Photoshop...

I've started to learn using Photoshop, which for the time being will sort of replace all the photographic tools that I don't yet have. I got a book that is way too complex, but I'm looking through it and learning a lot.

Here's a picture taken with Nicole's point and shoot at Yellowstone:


And here is what it looks like after I applied a little photoshop magic that mimics a neutral density filter, which helps the brighter sky from being overexposed in landscape shots.


I also added a "sideways" filter on only the sky to compensate for the fact that the sun was much much brighter on the left than on the right. I wish the meadow had been oriented so that I could shoot this mist while facing West, so all the sky looked like it does on the right hand side.... next time.

Look out, don't piss me off or I'll photoshop you in a picture with a naked Chinese gymnast, who are "16" but are really only 12.

Watching the Olympics....

why do they call the swimming pool "The Cube"? From what I can tell the three main dimensions of the pool are all different. Should be "Rectangular Prism".

Back on Track...

Just realized the last... umm... too many posts dealt with politics in one way or another... enough of that.

Took an amazing trip to Yellowstone a few weeks back. Everyone should visit there once- the geysers and colorful pools are amazing, there's always tons of wildlife, and even at its most crowded, Nicole and I found many places pretty much to ourselves, so it was an awesome trip.

Old Faithful- gotta see it, along with everyone else who rolls out of their cars...

Morning Glory Pool- used to look like the flower. This one was maybe a mile or two walk along a level boardwalk, so most people didn't make it out to see it.

Lonestar (who would DARE give me the raspberry... still waiting for someone who knows what that means). This geyesr was a 2 mile walk in, so there were only a handful of people there to share it with... pretty cool to just come across this in the middle of the woods.

Scenery over Yellowstone Lake at dusk

This bison hung out in the field near our backcountry site all night and was there in the morning fog...grass must taste good

Anyway, after getting back from Wyoming, I've been slowly tacking the miles and intensity on to get prepared for cross. Might even start running and doing stairs soon. I had to do a runup the other day when I took my cross bike out for a cruise, and almost had to sit down and let the world spin around my head for a few minutes. Nothing spikes your heartrate like running uphill with your bike on your shoulder.

Nicole has offically been relocated to SoCal- grabbing a cool apartment in LongBeach, which is only ~27 mile ride from me, and within walking distance to the metro. Also purchased the requisite four wheeled vehicle, and a two wheeler is on the way- made of....CARBON FIBER- bling bling??