CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-18 20:17:09 (10 comments, 3 reshares, 38 +1s)

Hmm, what is the best way to share photos as you add them to albums with the new format?

2013-05-17 15:52:19 (23 comments, 1 reshares, 12 +1s)

Thought of the Day:
Do you ever wonder why, when making lists that begin with letters, we write A-Z, then AA, BB, CC, etc., instead of AA, AB, AC, etc.?  Imagine how inefficient our number system would have been if we did the same there: 111, 222, 333, etc., rather than 21, 22, 23, etc.

2013-05-10 18:28:50 (11 comments, 3 reshares, 11 +1s)

A thorough review of what the recent 400 ppm mark means for us.  While the article notes that most scientists recommend not exceeding 450 ppm, I am of the camp that thinks we should aim for the more ambitious-- 350 ppm.  Where do you think we should draw the line for greenhouse gas concentrations, and what do you think we can do to stop the increase?

2013-05-09 12:05:41 (13 comments, 2 reshares, 61 +1s)

Water Lily
Ready for the morning!

2013-05-07 01:22:30 (9 comments, 2 reshares, 53 +1s)

Dramatic Clematis

All it took was a ten minute break from my other projects this weekend to walk outside and sneak a photo of this blooming clematis flower.  I love their alien-looking stamen!

2013-05-03 22:21:55 (12 comments, 7 reshares, 52 +1s)

Edges of the Earth -- Antigua
There is something nice about a view with no edges.

2013-04-27 20:20:32 (16 comments, 7 reshares, 69 +1s)

Sailing into the Sunset
In the mood for one of these nights?

2013-04-24 01:10:09 (7 comments, 7 reshares, 14 +1s)

Wanted: Quality Control Engineer -- Rockville, MD

My husband is looking for a quality control engineer located in Rockville, MD.  The company is a significant but small-sized manufacturer looking for someone with attention to detail and a strong commitment to learn.  Requires a bachelor's degree in engineering or sciences or quality control experience.  They are seeking to start training immediately.  Competitive compensation and benefits.  Please indicate in the comments if you are interested and I will have him contact you, or link to your online resume if you have one.

Thanks!  And please share.

2013-04-15 12:04:18 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 67 +1s)

Blossoms and Blue
The color version of the shot from yesterday.

2013-04-15 04:00:43 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 16 +1s)

Great classic talk by +Tim Ferriss.

2013-04-10 01:28:50 (1 comments, 4 reshares, 19 +1s)

For those who support reform of the CFAA, the Electronic Frontier Foundation has built a tool to help you email your congressional representative about the key issues.

2013-04-07 01:47:00 (4 comments, 6 reshares, 26 +1s)

This is a fantastic story!  Imagine if we take this to its conclusion: long in the future, we will be capable of making movies directly from our imaginations.

2013-04-06 23:31:23 (13 comments, 3 reshares, 74 +1s)

Cat in a Fisheye: Part 2
Okay, maybe one more fisheye shot of my cats!  I promise I'll get serious again soon. I hope everyone is having a good Saturday!

2013-03-31 21:03:39 (6 comments, 4 reshares, 60 +1s)

Caterpillar Eating Plumeria
Do you remember the photograph of white Plumeria flowers that I posted a couple months back?  This is a caterpillar that was feasting on that same tree.  These caterpillars are considered pests in the region because of their voracious appetite, though they are pretty.

2013-03-30 16:53:30 (23 comments, 2 reshares, 73 +1s)

What is life without risks?  I was afraid to share this photo because I understand that it is not conventionally attractive.  But it is only through risk-taking that we improve.

Run Toward Your Fear.
A merry-go-round in Washington, D.C.

2013-03-25 23:46:23 (18 comments, 4 reshares, 82 +1s)

Sparrow in a Cherry Tree -- Washington, DC

A few of the pink cherry blossoms emerged, but we have yet to see the peak of these blooms that, to me, mark the beginning of spring.

2013-03-17 00:24:34 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 53 +1s)

First Love
So soft!

2013-03-10 15:05:15 (30 comments, 3 reshares, 72 +1s)

Now I've finally decided on a new cover!  A collage of shots!

Want to do the same?  Using PowerPoint, you can "insert" images, "group" them, then "save as image."  So easy.

2013-03-10 00:05:48 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 57 +1s)

Orchids
At the National Portrait Gallery

These orchids were sitting in a shaded area, so they need some spice!  I turned my on-camera flash on them and I think it made some nice dramatic lighting suitable for such dramatic flowers.

2013-03-08 15:59:40 (7 comments, 4 reshares, 50 +1s)

Do You Want Clouds As Your New Cover Photo?
Feel free to use anything from my "Fluffy Clouds" or Favorites albums, since I licensed these photos Creative Commons Non-Commercial.

2013-03-08 00:27:20 (9 comments, 3 reshares, 16 +1s)

Well this is certainly the most interesting news I've heard this week: human brain cells increase the intelligence of mice.

2013-03-05 01:59:23 (30 comments, 2 reshares, 52 +1s)

Strange Lights in the Night

I was out photographing some red cherry trees against the purple sky we had tonight, when I saw this light in my shot!  I don't want to give away the mystery, so I won't tell what it was!

2013-03-03 03:34:47 (10 comments, 3 reshares, 71 +1s)

National Portrait Gallery

I had such an awesome time hanging out with +Angela B. Pan over at the National Portrait Gallery yesterday!  This atrium is so beautiful!

Tip: want those star-bursts?  Set your f-stop around f/16.

2013-02-28 01:21:37 (7 comments, 1 reshares, 44 +1s)

Cherry Blossoms in the Snow

A poem:
Their life emerges to the silence.
Winter still surrounds
The air absorbs all color.
They must speak to fatten the air
Until it can hold no more.
Until spring bursts from event horizon.

2013-02-26 12:24:32 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 18 +1s)

Once in a while we should rethink why we take photographs.

I salut Bob Carey. What a brilliant project.

2013-02-23 16:31:56 (23 comments, 2 reshares, 56 +1s)

My Sweetie

This is Jag, my Bombay cat! I just made this my iPhone background so I can see him all day!

2013-02-19 14:14:07 (3 comments, 11 reshares, 6 +1s)

Seeking Software Engineer, Rockville, MD

My husband's company is seeking a programmer for cutting-edge work on ARM-embedded systems. Must live in Rockville, Maryland area (just outside Washington, DC) and be able to program in C and Java. Full-time position with good pay plus benefits. The company is small and established in the defense and security field.
If you are interested, leave a comment and I'll send you more information. If you have an online resume or LinkedIn, feel free to link to it below.

2013-02-17 16:39:25 (14 comments, 3 reshares, 37 +1s)

Vignette
I'm not sure how I feel about vignetting.  I like that it draws interest to the center of an image, but I get this feeling that it can tick off more savvy photographers.  This is one of my favorite buildings in Washington, D.C. I think it deserves to be made a center of attention once in a blue moon.

2013-02-14 22:42:24 (21 comments, 7 reshares, 78 +1s)

A New T-Shirt - The Camera Sutra - also perfect for Valentine's Day... "for those spending quality time with their cameras" (!!) http://store.stuckincustoms.com/gear 

These have not even been formally announced yet, and a new shipment was needed because the first one sold out! Here you can see +Christa Laser  wearing one and the website has a few others sporting some of their first-batch deliveries! Keep the photos coming in (thx +Angela B. Pan  too!) That one of +Jason Law  was taken by +Karen Hutton  yesterday.  Now, you can't quite see all the positions here in Christa's shirt because it is a little wrinkled -- we've all been in this position bending over a flower.  Anyway, "Flower" is the part of the word you can't read. :)

2013-02-12 03:28:36 (71 comments, 2 reshares, 108 +1s)

Thanks
Some of you have sent me some really sweet pre-Birthday wishes!  Thank you!  Everyone here has been so supportive of me--from my social issues to my newfound interest in photography!  I can't thank you all enough for your kindness!

2013-02-11 05:14:11 (10 comments, 2 reshares, 42 +1s)

Three Sets of Footprints into Water

It's hard for me to get started with big projects sometimes.  I just had to take the plunge!  But it worked, and I am now emerging from what was a tough week with my productivity enhanced!

2013-02-04 00:30:09 (41 comments, 2 reshares, 84 +1s)

First Lightroom - From My Office at Sunrise

I'm a little nervous to share this, because it's my first real experiment with Lightroom.  I started with +Trey Ratcliff's #treyslightroompresets , available over here: http://store.stuckincustoms.com/tools/lightroom-presets

I might try to get another shot of this at sunset sometime to experiment with different light.

2013-01-27 05:29:43 (12 comments, 0 reshares, 34 +1s)

Yay! They said my closing argument at training today was "fantastic!" Now I'm back in D.C. and ready to enjoy the weekend! What should I do tomorrow, finally splurge on Lightroom and learn post-processing or get ahead on work?

2013-01-22 00:14:14 (30 comments, 67 reshares, 143 +1s)

How movies teach manhood
Great advice from Colin Stokes: now that we have more and more films with female protagonists, teach boys to identify with female heroines, to "want to be on their team."

2013-01-19 21:06:53 (16 comments, 12 reshares, 80 +1s)

Look into a pretty eye
To find the golden hue
Of a sunset in a primal land
Ancestors always knew.
And find peace in waters' bodies
Though it makes up our own.
From these it seems that beauty's
Sense was shaped by sense of home.

2013-01-17 01:34:05 (9 comments, 1 reshares, 76 +1s)

Doggy in the Window

Last weekend, I did a photowalk in Georgetown, which is relatively crowded and urban, even compared to downtown D.C.  It was very challenging to get good urban photographs.  Do you feel the same?
Landscapes are easy-- they are beautiful and that's the end of it.  Urban has to work hard to be beautiful.

2013-01-15 05:11:57 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 13 +1s)

Trey Ratcliff hung out with 7 people. #hangoutsonair

2013-01-14 03:04:07 (14 comments, 0 reshares, 80 +1s)

2013-01-14 00:02:21 (16 comments, 3 reshares, 69 +1s)

Lights in the Night -- Arlington

I love nighttime photography, but I often get way too scared to get the star shots that I really want.  Until I can get a little less afraid of the dark, I'll use the city as a nightlight-- streetlights, car lights, and windows.

2013-01-11 05:10:45 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 61 +1s)

Nothing like a good vintage feel. Again, with the beautiful +Christa Laser 

2013-01-11 04:10:00 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 42 +1s)

Last weekend I had the pleasure of working with the beautiful +Christa Laser . She earned her wings by modeling in the freezing cold and putting up with things like me making her look directly into the sun. ;) Christa, it was a lot of fun! Thank you! 

2013-01-07 02:47:05 (98 comments, 4 reshares, 29 +1s)

Riddle time!  Which way will gravity pull an astronaut who is equidistant between a planet-size object and a black hole, assuming no other objects in the universe?
What else do you need to know to solve it?
#sciencesunday #scienceeveryday  

2013-01-06 00:59:29 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 14 +1s)

ANNOUNCING PLUS ONE COLLECTION 2012 + Image Submission + Fundraising Campaign

Alright, let's do this thing! The publication of Plus One Collection 2012 is officially under way. Read on for details, watch the video, re-share it, and get on the train before it's too late. 

Who can contribute a photograph for the book? 

Anyone. Send us your best image you took in 2012 and it'll get published in one or in all forms - in print, in ebook, and in our online gallery. 

What's the theme?

Same as last year - your best photograph you made in the year just ended, 2012. 

How else can I help?

Re-share this post with your circles. Invite friends and family to participate. This is a photography community publication, and we want as many submissions as we can get. Everyone should hear about this.Rem... more »

2013-01-06 00:42:27 (11 comments, 2 reshares, 46 +1s)

Antigua -- Colors in the Darkness.

I have a theory that low angles of light and long exposures with less light create much nicer colors.  Probably others have already seen this, too.  Why do you think that is?  What other ways do you know to capture amazing colors from your camera?

2013-01-01 04:35:13 (23 comments, 7 reshares, 105 +1s)

Nearly New Year's!  Wishing you all the accomplishments and happiness in the world!

2012-12-28 03:33:36 (35 comments, 2 reshares, 85 +1s)

My first attempt at star photography!

I miss seeing the stars every night.  As a kid, we lived in North Scottsdale before it had developed up very much.  There was a desert behind the house, and there you could see stars like this at night.  This shot was taken in beautiful Antigua, where there is good visibility of the stars at nighttime, too.  Now, living in Washington, DC, the stars are hardly visible.  Hopefully soon, I can get a wider-aperture lens to capture more light from stars with less exposure time (minimizing the "streaking" effect you see-- I'm not a fan of it).  And, even better, trying this someplace where I can see the Milky Way would be a dream!

New Year's makes me think of stars!  So, happy New Year to everyone!

2012-12-25 22:08:54 (10 comments, 6 reshares, 29 +1s)

Merry Christmas to all!  If you made a wishlist for Santa, be sure to read Santa's privacy policy: http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/santas-privacy-policy

2012-12-20 02:19:25 (6 comments, 11 reshares, 35 +1s)

These two sisters sing an awesome rendition of an awesome holiday song, God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.  Check it out!

2012-12-17 13:59:47 (12 comments, 6 reshares, 73 +1s)

Antigua
Sunrise in the Caribbean.   The island of Antigua has some amazing untouched landscapes if you get far enough from the capital, St. John.  Closer to civilization, the history of this island is very interesting.  It was Hero's Day in Antigua one day while I was there, and one of the heroes is "Prince Klaas," a slave in the sugar trade who attempted to lead an uprising in the early 1700s.  Today, the old sugar mill sits vacant and decaying on a hill, and our guide told us the locals no longer manufacture any of the locally grown sugar cane plants into sugar.

2012-12-15 14:57:06 (20 comments, 4 reshares, 57 +1s)

Happy Saturday!