I’m an amateur photographer and technology has let me down. I like to take photographs at science fiction and steampunk conventions. I take a lot pictures, close to 400 photographs at the last convention. See the previous three blogs for a sample of the ones that turned out good. Yes, just like in writing they don’t all turn out good. But in photography you don’t get to do a rewrite, maybe a little editing in the developer program.
I don’t like to use a flash. It annoys the people at panels and a flash in the face distresses some people. But I have no choice.You may not realize how much better the human eye is compared to a camera. Even new expensive cameras. Indoors, at the convention, it may look brightly lit, but it’s dark to the camera.
My indoor camera setting are 1/60 of a second for the shutter, f 5.6 for the aperture, and an ISO of 3200. What’s that mean. 1/60 of a second means the person I’m photographing can’t move and I have to hold the camera very steady. An aperture of f 5.6 means I should buy a better lens because f 5.6 is the biggest the lens I have will open up (f 5.6 is how much light the lens let get to the camera sensor, and it’s not much). And a senor speed of ISO 3200 means the pictures are grainy (they look blurry and noisy if you blow them up). For posting on the web the pictures are OK. But if you want a 5 by 7 print it’s a lot of work to get rid of the grain and you can’t get rid of all of it.
Outside, in the day time, the camera takes great photographs.
So, if you see me using a flash, forgive me. I’m driven to get a decent photographs. I try to keep the flash usage down and use it only before and after the presentation, but there are times I have to get that special shot.
I have been using the little built in flash on the camera. The professionals use the big honking flashes mounted above the camera. Watch out world, I got my big flash out and I’m going to use it. I missed several shots, at the last convention, because the pictures had too much grain in them. Or it could have been camera shake. Using the big flash will fix that. I may even get a new lens. It will cost over thousand dollars. You have to really love your hobby to spend that kind of money. The lens will cost more than the camera, the two lens that came with the camera, the flash and a bunch of accessory that I got when I bought the camera.
Stay strong, write on, and smile, you always look better when you smile. Have you ever noticed that when you photograph three people at once, one of them always blinks (you end up with a photo with one person’s eyes closed)?
Professor Hyram Voltage
Nothing says breakfast better than bacon.
Bacon Quesadillas
Ingredients
2 slices turkey bacon
1/4 tsp. powered garlic or 1/2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 onion, diced (can use one green onion)
1 tbsp. Taco Seasoning
2 tbsp. tomato paste
8 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 avocados, pitted and diced
2 tsp. olive oil, divided
1 large flour tortilla or small flour tortilla or corn tortilla if your out of flour tortillas
8 oz. or half a cup or a small hand full of shredded cheese white, yellow, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, or Mexican
1 lime, cut into wedges
Directions
In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon with garlic and onion until softened, 2 to 4 minutes. Add taco seasoning, tomato paste, 1 tbsp water; cook on medium-low for 5 minutes. Set aside.
Warm a large non-stick pan over medium heat with 1 teaspoon oil. Place a flour tortilla in the pan and sprinkle half with cheese, beef mixture and more cheese. Fold tortilla over and lightly toast on both sides until cheese is melted.
Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with lime wedges and sour cream.
Taco Seasoning, home made,
1/2 tsp. ground chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground paprika or smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. ground cumin