Author: Tom

Focus-Stacked Macros

Posted on By Tom 7 Comments on Focus-Stacked Macros
Photography

Lilly Focus Stacking

Last summer when we were in Maine one of the people staying at the B&B with us was also a photographer. Over breakfast one morning he told me about image focus stacking. The technique is similar to HDR photography, but instead of exposure, different images with various focus and depth of field are combined. Several shots are taken at various focal lengths, and the images are “stacked”, taking the best focused areas from each image to create a very sharp final image.

When I got home from Maine I downloaded Keith’s Image Stacker . Keith Wiley does astrophotography, and wrote the software to sharpen some of his images. I know some people who have gotten excellent results from his program, but I just couldn’t seem to get the hang of it. I lost interest. Last week I upgraded to Photoshop CS5, which has built-in image stacking, and my interest was renewed.

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Sparkleberry Swamp

Posted on By Tom 1 Comment on Sparkleberry Swamp
Paddling, Photography

Sparkleberry Channel

I had been wanting to paddle Sparkleberry Swamp for quite awhile, but always seemed to miss opportunities. I had a solo trip planned for a couple of months ago, but had to cancel when my cat suddenly got ill. I did Jocassee instead. Another trip was planned for a month later, but we canceled because one of our paddlers got ill (we did Jocassee instead.) Several of the Greenville group were staying over after the Pinopolis Lock paddle and heading up on Sunday to paddle Sparkleberry, and this time it didn’t look like anyone was going to get ill, and we were nowhere near Jocassee, so I finally got my chance.

Sparkleberry Swamp, also known as Rimini Swamp, isn’t a natural swamp. It was formed when Lake Marion was created and the forests of the upper Santee River were flooded. Its boundaries are nebulous, depending on water levels and who you ask. Even though it’s not a natural swamp, it has all the characteristics of one. If you picture in your mind what a southern swamp is supposed to be, it probably looks a lot like Sparkleberry.

I spent the night in the town of Santee in a dumpy little motel that deserves its own blog post. Maybe, after therapy, I’ll write that one up. Our group met at the local Bojangles for breakfast, then crossed Lake Marion on I-95, then headed north along the east shore.

This part of the state is about as desolate as it gets. It’s on the lower edge of the Carolina sand hill region, so pine forests and sandy soil are the norm until you reach the actual swamp. We passed through the towns of Summerton and Rimini, which I didn’t even know existed.

When we got to Sparkleberry Landing it was already sweltering. The water was high, and even at the landing the scenery was fantastic. We unloaded the boats and were soon underway.

One of our group of seven had been to the swamp several times before, and served as our guide. It was a good thing. I would have followed the more open channels either north or south, and would have missed the real path through a narrow stand of trees. I was glad I had a functioning GPS and spare batteries.

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Paddling the Pinopolis Lock

Posted on By Tom 4 Comments on Paddling the Pinopolis Lock
Paddling, Photography

Pinopolis Lock

I had two conflicting paddling opportunities this weekend. My buddies from Lowcountry Unfiltered were going to be paddling the lower Savannah River, and the Greenville Canoe and Kayak group were planning a paddle on Lake Moultrie through the Pinopolis Lock. It was quite the dilemma. Ultimately I decided on the Pinopolis Lock trip because it sounded more like a one-shot deal.

I had seen photos and even a couple of online videos of the Pinopolis Lock. The lock is the highest single-stage lock in the US, and the second-highest in the world. It raises and lowers boats 75 feet from Lake Moultrie to the Tail Race Canal, which then connects to the Cooper River and on to Charleston.

We wouldn’t be paddling quite that far, though. Our plan was to launch from the YMCA beach near the dam, paddle about a mile to our lunch spot, then enter the lock. We would then do a few miles on the canal, then cut back into Wabdoo Creek to our take-out.


View Lake to Lock Paddle in a larger map

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Help Save Funding for SCETV!

Posted on By Tom 2 Comments on Help Save Funding for SCETV!
Uncategorized

I normally don’t copy and paste from other websites, but this is important. Funding for SCETV may be drastically reduced because of a veto by Gov. Sanford. Here’s a press release… ETV Appeals to the Public to Contact Their Legislator and Help Overturn Governor Mark Sanford’s Vetoes For Immediate Release June 11, 2010 Columbia, SC… … Read More “Help Save Funding for SCETV!” »

Facebook and Professional Boundaries

Posted on By Tom 2 Comments on Facebook and Professional Boundaries
EdTech, General Technology, Internet

I had an eye-opening discovery this week.  One of our principals contacted me about an e-mail she was expecting that hadn’t arrived.  I went into our district spam filter to see if it had been caught there.  While looking for the e-mail, I noticed a lot of traffic from Facebook that had gotten caught in … Read More “Facebook and Professional Boundaries” »

Augmented Reality

Posted on By Tom No Comments on Augmented Reality
Gear, General Technology, Geocaching and Maps, Internet

Iron Man HUD

One of the reasons I upgraded to an Android phone was my interest in Augmented Reality. I knew I would be doing some traveling this summer and wanted a way to check out items around me quickly, without having to bring my work Blackberry along. I got a chance to put the new smartphone through its paces last weekend in Washington DC, and here are some of my initial feelings about AR…

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Smithsonian Afternoon

Posted on By Tom 1 Comment on Smithsonian Afternoon
Travel

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

After my trip to the National Cathedral I made my way back to our hotel.  Having walked multiple miles, most of that in the heat, I was completely exhausted when I got back to the room.  Laura, on the other hand, had just gotten out of her meetings, and was ready to explore.  so, we found ourselves back on the Metro and headed toward the Mall and the Smithsonian museums.

On the way we stopped for lunch at the Pentagon City Mall.  The area was overrun with middle-schoolers in matching T-shirts.  This, apparently, was the week for school trips to DC, and we ran into crowds of students the entire time we were here.

We got off the Metro at the Smithsonian stop and waled out onto the mall.  Large white tents were being set up for some activity, and we feared some big event on the mall for Saturday.  Regardless, we walked across the Mall to the Museum of Natural History.

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National Cathedral

Posted on By Tom No Comments on National Cathedral
Travel

National Cathedral B&W

Friday morning Laura was still busy with her scientist friends, so I was on my own to explore D. C. until lunch. I decided to visit the National Cathedral, a place I’d not visited on any of trips to the city.

I boarded the Metro with the morning rush hour throngs. Even with my agoraphobia I managed to make it to the the Woodbury Park stop without freaking out. From the Metro stop it was about a mile hike to the cathedral through some really nice residential sections. I passed several nannies out walking their employer’s spawn.

As one flies into Washington D. C., the cathedral is just as imposing as any of the other national buildings. It’s perched on a high hill overlooking the rest of the city. However, it’s hardly visible as one approaches from the ground – at least, from the direction I was walking. The area is surrounded by wooded park lands and gardens, and it wasn’t until I was right on it that I could see the large structure.

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