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Welcome to Orcmid's Lair, the playground for family connections, pastimes, and scholarly vocation -- the collected professional and recreational work of Dennis E. Hamilton
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2008-11-07Friday Cat Picture: In the Princess Eye (from 2007-10-07)
Usually when I am working close with my 105mm lens, the cats don't give me eye contact long enough for a clean photograph. This one (cropped here) shows my good fortune. I love that the surrounding fur frames the eye of little Princess Psyche.
This shot doesn't qualify as a Strobist submission because the SB-600 is tethered and not far off the camera. It also has an interesting defect, although Vicki thinks it adds something to the image: the photographer, camera, and speedlight are all visibly reflected in the cat's eye. But I do like the result. Yes I do. Reflections: My 1992-purchased Nikon 8008s (pictured) was already smarter than its owner, as was almost the case with the 2020 before that. This year's purchase of a D80 shows me how much smarter it is than the owner: It embarrasses me with the raft of features and settings over which I have no comprehension. Once I obtained the SB-600 speedlight, it was clear that the flash is smarter than me too. I have lots of practice to make up before I can again utter that I once (over 50 years ago) fancied becoming a photographer. Modern photographic equipment: Whether or not the D80 and newer high-end cameras like the D3 are too feature-laden with too many options (sort of the Microsoft Office of its breed), it is clear that the digital era has revolutionized photography and creation of other electronic media. In addition to easy entry levels, the affordability of high-powered equipment for amateurs and enthusiasts is telling. There is another phenomenon. The capabilities and economy of competing high-end Nikon and Canon digital SLR lines is leaving little room for after-market suppliers. I don't think anyone can price-compete with the SB-600, for example, and the loss of functionality for lower-priced alternatives is pronounced. I think this has a giant impact on the market, even in the (vanishing) stores where professionals shop. (The difference for the pro seems to be ruggedness, durability, and extreme optical quality.) OK enough pontification. What's needed from me is more pictures and more experiential mastery of my tools. [update 2008-11-07 This is part of my moving keepers from Orcmid’s Live Hideout to my own hosted sites for preservation and improved organization. I’d meant to do this one for Halloween 2008 and I managed to miss it. Now that I have improved the calibration of my monitor, I notice that I remain completely satisfied with the Princess Eye. Not so sure about the little self-portrait taken with my webcam, but I’ll not fuss with that.] Labels: cats, photography Comments: Defect?! As we say where I work, that's not a bug, that's a feature! :-) I really love this shot. Makes me want a 105mm. Oh yeah, I already blew my lens budget for this year. 2008-10-24Friday Cat Picture: Weez Ur Trickz n Treatz
[update 2008-10-27: I couldn’t stand the way the picture worked so I am putting in a different one and discussing how it came to be so different.]
You, as the viewer, have no idea what I have in mind as a proper presentation of the photograph, above, and the alternative that I found unsatisfactory, below (although the difference in cropping should be obvious). You can click on the Calibrize button and find your own balanced monitor adjustment (or use your favorite alternative for non-Windows platforms). That makes this updated post into fodder for my confirmable-experience soapbox and there’ll be more about that in further posts. Meanwhile, it is time to shop for Halloween candies for the Friday night visitors. I have a great cat-picture repost to put up at that time.
I really wanted to keep Teh Amor’s tail in the picture, but it makes the composition really cock-eyed. Looking at it, I think the only solution would be to separate out the two figures and ditch the tail and the framing of them together. The original photograph was taken on Wednesday, October 22, on one of those unexpected and delightful snappy autumn days with bright sunshine. One or both of the twins will usually laze in the sun on the window side of the vertical blinds. I have no idea what has them facing into the room. I was anxious that they not decide to hop down and come closer to see what I was doing. I’m holding the camera vertically, with the on-camera pop-up flash on the right. Teh decided to look right into it, hence the village-of-the-demon-cats effect. No, they’re not dressing up for Halloween and yes, it is a week early. Maybe they’ve over-dosed on the run-up to the US Presidential Election. Could be Princess still yearns for Hilary, or maybe for John Edwards? Labels: cats, confirmable experience, photography Comments: Post a Comment 2008-10-17Friday Cat Photo: Princess Psyche (from 2007-09-24)
Princess is showing her age here. The crow wandered outside my office window and she was alerted enough to hop up onto one of my computer towers for a better look. She has learned that diving at the window doesn't accomplish anything and was content to observe. She's still playful and she is also a scold. Every morning I am scolded until I pet her until one of us can't stand it any longer. I don't know why she is scolding me, but petting is what we settle for. I have been practicing capturing their eyes, which I find so intricate and beautiful. The cats are a bit camera shy, so it is difficult to get the view and lighting just right. Sometimes I get close to what I am after. The whiskers are turning white and thick, with a little salt in the pepper of her black coat.
I'm still practicing with my recently-acquired digital camera and struggling with indoor lighting and color balance for these photos. These images have all been tweaked from the raw files using Nikon Capture NX. I think I need to spend some time with test images and the Help system. [update 2008-10-17 This is part of my migratory episodes from Orcmid’s Live HideOut. I have nothing in particular to add to this beyond capturing the material here on Orcmid’s Lair, with my own control over its archiving and preservation.] Labels: cats, photography Comments: Nice pictures in your blog! I like too much cats... I have a blog dedicated to the cats... You are invitet to visit it http://blogs.avui.cat/tristeyazul (Its in catalan, but you can translate it eassy whith the google tool in the bar) 2008-10-10Friday Cat Picture: Streaks at 21 (from 2007-09-07)
The sweet cat that my sister raised from a kitten died on May 27. It’s hard for me to imagine what the lengthy period of companionship represents. Our youngest cats were 14 this September and I know we’d miss any of them, even while thinking how nice it would be to be able to go on trips and not be concerned for their care.] My sister's cat Streaks is 21 years old. She is not so kittenish, but she still has her moments and is a loving cat. She sat still for me setting up a new Vista Home Premium PC in the room where she usually spends most of her time undisturbed. Now her human has found more games to play. Wait until the broadband is installed, Squeaks.
[update 2008-10-10 This retrospective re-post is part of my preservation of material originally posted on Orcmid’s Live Hideout. I am consolidating the material I want to preserve here and on Professor von Clueless in the Blunder Dome. These blogs are at my own hosted web site, are fully backed-up on my SOHO system, and can be moved at will. I prefer that. update 2007-09-11 Uh, the cat's name is Streaks, not Squeaks. I must have Smalltalk on the brain.] Labels: cats Comments: Post a Comment |
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