Autmn fall foliage season

Ah yes, it's that time of year again. Days are getting shorter and the nights getting chillier with a hint of snow in the air. Yeah, it's autumn, that ever elsusive transition between T-Shirts and Extreme Cold Weather (ECW) gear.

Autumn is my favorite time of the year, but seems to be the shortest and most unpredictable as well. Leaves start to change, but 'peak" color is a bit tricky to forecast, let alone observe during this capricious in-between hot and cold season. A couple of days of heavy rain and or strong winds can blow the leaves off the trees leaving bare branches which turn the landscape a monotone gray. We call it stick season then.

For most people, peak colors occur when the hillside is aflame like a giant bowl of Trix cereal with its kaleidoscope of colors. Factors such as the type of summer weather leading up to fall plays a major role in determining how the trees will react. Sure, the shortening of days and the cool night time temps plays a role.

As soon as the leaves show any measurable sign of changing is when I try to get out and observe nature's paint bucket gone wild. I like the greens still visible against the yellows and subtle oranges.

Photographing foliage is kinda tricky. If you shoot too early in the season, you don't get the dramatic warm tones and if you wait too long, you only get splashes of red against the already bare branches from the leaves having blown off the trees.

Early morning is usually the best time to capture the crisp contrast between the brightly lit trees against the dark blue sky. However, my favorite times are when there is a slight overcast sky which does not wash out the colors and helps to capture the dynamic tones which otherwise get blown out when attempting to capture it with your camera under bright sunlight. As long as you don't include too much of the washed out gray sky, shots taken on a cloudy day will yield better results.

Oh, since color vision isn't a lacking factor for those of us with albinism, we are able to enjoy the colors of autumn just like the rest of the population, although we may not be able to make out the individual leaves from a distance. They may appear as grainy clumps of color. Also overcast days allow us, and you, to pick out the more subtle tones as mentioned earlier. A nice trick to really make the colors pop when viewing fall foliage is to wear polarized sunglasses which cut out some reflective glare and give it a nice saturated look. Also using a polarizing filter over your camera lens will achieve the same effect, although you'll have to remove your polarized sunglasses when peering through the viewfinder - unless you like the psychedelic colors the dual polarization creates.

So go put on your windbreaker and grab your camera and head out into the autumn air and take in one of nature's best attempts at painting by number. I sound like a corny tour guide. LOL Oh, they call out-of-state visitors that come up here to New England to view the colors "leaf peepers."





Check out my FLICR photostream for more images from autumn and beyond.

Astronomy - low vision style

The night sky has always fascinated me. The fact that there are billions of stars out there at even longer distances away from us is truly awe inspiring. It DOES make you pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Having being "blessed" with low vision. (HA HA) doesn't hinder me from enjoying the starry night as one might think. True, I may not be able to spot the fainter specks in the sky, but the major constellations and even the Milky Way on a dark night is visible to me. I'm lucky that my night vision isn't as affected as my overall visual acuity.

Once the eyes adapt to the darkness, it is amazing what the human eye perceives. Finding dark skies, meaning void of urban light pollution, is a rarity in this modern day and age of mega malls and urban sprawl. The darkest parts of the sky is usually looking straight up. Cooler temps usually yield clearer skies than warmer evenings where heat can distort and haze up your viewing experience. Higher elevations in drier climates away from large cities is most ideal "dark sky" condition for viewing.

Viewing the stars with just your eyes is an awesome experience, especially if it is under dark skies. Telescopes are nice for deep space viewing, however, even a nice pair of binoculars is all you need to see a little further out than the unaided eye allows. Binoculars, or "binos" with large lens openings are ideal for gathering as much light as possible to bring you a clear, vivid image. You don't need extremely powerful ones either since there is kind of a sweet spot in which you get both good light gathering and resolution. I like the 7x50 for just that reason. The first number "7" is the magnification factor. You guessed it, seven times. The second number is the size of the objective lens. Larger the second number, the more light it allows in, and heavier too. Fog and waterproof models are also features to look for as well.

Photographing the night sky can be done without too much experience or specialized equipment. Modern digital cameras with manual exposure controls can yield surprisingly nice shots of the night sky. Sure, dedicated astrophotography cameras with guided motorized mounts are nice, but my humble Canon DSLR on a tripod works just fine.

Remember that the stars move across your field of view throughout the night. Well, the Earth is actually moving, but you get the idea. Long exposures over a minute usually start to show star trails. If you want pinpoint stars, try to keep your time under 20 seconds. Using normal to telephoto lenses magnify the movement, so even shorter times are required. If you want the long streaking star trails. You would need to leave your shutter open for at least a half hour.

A tripod and cable release for your camera is essential in eliminating camera shake. Also "fast" wide angle lenses are most ideal for capturing the wide expanse of the star field.

So dress warm and head out into the night air for some astro photography. Yeah, it gets chilly standing around under clear skies at night.

Effecient inner city transportation

So I love the overpriced, testosterone-driven supercars as much as the next red blooded male, but the two wheeled zero emission (Not counting the human gas.) pedal powered apparatus has its advantages.

When traveling frequently in the inner city for short distances, the bicycle is king. Just look at the New York bike messenger service. No more circling the block multiple times awaiting a parking spot to open up. No more idling in gridlock traffic polluting the air while your engine overheats in the August sun.

Sure, you can't carry as much nor are you protected from the elements as a car provides, but for short jaunts around town, it is actually faster to get around powered by your own two feet.

I love riding my bike for leisure as well. The sense of community you feel with other cyclists around you is a nice benefit. Aside from getting some fresh air along the bikepaths, you get more of a sense of accomplishment knowing that you've arrived on your own power. I packed my bike with some saddlebags and stuffed camping gear and pedaled about a 50 miles to my campsite. The knowledge of having my food and shelter as well as getting there on my own power was gratifying.

From a visual acuity point of view, the bike moves a lot slower than a car so you will have plenty of time to identify and avoid potential hazards along your ride. Situational awareness also comes from the sounds around you as well. I have a helmet with a visor to cut down on the glare. It also helps when riding at night where the glare from oncoming car headlights can temporarily blind you if not ready for the sudden change in illumination. Of course wrap around sunglasses with safety glass rating is a must. Oakleys are awesome for their industry standard polycarbonate lenses that don't shatter on impact. Polarized lenses are even better in controlling glare and also reduces the reflective glare from the road as well.

You don't need to spent thousands of dollars on a good bike. Once you get above a thousand bucks, the gains in features or components becomes an exercise in diminishing returns.

My Trek Valencia has a mountain bike type frame with thinner road tires for more efficiency. The tires have puncture resistant design which is a nice useful feature.

Some accessories I'd recommend for your bike is a flip out mirror for your handlebar so you don't have to strain your neck negotiating rush hour traffic. A headlight and tail light is also a smart accessory to have. Flashing ones are even better. Lightweight, brightly colored moisture-wicking clothing or at least removable reflective strips for your arms and legs work wonder for visibility. And of course a helmet.

Extras that are nice to have are trunk bags and handlebar bag for your goodies. Gloves and eye protections is also a good idea to have while riding.

So go dust off your bike and top off the tires with air and go tour your neighborhood from the seat of your two wheeled vehicle.

Painting with light

The technique of painting with light in photography involves a flashlight of some sort and the shutter on the camera left open for the whole duration of the "painting" process. Most people think of light streaks in mid air depicting swirls or geometric shapes. However, the practical application that I'm referring to is to use it to illuminate a tricky subject, or to control and balance the mood with a single flashlight.

Here are two examples of my first attempts at product photography. I used a single flashlight for the first shot in which I momentarily shined the light on both sides of the scene to get it depth.













In the second example, I used the dual colored LED flashlight to paint red and blue tones onto the scene.

I chose to use the painting technique to further control the amount of light in the scene without washing out the backlit displays of the light meter and remote cord pictured.

Exposure was about 15 seconds. Let me know what you think.

In this last shot of the brightly lit tree against the star filled sky, an LED flashlight was used to "paint" it with light. A little too hot, but the effect of panning the flashlight's beam up and down the tree during the few seconds the shutter was left open made for this effect.

Modern digital cameras to the rescue

Modern auto focus technology has come a long way from the manual split prism focusing aids found on SLR cameras of yesteryear. Having to take the extra time to insure that the image was in focus caused me to miss many shots. Now with quick and accurate multi-point AF systems in modern cameras, there is no excuse for blurred images unless done intentionally for artistic affect or unintended motion blur.

Almost anyone can pick up a camera and take a well exposed, sharp image. Notice I didn't say a "good" picture since that is subjective.

Since the playing field has been somewhat leveled. Those with visual acuity issues can now take a sharp picture without too much fear of out of focused final product.

Since modern cameras can do it all, and pretty good at that, more people are taking up the hobby of photography and some of them are even going pro. The third eye is now the predominant factor in the personal style and creative vision which distinguishes one photographer's work from another. And it is nearly impossible to tell if that image was taken by a visually impaired person or someone with 20/20 vision.

Let the games begin. :-)

Albinism and the "appearance" factor

One of the "joys" of having albinism is low vision. (HA HA) The lack of pigment hinders the development of the fovea in the eye which is responsible for sharp vision. The lack of pigment in the eye also allows stray light to enter which makes it very uncomfortable, which is the primary cause of the squinting. I wear sunglasses outdoors, even on cloudy days, not just to look cool. (I do look cool, don't I? LOL) Some type of a hat with a rim also cuts down on the glare factor. No, I'm not hiding from the world, just trying to navigate through it without being blinded.

In a culture where eye contact is important, I feel that some may mis-perceive a dude walking down the street wearing shades as someone hiding something. Often times people that are under the influence of alcohol or drugs shield their disposition by wearing sunglasses. Trust me, I wish I didn't have to sport my Oakleys all the time.

Even indoors where the lighting is omnidirectional or strong daylight coming in can wreak havoc on my perception of the world as well. This is manifested by more squinting and lack of direct eye contact, which in term can be interpreted as lack of confidence and nervous energy.

Nystagmus, the involuntary movment of the eyes "wiggling" back and fourth doesn't help my cause either. Now you get the picture. Add to that the fact that many people have never seen a person with albinism, let alone an Asian one. LOL

The energy I have to put out can seem a bit daunting at times. The energy to deal with the eternal stimuli as well as balancing the physiological impact on those I encounter throughout my day.

Thought I'd throw that out there in case you come across one of "us" in the wild. LOL I think my personality helps to offset that freak factor in the social context, but I still run into the occasional small minded person that react negatively to my presence and feel that they need to remind me via derogatory singular noun often used to label, classify and attempt to belittle. I can tell a lot about a person by the way they approach or react to me. I try to use these times as a teachable moment if they hang around long enough, which they don't. LOL

Meeting RICK GUIDOTTI for the first time.

So I finally met up with Rick from Positive Exposure after years of seeing his work. He had the LIFE magazine spread a few years back highlighting those with albinism in a positive light.

He was being filmed for a documentary on his work with Positive Exposure by Kartemquin Films. I, along with two others, was invited down to be a part of it. Kartemquin's best known film, Hoop Dreams, won every major critics prize and journalism award in 1995.

It was exciting to see Rick in action as he photographed those in attendance. His energy and genuine empathy for his subjects is evidenced by his infectious enthusiasm shown during the whole shoot.

Rick is also helping to raise awareness for people with albinism being targeted in Tanzania for their body parts which are sold to witch doctors to create potions of prosperity. Kartemquin Films will follow him to Tanzania Africa to document his work exposing the plight of those suffering under this barbaric act.

Public Radio International did a excellent two part piece on it and I was shocked at the level of ignorance these witch doctors are perpetuating. Come on, weave the gold hairs of an African with albinism into your fishing net and catch plentiful fish? I can't help but wonder if these "doctors" are also knowingly preying upon the ignorance and poverty of their own people for financial gain. Exploitation knows no bounds apparently.

This reminded me of the scene in the latest film District 9 where one fo the warlords thought that by eating an arm of an alien hybrid, he would get his powers.

Peter Ash, from Under the Same Sun is working hard to bring this ongoing barbarism to the attention of the local authorities and the world.