Ugly Hedgehog - Photography Forum
Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register
Posts for: JCam
Page: <<prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ... 271 next>>
Mar 11, 2019 17:35:27   #
I have seen similar small tugs on the ICW, but have no clue what the industry calls them. On the canal I believe they are generally called "escort tugs", and are primarily set up for either pushing. They can probably be used to tow for short distances (like off a sandbar), but mostly to control the back end of a long tow, through a bridge, or in a lock or around a curve in the river or waterway. When we saw the ones in the attached pictures, it had been controlling the tow--a long string (half mile or so of drilling pipe), but was moving up to the front as they were in the lock at Great Bridge, VA. Sorry the quality isn't better, but they were taken with a Canon AE1 50mm and Vivatar 200mm zoom for the longer shots The two close shots are in the Great Bridge Lock; the long shot was several hours further south on the A & C Canal portion of the ICW

I heard on the VHF that they had picked up the tow around New Orleans.






Go to
Mar 8, 2019 14:35:41   #
frankraney wrote:
Aoemi is just one of several backup programs.... If you, check, your external drives may have come with one.


Frank, Thanks for the info. I'll look up Aoemi later this afternoon.

Jim
Go to
Mar 8, 2019 10:57:59   #
DaveO wrote:
The link offered no specifics, but simply stated if you're still on the "payroll" or are subject to recall due to your reserve status, you are still subject to the UCMJ.


I hadn't read my Commissioning certificate in about 50+ years, but as I understand the wording to "...serve at the pleasure of the President.", I could be recalled at any time; why they would want an eighty year old (as of Monday) officer of any grade for any job is beyond my comprehension. I sure as heck can't "do" Company Commander these days.
Go to
Mar 8, 2019 10:36:12   #
custodian wrote:
Anybody been to Daytona beach? Hubby and I are going end of march and I was wondering if anyone can tell me where some good places to go might be for pictures of animals , sunsets, etc. would you know if the votran thingy goes all the way up and down A1a? we would rather take a trolley than drive because we are from northeast ny and are unfamiliar with the route in florida and do not want to drive it? Thanks and I probably put this in the wrong section and will get some negativity so I apologize for that. Thanks!!
Anybody been to Daytona beach? Hubby and I are goi... (show quote)


We were there in Jan of 2017. the main thing I would warn you about is that curbside parking is almost impossible, especially along the beach! I had been there 50+ years ago (Cuban Crisis) and we enjoyed it, but now it is so busy with so much traffic, we never need to go again!
Go to
Mar 8, 2019 10:24:43   #
Cheese wrote:
In a recent post someone mentioned that in order to save wear-and-tear on an external hard drive, the drive should be turned off when not in use. I use the external drive to do an automatic backup at 2am every day which only takes about 10 minutes. Since the drive remains idle for more than 23 hours per day, should it be switched off (by unplugging the USB connection) when not in use? How many of you unplug external hard drives when not in use?


Cheese () What program are you using to control the Auto Back Up? I'm one of the Neanderthals still using Win 7 Pro as an OS, and have a Seagate external drive that I only use for photo backups (1.44 GB free out of 1.81 GB total), but it is a royal pain to Drag & Drop the files therefore I don't back up (about a 40min process) as often as I should. I do turn it off, unplug from the computer USB Port when I'm not using it. With this I believe that turns it off as the light of the drive goes off.

Thanks for the help.
Go to
Mar 7, 2019 10:39:43   #
I must be #1,000,000's+1. I tried Lightroom's 30 day trial around 2007 and didn't like it, so I'm still using PSE 14 (started PP with PSE 10) and don't have another bill coming in every month. I paid #39.99 for it once and so far have avoided six years of ten dollar lease payments. six years x12=72 months @$10/mo =$720,00 in my pocket, not Adobe's, with no problems.
Go to
Mar 7, 2019 10:19:06   #
Rab-Eye wrote:
I generally stick to batteries from the camera manufacturer. However, I chanced across a link online to a Duracell battery that is 50% the cost of the manufacturer's battery for one of my cameras. With Duracell being a name brand, I wonder if it’s worth spending the extra money on OEM? Does anyone have any experience with Duracell brand batteries made for cameras, or in general just have thoughts to share?

Thanks!


Rab-Eye, Most of the "OEM" batteries are not truly OEM's, but rather purchased by the OEM from some manufacturer with the OEM's name and label on it. Generally if the original camera is a quality manufacturer, the maker will be using the same specs. So you can buy an equal battery from some third party--Amazon, Costco, B & H, etc-- with little concern and at a much lower cost. Most of the "knock-off" sellers offer the same guarantee. The trick to longer battery life is not to let them sit in the closet and self discharge. You should and re-charge when they get to the half charge point. Memory used to be a problem with the old ni-cads, but the new technology has eliminated that problem.

I shoot with a Canon 60D that I bought in July 2013. It came with one Canon battery, and I bought one knockoff spare. In use I can't tell which is in the camera.
Go to
Mar 4, 2019 13:15:27   #
Hello all, because of my previously mentioned Cancer that I have been fighting since early 2018, I only got once chance to watch and photograph my favorite venue, Log Canoes racing. These were taken from our Yacht Club dock, not my boat as in the past years' photos, when I could be much closer. The boats are about 3/4 mile from where I was shooting with my Canon 60D and a Tamron 70-300 mm zoom lens. They may not be my best pictures but are my best of 2018. In PP I realized that the 8" x 10" size was the best I could get without the pictures becoming to grainy and pixelated.

Jibeing at the first mark


Headed back down river

Go to
Mar 2, 2019 13:07:37   #
We went through "The Blizzard of 78" in Andover, MA. The worst part of the snowfall there was that we already had about 18" on the ground from a prior storm, but while it snowed I think I plowed my driveway about three times to keep ahead of it. I had a International Harvester garden tractor with a blade; it was still a workout!

The best thing was that the Gov. closed the roads for five days, but Andover's street crews had all our roads clear by the next morning so we could get downtown for groceries with out any trouble and the kids all had a ball, and the wood stove in the kitchen kept the house warm and got the kids dry after X-country skiing, snowball fights, snow-men, etc. and I had an unexpected vacation.
Go to
Feb 26, 2019 10:20:43   #
We found that the Corkscrew Swamp which is not state controlled to be one of the best for viewing and photos. They have a wooden 'bridge' just a few feet over the water level for easy and safe walking and most of the birds and animals are so used to people that I doubt that you will need that 600mm lens. I was using a 70-300 and it was more than adequate.

Enjoy your trip.
Go to
Feb 21, 2019 17:36:16   #
Guyserman wrote:
This is a challenge I would like to tackle but you'll have to upload them again and check "store original."


Guyserman, I tried some more photo this afternoon in a room where the afternoon sun was not glancing off the window and increasing the ISO too 800; I took these about as close to the subject as the camera would focus. The pictures are still hand held as I don't really trust my tripod--it has dropped the camera and a 70- 300 zoom twice in the last six months. I know I should get a better tripod, but my need is so seldom that I really don't want to spend the money for a piece of seldom used equipment.

The pictures are directly out of the camera, no PP, and the camera is set for large-fine which on the 60D translates to a 72" x 48" print, If you need something else send me a PM and I'll try to get them out the same evening.

This isn't a rush project so don't bump any if your projects for this.

Thanks for the help, Jim


(Download)


(Download)
Go to
Feb 20, 2019 14:24:47   #
Guyserman wrote:
This is a challenge I would like to tackle but you'll have to upload them again and check "store original."


Guyserman, thanks! I'll try to get some new pictures but I think my 16-135mm canon was set for as close as it would focus. I know the lighting wasn't good (white lines on lower left), but I didn't notice them until I moved the pictures to my monitor. Maybe I can borrow a close up lens. These were just an experiment.

Jim
Go to
Feb 20, 2019 13:28:28   #
I have been asked by my brother-in-law to photograph an old family tree of my wife's and her brother's that has been hung in a hallway for at least the last 80 years; before that we have no info as to its storage or display. He wants to use the data on it for some family genealogical research. The printed tree has sections for Marriages, Children and Deaths to be filled in by the buyer/owner or descendant.

I'm running into several problems: First, Age-the earliest & last dates entered on the tree, don't know by whom, are Dec. 8, 1803 and April 28, 1848; they look to have been written in script with (probably) a quill pen, and the ink has faded badly; with a strong magnifying glass I can decipher some of the names & dates. The printed paper sheet looks to have been a light tan color and is in pretty good condition except for some discoloration due to (I'm guessing) sunlight, UV rays, and probably chemical reactions.

Second, the size involved, the tree was framed years ago in an old walnut colored wood frame with a wooden backing and behind glass. Inside the frame, there is no matting to separate the paper from the wood , it measures 25 1/4" x 20". The tree itself looks to be separated from the wooden back by some paper. The overall size is probably a couple of inches more in each dimension and the frame is about 3" deep.

I have tried to photograph the entire tree, without the frame, and to crop a "fill in info" circle for experimentation, but my PP with PSE 14 hasn't improved the readability very much. The answer may be to remove the tree from the frame, but given the age, but I am very reluctant to tackle that job, my woodworking skills are moderate, but the consequences of damaging any parts would be never ending

I've attached several photos to better explain the project. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Copy of original


Lower portion

Go to
Feb 20, 2019 10:43:11   #
CHG_CANON wrote:
For the most part, deleting images from the card via the camera presents no risk. It does use your battery, sometimes a resource even more important than space on the card when out in the field. There's less risk by not deleting using the camera, but really, how much "less risk"? Many tools are quicker at displaying images for culling than LR, particularly if you shoot in RAW. I cull outside LR as much as possible and than import only those files I think I'll edit / keep. I've never had a problem with a card / camera by deleting in the camera, although I typically don't. As a best practice, don't use your computer to delete from the card nor reformat the card. Always format the card in the camera. Copy images from the card to the computer and delete images from those copies on the computer's harddrive.
For the most part, deleting images from the card v... (show quote)


Early on in my experience with a DSLR a very good semi-pro told me NOT to delete photos in camera unless you have already had the opportunity to view then on some larger screen. There may be something in the shot that is too small to see or recognize on +/- 3"x2" screen. One shot I distinctly remember was of a Blue Heron on the other side of a pond. He had a sunfish in his bill which I never saw until I uploaded the photo to my monitor. The photo still wasn't great, but that little fish surely helped.
Go to
Feb 20, 2019 10:27:53   #
JCam wrote:
Squirrel, I have been taking moving boat pictures for about 60 years when I bought my first good camera, a Voigtlander model Vito II. I don't remember the film number but the negatives were 2.25"x2.25"; after that camera was stolen, probably 1964, I replaced it with basically the same camera but in 35mm., then a Canon AE-1 with a telephoto lens that had a 200mm max focal length. For the past 12 years I've been using a Canon 60D with a Tamron f/3.5-5.6 70-300 lens .

AS has been mentioned before we really need to see a couple of the "problem" photos and the data to make good recommendations, but I suspect some of your problems are due to settings: Auto focus (which one?), shutter speed?, ISO?, and the light metering mode for starters. What settings are you using?

My favorite venues now are the Choptank and Tred Avon River Log Canoe races, and the Power Boat Races I haven't noticed the problems you mention.

Because I'm getting older and my hands are not as steady as they were, I always shoot with a higher speed than would be expected. I set a fixed shutter speed with a Min. of 1/500-800 (depending on conditions) for the canoes and around +/- 1/1200 for the power boats, but as sea conditions get worse, and I'm also doing more rock and rolling. I have no hesitation in pushing the SS up to 1000+ for the canoes and 1/1500-2000 for the Hydroplanes and Jersey skiffs. I'm looking for prints that are very sharp; if there is blur be it from "artistic", "subject" or "shooter motion", I consider it not good. When I stop the prop of a Jersey skiff in the air, that's great shot.

Since I fix the shutter speed, I let the camera pick the f/stop. ISO is usually limited to the 100 - 400 range. If it changes towards a dull , overcast day or the sun starts to set I may increase it, but generally races are finished or called long before the natural light needs ISO help. Focus points and metering: for 90% of my shooting I use the center spot selection for both. I don't want to waste time fussing with settings when there are pictures to be shot.

Jim
Squirrel, I have been taking moving boat pictures ... (show quote)



Squirrel, One thing I forgot to mention. Are you pushing your telephoto to it's maximum length? Some of the less expensive telephoto lens (including my Tamron) seem to be a bit less than sharp fully extended; I always try not to zoom my 70-300 lens beyond the 250 point. I don't know your camera at all, but mine is a crop sensor camera so that still gives me an equivalent of 400mm. I'm willing to give up that last 50 mm for a sharper photo. The 'Windward Mark' and 'Airborne' photos were both shot at +/- 300 yards from our boat; the two canoes racing were on the far side of the river, about 3/4 Mile away, and were shot hand held from a yacht club dock.

Jim
Go to
Page: <<prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ... 271 next>>
UglyHedgehog.com - Forum
Copyright 2011-2024 Ugly Hedgehog, Inc.