Just Some Photos

Where does the time go?

The older I get the faster time just fly's away, it feels like warp 9 today. Every time I sit down to catch my breath another week, another month, another 3 months has passed. New technology comes on the scene faster then we can keep up with, every time a new product or software is launched there's a new and improved version right on its heals. Its a never ending cycle, hard to keep up with and always a drain on the bottom line. Anybody remember MySpace? We'll be able to have our Wi-Fi ear pieces surgically implanted so we can get our Twitters' subliminally while we sleep. Soon all we'll have to do is think about what we want blog or twitt and it will be sent instantly, hey, a new cure for carpel tunnel syndrome. Isn't technology wonderful. Well my new clients are calling, which is always a good thing, so back to work.

Which Image Format Do I Choose?

If you are into digital photography, chances are that you
have already come across the different file formats used by
digital cameras.

It doesnít matter if you are an amateur or a professional
because you will have to deal with them when taking
pictures and transferring them to your computer and
eventually editing them.

But which image format is best for you? It all depends on
the result that you want and how much control you want to
have over editing your images. Below are the most common
image formats used by digital cameras.

1. JPEG

- this is probably the most popular image format used not
only in digital photography but also in web design. It is a
good thing because you can be sure that you can open your
file using any computer and without the need of special
software.

Thereís a downside, however, since JPEG is considered a
ëlossyí format, which means that a lot of details are lost
due to the formatís compression.

2. TIFF

- the answer to JPEGís lossy quality is the TIFF format. It
means that more details are saved which translates to a
better image quality.

But it comes at a price since TIFF files are notoriously
huge and could eat up storage media space in no time.

3. RAW

- among the three, RAW could be considered as the file that
shows images at its, well, rawest. RAW images are
unprocessed which gives photographers more control in
editing them later on.

Editing Your Digital Images

While the use of digital cameras has made it easier for photographers to quickly check whether or not they like the shot they've taken, there are still usually flaws that need to be touched up or a crop that will make the image more dramatic. Because of this, they need to use image editors
to produce their desired results.

While image editors that are built-in to the computer's OS (take Microsoft Paint, for example) can do very basic editing, power users such as professionals and web designers need more powerful programs.

There are a number of good image editors out there that are popular among photographers and web designers alike. For one there's Adobe Photoshop. If you want to do more then edit your photographs you'll shell the big bucks for this program.

Ever since it was released in 1990, its use has become an industry standard in the image editing industry. Then there's Adobe Lightroom, Apple's Aperture, and Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2.

These programs specifically targets photographers who wish to edit their images using the computer. If you're a serious amateur or pro photograph you'll want to stick with either Lightroom or Aperture and they do cost more then Paint Shop Pro Photo X2.

Another photo editing software is GIMP which stands for GNU Image Manipulation. The good thing about this photo editor is that you can use it in a variety of operating systems such as Windows, Mac and Linux/Unix, and hey, it's FREE!

For those who are used to the Photoshop interface, there's the GIMPshop developed by Scott Moschella.

Google has also developed Picasa (only works on a PC) which is a basic photo editing and organizing software which can be useful to photographers who only need to crop, fix red eye, and adjust the hues on their photos. Again Picasa is free and works very well.

Huge Day in History

It's the morning of one of the biggest days in history, the first African American president of the United Sates, yet the world around us continues to move at an alarming pace. Hamas promises to re-arm during the cease fire, our economy is likely to get worse before it gets better and for some, how much worse can it get? What do we do during these troubling times, were do we turn for help? James 1:2-8 gives us a look at how we should react or should I say not react, during trying times, "Count it all joy" these trails we all go through "testing of your faith produces patience," "if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God." If we ask without having the faith that God will give us the wisdom we seek, provide all of our needs, not give us more then we can handle, well then, "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind, for let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord." James 1:6-7. Lets count it as joy and have faith that God will do just what he says he will.
Let's embrace this day of history, days like this don't come along very often, I can remember a few historic days of the past, the assassination of JFK, my mother just sat there and cried, I was to young to really understand why, the first man on the moon, our family's first color TV, the day I gave my life to Jesus. We all have different historic days we remember, some good and some not so good, but they all shaped us into who we are today. So whats the most important day you remember?