my 18-200mm while hiking.  This is almost there on the wide end and exceeds on the long.

Optics:  Leica Lens 8 groups/10 elements

12x Optical Zoom, but optical zoom goes out further if image size is reduced from 12MP.. 14.7X at 8MP, 18.8X at 5MP, and all the way to 23.4X if you take it to 3MP.  This is NOT digital zoom that degrades quality.  That would be on top of this if ever I wanted to use it.  For a lot of images, I could certainly do with less MP...especially if zooming in keeps me from having to crop in to get a close up.

Aperture Range:  f3.3 to f4.9

Focus:  19.7"

Macro Focus: 3cm

Manual/Aperture/Shutter shooting modes in addition to a gazillion scene settings

Auto Focus Tracking

11 area focus points

Image Stabilization

Exposure Compensation

Burst Shooting

Auto Bracketing

ISO 80-1600

Histogram

Built in GPS!  It always will give coordinates, but in about 1/2 million places it'll also tell you what you're looking at.  That'll be fun. 

High definition video with auto focus/zoom

A 460,000 pixel anti-glare LCD screen that they say can be seen in bright daylight

Both the pack and the camera will likely arrive on Monday. I can't wait to check them out and see if they live up to my expectations.  Meanwhile, my old packs will be donated or sold...no need to keep accumulating....and Judy already has dibs on my HP camera...it does just what she uses it for...a perfect match.

Daily Brief

Returned from DC late this afternoon to crisp, clear skies...one of the few occurrences of this unusual summer.  Unpacked, got settled and looked out the window:  we're now smack dab in the middle of a cloud as thick as pea soup.  I'm always entertained by how quickly the weather conditions change here. 

Our trip was a nice one. No photography while there. No time and a lot of rain. We spent our time doing what we set out to do: being with friends and family...had good visits and good food.  And we were particularly heartened to see that our friend who has cancer is doing so well.

But as is always the case...we were glad to get back home...all three of us...Shaynee especially.

Tomorrow's calendar is a full one:  a guy is coming to put the new insides into our gas grill and get it hooked up; a guy is coming to appraise our house for the refinance; Shaynee gets an acupuncture session; and I'll be mowing...hopefully, before the appraiser gets here.  

Post Note:

On the way to DC we stopped at the REI store in Fairfax.  I had purchased some waterproof hiking shoes last summer for my trip to Wyoming, and had noticed lately that there seemed to be some moisture getting in... just a trace, really...but more than I thought should be getting in.  I decided to take them up on their members' lifetime return policy.   I'm here to report they made good on it with barely a question.  I walked out with a brand new pair! Pretty darn nice! 

DC Bound

Off on a quick trip to DC to visit friends.  There won't be time for a photo outing, but hopefully a shot will come to me!