Photo of the Day: Wildwood, IL

I spotted this shot while cleaning up some after our recent vacation to New York.  The candelabra was purchased at the Fox Run Winery from that same trip and this was it christianing. 

I was really hoping to use the new version of Capture NX2 on this conversion.  They recently updated it to 2.2, which is supposet to much faster than the older version.  Unfortunatly Nikon Support changed the log-in status and I am both unable to re-register as well as log-in to my account because it is disabled.  So that will just have to wait until a more convenient time.

Photographed with the Nikon D700 and converted in Capture NX2 with Nik Color Efex filter Old Photo with a slight Vignette. 

Photo of the Day: Painesville, OH

I read so many articles on how to take a good picture. This includes what equipment you need what support you need and so forth. Much effort is taken to show what type of lens to use. My chosen camera is typically a Nikon, I know many people who won't even look at a third-party lens for fear that it won't be "sharp" enough, have enough contrast or just not take good pictures.

This picture was taken from my car while driving down the road through the windshield that was bug stained. It was taken with my Panasonic LX3, not my Nikon D3 or D700, not even my Fuji S5. Most important thing was, I was there and I stopped to capture the moment. The other stuff though important is not nearly so when compared with being there.

Captured with my Panasonic LX3, converted in Aperture with a touch of Nik Color Efex 3

Photo of the Day: Fox Run Winery

Interesting to me how the Photo of the Day takes shape. I always try to plan where I will take the photo as I look over my days activities. Today we all made a trip to Watkins Glen State Park I really thought that I would get a picture from inside the gorge that would be today's picture. Well the best plans as they say. The Gorge trail was closed due to ice and snow still melting from the winter. So I was skunked.

This picture was captured on the way back home as we stopped for a few wine tastings. Note to fellow travelers and winos, choose your winery well. The first place we stopped was dreadful. The second was Fox Run Winery and that was far more pleasant on my pallet. We sat sipping wine while the sun set through the side window and I captured this shot.

What I will remember though can't be seen in this picture. My daughter has cramped herself along the lower right of the picture. She wanted to see what I saw as I was taking the picture and so she folded herself into the corner. Her hip kept appearing in the picture and I kept asking her to move it a little more. I got this one as she was breathing in from the giggling.

Captured with the Panasonic LX3 and converted in Aperture using the Nik Color Efex 3 filters

Photo of the Day: Macedon, NY

I have changed my rules somewhat. This was taken yesterday evening, but I have adjusted my photo of the day "rules" to include the 24 hour period after the last picture. It makes it a little simpler on me and since I am contest judge as well as the only contestant a rules change is pretty simple.

I converted this RAW file from the D700 in Aperture and added just a little color increase to the sky with Nik Color Efex 3.0.

Photo of the Day: Macedon, NY

I had a very fun day dodgtin raindrops and looking for a spot to take family picture. With so many old barns and historic spots to choose from, I really liked the weathered boards of this barn.

Panasonic LX3, coverted in Photosshop CS4. A trial version by the way. Nik Color Efex to finish it of

Photo of the Day: Rain

Photo of the Day: Rain, originally uploaded by BCMielke.

Raid today. I spotted this photo while driving back from running some errands this morning. I really like the contrast between the leaves and the reflection of the tree in the puddle. Most of the post was done to emphasize this.

Picture taken with Panasonic LX3 with Post processing done in Capture NX2 with Nik Color Efex 3 filters.

Photo of the Day: Gurnee, IL

Photo of the Day: Gurnee, IL, originally uploaded by BCMielke.

As my wife was picking out her birthday present next door in Burlington Coat Factory. I know some may wonder how she gets to pick out her own, well after two different coats from Outpost.com with return shipping on each...Yikes! I got smart and we shopped locally.

You might wonder why this picture isn't of coats then. I was beat and still couldn't come up with a solution for her outdoor wear. I tried my best and after 15 or so coats I said good luck and enjoy the hunt. I secretly think this is what she wanted from the beginning anyways. Good wife that she is, she let me try my best.

This would be a bowling alley that was next door, not one you walk on though obviously. You grasp the ball in your hand and throw it down the lane.

This picture was captured with the Panasonic LX3, Converted using Capture NX2 with the Nik Color Efex tools Pro Contrast and Tonal Contrast.

Photo of the Day: Wildwood, IL

Pine Cone Setting Sun, originally uploaded by BCMielke.

While standing in line at the bus stop my daughter handed me this pine cone because she found it on the ground. I get handed many things while I'm standing at the bus stop, most are rocks.

She of course believes everything to be a treasure. This was one that as the day wore on I really grew to like. It was tiny had a good shape and was in very good condition. I'll plop it on a tree and take a picture.

Captured with the Nikon D3, Nikon 105VR a touch of creative flash. RAW file converted in Capture NX2 with some Tonal Contrast filter from Nik Color Efex 3.

Spice Story

Spice Story, originally uploaded by BCMielke.

I would normally have titled this Photo of the Day: Waukesha, WI. Thankfully Penzey's spice gave me a good story though.

I traveled to Wisconsin for work and thought it might make a nice picture to take some pictures of spices in my favorite spice store, Penzey's. I have been a fan of their spices for some time. They used to work out of a store where they mixed up the spices and my thinking was that it would make for a quick photo-op with the LX3.

I arrived at the store/factory and found that they store had moved. The hand written in Sharpy marker told me that they have moved to a certain address. No other information was give. Since I was just off the main highway which they Sharpy sign mentioned I started looking for a shop amongst all of the other stores located on this stretch of road.

Well I couldn't find it. I went up and down the road twice, now some may wonder why I wouldn't just whip out the iPhone and use the included map. Well I'm a man.

Finally I did just that and of course the store was spotted immediately. I entered the store, picked up some spices and then started scoping for some neat pictures with the LX3. I clicked off about 5 pictures of spices adorning shelves, none of which was very photogenic. I was a little disappointed and was just about to pack it in and see if I could grab something later in the day when a woman approached me.

My thoughts as I planned out today's photo was to put this up and rave about Penzey's spices. Put a link to their site on my blog, Well the female security officer asked me to not take pictures while in the store. She was nice about it, but frankly it's a spice store. I asked her if she wanted "free" advertising explained what I was doing. She told me they had a Marketing department for that.

My first thought was that you are a catalog place, you send me and thousands of others a catalog to remind us to look at purchasing spices. That is all the marketing that they do.

I had a half of mind to thank the lady for making my blog at least a bit more interesting than a fanboy reaction to Penzey's spices. I refrained though.

This suspicious photo was taken with the Panasonic LX3. I sneakily converted the RAW file using the DNG converter and brought the file deviously into Photoshop CS3 where I finished it with great guile in Nix Color Efex 3.

Photo of the Day: Gurnee, IL

Photo of the Day: Gurnee, IL, originally uploaded by BCMielke.

Here is a photo that I would have never taken before this project and my purchase of the LX3. While standing waiting for the car to be washed at the local car wash I took this opportunity not to just stare off into space, but to take pictures. I whipped out the little LX3 and took a number of pictures of the surroundings.

I also had the D700 with me, but only had the Lensbaby Pinhole/Zoneplate lens adapter on it. Can't say as I was in love with the results and will have to keep looking for when to use this adapter.

Taken with the Panasonic LX3 finished off in Capture NX2 with Bleach Bypass filter from Nik Color Efex 3.0.

Photo of the Day: Wildwood, IL

Photo of the Day: Wildwood, IL, originally uploaded by BCMielke.

Out for my morning jog once again. I have wanted to take a picture of the sun rising through the trees. Many might recall me missing this shot earlier in this project.

Since the time change I am having to leave a bit later in order to be our when the sun rises. This photo was taken just as i was finishing up.

Captured with the Panasonic LX3. Raw filed converted to DNG and then opened in ACR a simple levels adjustment and then sent to CS3 where I added the Nik Color Efex filter Polaroid process.

Thanks for looking.

Photo of the Day: Wildwood, IL

Photo of the Day: Wildwood, IL, originally uploaded by BCMielke.

This is another spot that I will have to visit in the future. The sunrises have been much better and I would have liked a different crop. I give myself 5 minutes on the Photo of the Day shots and I ran out of time using the Auto Brush on NX2. This was another from a run with the LX3. I need to get some of the TC's because those would be helpful many times.

Photo taken with the Panasonic LX3, JPG finished off in Capture NX2 with the Monday Morning filter from Nik Color Efex 3.0

Photo of the Day: Wildwood, IL

Another early morning of jogging netted me this photo. The cattails are just going to seed and the sun is rising in the background. Despite being in a residential neighborhood there aren't any houses.

This photo was taken with the LX3 and edited in Capture NX2. The Photo effect is courtesy of Nik Color Efex 3.0 and is the Polaroid Transfer effect.

Hope you enjoy it.