The Gettysburg Address

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Today is the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. After watching a long list of YouTube videos, I picked this one as my favorite reading of the address.

It is “recited by some of the best voiceover talent in the country: David McCullough, Ken Burns, Sam Waterston, Matthew Broderick, Stephen Lang and Medal of Honor recipient Paul W. Bucha. Musical score provided by Oscar-winning composer John Williams. Video was created in opposition to a proposed casino 1/2 mile from the Gettysburg National Military Park.” The voice over talent and other participants volunteered their services.

How to Get the Best Results from the Best Online Photo Labs

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Online Labs Rated

The lab you choose and the kind of file you send to your lab can make a big difference in the quality of print you get back. How do you pick a good online photo lab? How do you get the best results from your lab? What color space should you use for your digital files and how do you convert your files to the right color space? How big a print can you make from your digital files?

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W. Eugene Smith, “Tomoko in Her Bath”

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“What are your favorite memorable photos?” That’s the question I was asked by one of my friends yesterday. This is one of the images that moves me deeply (click on the photo to see a larger version). The expression of love and tenderness on the mother’s face as she bathes her 16 year old daughter. The daughter’s face and body showing the ravages of Minamata Disease. The play of light and shadow. To my eyes this is a stunning image, even if you know nothing about the story behind this photo. It is clear why many photographers consider W. Eugene Smith to be one of the best photojournalists of the 20th century.

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RAW vs JPEG Exposure Latitude

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JPEG and RAW Files, both overexposed by two stops and corrected in Photoshop

JPEG and RAW Files, both overexposed by two stops and both corrected in Photoshop

RAW files have a number of advantages over JPEG files, one of them being the significant advantage in exposure latitude. You can prove this for yourself by doing a simple exposure test and learn your own camera’s exposure latitude.

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Support the NPS!

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Support the NPS!

Support the NPS!

During the government shutdown of our National Parks, some park service employees have come under fire in the media during circumstances which are not of their own making. While there may be a few grumpy people in the NPS (and anyone in any profession can say some some things in stressful moments they wish they could retract), in 30 plus years of taking photos in our National Parks I have had many excellent encounters with the hard working members of the NPS.

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POTD: Cemetery for Military Working Dogs

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Cemetery for Military Working Dogs, Fort Irwin California

Cemetery for Military Working Dogs, Fort Irwin California

This cemetery for military working dogs is at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin California. Something about this place touched my heart. It was good to see the dogs that serve our country remembered in this way. The crosses indicate the dog’s name and the month and year the dog died.

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POTD: Mushrooms

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Mushrooms

Mushrooms

One of my neighbors couldn’t wait for me to get home from a long trip so he could show me the mushrooms in his back yard. While I was gone he mowed around several bunches of mushrooms, pine needles, and leaves so he wouldn’t disturb the scene, hoping I would get home while the mushrooms still looked good.

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50 Years Ago Today

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Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr.

50 years ago today on August 28, 1963 at the Lincolm Memorial, Martin Luther King delivered one of his most famous and stirring speeches, known as “I have a dream”. A portion of it follows. Links to the full speech and an audio file are at the end of this post.

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Geo-Tagged Photos: Posting Photos Online Can Put Your Family at Risk

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Exif Viewer, GPS Location Data

Exif Viewer, GPS Photo Location Data

Your smartphone is designed to geotag the locations of your photos and store it in the photo’s “metadata”. Many other cameras do the same thing. This means if you take pictures of your family and post them online, anyone (including some very unsavory characters) can pull up a map of where the photo was taken. Is there really a danger? Yes. Burglars and kidnappers are already using online photos to track potential victims. Law enforcement offices are warning that sexual predators can do the same thing. See the articles and videos linked below. What can you do to protect your family? Keep reading.

Originally posted August 13, 2013. Revised and updated January 28, 2015. Updated again Dec. 17, 2016.

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OSU’s Photo Workshop – August 9-11, 2013

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Nature photography by Jim Doty, Jr.

Nature Photography by Jim Doty, Jr.

OSU’s Prestigious Stone Lab is hosting the workshop “Capturing the Wonder of the Outdoors”. This is your chance to take your nature, landscape, and wildlife photography to the next level. This is an intensive weekend that combines class sessions with hands-on field trips. Join us August 9-11 on Ohio State University’s scenic Gibraltar Island near Put-in-Bay, Ohio. There is still time to register.

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