Tag: image gallery

Main Gallery Page Enhanced

Main Gallery Page Enhanced

Posted on by Kurt

One of the nice things about having some time to breathe is that you can actually sit and look at your website and say to yourself “what can I do to make it better?”

So, I did that.  It’s been a while since I could really sit down and devote some time to the site.

And, knowing that exploring and reading can be dangerous, I proceeded accordingly and figured out that I could add a slide show to the main gallery page.  So, I did!

The slide show is a collection of this-n-that, at least one image from every gallery in a random order.  Trains.  Planes.  Rivers.  Foliage.  Maybe even a bear…  Or an alligator…

new gallery screen shot crop resized

It’s nice – because you don’t have to dig through galleries to find something if you’re not looking for anything in particular.

It’s nice – because you might see images you might not have known about or considered.

It’s nice – because seeing for yourself is the best advertising.

And everyone has wall space.  Or needs a mug.  Or needs a unique gift for someone.  Or deserves to spoil themselves with something they want.

If you see something you like in the slide show, just click on the image and you’ll be taken to it.  To restart the slide show, you have to go back to the main gallery page.

Check out the new main gallery page for yourself!

“Likes” and “Shares” are as always appreciated.

 

Detroit Toledo & Ironton, MI, 1982-84

Detroit Toledo & Ironton, MI, 1982-84

Posted on by Kurt

We’ve added a new gallery to Laughing Frog Images – Detroit Toledo & Ironton in Michigan, 1982-1984.

Much like the Grand Trunk Western, the Detroit Toledo & Ironton in eastern Michigan was a natural side trip to the pursuits of the Port Huron and Detroit.

Detroit Toledo & Ironton’s Flat Rock Yard was an easy diversion off of I-75 between Toledo and Detroit.  DT&I power was showing up on the GTW in Port Huron.

_DT&I_024

And, back then, in a galaxy far far away in a time long ago, as long as you checked in, stayed off of the tracks and equipment, and didn’t do anything stupid, you could take your pictures in peace.

So, it was easy.

But… easy shooting of the DT&I didn’t always mean that it was in the best light. As a matter of fact, sometimes the light was downright terrible. every once in a while, I got lucky – but it seems like high noon and clouds were the norm fo rme back then.  I’ve tried to make all of the images as close to perfect as I can, but in some cases, they’re dark below the frame.  Some look like they’re floating on a sea of black.  I debated whether or not to include some of them – but I decided to include them, as a dark underframe on a DT&I unit is better than no DT&I unit at all.  The Detroit Toledo & Ironton was disappearing during this time, and I tried to make the most of the opportunities I had.

The ultimate question that arises from this gallery is simple: which one is the correct shade of DT&I orange?

As with the GTW gallery, this gallery will likely appeal to model railroaders as well as the ferroequinologists out there.

Enjoy!

Growing the Image Galleries

Growing the Image Galleries

Posted on by Kurt

Growing the image galleries at Laughing Frog Images isn’t happening quite as fast as was hoped.  There are two good reasons for that.  First, this isn’t my day job.  The second is explained in this post.

There are slides and negatives that go back longer that I care to admit, because I can’t be that old!  Over 30,000 of them, as a matter of fact.  There are planes, scenic views, parks and places, trains, and things I probably don’t remember that are waiting to be rediscovered.

We’re scanning slides at 5000dpi and negatives at 7200dpi, and quite frankly, it’s a slow process.  These are archival scan settings to give you the widest range of product choices when you shop at Laughing Frog Images.  If you decide you want that killer shot from the Colorado National Monument as a 30″x40″ print and you found out it was scanned at 2400dpi, you wouldn’t be too happy with us.  (You’re going to have to wait for that gallery, by the way.)

To give you an idea of what’s behind growing the image galleries, here’s a snapshot of the process:

  1. Get the scanner going.
  2. Cat-proof the work area.  This is perhaps the most important step.
  3. Proof the slide or negative and make sure it’s worthy of steps 4-11.
  4. Clean the slide or negative.  While this sounds obvious and simple, we’re looking at them through a loupe and using a fine brush and blown air because it’s absolutely amazing how big that speck you can’t see with the naked eye is once it’s scanned!
  5. Load the slide tray or negative holder.
  6. Each image scan takes 4 to 5 minutes for each slide or negative.
  7. Wait for the software and computer to process the image file ( we’re scanning to .dng format).
  8. Image data is added to the file before the slide or negative is returned to storage.
  9. The image goes into a temporary folder to await the next step.
  10. The image is proofed.  Any final cleaning takes place here, as well as any adjustments or corrections.
  11. The image is then filed awaiting use.

As we intend to post image galleries and sub-galleries that are related to each other as opposed to posting random images here and there throughout the site, you can start to see that it takes a while to make all of this happen.

Scan400 ac pe

This image is part of a gallery that will feature the former Western Pacific Railroad lines from Reno, Nevada to Sacramento, CA.

Obviously, it’s a lot easier when the starting point is a digital image file!

We’re hoping to get some additional galleries up of steam engines that ran in the 1980’s in time for the holidays, because if you don’t love steam engines – you probably know someone who does.  And they have walls.  Or drink coffee.  Or tea.  They might even have an iPhone or an iPad.  And we might have just the image for them!

Be patient with us as we grow the image galleries!  It is happening…