Category: Uncategorized

I was ask if the person in the middle of my painting I posted yesterday was me – No, here are the three iPhone photos I used to make the PhotoShop painting. The mushrooms were photograhed between the Church and Spartana. The man in the middle was the man with the Fire Engine golf cart at the Christmas Parade – we were clowning around photographing each other. Sandy and Betty were showing off the Nature Center cart. Here is how I did it: I lifted the three people and placed them on the Mushroom photo. Then I composed the photo art piece I wanted. Then I Painted the photo art piece. All done with the tools of PhotoShop. It was, maybe three hours work – oops play. I spent most of my time trying to get a composition I liked. Balance, impact, lines, contrast, focus of attention. I wanted Sandy to be the focus, while not excluding the rest of the photo from the viewer’s attention. My final photo art image is the one I posted yesterday.

Freud said: Engaging in pretend play can be a fun and healthy way for adults to exercise their creativity & relieve stress. So I thought I would pretend I saw people standing under the mushroom. As I painted in Photoshop, I payed close attention to composition. But, since I was just playing, please do not be critical – Haha.

DAVE WROTE:  Jim, I forgot to send this shot of a Bluejay in that last e-mail I sent so here it is.  Dave

Glad he remembered – It is a great Bluejay photo.  You should be able to scroll down now and see previous postings from his previous e-mails.

I WROTE: Hey photo people – think how the phone camera has changed our lives.  My family communicates with photos almost every day – often several time a day. For example, here are four I pulled from our texting this week.  For us who live far apart and often spend summers traveling – photography is now a normal part of our family association.

DAVE WROTE: Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. We finally got some snow here in upstate NY. The ground is well covered. Snowing off and on most of the day. The feeders get very busy when it is snowing. Here are a few shots. A Carolina Wren showed up at the suet feeder today. They are not normally here in the winter. Plus Cardinals, Bluejays, a White-throated Sparrow, and a Starling. We also had lots of Juncos and Goldfinches.  Dave

From my posting yesterday:

I love the nature I see from TGO’s streets. Two days ago the sunset was beautiful – I was on my bike near Doggy World – Me and the dogs looked west! Prior to that I was on Windsong and saw a hawk sitting on a street light post – it was quietly communicating, using body movements, with a second hawk on another light post. I heard no sounds. I made this iPhone photo to show you the sunset and the hawk:

Love the nature I see from TGO’s streets. Two days ago the sunset was beautiful – I was on my bike near Doggy World – Me and the dogs looked west! Prior to that I was on Windsong and saw a hawk sitting on a street light post – it was quietly communicating, using body movements, with a second hawk on another light post. I heard no sounds. I made this iPhone photo to show you the sunset and the hawk:

Here are some photos from my enjoyment of street photography of nature in Morris Township, New Jersey in August 2023: #1. A view from Aug 8, #2. Then around Aug 14, #3. Then a close up I did to create an abstract piece of photo-art (The number is not shown on the piece of art).

Street photography does not have to be done on the street, in nature, or include people. In Baer’s furniture store I shot this expensive Console and then did a macro shot – all with my iPhone.

DAVE WROTE: Hi Jim,  Here are a few shots for the blog. A snowy last night and this morning here in upstate  NY. Shots of woodpeckers at our feeders and a few shots around the   yard. A Downy, a Hairy and a Red-bellied Woodpecker.   Dave

On the Nature Trail.

DAVE WROTE: Hi Jim, You can say what you want about your phone camera but I will stick with my hi-end Nikon and Sony cameras and lenses. Here are a few shots for the blog. A snowy last night and this morning here in upstate  NY. Shots of woodpeckers at our feeders and a few shots around the   yard. A Downy, a Hairy and a Red-bellied Woodpecker.   Dave

I WROTE:  Hey, Dave, your comment made me smile. I (& we the viewers) really appreciate the photos you share with us. We are sure they could only be produced through your photographic skill and patients to get the shot, your knowledge/enjoyment of birds & their environment, AND of course your cameras and lenses.  We are glad you will stick with your hi-end Nikon and Sony cameras and lenses.

After being restricted by my Doctor from my normal long bike rides, I was telling my family about the shorter ride I took last evening.  Of course I only had my iPhone with me.

This is about the smartphone camera and the Photo Club.  Since the beginning of photography, professionals with high dollar cameras added photos to support their stories. Think about the high dollar war correspondents and National Geographic expeditions. The advent of the smartphone camera and social media has brought that capability to me without high dollars.  My family and I share our adventures, our good and our bad experiences, every day. We really enjoy each other so much more.  The photos we use to support our stories are real, unaltered by rules, staging, or professional know-how.  Through the Photo Club, I want to  encourage all members to capitalize on the smartphone camera.  I want to use the Club’s Facebook Group to trigger and receive new ideas and techniques for using the smartphone camera. Two of my examples from just yesterday: My daughter used her photo to support her story about seeing the first Bluebird of the season and my son supported the excitement he & his wife felt about watching the Bobcat in their back yard.