Hangin Out

OK, I lied! Maybe I'll be using a couple of other shots from the zoo - including this one.

King of the Jungle

My last picture from the BAPC field trip to the Houston Zoo this weekend.

Tech: Olympus E-3 w/ 50-200 & 1.4 Tele @ 283MM, f5.6, 1/250, ISO200 +1,AP Mode, Raw, On Board Flash Post Processing: Duplicate Background>Curves to Darken Background>Merge Visible High Pass Sharpen>TA "Simplify" Background>TA "Color Pop" Lion>Merge Visible in Luminosity Mode 50% Opacity>Merge Visible>Overlay Background Copy @ 50%>Curves to Lighten Lions Face w/Gradient Mask>Lens Distort Vignette

My Favorite Primates

These guys were my favorite primates, and maybe animals overall, at the Houston Zoo. However this was definetly not my favorite picture. It thought these guys had tons of potential for photographing not just from their playfull nature but also fromt he angular ropes, bamboo background, enclosure, etc.. However I also thought they had the worst fencing for shooting through. I was curious if anyone had a any luck shooting through or around the fence at this exhibit? Maybe an "Acme Fence Elimination" plugin, or magic lens?

Queen of the Jungle - Update

Two fellow BAPC members and freinds Larry and Doug thought this shot might be improved with the addition of some extra light on the lions face and front quarter, and I would agree. This is a copy of Larry's re-worked "Queen of the Jungle". Thanks Larry and Doug.

Queen of the Jungle

Another shot from the BAPC field trip to the Houston Zoo this weekend.

Tech: Olympus E-3 w/ Zuiko 70-200 + 1.4>AP Mode>283mm>ISO200 Post Processing: Duplicate Layer>Levels Adjustment Layer>Merge Visible>Levels [for Eye Brightness Only]>Mege and High Pass Sharpen>Topaz Adjust "Vibrance">Topaz Denoise>Merge in Soft Light Layer @ 50%

Photographer Paul Swen

Paul Swen was the speaker at the Houston Zoo Photography Day event this weekend. He took the time to speak informally about his techniques and experiences in shooting wildlife.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Another shot from the BAPC field trip to the zoo this weekend. Not exactly a flattering bird shot, but this fellow seems to warrant a different approach!


Tech: Oly E-3, Zuiko 50-200 w/1.4 Converter @ 283mm, f5.6 @ 1/400 and ISO 200 @ +1, Aperture Priority Post Processing: Adjusted Exposure, Clarity, and Saturation in Camera Raw>Opened in CS3>Duplicate Background>Levels Adjustment>Merge Visible>Black & White Adjustment Layer>Topaz Adjust “Clarity”

Miles

The BAPC photo club conducted it’s first field trip of ’09 today with a trip to the Houston Zoo. In a new format for the zoo they arranged for a Photography Day where photographers would be allowed into the zoo an hour before opening. In addition to the early access our host, Mr. Rick Ellis, also provided a continental breakfast and a quest speaker Mr. Paul Swen [not necessarily in order of importance!] The weather was suitably mild and overcast which helped to make the morning an excellent outing.

This shot is my early favorite. It’s of Miles, the zoo’s new baby Masai giraffe, born just a few weeks ago and one of its trainers.

Tech: Oly E-3, Zuiko 50-200 w/1.4 Converter @ 283mm, f5.6 @ 1/800 and ISO 200, Aperture Priority Post Processing: Adjusted Exposure, Clarity, and Saturation in Camera Raw>Opened in CS3>Duplicate Background>Levels Adjustment>Merge Visible>High Pass Sharpen>Merge Visible>Topaz Adjust “Simplify”>Lens Distort Vignette

Obamaminium

I shot this "ultimate socialist mobile home" while on a 2007 phoot field trip in the Montrose area of Houston. It occurs to me now that this is the new American Dream in the eyes of President Obama and sidekicks Nancy Pelosi and Barney Frank. The contents of this cart could provide the level of housing that the current administration would like for all Americans, excluding the ruling class of course. I'm sure many Cubans, North Korean's, and Red Chinese would be envious of such accomodations. The government could provide them at a cost of 20 - 30,000 dollars a pop, finance them through Fannie and Freddie, steal or waste 30% of the cost, and then force working folks to pay for the program. And the best part is all the components are already up and running!

As President Obama said in a speach earlier this week "this is the beginning of the end", unless true patriots speak up. God Bless America.

Tech: Panosonic Lumix Super Zoom DMC-FZ50 @ 88mm, f6.3 for 1/100 at ISO100, Raw, AP

Battleground Park Landscape

From Battleground Park this weekend...

CLM Followup

Thanks for your comments Doug, Larry, and Barry.

FYI Doug and Larry, here are copies of the original shot as well as the B&W conversion.

CLM

Whenever I see someone committed to displaying this amount of ink the first thing that comes to mind for me is CLM – Career Limiting Move! Certainly there are lots of social implications as well, but you know this guy has extra barriers built into his next job interview or performance review. He must really be dedicated to “doing his own thing.”

Tech: Oly E-3, Zuiko 50-200 w/1.4 Converter @ 283mm, f6.3 @ 1/500 and ISO 125, Aperture Priority Post Processing CS3>Duplicate Background>Topaz Adjust “Dramatic” Levels Adjustment>Curves Adjustment Layer>Merge Visible>Black and White Conversion Layer>Curves>Merge Visible in Multiply Mode>Mask Back Ground and Darken and Lower Contrast w/Levels, Merge Visible>Topaz Adjust “Enhance Contrast”>Curves “Cross Process” Preset>Lens Distort Vignette

Fixxer Upper

Another old truck, this one was taken on our trip to LaJitas just outside of Big Bend National Park in West Texas last summer. We came across this truck while on a guided jeep trip up LaJitas Mountain in an area heavily mined for “quick silver” [mercury] at the turn of the last century. The old hand built stone building in the background would have been used as company store, a place where the thousands of mine workers would have been forced to trade their pay markers in for over priced goods from the mine owners. The circumstances leading to the truck winding up where it did would be anybodies guess.

Tech: Oly E-3, Zuiko 50-200 w/1.4 Converter @ 50mm, f6.3 @ 1/6400 and ISO 1250,-0.3, Aperture Priority Post Processing: Camera Raw: Crop>Clarity>Saturation>Convert to Grayscale >CS3: Duplicate Background> Levels Adjustment>Curves Adjustment Layer>Merge Visible>Mask Truck and Brighten Background w/Curves>Merge Visible>Copy Truck Mask>Add Diffuse Glow @ 57%>Add Solid Color [Black]Layer>Erase Center to Create Vignette @36%

Nesting Pair

This is a nesting pair of birds shot in my backyard. I’m not particularly happy with either shot [Thanks Tim, Steve, & Steve] but I should have so time to improve. Since this pair is building a nest in my backyard my only limitations should be the ticking clock for the cycle of such things, and my ability to stand on the rung of step ladder for long enough periods of time!

Tech: Oly E-3, Zuiko 50-200 w/ 1.4 Extender

Unknow Spiecies

Spotted this one in the yard this morning - can anybody identify it?

Tech: Oly E-3, 12-60 Zuiko @ 60mm, f4.5, ISO 400, 1/400,Aperture Priority Post Processing: Duplicate Background in Luminosity Mode>Curves

Twilight Church 2

With a little more light on the subject, per Barry's suggestion....

Twilight Church

Another shot of the old church located near Sylvan Beach Park in LaPorte, Texas.

Tech: Oly E-3, 12-60 Zuiko @ 12mm, f4.5, ISO 100, 1/320 & -1,Aperture Priority Post Processing: Duplicate Background>Topaz Adjust “Clarity”>Curves>Merge Visible to New Layer>Merge Visible w/”Clarity on Selection of Window Glass[to appear Back Lit] @60%>Merge Visible w/ Curves to Darken Building>Mask Sky and Darken w/ Exposure Correction @60%>Lens Distortion Vignette

Antique Interior

This interior shot is of an old two-story antique farmhouse located at the Texas Heritage Park on Main Street in Baytown.

Tech: Oly E-3, 12-60 Zuiko @ 12mm, f5.0, ISO 400, Aperture Priority, Three Handheld Exposures @ -1, 1, +1 Post Processing: Merge 3 Images with Photomatix>Duplicate Background>Topaz Adjust “Simplify”>Merge Visible to New Layer>Levels> Black & White Adjustment Layer W/ Sepia> Lens Distortion Vignette

Teachers Desk

A second shot of the old Wooster one room schoolhouse at the Texas Heritage Park on Main Street in Baytown.

Tech: Oly E-3, 12-60 Zuiko @ 40mm, f5.0, ISO 320, Aperture Priority, Three Handheld Exposures @ -1, 1, +1 Post Processing: Merge 3 Images with Photomatix>Duplicate Background>High Pass Sharpening>Curves>Topaz Adjust “Simplify”>Merge Visible to New Layer>Lens Distortion Vignette>Black & White/Sepia Adjustment Layer>Duplicate Background and Float Window Light on it’s own Layer at Reduced Opacity

When School Worked

On the last Saturday of the month the ladies of the Baytown Historical Preservation Association open up an old one room schoolhouse and farmhouse that they maintain at the Texas Heritage Park on Main Street in Baytown. This old schoolhouse was is almost continuous service in the Wooster area from 1896 to 1985! Wooster was an unincorporated area of what was known as the Tri-Cities of Pelly, Goose Creek, and Baytown before the cities merged into what is now Baytown. The ladies do an excellent job of educating the public about the rural past of the area and I highly recommend stopping by if ever get the chance.

Tech: Oly E-3, 12-60 Zuiko @ 23mm, f5.0, ISO 320, Aperture Priority, Three Handheld Exposures @ -1, 1, +1

Post Processing: Merge 3 Images with Photomatix>Duplicate Background>Topaz Adjust “Dramatic”>Merge Visible to New Layer>Lens Distortion Vignette