David Peterson Photography

2011-10-18T16:21:00.000-04:00

A friend clued me into a Panaramic processing program. It works great. Here is a view from a pavillion at Addison Oaks County Park in Oakland County, Michigan.

Civil War Picture

2011-10-09T22:19:00.002-04:00

From David Peterson Photography

I took this photo at a Civil War Reenactment. My desire was to try to recreate an authentic looking picture from the Civil War. The composition is a major part of the recreation. I've come close with this I think. My biggest problem was the subject. They were very joyful people and they don't seem to have the glum looks on their faces you'd expect from this time. The other issue to over come is modern digital vs period camera's. They just take a different picture and so some photo editing is required. The exact blend of options is difficult. I am fairly pleased with this photo, but I believe it could be better.

Bouquet

2011-07-25T14:33:00.009-04:00

My wife received a wonderful Bouquet of flowers from a friend. I took several photographs from different angles and moved the flash around to see what I could get. With a little help from Gimp I created this wonderful image.

A Day at Metro Beach

2011-04-10T17:15:00.000-04:00

Pictures for a Wide Screen

2010-12-08T15:39:00.001-05:00

I recently purchased an new notebook computer and realised that all the photo's I had are in a 4/3 format and the new screen on the note book is in a 16/10 format so I looked for some old photo's that would convert well without losing the main subject. I came across these two and with a little editing created the color - B/W versions. Some say that process of colorizing part of the photo is a litte over done, but I really like the look on these to Photographs.

The End

2009-10-28T11:27:00.001-04:00

Well, I was able to keep up The One A Day project for 27 days before life became to busy. So what did I learn. I learned that you can take at least one picture a day if you have the time, often creativity was lacking, but it did force me to take pictures I would not have other wise taken. What got in the way. A garage which had to be built, plus other life events. This was lots of fun, maybe I'll try The One A Day project again some day. Until then . . .

This photograph was taken in Marine City, MI. I processed the photo with a Lomo filter in GIMP.

This is the same tree, different angle and I zoomed out as I took the photo.

One A Day #27

2009-10-06T11:28:00.001-04:00

The One A Day Project

Thought I'd try a night shot of the sky. Captured this picture of a lone planet in the southern hemisphere. The shutter was open 480 seconds at f/22.0 ISO 100.

Lone Planet

One A Day #26

2009-10-04T22:00:00.001-04:00

The One A Day Project

Why are roses considered to be the perfect flower. I don't know, what I do know is that the creator of heaven and earth, Jesus Christ, is the one who has created them. Why did he do this, for His glory, to show His greatness. I rejoice in the beauty of roses as I remember that Jesus is the one who created them. I hope you can enjoy the beauty of Jesus and in turn His rose.

A Rose by Any Other Name

One A Day #25

2009-10-03T22:00:00.000-04:00

The One A Day Project

Our family loves cider mills in the fall. Today we went to Westview Orchard in Romeo where I captured this wonderful photograph of one of their many fall displays.

Autum Colors

One A Day #24

2009-10-02T22:00:00.000-04:00

The One A Day Project

This puzzle was shot with the flash bounced off the cealing (straight up and back down). The puzzle was only inches away from the lens and this is the only way to light the scene. The light is well difuses and the overall effect is pleasing to the eye.

Puzzled

One A Day #23

2009-10-01T20:48:00.001-04:00

The One A Day Project

Sunrise on 25 Mile Rd, New Haven Michigan.

Sunrise

One A Day #22

2009-09-30T21:01:00.003-04:00

The One A Day Project

This is a photograph of stained glass found in the church I attend. The effect of the light though stained glass has caused wonder and delight for many years. I liked the way this looked and thought that it would create an interesting texture for my GIMP texture collection.

Stained Glass

One A Day #21

2009-09-29T11:23:00.000-04:00

The One A Day Project

The job I'm working on is a little more complex that originally thought. So, I've talked my boss into sending me a little help. Hope this guy knows what he's doing. Oh, by the way, I'm the one on the right.

Productivity

One A Day #20

2009-09-28T21:16:00.001-04:00

The One A Day Project

Running out of time, cloudy, overcast, what to do. Let's have a little fun with a self portrait. Could have used a little more time in one spot, but here I am. Me, Myself and I.

Me, Myself and I

One A Day #19

2009-09-27T20:23:00.000-04:00

The One A Day Project

My photograph today is of a stained glass window from a church near my in-laws home. I enjoy photogrpahing portals, and this one needed to be photographed. The only problem is that photographing with out light behind the window gives dull colors to the glass. Using GIMP I added my own.

Stained Glass

One A Day #18

2009-09-26T18:40:00.000-04:00

The One A Day Project

Rainy overcast days are hard days to take pictures, especially when stuck in one location most of the day. These Blacked Eyed Susans at the end of the summer came out vary nice in my estimation. The only problem I have with them is the straw cutting from the bottom right to the top left. A bit distracting.

Black Eyed Susan

One A Day #17

2009-09-25T13:26:00.005-04:00

The One A Day Project

In attempting to capture the beauty of these wild flowers I have taken a number of photographs with various compositions. I never did quite get what I was looking for, or maybe I'm just being to much of a perfectionist. Either way, I do like what I ended with in this beautiful arrangement.

Wild Flowers

One A Day #16

2009-09-24T10:48:00.000-04:00

The One A Day Project

Beauty, they say, is in the eyes of the beholder. These flowers dare to tell a different story. Their beauty is a testimony to the greatness of God and His ability to create beyond our wildest imagination. As you walk among the pedals the sweet aroma matches the visual display created by these delicate creations.

Fragrant Aroma

One A Day #15

2009-09-23T15:51:00.001-04:00

The One A Day Project

I found these flowers growing near my work location in China Township. I liked the color and took several pictures. My only problem is blur or focus or overly critical. I'll let you decide. Either way they are still beautiful.

Yellow Daises

Macro Screw

2009-09-23T10:21:00.004-04:00

Macro Screw

This photograph was taken with the front lens from my binoculars attached to the front of my camera lens. This combination forms a great macro lens. The DOF is very shallow, but the sharpness is out of this world.

One A Day #14

2009-09-22T22:02:00.002-04:00

The One A Day Project

Here's a test shot I took using my flash while at work. I used the flash to fill. Doing so brought out more detail in the van, especially in the area of the hood. One A Day can be a hard project. There's not always time for creativity.

Test Shot

One A Day #13

2009-09-21T23:07:00.000-04:00

The One A Day Project

I just received a my new flash in the mail today. The One A Day Project gives me a great chance to try out the equipment. I've taken several pictures and like the results so far. Here are three to demonstrate. I set the angle of the flash at 0 degrees (straight on), 45 degrees and 90 degrees to see how the light of my subject would be affected. Here are the results. (All pictures are SOOC: Straight Out Of Camera).

Flash at 0 Degrees (Straight On)

Flash at 45 Degrees

Flash at 90 Degrees (Straight Up to Ceiling).

More tests to follow.

Dolce Pics #63 - Fun with GIMP.

2009-09-21T13:41:00.003-04:00

GIMP is a great graphics program with a lot of capability. The only limitation I've found so far is in the ability of the operator (me). When Laura put out this weeks What's Your Play #63 I decided I'd have a little fun and work on some of my GIMP skills. Below you'll see smaller images of the original and my modifications. By layering the picture and eliminating various elements I was able to "Oilify and Canvas" the horse, change the color of the bars to brown, "Cartoon" the stall, and "Desaturate" the ceiling. I should note the these are just beginning skills, but they sure can be a lot of fun to play with. If you can't afford the more expensive programs you should give GIMP a try.

To see larger versions of the photographs click on the image.

One A Day #12

2009-09-20T22:09:00.000-04:00

The One A Day Project

I have enjoyed photographing lights, I find the patterns and contrast stunning. Here's a shot of my kitchen light for Day #12 of my One A Day Project.

The Light

One A Day #11

2009-09-19T19:59:00.001-04:00

The One A Day Project

One of the projects for the month on Digital Photograph School is Contrast. In response to the project I've taken this photograph for Day #11.

Ebony and Ivory (I know; not very original)

One A Day #10

2009-09-18T22:52:00.004-04:00

The One A Day Project

This photograph was taken at 17 and Mound looking West.

Off Into The Distance

One A Day #9

2009-09-17T19:16:00.005-04:00

The One A Day Project

Here's a Craze Red Rose. In our front flower bed we have a miniature rose bush. The lighting was not great but I thought I'd tried to see what I could get without flash. I did not like what I saw when I had imported the picture into Picasa so I started to see what I could do. When I went full scale on enhancing shadows I came up with this. I liked the look and so here's the Crazy Rose.

Crazy Rose

One A Day #8

2009-09-16T14:48:00.004-04:00

The One A Day Project

Diamonds or Door. What's the subject. I found this very interesting door in an alley near the vacant lots where I'm working. I liked the color and the abstract shapes. I can see that finding interesting photographs each and every day will stretch my photographic eye.

Diamonds or Door

One A Day #7

2009-09-15T15:38:00.001-04:00

The One a Day Project

Photography tells a story. So what's the story. I often work in the city of Detroit and this is not an unusual sight. The sad part of this story which is hard to show is the lives of the people effect by this story. Those who lived there have been displaced (or worse) and those who live nearby will have to live with in the sight of this horrific destruction. The destruction seen here is not new, and will remain this way for years in many cases. I've met many of the people living in these situations and they are wonderful people. When will the city government wake up and realize that they have a problem.

Destruction and Desolation

One A Day #6

2009-09-14T19:58:00.001-04:00

The One A Day Project

This was a difficult day for photographs. My work location did not hold a lot of interest for me. I decided I'd try to photograph something at home. Why this should be difficult I do not know. After attempting to photograph squirls, birds, various plant life and the geometry of my side walk I came up with this as my best photograph for today. Which just goes to show ya' that not every day ends with a great shot.

Lambs Ear

One A Day #5

2009-09-13T18:00:00.006-04:00

The One A Day Project

After our morning worship service we headed off to the ballpark to watch the Detroit Tigers Play. This was a great time for our family. The folks at Comerica Park did a great job, we were in and out easily, the seating area was clean (we were in the nose bleed section). Here's my photograph for the Day.

Cotton Candy, Peanuts, Cracker Jacks.

One A Day #4

2009-09-12T16:14:00.004-04:00

The One A Day Project

This seems to be a resonable subject for the One A Day Project. As the Word of God says there is a time for everything under the sun, and this was the time to photograph. EXIF: 60mm, 1/25, F4.5, ISO 100

A Time to Photograph

One A Day #3

2009-09-11T13:57:00.002-04:00

The One A Day Project

Harsen's Island, located at the end of the St Clair River where it flows into Lake St Clair, has a rich history. Some of this history has been preserved in the Old School House Grill. The Harsen's Island School operated out of the building (seen below) from 1934 until 2005. After the school was closed in 2005 it sat decaying until it was bought and turned into a restaurant; The School House Grill. The food is excellent and the waite staff is very friendly. Highly recommend. EXIF Data: 44mm, 1/4000, F9.0, ISO 800.

Harsen's Island Old School House Grill (School 1934 - 2005, Grill Est: 2009)

One A Day #2

2009-09-10T17:08:00.004-04:00

The One a Day Project

I am back at the same location and found another pod to shoot. The Milkweed plant has been a favorite of mine since I was knee high to a grasshopper. I always had fun with the fluff inside in the fall. EXIF: 90mm, 1/320, F9.0, ISO 800.

Milkweed Pod

One a Day #1

2009-09-09T15:52:00.010-04:00

The One a Day Project

Let's see how long I can go taking a picture each and every day and posting them here on the blog. This first photograph is a shot of a pod of some sort. The photo was taken at Harrington and Groesbeck, across the street from the Mount Clemons Regional Parking Garage. The field was full of plants and these just caught my attention. Enjoy.
EXIF: 72mm, 1/400, F9.0, ISO 800

The Pod

Dolce Pics 61

2009-09-02T15:59:00.005-04:00

Dolce Pic 61

Here's my Post Processing of the Dolce Pic for the week. I burned the edges, converted the photo to black and white, and brought out the original color of the hands. The changes in this weeks work is subtle, but I believe they assist in bringing the viewers attention more quickly to the hands.

Thanks for the pic Laura.

Chemical Fire at Hamtramck Plant

2009-08-27T13:38:00.007-04:00

Chemical Fire at Hamtramck Plant

This is a picture I took of a chemical fire burning in Hamtramck, MI. I submitted the photo to Detroit Fox 2 News and within 2 Hours the photo had been viewed 104,000 times. Very cool and amazing. I also received a note from the Fox 2 News stating that my photo would appear on the breaking news program. Note to self: Always have camera ready. A career in photojournalism may be just around the corner.

Photography Voice POTD

2009-08-26T08:36:00.005-04:00

Here's Looking at You Kid

Just picked up another POTD from Photography Voice. I took this picture with my Z 40-150 Lens with a lens from the front of my binoculars taped to the front to act as a macro lens. The clarity and sharpness are excellent and auto focus works when you are within the correct range. This is a great way to have fun without spending a lot of money.

Dolce Pics 60

2009-08-26T07:04:00.006-04:00

9 Chimneys

This weeks Dolce Pics gave me the opportunity to combine two images in a creative way. I found the picture of the 9 Chimneys on the net (looks like England). In Gimp I then took the smoke from Dolce Pics 60, reduced by 85%, pasted as a layer in the appropriate locations and set the layer mode to Difference. Flatten and save and this is what you get. Hope you enjoy the results. Below you will see the two pictures side by side with their original ratios preserved.

Landscape Challenge (DPS)

2009-08-17T05:33:00.002-04:00

Here's my go at this weeks "Landscape Challenge" at Digital Photography School. I took this at a friends home out near Capac, Michigan, USA. They have an old farm on 40 acres (and a mule). There are several broken down trucks from years gone by. The contast between the old and the new caught my attention. There was a little post processing involved using a technique to achieve the Lomo Effect. Not sure how effective the effect was on this photograph.

Dolce Pics 58

2009-08-14T16:07:00.009-04:00

Dolce Pics 58

Here's a trick I picked up at Digital Photography School. The effect (Lomo) is supposed to imitate an old Russian made camera. I really like the effect and thought that this would be a good test case for the process. I used GIMP 2.6 and followed the instructions with a few slight modifications to achieve this beautiful picture.

Enjoy.

St Clair Shores Memorial Day Parade

2009-06-04T15:47:00.018-04:00

Each year St Clair Shores, MI has a wonderful Memorial Day parade. We enjoy going as a family to celebrate our freedom as United States citizens and to remember those who gave their all that we might be free. Here are some of the fun "floats" at the parade. The Keystone Kops arrived just in time to save the day. The Plymouth Fife and Drum Corp did an outstanding job. They're always a joy to watch as they march smartly by in there uniforms. And most important of all our Veterans, what more can I say.

Our Hero's
Plymouth Fife and Drum Corp
Plymouth Fife and Drum Corp

The Keystone Kops - Picture of the Day at photographyvoice.com

Dolce Pics 39

2009-04-04T07:46:00.004-04:00

Dolce Pics 39

Here's my play, not a whole lot different from everyone else's. I leveled the rings, cropped the image, adjusted the light and shadows a bit, and blurred around the rings. All the work was done with Picasa.

Saturday in the Park

2009-03-21T16:54:00.007-04:00

I had a little extra time on my hands after a morning of work at church. I decided to take my camera to a near by park to see what I could get on a very glum day. The second day of spring was overcast with a high of 45 F. The body of water in the back ground is the Clinton River Canal that leads into Lake St Clair. The photo's were gray and lifeless so I warmed them a bit. Even though the day was cold and overcast, I had a great time Photographing some of the local scenery. I hope you enjoy the photographs.

Dolce Pics 37

2009-03-17T15:36:00.004-04:00

Dolce Pic 37

I wasn’t sure what to do with this one so I started experimenting with some different tools. This is what I came up with. In GIMP 2.6 I used the Blend tool - Shape: Conical (sym); Offset: 20; Colors: Black and White; aligned to appear as though light is coming from the window. Readjusted Brightness and Contast. I was pleased with the results.

Macro

2009-03-14T17:15:00.007-04:00

How to do macro without a macro lens.

I've tried on several occasions to do macros using my standard lenses. The problem is getting close enough. Then I read about a technique where you take your lens and hold it on backwards. I tried this and with great success. Here is a picture of my winter cap real close up. The f stop is wide open being that it is not connected physically to the camera, the focus is adjusted by moving the camera in and out. I needed full sun light on the object to get enough light. This photo was Picture of the Day on Photovoice on Saturday March 14, 2009.

So How Macro Is This.

The pictures below can give you an idea of how close you can get. The first picture was taken with my ZD 14-45 lens set at 14mm. The lines are 0.05 inches apart. Size of the Object is 0.2 inches by 0.15 inches. The second picture was taken at 45mm make the size 0.7 inches by 0.5inches. As you can see, this method allows you to get in real close. Give it a try, this is lots of fun.

Ready for Action

2009-03-10T19:10:00.003-04:00

Detroit Fire Department at Work

Two of Detroit's finest working on there engine. Have you been wondering if anyone cares? Here they are. Working as a fireman in Detroit is dangerous work And while not a fireman myself, I see what they have to deal with as I travel around the city working for AT&T. The number of burned out houses speaks of the work that these guys have to do each day. So from one man, My thanks goes out to all the firefighters out there for keeping us safe and saving our lives.

Dolce Pics 36

2009-03-10T09:15:00.005-04:00

WYP 36

Learned a new trick just by tinkering with GIMP 2.6. I adjusted the hue until I came up with a green leaf. You can see a little (very little) change in the surface below the leaf. The reason for so little change in the surface may be because it falls within the grays and there is little color to change. This was a simple process that took less than five minutes. If you are looking for inexpensive (free) image editing software, GIMP 2.6 just might work for you. To see the original picture go to Dolce Pics. You might even give it a go yourself.

Picasa: A Great Tool.

2009-03-07T15:30:00.016-05:00

Original

Post Process with Picasa

I use two primary tools for post processing of my photographs; Picasa and Gimp. Both programs are available for Windows and Linux operating systems. The above photos shows what can be accomplished with a RAW photograph and Picasa (you can work with jpg's also, but there is more wiggle room with RAW). If you've not tried Picasa it's worth the download.

The above photo was shot at 1/80s, f5.0, ISO 100, and 62mm on a rainy overcast day at about 2 in the afternoon. The original did not look like much, but after a little work with Picasa I was able to have a reasonable presentation for World in Pictures Day at PhotographyVoice.com.

Belle Isle Bridge

2009-03-05T11:47:00.005-05:00

Belle Isle Bridge

Belle Isle is a favorite location for many Detroit residents. From the north side of the Isle you can see Detroit, and from the south side you can see Windsor, Canada. The easiest way to get to Belle Isle is to cross the bridge. Not only is the bridge functional, but the inherent beauty in the architecture is wonderful to see. If you're looking for a new adventure, Belle Isle is a wonderful place to visit.

Here's Lookin' at You Kid!

2009-03-03T21:17:00.004-05:00

Here's Looking at You Kid!

The swans at Belle Isle are beautiful. They are also very friendly. I was able to get up close to several and if I were to bring food they would come closer.

Dolce Pics 35

2009-03-03T15:11:00.004-05:00

Dolce Pics 35

Here's my play. I cleaned up the rust at the bottom of the lamp around the fastener, and underneath the finial. I also repaired the socket (I used to be an electrician.) Too top it all off, I wired the lamp so the light would shine. Such a simple object, so much work. (Go to DolcePics.com to see the original picture)

Ice Castle

2009-03-02T19:38:00.005-05:00

Ice Castle

I found this "Ice Castle" on Belle Isle in Detroit, MI. The castle is created with a mist of water spraying from the top through-out the whole winter. The formation was enhanced by placing objects (old pine trees, etc) within the structure as it grew. Caves, flowers, trees can be seen in this 30 foot high ice formations. The color is amazing, I could spend hours exploring this wonderful castle.

Sun Rise

2009-03-02T11:09:00.006-05:00

Sunrise

This is of one of several small ponds at a beautiful park in Clinton Township Michigan. This park gives the illusion of being in a small glade with trickling streams, glistening ponds, and a path that meanders through a forest wonderland. There is activities for young and old alike. This picture took 1st place in the October 2008 photo contest at MyOlymus.com.

The Water Wheel

2009-02-28T19:41:00.008-05:00

Wolcott Mill Water Wheel

Here is a beautiful picture of a water wheel from a working mill in Macomb County, MI. The mill is from the mid 1800's and is run by the Metro Parks as a place for education. We often go there as a family to enjoy the nature trails and the mill. We like seeing how our forefathers lived over 100 years ago. Hope you enjoy the picture.

Dolce Pics 34

2009-02-26T19:11:00.002-05:00

Here's my play for Dolce Pics 34. The vortex is collecting all the light. Just having a little fun. Was not sure what else to do with this one.

Check out Dolce Pics, for more exciting photo's

Dolce Pics 8

2009-02-20T07:54:00.002-05:00

Here's my play at Dolce Pics 8. I removed the distractions and used the oil filter for make the picture look more like a painting.

Here's the original:

from: Dolce Pics 8