Perspective exercise

The idea of perspective really stuck with me after writing Wednesday's post. I got this idea about taking a series of photos from odd perspectives, mostly laying on my back looking up. Here's my first.

:-p

Update:

LetterJames.com

AlphaPicture patented a technology called Widescope that allows two pictures to seamlessly fade into each other as if they were one photo to begin with. To promote their technology and their products they created the LetterJames web site. Here, up to 25,000 visitors a day create free pictures with customized text that you can e-mail to friends so they can e-mail two friends, and so on, and so on, ...

For the free feature, click here or look for the E-cards link on the home page. Images created are 72 dpi and about 4"x4" (please respect copyright). You can also test out the feature in the right side bar by typing the text you want and selecting one of the pictures.

They also have a product line for sale but I think it's only setup for the UK. But the free E-cards are cool.

Have fun!

Tabletop Tripod

I was thrilled with the gift MyGeek recently gave me: a table-top tripod for my digital camera. He came up with the idea totally on his own and it’s perfect.

I love my little Nikon Coolpix 2100. There are definitely newer models on the market but I’ve gotten such great photos out of this camera I've no reason to upgrade. (The pictures shown here were taken with a Treo phone camera, not my Nikon, obviously.)

The tripod is the Philips Tabletop Tripod with Ball Head at the unbeatable price of $8!

Completely collapsed, it takes up a space not bigger than 6″x2″x2″. The tripod legs have little rubber feet to keep it from slipping or sliding around. The length of the legs will extend from 6″ to 11″. The camera mounts to a ball joint that allows the camera to be set in an unlimited number of angles, including looking straight down! In this position, I can see in the camera's display screen perfectly to compose my shot.

It’s going to be great for shooting pictures of my artwork (carved rubber, greeting cards, tags, SPS cards, journals, etc.). Having the camera stationary, I can use the timer, which will help keep shadows out of the shot and limit blurring.

It’ll also come in handy on retreats when I have to shoot pictures of 100+ SPS cards. The biggest issue I have is blurry photos. I have to take a lot of pictures and I don’t have much time to do it. Now I can set up a “photo booth” of sorts so that my background and lighting are always set.

Thanks, MyGeek!

Astrophotography

Recently I saw the most amazing photo of the Atlantis Space Shuttle and the International Space Station silhouetted against the enormous golden sphere of the sun. The talented photographer who took that photo from the surface of the earth was Thierry Legault who lives in France. (More.)

Check out the great photo gallery on his web site. I wonder if this is what God's perspective is like on a daily basis? What do these images tell you about the Creator?

(Please be respective of Mr. Legault's work. It is copyrighted so you may not use his photos in your publications or the web without his permission. NASA has thousands of photo and videos on their website that are copyright free!)

You Can Tell Their Stories

My Geek is amazing at finding the most obscure and interesting stuff on the internet. He managed to distract me for almost two hours one Saturday morning with a web site of old photos.

The host of the web site has several interests which include all kinds of photography. One of the things he does is develop the old film he finds in antique cameras. These mysterious lost old photos are what kept me occupied for so long.

It's mesmerizing to look through each photo and wonder who these people are, where they are now, and what the occasion was that prompted a Kodak moment. Click on a single picture and you can see all the photos he was able to develop off the roll of film found in that particular camera. My Geek has an old camera with an undeveloped roll of film much like the Pocket Kodak pictured here. We've always wondered what sliver of life is frozen in time on that celluloid cylinder.

Particularly fascinating are the 7 rolls of film from a 1940 Argus A. Are these from WWII in Europe?

My favorite picture is on a roll that appears to be a family vacation. Do these remind you of any of your family trips? Be sure and check out the little girl riding the tricycle. Priceless.

Are you having an artistic block? Visit this web site sometime and create the story behind these photos. It's irrisistable. (Be honest. Don't steal the photos. They are copyrighted.)