In answer to your question...

http://www.pbase.com/sb_photos/polarized

I use mine a lot, both on water, for car shows, etc. It fixes reflections, etc, that Lightroom cannot.

Stu

Getting back to the original scenario, stopping the thief in the act: Ask the villain to describe the most recent photos on the memory card. And make sure you take a selfie or two each time after you erase/format.

Stu

Hi:

Many thanks for the comments, all valid, in my opinion. I agree that the fall short of what many consider great images, but I wasn't sure why. You folks communicated some valid issues. Thanks, that's how we learn.

Stu

I've been messing around with both cameras on the flowers blooming in our yard. My wife wants me to print a few to decorate the house, so I touched up a few in Lightroom. Now, I've shot a zillion photos, mostly of events, kids activities, etc., and some have turned out nice, by accident, I'm sure. But I rarely deliberately try to make art. So take a look at these and tell me what I should have done to make them better.

Thanks

Stu

Don't forget exposure. The brightness of the sky can fool your metering system, leaving the aircraft a really dark blue. I mean really dark. Last time I saw them, I had better luck setting the exposure off some average terrestrial stuff, and using that.

At Acadia NP, I recommend using the bus system rather than trying to drive into the park yourself, especially at that time of year. Traffic can be dense, and parking at interesting sites can be iffy. The busses run from the Bar Harbor Village Green to ALL the scenic area of the park. There are many scenic hikes that go between bus stops, so you don't have to backtrack. And they run often enough that you never have to wait that long.

Hints: The Acadia Hotel right on the village green. The Popovers at Jordan Pond...

I know I'm biased because my cousin's house has a beautiful harbor view there, but Camden is a "must see", especially when the schooners are in, usually Saturdays.. And there's a great harbor view from Mt. Battie.

Here's a couple from Florida and Maine.

Stu

Dinner got cold when I saw this starting to happen in Sarasota, FL


Sunrise over North Haven and Vinalhaven, viewed from Rockland, Maine

I work near Framingham center, about a block from the Marathon course. We have, in the past, walked down to watch the leaders go by. Not this year. No way was I going to take my photo gear out in that. Nor myself, for that matter. Well done.

Stu

While climbing over the rock slide on the Jordan Pond trail at Acadia National Park, I reached my limit. My shoulder was burdened with my Lowepro bag, full of my whole Canon DSLR kit, a body and 3 lenses. Climbing over things, it almost fell off several times. Even just touring around it was always getting bumped in crowded shops, underfoot in restaurants, and so on. Thinking about it, on the whole vacation, I don't think I changed lenses more than once. And there were several places I didn't take the camera for just these reasons, missing some excellent opportunities.

So for the next trip I bought a Canon G9x. Pocket sized, 20 megapixels, and a lens worthy of that. Got some great pictures, and it never interfered with anything I was doing. Never missed the whole kit, and easily carried it into more situations than I would have with the kit, and got excellent photos.

Stu

Great suggestions above, especially ones that say DON'T. I mess around with photography a little, and my daughter suggested that I make a little business out of doing weddings. I said NO, because I'd have to deal with BRIDES. She was going to be a bridesmaid in a few weeks and understood perfectly.

I've shot photos a a few family weddings, cousin's kids and whatnot. I concentrate on the stuff the pros don't cover. Nieces and nephews crawling under the tables, the chaos as the pros try to herd all the groom's mother's cousins into a group photo, significant groups of family members, etc. Give them a CD full of photos, no charge.

My son gets married this fall. My full Canon kit will stay home. But my G9x just might be in my pocket for before and after...

Stu

I've been a viewfinder guy since I picked up a camera, which is quite a while (my age will soon start with a "7"). I rarely use the LCD screen on my DSLR for anything but menus and settings. But for travel and "walking around" convenience I also just got a Canon G9x. LCD screen only, no viewfinder. I used it for a vacation trip recently, with good results. It took a bit of "getting used to", but in a couple days it felt natural. The little I've learned about composing shots, settings to use, etc., translated nicely to the smaller screen.

Stu

I had a similar experience. A 3 month old 32Gig 90mb/s Sandisk Extreme. My vacation was the first major expedition for my new camera and this card. I took it out of my G9x and put it in my card reader, the day's pictures downloaded no problem. Back in the camera, i get the "corrupt card" message. Back in the card reader, all is well. Back in the camera all is well, too. Back to the card reader, "corrupt card" message there too. I cleaned the contacts, same random good/bad behavior.

Fortunately there was a Target nearby, the first stop the next morning. The evil card is now in the Gulf of Mexico.

Stu

Sunrise or sunset: In Hyannis, Kalmus beach, at the end of Ocean st. East view over Great Island, west view over Hyannisport. Walk down to the breakwater/harbor entrance.
Sunrise, or general scenics: Check out the Ocean Street docks
Sunset: Hyannis, St Andrews by the sea chapel, Irving ave. Great view over a marsh to the west/southwest
Sunset: Rock Harbor, Orleans, though this might be better in the summer with the sun setting further north.
Chatham fish pier.

Stu

Before you spend the big bucks... Here's how I copy batches of slides:

http://www.pbase.com/sb_photos/slidecopier2

It works pretty good. Photos copied this way were used in a book, and in a documentary film that... well, lets just say it never made it to distribution. But they paid me.

Stu