Homemade Camera Bag... 7 Bucks From Hardware Store. SUPER Tough, double Stitched canvas (it Is For

The backstory

Funny story about these orchids: I got one of the centerpieces from our student design show reception in April. It was the end of the night, and we were cleaning up the area, and there was a remaining orchid after all of the students and guests had theirs, so one of my colleagues said that I should take it home for my wife.

I know very little about flowers, but what I did know was that orchids were supposed to be finicky. It was a cold night, so I warmed the car. There was a support clip that the orchid stems were attached to a small rod on, to train them up. I set it carefully in the cup holder and began to drive home.

As I turned right at some point, my elbow hit the plant, snapping the stems almost in two in two different places. Aaagh! If not for bad luck I'd have no luck at all!

So I ran into the house, and grabbed some packing tape, wrapping it around the stems, propping them up. Yeah..that should work I thought to myself. Using the logic of a mischevious six year old, I brought the plant in and showed it to my wife.

She also was disappointed about my careless elbow, and slightly amused at my packing tape "cast." But we figured that we'd give it a go anyway. After about a week, one of the stems showed signs of dying, so I pulled it off and tossed it. The other seemed to be OK though, so I kept it in the sun and kept on watering it. 

It appears to have come through OK (knock-on-wood). You can see in the top pic the areas where both stems snapped, and the one surviving stem thriving with two flowers, and a new "bud" forming behind them. The tape is till in place (afraid to remove it for fear of breaking it again).

The photos

On a rainy Wednesday, I thought I'd photograph this survivor for kicks. Put a cheap poster board v-flat behind it, and propped it up on pizza boxes. Used only window light (which admittedly wasn't much on this very gray day).  

I also wanted to see under similar conditions what I could get out of the old iPhone 4 camera I have (5 mp). The bottom two shots are from the iPhone. They are a bit more contrasty, and have some noise in the bgnd, but look really good in average light conditions. There is also a bit of the flat and tape that got caught in the shot as the angle of approach is different with the phone (tried to smooth the tape on the flat out, and looks sad I know). The data on the iPhone shots is saying they are f2.8, and 1/120 to 1/60th of a sec? What that means on a lens that is a few mm is pretty relative, but still impressive. I imagine the Samsung and the iPhone 5 would look even better. 

Oh...and guess what happened next? The flimsy V-flat fell onto the plant. But alas— alive and well still. That thing is like ROCKY.

This month is all about skin skin skin! Check out 5 Things That Ruin Skin in Your Photos (and how to fix them) on the Miller’s Professional Imaging blog! http://ift.tt/1ri7rTg http://ift.tt/1toOGJE

Friday the 13th, 2014… the full "honey (or strawberry) moon," with mercury in retrograde.

Shot this almost last minute, just using an inexpensive basic zoom lens and a tripod (autofocus too on most of the shots, no less— I know, I know). It was at 180mm. No fancy telephoto, no telescope mount. The lower photo (longer exposure) shows my perch for a few of the shots. To cut the neighborhood porch lights, I actually shot  from between bushes and trees. From my angle the lights were almost all out of sight.

The top photo is the one I liked the best.

The middle two show a series of adjustments I made. I fired about 17 shots, and started a very small amount of post on them (primarily cropping tight to moon),

beautiful

Atypical by Pawel Nolbert

Yes this. Unfortunately, this party is long gone.

1956 Republican Platform

11 Steps to Stop Procrastinating and Focus on Yourself.

Procrastination can be a significant obstacle on the path to success and personal fulfillment. If you’re tired of putting off your tasks and want to focus more on yourself, follow these steps to put an end to procrastination and start living the life you deserve.

Step 1: Acknowledge the Problem

The first step to overcoming procrastination is to recognize that it exists. Admitting that you are delaying your tasks is essential to start taking action.

Step 2: Understand Your Reasons

Ask yourself why you are procrastinating. Is it fear of failure? Lack of interest? Or maybe the challenge seems too big? Identifying the reasons behind your procrastination can help you address them.

Step 3: Set Clear Goals

Vague goals lead to procrastination. Set specific and realistic goals that you want to achieve. This will give you a sense of direction and purpose.

Step 4: Break Tasks into Small Steps

Big tasks can be intimidating. Break them down into smaller steps and work on them one at a time. This will make the process more manageable and less daunting.

Step 5: Create an Action Plan

Develop a plan to complete your tasks. Include dates, times, and a list of priorities. Following a plan helps maintain focus and organization.

Step 6: Eliminate Distractions

Identify the distractions that hinder you the most, such as social media or television, and create an environment that fosters concentration.

Step 7: Practice Self-Discipline

Developing self-discipline is crucial to overcoming procrastination. Learn to say “no” to things that divert you from your path and stay committed to yourself.

Step 8: Reward Yourself for Progress

Recognize and celebrate your progress, even if it’s small. Rewards can motivate you to keep moving forward.

Step 9: Cultivate Self-Compassion

Understand that everyone procrastinates at some point. Be kind to yourself and avoid excessive self-criticism. Learn from your mistakes and keep going.

Step 10: Adopt a Growth Mindset

Believe that you can change and improve. View procrastination as an opportunity for personal growth and learning.

Step 11: Seek Professional Help!

Sometimes, procrastination can be related to a mental health disorder, such as anxiety or depression. If you feel that procrastination is significantly impacting your life, consider seeking help from a psychologist or psychiatrist. A professional can help you better understand the root of the problem and develop effective strategies to overcome it.

Conclusion:

Remember, overcoming procrastination is a process, and every small step counts. Be patient with yourself and keep striving to be the best version of yourself. You deserve to invest in yourself and achieve everything you desire!

jjhart93.tumblr.com asked some cheaper alternatives to Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, I found these, well to be honest, I just went to Wikipedia and check which ones worth the download effort and put a link to them, check them out:

Ability Photopaint

ACD See

PhotoImpression 6.5...

My son creates these small paper sculpture-creations using the remnants of tissue rolls. The sphere is from the cardboard tube, and the cube is from some of the tissue. They are really unique texturally.

I shot them on a reflective black surface using an inexpensive LED shoplight, overcast daylight ambient, and a white reflector (all played fairly nicely together). Used the ubiquitous"kit lens" (18-55mm, f4) for the 'macro'/closeups with the inexpensive Photodiox tubes. The Canon "nifty-fifty" provided the other shots.

These 5 blend modes in Photoshop can be used for stunning results.

5 Blend Modes in Photoshop Every Photographer Should Know