Saturday, August 25, 2012

Project Weather: Yahoo Weather App For Android Platform Smartphones

Project Weather:
Yahoo Weather App For Android Platform Smartphones



I'm  pretty proud about this! I've used Yahoo weather apps for years on "My Yahoo!", Yahoo! Messenger, and since Feb. I've used Yahoo's Weather App for Android.

I heard about it because my Niece uses a Yahoo Weather App on her iPhone and said it was her favorite. I actually use multiple weather apps, I use the one my Galaxy S came with, 2 apps by the weather channel, and the Yahoo app.

The Yahoo app is the nicest one because you can see more weather reports in multiple places, it's programmable in a better way, and it has lovely photos.

I started to notice there weren't many photos, and often times it would use wrong photos, or photos from somewhere nearby, but still not quite right... but, other times there would be new apps. Also, not all the photos are the best, yet there were many of very high quality.

I'd assumed there ought to be more photos to Philadelphia, yet there really weren't, but there also weren't much for Boston either...


Then, I found out you could submit your own photos. When I saw the level of quality of who was submitting photos, I wasn't sure... But, I tried anyway.


So far, they've accepted my photos for Philadelphia, Boston, North Weymouth MA, South Weymouh MA.

So, I feel pretty good about that.



麒麟桜 (麒麟櫻) South Weymouth MA

Cherry Blossoms
Pear Blossoms




Webb Memorial Park Shoreline 02
North Weymouth MA

The Boston Commons Skyline 01 Boston Commons


Philadelphia:


Sunset Behind Philadelphia Art Museum (Low Humidity) July

Behind Philadelphia Art Museum HIGH Humidity July 2012Behind Philadelphia Art Museum HIGH Humidity July 2012

Logan Square Philadelphia

Sunset Behind Philadelphia Art Museum (Low Humidity) July

Sunset Behind Philadelphia Art Museum (Low Humidity) July

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Misc. Wissahickon Warefalls: DSLR "Tv" Effect

Here are just a few extra frames I shot experimenting with "Tv" mode on my DSLR CANON REBEL XS at the Magarge Dam Waterfalls on the Wissahickon Creek in Chestnut Hill Philadelphia, PA.




























Wissahickon Trail Gateway to Stairs

















Along the Wissahickon Creek, Forbidden Drive, and Rex Ave. at some point you will come to a stone bridge. The bridge has a uniquely ancient stone gateway and winding staircase that leads up to a trail....

I haven't gone through the whole trail yet, but I am told there is a statue of an Indian Chief (Native American) of the Leni Lanape Nation there. But, Pennsylvania is so thick with foliage growth in summer that it couldn't be seen unless you took the trail. 

It was so hot, and I didn't want to drop my camera equipment off the cliff, so I haven't braved the trail yet. 

 If you google "Wissahickon gate" you will find any number of things, not just this. So, I don't even know what it's called. I figure it must have a name since our ancient ancestors liked naming everything, especially if they spend so much time building it.

This spot seems to be an especially popular landmark to photograph. I've found SO many blogs, and photos of it posted on Flickr, often with poems of fantasy themes or captions. It really captures people' imagination! It's especially a popular subject for HDR fans.


 This spot is at the foot of the bridge that crosses the creek. You will find benches to sit on also.

 Off to the left is the actual bridge, but this walled part leads to other trails, and to the bank of the creek.
The edge of a wall

 The ancient stairs winding upwards....

This is what you'll see at the top of the stairs...

The view from atop the stairs, looking down



The trail on the cliff above atop the stairs... 








Side Angle: Wissahickon Magarge Creek Waterfalls

Just a few side angle shots of the waterfalls from one of the bench cliff perspectives.

What's great about this park is the many areas to view the sights & landmarks!








If you would like to see more photos of the waterfalls or of Wissakickon, check all my posts for August 2012.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Wissahickon Magarge Waterfall: "Tv" Photo Effect






費城!
This is what the DSLR manual will call "more advanced techniques".
*shrugs*
Well, I don't know anything about that. But, it's tricky, and I'm still learning it.
It's a setting on the DSLR (Canon Rebel XS) called "Tv".

Generally, the manual instructs users to try this with running water, like water fountains and waterfalls, and I often see this effect on running water to give it a foamy look. But, the manual says it can be used for motion blurs on stuff like running children, or whatever.

The trouble with it is that it has a tendency to white wash everything, especially in direct sunlight. So, I haven't quite figured it out entirely when programming the camera. My only trickity-lil-trick so far is to just shoot in ambient daylight, like cloudy or partly cloudy when a cloud blocks the sun. Unless I figure out a better way to program it. (Still learning.)

I still haven't tried it at night yet, either. But, I would like to. So, these are all just experimental for me.

To give you an example of just what exactly this is, I'll show a comparison:



Without "Tv" With "TV"

Hopefully this explains it better than words. But, you can also tell how much brighter the "Tv" makes it. Since I shot these when a giant cloud blocked the sun for a while! Also, it MUST be shot on a tripod with a remote. Mine is an old vintage tripod, so it's wobbly! So, I have to stand there, brace the tripod, and shoot several frames in order to get it something right. Anyways, like I said: I'm still learning....

Sunlight with cast shadows/shade


Cloud blocking sunlight ambient light


Foamy swirls


















If you would like to see more photos of the waterfalls or of Wissakickon, check all my posts for August 2012.