Balloons Over the Bibb

Last night the Historic Columbus Foundation sponsored Celebrate Columbus at the RiverMill Centre - an event to celebrate historic Bibb City and to honor the firefighters who fought the massive fire that destroyed the historic Bibb Mill last October.

Part of event were hot air balloon rides. Unfortunately, wind gusts keep the colorful balloons grounded and empty of both air and passengers during the early hours of the festivities. But two of the pilots decided to wait it out, and sure enough, as dusk descended the winds calmed. And up went the balloons.

The shot that I was looking for was 'colorful balloons over brick and mortar ruins.' But losing light - and no way to get a really good angle - nixed that. I made a bit of a shot - but not what I had visualized. I would need to hover higher than the balloons in just the right spot to frame it just right. Where's my jet-pack.

It was fun just hanging out. And it's a sweet ride. You just sort of glide. It didn't even feel like we were rising. We hovered at about 30 feet.

The pilots, Tim Billingsly and Dave Sullivan, told me that the burners put out 22 million BTUs of energy using liquid propane. That is enough to heat a four bedroom house in about 5 seconds - if you could duct it that quick. But in the basket the heat feels like a fire in a fireplace - warm to your face but the air around you stays cool.

It was a beautiful evening.
Robin

Eggstravaganza!!

This morning I covered the annual Spring Eggstravaganza at Fort Benning. Hundreds of youngsters, and their families, gather on the lawn at Riverside, which is the home of the post commanding general, for Easter egg hunts, games and prizes.

The egg hunts were divided into age groups, which is a good thing. Otherwise, the big kids would overpower the little kids, and the little kids would come up empty-handed and very disappointed. I photographed the young ones, and as one might expect, it was a mad rush for eggs and was all over in a matter of minutes. A clean sweep. Even with parents having been instructed to NOT pick up eggs for their children, but to let the kids gather for themselves. Lots of really cute kids.

I didn't get this little girl's name, but she is so small that she over ran her target as she tried to snag the egg before she came to a complete stop. Like a puppy or a kitten whose back legs begin to outrun its front legs. Pretty sweet.

Happy almost Easter,
Robin

A Few Faves from March

So here are a few favorite photos from March.

Isn't March the "in like a lion, out like a lamb" month? This year it came in like a snow lion on the heels of a roaring lion ... and went out about the same way. All the damage to homes aside (thankfully, no injuries), tornadoes are just so amazing. The fact that there were no injuries were every bit as amazing.

But to be followed by SNOW!! ... wow ... just, wow. It was so beautiful. And it felt so much like home. (I'm from out West). Most of the snowfall was in Harris County ... and did it ever come down. Simply beautiful. Big, fat, wet flakes blanketed the countryside. Yes.

You can always count on a clan of goof ball teenagers to show up at Lakebottom Park to have dangerous fun in the big rain. They did not disappoint. Boogie-boarding in Weracoba Creek. Who would've thought.

In Alabama along U.S. Highway 280, an 18-wheeler hit the median and rolled as the tornado blew through and scared the you-know-what out of its driver. The trailer was caring a load of toilet paper. I did not write down that bit of information, but I'm sure that I remember it correctly. Those orange things are airbags that help to stabilize the big rig as tow trucks (plural) pull it upright. I have no idea why these two guys are standing on the trailer. Maybe because they can.

Last in the storm story photos - is Katie McCain, 8, of Salem, whose foremost concern were her two puppies Patch and Jake, and all of the McCain family animals, which include the puppies' parents, a Siberian husky, a cat and two ponies.

I covered the Dr. Suess-themed Read Across America at Brewer Elementary. Chase Tucker, 6, read "Wacky Wednesday" with his mother Velisha Hearlson. His expressive concentration was so cute and so sweet.

Another understatement of expressive thought was Collin Cates, 3, who gave a thumbs-up as his picture was being taken at the Thunder in the Valley Air Show. Check out the ear-protecting head gear.

A couple of old soldiers reuniting to honor soldiers not present. Old soldiers who fought together and survived together, and continue to honorably represent those who dedicate their lives to military service. Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Basil Plumley, center, and Retired Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, were a part of the Sacred Soil ceremony at the National Infantry Museum on March 19. Dirt gathered from battlefields from the Revolutionary War to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan were spread onto the parade grounds at the museum site. The first OSUT (One Station Unit Training) graduation also took place that day. Plumley and Moore spread dirt from the LZ X-Ray battlefield in Vietnam were they fought in November 1965. Moore wrote the book "We Were Soldiers Once ... And Young," which documented the battle and the story of the men who fought that battle. It became a movie that was filmed, in part, in Columbus.

Last, but oh not least, is Donald Ford in the ZUMBA aerobics class at the downtown YMCA. The time slot used to be a cycling spin class, but when it changed, he stuck with it. Him and 40 women. Why not?

Cheers, and thanks for tuning in,
Robin

The Thunder in the Valley Air Show holds a media day each year a few days before the weekend festivities, and I covered last week with my colleagues Sonya Sorich and Joe Paull. This usually means going up in vintage airplanes, weather permitting. And usually means an interesting ride in a vintage airplane. One year former L-E photog G. Marc Benavidez made a great shot while flying upside down. I don't like to fly upside down.

This year two World War II Stearman trainers were among the old planes that were on the tarmac for us to photograph ... and take a ride in. A 1938 PT-13 and a 1942 PT-17. They were the primary training planes for the Army Air Corp and the Navy. One is owned and flown by former Navy pilot and retired Northwest Airlines pilot John Laughter. The other is owned and flown by former Air Force pilot and retired Delta pilot Jim Ratliff. How interesting. The plan was for Sonya to ride in the PT-17 and me in the PT-13 so that I could photograph her in the PT-17 in the skies over Columbus.

Well, the pesky little PT-13 did not want to start. Hmmm. It sounded like many of the old cars that I've driven over the years. Pilot John apologized and said that he over primed it. So Sonya and Pilot Jim headed for the wild blue yonder .... and I got a jump start. Really.

The guys pulled up a thing-a-ma-jig, hooked up cables, and cranked her up. So I say to John, "I guess this means we won't be flying upside down, or killing the engine and such." And he said that it (the plane) would actually start easier in the air. "Well, no, let's not," was my nervous reply. These guys are not just amazing pilots, they're all a bit crazy, too. Perhaps it's a prerequisite. Later in the week I met an Army Lt. Col. who was describing to me (us) the pilots who flew the Huey helicopters in Vietnam - the ones that swept in close to the ground to clear out or flush out or whatever they did to the enemy so the helicopters bringing in troops could hover and drop their soldiers. Egad.

Anyway - here we are, getting a jump. That's my foot to the left. And these little planes have cute rear view mirrors. Just another day at the office.

Happy Spring -
Robin

Photo Tip #12: Super Contrast and the Errant Point & Shoot: part 2

Let's follow up on Dave the Dog's coffee break.

As we saw earlier, the high contrast setting with the super bright sidewalk, the dark black metal table and the deep shadows under the storefront awnings sent the light meter in my little point & shoot a little crazy. I did not like the pictures. On the camera that I have (an older Canon PowerShot 550SD), there is limited manual capability, so I set the camera to automatically under expose one stop.

For the first image, the camera chose a 250th shutter speed at f/stop 7.1. This is almost the exposure that the camera picked for the first fully auto shot (1/200 at 7.1; the second fully auto frame was shot at 1/500 at 2.8). The next one was also 250th at 7.1 f/stop, though the second one came out a little darker. At -1.00 exposure compensation, the camera also shot a frame at 1/400th at 3.5 f/stop. Don't know why.

In the camera LCD screen, the pictures still looked to light. So I set the exposure compensation to -2.00, or two stops under exposed. It shot at 1/320th at 9.0 f/stop. Oops - too dark. And what kind of a setting selection is that? (But wow, what a face!)

I then set the camera to shoot at -0.67. (check for 'exposure compensation' in your camera manual. This is done in-camera, and it might also be possible to set it for your flash.) The fourth pic shot at /125th at 7.1 f/stop. Now that is a FULL stop over exposed as compared to the first auto-exposure, which was 250th at 7.1. Hmmm. It is set to under expose. The camera also made a frame at 1/160th and 7.1 f/stop. Okay ... this little point & shoot is wigging out in this contrasty situation.

For the afternoon take - which was just a quick hello, a cup of coffee to go and a few snaps - my favorite exposure is this last one. And it shot at -1.00, 250th, 7.1 f/stop. Go figure.

So what do we take from this? Well, I was quite surprised at how the exposure settings in this point & shoot bounced around so much. It also told me not to get to upset with, or invested in, photos that this particular camera can make in difficult light. Under better conditions, it makes beautiful images. But it definitely has its limits, as do most point & shoot cameras. Know your equipment, however simple or advanced it is. And read the owners manual so that you know all of the ins and outs of what it CAN do.

Also -- take note where the camera is aimed to take its exposure readings. Is it reading mostly off of the dark table or the bright sidewalk? Is there a balance of dark, light and midtones for the light meter to read from? This was not only a high contrast situation, it was high contrast with primarily black, white, deep shadows and a guy in a gray sweatshirt with a cap that covered his eyes. Thank the photo gods for a blue ceramic cup. A more colorful scene with a range textures and reflective surfaces might not have been so difficult.

And -- while taking these types of pictures, watch your subject. You can see that as Dave moves his head around, those big floppy ears can shadow his eyes. Or a slight look down to the table will shadow his eyes. When he looked up, his face was all nicely and somewhat evenly exposed by the sun. Just under exposed by me. Oh well.

The highlights under the awning are interesting to note. The neon sign, the reflecting edges of the chairs, and the red jacket. With more work, this could be nicely composed.

One more thing. That -2.00 under exposed shot of Dave that I liked best (what a face) lightened up pretty well in Photoshop. All was not lost.

Here's to almost Spring,
Robin

Desmond's Paw

Yesterday evening my coworker Shannon Szwarc and I planned to sit on my front porch and enjoy a beer or two after work in honor of his birthday ... about a week late. I no sooner walked through door when one my cats, Desmond, let out a looooooonnnng moaning howl! Startled, I dropped my bags and found him in the kitchen with his claw caught in the screen door. What's the problem? Then I saw that the window had come down and smashed his paw - which was still pinned by the window. AAAAHHH! No idea how long he had been there. All he could do was stare back at me over his shoulder ... with his big beautiful eyes.

Desmond's two outer toes were seriously crimped. I had visions of his little bones being just crushed. But he was no longer howling, nor moaning, nor crying. He was quiet and just rested on my shoulder. So I wrapped him in a blanket, and off to the emergency vet clinic we went.

The good news is - no broken bones. But the poor guy has one seriously swollen foot. It was worse in the morning, compared with the photo that I took after we got home. I tried to ice it to relieve the swelling. Ever try to ice a cat's paw? Good Luck. It worked for a moment, then no go. So he'll spend the next few days limping and lounging.

Have a sweet Valentine's Day,
Robin

Photo Tip #11 - Super contrast and Auto Exposure: Dave the Dog and the Errant Point and Shoot

So I was walking down Broadway not long ago headed back to the office and ran into L-E reporter Lily Gordon and her husband Morgan with their big, lovable boy - Dave the Dog. They were sitting outside the Fountain City coffehouse enjoying some espresso. Dave is a teenaged Weimaraner and as sweet as can be. You can pat Dave's head without reaching down to pat Dave's head.

I pulled out a little point & shoot that is with me almost always, and commenced to make a few pictures. Now, it was a bright, clear, sunny beautiful day. One would think that the light would be perfect for pictures. And it would've been -- in a different setting. That little point & shoot was making exposures all over the map. Why?

We had a super-bright sidewalk in the midday sun. The store front awnings made for deep shadows close to the building where many patrons were seated. And although the tables are black and somewhat relective, they are, or course, very dark compared with the 'hot' sidewalk. (Here, I use 'hot' as a photo-term, meaning that it is quite bright and will require either a fast shutter speed or a small aperture opening, or both, to tone down the strong reflection. Also, remember that a small f/stop opening is a large f/stop number.) The bright sun and cloudless sky created deep shadows everywhere. Which can be fine ... just not here.

(Before I continue, let me remind everyone that photos look different on different computer monitors. On mine, these photos look too light. Trust me, the shadows were deep!)

These were taken on fully automatic. The first shot exposed at a 1/200th shutter speed with 7.1 f/stop. Dave and the sidewalk are a bit overexposed. Too overexposed for my taste. You can see right away that Morgan's face was going stay in the shadows if I didn't sit down. So I sat down to take more pictures. This second shot was WAY too hot, meaning overexposed. The camera picked 1/500 shutter speed at f/stop 2.8. This is just a little more than one shutter speed faster (1/200 to 1/500), but it opened up 2-1/2 f/stops from 7.1 to 2.8. Which means that for the second shot, the camera made its exposure primarily off of a much darker area than the first photo, and so it 'opened up' the aperture to allow more light but probably could not speed up the shutter any further.

Let's visit that again. Consider the center of the frame for the first shot. It's roughly the area of Morgan's hands, his jacket and Dave's gray coat. The bright sidewalk and the dark table might have contributed somewhat. I don't know really how big of an area of the center of the frame is used to take the exposure reading. But there was a range of reflected light and contrast for the light meter to bring together to make the exposure.

Now look at the second shot. The center of the frame is mostly the black table, and the shadowed area of Dave and Morgan's hand. Most of the cup is in shadow. So the camera opened up the aperture to expose for the dark table and make it 18% gray (Google this if you want an explanation now --- this subject is another photo tip session), thereby overexposing the cup and the sunny side of Dave's face. If you think about it, if the camera exposed the table as darker black, the hand and the background would be in even deeper shadow.

So what's the lesson here? Point & shoot cameras have their limitations. And pay attention to where your camera will be making its exposure reading if you are shooting in any of the automatic modes. You might need to move and make a different image. Even with a digital SLR. The DSLR light meter should be more sophisticated than this point & shoot, but the challenge is the same. You might want to go to manual settings, decide where in your image you want to make the exposure and check each image until you get into the ballpark. And consider using fill-flash if you can. Using flash outdoors can be helpful.

There was more to this little photo session. I made a few frames using the few manual settings that the camera allows. We'll discuss it next.

As always, Happy Shooting,

Robin