Random thoughts on art, technology, stuff, and occasionally Real Estate: March 2007

If you drive along Monte Vista Street, as it curves into Marmion Way at the base of Mount Washington, take a moment to glance up towards the West.  Yes, that is a teepee.

The teepee's owner is Shauna Turner, a registered native American Indian.  Shauna's goal is to create an inner City American Indian Sanctuary here. 

Continue reading at NelaLive.net.....

Photography Group members might also be interested in these photography related groups on Active Rain:

Great Shots founded by Fran White in December 2006 and

Photoshop Elements for Real Estate founded by Photography Group's Mike Stankewick just this week.

Take a look, join, add a blog (on-topic, of course, please), and keep the synergy flowing.

Market activity in zip codes 90031, 90032, 90041, 90042, 90065 for March 19 through March 25, 2007 as reported in I-Tech MLS

New listings entered

Price reductions

Reported pending

Reported sold and closed

Northeast Los Angeles is home to several flocks of Wild Parakeets.  That's right, they're Not Parrots, They're Parakeets. 

Whatever the name, they are delightful.  They thrive in the palms and seed-bearing trees of Northeast Los Angeles.  They squawk and squabble and clown around.  They're social and loud and sometimes obnoxious.  What's not to love? 

They have been one of my favorite Photography subjects for the last few years.

Here are a couple of my photo galleries:

http://www.bob-taylor.la/nela-parakeets (from 12-11-2005)

http://www.bob-taylor.la/nela-parakeets11-25-2006/

More about Wild Parakeets from National Geographic

(Those small, colorful birds in the pet shop, are more properly called Budgerigars - or "Budgies".)

New York Times Journalist Lisa Chamberlain recently visited NELA.  Her article published in today's New York Times profiles Northeast Los Angeles

Local residents featured:

Shannon Bedell and Shawn Bishop

Apryl Lundsten and David Spancer

Charles Fisher

Bob Taylor

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/25/realestate/25nati.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin

The other evening I tagged along with some close friends to Rod Stewart's Concert at the Staples Center.  Before heading out, I tossed my little Canon A700 in my purse, thinking that of all my small compact cameras, at 210mm equivalent, it had the longest telephoto. 

Only this morning did I realize my error.  In addition to the Kodak V705, I also own a Kodak V610; bought in error when I thought I was ordering the V705.  Easy mistake to make :-/  but I kept it, figuring I would find a use for it.  Well, I could have used it at the concert.  I just realized the V610 has a 380mm equivalent telephoto.  Sigh.  Next time I go to a concert or sports event, I'll toss the V610 in my bag, and report back.

Still, for run-of-the-mill spectator-in-the-seats concert snapshots, I think my collection is more or less OK  (I do need to work on my "Taking Photos Of The Jumbotron Technique"):

http://www.bob-taylor.la/rodstewart/

Also, Bryce and Aaron, please note:  Staples has signs posted stating "No camera lenses over 3.5 inches permitted".

In the process of uploading these, I thought maybe some Active Rain members would be interested in knowing what tools I used, a virtual peek in my toolbox, if you will, so here goes....

The camera:  Canon Powershot A700, set on full auto, flash OFF.  Zoomed out all the way.  Note:  we were seated in one of the second tier "luxury boxes".

The web photo gallery was generated with Breeze Browser Pro, "Black" template.  I use Breeze for only one thing:  Generating photo galleries.  Breeze just does a few things, but the things it does, it does really well. 

When Breeze creates a new gallery, it prompts you to place all images, thumbnails, and html pages in a new folder.  As soon as Breeze finished, I FTP'ed my new concert folder to my web host using CuteFTP.  In fact, a rather ancient version of CuteFTP.  It's another case of just needing a program to do one thing, and do it well. 

The photos are residing in my web space hosted by WebHostingBuzz.  I have web space accounts at both AZC and WebHostingBuzz.  AZC was my first ever host when I built http://www.bob-taylor.com back in 1996.  That site still resides there.  No reason to move.  I signed up for additional accounts (.la and .biz) at WebHostingBuzz because you get a lot of disk space for not much money.  And lots of photos take lots of disk space.  All my property photo galleries are in one of my two WebHostingBuzz accounts, and my primary site at AZC links to them.

To bring this back to Photography 101 for a moment.  You ever notice how many people at concerts, stage plays, sports events, etc. are snapping photos with compact digital camaras and FIRING THEIR FLASHES?  There's no way in H#ll that the tiny flash will reach the stage or field from where the people are seated. 

I included the EXIF data on the individual photo pages.  Remember I had the little camera at full auto.  It consistenly choose an aperture of f4.8 (the largest available at its longest focul length), but is it interesting to note the variations in shutter speed.

And yes, the concert was great.  Us "Boomers" love to see that our beloved senior rockers can still shake it.

Judging by some of the comments over here, I figured I'd share a simple method for Windows users to transfer images to their computers by using Windows instead of photo album/upload software. 

I am using Windows Classic Theme.  If you are using a different theme, your screen appearance will vary, but the basic idea is the same.  And as always, this is not the only way to accomplish this task.  Experiment and find what works best for you.

I do not know Macs.  If you are a Mac user, and would like to explain the Mac way of doing this, please feel free to contribute.

First decide on/create a destination folder for your group of images.  This often overlooked step is key to being able to find your images again.  Many people go with "My Pictures" as their default image dump.  To create a new destination folder in "My Pictures":

          1.  Click Start -> Documents -> My Pictures

          2.  The "My Pictures" folder will open.  Notice the left hand column.  Select "Make a new folder".  Windows will create a new folder and ask you to name it.  For property listings, I usually go with the property address.  OK, now you have a place for your new listings.  All you need to do is put them there.

          3.  If you haven't already inserted your memory card into your card reader or media slot, do so now.  Notice that left column again.  Under the group "Other Places", find and click on "My Computer".  The window will change to a list of all the drives and storage devices on your computer. 

Your memory card will show up under "Devices with Removable Storage". Drill down by double clicking  each folder (or right-click-select-open works, too) until you see a listing of all the image files on the memory card.  The images files may be nested three or four folders in.   

          4.  Once you reach the images, you can use the "views" icon and select thumbnails to see which image is which.  Or you can just select them all and copy them all to your computer.  I sometimes like the latter way:  Copy them all to the 'puter, sort them out later.  To copy them all, click on the file name of your first image, hold down the shift key (I do this with my left thumb), scroll down the list of file names to the last image and while still holding down the shift key, click again.  Now all the images are selected.       

To select just some of the images.  Hold down the CTRL key while clicking on the individual file names.

          5.  Click Edit -> Copy.  Now all the selected images are in Windows clipboard.  Notice the left column again.   Click "My Pictures".  Find the new folder you just created.  Double click, (or right-click-select-open), to open your new folder.  Then click Edit -> Paste, and all the selected images will be placed in the new folder.

This took several minutes to type.  It probably took you some time to read.  The actual operation will take considerably less time.  After a little practice, you will be able to copy-and-paste with your eyes closed (almost).

Kodak V705 users:  Did you know your camera has Exposure Compensation?  You may not have known that.  It certainly is not mentioned in the 28 page manual.

So what is Exposure Compensation, and why would you want it? 

Remember the discussion of Auto Exposure in this blog, I AUTO Get Out More ?

When your camera is set on full Auto Exposure, its tiny electronic brain measures the amount of  light in the scene and selects the lens aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, that it is programmed to think is the correct exposure.  But Auto Exposure can be fooled.  We've discussed that before!  Most commonly it is fooled by bright light flowing in through a room's windows.  The camera's tiny electronic brain measures the amount of light coming in the window rather than the general amount in the room.

Exposure Compensation allows you to simply tell the camera's tiny electronic brain to "make it a little lighter" or "make it a little darker".

It's a fairly easy thing to do on DSLR cameras, and one of us will probably cover that soon.  But, guess what?  It is even easier on the V705.

Here are the steps.

1.  Turn the camera on.

2.  Press the OK button, towards your left for darker, or towards your right for lighter.  (I've circled the OK button in fuchsia in the image below, and the SCN button in turquoise.)

As you press the OK button towards the left to darken the image, you'll see a numeric display at the bottom of the LCD screen.  It will show the increments   -0.3, -0.7, -1.0, -1,3, -1.7 ... etc.  And you will see the LCD display darken accordingly.

Now press the OK button towards the right to lighten the image, again you'll see the increments, this time in positive numbers:  +0.3, +0.7, +1.0, +1.3, +1.7 ... etc.  And you will see the LCD display lighten.

Two presses of the SCN button on the top of the camera will return it to full auto.

Now take some pictures.  Choose an object.  Take a few shots on full auto.  Darken  a few steps, then a few more steps.  Lighten a few steps, then a few more.  Upload the photos to your computer, review them and think about which photos look best to you.  The darker ones?  The lighter ones?  Why?

More about exposure compensation:

http://www.photozone.de/4Technique/ec.htm

http://www.photoxels.com/tutorial-exposure-compensation.html

http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/995/EXPOSURE/EV-compensation.html

http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=exposure_compensation

Today's digital cameras can do everything for you on automatic.  In fact, some of the small compact digi-cams don't even give you the choice of overriding the auto systems.  But knowing just what your camera is doing in auto mode can help you trouble-shoot and problem-solve if your camera isn't performing as expected.

Your camera has two distinct auto systems:

Auto Focus: 

On most cameras the focus area will be in the center of your LCD display or viewfinder and will be indicated by a small square or corner brackets. The camera's tiny electronic brain  sees the scene in real time, analyzes the quality of the focus in this area, and adjusts the lens optical components accordingly. As you move your camera you may be able to hear the lens re-focusing.

You will read instructions in your camera manual to "press the shutter button halfway down".  What happens with that "halfway press" is that you are telling the camera's autofocus mechanism to set and lock. 

Sometimes you will hear photographers complaining that a camera has "poor low-light focusing".  In low light or darkness  the camera's electronic brain can't "see" the the objects in scene  well enough to calculate the focus.

Your camera's other Auto is Auto Exposure:

Remember the Nutshell Basics and the Third Fundamental?  When your camera is set on full Auto Exposure, its tiny electronic brain measures the amount of  light in the scene and selects the lens aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, that it is programmed to think is the correct exposure.

The universal icon for full Auto Exposure on full size SLR cameras seems to be the little green rectangle.  For compact digi-cams, consult your camera manual - it varies from camera to camera.  On the Kodak V705, it is the tiny blue lighted button beside the on/off button.

Auto Exposure can be fooled.  We've discussed that before!  Most commonly it is fooled by bright light flowing in through a room's windows.  The camera's tiny electronic brain measures the amount of light coming in the window rather than the general amount in the room.

Coming soon... we'll get the camera OFF of AUTO....

Photography 101 ~ List of All Tutorials

Ok, photographers, time for the first Photography 101 homework assignment.

Put your camera way.

Yep.  Put your camera away, and head out to the your local bookstore or newsstand.  Pick up a copy of Architectural Digest.  Actually any magazine, book or catalog with photos of home interiors will do, but since AD is noted for excellent interior photography, its a good place to start.

Flip through the magazine and pick a photo of a room interior.  Now let's consider that photo with some of the photography concepts previously discussed in mind.

Composition:
What objects in the photo first draw your eye -- the primary subjects?  A fireplace, maybe?  A table, a window?  Remember Bryce's post about the Rule of Thirds?  Take a pencil and draw Bryce's grid lines on the photo (If you want to preserve the magazine, make a photocopy of the page and draw on the photocopy.  If you don't care about the magazine, go ahead and have at it with a felt tip marker).  How are the primary subjects positioned on the grid lines?

Depth of Field/Boke:
Identify the foreground, middle ground, and background.  What area of the photo is in the sharpest focus?  The middleground, maybe?  Is there a vase, or a floral arrangement, in the foreground that is in soft focus?  What about windows?  Can you see trees or shrubs through the windows?  Are the trees and shrubs in soft focus?

Lighting:
Look for bright, highlighted areas.  Where is the light source?  In front of the primary subjects?  To the right or left?  Behind?  Look for shadows.  Do the primary subjects cast shadows?  Are the shadows dark and sharply defined, or soft and muted?  Do the shadows fall in a direction congruent with the light source?  Maybe there is more than one light source?   Look back at the windows.  Is it daylight outside, bright and blown out?  Evening?  Dusk? 

Pick another photo in the magazine, and run through the same exercise.  Compare a photo you particularly like to one you don't like.  Can you describe the differences between the two?

Don't worry.  There is no test, no right or wrong answers.  The object is to simply start increasing your visual awareness. And magazine photos are a remarkably good tool to help you do just that.