Payton's unicycle update.

Payton has started to learn how to unicycle without support.

With support(hanging onto my finger) she can go quite a distance, even off of the curb.

without support she can almost get to 2 full rotations.

100 species cont.. part #2b

a continuation of trying to list a 100 species within a mile of my home.(nice I live less then a mile from the beach.)


#94 - cyanea capillata - lion’s mane Jellyfish, somewhat poisonous, I know I had barefeet it hurt somewhat like stinging nettles. some people it can effect much worse. they can get upto 2m in diameter(not likely in the pacific).

#3 - American Bald Eagle.

see post #1 here

the photoblog

Michelle and I have been posting photos to our flickr accounts.

some highlights we have been blogging..here

I have changed my mind

when it came to photography I had a motto.
"Flash sucks! don't use it. you just end up with pictures that you are going to be unhappy with."
and as a General rule. this worked great. natural light always made for better photos. a few other photographer (amatuer/hobbyist)friends ignored me but later on would agree. Flash sucks.

well this rule found some large resistance. low light. very low light.
noise is a huge issue in low light.
well I manged to remove a lot of noise (usually with a lot of photoshop).
(why do weddings need to be poorly lit anyways!)

well a few discoveries (i have made) with regards to ISO vs bitdepth on the image sensor. I even looked it up on the datasheet for my kodak image sensor. the data loss at Higher ISO is huge. the data is simply not there.
so now I knew ISO had to be cranked for good shots.
Thus made me realize the flash needed to be utilized. of at least be able to fake natural light with it.
so I started to reflect upwards. works great with a low ceiling!. ok that works. but not reliably enough.

then I pulled out my old SLR and saw the Flash inside the camera bag. and it had a test button.
so I played with 80 ISO and and the Flash with our pumpkins.






that seemed to work great.


ok then I found Strobist.com
it's a Free online photography class which deals with off camera flashes.
not really for beginners(you need to understand Exposure correctly).
they even have assignments and lessons.

it's all about how to use strobes(off camera flashes) correctly.
so your making the photo. not taking it.
it's also about the right hardware without spending thousands.
so far I have spent $10 on an external flash cable. ( I have already modified it)
and about $7 from homedepot. the rest I have sourced for free. or have already had the parts.
I now have an umbrella refector, vertical poles for mounting strobes to and backdrops.

well the results are stunning.
Michelle has some amazing shots on her facebook photos page with the girls in the tub.
I will post about the hardware I have made later.

Payton

Payton's first night with the new baby


here is a photo of Payton playing online computer games. www.nickjr.com

A shot in the dark

1/2 second exposure 11pm

finally the baby photos yo have been waiting for.

beware of the bears

Payton loves her play-doh
she forcing me to constantly manufacture bears... or swiper...

here is a shot of her lineup. I didn't pose them she did. cute.





But I am thinking there will be a time
when the bears will exact they're revenge.

constantly forced into confinement,


















massacred with blunt scissors.






















they can replicate very easily.

bewarned....

photos from today

a mix of photos from today
































there were lots of birds at the birdfeeder this morning so Payton and I refilled it.
well even the woodpecker came out for some grub.

is that a sign of bad weather coming?
when a woodpecker is willing to give up looking for bugs and eat seeds.

most of the birds were huddling close to the house and door either waiting for the feeder or keeping warm. they all flew away when it got dark. at one point I counted over 30 birds and about 6 different breeds. I am still looking up the names or all of them.

my fathers day today

well it started out with breakfast in bed.

picked up michelles dad.
went to church. Cooper got dedicated.
went for lunch at the ABC.






picked up my fathersday gift.

A BBQ tank for my BBQ. and some nice Rib steaks. mmmm.....












hit a small bird on my street. right into the windshield. THUMP.
turned around saw it still sittin in the middle of the Road. picked it up.
brought it home.






spotted towhee (mabey eastern) it is the one that sounds like a small kitten.


after a few hours we figuared it must be fine. We let it go. it flew faster then we could take photos of it so didn't manage to get any photos of it being released.









then after payton went to bed we grilled the steaks!.


mmm rare...

who are the people in your neighbourhood...

michelle spotted this little guy on the way home
from my grandmas 80th birthday party.







"if you go out into the woods today..."