Category: remainders

Remainders: 27 January 2024

ruminator
With the rain comes humidity. When the temperature drops to near the dew point, we get fog. It was a foggy morning. Shot with the iPhone 13 Pro Max and converted to a “film-like” look in SnapSeed.

I was neglectful of the remainders list this week. I looked at many more websites during the week and few more were notable. Alas, I did not capture the URL.

  • pyGeohydro is a QGIS package that provides access to a lot of public data.
  • USGS Stream Mapper is another QGIS package that provides access to the National Hydrography Dataset, a map of many of the streams and rivers here in the United States.
  • If it isn’t clear, I am using QGIS for my mapping needs now. This is an interesting open source project that is quite usable and recommended.
  • A contemporary of Henri Cartier-Bresson was Robert Doisneau, who also made many iconic images.
  • Rick Oleson makes upgraded focusing screens for many medium format and large format cameras. They are called the BrightScreen. This looks really interesting to me.
  • It is no secret that I am a fan of Kodak Tri-X film. I started using Tri-X more than four decades ago. I found another photographer who did a lot of experiments with Tri-X (and Ilford FP4+) varying exposure index and development times to push and pull the film speed. His results are very interesting, as are his developer choices.

Remainders: 20 January 2024

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This is likely to be my supplier of film and photographic support here in Springfield, Missouri. Shot with the Contax TVS using Kodak Color 200. Exposure data unrecorded.

Well, here we are in 2024.

Remainders: 09 December 2023

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Smurfette, skating across my SuperNote A5x, shot with the Fujifilm X-T5 and Fujinon 60mm f/2.4 macro lens at f/5.6, SOOC.
  • I am working with a trial version of DxO Photolab 7. It integrates with the NIK tools, which are somewhat legendary in their utility for post processing images.
  • I was pointed to Negative Lab Pro as a tool for post processing color negatives. Some of the digitizing setups I looked at are crazy!
  • Melissa O’Shaunessy is a New York street photographer. This interview with her is interesting enough to post.
  • Maybe someday I will have a view camera.
  • With the new MacBook Pro, I keep having to reset the column width and window width of the Finder. This provides direction on how to make it sticky.
  • It is true that I have a bit of lust for a Bronica S2A medium format (6×6) camera. This review is not helping my jonesing for the system. Although the Hasselblad 500C (and 500C/M) are also suitable objects of lust, the price of a kit is pretty high.
  • This YT video is probably the best introduction to the Hasselblad system that I have seen.
  • Here is another lovely review of the Hasselblad 500 cameras.

All in all, it was a good week. I worked some, I played some, The Girl and I spent a lot of time together, indoors and outdoors. I talked to my family as well. Life is good.

Remainders: 02 December 2023

ruminator
A favorite place to pause for some water. Shot with Fuji X100V 23mm f/2 at f/8 with the Reggir’s Portra film simulation.

I begin writing my remainders after the previous instance posts on Saturday evening. So each remainder is a sort of bread crumb track of my path through the Internet each week.

  • In migrating to a new Winder$ laptop, I looked at a lot of files. I came across the source for my literate programming FAQ and, in fact, a lot more that I did not expect. This includes a very nice website on Literate Programming, which I intend to revisit.
  • I am experimenting with RStudio because I use R on both of my computers. The experiment is whether it is worth the effort to use a second tool to work with the first, or should I just use the command shell that is included in R. The jury is still out on this one.
  • I also am looking at a \TeX installation on the Winder$ notebook. It looks like TeX Live is the better option. It is also the basis for my \TeX system on the MBP.
  • I ran into a wrinkle with the Winder$ laptop LaTeX install. I keep all of my custom standard macros on my Dropbox in a /texmf directory. It took me an hour to figure out how to set TEXMFHOME environmental variable to point to that directory under Winder$. This helped.
  • I have a Pentax 645 NII in my inventory. I got it out this week and it needs a little TLC. The leatherette is peeling a bit at some of the corners. A little Pliobond will fix that.
  • Nick Bedford has some thoughts on Tri-X film simulation that is interesting, but involved.
  • In a holiday saving offer from Clever Supply Co. I received a referral to another small business/maker who operates Ugmonk. I bought two of the monitor stands because I need an external monitor for my two laptop computers and I want them up on stands at eye level. This will also permit me to use the laptops’ monitors as well. I am expecting good things, especially because these units are premium price. I am done with cheap s#%(.

Remainders: 25 November 2023

ruminator
This area is in the back of Buckland Station. Horses and mules would have been housed to the right, where the old stables are. This area is probably where wagons were parked. Shot with the Fujifilm X100V at f/8 using Reggie’s Portra film simulation.

As I start this entry, it is the beginning of another week. I will celebrate Thanksgiving, and will be grateful. I will also be working and taking care of my love, Sera.

  • This documentary on Jill Freedman is outstanding. She was a hoot and a helluva photographer.
  • Source Tactical produces a fill adapter for hydration bladders that permits refilling the bladder without removing it.
  • This story about the construction of the transcontinental telegraph line is very good and worth the time to read.
  • The USGS 3DEP project has the goal of collecting and making available high-resolution topography acquired using LiDAR. Open Topography produced a Jupyter notebook that describes the acquisition and use of LiDAR from the 3DEP project.
  • Mylio is an image cataloging software. I used one for several years until the developer decided to abandon it. Since then I just have a bunch of directories (sorted by date) that contain my images. Searching is a PITA, but is not dependent on software. Both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses. Is it time for me to look at a software solution again?
  • OK, so Windows 11 came with the new laptop computer. I do not like the changes to the Start Menu (at all). I had good organization of my Start Menu on the desktop. There is a fix on PC World, though. I used the instructions to fix my install of Windows 11.
  • It is no secret that I am a fan of the 7zip archive management utility. However, Windows 11 screwed up the right-click context menu. It turns out that there is not a fix, but the wonderful 7zip context menu is available.
  • The monitor of my new ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is blindingly white. While working through some fixes for this, I found that my weblog front end can also be changed using WP Dark Mode. This is a God send for me!

Thanksgiving Day has come and gone. I spent part of the day working and part of it remembering and being thankful. I am grateful. Life is good.

Remainders: 18 November 2023

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A view of Buckland Station to the northeast from the Weeks Crossing. Shot with the Fuji X100V 23mm f/2 at f/8 using Reggie’s Portra-400 film simulation.

I did wander the Internet some this week. Mostly it was when I was looking for something in particular. I was reminded of my love for Chet Atkins’ music.

  • Smith & Son Knives produce appropriate objects of lust.
  • Bitlocker Holster is on my hit list. Later: Mine was delivered this week.
  • I am messing around with APRS (automatic packet reporting system) again. I have one my my HTs working with a Mobilinkd TNC. But I want to use my home 2m rig to process packets. It looks like Pinpoint APRS might be a decent software to work with on the Surface Go 2. Time will tell.
  • The Guitars of Chet Atkins has what I was looking for — Chet’s classical electric guitar. He favored this guitar during the later part of his career. Chester Atkins is also one of my heroes. He was one of the cleanest guitar players ever, which is something I really appreciate.
  • Speaking of Chet Atkins, this YouTube compilation of his appearances on Nashville Now is well worth a watch, or a listen in the background while you are doing something else.

Remainders: 11 November 2023

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A bridge too far. The Girl and I have walked this bridge innumerable times. Shot with the Fuji X100V 23mm f/2 at f/8 with the Tri-X 400 film simulation.

I am pretty sure I will have a few links this week. Yes, I start this list on Sunday and finish it on Saturday.

  • By the time this posts, I likely have received a new ASUS ROG G14 laptop computer. This will replace my aging desktop and do the heavy computational lifting for numerical models and GIS work.
  • HEC-RAS is updated. I downloaded and installed it and will be looking at changes from the previous version.
  • I decided I want a small day pack. Haley Strategic has an interesting approach to assault packs. I am going to try one of theirs and see if I can make it work in conjunction with a small camera bag (for my camera).
  • By now, everyone knows that I am a Fujifilm Fanboi. They are solid cameras with excellent glass. One of the perquisites is the film simulations (built in). But Ritchie Roesch’s adaptations of this capability to favorite film stocks is lagniappe! This list is one that I am working on. I have a few already programmed into the custom settings slots of my X100V. I will continue working through the list.
  • I have a PA500 for my little TX500 rig. The amplifier sometimes runs a little hot when using digital modes. So, here is a solution to that problem.

Remainders: 04 November 2023

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I made this capture of the Mexican Dam with the Fuji X100V and the Tri-X 400 film simulation. The capture was at f/8.

Last week I had a lot of links because, in part, there was quite a bit of pent-up demand. We will see where I go this week.

  • The linear actuator that lifts the back half of the roof clam of my camper is out. It went out early this summer (in June). I have been too busy to think about replacing it. They are out of stock at the places I might order them. This post on the Forest River Owner’s Group forum provides instructions on how to replace the electromechanical machine with simple pressurized lifts. I will order them this week and make the exchange.
  • A favorite write, Dan Pink, sends me a short (very) newsletter each week. In this week’s issue, he mentioned California Sun, a daily curated newsletter of California things. Pink’s point is that what happens on the left coast often propagates to the remainder of the country. Good point. Dan’s weekly is also recommended.
  • This entry is something I wrote ten-years ago. It was just after (the former) Girl contracted leptospirosis and was in hospital. It has a photograph I made of the Comma Coffee sign as well. The photo is good. This story is good. I lost her three-years ago. She got cancer and died. I still miss her but am totally grateful for her replacement, Sera. Life is good.
  • I found this entry, A Mother’s Love in my on this day list. I remember that day.