Discussion Group Notes November 28, 2008
Correction: My last posting should have said November 21, not November 28. Give me enough time and I'll come up with a plausible excuse for why I can't read a calendar.
The holidays are taking their toll. There were only three of us, we started early and ended early, but it was still informative.
Jim and Cheryl told me about the workshop on photographing dogs. I thought the idea of a slide show with pointers at the beginning of the workshop sounded great. I would have liked to attend but at that time I was getting sprinkled on in Death Valley.
Speaking of which, I showed them a selection of photos from my trip. I think the rain brought out the colors in the rocks nicely. I told them that my Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT gives gray-looking pictures with Auto White Balance. The software doesn't seem to do a good job picking out a good correction so I ended up using the Cloudy White Balance setting to get the colors that I was seeing. Since then I've been told that other cameras have similar problems. In looking back at some other photos it looks like even RAW images are affected by the White Balance, though they may be easier to correct than the JPGs.
We talked about other uses for our cameras. I recently photographically catalogued my photo albums from before my digital camera. By not worrying about high quality I was able to do this in a relatively short amount of time and now I know where to find those old photos. My sister wants me to digitize a large box of genealogy material for her. I could take a couple of weeks doing it on a scanner but my camera does as good a job, it's not limited to the size of the scanner flatbed, and it's much faster than the scanner. I also digitized my old slides by projecting them onto a whiteboard (in a dark room) then taking photos of those images. It even brought out the detail in underexposed slides. There must be a lot more uses for digital cameras that I haven't come across yet.
I showed them some of my photos I took at, what I call, the Rosamond Sand Dunes which are on 30th West between Avenues A and B. While not large, there are the characteristic waves in the sand, partially buried bushes, animal tracks, and such. I have a series of photos with the golden dawn silhouetting a group of Joshua Trees. By kneeling down the sand dunes were tall enough to block out any sign of the freeway less than a mile away.
This coming Friday Rosamond is having a "Parade of Lights" with many lighted floats. I don't know the time but I went last year and took a few interesting photos. Jim and Cheryl told me about a great Christmas lights display in a clu-de-sac off J-8 between 27th and 30th East. They said you can't miss it.
Jim and Cheryl told me of some falcon hunters who occasionally practice near the model airplane field on Avenue J, West of 110th St. In Rosamond there are occasional bird-dog competitions behind "Jim's Bird Dog Training" on Avenue A and about 46th West.
Jim gave me a clipping out of the AV Press Showcase, Nov 28-Dec 4, 08, which lists many organizations and activities that may be of interest to individuals such as: the Western Hotel/Museum, AV Archeological Society, AV Astronomy Club, AV Audobon Society Subchapter, AV Gem and Mineral Club, AV Genealogical Society, AV Kennel Club, three model railroad clubs, AV Treasure Hunters Society, Sierra Club, Sycamore Flat Campground, South Fork Campground, Big Rock Campground, and more. Each of these probably offer unique opportunities to practice photography and, perhaps, opportunities to practice photo-journalism.
Hopefully this coming Friday we'll be able to share our photos from Willow Springs on Saturday morning.
Refrain: We meet each Friday at Bianco's Cafe at the South end of the Lancaster Market Place, behind and across the street from Movies 12. The core times are from 7 to 8 PM but there's typically someone there from 6:30 to at least 8:30. Bianco's will keep the lights on for you.
Glenn Olson
Coordinator and Moderator
oglenn@earthlink.net
