I’m having one of those smack my head moments right now…
Seems that when I transferred hosting companies, not all my root level path names transferred cleanly, and it has caused little issues over time, and finally today, I solved a long-standing issue with Corrupt Header Image!
Normally, one can customize their WordPress Header by using Appearance > Header to add an image or several, and then have the Header area display Random images.
This can be a very cool idea, but what if you wanted to Delete one of those images?
In my case, one of my Random images had become corrupt, or should I say, the link had been broken…
When a web page displayed, and the Random feature was turned “On“, you had a 1 in 5 chance of seeing a Large Default Broken Link Icon, which is very ugly to first time visitors, so I had to resort back to a Single image for my Header.
In my basic research into this, several Posts suggested that I should check my
wp-content/themes/twentyeleven.child/images
for the images (Note – this is a Child theme).
In my case, none of the Five header images where there.
Where to look next…
Finally having some time to dig into the code, the Images in the Custom Header section can be found by whenthe images were Posted!
wp-content/uploads <- Year/Month
Which makes sense, but there is not direct link in Appearance > Header, or ‘float over’ info on the source/pathname of the Images.
In Media manager, a Header image is shown in Bold, “– Header Image“, but there is no filter to find them all at once.
To find my Image in question, I used the Appearance > Header page, and then using the Show Code feature, I was able to trace back to the correct uploads folder.
Unfortunately, once at the correct image, Edit Media, there is no way to Edit the base filename path to fix the broken Link, so I had to Delete the entire image.
Once done, and a quick Refresh, the Appearance > Header page displays the rest of the Header images correctly, and you are now able to use the Random button without a Visitor Display issue!
At the time, I got to work with many different setups, and knew what I wanted, but just could not justify the costs. I did know, that what every tripod I bought, I wanted it to last.
And my Bogen has lasted.
So far, the ONLY thing that has broken on it, is the stitching on one of the loops for the carrying strap!
It “broke” on me while out on a nature walk, and I just took the remaining strap, and tied a half-hitch back on the D-ring, and have been using it ever since, well over a year ago.
Easily, my Bogen is one of the best purchases in my life!
My Bogen was also there when I took the winning photograph.
After a few coordinating emails between LandscapePhotographyMagazine.com, Manfrotto and I, the box arrived late last Friday afternoon.
I was very surprised to have it arrive so quickly, and very eager to see what 30 years tripods was like!
Raising the Legs
At first, I was concerned because there was only one box.
I was expecting two, tripod and head, but was pleased to find the head included in the main box.
Silly me.
When I removed the tripod from the box, it did “feel” lighter then my Bogen, but the head was still not on.
The next thing I did, was to extend the legs, and as I did, they seemed smoother and quieter then my Bogen, but this could that be due to age, or is it, aluminium vs. carbon fiber?
Time will tell.
Opening the small box with the ball-head, was very exciting for me, because I always wanted one, and now I had one!
There had been numerous times, over the years, where the three twisting arms of my Bogen head, made it much more difficult to setup for a shot, whereas a ball head was going to be a joy!
Or so I thought…
In the Studio
When I first heard that I had won, I looked into accessories for the Manfrotto, namely a carrying strap, and for the first time, a quick release system – another little item that I always wanted…
Finding, Ordering and Receiving these two items took considerably much longer then expected, and is still needing to be resolved, as I ponder the subject for a new post.
While waiting for the tripod accessories, I decided to try the tripod in my little studio doing some shots that I had been contemplating for some time now.
In setting up given shots, it was funny to note my ingrained movements towards the knobs of my old tripod as I made final adjustments.
For all intensive purposes, I went from three knobs, down to one.
It just felt weird!
During the course of the day, I managed to set up and photograph, several scenes with the new ball head, and finally into Lightroom for basic review.
It was in Lightroom, where I began to notice subtle shifts in my bracketed exposure sequences due to movement between exposures.
When taking an exposure, I normally use the cameras onboard interface, to change the settings, then use my remote trigger for the actual exposure.
This is of importance to me, since I do a lot of HDR work, and it is critical for the various exposures to be aligned.
With my Bogen, these physical exposure adjustments on the camera, were not nearly as bad as what I was witnessing with the new Manfrotto.
At the moment, I’m just going to make myself mentally aware of being more careful when making the adjustments, or rely on AEB more often.
Going for my first walk
Finally, I got the tripod strap and quick release systems!
I was rather impressed when I first opened up the tripod strap. There is a rather large padded sleeve that fits over the actual strap, and I could easily see where this might be very comfortable after a long day of carrying the tripod. I also like the idea of having a quick release on the strap where one would connect it to the three legs.
I also installed the quick release system on the tripod and camera, and smacked my head on why I had not bought one of these before, but at the same time, knowing that I just had had movement issues in the studio, I also now had to consider this.
Be that as it may, I went off for a walk to test my new toys in the field!
Generally, when I start one of my walks, I have not attached the camera to the tripod yet, and swing both of them over my left shoulder, and start on, allowing me to freehold the camera if I see something of interest.
As I walked, the first thing that I noticed, was how completely different this tripod felt on my shoulder.
Gone was the feeling of the knob arms hitting you like blunted porcupine quills as you walked and moved through the woods, but at the same time, I still need to figure out the best way to attach the strap and cushioned padding.
It feels weird, but once again, time will tell.
Conclusion
Once again, I want to thank both LandscapePhotographyMagazine.com and Manfrotto for this opportunity, and I look forward to years of great use!
That being said, it is far too early to make a definitive conclusion about the two tripods.
Manfrotto does feel lighter in weight, but I have NOT actually done a side-by-side, and the carrying strap needs some fine tuning in the field.
I am looking forward to using the ball-head more, and I should be able to adapt to the minor adjustments issues, by tightening the one knob more. (I do have a zoom lens that I worried about…)
Right now I’m still in the honeymoon stage with my Manfrotto, and with any good marriage it takes time… 30+ years is hard to break.
But some questions linger… Am I cheating on my Bogen?
Will Bogen get relegated to the studio, while Manfrotto journeys forth?
I have had my Canon XTi since 2007, and all during this time, I have used numerous tools to dust out the sensor chamber, including my old spray paint brush and compressor.
But lately, the dust monsters have really taken a toil on my productivity, only increasing my touch-up skills, and it was during my processing of some foggy morning pictures, that I knew, something had to be done.
Turning to my online connections on Facebook and Google+, I asked the question if anyone had done their own sensor cleaning, and if they had any tips, suggestions.
A great place to start, is CleaningDigitalCameras.com, which has a lot of comprehensive information on various tools and techniques.
After reading various pages, I knew that I needed 1) a very careful “Dry” cleaning; and if that did not work, 2) a “Wet” cleaning with swabs, and the two main vendors to look at were VisibleDust and Photographic Solutions.
What am I looking for?
I searched the internet for what it would cost me to get my camera Professionally cleaned, and although prices varied, be prepared to spend $60+ per cleaning, and being without your camera for a period of time, and in some cases, not as clean as you hoped (or paid for).
So, I am looking for a “Beginner” kit that can offer me both a Dry and Wet sensor cleaning option that does not cost a great deal.
As my daughter says, I’m cheap…
I like to think frugal…
VisibleDust
The VisibleDust systems are very cool looking and many different options to suit your needs, and I almost purchased their Christmas Special, but after reading some of the reviews on Amazon, I became very hesitant.
The Basic offers the same basics as the VisibleDust Christmas Special, but one still needed a brush, and with that additional cost, the price for the two systems is about equal.
The Professional version offers a Brush, Magnifying Glass and Air Blower, all in a nice nylon pouch for around $125.00 USD.
Adorama
I recently upgrade my Adorama account to a VIP status (what ever that means), and was eager to see if this might affect my order in any way.
On Wednesday, December 26th, I placed my order for the “Photographic Solutions Pro Digital Survival Eclipse Kit #2” and opted for the 3-5 Business Day shipping for an added $3.95, and figured I would see my package early next week, just in time for the new year!
Saturday (30th), the snow is still falling, and my son and I, are finally finishing the plowing of the driveway by hand, and in checking the mailbox, I was very pleased to see a package from Adorama!
I know what I get to play with tonight!
Preparations
Finally, around 11PM Saturday night, the house is quiet, and I am able to unpack and examine my new toys.
Note 01 – In the video, the instructor mentions an ECLIPSE packet that comes with each brush. This is NOT true for this Kit. Instead you have to create your own using a “PEC*PAD with ECLIPSE Optic Cleaner” –
“Be sure your fingers do not touch any of the PAD that will come in contact with the unique and patented fiber materials. If the brush should become contaminated, simple saturate a PEC*PAD with ECLIPSE Optic Cleaner and gently wipe the bristles. Air dry for a few seconds and replace protective cap being sure cap itself has not become contaminated. To further protect the BRUSHOFF fibers, they are fully retractable into the handle when not in use and a protective cap is also supplied.” – BRUSHOFF Information
Note 02 – The video suggests placing a PEC*PAD on clean area, so I placed mine on top of the Sensor Swab box, and then added a couple of drops of ECLIPSE Optic Cleaner.
Almost immediately, the ink from the box began to leach through the pad.
I should have known better.
I ended up using folded over white paper, and will seek a better setup.
Into the Chamber
I used the included magnifying glass to first look at what I was getting into.
I was pleasantly surprised to see, that it included a working LED light, and a magnification that was useful!
Using the magnifying glass, I could easily see some dust, and first used the included small Giotto Rocket Blower, and checked again.
I could still see some dust, so I decided to take the more dramatic measure of using the BrushOff.
I very carefully whipped the sensor a couple of times, blew with the Rocket, and then checked with the magnifying glass again, again.
The dust appeared to be moving, but not off the sensor.
Attaching the provided grounding wire, I ‘charged’ the brush, while tapping it firmly, and returned to cleaning the sensor.
This time, there did seem to be a difference.
Preliminary Testing
After the sensor cleaning, I took a couple of test shoots in my office, but the lighting at midnight is not really a good test.
What I could see, gave me encouragement.
I really need to get out, shoot some landscapes at f22, and then see the results.
Updates to follow…
Conclusion
It is still to early to make a definitive conclusion, but I have learned, it is not as hard as one might think, as long as you are very careful.
I also learned several new ways to clean my camera’s sensors, which should also carry forward into future cameras. There alone saving on time and money associated with Professional cleanings, and my costs moving forward should be relatively low since I now have some base equipment, which should last for years.
No, I am not searching for the TV Remote, this time…
But a for a new Remote for my photography work.
Back when I first purchased my Canon XTi in 2007, I also purchased both the
Remote Switch RS-60E3 and Wireless Remote Controller RC-1, and have used them various times over the years, but after seeing a couple of recent Posts on Facebook and Google+, the thoughts of looking for something new has begun.
In reading the Posts, I was also left with what kind? A dedicated stand-alone unit or connected to my iPod Touch, and did I want to be able to program the unit?
Dedicated Stand-alone
The first article that I read was on Stand-alone units, “6 top remote releases tested and rated” on photozz.com that got me thinking about upgrading my old Canon Remote Switch RS-60E3.
In my daily reading, I also spotted a Google+ post in which the author announced that they had just received their TriggerHappy, and was excited to try it out.
In following the thread, I was also made aware of the Triggertrap Mobile combination, so my researching began.
Making the Connection
In the case of the Hähnel Giga T Pro II, there are two parts, the wireless transmitter and the receiver that sits on the camera. The unit easily does remote triggering, interval, and long exposures, but does lack any direct HDR functionality.
With both TriggerHappy and Triggertrap, you need cable from the camera to the Control device (iOS (or Android)), and there is a significant range in price for cables.
Cables
To connect my iPod Touch, the cables from TriggerHappy (E3) would cost $49.95, while the Triggertrap’s would require two different cables, a Triggertrap Mobile Dongle ($9.99) and a CL-E3 Camera Cable ($9.99). The easy price winner is Triggertrap.
Software
The Trigger Happy Remote App on iTunes is Free, and is currently at v 1.0.2 (8/8/12), while the Triggertrap (v 1.2.0 (8/2/12)) is available in two versions: Free (limited to 3 trigger modes (Cable Release, vibration sensor and time-lapse) and the Full Premium version at $9.99 on iTunes. The winner here is Trigger Happy, how do you beat Free!
Interface
Both software applications seem to be able to perform Remote trigger, Bulb, time-lapse, plus HDR captures, which is something that I am very interested in.
When looking at the HDR controls, the TriggerHappy app seems to allow 1/3 step increments, which allows for finer control, while the Triggertrap seems limited to full stops, so the Edge here seems to be TriggerHappy.
The real separation between the two applications seems to be the various triggers that are available, and the edge in this case seems to be Triggertrap with 5 sensors (Sound, Shock/Vibration, Metal/Magnetic), 4 modes (HDR Time-lapse, Distance-lapse, Motion detection, Cable release and Star Trail), as well as Facial Recognition.
Conclusion
I like the wireless concept of the Hähnel Giga T Pro II, but the price and lack of HDR capabilities takes it out of consideration.
A big concern of mine, when looking at both these systems, is having to carry and connect my iPod Touch, which my not seem like allot, but when you are standing in 2-3 of water in a rushing stream/river, it could be an issue. I also have to wonder what to do during the winter, when the iPod might be exposed to colder temperatures.
The TriggerHappy does seem to support finer exposure controls, with the 1/3 stop settings, but basic HDR exposures should be able to compensate for that, if correctly bracketed.
With all that has been written above, it seems that at this point, the Triggertrap system would be the most versatile and cost efficient purchase, and will be purchased shortly after the posting of this blog entry.
As always, questions and comments are welcome and encouraged!
Over the past couple of days, I have been exchanging phone calls with a potential Photo Restoration client, and today I finally got to met Eleanor and my new project, Michael Moran.
From what Eleanor had told me on the phone, was the original was 16×20 inches, mounted into a new wooden frame some years ago.
When Eleanor arrived, the picture was packaged in bubble wrap and a white garbage bag, being especially careful, since it had rained lightly earlier in the day.
As we sat and talked, I reiterated that it was not very common for people to get pictures done because of the expense and time involved, let alone an immigrant of the 1800s, and especially at a large size!
“I have a call into my brother to confirm that Michael Moran was from Ireland. He married Mary Hughes here in the States. Four children were born and 3 survived to adulthood (one of which was my grandmother). He became the Head Farmer for the Cassatt estate until he died of pneumonia.” – Eleanor
We chatted some more, and when Eleanor left, I knew I was in for a really good adventure with this Restoration project!
The first thing that I wanted to do, was document what I was doing, just encase I was confronted with some issue as I progressed.
Inspection
So, how was I going to get this thing apart?
Turing it over, I inspected how the internal frame was connected to the external picture, and I was able to find five (5) small nails holding the picture to the frame.
Connection Nails
Thankfully, these nails were easily removed with a pair of needle-nose pliers and some careful tugs.
Once the exterior frame was separated from the interior one, the next element to be aware of was the large pane of glass, and when it was removed, and inspected more carefully, had several ripples as a sign of age.
It was also now possible to closely inspect the surface tears and map them to the backside of the frame.
Toward the middle of the image, there was this pair of tears, one going all the way through to the fiber of the cloth backing, and a strange blue mark:
Restore Michael Moran – Tears (Middle)
and near the bottom of the image, there was this tear:
Restore Michael Moran Tears (Bottom)
Note – You can double-click on the pictures to get a larger view of the damage.
Additional Surface Cracks and Water Stains
Some of the damage appears to be simple cracks to the surface, along with other water stains.
Top Edge Damage Detail
When looking at the edges, there is noticeable damage to the cloth used to connect the images to the frame.
Scanning
I always have a concern when I am faced with a large print, especially of this size!
What also makes this digitization more challenging, is the fixed wood frame that the image is suspended on.
Most of the time, I encounter loose original prints that are not mounted, and with the condition of the cloth material, there was no way that I was going to remove this image from the frame for scanning.
The scanner I use, is an old Epson Perfection 4490 Photo, which I bought numerous years ago, and has a scanning bed of approximately 9×13 inches.
Another requirement of this project, was to scan the original to be Printed at 100%, which I knew was going to make for some very BIG files, but I had a plan, and hoped that my scanner was up for the task.
My solution, like many times before, was to break up the scan into four (4) sections: upper-left, upper-right, lower-left, and lower right, and then combine them into one image using Adobe Photoshop layers.
The final concern, and the most important, the scanners depth-of-field, which is exactly the same concept as with cameras, but with desktop scanners, the depth-of-field is very shallow, and the beveled lip on the edge of the scanner was not going to help, even if it was only 2-3 mm above the glass surface.
I lined up the first corner, leaving just a little break between the scanners capture edge and the edge of the print.
Once aligned, I placed a soft folded cloth on top, and then added some weights to gently and evenly press as much of the picture surface to the glass bed of the scanner as possible, and repeated three more times.
Photoshop
Once I had the four (4) quadrants scanned into 16-bit TIFF files, my next step was to combine the scans into one image, making absolutely sure that the images overlapped enough to mask out any softness that might have occurred during the scanning stage.
Restore Michael Moran – Quadrants pre-combined
Thankfully, and once again, my Epson did not let me down!
Once combined, the final image is beginning to take shape.
Restore Michael Moran Working Proof – Before
From here, it is just taking the time to use the various tools within Photoshop to clean-up the various issues caused by cracks, rips, tears and water. For more information on how to handle these issues, please consult the various reference materials that are available on the internet.
Proof Image
After several hours of clean-up and tweaking, the proof image looks like this:
Restore Michael Moran – Proof 01
but remember, it is always the Client that has the final say!
