# Another tree-inspired photograph



## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

10/25/11

Yesterday I posted a photo of mushrooms that are growing around a (dead) maple tree stump on our property. Howie commented: "In this fast paced world we often do not slow down long enough to enjoy the beauty of little things."

I spend a lot of time, with my photography, slowing down and capturing minute details of my environment. This picture, however, was taken while traveling down a bumpy back road. (No, I wasn't driving).

Location: Mill Lake, Parry Sound Ontario
Subject: trees
Special Effects: created solely by the bounces of the vehicle












---------------------------------------------

*Tree-Inspired Photo of the Day Project* (tag: TIPdp)
Forums tagged as TIPdp


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

now that is so cool miss debbie….thank you for a beautiful morning picture…have a great day


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

you, too


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## danr (Sep 5, 2009)

very nice


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## LeeJ (Jul 4, 2007)

That is very cool!

Lee


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Do we get to turn this into a nature photography thread? Here is my hibiscus closeup.


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## 2 (Feb 26, 2006)

That's a cool one, Debbie. I'm glad somebody else was driving )

Nature photo thread, Charlie? Why not… one from the fall morning wanderings 2 weekends ago:


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

oooooh nice!!! 
I'm a wee bit addicted to macro shots .. I do love the "up close and personal" photos. So pure and inspirational. 
Thanks guys.


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## bubbyboy (Jan 10, 2011)

Mother Nature at her finest West Coast near the town of Cambria


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## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

I love the effect on the trees, Debbie! They look so cool! I am also glad you weren't the one at the wheel. That is why I like being a passenger most of the time when we go on road trips. 

As long as we are submitting - some of the woods near my house where we walk along the Metaghan river. It is beautiful this time of year!


From October 24, 2011

Enjoy from Nova Scotia, Canada! Sheila


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

So you wanna take it to the west coast, do ya? Pacific Grove.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Sheila: Gorgeous scenery!


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## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

Yes, Charles. I have been here a couple of years and I still feel like a 'tourist'. I have lots of picture of our road trips around this area in my Picasa Public albums (if you click the name of the album, you can get there.) I am in awe of nature and I love to see pictures from all over the world. Your area is stunning as well. Just simply beautiful! It is amazing how our own natural environment can hold so much beauty, isn't it?

Sheila


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## bubbyboy (Jan 10, 2011)

Isn't Mother Nature *GRAND* all very beautiful pictures


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

awesome photos-lovely images of our amazing planet!!

don't the images just make your heart smile??!


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Here is a couple from the California North Coast I took Saturday. These are from Goat Rock Beach near the mouth of the Russian River. (Gotta love the camera in the new iPhone 4s)


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## bubbyboy (Jan 10, 2011)

Debbie, For me it makes my whole body smile, with all the junk going on in todays world what a refreshing way to perk up my day and get it off to a great start, thanks for all the pics everyone. Sometimes we need to just slow down and smell the roses. Ron


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

OK, I just couldn't help myself:

*THE BIRD*-not only THAT, but it is sticking it's tongue out at us!










Rufous Hummingbird - Central/South Texas 12-2-2007
Adult female.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

impressive phone photos.

and the hummer-gorgeous


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

well we have to represent alabama this morning as well…









i tool this about 15 minutes ago, we have a lovely 70 degrees this morning..and i just could not pass up this shot…we have a wonderful planet to live, and so many beauitful things to see…its grand…


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

grand indeed!!!


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

I'll see your hummingbird and raise you one butterfly.


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

wow charlie, that is awesome …..i dont know if i can let that raise just go…


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

i'll take the hummer *and* the butterfly (well .. a moth, in my case) and share this photo of a hummingbird moth


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Ms Debbie WINS!


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Since we are on the topic of photograpy, has everyone seen the Lytro Camera? Basically you take the photo and then choose the point of focus. Pretty cool stuff. The second link is to their gallery where you can see how it works.

http://www.lytro.com/

http://www.lytro.com/living-pictures#living-pictures/282?&_suid=307


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

But, but, but… My EGO is BIGGER!


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Here is an example of a Lytro photo… Click on the spider.

http://www.lytro.com/living-pictures/279/embed


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## CampD (Nov 8, 2008)

And for the flower lover,.. I bring you roses still growing in late October 









Calling for snow Thursday, that should be a cool pic.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

awesome .. love the colours.

the lytro: yes, I've seen the site… interesting concept.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

those roses are GORGEOUS


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Wayne, that camera technology is pretty amazing. But when I checked out their website a month or so ago and tried to play with the images in high-res, the results were pretty poor. Very grainy.


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

The stuff on the web site seems to be well behaved for me. Not sure if the issue would be with the camera or the technology on the web site. I would like to have one to play with, but $400 is a bit steep for a new toy.


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

*From the Oceans and to the Seas,

Over Hill & Dale and even Bees.

We see very talented Woodworkers' work,

As well as more beautiful stuff from which they lurk.

.

It's amazing the hidden talents that have just been uncovered…

A perfect example of how the Off Topic section can be hovered.
*
.

*Thank you very much…*


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Wayne, I just went back to the website, and something is definitely different. Before, I was able to view the images full screen, and that's when the lack of quality became obvious. They must have figured it out and removed that option.

To confirm my suspicions, I did a little research. This is an excerpt from the PC Magazine article about the technology:

It all sounds like a big improvement over normal photography, and it is, but it doesn't come without tradeoffs, the main one being picture resolution. The nature of light-field photography makes it difficult capture high-resolution images without making the optics extremely complicated. Although Ng says his team has found ways to mitigate the issue, the Lytro camera won't be competing with others on the market in the megapixel arena.


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

So probably good for photos targeted to web pages. It will be interesting to see how the technology evolves over time.

Joe, the sad part is people have to wade through the other BS to get to wonderful posts like this.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Awesome photos. MsDeb, did you do that in photoshop after the fact or is that a raw photo?

WayneC, 100% correct. I just posted my retirement and call to arms for the benefit of LJ's return to the "Karson" standard we found here ;-))


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

that's the picture.
Sometimes I do cropping, +contrasting, +sharpness … but that's it.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

Wonderful pictures, I can see we are many who loves nature.










Here is one of mine from this summer.


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

It's all so gorgeous. I truly hope this thread becomes very popular. I could look all day.


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

great pictures all of them 

but the first one from Msdeppie does tell a scary story if you havn´t noticed 
its not all about taking the picture sometimes you have to create it in your mind 
before its possiple …. and in other case … to see the picture in the photo 
after you have arived to the dark room ... as I gess that what happen here 
congrat´s Msdeppie by seeing it ….......I just think you have inspired me to take up photo-art again

take care
Dennis


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

Debbie: I can appreciate that bumpy road. I used to come up there to bear hunt . But….you have a beautiful country despite the bumpy roads.


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## CampD (Nov 8, 2008)

Here's one near my camp in northern Vermont taken this past June looking across a field of lupins and the Connecticut river into NH with the with White mountains in the background.


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## SASmith (Mar 22, 2010)

Grey foxes playing in the road.


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

loving this thread , thank you miss debbie and all the other contributors

From the amazing island of St. John USVI


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## bubbyboy (Jan 10, 2011)

Bird of Paradise  Knotts Berry Farm Southern Calif


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

lovely, everyone!! Lovely.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Mandevilla in my back yard.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

And let's not forget moonlight at dusk….


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## superstretch (Jan 10, 2011)

Debbie- That moth looks like a shrimp!









The base of one of the giant maple trees out front. The trunk at the narrowest point is 4' in diameter.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Photographers days are numbered!!


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## superstretch (Jan 10, 2011)

As a citizen of the city in which Kodak resides, I refuse to believe that


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

great photos!!!

the Hummingbird moth - yes, it looks like a shrimp .. or a crayfish

why are photographers days numbered?


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

"Everything is beautiful, in its own way"................. who sung it???? that's what is goin thru my head right now


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

ray stevens.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

he also did "the streak", I think
"Ethel-get your clothes on!"


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## CampD (Nov 8, 2008)

"Photographers days are numbered!!"

Like the saying goes,... "you can pry my cold dead fingers off my camera!"


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

Ok, I gotta add a few variety
just a baby I found in my driveway one day:










then, I found this one in the same driveway a few years later…. don't know if it's the same baby! lol

































a Pilated Woodpecker (we call him "Woody")


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

Oh, and a Monarch in a field of flowers


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

ahh yes ray stevens…......... thnx Deb


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

*"Photographers days are numbered!!"*

*Like the saying goes,... "you can pry my cold dead fingers off my camera!"*

Professionals! With the cameras that are out today coupled with digital editing and touch up, who needs a pro? I have fooled around with my Nikons for 30+ years doing this type of thing with extension tubes and film. REal PIA to do this stuff. Now, point. click, like? Don't like? delete, click away until you like what you get ;-))


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

a pileated woodpecker at the feeder??? !!!! AWESOME.

great, great photos.

Oh re: photographers days are numbered.
Yes, but an artist will always be an artist and they will always be distinguished from the "average".


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

and the butterfly-the grasses really take this photo to another level! Lovely


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Bob, I think there will always be a need for artistic and technical skills in creating good photographs. I don't think professionals are going to become obsolete.

But you are certainly right that it is a whole new ball game with digital imaging. Back in the day, I'd take a few shots with my AE-1 and pray that they would look decent when they came back from being developed. Cropping had to be done when you shot the photo, because there was no such thing as post-camera editing for the amateur. And you could not afford to take too many shots of the same subject, because film and processing cost money!


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## Loucarb (Dec 19, 2008)

Fantastic photos WOW


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## steviep (Feb 25, 2011)

The first thing I learned from my D-SLR is thank God I live in a time where I don't have to pay for each and every underexposed, overexposed, wrong-ISO-setting, wrong shutter-speed picture I take! *Charlie*, the moon photo is my favorite, you guys are truly artist.

This one was taken on my iphone4


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

very impressive photo (phone or otherwise).


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

I'm with Debbie… that's a fantastic iphone photo, Stevie!


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

What I am saying is digital cameras open the world up to people who could not or wounld not have been able to do it before. Any amatuer can take as good a picture as a pro with very little effort. In the 70s when I started it was a monumental undertaking to take closeups like we get now with point and click. That takes the value of the pro way down in the market place. Just the way the old ball bounced ;-))


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## AUBrian (Feb 1, 2011)

And on a foggy Tennessee morning….


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

dang that is awesome


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## bubbyboy (Jan 10, 2011)

I am not sure who took the following video but I found it to be simply *AMAZING* I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. It starts a little slow but watch the middle of the screen

http://www.dogwork.com/owfo8/


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

wow indeed.


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

I cant remember what causes the deformities but they kinda look like a burl.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Great stuff, everybody!


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

AUBrian, that is awesome!! I have seen those a lot and tried to capture a few, but never one as large and perfect as that one.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Here is another type of rose, The Rosette Nebula NGC2244-Narrowband Hubble Palette (S,Ha,O), ST-10XME on NP-127 w/.8xFR, 528mm f/4.2, 12.66 hours Total Exposure, (12)20m SII, (12)20m Ha, (14)20m OIII, Imaged on 01/09-10/2010.

Click IMAGE for Full Screen


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## steviep (Feb 25, 2011)

Dang Mike, great pic. That must be a kick to see live.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

wooooohoooo fantastic


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

If you look closely, Mike, you can make out God's face. His mouth is open, and he's yelling at you and me.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

or…. the possibilities are being exhaled into the Universe


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

some day we will have pictures of the others who are out there…taking pictures of the earth in its universe…never know…..i love seeing that, because it tells me gods work is beyond what we can imagine..if were here…think of how many other places like this there are, we cant think that god would only create just one planet with his children…its beautiful….....great picture


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Charlie,
Please notice that he is a Blue doG-God Democrat. *;-)


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

cosmic "images: ... check out this site


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

I just happened to remember some pics I took of the *Golden Gate Bridge while driving across it.*..

I found them… and *made a short video of them…*

Hope this works!






*I know it doesn't rank in quality of the rest of your pictures… but, I thought you might like to see it UP Kinda Close… As close as you can get without walking across it… and YES you can… if you're in the mood for a little stroll (hike)... LOL*


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

that's cool. 
thanks!


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Cool, Joe! I just took that ride a few months ago. We rode the ferry to Sausalito, and took a cab back into the city. Beautiful area.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

So THAT's what it looks like being ON the GGB. To be honest, I passed *UNDER* this thing dozens of times more than OVER it. )

Still an amazing structure though…


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

Not a tree as far as the eye can see and you can watch your neighbour leave………for 3 days


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

great photo … love the "see them leaving .. for 3 days"


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## SBG (Dec 8, 2009)

Here's one I took several years ago in Zion National Park using a 4×5 filed camera shooting real Black & White Film. This is a scan of an 8×10 print made from the negative.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

Beautiful Jim.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Jim, if I wasn't a trusting sort, I'd think you stole that from Ansel Adams. Great photo!


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

I agree with Charlie!!
Very, very impressive.


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## SBG (Dec 8, 2009)

Thanks for the kind words. I have always loved photography and before I got serious about wood working I had a complete darkroom setup and a huge collection of cameras.

Here's another one from the same trip taken with a Hasselblad 500CM. The location is Grafton, located just outside of Zion. (I should note that the actual prints look much,much nicer than the scans)


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

when I grow up I want to take photos like these!! 

beautiful.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Yes, MsDebbie, there is a certain aesthetic to good old fashioned film (in the hands of a skilled photographer) that's hard to duplicate.


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## kolwdwrkrsgirl (Sep 16, 2009)

Yay….really enjoyed looking thru all of these awesome pics!  Here's a few of mine to add to them….

*~Bamboo Forest~*


*~Love of Trees~*


*~Autumn Leaf~*


*~Wooded Bridge~*


*~Lady Bug~*


*~Salt Creek Sunset~* (Orange County, CA)


Anyone who is interested in looking at more of my pics can see them here: 
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.124595164277341.21384.100001805748512&type=3


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

beautiful; beautiful; beautiful


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

- and beautiful!


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## kolwdwrkrsgirl (Sep 16, 2009)

Here's a few more…..

*~Flowers on the Green~*


*~Hiking on Aliso Creek Trails~*


*~Seabird at Salt Creek~*


*~Pond at San Juan Capistrano Mission~* (Capistrano, CA)


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

Be - U - T- ... ful!!!!

gorgeous


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

Jim,

Your Zion Park pics are simply GREAT… Yes, Ansel Adams would enjoy looking at them! You're right there with him!

Golly, I druelled (dreamed of) owning a Hasselblad for years! I thought was simply the BEST camera one could own!

What was your favorite type of film, F-Stop, & developer back when you made those shots?
I'll bet you still have a few cameras, etc. I still have mine… even though obsolete & too expensive to use, etc.

Thank you for posting your beauties!


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## SBG (Dec 8, 2009)

Joe,

Thanks so much for the kind words. The Hasselblad is truly an amazing camera, and the Ziess lenses are simply the best.

When I was still shooting film I would use Kodak Tri-X or Ilford Delta and usually developed them in Kodak HC-110. I always printed on fiber based paper, never liked the RC stuff. My papers of choice where Oriental Seagull for graded paper and Zone VI Brilliant for veriable contrast.

I sold most of my photography and darkroom equipment to pay for my woodworking tools, but I still have a few items just in case I get the bug again.

Here's one that I shot with a Leica M7 35mm.. Another outstanding camera.


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## SBG (Dec 8, 2009)

I would like to also say that there are some very talented photographers here. Beautiful work everyone!! I really enjoy veiwing it all.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

And thank you, Jim, for jumping into the action with your classic B&W beauties. Speaking of black and white and trees, I took this recently in Jackson Square here in New Orleans.


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

*Jim,*

Yes, those Leica's were the Cat's Meow of the Range Finder cameras!

Let's see the mid 1950's to mid 1960's is when I was hot n heavy into it.

My experience with Tri-x was very good high speed (ASA 400-450) with HORRIBLE grain.
Plus-X was a little bit slower (ASA 80) than Try-x and better grain.
Panatomic-x was slow (ASA 25), but with decent average light, was good with very fine grain.
I bought it in bulk and wound my own cartridges… was a lot cheaper!

Seems like I got good results using Accufine developer.

Oh… yes, I had some Printing filters (#'d 0-10) for Contrast control… Poly-Contrast paper IIRC…
That was good stuff… you could bring out a completely washed out negative to a beautiful well balanced print! Amazing stuff!

*Charlie: * Your Tree picture of above, did you make the print forcing more contrast to it? Looks like a lot of contrast to really make it dramatic! Or, did you do it all on a computer adjusting the contrast, etc.? Looks great!

BTW: *The St. Louis Cardinals just won the World Series!*


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Joe, I both removed the color and adjusted the contrast on the computer with Adobe Lightroom.


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

COOL! I was guessing PhotoShop…

Good job!

Thank you!


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

All these beautiful view made me think of LJ "Frank". His photography of the wilderness and his poetry, I really miss.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

oh so true


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Lew, yes…. I had forgotten about Frank.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

Awesome beauty of nature captured here, folks! This has been a real eye candy thread!


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

he wasn't well and was off the site for some time.. then he came back for a while but I haven't seen him for a few months. I hope he is doing well.


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## majeagle1 (Oct 29, 2008)

OMG - I just got online after being gone for a few days and WOW, look at all these amazing photo's!!!!

I just have to chime in and raise Charlie a butterfly or two…..





These are both Monarch Butterflies

This is a fantastic thread, keep it up !


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## majeagle1 (Oct 29, 2008)

Thought I would add a couple more pics tonight….


This is a Thistle Plant


This is Queen Anne's Lace
If you look closely, the small red dot in the middle is actually a red/purple part of the flower. It is supposed to represent a drop of blood from when Queen Anne pricked her finger from a thorn.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

All right, Gene… you win. But only because your model is prettier than mine.


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## majeagle1 (Oct 29, 2008)

Hey Charlie, your model was beautiful as well…... even a little more slim I think! 
How do you like Adobe Lightroom ? I was thinking about trying it…...

Some beautiful photos on this thread….

JIM - I have to agree with Charlie…... Holy shades of Ansel Adams is right! Beautiful !


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Gene, I use both Photoshop and Lightroom. Lightroom really has some great adjustments that PS does not, but it doesn't take the place of PS, because it doesn't do crops, resizing, etc. I highly recommend it… the only bad thing about it is that the interface takes some getting used to. You can't just open a file with it… you have to import it, make your adjustments, and then export it back to another (or same) folder. It's kind of a PITA. What I would love is if they just took the capabilities of Lightroom and built them into Photoshop (and Photoshop Elements).


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## majeagle1 (Oct 29, 2008)

Charlie, wow, it does sound like a PITA with all the importing and exporting…. I use Photo Impact and Compupic Pro for most everything…... never have taken the time to really use / get used to Photoshop, even though i do have it…... probably should..


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Close enough!


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

*TopamaxSurvivor:*

WOW!

Maybe that is where you got your name? *LOL*

Nice shot…


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

amazing photos everyone!!! amazing.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Boy! I'm tryin' to keep up! Went to the store and got a "Paint-by-Numbers Kit" and,... and…

Actually the better half imaged this one:
Painted Bunting 4/26/09










Wave at these fine Lumberjocks…
Th…Th…That's all folks…








Sharp Shinned Hawk 12-20-2008


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

ooooh he's beautiful

We had an indigo bunting in our yard a couple of years ago. I had never seen one before. He visited a couple of times and I haven't seen him since.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Topamax: Where did you get that shot of me before I've had my morning coffee?


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

what an amazing shot of the hawk. WOW


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## majeagle1 (Oct 29, 2008)

Topomax….Both pics are just beautiful! Wish we had some of those Buntings out our way, what beautiful colors…


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

*HorizontalMike"*

*Nice shots!*

What kind of telephoto lens do you have?


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Joe SAID: "What kind of telephoto lens do you have?"

It all depends on what we are shooting:
Camera-Canon 300D Digital Rebel 6.3Mp (one of the first in the USA, Sept/Oct 2003)









On hand-held Leslie and I use a Canon 70-200 f/2.8L zoom









But most often we use an early (2003) Orion (Synta) 80mm f/7.5 F/L 600mm Telescope w/tripod
BTW, the MoonLite focuser on it cost as much as the telescope at the time. ;-)









Leslie's Birding Web Here


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

*HorizontalMike:*

Hey man, you're just a tad SERIOUS about photography aren't you?!

Awesome stuff… BUT, based on the other pictures we have seen, I'm sure there is a lot more equipment in the inventory that made some of these pictures possible…

Thank you for showing! Great stuff!


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I'll bet that cat uses that scope more than anyboy when he gets hungary.


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## majeagle1 (Oct 29, 2008)

HorizontalMike: ..... same lens I use with my Canon 7D . Love it for wildlife and Indy Car Races!

That Orion looks fantastic…. now that is what I need!

Thanks for sharing…....


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Topa, that cat was named "Dogface" and weighed in at 22lb. Sad to say we lost him to cancer last year. He was a good cat though, thanks for noticing.

OK Gene and Joe, here is when I get *serious* about photography. And to think I COULD HAVE knocked 15yr off my mortgage instead. Oh well… *;-)*




























BELOW-Leslie doing some SERIOUS Birding, and YES that IS a bird field guide on the railing.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Ever spy on the neighbors?


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

To be honest, they are too far away and besides whut fer?


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

gee that camera equipment would buy a whole shop full of tools…maybe there is a way to mount a saw blade on that observatory, as it goes around…it makes some mighty nice cuts…hey…just saying…lol…...what a nice set up mike..i was looking at your web page…seeing what is out there in outer space, just lets me know that god has been busy for a very long time…..what does the bom say about all of that…, i just love the set up, i bet its hard to go to bed some nights…just looking at all of that is amazing…thanks for showing us…


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I don't know why people do that kind of stuff, but with those telescopes, nothing it too far away ;-))


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Holy crap, Mike! I've never known anyone with their own observatory.


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## majeagle1 (Oct 29, 2008)

Whoaa Mike, I agree with Charlie….. "Holy Crap!

Those are truly "SERIOUS" lenses…... are they what is called "Hyperbolic"? Don't know anything about them but I seem to remember seeing a picture of one once….. WOW!

I'm going to check out your website to see if I see any aliens !!!


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

Hey guys… I'm beginning to feel Sorry I Asked! LOL (just kidding… Mike)

That is once bunch of *EQUIPMENT!*

Yes, I can see it happening… buy this… then that… this… next thing you know you got *THAT!*

Orbit adjusting cameras n ALL! AWESOME!

A PO… Personal Observatory…

Thank you very much, Mike… Awesome…


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

I have one thing so say

"fieldtrip"


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Hey thanks folks! THAT's why I had to buy all my WW equipment last year, before I ran out of $$$ *;-)* At least astronomy and WW are stay-at-home hobbies for the most part and much easier on the wallet after you are all set up, except for the wood **

P.S. -That's what happens to math/science teachers and/or ex-teachers. Just ask Cosmicsniper


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

I think it is a good lesson in "investment"


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

waaow a few days away and the blog is in full blumen 
thank you for sharing all the beatyfull picture´s

Jim thank´s for reminding me of earlyer days with Adam Ansel in the backpack 
and fiber paper in the darkroom together with some good redvine 

Mike 
very nices scopes you have 
is it a 2000 mm mirror scope Leslie is using …

Dennis


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Dennis,
That is a 10in or 2500mm f/10 SCT. Got two of them, one in the observatory and one for free standing. In all truth, that image is the ONLY time we were able to look *horizontally* at that magnification (it was light rain and VERY stable). Most of the time there is just too much turbulence in the atmosphere. Much easier looking straight up at night.


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

thanks Mike 
I don´t know anything about looking up and out 
but it reminded me of a 2000mm I saw in Prag twelwe years ago attached to an russian camera 
like the big SLR pentax have made 
I have a 500 mm I can change to a 1000 with adding a ring between it and the camera 
not much I have used it since it need alot of light to avoid shaked pictures

Dennis


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

Gigapixel photography

One of my former laser colleagues, when I was still working in laser interferometry, introduced me to this gigapixel photography about 6 years ago when there were only a few photographs available on the web.

He knows Douglas McCulloh, who one of the designers this gigapixel camera, which is now being used by National Geographic, NASA, and a group trying to preserve some historic senses of the U.S.!

*The amount of resolution is unbelievable!*


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## TedW (May 6, 2012)

OldNovice, I sure am glad you posted and bumped this thread back into view… so to speak. I can't compete with that gigapixel photography (although it looks like HorizontalMike can make a go of it, and awesome stuff by the way), but I do manage to get some nice shots from my Fujifilm Finepix, 12 Megapixel with 18X zoom… basically a midrange point and shoot which I ever use only a few of the settings. Still, maybe it's enough to revive this thread and let others know that off topic ain't all that bad. Here's a few of my favorite shots.

These first three were taken at the Belmont "L" train station in Chicago




























There are many of these tile mosaic characters that decorate the train station. I don't know the artist or the inspiration… just know I like 'em.

Have you ever stopped to look at a simple dandelion?










I mean *really* looked…










So everybody, be they on foot or wheels, can enjoy our beautiful lake front, this is a handicap accessible section near Montrose Harbor, in Chicago.










This one just kind of snuck in on me. I was navigating the muddy edge of a marshy pond with my camera ready to shoot some dragonflies, when I accidentally pressed the button. Can you find the frog?










And of course, some random flowers…





































Don't ask me what they are, I don't know.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Nice pics Ted! It has been probably +30yr since the last time I took the "L". Thanks for the memories.


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## TedW (May 6, 2012)

I wish I could say the same… except for decorating many of the stations and renaming the routes, it hasn't changed much.


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## Stephenw (Nov 14, 2011)

I snapped this with an iPhone 4…


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## Stephenw (Nov 14, 2011)

Another…


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

oh how I love photography!!!


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