CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-20 16:21:59 (14 comments, 0 reshares, 24 +1s)

THANK YOU GOOGLE & G+ FRIENDS

It was a funny surprise to see the Google search page designed in gifts this morning.  I figured it was also the birthday of a historical figure or famous living legend....  so I placed my mouse cursor over the pic and was totally surprised,  it was for me.  *BIG SMILE*

#birthday  
a cool surprise indeed

2013-05-06 12:10:24 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

SPOT ME working really hard through April...
2013 WORLD SKI & SNOWBOARD FESTIVAL in Whistler, BC, Canada.
We gave away over $20,000.00 in products to all the good people stopping into our tent.  
(not $20k each...) Our raffle, 2x each day was for wireless Headphones worth a cool $499.00ea.  
Many HAPPY FACES during our 10 day stay.
(write the video time in comments if you spot me.)  :o)

2013-04-04 19:52:50 (9 comments, 4 reshares, 64 +1s)

Donkey stopped by today.

She says she's ready for warmer days. 

2013-03-07 17:26:51 (7 comments, 1 reshares, 31 +1s)

Snowflake-a-Day #97

This is a favourite snowflake for a few reasons: the symmetry, the center, and varying silver tones created by crystal thickness. Be sure to view large or you're really not seeing it. :) and help out the snowflake book project, now 25% funded in less than a week! http://igg.me/at/skycrystals/

High res: http://donkom.ca/gplus/DKP_0349.jpg . When it comes to "composition" of my snowflakes, I typically crop square and throw the branches on angles... but this one was screaming to be placed perfectly horizontally and I think it works well. You can clearly see the angle of the light from my ring flash coming in primarily from the left side, and on just the right angle to show the changing elevation in the center of the crystal.

Based on the thick flower-like center and the blocky tips on the branches, I'd say that this... more »

2013-03-06 22:11:26 (21 comments, 2 reshares, 68 +1s)

Just one of those moments...
(somewhere between WIN & LOSE / PRIZE & PUNISHMENT)

I'm currently checking out the new layout,  interesting features and organization.
Is it working for you too?

2013-03-05 22:48:19 (8 comments, 2 reshares, 16 +1s)

AND NOW....
something completely different from me in HD

I was doing a bit of experimenting this morning with how I could run my sound through my new camcorder using the audio in/out.  I mounted the cam on the end of the guitar using a mini Gorilla Pod and actually found the results intriguing because of the auto focal changes and the image stability reacted like an actual person shooting the clip.
My little Jam? Haha..., Not planned or practiced,  just improvising for the test.
The name Jammy Jam comes from actually still having my Plaid flannel jammy pants on when doing this early this morning.
Also posted on my FB account, so those that are friends there www.facebook.com/stuart.m.williams/ may have already see this today,  but maybe not?   
Enjoy my Jammy Jam CAM TEST

2013-02-12 23:24:43 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 29 +1s)

If you "Spot Me" in this 2 min video, PLUS 1,
If you think this is Crazy Winter Fun,  drop a quick comment.
Show our warmer global friends why Winter is so cool.  "SHARE"   :o)

2013-01-25 14:21:44 (27 comments, 2 reshares, 76 +1s)

FROZEN HAZE
a result from extreme cold, -42

(Factory steam rises in the cold)
The past few days have been the brutal times that we all dread during the winter months up north.  There are a few things that are quite beautiful when it's extremely cold,  but that obviously requires being outside to capture the goodness.  Unless I can go out looking like a padded round ball of warmth, and not be noticed by kids pointing their finger and laughing,.. I'm going to stay inside.
AS FOR THE PIC
I snagged this the other evening from my balcony 9 floors up, using a 300mm and just loved the orange glow that the ice crystals were providing,  similar to pollution or sand storms.  Just like a sandwich of sun,  it was the final moments of another cold day gone by.  

PLEASE ADD YOUR CURRENT TEMPERATURE :o)

2013-01-25 12:52:53 (15 comments, 0 reshares, 57 +1s)

A Mobile Moment
my hands were burning cold

This is my current morning scene, as I drink coffee and freeze on my fingers while outside sneaking a smoke. I could never smoke inside, especially in a car. GROSS!!!

2013-01-23 16:16:56 (6 comments, 4 reshares, 41 +1s)

EASY WATER-DROP BACKGROUND TIP
how to 'TUNE' in color

Go grab on of those CD thingies that we never really use anymore, and either try a really strong light with a very low angle, or use a perfect WINTER AFTERNOON sun with low light coming through your WARM window. 

ALMOST NO SETUP NEEDED (maybe a tall chair)
I've talked about this easy color background before, but if 1 new pair of eyes see this for the first time and then gets the desire to try, then my job is done here.  :o)

2013-01-22 13:06:12 (35 comments, 3 reshares, 88 +1s)

Get on & ride a NEW CIRCLE 
(hold on kiddies)

G+ is an experience,  and it differs for everyone participating.  Like most users today, I also wasn't here at the very beginning to gain from all the huge Circles,  but managed to still participate with designing great Circles like "International Eye Candy" and the highly active "Pay It Forward Circle",  which was one of G+'s most shared Circles, EVER.
**************************************** ****************************************
Please suggest Circle Themes below,  and don't be afraid to SHARE this request so we can encourage others to be a part of the growing G+ experience. 
More info about how to recommend or signup coming WEDNESDAY (23/1/2013)   This is going to be BIG Googlie friends  :o)

2013-01-21 12:45:32 (58 comments, 6 reshares, 162 +1s)

We are all just droplets in a WEB
(each a little bit different)

Another #macromonday is here, and the week officially starts for most of the World.  I hope everyone had an interesting weekend and didn't spend it solving Web-Related server problems...  like I did.  _ugh_
Many thanks, as usual for the Macro Queens +Kerry Murphy +Jennifer Eden +Kelli Seeger Kim +Macro Monday for their outstanding efforts and devotion to our "little" pics.  :o)

HAPPY MONDAY GOOGIES

2013-01-17 21:08:26 (20 comments, 4 reshares, 92 +1s)

OUT OF A SHELL

G+ gets me out of my shell on chilly winter days, and I thank everyone that post such amazing photos and articles on a daily basis.  
YOU are what makes G+ work for me.

&BTW...
TURTLES LIKE TO RACE (always ask)

2013-01-14 15:28:09 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 76 +1s)

PICK'n a PIC
#macromonday +Macro Monday +Jennifer Eden +Kerry Murphy +Kelli Seeger Kim 

This morning was really hard to Pick a Pic.  Such a great week we just had here in Ottawa, Canada. The weather yesterday broke all the current records, and you could be outside in shorts without even caring.  Maybe only little trips to the balcony, but outside is outside!  :o)

Over the weekend,  I relocated my work space at home and can now have drives hooked to laptop all the time,  Browsing through all of my saved folders, and checking out shots from 2003 to present was sort of fun,  also a reminder of how I once thought I knew what I was doing.  Oh,  how times have changed.  For the better or worse,  each of us chooses a path to travel.

Pick a Pic Friends  :o)

2013-01-11 12:51:45 (18 comments, 1 reshares, 86 +1s)

FEATHER on FRIDAY
(this past week has been tickling...)
 #MacroFeatherFriday w/ +E.E. Giorgi  & +Robin Griggs Wood 

I know my posts in the past few months have been slow on G+,  but after a solid week of posting, browsing, commenting & +1'ing,  I had such a great time with you all.
So many new features here,  and the photos are better than ever before.  It's been a real pleasure seeing everyone again, and I really look forward to next week to do it all again.  :o)
Please ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND  GoogFriends

2013-01-10 13:30:14 (32 comments, 5 reshares, 132 +1s)

Ninja Macro Shooting
sneaking in undetected

We all want the best shot possible, and sometimes we don't want to scare our little bug friends away,  so we become satisfied with telephoto macro shooting from a few meters away.  *Not Me*
I would rather have 5 missed opportunities with 1 captured ultra close.
Sometimes I''ll bump an insect and loose my chance,  but most times when I move ultra slow, like a tree in the wind swaying back and forth,  I get close enough to catch a KEEPER, Ninja style.
HAPPY THURSDAY GoogFriends

2013-01-09 15:35:16 (12 comments, 5 reshares, 79 +1s)

 EXCUSE ME...
while I splash some color on your screen

Reflections of a Spring morning melt.
After digging more through my LR exported folder,  I've found all sorts of photos I played with while using LR.
This shot is the outcome of fast snowmelt in our local forest, and sometimes it's like a giant lake with little islands of trees popping up everywhere,  quite a sight.  
Thanks for allowing me to stop by...  :o)

2013-01-09 12:15:49 (73 comments, 19 reshares, 162 +1s)

Floral Sunrise
w/ choir of droplets singing

Many friends use LightRoom,  but I battle away with regular Photoshop and get rather board with the processes.  This shot I found in my LightRoom folder, which was created during a trial of the software and after looking at all the other images in the folder,  I think it's time to try LR once again.

Have an AMAZING DAY Googs, 1/2 way to Saturday  :o)

2013-01-08 18:39:08 (21 comments, 2 reshares, 39 +1s)

STAND UP & STAND OUT
(a little bit of my morning's creativity) 
best viewed large

Along with photography,  many of us have other artistic talents that we enjoy dabbling with.
I enjoy creating abstract art, playing music and recording, video effects and production.

What other Arts do "YOU" do?

2013-01-08 13:45:18 (37 comments, 28 reshares, 160 +1s)

Favorite Flap
known as The Happy Dance

Have a HAPPY Tuesday
I spent years photographing ducks for practice, well over 750,000 shots snapped as I worked on all aspects of Speed shooting.  Of course,  I would go to the pond, (which is extremely close to home)  fully loaded with photo bait, (aka: bread) and pop off shots for hours, 12 months out of the year.  Coldest was -40 degrees, which is the same in either Celsius or Fahrenheit at that temp.  
My rule was this, if my bare hands are in pain from the extreme cold, then the camera needs to be inside.
We're once again in the colder months, and I hear the duck calling me out to the pond.   I think it's time to re-visit my little feathery friends and hopefully they will perform some classic flapping for me, with the sun shining bright for those needed high speed shutter bursts.
Smiles for thecamera..... more »