Travel Blog

My dad, stepmom and two nephews (step) went on a tour across the US a few weeks ago. Patrick, one of my nephews, is an amazing photographer. Here is his travel blog about the trip, with some stunning photos accompanying it. It's a work in progress, so is not quite finished yet.

Muppas's Travel Blog

Light Graffiti

Here's an interesting find tonight. Time-lapse photography and glow sticks to create "Light Graffiti."

I'm Here!

Sorry, I really slacked this week! I have some pics of Daniel to post later, and a few interesting tidbits for now. Here you go:


No, I didn't take this one! Just found it and was amazed.

Digital SLR Guide

When I was researching what digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera to buy a couple years ago, I came across this resource:

Find The Best Digital SLR Camera For You

I found it to be very well organized, and more importantly, straightforward and in plain English. The author takes you through the steps of deciding what you will need your digital SLR camera for, which types of cameras and/or features are best for those purposes, and how to shop for your camera and get the best deal.

After I selected my Canon Rebel XT using his guide, I then subscribed to his Digital SLR Camera Technique Guide. I was familiar with the basics, having taken a photography course in college, but felt I needed a refresher along with some pointers on a digital camera vs. film.

Having brushed up on the basics, I also subscribed to his free email newsletter. It is a monthly newsletter with tips, camera discussions, and ideas for taking better pictures. (Can you tell I really like this resource yet?) In this month's newsletter, he mentioned his resolution to take one photo a day for the year 2007 with the purpose of discussing techniques used in each photo. I'm adding this site to my photoblog list over on the side.

His main site has scads of information available, including choosing lenses, accessories, reliable online camera shops and more. Go, browse, enjoy!

Hubble Space Telescope

I've always been fascinated by the pictures produced by the Hubble Space Telescope. Thus, for tonight's post, I went in search of some information about it. Ever wonder about those brilliant colors? (Information copied from the HubbleSite, behind the pictures.)

Taking color pictures with the Hubble Space Telescope is much more complex than taking color pictures with a traditional camera. For one thing, Hubble doesn't use color film — in fact, it doesn't use film at all. Rather, its cameras record light from the universe with special electronic detectors. These detectors produce images of the cosmos not in color, but in shades of black and white.

Finished color images are actually combinations of two or more black-and-white exposures to which color has been added during image processing.

The colors in Hubble images, which are assigned for various reasons, aren't always what we'd see if we were able to visit the imaged objects in a spacecraft. We often use color as a tool, whether it is to enhance an object's detail or to visualize what ordinarily could never be seen by the human eye.

Go to the link if you're a science geek like me and would like to learn more! Or just explore their site. They have tons of facts about the telescope, history, picture albums, wallpaper, a newscenter, and even an interactive exploration of some of the more famous images. A good (educational) time waster!

Photoblogs

A fellow "Babbler", Robin, has a wonderful blog called Big Window. I've been browsing through the images she's found, and have discovered the joy of photoblogs. Here's a stunning picture from Round Here. (Click on the picture for the full size and impact.) I've started a new list of photoblog links over on the sidebar.

A New Meaning to "Going Out to Shoot"

Check this out! It's a vintage Leica Gun with 400mm Telyt lens.
(It's a camera, not a gun, just to clarify!)

It will be up for auction next month as part of the Tamarkin Photographica Rare Camera Auction.

There is also this:

"KMZ Russia produces the PhotoSniper series of Zenit SLRs with Tair 300mm Telephoto lenses mounted on rifle stocks."

Thanks to my new favorite blog directory Boing Boing for pointing these out!