This journal is mostly friends-only. If you would like to be added, just comment here. As long as I don't suspect you are a coworker digging up dirt or the person who was peeping into my window last night, I'll probably add you. Photography-related entries are usually open.

I purge occasionally. If I de-friend you, no offense, it's because I either don't read your journal or we do not communicate at all.

I filter topics on magic, tarot, dream interpretation, etc. If you wish to be added to that filter, say so.

Rachel had my 350D converted for infrared for my birthday! I've been wanting a dedicated IR SLR for a long time. After a bunch of experimenting, I think I've got an image or two worth processing, starting with this one. I'm disappointed to find that workhorse 28-135mm lens still produces a hotspot, but the all-important 50mm 1.4, 100-400mm L, and LensBaby all look pretty good. The 50mm needs a little more testing, and I'll try to macro lens sooner or later too. Now I gotta think about what my wide/tele zoom should be... That 28-135 has been a little shoddy for the past year. Too soft on the aperture extremes.

ETA: A closer look at the images I shot with the 28-135 shows that if I keep it around f/8, maybe f/11, the hotspot is manageable or entirely gone.

Another rework. This one doesn't exhibit the same detail as the previous photo of rooftops. It's only now when I look very closely at the negative that I actually see the consequences of the mistake I made on that first roll of film I ever developed. I didn't set it up to dry quickly enough after taking it out of the tank, nor did I set it up to drain water very well. There are water spots on it that obscure a lot of detail when I look closely. Not that I dislike it, I just didn't know previously that it had water spots.

This is the first re-work of some of the initial pictures I took with my RB67. It's not often that I worry much about the shortcomings of the digital translation of film-to-internet, but it matters here. There's something heartbreaking to me in this picture, and it's nearly lost at such a small size:

My first forays into film were digitized in the only manner available to me at the time: by back lighting the film and taking a digital picture with my macro equipment. I would put it on a light table, set the tripod up over it, do my best to align the perspectives, and shoot on a slow shutter speed. This set up required a whole lot of work just to get one frame out of a roll, and the results were... meh.

I don't think I revisited any of my work after I got a film scanner. After reviewing some of that early work, I found a few images I really love but were hindered by that idiotic setup I first worked with. I think I'll be scanning them and reworking the digitization very soon.

For teh locals who may not watch the local comms:

tl;dr version: Charity photography group needs an on-site printer. Know someone?

Help Portrait is an international movement of photographers, editors, and other volunteers who are getting together on December 12 to provide free professional quality portraits to people who normally can't afford them. The local branch in Denver will be focusing its efforts at the St. Francis Center. We've got volunteers to fill every role needed by this project, except for someone who can do high-quality prints on location.

If we don't have an on-site printer, we'll likely have to print off-site and attempt to deliver the prints the next day. We're working with folks whose lives are in flux, and who may for any number of reasons not be able to come back to get their pictures. Printing there at the site right after we take their picture will ensure that more people can take advantage of our services that day.

Sooooo... Know someone?

http://community.help-portrait.com/group/denverco

Because I can think of a few people who appreciate it...

http://help-portrait.com

Go.

Surgery for the in vitro process got bumped up to this weekend. I get cut tomorrow or Sunday night, Rachel goes in the next morning, and implantation happens some time next week.

We haven't even decided if we want twins or not.

But, it's all good. The freak-outs are coming in small doses and are quickly dealt with. Work is incredibly busy right now, with the Q4 release bumping into its deadlines, so that gives me a nice distraction.

Whoo.

That's all.

Model: Michelle

I was really intent on messing with texture in this shoot. I think I've got the whole idea of displacement mapping down, now I just need to figure out where the line is between "enhancement" and "overkill."

Model: Michelle

Model: Michelle

Particle effect ganked from yo_sarrian's how-to: http://nowheremanphotos.com/blog/?p=82

Low contrast processing inspired by conversations with previously mentioned old friend.

For an old friend.

It just now occurred to me that, when the zombpocalypse reduces our society to those eat brains and those who are fleeing for their lives, there may be a few in the former category who moan not the iconic, "BRRRRAAAAAIIIINNNNS," but rather, "CAAAAN HAAAAAZZZZ."

I have three more holes today than I had a couple of days ago. Not the good kind that are meant to display shiny metal or cheap, gaudy jewely, either. No, they're the kind that keep you changing bandages twice a day, or keep you from sitting or laying in comfortable positions, or that ruin old white t-shirts that you don't really wear anymore anyway.

I also have a nice, shiny, brand new Canon 500D.

Combined, I'm possessed with a terrible temptation to break out the macro lens plus tubes and get pictures. Nothing good will come of this.

I need to sell my infrared friend, and I'm giving my friends list a first stab at it. The same will be posted elsewhere by by later on tonight.

-------

I've got a digital camera that I modified to shoot in the infrared and ultraviolet spectrum. Want it?

( Camera description and sample photos )

Traveling again; this time to San Jose to participate in a bunch of product strategy meetings that don't seem to be happening. Puh.

That's ok. I was on vacation all last week, and rode a bike from close to the Alpine Station to the RMNP Entrance. That was, hands down, the most enjoyable (and terrifying) thing I've done in Colorado since we moved here. Pictures soon; I can't count the number of times I'd wished I had a head-mounted camera during that trip. It definitely made me want to get out on my bike more and start riding to work on it.

In other news, it looks like the one person who was really gung ho about working with me on my pro-feminist be-tentacle photo shoot has disappeared off the earth. It's going to be hard to find someone else who can to take it seriously enough to make good images while recognizing the absurdity behind it.

It looks like I might have the chance to catch up with an old online buddy soon. Fernando and I got acquainted a while back via LJ and watched each others' photography over a long time. I took a lot of aesthetic cues from him for a while; it'll be neat to chat with him and get a better idea of where his images come from.

I was about to make a comment about something specifically that I like about recent pictures, and stupidly realized that it's still just reflection, even if it is reflection over time.

Tags: photo

I couldn't tell you how many times I've crossed that bridge. We rode bikes to the office every day, and the path took us across the river right there. Those pulp mills are everywhere in Oulu.

Tags: photo