Cameras and Photography

[Ron Thorne]

I like that shot a lot, Sand. Glad that you were inspired by one of my photos. Thanks.

Is that your Alfa?

[Ron Thorne]

hey, Ron. Looks like you are bulking up these days. You hitting the iron? Looking good!

Thanks, Rollie. I certainly feel a lot better than I did nine months ago, that's for sure.

Yes, I've added a few pounds (about 21) and some muscle tone as the result of being properly oxygenated, eating a better balanced diet and working out every week in the pulmonary workout facility at my hospital. I'm walking 2+ miles per week (treadmill), utilizing resistance training and free weights, but nothing heavy.

[Sand]

I like that shot a lot, Sand. Glad that you were inspired by one of my photos. Thanks.

Is that your Alfa?

Yeah, at least a part of it. It also have 4 wheels :-)

[rollhead]

Thanks, Rollie. I certainly feel a lot better than I did nine months ago, that's for sure.

Yes, I've added a few pounds (about 21) and some muscle tone as the result of being properly oxygenated, eating a better balanced diet and working out every week in the pulmonary workout facility at my hospital. I'm walking 2+ miles per week (treadmill), utilizing resistance training and free weights, but nothing heavy.

Well, keep it up! Looking good!

[Sand]

At dusk Friday November 20

[Ron Thorne]

I've been trying to upload a couple of photos on Flickr today, but it keeps getting stuck at 32%.

Anyone else having similar problems?

[bluenoter]

Ron---

I haven't tried uploading to Flickr today; I had no problems last night.

On the right side of Flickr's homepage, you'll see this---



---only there, the 3 ways to upload have links.

I suggest that you try one of the ways that you haven't tried yet.

Another thought: I've noticed that photos from a digital camera sometimes emerge with enormous dimensions (in pixels). So before you try to upload to Flickr, open your photo(s) in IrfanView, Photoshop, or Windows image viewer, etc. and reduce the dimensions to a reasonable size.

[Ron Thorne]

Thanks, Rita.

I've been uploading photos to my Flickr account for several years, so am very familiar with their various upload options. Also, I never re-size my images prior to uploading them there because they do that automatically as part of the process.

I'll keep trying. They may be having issues, or perhaps it's just so busy that it's bogging down their system.

I'm sure that quite a few JC members probably know what photos I'm trying to upload.

[bluenoter]

Flickr can't resize your photos as part of the process if you can't upload your photos. I'm tellin' ya, open up your photo(s) in a photo editor first, since you're having trouble uploading, and reduce the dimensions.

[Ron Thorne]

Rita, you'll have to trust me that Flickr can accept HUGE files. I'm sure that's not the problem.

As you know, I'm on-the-road, so I don't have my full compliment of software, nor do I have the time or patience to download more stuff right now.

Thanks, though.

-Peppercorn

[bluenoter]

Ron---

Will you e-mail me one of the photos? I'll see if I can upload it.

[Ron Thorne]

I finally managed to get a few uploaded.

Thanks for the offer, Rita.

[bluenoter]

Ron---

You're welcome. If  you decide that you want any of them resized (smaller than enormous) before you try to upload them, let me know. I could run them through IrfanView for you and then send you the resized pics.

The only other thing I thought of, which is obvious, is that if you're trying to upload several photos at once, try uploading them one at a time (or fewer at a time) instead.



 

[Ron Thorne]

Here are a few snapshots taken by Patti and me today. None of them do justice to the beautiful features and skin tone of this little girl, but that's OK.

Note the scowl in the 1st photo with me.

She's incredibly relaxed most of the time.


Daddy & Sophie


Patti & Sophie


Peppercorn & Sophie


On Peppercorn's Knees

[bluenoter]

Sophie

Sophie 101

[Ron Thorne]

Here are a few shots from our visit in California, where we'll be for another 2 weeks. Some of the subjects are repeat ones, but I can't resist some of the plantings around our son's home.

The cat photo is of Casey, a new neighbor cat who was stalking a squirrel in our son's Palo Verde Tree this afternoon. She was very sly and focused.

Another is of a basket of oranges and tangerines from the backyard, some of which I squeezed into a nice glass of fresh juice. The still life-look appealed to me, so I took a shot.

We watched our 5-year old grandson, Reed, bowl at Canoga Park Bowl last weekend at a friend's birthday party. It's a classic landmark.

[Ron Thorne]

Here are a few more snapshots I captured recently while visiting southern California.

[Ron Thorne]

I'm a sucker for cool old buildings and architecture.

Our son Darren told us about this lovely old building when he discovered that they were changing out many of their windows for newer, more energy-efficient ones. The beauty of this is that these windows were exactly what Darren was looking for in conjunction with his log cabin project in Alaska.

It's the former Goleta Union School in Goleta, California, now a tremendous community resource.

I couldn't resist a few shots of this 1927 beauty.

[BFrank]

Nice shots, Ron. I didn't realize that building wasn't a school anymore.

[Ron Thorne]

Thanks, Brooks.

Sadly, it hasn't been a school since 1976 when it was deemed too expensive to retrofit it to meet current California earthquake safety standards.

The good news is that they didn't tear it down ... and, it continues to serve the community on a daily basis. Here's the story:

Goleta Valley Community Center

Many of those wonderful old multi-pane windows from Goleta Union School are coming to Alaska this summer to be installed in our son's log cabin on Amber Lake. It's a perfect recycling plan.

[GoodSpeak]

[BFrank]

Where's that?

[Ron Thorne]

After lunch today, Patti and I took a little drive down the Seward Highway, along Turnagain Arm. It was a gloriously sunny day and I had my trusty Lumix with me, just in case I found something photogenic.

I wasn't able to get close enough to a couple of Trumpeter Swans to get a good shot, but found a few subjects which appealed to me within range. I hope you like these three Spring photos from Alaska.




Red Alder




Wild Raspberry




Alaska Range & Willows

[BFrank]

"... and I had my trusty Lumix with me, just in case I found something photogenic."

- You found it, Ron! I always take my camera, because there's always SOMEthing photogenic out there.

[Ron Thorne]

I couldn't resist another visit to Boot Hill today, a graveyard of sorts for wonderful old American motorcars, north of us.

I took a few shots in b&w and color, of two classic Cadillacs, and of something else entirely different.

First, some b&w Cadillac shots.

[Ron Thorne]

Now, for a few color Cadillac shots:

[Ron Thorne]

Thanks, BFrank.

And, as promised, something entirely different ... a vintage Dodge Pickup Trike.

[bigtiny]

Thanks, BFrank.

And, as promised, something entirely different ... a vintage Dodge Pickup Trike.

That's called a 'Super Fairing' =:-)

bigtiny

[Ron Thorne]

Here are a few I took in the past week or so that I like.

[Ron Thorne]

Here are a few quick snapshots from our rock garden which is really beginning to come alive. From now until September, it will go nuts, completely filling the space (about 4ft. x 20ft.) with succulents & flowering plants ... all perennials.



Shooting Star (Dodecatheon Frigidum)




Dwarf Columbine (Aquilegia Vulgaris)




Lewisia (Lewisia Cotyledon)