Just peeking in...

Just peeking in... · 07:43 PM

Hi! I've surfaced for a breath of air and am trying to re-engage here...

First off, I want to apologize for not being around much lately. I've tried to check in every once in awhile, but when I did felt too tempted to stay and talk. You'll see below why that caused too much of a problem...

In December, my daughter's ice skating takes over our lives until about mid-June. This last December I was again the photographer for the Christmas show - Nutcracker on Ice. The difference this year was that I had the K10D and the number of 'keeper' photos increased dramatically. Two dress rehearsals and the show, plus individual and group portraits, and then candids from the party added up to a phenomenal number of pictures I had to process. After the show, they had two other shows and the first competition at our home rink, plus a couple more dress rehearsals and practices in between. To make a long story short, the totals follow:

From Dec 16-Feb 17 (ice skating only): 4343 photos taken, 3701 keepers. That's 85%! By keepers, I mean the photo was completely in focus, the color and the exposure was good, and the shot was something interesting or an essential part of the routine. Over that period, I figure I averaged about 4 hours a day processing pictures, after work and well into the night sometimes, at a rate of about 13-14 pictures per hour.

But, alas, I'm not done. I've got another 1700 to finish from the second competition and a kite fly-in from this month. Then a 3-day competition is coming up in a couple of weeks... Somebody please cut off my shutter finger!!!

I did manage to take a few non-skating related pictures during the ice storm on Valentine's day and the snow day at the end of February. So the title should now make sense:

roentarre · 03-20-2007, 07:52 PM

Wow, Blue Jays popping its head out - Spring is near. The eyes and the feathers are quite clear - the look of curiosity is definitely there. Like a short film with better image quality.

You certainly took a lot of photos. Sure you will share many of them with us

Ole · 03-20-2007, 08:42 PM

Happy to hear from you again. I know how it feels with an overload of images; I'm still working on the Summer of '06.

Here is what I'm planning to do going forward: I'll shoot RAW+JPG, and set the JPG's to +2 sharpening, +1 contrast, and probably bright image tone finishing. The JPG's can then be used as-is (for WEB display for example), and only the really good images will be re-processed from the RAW original for optimal quality. That should cut down the computer work. I hope...

Scott Rylance · 03-20-2007, 09:01 PM

Great to hear from you Tracy. It's sometimes very hard to find the time with kids, and a busy life. But glad to managed to pop in.
Cheers.

betsypdx · 03-20-2007, 09:36 PM

Glad you're getting some breathing in! You've been busy. Good luck to your daughter for upcoming comps - and keep shooting, even if you can't share with all of us.

Alvin · 03-21-2007, 02:23 AM

Busy times and we all know the feeling. Good to see you take a peek and know you haven't forgotten us

Great shots!

Matthew Roberts · 03-21-2007, 05:32 AM

Um, roentarre, it's not a Blue Jay, but a Tufted Titmouse. As it's both too small and not blue enough to be a Blue Jay.

Intriguing shot, Photomom.

vievetrick · 03-21-2007, 05:40 AM

I was wondering when you were going to resurface. Great to here from you and glad to hear all is going well. The K10 is treating you right. I forget are you making sales from the shots you are taking? If you are sounds like you have enought to get some new glass soon. Welcome back

**NaClH2O** · 03-21-2007, 07:39 AM

Hi Tracy, welcome back! Sounds like you've been busy! I would imagine that some of that increased keeper rate is also due to the increased skill of the brain directing the aforementioned shutter finger.

Congatulations. It's also obvious you haven't lost your sense of humor, playing peek-a-boo with a titmouse.

Nice shots and thanks for sharing.

NaCl(hope to hear from you more frequently, you've been missed)H2O

clarenceclose · 03-21-2007, 09:48 AM

Good to have you back after such a time. Looking forward to more. Show us some of those keepers.

xfraser · 03-21-2007, 10:10 AM

Welcome back Tracy, we missed you. An 85% keep rate is awesome! I'm still somewhere around 1%

hanamai · 03-21-2007, 01:29 PM

What a cute series, you have there. That bird looks as curious as little monkey

mingdie · 03-21-2007, 02:00 PM

Great to see some of your photos again. Good serie with the bird. Any chance we may see some of those keepers?

Cheers

Eddie

**Sailor** · 03-21-2007, 04:31 PM

Great to hear from you, Tracy. I thought you'd taken up sky diving!

Jer

roentarre · 03-21-2007, 05:57 PM

Originally posted by Matthew Roberts

Um, roentarre, it's not a Blue Jay, but a Tufted Titmouse. As it's both too small and not blue enough to be a Blue Jay.

Oops, did not know that. Thanks for the correction. I thought I had seen a lot here to call it Blue Jay

I will google titmouse and learnt a bit more

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03-20-2007, 07:52 PM	#2
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783	Welcome back, Tracy Wow, Blue Jays popping its head out - Spring is near. The eyes and the feathers are quite clear - the look of curiosity is definitely there. Like a short film with better image quality. You certainly took a lot of photos. Sure you will share many of them with us

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03-20-2007, 08:42 PM	#3
Ole Administrator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,408	Happy to hear from you again. I know how it feels with an overload of images; I'm still working on the Summer of '06. Here is what I'm planning to do going forward: I'll shoot RAW+JPG, and set the JPG's to +2 sharpening, +1 contrast, and probably bright image tone finishing. The JPG's can then be used as-is (for WEB display for example), and only the really good images will be re-processed from the RAW original for optimal quality. That should cut down the computer work. I hope...

03-20-2007, 09:01 PM	#4
Scott Rylance Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Australia/Geelong, Vic Photos: Gallery Posts: 420	Great to hear from you Tracy. It's sometimes very hard to find the time with kids, and a busy life. But glad to managed to pop in. Cheers.

03-20-2007, 09:36 PM	#5
betsypdx Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portland, Oregon Photos: Gallery Posts: 475	Glad you're getting some breathing in! You've been busy. Good luck to your daughter for upcoming comps - and keep shooting, even if you can't share with all of us.

03-21-2007, 02:23 AM	#6
Alvin Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,517	Busy times and we all know the feeling. Good to see you take a peek and know you haven't forgotten us Great shots!

03-21-2007, 05:32 AM	#7
Matthew Roberts Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bertram Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 584	Um, roentarre, it's not a Blue Jay, but a Tufted Titmouse. As it's both too small and not blue enough to be a Blue Jay. Intriguing shot, Photomom.

03-21-2007, 05:40 AM	#8
vievetrick Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Easthampton - Massachusetts - USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,183	I was wondering when you were going to resurface. Great to here from you and glad to hear all is going well. The K10 is treating you right. I forget are you making sales from the shots you are taking? If you are sounds like you have enought to get some new glass soon. Welcome back

03-21-2007, 07:39 AM	#9
NaClH2O Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bronx NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,631	Hi Tracy, welcome back! Sounds like you've been busy! I would imagine that some of that increased keeper rate is also due to the increased skill of the brain directing the aforementioned shutter finger. Congatulations. It's also obvious you haven't lost your sense of humor, playing peek-a-boo with a titmouse. Nice shots and thanks for sharing. NaCl(hope to hear from you more frequently, you've been missed)H2O

03-21-2007, 09:48 AM	#10
clarenceclose Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Pocatello, Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,506	Good to have you back after such a time. Looking forward to more. Show us some of those keepers.

03-21-2007, 10:10 AM	#11
xfraser Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Ohio Photos: Gallery Posts: 828	Welcome back Tracy, we missed you. An 85% keep rate is awesome! I'm still somewhere around 1%

03-21-2007, 01:29 PM	#12
hanamai Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Florida, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 202	What a cute series, you have there. That bird looks as curious as little monkey

03-21-2007, 02:00 PM	#13
mingdie Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Photos: Gallery Posts: 630	Great to see some of your photos again. Good serie with the bird. Any chance we may see some of those keepers? Cheers Eddie

03-21-2007, 04:31 PM	#14
Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Coastal Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 26,205	Great to hear from you, Tracy. I thought you'd taken up sky diving! Jer

03-21-2007, 05:57 PM	#15
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783	Originally posted by Matthew Roberts Um, roentarre, it's not a Blue Jay, but a Tufted Titmouse. As it's both too small and not blue enough to be a Blue Jay. Oops, did not know that. Thanks for the correction. I thought I had seen a lot here to call it Blue Jay I will google titmouse and learnt a bit more