Baysox Photos

I went to the Bowie Baysox baseball game on Sunday and took my camera with me.  Here are a few of the photos from that day.

Mushroom

I decided to take a little walk around my neighborhood to get a little exercise.  On my walk, I discovered some mushrooms growing on the side of the road.  One tip that I had read recently for improving your photographic technique is to try taking photos from a different perspective.  So rather than photographing these mushrooms from a standing or squatting position, I got down on my stomach to take the shot.

The photo was taken with my NikonD40x with an 18-55mm zoom lens set at a focal length of 19mm.  ISO was set at 100 with a shutter speed 1/100s and an aperature of f/5.

Pink Flower

Last month, I bought the Ion Pics2SD film, slide, and photo scanner.  I have been in the process of going back and scanning a lot of my old photographs and slides.

This photo was taken of some pink flowers in front of my house using the technique of zooming through the entire focal length of my zoom lens during the exposure to create the zoom effect.  I was pretty happy with the way this one turned out.

Allen Pond-To HDR or Not To HDR

The following post is one that I posted on my new photography blog Dick Stone Photography. Please visit and let me know what you think of some of the photos.

When I decided that I wanted to devote more time to the hobby of photography, I started to do a lot more reading on the subject.  I was able to get a free subscription to Popular Photography magazine and I started to visit a lot of photography websites and forums.  One of the things that I started to see a lot of was the subject of high dynamic range imagery, or HDR.

The idea behind HDR imagery is to process a photo with a greater range of colors to more closely represent a scene as scene by the human idea.  In photos where there are a great deal of contrast, bright areas are often over exposed and shadow areas underexposed resulting in the loss of detail of those areas.  HDR is designed to even those out and bring out the details in the entire scene.

On the surface that would seem to be a good thing.  However, a major complaint of HDR is that a lot of photographers end up producing images that are not "realistic" and actually are more surrealistic.  I decided that I want to explore HDR a little bit so I have downloaded a trial version of Photomatix Pro 4.0 to give it a try before I decide whether or not to dive in to HDR.

The first step is to photograph a scene multiple times and bracket the exposures.  Then, all of those images are combined in the Photomatix software to come up with a final image.  I decided to use the following photograph that I took on a walk around Allen Pond here in Bowie MD.  This became my base photo at "normal" exposure.

Next, I create four more images by adjusting the exposure value (EV) in Lightroom 4.  I created duplicate images at EVs of +1, +2, -1, and -2.  I then imported all five of these images into the Photomatix software to come up with the image below.

You can see that the sky in the HDR photo is a bit darker and the clouds stand out a bit more.  You can also see a lot more detail and brightness in the trees on the right side of the photo that were very dark in the original exposure.  All in all, I am very happy with the results.  Below, is another version of the photo using one of the more artistic presets in the software.

Obviously, this is more of an artistic interpretation.  It is not something that I would do a lot of, but it is something that I would want to play around with every now and then to try to evoke a certain mood or feel.  I will continue to experiment with the trial version of Photomatix until I decide on whether or not this is something I want to explore more fully.

Related articles

• The Ultimate Guide to HDR Photography (pixiq.com)
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Music Monday-Ringo Starr "Photograph"

I have been thinking a lot lately about photography.  It is a hobby that I have enjoyed over the years.  I really want to pursue it with a bit more energy than I have in the past.  I decided to start a photography blog called Dick Stone Photography.  I have already posted a few pictures there.  I am also considering signing up to take a photography course through the NY Institute of Photography to try to hone my skills.

 

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Picture This

Me and my Nikon, posted on Instagram

I have had a number of hobbies over the years.  Like a lot of kids, I collected a lot of things; baseball and football cards, stamps, and coins.  When I into my teen years, I moved on to playing the guitar and some organized sports.  One of my more favored hobbies over the years involved photography.  Photography really became one of my favorite activities.  I took a lot of photos back in the on a variety of subjects.  My favorite subjects, however, were sports and landscape photography.

During my film photography days, I started off with a completely manual Pentax K1000.  I loved that camera and it took some pretty good photos.  That camera went with me just about everywhere, especially to sporting events.  I bought as many telephoto and zoom lenses as I could so that I could take decent photos at various sporting events that I attended, mostly baseball and football, but also a few hockey and even a trip to the Ice Capades.

I read a lot of photography books and magazines back then to try to come up with new ideas and techniques to try out.  I experimented with a lot of different films and techniques to see what kind of images I could create with my camera.  The Cokin Creative Filter system became one of my favorite tools.  They had so many different filters that I couldn't get enough of them.  Black and white film was another fun thing to play with.

At one point, I actually considered trying to make a career in photography.  I had a friend who started taking ballet lessons to meet girls.  He had a recital and invited me to take some photos.  I shot a few rolls of film and he took them in to show people in his group.  A few of the people in his group liked them so much that they paid me for copies of the prints that they could have for their portfolio.  Unfortunately I never pursued it seriously as the guaranteed money of a steady job won out.

After I got married, and especially after my son was born, I lost interest in photography.  My camera pretty much set unused for months at a time.  During a particularly tight financial period, I took my now seldom used cameras to a camera store and sold them for some much needed cash.  Most of my photos at this point were simple family photos that could be taken with a basic point and shoot camera.

Then came the digital age.  A few years ago, I decided to take the plunge and buy myself a digital single lens reflex camera, a NikonD40x.  With our love affair with the Bowie Baysox, I decided that I wanted to get back into photographing sports again.  There isn't a bad seat in the stadium so we are always able to get fairly close to the action.  We also were a part of the Bowie Baysox boosters which gives scrapbooks to all the players.  Some of my photos have been parts of those books.

About a month ago, I received an email from one of my trade journals.  They said that since I was subscribing to the trade journals, I qualified for a free magazine subscription.  I had been thinking a lot more about my old photography hobby and decided to try a subscription to Popular Photography.  I have received two issues so far and have read them cover to cover.

I was talking to my friend at work recently, the one that I talk about Bathroom Boy and Ms. Spectacular, about wanting to do more on the weekends.  With my son being away at school, I have been wanting to do more things on my days off.  In particular, I want to go out with my camera and see if I can create great photos instead of just snap shots.  At least, that is the goal.

I discovered that there is a photography club nearby in my neighborhood.  They meet on Monday evenings at 7:30 pm.  Their next meeting is on September 17th.  I am going to try to attend the meeting to see if it is something that would interest me.  Their annual dues are $25, which won't break the bank.  They also have several photo competitions throughout the year.  Their website says that visitors are always welcome so I can check them out with no obligation.

I have recently purchased a new camera bag that will allow me to more readily have my camera with me at all times.  Later this week, the family is heading to Ocean City for a few days before my son has to go back to school.  The camera will be going as well.  I have also started following a few different photography blogs in the hopes of getting some good pointers.

If all goes well and I follow through with all these grandiose plans of improving my photography, I hope to post photos here.  I am also considering starting another blog strictly dedicated to my photography.  If and when that happens, I will be sure to post about it here.  I have already created the URL in blogger.  I am leaning towards using one of Blogger's dynamic view templates for it.  Stay tuned for more.

Related articles

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Cowboy Monkey Rodeo

I have been looking forward to this day since I first saw it on the promotional calendar for my hometown Bowie Baysox.  Today was Country Day at the ball park and as part of the entertainment between innings the Cowboy Monkey Rodeo was on display.

Let's face it.  I am a guy.  I like sports, and like most guys, I like monkeys.  If you want to have a hit commercial during the Super Bowl, you have monkeys in the ad.  Now, combine baseball and monkeys and you have the ultimate in guy entertainment.

Oh yeah, and there was also a baseball game which the Baysox won handily.  A great day at the ballpark.

Drop by Dude Write to check out this and other blog posts by the dudes that are participating this week.

Not So Green Thumb

I definitely do not have what you would call a "green thumb." I am one of those people who could kill a plastic plant. We used to have four or five bushes in the front of our townhouse, but about five years ago they started to turn an ugly brown.  So, I ended up pulling the the bushes out of the front yard and replaced them with four large planters.

The front of our house is almost completely covered in shade most of the day.  Consequently, we wanted plants that would thrive in shade and not require a lot of direct sunlight.  I also did not want to go with shrubbery or green plants.  I wanted flowers so that we could add a splash of color in front of the house.  The first couple years of having the planters, we would buy some impatiens at Home Depot and plant those.

The impatiens did very well for us, but they required replanting every year.  Not only do I not have a green thumb, but I also did not want to continue to have to replant flowers every year.  Three years ago, I ended up buying some lily bulbs at BJ's and planted those.  We have had a mixed batch with those but we do get some nice blooms every now and then.  Unfortunately they usually only last a day or two.

About half of the planters have some good growth on them.  One has just a couple of plants growing.  The other two, well, let's just say they could use a little work.  This afternoon, we had three blooms in front of the house.

 

Related articles

• Impatiens sodenii the ideal shrub for shady spots (sfgate.com)
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My Newest Toy

Photography is one of my favorite hobbies, and has been for years.  When I first got involved in photography, I used an old Pentax K1000.  I was primarily interested in sports and landscape photography.  I had a bunch of special effects filters and lenses ranging from wide angle to a 500mm mirror telephoto lens.

I dabble with photography for several years, but after a while my film cameras started to collect dust in the basement.  As film started to wane in popularity, and I was in need of a little extra cash for some other interests, I decided to sell all of my film equipment.

A few years ago, the photography bug bit me again so I invested in a good digital SLR camera.  My camera of choice these days is a Nikon D40x.  The Nikon is what I use when I want to take really nice photos, especially when I want to take some action photos at the Bowie Baysox games.

The one thing about the DSLR camera and the lenses is that it is a little bit on the bulky side.  It isn't something that I can have with me all the time.  For that reason, I have been in the market for a smaller, point and shoot type digital camera.  This weekend, I think I have found what I have been looking for.

I was out running errands yesterday and decided to stop by Best Buy to look for a camera.  Being on the frugal side (maybe even cheap side) I wanted to find a quality camera, but I wanted to keep the cost below $100.  As luck would have it, they were having a clearance sale on a Nikon Coolpix S300 for half price, only $75.

It is a 12 megapixel point and shoot camera, and unlike a Nikon I looked at a few weeks ago which used AA batteries, has a rechargeable lithium ion battery  It is small enough to fit easily in my back pocket.  I also got a rather small camera bag that could attach to my belt if needed.  Best of all, it's a Nikon. 

I am really looking forward to using this camera on an everyday basis.  There are just so many times when I wish I had my camera.  The D40x is just too much to lug around all the time, unless I am planning a day of photography.  The Coolpix is perfect for it.  On Saturday night, my wife and I have a dinner/fundraiser to attend.  The Coolpix will be with us.

Related articles

• Nature Photography for Beginners (brighthub.com)
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A Few New Baysox Pictures

It has been a while since I have posted any of my Baysox photos, so here are a few from the last couple games that we have been able to attend.

Living Pictures

I was looking around for interesting news stories tonight when I wandered over to Neal Boortz's website. He usually has links to some interesting news stories. Today, he did not have much in the line of news, but he did have a link to these awesome photographs by Arthur S. Mole and John D. Thomas.

The photographs were taken in 1919. The pair went to various US military bases and had the soldiers form various patriotic icons. Each photograph contains thousands of soldiers. These are simply spectacular.

Reasons I Love Minor League Baseball

I have always been a sports fan. As a kid, I remember going to Washington Senators games with my father. It was always special to be at the ballpark. Back in those days, we basically had two choices locally, the Washington Senators or the Baltimore Orioles.

These days it is so expensive to try to take a family out to a ball game. I consider myself fortunate that the choices have improved greatly since I was a kid. In addition to the Orioles and the Washington Nationals, there are probably four or five minor league teams in the area, one of which is in my home town of Bowie. It's a good thing too, because my son loves going to the games, and the cost of a minor league ticket is so much more affordable than the big league teams.

Aside from the financial aspect of the cheaper ticket price, there are a lot of other reasons why I prefer minor league ball over the majors these days. It is such a family friendly atmosphere, and that is so important. You don't hear a lot of taunting or heckling at a minor league game like at the big league level. There is always something going on before the game and between innings to keep you entertained. Here are just a few of them.
Recently, prior to a Baysox game, the Chesapeake and Potomac Baseball Club gave an exhibition of vintage baseball. It was kind of cool to watch baseball how it was played in the 1860's. No gloves and totally different rules. They had an announcer explaining the different rules during the exhibition.
Another thing that I like is that ordinary people get to have the opportunity to go out on the field for a ceremonial first pitch. Here a young man with Downs Syndrome got to participate in the activity. I am sure it was a thrill for him because I know how I felt when my son got to go out on the field several years ago to throw out a pitch. He was so excited.
Then there are all of the between inning activities. Here, three kids from the crowd get to participate in a horse race.
The sumo wrestler challenge is one of my son's favorite activities. While this is going on, he is usually pretending to sumo me by jumping on top of me.
Another, and certainly not the last nor least reason, it the friendliness of the Baysox front office staff. They get to know a lot of the fans, and here one of them takes the time out of their busy game day schedule to pose for a picture with my son.

A Day at the Track

Horse racing used to be a thriving enterprise here in Maryland. Thoroughbred racing used to take place 6-7 days per week and rotated between 3 different tracks. Now, there are only two active tracks, Laurel and Pimlico, and they only run 4 days per week. I have been off of work all week on vacation during my son's spring break. Today, I spent a couple hours at the Laurel track for the purpose of taking a few pictures.