Laughing Frog Images Archives - Page 2 of 15

TLRs reborn in Instagram?

Posted on October 26, 2016October 23, 2016 by Kurt

TLRs reborn in Instagram?

As if I didn’t already have enough going on, my Marketing Advisor (Mike at Visceral Concepts) has finally convinced me to take on more things to do.

The Frog has taken another leap – and we’re now on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/laughingfrogimages/

While I don’t completely understand it, you can also find Laughing Frog Images by searching @laughingfrogimages as well. Modern stuff…

Why did the Frog take the leap? (Go ahead and groan, but I couldn’t resist that!) Simple. I can post from an Ipad or from my phone in a minute or less, and it’s about getting the word out about Laughing Frog Images and the great images and products we offer for sale. I’m aiming for a post a day, and the same dry humor will be there, along with the stories and photography tips you’ve become accustomed to.

So, what’s with Instagram and TLRs?

It’s actually been fun preparing images in square format for Instagram – it’s like shooting with a TLR again!

Someone out there is saying “what’s a TLR?”

A TLR is a Twin Lens Reflex camera that most commonly made film images in a square format – typically 2.25″ x 2.25″.

mamiya-c220

I have two TLRs that I haven’t used in a long time – a Mamiyaflex and a Mamiya C220. As I sit here and type this, I’m wondering why I haven’t. They’re not convenient. They’re best used on a tripod. They have no exposure meter. You have to focus manually. The image is backwards on the focusing screen. There are no zoom lenses. You have to wind the film – there’s no such thing as burst mode. Frames per second isn’t relevant – it’s frames per minute. And, you have to think!

Yes, I love my digital SLRs, and my Icon – but the TLR – well, that’s photography!

So where’s the fun in Instagram?

Well, for starters, I have to reimagine image as a square image. That means cropping about one third of the image and tossing it. Sometimes, the image is reborn with new meaning or context in the process. Sometime, square is better. It’s like looking at the shot all over again, despite the fact that I may have made the original image over 30 years ago. Refreshing. Provocative. Fun!

Well I can’t say that the TLR camera has in fact been reborn via Instagram, I can say that its’ spirit has been rekindled. It’s OK to think square again!

Sadly, not all is good. There’s one drawback to all of this. Instagram cross-posts to the Laughing Frog Images Facebook page, but it doesn’t cross-post to our Google + page. I invite our followers and viewers on Google + to follow us on Instagram.

Union Pacific Derrick 903045

Posted on September 21, 2016September 19, 2016 by Kurt

Union Pacific Derrick 903045

This one is for the train and crane folks!

Once upon a time, railroads had their own big cranes. They were used for maintenance work on track and bridges, locomotive and car repairs, and perhaps most notably, to clean up derailments. They were expensive to buy and expensive to operate, yet they spent a lot of their time sitting.

Over time, as derailments have decreased and maintenance practices have changed, the big cranes such as the 903045 have gone away. Nowadays, most crane services are contracted out, as is derailment cleanup.

Today, many (most) of the big railroad cranes have been scrapped. Few remain in service. And at least one big one – the 903045 – is in a museum.

Union Pacific Derrick 903045 is a 250 ton capacity crane built by the American Ohio Locomotive Crane Company. She now lives at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, CA.

Union Pacific American Crane W-250 Wreck Derrick 903045, Portola, CA.

There’s now a gallery on Laughing Frog Images devoted to the 903045. This gallery is a photographic dissection of the 903045 for the curious, for the modelers, and the crane geeks. She was basking in the sun during Portola Railroad Days in 2014. Modelers and rivet counters: I didn’t cross the tracks to capture the other side – so the photo study is of her right side only.

If you think about the fact that she’s capable of lifting 250 tons, this is a photographic study of brute force that’s different from past locomotive photo studies I’ve done. She was designed in the days before computer aided design – slide rules and math, paper and pencil. No apps or programs. Thick steel plate. Heavy welds. Large diameter wire rope. The smell of grease and oil. Even if you’re not into trains or cranes, she’s something to behold.

Is she a relic of the past? A testament to those who designed and built her? Both?

Check out the gallery and decide for yourself…

Tehachapi Loop: Photo Accomplished

Posted on August 10, 2016August 8, 2016 by Kurt

Tehachapi Loop: Photo Accomplished.

Two simple words that said to a railfan or train enthusiast mean for some a familiar place, for some a quest akin to the Holy Grain, and for some, just a unique, timeless and special place.

I was first introduced to Tehachapi Loop by the January 1977 issue of Trains Magazine. Back then, it was the Southern Pacific and Santa Fe railroads battling the hills and the curves.

It was… well, it was captivating. Inspiring. A place I had to see for myself. A place I (naively) dreamed about fitting on a 4’x8′ sheet of plywood in HO scale.

*Tehachapi Loop is timeless, and on the Bucket List for many a photographer and railfan.*

It took over 22 years for me to get to Tehachapi Loop. Mrs. Frog was there with me, and once she was over the Loop, she politely tolerated my excitement.

The Southern Pacific was in the process of being assimilated by the great yellow borg (a.k.a. the Union Pacific).

The Santa Fe was disappearing into the BNSF.

And the Loop was magnificent.

To describe the loop is kind of hard. The reality is that the twists and turns are a result of the railroad needing to gain elevation in its’ climb from Bakersfield to the summit at Tehachapi.

I’ve seen it explained as what would happen if you gave a youngster too much track for a small layout with instructions to use it all up.

You just have to see it to appreciate it.

While I am not a fan of double-stack container trains, they are a reality of railroading today. The often bright colors of the containers make it easier to see the train as it twists and turns heading east from Keene and Woodford.

It took me another six years to get back to the Loop again. There were still vestiges of the Santa Fe left on that trip, but not much of the Southern Pacific.

I left somewhat unfulfilled, as I didn’t have a wide angle lens that could capture the whole Loop in one shot.

Fast forward to 2016. I finally had a lens that could capture the Loop – a Tamron 10-24mm zoom. I left the night before so that I could be at the Loop at first light – which, in my humble opinion, is the best time to capture the Loop. The air had a chill as I walked to the overlook and waited. And waited. And wished I had a jacket. And waited.

Modern locomotives are much quieter than they were in 1999. I didn’t hear the train climb through Keene, and I barely heard it at Woodford. The white and orange containers stuck out like a worm squirming uphill. And it was finally time…

I caught three trains that morning before the sun angle became too stark for my tastes.

Mission accomplished, I left satisfied, checking one thing off of my list… (which isn’t to say I won’t go back!).

Those images are now in the Tehachapi Gallery on Laughing Frog Images.

I don’t normally do this – but all of the images in the gallery are cropped to accentuate the Loop in formats from 1h:2w to 1h:6w. They’re different, that’s for sure. They’d make a great gift for someone, or a conversation piece on your own wall. And, even if you’re not in a buying mode, just go in and check out the images of something you can only see just west of the great little town of Tehachapi, CA.

The images from 1999 and 2006 are yet to be scanned, but they’ll be in the gallery some day as well.

If you find yourself on California Highway 58 between Mojave and Bakersfield, I invite you to make two stops: one in the town of Tehachapi – some interesting museums and things to see, and, of course, the Loop itself west of town.

The Canadian / le Canadien Gallery

Posted on July 6, 2016July 2, 2016 by Kurt

The Canadian / le Canadian.

Sacred words to some.

For me, they’ve been on my Bucket List for most of my life.

I first saw the Budd stainless steel cars of The Canadian in Toronto in the late 1970’s. Nothing against Amtrak, whose fleet was also largely stainless steel at the time, but The Canadian’s cars looked different. Polished. Cleaned. Loved?

A Park car (that’s the dome-observation-lounge car at the end of the train in the image below) being switched is an image that was etched in my mind – no, maybe stamped, and the desire to take The Canadian across Canada was imprinted.

*VIA Rail Canada Train #1, The Canadian / le Canadien, east of Oba, ON.*

Fast forward about 35 years or so, and the time and elements finally came together to make it happen.

As VIA Rail Canada Train #1 The Canadian pulled out of Toronto Union Station, the train silently began to move at 2200h on the dot. I was in the Park car with Mrs. Frog, and it was finally happening!

It’s not the destination, it’s the journey that matters, and every train trip is a journey unto itself. This was no exception.

From the fine (yes, fine) food to the 1954 vintage Budd stainless steel equipment, from the friendly and professional train crew to the stories and the conversations of and with our fellow travelers, it was a journey.

Many “top train trip” lists put The Canadian in the Top 10 – and I found no reason to dispute that.

Waking in Capreol, ON the first morning, it was -2 degrees F – and we were snug as bugs in a rug.

At one dinner seating, I agonized over the choice I had to make – veal chop, pan roasted duck, or fresh trout. There was a vegan option – but that wasn’t a choice!

The image above was taken from the Skyline dome at the front of the train for coach passengers – as a matter of fact, it was the 8500 – the first Skyline. Try finding a view like that in coach on a 737! The Park car brings up the rear. Either car is perhaps the best way to travel – at least in the Frog’s eyes.

And the people… A couple from Australia. A couple from Scotland. Honeymooners from the UK. People traveling for business, family visits, vacations, and necessity, as The Canadian serves many remote towns along her journey. A lawyer. A writer. Active railroaders. Retired railroaders. A family with their young daughter on their first train trip (she was so cute looking out the window hoping to see a bear as we left Jasper). Those on their first train trip. Those with more than 20 trips on The Canadian. Conversations in the dome and lounge about life, perspectives, world views, and, commonly (for better or worse) – the U.S. Presidential campaign. It’s the journey…

The snow and ice covered lakes and rivers in northern Ontario gave way to the fields of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, which gave way to the Rockies and then the canyons of British Columbia. And then, we backed in to Pacific Station toward the modern skyline of Vancouver. It’s the journey…

As I sit here and review this post, I’ve wrestled with not going off on this tangent or that tangent and ending up with a 1000 word post.

There’s so much that could be written, whether inspired by the beauty of a scene, something learned in or inspired by a conversation, releasing the inner train geek and talking about the train, or musing about what life would be like in a quiet small town somewhere along the line.

I may revisit bits and pieces over time. But, for now, I’m going to let you check out The Canadian / le Canadien gallery, and see some of what we saw along the way.

If you find inspiration to make the journey as a result of this gallery, or anything I’ve written – don’t wait too long. Unfortunately, The Canadian, and VIA Rail Canada itself, exists to a great extent at the mercy of the politicians – much like Amtrak here in the U.S. Logic and politics are often mutually exclusive, and much of Canada’s rail passenger system has been gutted in the last 26 years. Every year, there are new worries about The Canadian, and this year is no different.

Photographing Fireworks Tutorial

Posted on July 3, 2016July 2, 2016 by Kurt

Well, it’s almost that time of the year again – too much food, sunburn, mosquitoes, flies and photographing fireworks!

And then, go to work the next day!

(Yay!)

*Follow the photographing fireworks tutorial to make images like this!*

So, for those of you who will be out photographing fireworks this year – either intentionally or as an escape from the madness of the day, I’m recycling some posts that can help you process your images and impress friends and family with your work.

At the very least, this will give you some great images to display on your wall, smartphone or tablet.

Click on “Continue reading” in the snippet below and enjoy!

Photographing Fireworks

This tutorial is easy to follow and uses free software – it can’t get much better than that.

If you’re not inclined to make your own images, or not willing to fight the crowds, we’ve got some images for you to look at here on Laughing Frog Images.

Enjoy friends and family, and be safe.

Back and better!

Posted on June 1, 2016May 29, 2016 by Kurt

Well, I can’t promise that there won’t be any more breaks due to life and work, but we’re back and better!

During this latest period of life’s business, the Frog and Michael McNew of Visceral Concepts redesigned the Laughing Frog Images website. It’s cleaner, crisper, and more contemporary. Oh, and it’s easier to see the images and make purchases. The story of how I came upon the name is still there, but it’s in the “About” section and not on the home page. It’s about the images, and now, so is the home page.

Here’s the new home page:

Laughing Frog Images new home page - back and better! — Laughing Frog Images new home page – back and better!

I’m not ready to bite the bullet and put conventional names on my galleries – one has to have some fun! However, the Galleries page is now much cleaner, and it’s more apparent than before what’s in there when you click. The galleries themselves are “crisp” and clean, and the images are able to stand on their own. It’s actually difficult to find the right words – you simply have to check them out for yourself and see what I mean.

The products have been cleaned up as well. When I started the store, I had the vision that Laughing Frog Images could be everything to everyone in that we’d have such a wide variety of products available that everyone could find what they wanted. Well, in reality, it ended up being more than a little confusing to folks. So, there was a period (actually, several periods) of reflection as to what this site and store is really about. I came to the conclusion that it’s all about the images – and that there should be a focus on the images. The focus should be simple and concise and reflect what the vast majority of people do with an image – and that’s hang it on a wall. So, that’s what we’re doing.

All of this had a small price… in the reconfiguration of the site, it looks like we’ve lost the magic codes and text that linked the images to the blog posts on Facebook and Google+. They’re still in there on the Blog via the Laughing Frog Images home page though! If that’s all that happened, well, I can live with it. Not saying I’m happy, but as I understand things as a non-techie, there’s a reason for what happened, and the fix is not practical.

So, I welcome you to check out the new Laughing Frog Images now that we’re back and better!

Happy Birthday Michael!

Posted on April 23, 2016 by Kurt

This is a happy birthday shout-out to Michael McNew of Visceral Concepts.

He’s the behind the scenes guy who makes Laughing Frog Images work on the web – which makes me look professional and put together.

Check out Visceral Concepts if you need branding, marketing, web services, IT support, and whatever else it is that he does that I don’t know or understand…!

Happy Birthday Michael!

More than one Evinrude? Who knew?

Posted on April 11, 2016April 10, 2016 by Kurt

Mrs. Frog and I came across this restored Evinrude sign in Florence, OR.

Evinrude Outboard Motors neon sign. Florence, OR. Click to see this image and other signs in the Gallery.

From a plaque on the building, this sign dates back about 60 years, and was hanging on Bill Karnowsky’s Auto and Evinrude Outboard Motors Garage on Bay Street for decades. It was restored by Ken Sierra, and is displayed on loan from him.

So what’s the story?

When I saw the sign, I was immediately taken back to watching my maternal Grandfather working on a little green 3 horsepower outboard motor time and again, never giving up on the little thing. I don’t know how old I was, but I do remember the motor being an ongoing project – working when it wanted to, and being worked on when it didn’t.

My first thought was that the motor was an Evinrude, so I went searching for validation. My friend Google Image Search has just told me that it was actually a Johnson Sea-Horse motor – so technically, my memory wasn’t right.

And you know what?

It doesn’t matter that my memory was wrong.

It’s the memory that matters.

The image that flashed through my mind of him working on that motor in his basement, cigar clenched in his cheek, quiet perseverance and determination permeating the air is what matters. The faint smell of gasoline and occasional incomplete combustion was also there – isn’t it funny that you can also smell a memory?

I told Mrs. Frog of my memory.

Her most prominent memory of Evinrude was the character in the animated movie “The Rescuers” – Evinrude was a dragonfly that performed double-duty as an outboard motor in that movie. I have to admit that I’ve been accused of skipping childhood before – I’d never seen the movie, let alone heard of it or the character.

I learned something that night.

I memorialized a neon sign for posterity.

I also captured an image that brought back warm memories.

And, it’s nice when an image can do that…

Technical information: Nikon D7100, ISO 1600, 1/25 second at f5.6. Tamron 18-270mm zoom with image stabilization at 70mm. Hand held, as I didn’t have my tripod.

For the aircraft folks

Posted on April 8, 2016 by Kurt

Aircraft folks, I haven’t forgotten about you!

There’s been trains, and beaches, and water, and scenic shots, and even an aircraft boneyard – but no “live” aircraft for a while.

I took a bit of a break from what I’ve been working on for the site and finished cropping and cleaning of new images from HNL and YVR. These images were taken with either the D7100 and 18-270 or with my Icon during taxi and takeoff.

This batch includes a couple of new airlines and schemes.

I’ve also completed the rest of Hawaiian Airlines’ fleet – the A330 and B767 have been added to round things out. The only other type of aircraft they fly is the B717.

The snow-covered mountains in the background at YVR (Vancouver International Airport, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) add something to aircraft photography. I need to build in a little more time when I am there next if Mrs. Frog will let me. HNL (Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii) is also quite an interesting place, with many Asian airlines and aircraft not readily seen in the US mainland – it’s just not all that easy to shoot there.

Air Canada E-190 at YVR. Click the image to go to the commercial airplane gallery.

There’s more aircraft to add from these two airports, and they’ll get processed and added at some point in time – or when I need a diversion – whichever comes first!. More new types of aircraft, and more new airlines. There’s even a Boeing 727 freighter in the bunch – I didn’t know that there were still 727s in the air! There are probably some airlines you’ve never heard of in the next batch, and since this is a “fun” gallery, there may be some less than technically perfect images in there for the sake of sharing a plane type or an obscure airline.

Mentally, it was a good diversion for me to take – and I hope y’all enjoy a little diversion courtesy of the world’s airlines.

Moloaa Beach

Posted on April 6, 2016March 27, 2016 by Kurt

Moloaa Beach was another new discovery for me on my photo hiking tour of the east and north sides of the island of Kauai, HI with Kauai Photo Tours.

I shot quite a few images here with my Nikon D-7100 and Tamron 10-24 and 18-270mm lenses, but it’s this image from my Lumia Icon smartphone that I like the best.

Why?

Possibly because it’s native aspect ratio lends itself to landscapes such as this. We were getting ready to leave, and I pulled my phone out and made this image using the automatic setting as I wanted to send one of “those” emails. You know what I mean. One of “those” emails or messages we tend to do from time to time when we want to share something… and perhaps make someone a little jealous… It’s a sign of the times – vanity made easier by technology! In this case though, I wanted to share it with Mrs Frog who was enjoying her time at a different beach.

My next favorite images from this location were made with the 10-24mm zoom. It’s just time and well, time that are keeping them from being posted at the moment. I’ve never done scenics on a beach with a 10-24 before, and I have to admit that I really enjoyed it.

I am not getting paid for this – but I do have to say that I love my Tamron 10-24mm lens. It’s not a Nik**, and no ultrawide zoom is perfect, and for what the Tamron costs compared to the Nik**, you can either save a lot of money or use that money to put more toys in your camera bag. But I digress… You’ll have to wait to seem more of that lens’ work.

Back to Moloaa Beach…

Technical details: This jpg is from a dng file. The original was at 0.00035 seconds, f2.4 at ISO 64. The camera is also capable of full manual settings, shutter priority and aperture priority, any one of which could have improved upon the original just a bit – but not bad from a phone camera at all! I tweaked the image just a bit in Perfect Photo Suite 9 – adding a slight skylight filter effect as well as a slight color enhancement.

Moloaa Beach on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai.

This image of Moloaa Beach is in the Coastal and Beach Scenes Gallery on Laughing Frog Images.

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