Analog Photography

Panoramic Delaware County

I don't take that many panoramic images, but I really should.  I encountered this scene on a drive through northern Delaware County.  I've lightened the foreground in the image and added contrast to the sky to better represent the scene.  The more I view this image, the more I see room for improvement.  This is a start however.  Something tells me I may be shooting more "panos" in the future.

-Tom

Olympus e-p1
Asahi Super-Takumar 35 f 3.5
Photoshop CS4

Black Rhino

I snapped this quick photo of a Black Rhino on a recent family outing to the Columbus Zoo.  What's the key to getting good animal photos at the zoo?  Go when the animals are active!  The morning I took this photo was the first time in about 48 hours when it wasn't raining.  All of the animals seemed to be out and about, enjoying a stretch in their outside pens after a few days of rain.  We had great looks at the elephants, baby tigers, markhor, and even the red panda.  And what was even better yet?  Since we went on a cold, Sunday morning, we had the zoo virtually to ourselves.

-Tom

Jury Duty

This week I find myself in a far different place than my usual environs.  Typically surrounded by woods and fields during the work week, I now find glass, brick, stone, and steel.  Yes, if you haven't been following along at my facebook page, I've been spending the week as a prospective juror.  There's been quite a bit of downtime- an hour and half for lunch has allowed me to explore downtown Columbus like I have never before.

All of these images were taken with the Olympus E-P1 with the Pentax Asahi Super Takumar 35mm F 3.5 lens, attached to the camera via a fotodiox m42 adapter.  I picked up this little camera for a steal a few weeks ago and have been impressed by its versatility, small size, and excellent image quality.  I'm having a blast with it- and that's all that matters.  It sure beats lugging my 7D around.

-Tom

Columbus Nature Photo Workshop

There's still time to join us at Inniswood Metrogardens this Saturday (May 26) for a nature workshop.  Would you like to learn how to use your camera to take awesome nature images? Myself and pro photographer Barb Schwartz will help you capture what you see.  Sign up for this two-hour class today by calling the Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center of Worthington.

-Tom

Olympus E-P1 and the Evening Light

I recently purchased a brand new Olympus E-P1 (the original Olympus digital PEN) camera from Best Buy.  I've been pining for a small, fun camera with great image quality, and I finally have one.  I have quite a bit of cash invested into my Canon system, so I didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a secondary camera.  When the Best Buy outlet offered brand new in the box E-P1's bodies for $139.99 I finally took the plunge.

The quirks of the E-P1 do not bother me.  I'm using a 40-year-old Pentax Asahi Takumar lens, so the camera's well-known autofocus issues don't bother me.  The LCD screen is better than adversited.  And more than anything, this camera is just fun to take pictures with.  I look at it and I hear it screaming "pick me up- me me up now!"

-Tom 

Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve

It has been so long since I have sat down at this computer to upload an image here or to type anything that I have second guessed which clicks I need to make.  Could someone put a few drops of oil in the right places so I can get up and running again?

I have recently been working on my high dynamic range photography technique. There's nothing like a formal course to do this- I'm using my education funds to take an online class through Columbus State.  Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve proved the perfect spot for taking HDR photos.  The deep shadows of the gorge underneath the ledges can be brought to the light using HDR.  This image has made the rounds on facebook, but I wanted to post it here as well.  This space was getting rather dusty.  Ahh.....thank you, whomever found the oil can.  I'm starting to move again.

-Tom