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

iPhoto Smart Albums

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

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.

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New iPhone?

June 27, 2009 by debbie T | iTunes & iPhone • Mac Corner

I am just about ready to leave, heading to the Applestore to pick up a new iPhone. Thinking black 32gb. I will have to see both colors in person. The store told me they had both in stock.

I will also look at cases.

Gosh, this is exciting! Filled out the whole pre-authorization thing online so we’ll see how long it actually takes in store! whoo whooooo!

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)

Comcast Announces New Universal Caller Id

June 25, 2009 by debbie T | Computers • Mac Software • Ramblings

This is so cool. I can’t wait until it’s established at our house.

Comcast sent an email today announcing a new feature for their customers with TV, Internet, & Telephone bundle packages. When a telephone call comes in, the Caller ID will display on the TV screen.

Yeah! That will save me from having to stand up and walk over to our phone just to see who it is. If it’s mom, I will answer (maybe…LOL Just kidding) and if it’s a stupid telemarketer, I will just let it go to voice mail. I wonder if there’s an option on the remote to sent it immediately to voice mail!?

There’s also another option to download for your PC which will display the Caller ID on your PC, but that’s not as appealing to me as the TV. It’s an Adobe Air app, so it’s Windows and Mac compatible.

It’s supposed to be starting in about a month. Oh and the best part is, it’s FREE!

Now if only I can get Comcast to add specific phone number blocking, that would be a big help! Still can’t understand why I can’t have a list of phone numbers that are blocked from calling me. It’s sounds so simple! But what do I know!?

Anyway, the Comcast Universal Caller ID is cool and I can’t wait to try it out!

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)

Twitter Web Interface Lost Its Style

June 17, 2009 by debbie T | Firefox Browser • Internet • Twitter

OMG, I thought I was in the Twilight Zone!

I am not sure how I did it, but today when looking at Twitter from the Firefox web interface, the pages were totally un-styled and plain.

I checked Safari, everything looked normal. I tried searching on Twitter for some weird issue and no one else seemed to have a problem. aaack!

I tried logging out, and even the login page was un-styled. And then like a beacon of light, I saw it! A little button under the login text boxes “Standard”

twitter-mobile-standard

I clicked it! My Twitter page was back to normal again. Dur, I was in the Mobile view version! Silly me!

I think I clicked on someone’s link or something and it must have sent me to the Mobile version of Twitter. Well, at least now I know what to do next time!

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.