Digital Pictures

One Hundred Eighty Third Post: Digital Pictures

Ok. First off the Steelers didn’t beat the Colts yesterday (11-28-2005). I thought the turning point was when they kicked on onside kick to start the second half. I don’t know why Cower did that. It lead to a Colts touchdown. The Steelers were still in it then at 2 scores behind. The Colts had 9 points in field goals, but if the Steelers could get the offense together they still had a fighting chance.

I tried the Maya 5 learning addition yesterday. It has the same features as Max just arranged differently. I find that the Max interface is more basic and easier for beginners to use. (Of course, I have worked with it more.) Maya’s interface is a bit more graphical, but I had trouble adjusting sizes of the basic primitives by hand. Instead of adjusting once a point is placed on the screen, I guess the user must use the “scale” button or type in values in the properties window. I prefer Max, but there is a lot of professional designers that use Maya.

But while discussing 3D programs let’s not forget the 2D. I am talking about digital photos. Once you use a digital camera you wonder how people took pictures without it. But the fact that it is easy and fun to use has opened the world of photography to anyone. But with so many great shoots it is hard to make your shoots stand out. My tip is to buy a $20 or so tripod. It doesn’t have to reach the floor. It just has to hold the camera steady. The second tip is to move around the area to be photograph and take the time to find the right view. Digital cameras are very sensitive to bright lights so be aware of the light source. Also, as the book says, never point the camera at the sun in such cases you are capturing a sky view.

The tips are simple, but you can use the camera for more than just preserving memories. There is also an artistic and technical uses. The perfect shot is easy to snap, but first you have to find it. That is were you design the shot and pick the perspective. It is more than just an image. It is art. The technical side is taking a photo of the tractor deck so next spring you can put it back on. Also descriptive photos may be taken to show how a machine works. Its up to you. But until you snap the next photo.... May the Creative Force and Holiday Spirit be with You