This one’s sorta geekish, but on the subject of photography vs. computers. You’ve been warned.
Considering yard sales have become all but nonexistent, and I was on call for work this weekend, we stuck close to home and did a quick photo run this morning.
I’ve been watching YouTube with photo tutorials to get idea how some of my camera settings work. I switched from ISO 100 to ISO 400 as my baseline, which already made a ginormous difference. Set to aperture mode and toyed with depth of field, set to shutter mode for a while, and generally messed up a few pictures but it was worth it to learn the process.
For the non-photo-bugs, aperture means how far the camera reads before blurring. So in the first example, I had the aperture pushed high so most of the picture was clear. And for a picture of the purple flowers, it was too busy:
This is how a different aperture setting normally blurs the background, which makes the sunflower stand out. Except, it’s still an aperture setting of F13, which theoretically should encompass most of the background. However, the focal length was different, which also affects the background blur.
Neither of these is going to take any awards. They just got me better acquainted with camera settings. I’m not an expert, but I’m working on it.
Also: a shout-out to Dangerspouse, whose brain I’ve been picking for photography tips off and on for a while now.
Like most people with operable brain cells, I’m horrified (though not surprised) by the SCOTUS deep-sixing Roe v Wade. Women now have less autonomy over our bodies than a corpse. Doctors can’t take your organs without your permission, even to save somebody else’s life; but you can be forced to give up your life for a baby.
The most recent SCOTUS cartel members perjured themselves on the subject before they were sworn in. What’s more, it ain’t over. They’re coming for a hella lot more. (In)justice Clarence Thomas openly said so. Aside from the immediate plans to dismantle LGBTQ+ rights, there are more women’s and minority rights on the chopping block. Contraceptive rights were already mentioned. Watch for women to lose financial rights to open a checking account or get a credit card on their own, and more. The good ol’ days were most assuredly not good for anyone not-white and/or without a dick.
Voting something other than GQP is a given. Unfortunately it’s not enough. The Dems have been sitting on their thumbs, pointing and making faces and doing exactly NOTHING to prevent this shitshow.
I’m too exhausted and too numb to process further right now. If I’m not going on about it more, it doesn’t mean I don’t care.
This was an easy-meal weekend. I was too beat to do any serious cooking. Last night was brats, from which there were leftover caramelized peppers and onions. The veggies were recycled into Philly cheesesteak sammies today.
The past couple of weeks have been brutal. Part of it’s summer – which is always gonna be killer. I still love my job – I could just use a little less of it. Soon as I know for sure what day the admin is coming back from her vacation, I’m going to schedule a vacation day or two of my own. My brain and body both need it.
I hope you can factor in some vacation days. You certainly have earned them.
As for the latest affront to mankind or womankind in this case, the Roe vs Wade issue makes me sick. I am only glad that I am past that time of life. But I think you are correct that many other women’s “rights” will be on the chopping block before long. Where is the USA that we grew up in?
With each generation we think things have gone to pot. Unfortunately this time around, it has and they brought receipts 🙁
Huge round of applause for diving in to the minutiae of photographic settings!! If I had any hand it at all, I humbly accept all praise, money, and loose moraled groupies you throw my way. Seriously, that was great to read about, and the pics are both excellent AND excellent examples of what you were describing. Bravo, I say! Looking forwards to seeing more as you progress.
Uggggggghhhhhhhhhhh to our seemingly inexorable transition from a democracy to a theocracy. Or maybe more accurate, from democracy to The Handmaid’s Tale.
There’s nothing I could add, not indignation I could express, that hasn’t already been furiously typed out elsewhere. I’ll just add that my ire at the SCOTUS is just *barely* above my blazing hatred towards Marjorie Dannenfelser. Who, if you’re not familiar: https://www.yahoo.com/news/woman-brought-down-roe-vs-222013366.html
I could use a vacation day of my own. I thought I was sufficiently psychically barded as a newscaster, but ever since 2016 I find myself more and more affected by the stories I read. It’s like doing play-by-play of your lover’s death. The country I love is slipping away….
I hear you. I retreat to whatever corner of oblivion I can find because my body and soul can’t process the cesspool spreading to bury the nation in a layer of shit.