Hey, Joe, nice galleries. Seems that new tripod is working out OK. Oh, and that mistaken 400 ISO setting is no big deal. I helped my in-laws change the setting of their digital camera from 640×480 (yikes) to 1200×1024 before they took too many pictures of their newborn. We also got them a new memory card so they could store more than 3 pictures at that resolution. 🙂
For the holidays, we drove all across the country to visit relatives, fell off a motocross motorcycle several times while trying it out for the first time, squished my oversized head (even XXL is too small) into a too-small helmet and my feet into too-small boots, welcomed a newborn nephew into the world, saw the in-laws’ new horse, saw my sister’s new puppy and their to-die-for kitchen, and perused the Interstate rest stops in South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota.
Here’s a tip: there is nobody, and I mean NOBODY, at Mount Rushmore the week before Christmas. It was on our way to our destination, so my wife and I paid $8 to park for a potty break, but got to see an unobstructed view of Mount Rushmore as a benefit. There were all of 5 cars in the parking lot.
Joe,
If you are using her #1 method, are you sure you highlighted the middle blank layer in the Palette and chose from the menu "Group with Previous" (grouped with the TOP layer). Painting with black on that blank layer allows the upper layer to show through.
If you are using her #2 method, presumably you selected the darker sections of image at either end, called up a Levels Adjustment Layer and made corrections to lighten so it matched the middle. Since you made a rough selection you probably need to fine tune the boundary between the different areas. Dismiss selection ants if showing. If your rough selection didn’t include all of the darker part you will have a band of darker area. To add the correction (lightening), have white as the foreground color, click on the black/white mask in the palette so that in the column at the left in palette, next to the eye, you have the symbol of a square with a circle in it (not a brush). Paint on image. —Or, maybe you are using a brush that has too much feather to it, or too little opacity.
For the mask, I always alt/shift click on it so it displays as a rubylith, the red semi transparent color. The hidden part is red. I find it much easier to deal with this way.
Wow Lou! Sounds like you had quite an adventure. Hope you didn’t hurt anything falling off that motorcyle. 😉
Yeah I know that ISO thing is not a huge deal. It’s just that the weather and the lighting conditions were just right. As I look at the forcast I can’t see another opportunity like that one comming any time soon. Oh well, live and learn.
I’ll have to remember that Mt. Rushmore tip. Haven’t been there in over 10 years and I’d like to go back.
Joe
Hmmm… Thanks Nancy, I’ll have to ponder that a bit and try again tomorrow. I’m at work now so I can’t PSE.
Joe
Joe, I think the mistake you are making is with the blank layer’s blend mode. Try doing your photo again with the blank layer’s blend mode set to screen.
Ok Terri, I’ll try that.
Thanks,
Joe
Hi Joe, Great pictures!
We don’t usually get enough ice here on Cape Cod to ice fish, just sometimes enough to skate on if you are careful. The cranberry bogs are shallow and safe.
But one year we had almost 6 inches of ice on the lakes, and I actually caught some perch. I dislike eating freshwater fish, so I usually just skate and watch the guys fish. We take our yellow lab who chases the Great Blue Herons and sea gulls away from the fish in the buckets.
Some of the braver guys ice boat out on the salt water ice, like my brother. I don’t like saltwater ice, so when we walk on it, we go at low tide, and carry a long rope. We never take the dogs or the kids there, only on the fresh water ice. Your pictures indicate cold enough weather that you can actually drive on the ice!
I was impressed with your website too, the way you have your pictures along with a travelog is fun. My husband wants me to do a website so we can show our travel photos and have a bit of text along with it, not just captions.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Jane
Joe,
Nice shots. Brought back memories of when I was a kid ice-fishing in northern Michigan. I didn’t need the passwoord to look at the galleries.
Dick
Joe, I had the urge to go drink a big mug of Hot Chocolate after looking at your pictures. Brrrrrrrr ! What a man !
I kept thinking of some movie all the while I was looking at your pictures. What one was it? Grumpty Old Men?! 🙂
The pictures are gorgeous, although I’m not as jealous right now as I might have been. I can look out the window and view my own snow scene today!
That hot chocolate does sound good, Jodi. Who’s cooking – you or me? If it’s you, skip the marshmallows – I’ll have a dollop of whipped cream.
forget the marshmellows and creme…how ’bout some Bailey’s ?? I never tried that….if it works in coffee…gotta be better in hot choc ! Oh Beth, you can have some cream as well 😉
forget the marshmellows and creme…how ’bout some Bailey’s
You can’t see it in any of the photos buy Bailey’s is actually a New Years Day Fishing tradition and a fish house staple. You gotta keep warm somehow! 🙂
Joe
Beth,
Grumpy Old Men is a classic, filmed right here in Minnesota. I love that movie.
As much as I complain about winter, I do like the snow. I could do with out the 40 below cold, though. I could take a little Pacific Northwest weather right about now.
Joe
Joe, I don’t think it’s the white stuff that really bothers us…unless we have to drive in it for long periods of time. I would have no problem with the stuff if it didn’t accompany Jack each winter…frosty !
Joe,
You must be an avid fisherman to brave all that freezing cold. Love your beautifully layout web site and pictures. I only went ice fishing once up in northern Ontario around Timmins. After a couple of hours or so, the only thing I got to take home was my frozen butt.
Shan
Shan
I see it is very appropriate that in the start of exploring mars you were off to Prague adjusting astronomical clocks.
Grant
The PacNW is a little better, but not exactly what we’re used to. Temperatures around 0 in the Eastern part, where your wife is from. On the West side, this is our second day maxed out at 28. Different, huh?!
Grant,
Quick of you to notice the locale of the original image. It was taken in November 1992 when it was getting cold and wet. End of season low fare has its disadvantages.
Shan
