Now You Tell Me.

So I'm discussing a zoom lens I got for the Rebel XTi with lens and dSLR snob, luminouslens, and mention how it absurdly takes macros at the 200 to 300 mm range. So you have to be like 6 feet away to get a good macro and I ask why anyone would want to have to do that. And she says...

"That's how people take photos of bees and things."

!

Ooooooooh! You, bastards.

Here was MY OLD technique.

Submitted to Macroday: Head.

(Trying to resist lame 'little head' jokes so close to the Uranus post)

I Love Uranus

There is a scale model of the Solar System spread out over 40 miles of Aroostook County in Northern Maine. As regular science loving Gentle Viewers know, Uranus is my favorite planet and I know more about Uranus than I do any other planet. I now present in Middle Schooler-like glee

Things you may or may not know about Uranus.

Did you know Uranus is a blue gassy giant?
Did you know Uranus is a giant ball of frozen methane?
Did you know Uranus is encircled by a dusty ring?
Did you know Uranus is hard to see.
Did you know Uranus has hidden secrets?
Did you know Uranus is tilted on it's side?
Did you know Uranus is unusual?
Did you know Uranus has only been visited by one spacecraft?
Did you know Uranus is the size of 4 Earths?
Did you know Uranus has 27 moons?
Did you know Uranus from a hole in the ground?

...wait...that wasn't right....

Now we can add...

Did you know Uranus has a big iron pole jammed in it?

I can't believe you have wasted this much time here. Shoo from the Thing of the Moment, I beseech you! Go here and check out the GREATEST science video EVER from a like-minded scholar! You will come back and thank me.

Update! Gentle Viewer and frequent commenter Steph brings up a good point which leads to a new line...

Did you know Uranus can be enlarged by clicking on it?

Dan Rayner: The Man Behind the Lens Cap

Dan's a real Mainer. Besides our day gig, Dan also digs worms, clams, cuts those birch things that people use for something. He may have also been a fir tipper at one point. I can't keep all those other job straight. He's also got a landscaping gig on the side with his brother that they call Rayner Shine. He once photographed Martha Stewart with his cell phone and was then put out because she got annoyed after his request for a 4th take.

First in a series of images belonging to an adjunct project to the People at Work® Series. People With Whom I Work®. 

Merry Christmas, from the Taylors

Doesn't everyone have a Chuck Taylor Converse All Star Christmas Wreath? 

I GOT A NEW CAMERA!

No no no..not the Rebel XTi you see in the background with the lens I ordered through a Penis Enlargement ad. That was laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaast week. I'm talking the HOLGA in the foreground!

For years I have drooled over (and envied you owners of) HOLGAS. dSLRs are nice in their own way, sure, but a HOLGA is a work of ART. They even tell you in the manual that you can fiddle with the focus and aperture if you like but don't kid yourself. It does No-thing! And these iconic little bastards take some of the most awe inspiring photos I've ever seen.

Hopefully you'll see some here. Scared of taking the Rebel XTi out and seeing what it can do? No. The HOLGA? Terrified.

HOLGA: It takes more than a cheap camera to take a great photo®.

Tortellini

Submitted to Macroday: Cooking. Also reflective of how much cooking I do: a macro amount. 

The Rudman and Winchell Christmas Owl

Someone at the Rudman and Winchell law firm has a fine sense of humor and some Christmas Spirit.

This is the law firm retained by The Thing of the Moment and I know it can't be my lawyer because he's as mean as three dogs and bites at his chain to get loose. He doesn't send Christmas cards, he serves them. Rar! 

And This Is The Rook

My niece Sara showing the previously mentioned Rook Pierce 

Orrin and Krystal

Above is one of my most popular and commented upon portraits and it had nothing to do with any photography skill (or lack thereof) on my part. But just 2 damned good subjects. Anyone who saw this and mentioned them to me always asked who they were and I had to tell them I had no idea.

Until tonight.

My niece Sara called and "I think I found that guy on your blog but I'm not sure." Now I was a little skeptical because, well, how could you be mistaken? She had her rook pierced and then was home and just looking through The Thing of the Moment like a good niece does and saw the photo of the egress thing.

She encouraged me to stop by the tattoo/piercing joint and see and sure enough, she was right.

I introduce to you, Orrin Nilsson and Krystal Raczkovy. They are local body piercers and she a tattoo artist and they can be found here: Riverview Tattoo

The Dirty Dish Solution

Posted for Thursday Challenge: Cups 

Dan Rayner

Asking "Aren't you going to take off the lens cap?"

EXIF DATA: Canon Rebel XTi, focal length 18mm, 1/13s, f/3.5 ISO 1600 (Please note the low level of noise at that high ISO)

And you wonder why I wanted the dSLR?