While preparing a lecture about B and W photography I came across the suggestion for Digital shooters to shoot RAW + jpg. Set your creative or scene settings to B & W. This way you get your color image in RAW but a jpg that is B & W to see how it would look like in black and white. I tried and it was nice. The photo above was the jpg that was tweaked.
Interesting YouTube about those that still print. I object to the first part of the video where they imply that if you’re not in NYC you’re no where. They clearly focused on photographers who are New York -centric. So much great photography is being done in all parts of the world that this concept of “you have to be in NYC” is really outdated. The rest of the video is quite nice.
CAFE.org is the website for “Call For Entry” where art exhibitions are announced. You usually pay a fee like $35 for 3 images. All the entries are then screened and a few are selected to send in the actual work for display and final judging. I’ve used them for several years now and have had some success in getting selected to show my photography. What I object to is that most entries are not selected and so we the ‘rejected’ do much of the heavy lifting financially. So for now I’m abstaining from anymore entries. If it were up to me I’d charge a very minimal fee of $5 to enter and if you are selected you would be required to pay an additional fee which would have to be more than $35 for example - maybe $65 to $85.
This morning I decided to visit the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Preserve at dawn. It was a cold morning which is when I think you see the most bison. 20 degF here and only 12 at the preserve. I have a new camera set up that gives me more telephoto range.
First is the original - I’m not a rap fan so don’t blame me if you hate it. Blackstreet - No Diggity (Official Music Video) ft. Dr. Dre, Queen Pen
Now The Cleverly’s version - I’m down with Blue Grass
This person is so bad and evil it’s hard to know where to start. This article does a pretty good job. Anti-Vaxer in MD clothing, Jan 6 jail bird. It’s a ghoulosh of stupidity and down right evilness!
Went for a drive out to Flagler, Colorado which is about 2 hours east of Denver. I’ve always wanted to go to the I 70 diner - it’s under new management. Have to say that the wait was worth it. Very good American food.
Folks it was darn cold out today for this edition of Cars and Coffee. 48 degF and a wind of about 25. It starts at 7 am which was a half hour before sunrise so only the hearty showed up.
I’ve been gone for about a month and during that time I got in the mail two photo books ( yes I know I promised no more photo books but these are special to me). The first one should be interesting called “Diane Arbus - Documents” as it encompasses written work by and to Diane Arbus - review later. The second gets the record of the heaviest book I own. ” William Eggleston - Chromes”
This is a little movie I put together of the sights I saw on the Show me the Ozarks Airstream Caravan.
Just another small town in southern Missouri.
Alley Springs, Arkansas has a Grist Mill overseen by the National Park Services.
The month long Ozark Airstream Caravan is winding down. It’s been interesting - none more so than today when we traveled to a Presbyterian Church to be served lunch by an Amish group! Can’t even get my head around that. We then heard a high school choir sing in the sanctuary. A Ozarkan historian summed up the area well : She said that they are clannish, conservative in politics and religion and resist being told what to do.
What will follow are some photos of the trip and discussion.
The Topaz grist mill is still functioning mill though they only run a few times a year - mostly at time of festivals. They grind corn and wheat. It is not easy to find on the map though at one time it had a thriving business and a country store in what was then Topaz, MO
Baker Street Heirloom Seed company started off as a hobby for a 17 year old and now has blossomed to the largest seed store in the country.
Tonite we’re camped at Scott Lake State Park - which is such a gem - I hope the folks of Western Kansas know this. It bears no resemblance to the rest of this part of Kansas. It is down in a valley next to a neat lake. From here we went to Monument Rock which is a local attraction that I’ve been to many times. It rises out of the flatland and is just an amazing rock formation. We met a nice coupe from Philadelphia who were on a trip to celebrate their 30th anniversary.
The Caravan doesn’t actually start for several more days but we have to get ourselves to the jumping off point in Missouri. Tonite we are staying in LaJunta, Colorado in SE Colorado. It is near Rocky Ford which is known for it’s wonderful watermelons and cantelopes. LaJunta itself is known as a jumping off point to see the annual Tarantula Migration. Male Texas/Oklahoma Brown Back T’s migrate over the short grass prairie looking for mates who burrow into the ground. The Males mate only when they turn 8 because when they turn 8 they grow a special appendage the their front legs that prevents the females from eating them. The successful mating results in more T’s but the male then wonders off into the plains from whence it came only to die a few months later because of the cold. The females live 20-25 years because they have ownership of the burrow.
This year we saw 4 T’s and a tarantula wasp who is the only known predator of the tarantula. A couple of years ago we only saw one so this year was a big success.
Happy to announce that Twenty Bellows Publishing has put out their We are the West anthology of poems stories and art work including one of my photos from Prairie Madness.
Five Points used to be a very dangerous part of Denver. Now it has been gentrified. You are more likely to be killed by an errant skate board than a gun.
We will soon be celebrating the wedding of Kris Politis and Hilary Nitka. This will be the Father Daughter song
