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A few random things

Working life

By riceowlguy (Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 07:56:11 PM EST) (all tags)

to let you know I've not forgotten you.

I just got done shooting 200+ random raw images on my camera and then copying them to my computer in order to test my new 4GB CF card. I bought another CF card not because I've ever come remotely close to filling up my previous 2GB model under real-world conditions, but because I got sick and tired of grabbing my camera bag on my way out the door someplace and then finding out I'd left my card in my computer's card reader, usually after having taken what would have been a Pulitzer-worthy shot.

On a side note, I'm continually amused by the fact that the first thing most people ask me when they see my 5D is "how many megapixels does it have", and I can't ever remember. Is it 12 or 14? I don't care. I could try to explain now the Nyquist limit and my full frame sensor means that my megapixels are better than your megapixels, but there's no use.

It turns out that if you don't have to deal with things like forwarding to other systems, encryption, directory-based authentication, spam filtering or virus scanning, or even access by hosts outside of your subnet, setting up an e-mail server is pretty easy, although it did still take me half a day to figure it all out. Postfix and Courier-IMAP, A++++ Would Install Again. Anyway, the powers that be are thankful we're no longer overwhelming the corporate e-mail system with our testing.

The other thing that arrived in the mail today was a ScanGauge II, but whoever was manning my apartment office decided to lock up at least five minutes before they were supposed to, so it's being held hostage until tomorrow morning. Dash it all! I'm looking forward to finally answering some nagging questions that have plagued me ever since I started driving stick.

Okay, so, this whole opera thing I'm in right now. It's great. You should come see it if you can. http://www.gilbertandsullivan.net. One more weekend. Excellent seats still available, believe me.

If I had even the tiniest notion that I might even remotely consider the possibility of voting for McCain in November, it was blown away forever when I heard that he had said that he still needed to learn how to do "a Google".

As always I remain,
your obedient,
rice owlguy

< A Taste of Bushkill Falls | Omnivorous Hippies >

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A few random things | 19 comments (19 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback

local mail server by sasquatchan (4.00 / 1) #1 Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 07:58:54 PM EST

not going anywhere to the real world, and you don't use sendmail ? I mean, it doesn't get any easier than that..

: Maildir? by riceowlguy (2.00 / 0) #4 Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 06:41:38 AM EST

Does sendmail do Maildirs? That was the one interesting change I had to make to the postfix configuration to get it it work with Courier, or vice-versa. We only need local delivery but we do want remote (at least within the building) retrieval.
To be honest, I settled on postfix+Courier-IMAP because the first result in Google for "setting up a mail server" recommended those things...plus a bunch of other crap I didn't need.

[ Parent ]

glorified pinhole cameras by Ken Pompadour (2.00 / 0) #2 Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 10:13:12 PM EST

People actually ask how many megapixels cell phones have. People seem a bit thick when it comes to cameras. Unless you have a Sony Ericcson K850i cell phone, you ain't got shit, no matter how many megapixels you're throwing around.

: Yeah by riceowlguy (2.00 / 0) #5 Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 06:53:39 AM EST

My LG eNV has 2.0MP, but produces terrible images. Better than nothing in a few rare cases. I wish I'd had it with me back in 2000 when Putin visited Rice and five military helicopters landed unexpectedly on the field next to my office.

[ Parent ]
: My Nokia N90 by ambrosen (2.00 / 0) #17 Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 01:35:25 PM EST

Has a lens better than its sensor, but is tolerably good. OK for 6x4s, anyway.

[ Parent ]

Isn't your tag line missing... by The Lord Chancellor (2.00 / 0) #3 Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 11:41:58 PM EST

a drumroll?

How would you write that? by riceowlguy (2.00 / 0) #7 Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 07:35:37 AM EST

\ \ / \ / \ / /?

[ Parent ]

: Curses, foiled again by auto format! (nt) by riceowlguy (2.00 / 0) #8 Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 07:36:43 AM EST

[ Parent ]

So, which is it? 10 or 12? by ObviousTroll (2.00 / 0) #6 Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 07:28:53 AM EST

Actually, what pisses me off is when people look at photos I've taken and say "wow, you have a good camera".

Yeah, and the chef at Le Bec Fin has good pots. That's why he's so good.

Of course, when the pictures suck, I'm happy to blame the camera. ;-)

--
Has anybody seen my clue? I know I had it when I came in here.

Actually, I'm perfectly willing to admit by riceowlguy (2.00 / 0) #10 Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 07:39:54 AM EST

that 99% of the reason why I take such good photos is that I have good lenses. And I know a lot of cute girls. The other 1% is just a few tricks I picked up here and there about shooting wide open and what kind of light makes people look best.

[ Parent ]

Good lenses are important by ObviousTroll (2.00 / 0) #13 Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 07:50:20 AM EST

but I'd argue that being able to really see is more important.

So, you primarily shoot portraits, then?

--
Has anybody seen my clue? I know I had it when I came in here.
[ Parent ]

Yeah by riceowlguy (2.00 / 0) #15 Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 07:59:05 AM EST

I used to think I'd do better at landscapes because I thought I wasn't a "people person". I am an engineer, after all. Turns out I'm horrible at landscapes, but okay at portraits.

I haven't had the time or the inclination to really practice photography seriously in a long time. If only I'd had my 5D back in 1998/1999 when I was constantly itching to shoot and had to make myself stop because of film and developing costs...

[ Parent ]

flickr says by ambrosen (2.00 / 0) #16 Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 01:34:01 PM EST

You are a good photographer, and that your female friends are cute.

[ Parent ]

: Why thank you by riceowlguy (2.00 / 0) #18 Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 09:16:06 PM EST

Actually, I feel like what's up on Flickr right now isn't that representative of my best stuff. I'll try and fix that soon.

[ Parent ]

Oh, and it's 12.8 by riceowlguy (2.00 / 0) #11 Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 07:42:36 AM EST

Not relevant.

[ Parent ]

: No, it's not. by ObviousTroll (2.00 / 0) #12 Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 07:46:52 AM EST

Although I'm jealous that you have a full-frame sensor. ;-)

--
Has anybody seen my clue? I know I had it when I came in here.
[ Parent ]

Oh, and another thing by ObviousTroll (2.00 / 0) #9 Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 07:39:27 AM EST

Can you explain to me, in simple "I'm good with iPhoto but that's it" terms why I would prefer to shoot RAW?

I've played with shooting raw but I honestly don't seem to get anything out of it - I've even done side-by-side comparisons and didn't see any difference. Is RAW just something I need to get HDR? Do I need to drop the cash on Aperture, Lightroom or Photoshop to get any benefit?

--
Has anybody seen my clue? I know I had it when I came in here.

: I'm the wrong person to ask by riceowlguy (2.00 / 0) #14 Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 07:52:50 AM EST

I mostly shoot jpegs and only use Picasa for organizing and editing. I used to play around with Photoshop when I didn't have to pay for it, but that's it.
What I've heard is that RAW images are easier to fix if you didn't get the exposure quite right.
My card test image set is actually a bunch of RAW+large smooth jpegs, so it's a good opportunity to check and see, but again, all I have is Picasa so who knows how smart it is.

[ Parent ]

5D by duxup (2.00 / 0) #19 Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 09:00:33 AM EST

Nice, that is one tempting camera....

Anyway I still shoot with my original digital rebel. I think my camera phone has more megapixels (well no but my digit cams do) and it so doesn't matter, the SLR always does better.

McCain, he might not understand google but if the Barbary States pop up again we've got a dude who has the knowledge to deal with them.
____

A few random things | 19 comments (19 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback