back from big bend

around the bend

Finished off my SoFoBoMo book this evening, right on the last day to get it done. I put more effort into the pictures this time around but quite a bit less into the book design. I borrowed heavily on the work I did last year for the layout and inDesign templates, although I've sized it for a blurb 11x13 book. Not sure I'll get around to it any time soon, but the book is done! You can download the version from SoFoBoMo.org, or flick through the Issuu presentation. I prefer the pdf version, if I had to choose. All images, editing and layout done in the last 31 days.

big bend

A couple more Enfuse HDR-like blends from Big Bend, both playing upon the idea of repeating shapes and rhythm. In the shot on the left, of Santa Elena canyon, the repeating V shape of the cliffs, in the water and also in the smaller rocks in the foreground. For the skulls on the wall, at the Gage hotel, the clouds were kind enough to form similar shapesto both the smaller skulls and also the overall arrangement.

balmorhea

Balmorhea is great state park, out 'near' Big Bend national park. Spring fed by the San Solomon Springs, 72-76F all year, huge, flowing at a rate of 22 to 28 million gallons per day and in the middle of the desert. Just what you need after a hot day. These shots were all taken with the Canon G10, using the underwater housing (WP-DC28). Everything worked, even though I was a bit apprehensive the first time getting into the water with the camera. Easy to use, almost all of the controls (apart from the rear dial) work.

star party

At the McDonald observatory, Fort Davis, Tx. Shot with moonlight and the red safety lights they use, to help preserve your night vision. The observatory does a few tours and star viewing sessions a week. I was really impressed by how good their presentations were and how well they explained things. Learned a few ideas that really helped through the whole week. Also got to see Saturn through a big telescope - could see the rings really clearly and a couple of the moons. It was almost a full moon last week, hence all the bright moonlight in this shot, shining off all 3 domes. Was also great for actually viewing the moon directly.

I've done the first pass on the images I took last week, cut away about 75% of the shots so far, down to a final selection of close to 500. There are quite a few potential HDR shots in there, maybe 100 or so frames to be combined as and when I work out a workflow for doing them. Getting there slowly.