Splash of Style...Macs, Photography, Design, and other Passions

Do I Love the iPhone?

July 2, 2009 by debbie T | Digital Photography • Wireless • iTunes & iPhone

So, I did pick up my new iPhone 3GS last weekend. Black, 32gb.

And I adore it! I love love love that I am able to have internet where ever I am. I loved the iPod Touch, but it was limited to only wifi, so I missed out on a lot. But the iPhone, oh I am in heaven!

I really love the camera, both still photographs and video are wonderful. And again, being able to upload or email immediately is so cool. (Can you guess this is my first Smart Phone? My husband has had a Blackberry for awhile, but this is MINE!)

iphone 3GS - photo of Mindy

The true test will be when we travel up north to New Hampshire or Maine. Don’t know how the AT&T service will fair in the boonies. I have a feeling I won’t be connecting on 3G, but it’ll be okay. My expectations are low, so I hope they will surprise me!

Wiscasset, Maine

July 1, 2009 by debbie T | Aperture 2 • Art and Graphics • Digital Photography

I love when we vacation on the Maine coast. It’s one of my favorite places!

Unfortunately, we won’t be traveling to the Maine coast this summer, but we do have plenty of other areas to visit!

Here is a photo from last year, taken in Wiscasset, Maine - edited in Lightzone and Aperture 2 (click for slightly larger version):

Wiscasset Maine coastal ocean photo

(all photos are copyright protected. Do not use or copy without written permission)

iPhoto Smart Albums

June 29, 2009 by debbie T | Digital Photography • Mac Software • iPhoto

Cas Rifkin posted a question on a recent iPhoto tutorial. Cas asked about more detailed ways to organize photos inside events. Smart Albums are a very easy way to let iPhoto organize your photos for you. And you don’t even need to do much work!

First, let’s go over some of the terminology.

Read the Rest of the Article

Red Rain

June 25, 2009 by debbie T | Digital Photography

Red Rain photo

Exposure: 1/250
Aperture: f/3.2
Focal Length: 100 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Lens: Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro
Camera: Canon XTi

(all photos are copyright protected. Do not use or copy without written permission)

Bee Good

June 24, 2009 by debbie T | Digital Photography

Happy Bokeh Wednesday!

Bee Good photo

(all photos are copyright protected. Do not use or copy without written permission)

Blue Sky on a Dreary Day

June 11, 2009 by debbie T | Art and Graphics • Digital Photography

It’s a dreary day today, so I wanted to post a cheery blue sky photo.

Photo taken in Wilmington, Massachusetts on Wildwood Street by the Ipswich River. This area is one of my favorite places to stop and take photos. The sky was looking particularly pretty that afternoon.

Edited in Lightzone using mostly the Relight tool.

(click for slightly larger version)
photo of blue sky and clouds

(all photos are copyright protected. Do not use or copy without written permission)

Free Photoshop (and Elements) Actions

June 11, 2009 by debbie T | Digital Photography • Photoshop

Thanks to my photo buddy Leaca, I found a wonderful free set of Photoshop (and Photoshop Elements) actions from CoffeeTeaPhotography

Awesome! Downloaded this morning and will hopefully have time to experiment with some of them soon!

Dipping Into Purple

June 4, 2009 by debbie T | Art and Graphics • Digital Photography • Photoshop

Took two of the photos from a local cemetery shoot and combined them in a diptych in Photoshop Elements. Not exactly as perfect as I’d like (at the bottom seam especially) but I didn’t want to mess with it too much.

(click for larger version)
purple diptych

(FYI, here’s a recent tutorial for making your own dips in Photoshop Elements)

(all photos are copyright protected. Do not use or copy without written permission)

Aftermarket Batteries: Update a Year Later

June 3, 2009 by debbie T | Digital Photography

It’s been over a year since I ordered the replacement battery for my Canon XTi from Diamondback Batteries so I figured I would post an update.

How well has the aftermarket Diamondback battery held up against the original OEM Canon battery? I am afraid that it hasn’t held up so well. The Diamondback battery won’t hold a charge anymore; I charge it fully, and by the next day, it’s already half down. My Canon OEM battery is still going strong.

But truthfully, does it really matter that after a year the Diamondback battery isn’t so great? I mean, I only paid $11 for it. Compare that to $50 for a Canon battery, and it’s really not a bad deal.

Diamondback offers a “One Year Hassle Free Replacement Warranty” and I wish I noticed it a couple of months ago instead of 2 months over the warranty. But no biggie. I am going to order another one today. So yes, I do still recommend them!

Make sure to use the discount code for $5 off, it gives you almost free shipping.

My previous post on aftermarket batteries.

Finding Your Way

June 1, 2009 by debbie T | Art and Graphics • Digital Photography

Snapped this photo in between the rain storms last week.

Ants love peony flowers. They have been all over them since the buds appeared. I guess there’s a sticky substance that ants eat on the buds that help the blooms to open.

debbie T - Finding Your Way photo

Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/640)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 100 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Lens: Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro
Camera: Canon XTi
Edited in Lightzone (Relight tool)

(all photos are copyright protected. Do not use or copy without written permission)