Sunday 28 October 2007
The Gift of Time
British Summertime ended officially at 2a.m this morning and we all set our clocks back 1 hour. Suddenly our days feel shorter and the evenings draw in. This, for some, meant an extra hour in bed sleeping - or for people like me there was a whole hour more that I could spend doing something I enjoy, walking, reading, browsing, whatever - I could do it without feeling guilty.
Saturday 27 October 2007
PhotoBooks - the way to go ?
This week saw the announcement that Smugmug, who host my website and photos, has joined forces with Blurb the POD photobook printers. At first look this seems like a great union but a quick look at the Blurb forum shows that all is not well in the customer service dept. at Blurb. Now as SmugMug excel here I suspect that any Smuggers using Blurb would find this very hard to accept. There's no doubt in my mind though that SmugMug would not associate themselves with anything less than 1st class,so I'm sure any shortcomings will be resolved. I've been considering using one of these POD services myself for sometime now, but the major consideration apart from quality is always shipping to the UK from US companies. Still thinking around this because ......
There is nothing quite so thrilling as seeing 'your'photographs in a 'real' book. I can write from experience having twice had books published back in the 90's. Images of Exmoor (1992)was the first color photographic book published by Exmoor Books, a joint partnership between Exmoor Press and the Exmoor National Park, and was followed by Images of Exmoor - Coast & Combe in 1997. The photographs in both these books were taken solely by myself and former husband Tim, the books were commissioned and we received royalties on all sales - quite an achievement for a couple of dedicated photographers with no formal training! Amazon currently have 6 copies listed, including 1 copy as 'collectible' with the comment 'signed by both authors'.
There is nothing quite so thrilling as seeing 'your'photographs in a 'real' book. I can write from experience having twice had books published back in the 90's. Images of Exmoor (1992)was the first color photographic book published by Exmoor Books, a joint partnership between Exmoor Press and the Exmoor National Park, and was followed by Images of Exmoor - Coast & Combe in 1997. The photographs in both these books were taken solely by myself and former husband Tim, the books were commissioned and we received royalties on all sales - quite an achievement for a couple of dedicated photographers with no formal training! Amazon currently have 6 copies listed, including 1 copy as 'collectible' with the comment 'signed by both authors'.
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Tuesday 23 October 2007
Eileen Margaret Parker 17.10.1911 - 22.10.2007
She is Gone
You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her and only that she's gone
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
or you can do what she'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
Anon.
My dear Mum finally passed away yesterday afternoon, Monday 22nd October. A huge part of my life is now gone and I will miss her so much, at peace now with Dad and York.
You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her and only that she's gone
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
or you can do what she'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
Anon.
My dear Mum finally passed away yesterday afternoon, Monday 22nd October. A huge part of my life is now gone and I will miss her so much, at peace now with Dad and York.
Monday 8 October 2007
Smugmug Monday
This is a quick round-up of some interesting happenings at Smugmug and on the Dgrin Photography Forum just in case like me you find it hard to follow it all.
Last week saw the launch of Where in the World is Smuggy competition inviting creativity in flaunting Smuggy in interesting and unlikely places in return for a fantastic weekend break in Napa Valley.
The first pictures from the Dgrin Shootout at Glacier National Park can be seen here. WoW - these are some really stunning images.
Next years Dgrin Shootout at Arches National Park is announced - details in this thread.
TUESDAY 9th OCT - UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE : This is now fully booked but you can put your name on a waiting list - email DavidTO, NO pm's.
You might still be able to book a place on the Dgrin/Marc Muench Photo Workshop at Shenandoah National Park.
Finally there is the API competition details here, all developers get a free lifetime Pro account at Smugmug and could win themselves an iPhone.
The results of LPS #13, semi finalists are announced, you can see the images in this thread.
At Smugmug Corner on PhotographyCorner.com Sean Sherstone was featured, this is the 5th in a regular weekly spot for Smugmug photographers. Beautiful images and an interesting insight on the life and background of Sean.
Visit Dgrin because there really is huge amount of information and it is a very friendly place. There are forums for Macro, Smugmug Customization, Contests and Challengesand one that I have avoided (being of a rather delicate nature) The Whipping Post. However, when browsing today I discovered that a picture of Trees and Fog had been submitted for critique, well its good to know that I am not alone in my foggy world.
Featured Smugmug Customization - "How to Smugmug default settings"
Last week saw the launch of Where in the World is Smuggy competition inviting creativity in flaunting Smuggy in interesting and unlikely places in return for a fantastic weekend break in Napa Valley.
The first pictures from the Dgrin Shootout at Glacier National Park can be seen here. WoW - these are some really stunning images.
Next years Dgrin Shootout at Arches National Park is announced - details in this thread.
TUESDAY 9th OCT - UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE : This is now fully booked but you can put your name on a waiting list - email DavidTO, NO pm's.
You might still be able to book a place on the Dgrin/Marc Muench Photo Workshop at Shenandoah National Park.
Finally there is the API competition details here, all developers get a free lifetime Pro account at Smugmug and could win themselves an iPhone.
The results of LPS #13, semi finalists are announced, you can see the images in this thread.
At Smugmug Corner on PhotographyCorner.com Sean Sherstone was featured, this is the 5th in a regular weekly spot for Smugmug photographers. Beautiful images and an interesting insight on the life and background of Sean.
Visit Dgrin because there really is huge amount of information and it is a very friendly place. There are forums for Macro, Smugmug Customization, Contests and Challengesand one that I have avoided (being of a rather delicate nature) The Whipping Post. However, when browsing today I discovered that a picture of Trees and Fog had been submitted for critique, well its good to know that I am not alone in my foggy world.
Featured Smugmug Customization - "How to Smugmug default settings"
Sunday 7 October 2007
Monday 1 October 2007
Monday Mendip Mist
Its being generous to call it mist, more like drizzle and fog. As this is supposed to be my photography blog you might expect that I would illustrate what I mean. Let me tell you, its bad enough having to look out of the window and see this dismal weather without having a collection of photographs to remind me of it. There is absolutely nothing attractive about it and I've no intention of wandering around in the rain in the hope that a stunning image will form before my eyes. This is the kind of rain that penetrates your camera bag, sends huge drips down your neck and mud splashes up your legs.
If I drive just a couple of miles down hill its like being in another world, almost not raining, clear skies, ok they are grey, and about 5 degrees warmer - fahrenheit that is. Centigrade doesn't sound as impressively different. May I plead with the weather Gods - send me a winter of frost, lots of it, day after day. Add to this some fog, YES REALLY, and we will have such beautiful formations that I will be in photographic heaven. No more of these dull, damp and mild winters please, they are death to a landscape or nature photographer - I don't want to die this winter. What do you mean 'Get Creative' - come and take a look and see what you can make of it.
If I drive just a couple of miles down hill its like being in another world, almost not raining, clear skies, ok they are grey, and about 5 degrees warmer - fahrenheit that is. Centigrade doesn't sound as impressively different. May I plead with the weather Gods - send me a winter of frost, lots of it, day after day. Add to this some fog, YES REALLY, and we will have such beautiful formations that I will be in photographic heaven. No more of these dull, damp and mild winters please, they are death to a landscape or nature photographer - I don't want to die this winter. What do you mean 'Get Creative' - come and take a look and see what you can make of it.
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