This is the courthouse in Merrill (Lincoln County). Shannon and I were walking downtown on Saturday, and I saw the shot with the street sign and then I couldn't help but notice shots from then on...
Monday, July 30, 2007
county courthouse
This is the courthouse in Merrill (Lincoln County). Shannon and I were walking downtown on Saturday, and I saw the shot with the street sign and then I couldn't help but notice shots from then on...
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
LCD
I ordered it over 3 months ago, but due to a "LCD panel shortage" it just showed up on Monday. It is so stinking awesome; and I finally have room to...
View and edit photos with Aperture in near print sizes - like these recent flower photos, and...
this shot from the Lincoln County Fair.
It will also be tremendous for using many other apps like - ProTools (shown), iWeb/GoLive, Photoshop, and iTunes (I can watch a show or movie in full glory while doing other things on my MacBook.)Oh, sorry: Dell 22in LCD. DVI & VGA. E228WFPc
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Friday, July 6, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
vanishing point
(satellite map)village storage building, Village of Brokaw, WI
taken with a Nikon D50 on May 22, 2007 by jls
See the Brokaw Walk gallery & many other photos at fourpointedstar.smugmug.com
Monday, May 21, 2007
our new house
If you want to know the specifics, check out the Smugmug Gallery.Our house is the "L" shaped house at the center of the first satellite map. In the second satellite map you can see the Wisconsin River and the Wausau Mill; you can also see just how small Brokaw really is. Also, you can check out Wikipedia for statistics about Brokaw.
Friday, May 11, 2007
hiding
(satellite map, website)I've always liked the look of this building, and the fantastic way it looks when bordered by the trees in Stange park.
Merrill Library, taken from Stange Park, Merrill, WI
taken with a Nikon D50 on May 9, 2007 by jls
See the Stange Park gallery & many other photos at fourpointedstar.smugmug.com
Thursday, May 10, 2007
tools
I love photography. There's a definite enjoyment in seeing an object or scene and capturing it for memory; and like any art, you've never quite conquered it. There's always a new challenge and new tool and new opportunity.
And also like any other art, your tools can make your artform easier or harder to create. I feel that an artist is born an artist. You can teach them new techniques, introduce them to new tools; but the art is inside of them, not taught.
The more photos that I shoot (20,000 +), the more I realize that my tools are either a sharpened pencil or a torn canvas. Have fun checking out my sharpened pencils as I explain how I think they have enabled me to raise my photography to a new level:
Nikon D50.
- I literally am exploding into this tool. For 27 months I used a 4megapixel Kodak point and shoot. I loved the vibrant colors, the small size, the burst mode... It was a great camera, but last fall I realized that in order to really learn photography, I'd need a dSLR. I've got one now. It feels comfortable already. I'm learning about apertures, exposures, and so much more. I've got such a huge amount to learn about shooting just with the 18-55mm lens that I have now. Incredible.
Aperture, Lightroom, iPhoto, or Picasa
- serious photography: Aperture or Lightroom
Priced identically ($299) and aimed for basically the same purpose; basic photo manipulation and organization. I chose Aperture, although from the many blogs that I've read, Lightroom excel in organization, something that I typically struggle with. I've enjoyed two tools immensely; the Loupe is fantastic - pixel for pixel viewing is great, and the ability to preview the photos in full screen and filter them by statistics with keyboard shortcuts is fantastic. Since Lightroom is for XP or Mac, Windows have only one choice.
- casual photography: iPhoto or Picasa
iPhoto 6 for the Mac (included on any new Mac, $79 in iLife '06) and Picasa 2 (free from Google) for Windows or Linux both make great organization easily accessible. Both allow for importing, emailing, screensavers, and basic editing. iPhoto allows for "smart folders" -folders based on user-defined qualifications (favorites, 4 stars, family group, etc.); some medium level editing, and fantastic integration with the other "iApps." Picasa continually scans for new photos on any portion of your harddrive, organizes your photos based on your file structure in Windows, and doesn't require fantastic hardware.
MacBook 2ghz, 1.5gb, 160gb
- I've owned at least one Mac since I was 15. I'm sold on them. But laptop vs. desktop was a constant struggle until I got my MacBook. It is just as fast as any iMac (ok, the brand new 24incher has a 23% advantage plus a dedicated video card), and it's size is so convenient. Having a notebook is so convenient and being able to edit, store, upload, import, and anything else anywhere that I please (within reason - have to have wireless for some things...) is addicting. I don't think I can go back. Now if someone can get me a 700gb drive for my MacBook...
have a good night. :)
And also like any other art, your tools can make your artform easier or harder to create. I feel that an artist is born an artist. You can teach them new techniques, introduce them to new tools; but the art is inside of them, not taught.
The more photos that I shoot (20,000 +), the more I realize that my tools are either a sharpened pencil or a torn canvas. Have fun checking out my sharpened pencils as I explain how I think they have enabled me to raise my photography to a new level:
Nikon D50.
- I literally am exploding into this tool. For 27 months I used a 4megapixel Kodak point and shoot. I loved the vibrant colors, the small size, the burst mode... It was a great camera, but last fall I realized that in order to really learn photography, I'd need a dSLR. I've got one now. It feels comfortable already. I'm learning about apertures, exposures, and so much more. I've got such a huge amount to learn about shooting just with the 18-55mm lens that I have now. Incredible.
Aperture, Lightroom, iPhoto, or Picasa
- serious photography: Aperture or Lightroom
Priced identically ($299) and aimed for basically the same purpose; basic photo manipulation and organization. I chose Aperture, although from the many blogs that I've read, Lightroom excel in organization, something that I typically struggle with. I've enjoyed two tools immensely; the Loupe is fantastic - pixel for pixel viewing is great, and the ability to preview the photos in full screen and filter them by statistics with keyboard shortcuts is fantastic. Since Lightroom is for XP or Mac, Windows have only one choice.
- casual photography: iPhoto or Picasa
iPhoto 6 for the Mac (included on any new Mac, $79 in iLife '06) and Picasa 2 (free from Google) for Windows or Linux both make great organization easily accessible. Both allow for importing, emailing, screensavers, and basic editing. iPhoto allows for "smart folders" -folders based on user-defined qualifications (favorites, 4 stars, family group, etc.); some medium level editing, and fantastic integration with the other "iApps." Picasa continually scans for new photos on any portion of your harddrive, organizes your photos based on your file structure in Windows, and doesn't require fantastic hardware.
MacBook 2ghz, 1.5gb, 160gb
- I've owned at least one Mac since I was 15. I'm sold on them. But laptop vs. desktop was a constant struggle until I got my MacBook. It is just as fast as any iMac (ok, the brand new 24incher has a 23% advantage plus a dedicated video card), and it's size is so convenient. Having a notebook is so convenient and being able to edit, store, upload, import, and anything else anywhere that I please (within reason - have to have wireless for some things...) is addicting. I don't think I can go back. Now if someone can get me a 700gb drive for my MacBook...
have a good night. :)
Christmas Cactus
originally photo posted here, edited using Photoshop CS2Christmac Cactus
taken March 18, 2007 & edited May 7, 2007 by jls
See many other photos at fourpointedstar.smugmug.com
Nikon D50 - New Camera!!!
For quite some time I've wanted a dSLR. Due to the fact that they have never changed thier lense structure and the user interface is much more user friendly; I had my sights set on the Nikon line of cameras. In October, Nikon introduced the D40; a $599, 6.1mpxl dSLR kit aimed squarely at the "pro-sumer." I drooled. Until that point the cheapest dSLRs had been $850 or more, and I hadn't been able to justify spending that much on a camera.
But we've had other priorities; getting a newer laptop for me, fixing the car, renting a house, etc. So "my" dSLR remained frustratingly out of reach.
Walmart to the rescue!
I routinely get 4x6's printed from Walmart. I upload them, and then go pick them up in an hour. On Tuesday, I printed several photos, and picked them up. I found a 2gb SD card for $25 while in the photo department. (I'd had two 512mb cards that would each hold roughly 380 photos. The 2gb card has potential to hold almost 1600.) As was typical, some of the photos didn't turn out; and I had to take them back.
When we went back to Walmart they had set up a clearance table. It had two Nikon D50 kits for $575; at least $100 cheaper than they are new on Amazon. The D50 system is placed as a slightly better camera than the D40. It too is a 6.1mpxl system, and comes with a rechargeable batter, basic lense, and a manual that will make any person humble. The main differences in the D40 and the D50 are in the details. To make the D40 so inexpensive, they left out several small features that the D50 had.
We went home, made sure that we could 'afford' the camera; and I went back yesterday and bought it. We them promptly went to Stange Park in Merrill, where I took 170 photos. Those 170 photos proved one thing; I've got a serious learning curve ahead of me.
my trusty Kodak EasyShare CX7430
my trusty Kodak EasyShare CX7430 alongside my Nikon D50
(that is Shannon & I's Build-a-Bear "honey" that we got on our honeymoon.)
But we've had other priorities; getting a newer laptop for me, fixing the car, renting a house, etc. So "my" dSLR remained frustratingly out of reach.
Walmart to the rescue!
I routinely get 4x6's printed from Walmart. I upload them, and then go pick them up in an hour. On Tuesday, I printed several photos, and picked them up. I found a 2gb SD card for $25 while in the photo department. (I'd had two 512mb cards that would each hold roughly 380 photos. The 2gb card has potential to hold almost 1600.) As was typical, some of the photos didn't turn out; and I had to take them back.
When we went back to Walmart they had set up a clearance table. It had two Nikon D50 kits for $575; at least $100 cheaper than they are new on Amazon. The D50 system is placed as a slightly better camera than the D40. It too is a 6.1mpxl system, and comes with a rechargeable batter, basic lense, and a manual that will make any person humble. The main differences in the D40 and the D50 are in the details. To make the D40 so inexpensive, they left out several small features that the D50 had.
We went home, made sure that we could 'afford' the camera; and I went back yesterday and bought it. We them promptly went to Stange Park in Merrill, where I took 170 photos. Those 170 photos proved one thing; I've got a serious learning curve ahead of me.
my trusty Kodak EasyShare CX7430
my trusty Kodak EasyShare CX7430 alongside my Nikon D50(that is Shannon & I's Build-a-Bear "honey" that we got on our honeymoon.)
Monday, May 7, 2007
the spire
(satellite map, website)Christ Episcopal Church's cemetary in Greenville, SC
taken May 4, 2007 by jls
See the CEC gallery & many other photos at fourpointedstar.smugmug.com
Sunday, May 6, 2007
rusty fence
(satellite map, website)Christ Episcopal Church's cemetary in Greenville, SC
taken May 4, 2007 by jls
See the CEC gallery & many other photos at fourpointedstar.smugmug.com
Thursday, May 3, 2007
the falls
Eau Claire Dells State Park
(about 15 min southwest of Antigo)
taken April 21, 2007 by jls
See the Eau Claire Dells gallery and other photos at fourpointedstar.smugmug.com
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
standing room only
(Merrill Parks website, satellite map)Stange Park, Merrill, WI
taken May 1, 2007 by jls
See the Merrill gallery & many other photos at fourpointedstar.smugmug.com
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
what a photo means to you...
(Merrill Parks website, satellite map)bridge next to Stange Park, Merrill, WI
taken May 1, 2007 by jls
See the Merrill gallery & many other photos at fourpointedstar.smugmug.com
a little lesson for everyone...
In photography, there are several things that are very easy to master. Things like focus, lighting, and steadiness are simply controlled. What makes photography interesting is the artist's aspect of taking a photo; composition, alignment, structure, advanced focus, portayal, etc.
I 'grade' all of my work in Aperture. I assign from zero to five stars to each photo based on how well I portayed (in the photo) what I saw (in real life). When I imported this photo, I gave it one star, and it got one star because it wasn't out of focus, otherwise it would have gotten zero. I just plain didn't like the photo. It's focused, the lighting is within acceptable tolerances (for a simple point-n-shoot camera), and the photo is steady; but from an artist's standpoint I didn't like it...not one bit.
Shannon on the other hand looked at the photo and immediately said "I love that photo, Josh!" For a reason that neither of us could ever explain, our artist's eyes are vastly different. So just for my wife, I am posting a photo that I thought was useless, but she thought was fantastic.
Let this be a lesson: Art is truely in the eye of the beholder. What you might think is stupendous, other's might not think is great at all, and not everything that you discount is indeed worthless.
'metadata' - of sorts
I'm going to start including some data as to where I've taken each shot. I hope that this makes each photo more interesting.
(metadata, as used in photography, actually typically refers to camera model, time when the photo was taken, and specific information about the camera's configuration when the photo was taken; but I think that metadata, or "data about data," would also refer to geographical information.)
(metadata, as used in photography, actually typically refers to camera model, time when the photo was taken, and specific information about the camera's configuration when the photo was taken; but I think that metadata, or "data about data," would also refer to geographical information.)
new co-worker
This snake was proving to us on Halloween his skills as a Red Hat server admin. He was just a little to shady for our company, so we had to let him go.
Monday, April 30, 2007
country church
about 7 miles northwest of Wausau
taken October 2, 2006 by jls
See many other photos at fourpointedstar.smugmug.com
like a bridge over placid waters
Stange Park, Merrill, WI
taken April 14, 2007 by jls
See the Stange Park gallery and other photos at fourpointedstar.smugmug.com
Sunday, April 29, 2007
link check...sorry
I just realized tonight that on each and every post on both Expressions & Reflections and Through Our Lense, I've been linking to my SmugMug account incorrectly. Here is the link as it should be:
http://fourpointedstar.smugmug.com
sorry.
http://fourpointedstar.smugmug.com
sorry.
dry season
near Man-made Lake, 72nd ave., Wausau
taken April 27, 2007 by jls
See the man-made lake gallery and many other photos at fourpointedstar.smugmug.com
Saturday, April 28, 2007
church in the sunset
along Hwy K (about 2 miles north of Wausau)
taken April 23, 2007 by jls
See the Hwy K gallery and other photos at fourpointedstar.smugmug.com
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