Translocation efforts breathe life into rare acacias

A translocated A. awestoniana seed in 2012. Credit: Christine Allen

Infrared cameras have been used to monitor crop stress for years, but a WA plant biologist recently used the technology to ensure the successful translocation of a critically endangered plant species near Albany.

The Stirling Range Wattle, Acacia awestoniana, is restricted to two small populations in the Great Southern's Stirling Range National Park—an internationally recognised biodiversity hotspot.

In 1996 the endemic species was declared as rare flora in recognition of its threat of extinction.

UWA plant conservation PhD student Christine Allen translocated the species between 2010 to 2012 as part of the Department of Parks and Wildlife's recovery plan for the species.

Dr Allen, colleagues, volunteers and DPaW Albany flora conservation officer Sarah Barrett and scientist Rebecca Dillon established a population using seedlings germinated at the department's Threatened Flora Seed Centre in Perth.

They planted 864 seedlings in 24 fenced plots under white gum (Eucalyptus wandoo) canopies and out in the open.

Some plots were watered weekly or monthly over summer, while others only received rainfall.

Dr Allen says using infrared photography to compare leaf and air temperatures was a new use of the technology for plant conservationists.

If a leaf is hotter than the surrounding air, the plant may be drought affected and unable to carry out vital functions, such as photosynthesis.

A translocated wattle flowering. Credit: Christine Allen

Dr Allen found leaf temperatures correlated to watering treatments.

"We found leaves that were not watered were at least two degrees hotter than the surrounding air," she says.

"There was close to no difference between the air and leaves of weekly watered plants—they stayed similar to their surroundings."

Dr Allen also measured survival, height and leaf herbivory, or grazing by insects and animals.

Height ranged from 100mm for plants under the wandoo to 500mm in the open, with seedlings under the canopy showing more evidence of grazing.

She says the survival rate—which in July 2012 was 81 per cent—is encouraging, especially because it was the first attempt to translocate A. awestoniana.

Dr Allen says results indicate the species is well adapted to survive at seedling stage without supplementary watering regimes, which is promising for the wattle's survival prospects.

"DPaW continues to monitor the population, which produced flowers for the first time in September 2012 and are now producing seed," Dr Allen says.

"Because they are not reproducing on their own it is not a self-sustainable population so they are not out of the danger zone yet.

Explore further: Young plant rescuer on a mission

This article first appeared on ScienceNetwork Western Australia a science news website based at Scitech.

Source: Translocation efforts breathe life into rare acacias

Hernando's Jay and Diane Rowden have new drone photography business

WEEKI WACHEE

A career set aside decades ago has paired with a longtime hobby to produce a new and timely business for a well-known, 71-year-old Hernando County resident.

As technology caught up with his pursuits, Jay Rowden has launched Drone Aerial Productions in which he, with assistance from his wife, County Commissioner Diane Rowden, produces aerial films with a camera-carrying drone.

"(It has) a whole variety of different applications, from real estate to agriculture and everything in between," he said.

Jay Rowden started piloting planes at age 13 — when he had to sit on a pillow to see out of the cockpit. He flew helicopters in the Army during the early 1960s over Korea and Vietnam.

"That's when I took up photography as a hobby and, lo and behold, it all fell together," he said.

The duo completed an intense three-day safety course in Atlanta before purchasing a drone. Jay Rowden, a former chairman of the Hernando County Democratic Executive Committee, recently was certified as a drone operator by the Federal Aviation Administration, one of the first in Hernando County. Diane Rowden serves as an official visual observer during drone aerial pursuits, as FAA law requires.

The law's strictures are many and primarily for safety, he said. For instance, the observer must keep the craft within sight at all times "to keep me from running into utility poles," Rowden said. With his eye focused on the camera's viewing screen, "sometimes, you get so involved in the shot, you don't see the telephone pole."

Basic rules allow flying along an active road's perimeter but not over it. It is also forbidden to fly over crowds of people. "It's a machine, and a machine is subject to failure," he pointed out.

"If you're a responsible pilot, you don't do that. Rules are for a reason," including a no-fly restriction within five miles of an airport, he said. The craft also must be registered with the FAA and prominently carry its registration identification number.

In no way could the Rowdens' "his and her" drones be confused with general aviation aircraft. These drones are four-motor quadcopters, essentially aeromodelers' miniature helicopters with four whisper-soft, battery-driven propellers arranged at the corners of about an 18-inch square. Their cameras are gyroscope-stabilized via satellite.

At $1,500 each, these drones have two special features: a built-in switch so that if visual contact is lost, the copter will fly back home, and a setting that commands the copter to follow an operator on the move.

The copters weigh less than 5 pounds each and measure less than 3 feet across. "We actually have a drone hanger in the house; it's also called a guest bedroom," Rowden said.

Until receipt of his FAA license earlier this month allowing commercial application of the drones, the Rowdens have been experimenting, practicing and playing in Hernando County's airspace, resulting primarily in a video story they've titled "Awesome Hernando County."

"We actually go out and interview groups and do aerial shots of businesses," Rowden said.

In the video playing on awesomehernandocounty.com, profiles have included Spring Hill Central and Brooksville rotarians cleaning Weeki Wachee Springs, Marine Corps League's Toys for Tots program, homes by Habitat for Humanity of Hernando County and a number of businesses.

Rowden pointed out a particular clip that proved an agricultural use at a small fruit farm outside Brooksville. "We flew the drone over blackberry bushes and picked up an irregularity in the color of plants. ... The owner said they get low production there. ... I was able to draw a line on the picture, and he determined it was a very sandy patch. As a result, he was able to replant in a better area and get better production."

Rowden foresees a similar benefit to golf courses with the introduction of infrared and near-infrared photography that can reveal early stress on turf due to disease or too little or too much water. "This gives as much as a month heads-up on such needs," he said.

Drone aerial photography also is in demand by owners of cell towers. Each time a tower adds a customer, rules require the connection be verified by photograph and shared with all other tower users. Similarly, when birds build a nest on a tower, whether the nest is active must be determined. "A single tower inspection (by humans) can cost $5,000," Rowden said. "But you can fly a drone over, and those guys are being saved literally thousands of dollars."

The Rowdens have yet to finalize a fee scale for their aerial productions. They've given their practice videos free to the parties concerned. He estimates charges for raw footage will range from $150 to $200. Considerably more time and skill are involved in editing and putting together an advertisement, so that will be more costly, he said.

"It's not schlock," Rowden said of the output to date. "But I have to say, I'm a better photographer than a pilot, and I'm a pretty good pilot."

Diane Rowden, 61, retired as a flight attendant with Delta Airlines, is in the process of earning her own FAA certificate of operation. "A lot of hobbies cost a lot of (ongoing) money," such as golf, she pointed out. "Our cost is up-front. Now, it's our time. We're doing what we like."

Contact Beth Gray at graybethn@earthlink.net.

Source: Hernando's Jay and Diane Rowden have new drone photography business

Astronomers Unveil a 46-Gigapixel Photo of the Milky Way That Took 5 Years to Make

Last year, NASA released a 20-gigapixel photo of the Milky Way that was made up of over 2 million infrared photos. Back in January, NASA published a 1.5-gigapixel photo of the Andromeda Galaxy. If you thought those were big photos, get this: German astronomers have created the largest astronomical photo ever made: a ridiculously big 46-gigapixel photo of the Milky Way that took 5 years to make.Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum started the project half a decade ago to search for objects in space that change in their brightness over time. After dividing a section of the southern sky into 268 different sections, the scientists spent days creating ultra-high-resolution photos of each one with telescopes at the Cerro Armazones Observatory in Chile.

Once all of the sections had been photographed, the team stitched together those 268 giant photos into an ultra-giant, 46-gigapixel photo that weighs a monstrous 194 gigabytes.

The photo is so big that you'll need to use the interactive online viewer in order to experience it properly. It looks like a narrow and jagged panorama when you're zoomed all the way out.

A small segment of the wide panoramic photo.

Zoom in, however, and you'll see that the image contains a ridiculous amount of detail (and number of stars):

A tiny crop of the segment above.

Zooming in further to the tiny crop of the small segment.

The researchers say they have discovered over 50,000 of the variable stars they set out to find using this giant photo. Head on over to the online viewer if you'd like to experience this photo for yourself.

Image credits: Photographs by Lehrstuhl für Astrophysik, RUB

Source: Astronomers Unveil a 46-Gigapixel Photo of the Milky Way That Took 5 Years to Make

Citizen scientists use hidden cameras to track urban wildlife

Wildlife gardeners often spend their energy focused on the three B's: birds, bees and butterflies. But most also encounter a variety of other animals in the neighborhoods where we work and play.

Squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks and voles are present in almost any Piedmont green space, while deer are spotted – and sometimes battled – in many places, as well.

But what other types of wildlife may be hiding in our backyards?

That's a question Ed Barrows asked after noticing raccoon tracks near a pond behind his home in Holly Springs.

"I could see footprints along the edge of the pond," Barrows said. "So I wondered what else might be coming into the area."

To find out, Barrows signed up to become a citizen scientist with the eMammals program sponsored by the N.C. Museum of Sciences and the Smithsonian. The program engages volunteers to monitor wildlife activity using camera traps – hidden cameras that capture animal images. The weather-proof cameras take pictures when triggered by motion or heat, using infrared photography at night. The goal is to get a better picture of animal behavior in areas where human activity is also present, said Roland Kays, coordinator of the program and a research associate at N.C. State University.

"Basically, we're interested in knowing about everything that is out there," Kays said.

Until recently, information about the movements and habits of urban wildlife has been scarce due to a lack of widespread monitoring data. That data is becoming available with the help of more than 400 volunteers who have participated in the program in North Carolina and five other Southeastern states.

"We generally ask people to set up the camera in their backyards or a nearby woods, or beside their house along the edge of the yard," said Kays.

Unlike typical wildlife gardening, there is no attempt made to lure animals into the area, at least not while the camera is on duty.

"We don't want them to put food or anything out. We want to see what animals are there naturally, on a regular day or night," Kays added.

Barrows took an online training course to learn how to use the camera supplied by the Museum of Sciences. Then he set the trap in his backyard. The first shots captured images of opossums, deer, squirrels, mice, birds, cats and even some curious neighborhood children.

After a while, with permission of the museum staff, he moved the camera to the yards of friends, a spot in Yates Mill Park and then to a more remote area near Harris Lake where he saw "a lot of deer, some that didn't look real healthy; you could see their ribs." He also saw several coyotes, foxes, rabbits and a bobcat.

"The coolest picture was the bobcat because they are so reclusive," Barrows added.

Danielle Losos, another volunteer, has deployed cameras near her home in Chapel Hill, as well as at Duke Forest.

"I'm definitely seeing that neighborhoods are concentrated with deer and the occasional raccoon or squirrel; in the forest, you have a higher chance of seeing foxes, skunks, coyotes – a greater diversity."

Kays said scientists are learning from these photos about the diversity of mammals in the region and how their movements, diet, reproduction and health habits are changing.

In the past, such modifications have taken generations to notice. For example, coyotes were relatively small and fed on mice, rabbits and insects before settlers on the Great Plains eliminated their fiercest competitor, wolves. Now coyotes are the top canines, dining on prey as large as deer. Meanwhile, populations of gray and red foxes – as well as free-roaming domestic cats – tend to diminish in spaces where coyotes flourish.

As more data is gathered, Kays and other scientists hope to gain greater knowledge of the impact that human behavior is having on the habits of wild animals.

Elder: wildlifechatter@gmail.com

Source: Citizen scientists use hidden cameras to track urban wildlife

Translocation efforts breathe life into rare acacias

Biodiversity hotspot species pulled back from the brink by translocation efforts

Infrared technology used to examine leaf and air temperatures

Translocated species survives independently at seedling stage but not yet self-sustaining

INFRARED cameras have been used to monitor crop stress for years, but a WA plant biologist recently used the technology to ensure the successful translocation of a critically endangered plant species near Albany.

The Stirling Range Wattle, Acacia awestoniana, is restricted to two small populations in the Great Southern's Stirling Range National Park—an internationally recognised biodiversity hotspot.

In 1996 the endemic species was declared as rare flora in recognition of its threat of extinction.

UWA plant conservation PhD student Christine Allen translocated the species between 2010 to 2012 as part of the Department of Parks and Wildlife's recovery plan for the species.

Dr Allen, colleagues, volunteers and DPaW Albany flora conservation officer Sarah Barrett and scientist Rebecca Dillon established a population using seedlings germinated at the department's Threatened Flora Seed Centre in Perth.

They planted 864 seedlings in 24 fenced plots under white gum (Eucalyptus wandoo) canopies and out in the open.

Some plots were watered weekly or monthly over summer, while others only received rainfall.

Dr Allen says using infrared photography to compare leaf and air temperatures was a new use of the technology for plant conservationists.

If a leaf is hotter than the surrounding air, the plant may be drought affected and unable to carry out vital functions, such as photosynthesis.

A translocated wattle flowering. Credit: Christine Allen

Dr Allen found leaf temperatures correlated to watering treatments.

"We found leaves that were not watered were at least two degrees hotter than the surrounding air," she says.

"There was close to no difference between the air and leaves of weekly watered plants—they stayed similar to their surroundings."

Dr Allen also measured survival, height and leaf herbivory, or grazing by insects and animals.

Height ranged from 100mm for plants under the wandoo to 500mm in the open, with seedlings under the canopy showing more evidence of grazing.

She says the survival rate—which in July 2012 was 81 per cent—is encouraging, especially because it was the first attempt to translocate A. awestoniana.

Dr Allen says results indicate the species is well adapted to survive at seedling stage without supplementary watering regimes, which is promising for the wattle's survival prospects.

"DPaW continues to monitor the population, which produced flowers for the first time in September 2012 and are now producing seed," Dr Allen says.

"Because they are not reproducing on their own it is not a self-sustainable population so they are not out of the danger zone yet.

You may also like:

Stirling Range flora nears extinction

Source: Translocation efforts breathe life into rare acacias

Mouser – Infrared photo-interrupters in compact housings (Omron EE-SX4009-P1)

Omron's Photomicrosensors are now stocked by Mouser. Non-amplified photo-microsensors, more commonly known as photo-interrupters or optical switches, are infrared emitter/detector pairs contained in a compact single housing designed to detect the presence or absence of objects. Hundreds of variations on the basic photo-interrupter are available so designers can focus on the type, body shape and connection style best suited for their individual application.

The transmissive photo-microsensor incorporates an emitter and detector that face each other. When an object is positioned between the emitter and detector, the optical beam is interrupted, causing the detector to react to this change in optical energy.

The reflective photo-microsensor incorporates an emitter and detector that face outward. When an object comes into range, the optical beam sent out by the emitter will reflect off the object and back towards the detector, causing the detector to react to this change in optical energy.

Omron uses a silicon potting structure on the LEDs inside its photo-microsensors. This reduces any mechanical stress applied to the LED and thus strengthens the physical integrity of the LED chip. The end result is an LED that maintains higher brightness for a longer period of time, says the company.

More news from Mouser

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Source: Mouser – Infrared photo-interrupters in compact housings (Omron EE-SX4009-P1)

Use that celebrity hex to get over your ex

By Dean Williams

Anyone who's ever been 'in love' can testify to one absolute truth: More often than not the roses end up in the dumpster behind the bar where you sit trying to slurringly erase the memories of dashed dreams and annoyingly resilient memories.

And then there are those damn photographs...pesky reminders that the heart is as fallible as the mind, and smiles transfixed in time often belie a sense of unease and an overwhelming desire to make like Usain and bolt. That's where Kaitlin Kelly (kaitlinkellyphotography.com)comes in. And while the girl from Washington state may not promise an eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, she can help you remember that Ex doesn't always mark the spot.

The now LA-based photographer has a penchant for erasing exes from photographs and replacing them with a celebrity of your choice, and boy is she in demand. As the Drive-by Truckers sang, "good ideas always start with a full glass", so did this one.

"It came from a night of drinking with friends. A close friend of mine was visiting and I was cleaning out my external hard drive that was filled with old pictures," Kaitlin told Mirror."I was complaining about the fact that I have so many great pictures from high school or early college, but given that my exes are present in most of them, I had no desire to look at them."And then her friend stated the blindingly obvious: "You're a photo editor. Just Photoshop over them with celebrities!" And thus began Kaitlin's early romance with Loki, or Tom Hiddleston to those of you who have been living under a rock for the last five years. "The first one I did was of Tom Hiddleston."

But it ain't always easy. The Virgin Knight Richard Branson has proved to be the most challenging celebrity to drop into photographs, says Kaitlin.

"I met a wonderful woman, Aimee May, on Facebook and she wanted her ex replaced with Bran son. It was also the hardest, because he really has only photos from one direction which made matching it that much harder [we checked, for heaven's sake occasionally look right Richard]."

Kaitlin was surprised at the popularity of Henry Cavill (better known as the third worst Superman ever): "He's quite handsome but I didn't realize he was so widely loved!"

Removing someone from a picture, however, also erases them from a tapestry that carries a memory. Like a tattoo artist being asked if they could ink Justin Bieber onto someone's butt, has she ever paused and asked her client if that's what they really wanted?

"There's certainly a degree of that, but I think the thing that makes it different is humor. That's a common thread in every story I get told by a prospective client; a story of pain or being done wrong or simply losing somebody, and then wanting to cover it up with humor," says Kaitlin.

She believes that while we all try to escape our pasts it's bet ter to look on the erasure as a way of reclaiming it rather than deleting it: "There's a security that comes from being able to look at a photo and going 'Ugh, this person was sort of a mistake', and then wanting to jokingly cover them up. It's fun to explain 'Oh, well, no, Jamie Dornan didn't take me to homecoming, but I didn't like my ex so I covered him up!' It's sort of rewriting the narrative of a bad relationship. And truly most of the requests I get say, 'I want to be able to look at this photo and chuckle, instead of feeling sad'."

But there's so much more to Kaitlin's photography than a masterful skill at Photoshop. She's always been in love with the pristine landscapes in nature, and the man-made concrete mazes that form our burgeoning urban spaces.

She loves both, and cherishes one's yin to the other's yang: "Just like there are specific landscapes you can only find in certain places, it's also true for cities. Each has a different feel. Cities are the landsca pes we build for ourselves. I shoot a lot of infrared photography both of landscapes and cities, and shooting them in this sort of otherworldly way shows how similar they are."

Kaitlin grew up just outside Seattle in the US and contrary to what Grey's Anatomy and The Killing leads you to believe, it isn't always as wet as dipsomaniac fish. "My house is 15 minutes from a remote forest and from one of the most beautiful cities in the world. However, when I lived in New York, it was really difficult for me. I found Manhattan very difficult to live in, and nature helps me relax like nothing else. I live in Los Angeles now which is somewhat similar, and I really love it. My favorite places are the ones where cities are surrounded by beautiful nature. Purely one or the other doesn't work for me," she says.

While photography has been Kaitlin's passion since she was 14 years old, her job as a TV writer pays the bills. She's currently working on the pilot for a sci-fi show and as much as we tried, we will not be seeing Tyrion Lannister mooning Uranus any time soon.

But while she loves writing TV shows, it's photography that nurtures her independent sprite: "It's an art that nobody has control over but me. Whenever I look at one of the many thousands of pictures I've taken, I remember exactly where I was, what I felt, the time in my life; there's this refrain of 'put down your camera and enjoy your life' but for me, I really do enjoy my life through my camera."

The proliferation of digital megapixels into everyone's life these days means that photography is common place, even though the art is still rare. Kaitlin believes the ubiquitous smartphone camera and the legions of social media critics has made life difficult for aspiring photographers: "The sheer amount of images on the web mean that even if you're the best photographer out there, you might not get not iced. You'll post a picture that you think is the best you've ever done, and it'll get like, two likes. Sometimes it feels like shouting into the void, and it can be really demoralizing." More than anything else, Kaitlin believes that you have to be a photographer for you, first and foremost.

Kaitlin is a self-confessed science fiction buff and we finally get down to brass tacks: Battlestar Galactica or Star Trek? "This is the hardest question I've ever been asked. It's like having to pick between children. Battlestar Galactica is my favorite show of all time—but Star Trek is the world I want to live in. Battlestar teaches us about the world in which we live, and Star Trek gives us an example of the world we should want to create. Science fiction wouldn't be as good without either of them."

OK so she copped out a bit there, but the underlying message is clear. We live in a reality th at is often distorted by necessity and routine, but that should never take away from the fact that beauty is all around us: in the concrete pillars of a human monolith or the knots in the bark of nature's masterpiece. Pick up a camera and capture your life as you go through it, and don't worry if you make mistakes along the way. There's always Henry Cavill to sort it out.

Source: Use that celebrity hex to get over your ex

5 Alternative Photography Processes That Challenge Convention and Realism

Some photographers live by a set of rules: they follow the standard conventions of exposure and image development to produce realistic photographs that correctly reproduce the world around them. Others, however, see the world through an entirely different lens. They are the rebels; they are the alternative photographers. Today, we throw aside convention to look at five alternative processes and how they can be used to foster entirely new perspectives.

Bleach Bypassing

The first alternative process on today's list is known by multiple names such as skip bleaching or silver retention, but most commonly as bleach bypassing. This process, as the name suggests, involves skipping the bleaching function during the chemical processing of film. As a result, the silver within the emulsion is retained.

Using the bleach bypassing technique results in an image that contains both the silver and color dyes left over from the chemical process. This creates the effect of a black and white image being placed over a color image. The technique also produces a picture with reduced saturation and increased contrast, though sometimes with a grainy texture.

The process of bleach bypassing can sometimes be found in Hollywood movies. One example is Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. Cinematographer Janusz Kamiński achieved the film's look by putting the negative through bleach bypass.

A still from Saving Private Ryan, which used bleach bypass for its look.

The effect can create a level of grittiness perfect for dramatic environments. To this day, some photographs seek to recreate the effect in Photoshop by using filters or by manually tweaking their image.

Infrared Photography

The practice of infrared photography can create exotic worlds out of the everyday mundane. Unfortunately, the process has become more complicated with the advent of digital cameras. First unveiled in 1910 when Robert W. Wood published photographs in both The Century Magazine and The Royal Photographic Society Journal, Infrared photography allowed photographers to capture a world previously unseen.

Infrared light is a wavelength slightly beyond what we are naturally able to perceive. By using special film that can capture the unique wavelengths along with filters that block out visible light, we can produce what some may refer to as near psychedelic imagery. Photographers may even use different filters on top of the process to further their creativity.

In the digital age, infrared light can mess with the autofocus systems of modern day camera systems. As a result, manufacturers place infrared blocking filters within their cameras. The most efficient way around this problem is to remove the infrared blocker and, instead, replace it with a visible light blocker. However, doing so may risk damage to your equipment.

Platinum Printing

In 1832, Englishmen Robert Hunt and John Herschel conducted experiments that utilized platinum to create photographic prints. The experiments resulted in monochrome images with exceptional tonal range. Unfortunately, the photos produced by the duo all eventually faded after a few months of time. By 1880, chemist William Willis began producing a stable solution for platinum paper that boomed throughout Europe and the United States producing what is a modern equivalent of over 6 million dollars.

During the printing process, platinum is absorbed into the paper and, due to the nature of the metal, can produce prints that surpass the quality of and longevity of standard silver prints. Characteristics of platinum prints include large tonal ranges, a more diffuse reflective quality, and a tendency not to curl over time as prints do with gelatin.

Platinum printing eventually died out in the early twentieth century when platinum became over 50 times more expensive than silver. At the time, Russia controlled nearly the entire world's supply of platinum and had put it towards the war effort. However, to this day platinum printing remains an alternative process for those seeking the distinct styling.

Cross Processing

For some photographers, the world of Instagram and easily accessible filters have killed the technique of cross processing. A simple solution that involves processing film in chemicals for a different film, the result produces images with unnatural saturation and abnormally high levels of contrast. There are numerous factors that affect a cross processed image including the film used and the selected chemical solution

Typically, color positive film may be processed in C-41 chemicals that result in a negative image being developed on top of a monochrome base image. Color film can also be cross-processed in E-6 chemicals which results in a positive image with an underlying orange base. Cross processing is generally about experimentation and can lead to some surprising results.

Cross processing is one of the easiest alternative effects that can be recreated using a computer program such as Adobe Photoshop. By adjusting the individual channel curves of colors, custom cross processed style images can be created on the fly to create highly stylized results.

Redscale Shooting

Ever wonder what would happen if you loaded your film into the camera backward? Redscale shooters already know the answer and will be happy to tell you about the results. Inserting film into a camera backward causes the red base level of the film to be exposed first. The result is a color overcast on photographs that range from yellow to red.

When film is typically exposed, the blue-sensitive layer is on top with a filter directly behind it; this filter is in place because blue wavelengths also affect red and green dyes. Because we are shooting from the back, blue wavelengths are exposed within the red and green colors, but no blue dye is affected as it is blocked by the filter.

As one would imagine, the redscale process was most likely discovered by accident by a photographer loading his film backward into his camera. Accident or not, some photographers take advantage of the unique effect to create images that seem to be shot straight from the red planet.

Image credits: Header photograph by Kevin Dooley

Source: 5 Alternative Photography Processes That Challenge Convention and Realism

Mideast, Europe security to benefit all’

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Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says security in the Middle East and Europe will benefit the entire world, stressing that the Islamic Republic is ready to hold talks with the European Union (EU) to find solutions to the conflicts in the two regions.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is open to talks with the European Union and its member states, including Poland, to help resolve regional problems," President Rouhani said in a meeting with Marshal of Poland's Senate Bogdan Borusewicz in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Saturday. "Undoubtedly, security in the two regions of Europe and the Middle East will be to the advantage of all countries and the world."

Emphasizing that Iran and Poland can hold consultations on the conflicts in the Middle East and Europe, President Rouhani expressed hope that the problems in the two regions could be best solved through political and win-win solutions, noting that Iran attaches significance to stability in eastern and central Europe.

Also touching on the tensions in the Middle East, the Iranian president said "occupation and foreign interference have inflicted great damage on the region, one of them being the terrorist groups turning active."

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, right, and Marshal of Poland's Senate Bogdan Borusewicz shake hands in Tehran on October 10, 2015. (president.ir photo)

President Rouhani warned that terrorism will pose serious problems to all regional countries and find its way beyond the borders of the Middle East if no immediate action is taken, calling for a collective campaign against the scourge.

The Iranian president also said that political tensions could be solved if certain countries withdraw their financial and arms support for terrorist groups.

The Polish official, for his part, described Iran as an instrumental country and an anchor of stability in the Middle East and called for further promotion of political and economic ties between Tehran and Warsaw.

He also underlined cooperation among countries in the campaign against terrorism, highlighting dialog as the best way out of current problems in the world.

Source: Mideast, Europe security to benefit all'

5 Alternative Photography Processes That Challenge Convention and Realism

Some photographers live by a set of rules: they follow the standard conventions of exposure and image development to produce realistic photographs that correctly reproduce the world around them. Others, however, see the world through an entirely different lens. They are the rebels; they are the alternative photographers. Today, we throw aside convention to look at five alternative processes and how they can be used to foster entirely new perspectives.

Bleach Bypassing

The first alternative process on today's list is known by multiple names such as skip bleaching or silver retention, but most commonly as bleach bypassing. This process, as the name suggests, involves skipping the bleaching function during the chemical processing of film. As a result, the silver within the emulsion is retained.

Using the bleach bypassing technique results in an image that contains both the silver and color dyes left over from the chemical process. This creates the effect of a black and white image being placed over a color image. The technique also produces a picture with reduced saturation and increased contrast, though sometimes with a grainy texture.

The process of bleach bypassing can sometimes be found in Hollywood movies. One example is Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. Cinematographer Janusz Kamiński achieved the film's look by putting the negative through bleach bypass.

A still from Saving Private Ryan, which used bleach bypass for its look.

The effect can create a level of grittiness perfect for dramatic environments. To this day, some photographs seek to recreate the effect in Photoshop by using filters or by manually tweaking their image.

Infrared Photography

The practice of infrared photography can create exotic worlds out of the everyday mundane. Unfortunately, the process has become more complicated with the advent of digital cameras. First unveiled in 1910 when Robert W. Wood published photographs in both The Century Magazine and The Royal Photographic Society Journal, Infrared photography allowed photographers to capture a world previously unseen.

Infrared light is a wavelength slightly beyond what we are naturally able to perceive. By using special film that can capture the unique wavelengths along with filters that block out visible light, we can produce what some may refer to as near psychedelic imagery. Photographers may even use different filters on top of the process to further their creativity.

In the digital age, infrared light can mess with the autofocus systems of modern day camera systems. As a result, manufacturers place infrared blocking filters within their cameras. The most efficient way around this problem is to remove the infrared blocker and, instead, replace it with a visible light blocker. However, doing so may risk damage to your equipment.

Platinum Printing

In 1832, Englishmen Robert Hunt and John Herschel conducted experiments that utilized platinum to create photographic prints. The experiments resulted in monochrome images with exceptional tonal range. Unfortunately, the photos produced by the duo all eventually faded after a few months of time. By 1880, chemist William Willis began producing a stable solution for platinum paper that boomed throughout Europe and the United States producing what is a modern equivalent of over 6 million dollars.

During the printing process, platinum is absorbed into the paper and, due to the nature of the metal, can produce prints that surpass the quality of and longevity of standard silver prints. Characteristics of platinum prints include large tonal ranges, a more diffuse reflective quality, and a tendency not to curl over time as prints do with gelatin.

Platinum printing eventually died out in the early twentieth century when platinum became over 50 times more expensive than silver. At the time, Russia controlled nearly the entire world's supply of platinum and had put it towards the war effort. However, to this day platinum printing remains an alternative process for those seeking the distinct styling.

Cross Processing

For some photographers, the world of Instagram and easily accessible filters have killed the technique of cross processing. A simple solution that involves processing film in chemicals for a different film, the result produces images with unnatural saturation and abnormally high levels of contrast. There are numerous factors that affect a cross processed image including the film used and the selected chemical solution

Typically, color positive film may be processed in C-41 chemicals that result in a negative image being developed on top of a monochrome base image. Color film can also be cross-processed in E-6 chemicals which results in a positive image with an underlying orange base. Cross processing is generally about experimentation and can lead to some surprising results.

Cross processing is one of the easiest alternative effects that can be recreated using a computer program such as Adobe Photoshop. By adjusting the individual channel curves of colors, custom cross processed style images can be created on the fly to create highly stylized results.

Redscale Shooting

Ever wonder what would happen if you loaded your film into the camera backward? Redscale shooters already know the answer and will be happy to tell you about the results. Inserting film into a camera backward causes the red base level of the film to be exposed first. The result is a color overcast on photographs that range from yellow to red.

When film is typically exposed, the blue-sensitive layer is on top with a filter directly behind it; this filter is in place because blue wavelengths also affect red and green dyes. Because we are shooting from the back, blue wavelengths are exposed within the red and green colors, but no blue dye is affected as it is blocked by the filter.

As one would imagine, the redscale process was most likely discovered by accident by a photographer loading his film backward into his camera. Accident or not, some photographers take advantage of the unique effect to create images that seem to be shot straight from the red planet.

Image credits: Header photograph by Kevin Dooley

Source: 5 Alternative Photography Processes That Challenge Convention and Realism

Nikon Coolpix P900 Infrared test from my balcony

Uploaded by: DavidInSATX

Tuesday October 6, 2015

San Antonio, TX (Current Weather Conditions)

Caption: This is for anyone thinking of trying out Infrared Photography. Your results will vary. This is a test of an unmodified Nikon P900 with only a Hoya R72 filter held in front of the lens on the right frames and in auto color balance on the top and in B&W mode on the bottom. The camera IR blocking filter passes just enough IR and the R72 blocks visible light from deep red to UV or your basic rainbow colors to get the characteristic glow on the green leaves on the trees

Image Description:

Manufacturer: NIKON

Model: COOLPIX P900

Software: PhotoScape

YCbCr Positioning: Centered

XP Title:

XP Subject:

Padding: 2060 bytes undefined data

X-Resolution: 72

Y-Resolution: 72

Resolution Unit: Inch

Exposure Time: 1/800 sec.

F-Number: f/4.0

Exposure Program: Normal program

ISO Speed Ratings: 100

Exif Version: Exif Version 2.3

Components Configuration: Y Cb Cr -

Compressed Bits per Pixel: 4

Exposure Bias: -0.30 EV

Maximum Aperture Value: 2.90 EV (f/2.7)

Metering Mode: Pattern

Light Source: Fine weather

Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode

Focal Length: 18.7 mm

User Comment:

Sub-second Time (Original): 00

Sub-second Time (Digitized): 00

FlashPixVersion: FlashPix Version 1.0

Color Space: sRGB

Pixel X Dimension: 4608

Pixel Y Dimension: 3456

File Source: DSC

Scene Type: Directly photographed

Custom Rendered: Normal process

Exposure Mode: Auto exposure

White Balance: Manual white balance

Digital Zoom Ratio: 0.00

Focal Length in 35mm Film: 105

Scene Capture Type: Standard

Gain Control: High gain down

Contrast: Normal

Saturation: Normal

Sharpness: Normal

Subject Distance Range: Unknown

Source: Nikon Coolpix P900 Infrared test from my balcony

This is What Infrared Photography Does to Freckles

Toronto-based cinematographer Jon Simo created this trippy portrait showing how an infrared camera sees things compared to an ordinary camera.Simo shot the photos using a modified Panasonic GH2 that had its sensor's infrared filter removed. For the portrait half on the left, Simo placed a blue infrared blocker (which filters out infrared light) in front of his lens to show what a normal DSLR would capture. The half on the right was shot with a 720nm infrared filter (which filters out visible light) to create an infrared photo.

"Infrared photography doesn't show freckles," Simo tells PetaPixel. "You end up with this beautiful porcelain-doll like effect and it's a very unique look."

This looks like it's the opposite of what happens when you photograph subjects under ultraviolet light. Last year, artist Tom Leveritt showed how freckles and other skin features that aren't seen in normal light can be captured with an ultraviolet camera setup.

Image credits: Photograph by Jon Simo and used with permission

Source: This is What Infrared Photography Does to Freckles

Columbia Gas offers energy saving tips

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By Frank Lewis

[email protected]

October is Energy Awareness Month and the Daily Times took the opportunity to reach out to Columbia Gas of Ohio for tips to help customers save money. Shane Cartmill, external affairs specialist for Columbia Gas of Ohio, said one of the best places to start is the home energy audit. He said Portsmouth customers were pre-qualified for the audit at the price of $20 and from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2015, Columbia Gas will be offering the audits for free to qualified customers in Portsmouth.

Weatherization upgrades (air sealing and insulation) will cost $300 and the high efficiency furnace replacement rebate remains at $1,000.

Amy Garrett of CLEAResult said someone would come to the resident's home and identify where they are losing energy.

"They're going from attic to basement, side to side, looking for anywhere that there are inefficiencies using infrared photography to look inside the wall cavities and see what the insulation levels are. They're using blower doors to look for air leaks throughout the home; doing combustion safety testing on all the gas appliances," Garrett said. "They'll put together a customer's report for the customer and sit down with them afterwards and go over the report with them and let them know all of the things that they recommend to make their home more efficient and by making their home more efficient they're going to save money on their utility bills and they're going to have a more comfortable home as a result."

"We want to help our customers conserve energy and save money. This is a great program specifically for our customers in Portsmouth," Cartmill said. "Falling leaves, football and flannel shirts are a few things to remind you that fall is in full swing and winters on its way. Prep your home to save energy all winter with these tips."

Cartmill said you should have your appliances and heating equipment inspected. Make sure all appliances and heating equipment, such as a furnace, water heater or stove, are operating properly. And, follow the manufacturer's instructions when you use them.

Change your furnace filter. A dirty filter makes your heating system work harder, which uses more energy. Simply replace your filter every few months or opt for a washable one –they can last up to five years. And don't forget: changing your filters can cut down on dust around the house.

Another important thing to do is to check your carbon monoxide (CO) and smoke detectors.

Check your windows for gaps. If there is a gap between the siding and the window frame make sure to caulk the gap to prevent a draft. Even if there is no visible gap you should still install window insulation kits to cover entire windows with a material like shrink wrap. These kits are inexpensive and are an effective way to stop air leaks. You can purchase them at any local home improvement store.

Turn off exterior faucets and disconnect garden hoses. You can turn off the faucet with the shut-off valve in your home. This will help prevent frozen pipes from bursting during the cold months.

Before you use your fireplace for extra heat, make sure to get your chimney cleaned. A clean chimney will prevent a chimney fire or CO from building up in your home. And he said to make sure to call a certified chimney sweep.

Reach Frank Lewis at 740-353-3101, ext. 1928, or on Twitter @franklewis.

Source: Columbia Gas offers energy saving tips

Minnesota tests bridge-inspecting drones

ST. PAUL -- Flying a small drone around a bridge may be safer and less costly than traditional ways of inspection, with Minnesota officials planning more tests to gauge their usefulness.

After a summer drone test, next up will be a fall test that will include inspecting the state's longest bridge, the 7,975-foot John A. Blatnik Bridge in Duluth. If that and other fall tests are successful, Minnesota could become the first state to use the unmanned aircraft to help inspect bridges.

"We are just looking at more innovative technologies to help us," said Jennifer Zink, Minnesota Department of Transportation bridge inspection engineer.

Although no drone bridge inspectors are in use in the country, Zink said the technology could provide benefits: "Using drones could help MnDOT decrease the rising costs of bridge inspection while minimizing risks associated with current bridge inspection methods."

Four bridges, of a variety of styles, were used in a summer test, in Chisago County, Orono, Little Falls and Stillwater.

It showed MnDOT officials that a drone could be considered when a hands-on inspection is not required and could be used when an area difficult to reach needs to be photographed. Drones can provide still, video and infrared photography.

Zink said advantages of drones include less need to block a lane of traffic while a truck with a long, articulated arm suspends a basket containing human inspectors under a bridge.

The fall test, to be conducted with a drone better equipped for inspection duty than the one used in July, will answer many of the remaining questions, Zink said, including how much money drones could save.

Drones are not being studied as a replacement for human inspectors, Zink said. Safety and costs are the main reasons, she said.

In some cases, she added, human inspectors might operate drones to extend their reach from their perch in a basket under a bridge. However, any time a drone shows a potential problem or its view is blocked, a human inspector would check out the area, she said.

Drones could be used to inspect culverts and other enclosed areas difficult for people, Zink said. The drone being used this fall could sense anything, such as a bird, approaching it and immediately return to its home base. The drone also will have bumpers on its rotors to reduce any damage or injury.

Drones like those MnDOT would use probably would be 18 to 20 inches in diameter.

The Blatnik bridge will be inspected this fall the traditional way, Zink said, but a drone also will be used for comparison purposes. Being the longest Minnesota bridge, and high above the water, the Blatnik inspection could prove a significant test of the technology.

Much of the Blatnik inspection is expected to be routine, she said, where the drone likely would do fine. But since "you can see real time when it is up there," a person could be sent to look at any issues the drone camera relays. Some parts of the bridge, and other bridges, must be closely inspected in person regardless of whether a drone is used.

There are about 20,000 bridges in Minnesota and more than half are inspected each year. Local governments, which own more of those bridges than does the state, might be able to use a state-owned drone if MnDOT buys into the program.

While no states use drones to inspect bridges, the topic has long been discussed. The American Society of Civil Engineers Website reports Tufts University professors are working on a system in which drones fly around a bridge to read sensors designed to provide early warnings to problems.

"There is a huge need for better bridge-inspection techniques," the site quotes Tufts' professor Babak Moaveni as saying.

California transportation officials looked into using drones in 2008, but dropped the idea. Their report said: "Due to a number of implementation issues, the device did not perform as expected within the initial or extended schedule of events and was not deployed."

Among problems Zink sees for drones are startup costs and difficulty meeting Federal Aviation Administration rules, which federal officials say are due to be relaxed.

Source: Minnesota tests bridge-inspecting drones

This is What Infrared Photography Does to Freckles

Toronto-based cinematographer Jon Simo created this trippy portrait showing how an infrared camera sees things compared to an ordinary camera.Simo shot the photos using a modified Panasonic GH2 that had its sensor's infrared filter removed. For the portrait half on the left, Simo placed a blue infrared blocker (which filters out infrared light) in front of his lens to show what a normal DSLR would capture. The half on the right was shot with a 720nm infrared filter (which filters out visible light) to create an infrared photo.

"Infrared photography doesn't show freckles," Simo tells PetaPixel. "You end up with this beautiful porcelain-doll like effect and it's a very unique look."

This looks like it's the opposite of what happens when you photograph subjects under ultraviolet light. Last year, artist Tom Leveritt showed how freckles and other skin features that aren't seen in normal light can be captured with an ultraviolet camera setup.

Image credits: Photograph by Jon Simo and used with permission

Source: This is What Infrared Photography Does to Freckles