Wacom Tablet Magic

Amazing Woodwork - Annapolis Sailboat Show [before]
Kayaks from Chesapeake Light Craft
Boat Builder: Joey Schott
Annapolis, Maryland
http://www.clcboats.com

I've been using Adobe PhotoShop CS3 for some time now. I like using layers, adjusting levels and curves and the ability to correct dust spots, ever present branches in bird photographs and those nagging telephone lines that no amount photographer relocation can eliminate. But for all the power of the software, I often feel limited by my ability to apply techniques with the mouse. I can't refine it's movements well enough to get the results I want. Now don't get me wrong, the mouse is a great tool and I believe I have better than average mouse skills but the mouse isn't always the best tool for a job.

Amazing Woodwork - Annapolis Sailboat Show [after]
Kayaks from Chesapeake Light Craft
Boat Builder: Joey Schott 
Annapolis, Maryland
http://www.clcboats.com

Take a look at the two images at the right. You can see the wicked sun flares on the kayaks. I knew I'd have this problem when I took the shot. I'd forgotten my polarizer but I loved the contrast of the exquisite woodwork and the deep blue sky the moment I saw it. I tried all the PhotoShop tricks I could muster with the mouse to tone down the flares to no avail. My results looked terrible.I needed a better solution. Enter the Wacom Intuous4 Wireless tablet.

My good friend and talented Annapolis artist Bill Tongue has extolled the virtues of Wacom tablets for some time now. The results he gets are amazing. After chatting with Bill a few months back, I finally gathered my pennies and ordered a medium tablet. What a joy! The tablet is about the size of a standard sheet of copier paper but thicker of course. You manipulate it with a pen stylus. The motion is like writing with a pen or pencil as you have done since your first box of crayons. You can click and tap and drag to replicate all the mouse moves and use more drawing-like motions to apply PhotoShop techniques.

So, off I went on my adventure to remove the lens flares from the "before" image. Bill was kind enough to offer a little phone tutoring more PhotoShop than Wacom as I remember and I was off and running. I did have a few setup hitches. See the notes below the images for details. I'd still buy the tablet in a red hot minute. 

Detail of the "before" image with flare

Notice two things about the images shown above. In the first, my efforts to control the sun flares left me with a sickly color palette and yet the flares remained. I played with the Exposure, Recovery, Brightness, and other adjustments to the whole image without success. I applied the same just to the flare areas using brushes and the mouse. It looked terrible. Those flares had to be stamped out! In the end, that's exactly what I did. In the second image, I was able to use the clone tool [thank you coach Bill] with precision due to the Wacom. I removed the unwanted flares by replacing blown out areas with matching sections of the image and could then adjust overall the colors back to those I saw when I captured the shot.

This next image shows the major flare area in detail and the last shows the detail of the final image. If I could do this with a little phone coaching you can too. The tool and it was fun to use. Well... fun except for the bungee cords. That bottom one was a  bear.

Detail of the same area with the flare cloned away

The corrected image was awarded "Resident's Choice" at the Digital Photography Club of Annapolis' exhibition at Ginger Cove - an assisted living facility near Annapolis. That made me very happy to have taken the time to improved the image. The exhibit hangs until December 9, 2011. There are many wonderful photographs that would make super Christmas gifts. All are for sale.


TECHNICAL STUFF

My first attempt at installing the Wacom tablet was a bit frustrating but it wasn't Wacom's fault as it turns out. I was sitting on the sofa with my hubbie relaxing one evening. He was checking email on his laptop, I was installing the Wacom on mine. Both laptops had their radio's enabled. While the tablet installed easily and configured just fine, I kept losing Bluetooth connectivity between the tablet and wireless pen. It was frustrating. After all, I had actually read the directions not just glanced at the pictures as I am known for doing. It turns out I was just too close to another radio source - hubbie's laptop. There was a conflict. Like all computer problems, it seems easy enough once solved but will drive you nuts in the mean time.

And... nuts is where I am now. My second frustration emerged this week when I discovered that my HP Officejet Pro L7680 would no longer scan. It was working fine... hummm...now how long ago WAS that? Did I test it after installing the Wacom? No, I didn't think to do that; the L7680 printed without a hitch. Well it seems there is a conflict between the Twain driver for the HP scanner and the driver for the Wacom. I had no idea the two were linked until today. For almost a week, I've been combing the Internet and uninstalling, downloading, installing, booting, rebooting, etc. to repair the printer. The PRINTER isn't broken. The tablet driver is. I finally found an Indian tech board that discusses the problem. ( No! the continent of India, southern hemisphere... You'd think the HP forums here in the states would cover the problem wouldn't you? ) See: http://forums.techarena.in/vista-hardware-devices/859186.htm. I've downloaded the latest Wacom driver that may help. I betting at least one more cycle of uninstall, reboot, install, reboot is in my future. Is it too much to want a tablet and an all-in-one printer at the same time? I guess so for now. But, I'll say it again, I'd still buy the tablet again in a red hot minute -- a red hot, New York minute.

Cheers!

12/5/2011 -  After installing the new Wacom driver, the tablet continues to work and I can get the L7680 to scan to a flash drive inserted at the printer but I still can't get the HP software to work again while the Wacom tablet is installed.  Which means that I can't save scans from the printer to the PC or use the software adjustments offered in the HP application. This is a pain but better than no scans at all.

Please visit my Photostream at http://flickr.com/lbricephoto

Canaan Valley NWR, WV -- 2011 Photography Contest

We visit Canaan Valley, WV almost every summer. It's a beautiful place and I always come home with thousands of photographs. We usually stop at the Ranger Station at least once to say "Hi", ask were bears and beaver have been seen lately and see what else might be cooking. This year on one of our early vacation days we stopped by again. I've admired the work of many talented photographers hanging in the exhibit and store areas. So, this year, when I picked up the announcement of their photography contest I decided I'd give it a try. A very large "Thank You" and hug to my kind hubbie, Sam, who indulged every request throughout our vacation to be where the light, sight and point of view were right.

You can find the NWR website at this link: http://www.fws.gov/canaanvalley/  and a link to the show page here:  CVNWR_2011_Photo_Contest_Winners . The show will hang through January 1, 2012. Below is a description of the contest and announcement of winners. I believe this text was taken from the page in October. Where possible, I've included links to the photographer's websites or blogs below. (I re-posted the information because the CVNWR page was down for a while.)

Needless to say, I'm grateful for the opportunity to participate and delighted with the results. A large Thank You to the "Friends of the 500th" for sponsoring the contest. If you are reading this, I'm sure you already know how enjoyable nature photography can be. Go out, enjoy our National Parks and wild lands and shoot great photographs.


For more on the "Friends of the 500th" see:  http://www.fws.gov/canaanvalley/CVNWR%20Friends.htm

Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Friends of the 500th
2011 Amateur Photography Contest - Winners

The overall theme of the contest was to showcase the natural beauty of the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge and the surrounding Canaan Valley, Tucker County area of West Virginia.

An awards ceremony reception sponsored by the Friend’s of the 500th was held on October 15, 2011 at the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center.

Native Wildlife
Honorable Mention - Gray Fox by Jim Blackwood   -   http://www.wvblackbears.com/
Third Place - Me and My Shadow by Neale Blackwood, Jr.
Second Place - Fat Cheeks by Mark Roy
First Place - Canaan Gold Finch by Lauren Peeler Brice   -   http://www.flickr.com/lbricephoto/

Canaan Valley Scenery
Honorable Mention - Into the Mist by Tina Bonner   -   http://www.flickr.com/tinabonnerphoto/
Third Place - Elegant Elakala by James Moore  -   http://www.eft-stop-blog.com/2011/11/01/cvnwp_entries/
Second Place - Survivor by Judy Saunders
First Place - Misty Paddler by Lauren Peeler Brice

Native Plants/Flowers
Honorable Mention - Summer Meadow by James Moore
Third Place - Aster Droplets by Lauren Peeler Brice
Second Place - Puff by Neale Blackwood, Jr.
First Place - Summer Ferns and Fungus by Beth Spencer

Artistic
Honorable Mention - Dew You See It? by Beth Spencer
Third Place - Nature's Graphic by Nancy Merical
Second Place - Enchanted by Neale Blackwood, Jr.
First Place - Fire in the Sky by James Moore

Professional
Second Place - Glory by James Moore
First Place - Quiet Beauty by James Moore

Best in Show - Canaan Gold Finch by Lauren Peeler Brice


Here are my entries arranged by submission category. Click to see them larger. Press Esc to return here.

---------- Canaan Valley Scenery ----------

Canyon of the Blackwater

Misty Paddler - First Place

---------- Native Plants/Flowers ----------

Visitor

Aster Droplets - Third Place

---------- Native Animals ----------

Juvenile Indigo Bunting

Canaan Goldfinch - First Place - Best in Show

---------- Artistic ----------

Dewy Bouquet

Fritillary and Friends

Annapolis City Dock and the Sailboat Show at Dusk

Annapolis City Dock - Sailboat Show

Fall is coming to an end. The boat shows are over.


For more images from my night shoot in Annapolis, visit:
http://flickr.com/lbricephoto

How to Flip a Grasshopper -- Indigo Bunting Style

I'd never seen a bird, much less a baby bird, flip an insect into the air and eat it. Hope you enjoy these pix as much as I enjoyed watching and photographing the scene.

Ok, I got it... Now what? It wiggles!

It was so much easier when Mom just fed me!

So much to remember...
No talking with my mouth full and
don't let lunch run away.

 

Hey! Is it supposed to do this? Hold still.

 

Here goes... and a ONE...

and a TWO...

Alley Oop!

Gulp!

OK! That was fun.
Is there anything ELSE to eat?

Where's Dad?  Dad?  Mom?
I'm hungry!

It's times like these when 8 frames per second is a very good thing.
End of the Indigo Bunting Saga
Thanks for stopping by.

Tattered Dad

Having just delivered lunch to the fledgling,
Dad waits patiently.

Here's the Indigo Bunting Dad. He's not looking too dapper as he has begun to mold. The Mama Bunting was about 20 feet away in the direction his beak is pointing. She was definitely calling the shots.

Look closely to the right of the Dad. In the background you can see the fledgling with a grasshopper in it's mouth. Dad just finished delivering the groceries. Just a minute after I took this shot, the baby figured out how to flip the grasshopper up in the air, catch it and swallow. A nifty skill if you don't want your lunch to wiggle away in the brush.

Mama Indigo Bunting

Mama keeps a watchful eye out for pesky photographers.

Back to blogging finally! Work's been killer lately.

Here's the fledgling Indigo Bunting's Mom who stayed very close and definitely gave me the evil eye for being near her family even though I really wasn't that close.

The fledgling was in a shrubby tree near the river bank probably 20 feet in front of me. Between us was a thicket of 5 foot tall shrubs, brambles, wild flowers and sticks. There was no way I could get any closer than I was. Besides I KNOW there were snakes in that patch and I really didn't want to find one the hard way. Don't guess the Mama knew that though. The Dad was perched in a low branch about half way between the baby and me. Mom was hanging out to my right about 15 feet away.

I heard and saw the Mama first. She called to the Dad and I found him when he answered. The baby, mouth stuffed with grasshopper from Dad, gave out a little peep and I found him too. It all happened pretty fast. I sure wish the Nikon 80-400mm didn't hunt so much. Focus was very difficult but I'm really glad I had the longer lens with me.

Lunch

Juvenile Indigo Bunting with lunch.

While photographing butterflies, Monarchs, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, Spice Bush Swallowtails and Fritillaries in my favorite Canaan Valley, WV spot, I heard and then found a Mom, Dad and fledgling Indigo Bunting. What a treat. The scene only lasted a minute or two. There were many branches in the way but it was fun. Here's the baby. He's not quite sure how to swallow that grasshopper without it flying away. Even though its wings are not yet expanded, it was trying to evade its fate.

Steppin' Out

Juvenile Reddish Egret struts in the late afternoon sun.

Reddish Egret at sunset in the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge in Florida. On this night there were three juvenile and two adult RE weaving back and forth across the sunset as they fished with their usual antics. If you've never watched Reddish Egret fish you are in for a treat. They run, weave, bob, throw up their wings to see and herd fish. They leap and pounce. It is absolutely delightful to watch.

I'd never seen so many Reddish Egret in one place before. They are usually solitary hunters. This was a wonderful encounter, except for the voracious mosquitoes!
TAKE BUG SPRAY.

Golden Silk Orbweaver

Golden Orbweaver

 About the size of your open palm.
Ooooo so cool and so creepy. Also known as a 'Banana Spider'.




When I setup to take this shot, the spider was in the middle of it's web which spanned a circle roughly 10 feet across. The wind was warping the whole web like a trampoline. I stopped down to get a better depth of field and waited for a still moment. As I snapped the shutter, the wind blew again leaving me with a single line of narrow focus.

Golden Orbweaver

Here's the same Orbweaver from a different point of view.

Photographing Butterfies

Sara Longwing (Heliconius sara)
Originally uploaded by Laurie-B

For me, one of the joys of summertime is photographing insects of all kinds especially butterflies, skippers and moths. I like the detailed view of their world photography affords but we otherwise overlook.

Here are a few tips to launch you on your summertime bug-hunt.

- Take a tripod or mono-pod.

- Use a shutter speed fast enough to capture the action.

- Open up to get a creamy, diffused background. Use the smallest f-stop possible.

- Consider the background. A busy background detracts even at low f-stops.

- Butterflies, like dragon and damsel flies, are territorial. Watch carefully. Pick a spot where you've seen your subject land and stake it out. For this activity, a hat, sun protection and a cool drink are must-haves.

- Visit an enclosed butterfly garden at your local botanical garden, museum or university. These are wonderful places to test your new skills because there are so many subjects in a single enclosed area.

- Outside butterfly gardens and botanical gardens offer a greater shooting challenge but provide local species, well crafted garden layouts and color schemes.

- Visit a local plant nursery. Butterflies visit there too. You might be inspired to plant butterfly-friendly plants in your own yard.

- Go native! Find a field of local 'weeds' and observe. Especially in late summer you will find a butterfly delight.

- Get close. Try taking macros! No macro lens? Buy some inexpensive extension tubes for your zoom lens and you will be in business. Focusing will take some practice so expect your keeper rate to go down at first. Once you get the hang of it, the rewards are great.

- Know your subject! To be a better photographer, be a better naturalist. Study your subject through books, websites and videos.

- Share your knowledge. Learn the names of your subjects and title your photographs correctly.

- Practice, practice, practice!

Happy Hunting!

Heavy Groceries

Bringing home the 'bacon'?

The fish probably weighs as much as the bird. I've read that osprey are the only raptor able to turn their 'wrists'? They use this ability to turn their fish prey nose into the wind to reduce resistance while flying. An eagle will carry a fish sideways to his direction of travel but not an osprey.

Skyline Drive Sunset

Skyline Drive in Spring

No matter how many times I visit the Skyline and Blue Ridge Parkways, I always see something different. On this visit trees in the valleys were fully leafed-out while the trees at the top of the mountains and ridges were at different stages of bud or emerging. You could watch Spring creeping up the hillsides. It was spectacular.

Female English (house) Sparrow

English Sparrow - female

Identified with help from my Flickr birding photographer friends. I love the coloration on the sparrow's back. Taken at Shenandoah Crossing just East of Charlottesville, VA.

Touchdown

Hi Honey I'm Home! Look what I brought you.

This is the last of four images of a male Great Blue Heron as he approaches and lands at his palm tree nest with nesting material for his mate. He lands and presents his mate with the gift of nesting material.

Shot at The Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands at Viera

Hovering to Land

Male GBH hovers just before landing.

Here's the third image of a male Great Blue Heron as he approaches and lands at his palm tree nest with nesting material for his mate.

Here he's ready to touch down.

Shot at The Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands at Viera

The Approach -- Slowing

Slowing to land.

Here's the second of four images of a male Great Blue Heron as he approaches and lands at his palm tree nest with nesting material for his mate.

The male slows more quickly with this vertical position.

Shot at The Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands at Viera

In Flight

Male Great Blue Heron approaches the nest with gift

The next few posts will follow a male Great Blue Heron as he approaches and lands at his palm tree nest with nesting material for his mate.

Here the male in full flight, begins to arrest his speed for landing.

Shot at The Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands at Viera

American Bittern II

American Bittern - Orlando Wetlands Park

Here's the same bittern. He was walking so very slowly to the left and stopping with almost each step. I lost him time and again over about 15 minutes. He was only about 25 feet away.

Nikon D300s, Nikkor AFS VR Zoom 70-200mm f/2.8 G IF-ED, F/5.6, 1/350 second, ISO 200
© Lauren Peeler Brice

Hunting -- American Bittern

Hunting -- American Bittern
Originally uploaded by Laurie-B

Here the bittern crosses a small open area to hunt in the reeds on the opposing side. He won't stay in the open for long. I had a great time tracking him from the road above this channel until I turned my attention for just an instant and lost track of the silent hunter.

Nikon D300s, Nikkor AFS VR Zoom 70-200mm f/2.8 G IF-ED, F/5.6, 1/350 second, ISO 200
© Lauren Peeler Brice

American Bittern at Viera

American Bittern at Viera
Originally uploaded by Laurie-B

Another day, another bittern hiding in plain sight, more conspicuous against the green leaves.

Nikon D300s, Nikkor AFS VR Zoom 70-200mm f/2.8 G IF-ED, F/5.6, 1/350 second, ISO 200
© Lauren Peeler Brice

American Bittern

American Bittern

These birds are fascinating. They hide in plain sight by striking a pose as this one did with it's bill in the air and staying absolutely still. Their coloration makes it almost impossible to find them even when you know where they are. More shots of this amazing animal tomorrow.

Nikon D300s, Nikkor AFS VR Zoom 70-200mm f/2.8 G IF-ED, F/10, 1/250 second, ISO 800
© Lauren Peeler Brice

Snowy Egret - Orlando Wetlands Park

Snowy Egret - Orlando Wetlands Park

Snowy egret are one of my favorite subjects. They seem to demonstrate their mood through their ornate plumage. Like all predominantly white birds. They are an exposure challenge especially in the brighter hours of the day as seen here.

Nikon D300s, Nikkor AFS VR Zoom 70-200mm f/2.8 G IF-ED, F/10, 1/2500 second
© Lauren Peeler Brice

American Coot and Reflection

American Coot and Reflection

American Coot are so common, they are often overlooked in favor of more photogenic egret and heron. I find them challenging exposure subjects with their bright white beaks and black feathers. So I look for poses and conditions that express individuality within the flock.

I took this shot because I liked the red eye and forehead marks, the reflections, water clarity and the droplets on the coot's back.

Nikon D300s, Nikkor AFS VR Zoom 70-200mm f/2.8 G IF-ED, F/10, 1/125 second
© Lauren Peeler Brice

Tri-colored Heron

Tri-colored Heron

There's nothing like late afternoon sun for warm, shadow-filled images. This Tri-colored heron was fishing from the boardwalk railing when I caught him in a quiet moment. His red eye and neck feather detail are what enticed me to take the shot.

Nikon D300s, NIKKOR AF VR Zoom 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED, F/5.6, 1/400 second
© Lauren Peeler Brice