The little Fujifilm X-E2 has a tiny built-in flash. I was messing around with The Girl last night, so I popped up the little flash and made the capture. It looks very retro and I like it.
Daily Doggo — 03 November 2023
Daily Doggo — 30 October 2023
Today was another busy day. I worked most of the morning on the FHWA project, with help from a friend. Sera waited patiently for our daily outing, which we got about 1100h this morning.
I did not mind the late start because it was about 20F when I rose this morning. As it was, the air was cool but the sun was warm. The trail out at Silver Saddle Ranch is still plagued with sand burrs, which she always gets into her feet.
We pause now and again for me to remove them. Then off she goes in search of critters.
This afternoon was busy as well finishing up the last bit on the FHWA submittal and then with a meeting with another colleague to line out the next round of analytical work.
While I worked, she sunned herself in the backyard. I just went out to retrieve her and she is not a very dusty dog. I patted off what I could and then brought her into the house.
I am not quite sure what she wants. But I would be willing to bet it is a treat. I need to go get her a cookie.
The little Fujifilm X-E2 has a built in flash. It works.
Daily Image — 29 October 2023
For the last number of weeks, my daily walks have mostly been on the job site in El Dorado National Forest. By the end of the day, I was pretty much done and getting in a half-hour walk for The Girl was about all I had left in me. I sometimes carried a camera, but the creative juice just was not there.
Now that I am recovering from that slog, I have time and energy to play a little radio, work a little in my house, and do something with a camera. I am also walking an hour or so for both The Girl and I. We love those times together.
Today was a treat for a couple of reasons. First was the image above. An irrigation structure on the Mexican Ditch often returns flow to the Carson River at this location. The flow crosses the road and I love the sound and sight that it makes. With the colder temperatures of the last few nights, the cottonwoods are dropping their leaves as the color leaves them. The sight this morning made me pause for a couple of captures. I like this one.
On the way back to the rig, I was keeping an eye out for other walkers/dogs and heard a whistle behind me. For a moment I thought of the Mockingjay whistle from The Hunger Games movies. That caused me to pause and I looked behind us.
Sera came to attention. When Timber and Lisa started calling her I said “Go! See you peeps!”
She blasted off, of course and I heard Lisa call “Watch your knees!” as she blew in to greet them. Sera was all wiggles and soft looks as she interacted with some of her favorite people.
I walked back to greet them and retrieve The Girl and we walked back to my rig. We paused to visit for a few minutes. I so enjoy them and it was good to spend a few minutes catching up.
The capture was made with my Fujifilm X100V and its lovely 23mm f/2 lens. The capture was made at f/8 using the Portra-400 film simulation. I am running a light diffusion filter on the camera, which provides a more filmic look.
It was a good day. Life is good.
Remainders: 28 October 2023
It has been a few weeks since my last post. There is a back story here, but this is not the place to put it.
- Years ago I used a Finder replacement called Pathfinder. At the time I was writing for an e-zine that I have forgotten the name of. The editor reminded me that Finder has a lot of potential that I was not using. So I stopped using Pathfinder and used Finder for a number of years. I recently started looking for a Mac version of 7-Zip and remembered Pathfinder.
- I purchased a new 14-inch MacBook Pro a few weeks ago. I completely spaced the need to carefull move my music directories. This is direction on how to do that safely.
- Given that I have (had) a split Music library, I am now in the process of converting it to a portable Music library. I decided a couple of years ago to keep my media files on a separate, external drive. I have too much media. This will help solve my problem.
- I am going to have the same problem with my photographs as well. All of my images (and there are a lot of them) reside on an external drive. I expect to pick up the Lightroom thread again soon and that will mean library management.
- I am looking into using QGIS instead of ArcMap or whatever they are calling it now. I am reviewing this comparison of the two as I move forward with the decision-making process.
- Hitch and Timber is a new find. They make high quality bags and pouches for EDC.
- Clip-n-Carry makes sheaths for multitools and other gear. I have one of their sheaths for my Leatherman Wave+ that I carried for several years. Now that I have the new Leatherman ARC, I asked if they were going to make a sheath for it. The answer from Avi was “Yes!” so I have one on order. They make good stuff.
- I find myself enjoying well-made things. I recently rediscovered waxed canvas and now have several bags (for cameras and computers) made of the materials. I recently discovered Alpaka Gear, who make bags. I will probably end of with one (or more) to carry gear.
- I have had a CalDigit dock on my desk for my old iMac forever. Now that the iMac is retired and I have a new MacBook Pro, it is time to upgrade my dock as well.
Daily Doggo — 28 October 2023
It has been a minute or two. After six weeks in the field overseeing a construction project, I am no longer leaving the house at 0-dark-early and returning at 1700h. That was a string of long days and a lot of physical activity.
I am recovering and resting. The last couple of days were spent catching up with things left undone. I still have a lot to do. There is also a slug of analytical work to get done and that will take a few weeks.
It is good, though. The work is good. Then I might catch a break before the next batch of projects start up. Or it might be that work slows for awhile as the consulting business has an ebb and flow.
Anyway, The Girl and I are enjoying the cooler weather. With the cool weather the risk of snakes is much reduced. Soon they will all be in their winter dens and will be of no concern until the weather warms in the spring.
I am carrying a camera again. I have a few images that need review and processing. I have a couple of new lenses to try. I want to get out and do some radio as well.
Life is good.
Remainders: 07 October 2023
- There is a way to connect iCloud contacts to Thunderbird. It is non-trivial.
Daily Doggo
After a long week working in the field, we drove up to our favorite place near Spooner Summit to walk this afternoon. Then we drove up to Reno to the Apple Store. It is time to upgrade my aging MacBook Pro (2015 model) after nearly eight years of service.
We came home with a new computer about mid-afternoon. I was hungry, so we stopped at the Black Bear Diner for me to get some food. The Girl waited for me in the rig because I did not know how busy the restaurant might be. It turns out she could have come with me in her training vest and would have been fine on the floor next to me.
Nonetheless, she got my leftover turkey and mashed potatoes and will not need much supper. Neither will I.
I thought the rain provided a nice effect with her looking through the glass. It might be cliche, but I like it anyway.
The new MacBook Pro is transferring files from my old unit. It should be done in another hour and then I will go through the remainder of the setup process.
Daily Image
I love sunstars. I also love hiking in the national forest. The blue sky and a few puffs of clouds round out the image for me.
The Girl enjoyed the hike as much as I did. Life is good.
Daily Image — 24 September 2023
I have been very busy the last week and the upcoming weeks will be no different, I expect. But, today, The Girl and I got out to walk one of my favorite trails near Spooner Summit along US50.
Soon the snow will come and walking there will be more difficult. I might buy a pair of snowshoes and learn to do that. The Girl might have to have snowshoes for doggos, too.
But this morning, the trail was lovely and the couple who got there before me were far enough ahead that it was as if I was along (with The Girl, of course) on the trail.
I carried the Fujifilm X-E4 with the Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 mounted today. That is a marvelous lens that is fast, plenty sharp, and renders out of focus areas nicely. In fact, I think I see a hint of bokeh balls in some of the images.
I often set the lens for f/8 and just run it. However, for some images I will open up the aperture to reduce the depth of field and isolate the subject a bit. But not for this image.
I really like textures. The granite of the Sierra Nevada provides plenty of subject matter. The iage is straight out of camera. #SOOC
The walk was good. I came away with a frame the pleases me. The Girl is tired (so a happy dog).
Life is good.
Remainders: Week 23 September 2023
- The Hot-Crazy Matrix is such a funny bit of analysis that I have to preserve it. It will be at risk of censure because of the political correctness problem we have. I show it to female friends (and loved ones) and all have laughed at it to date. It is sarcastic humor at its best, I think. But I suspect the woke will label it misogynistic.
- Simon’s Utak (YouTube) posted a review of the TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8 Triplet lens. The Meyer-Optik Göerlitz is a very expensive vintage lens that is highly regarded for its background blur and soap-bubble bokeh. However, the TTArtisan produces very similar images at a much better price point. It is worth a look.
- Matt Day does a nice job of explaining the practicals of black and white film development.