NVMUG eNews 05/10/2008
Last updated 05/13/2008
iChat with Scott Pelok
The meeting featured an iChat with Scott Pelok, past president of NVMUG. It also included fuzzy pictures of some very good prints, a raffle for The Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers from Peachpit Press, the final version of Exploring Pages '08 with Pages '08, and a problem with Skype. We also have a special feature - Grodon Alexander - Photojournalist.
1. iChat with Scott Pelok
Scott Pelok arrived at the meeting at 10 a.m. our time, 9 a.m. where he was in Michigan. He arrived via iChat on Midge LubotŐs computer as soon as she turned it on. Midge left her computer on and went home for her charger and cable to connect her computer to the NVRH projector.
Here is Scott who had distorted his image on Midge's Mac. Mary Killian is in the background waiting to get a copy of Exploring Pages '08 with Pages '08.
Barry Hayes join the iChat with Scott with iChat before Midge returned. Barry had connected in a local iChat at the last meeting so he was a bit ahead of the rest of us. Here Warren Walker is standing talking with Scott while Barry is connecting.
Here Midge has us set up and the picture from Scott's computer is on the NVRH screen with Barry in the smaller image.
Scott tried giving remote step-by-step instructions on how to get an AIM or other account to be able to use iChat, how to add someone to your buddy list, and how to connect to an iChat. Neil Raphel did get an AIM account and connected with Scott. Jane had more problems. At one point she was asked if she wanted to continue to subscribe to Christianity.com.
I was having my problems and managed to take very few garbled notes. But, Apple has iChat 101 at Here Midge has us set up and the picture from Scott's computer is on the NVRH screen with Barry in the smaller image.
Scott tried giving remote step-by-step instructions on how to get an AIM or other account to be able to use iChat, how to add someone to your buddy list, and how to connect to an iChat. Neil Raphel did get an AIM account and connected with Scott. Jane had more problems. At one point she was asked if she wanted to continue to subscribe to Christianity.com.
I was having my problems and managed to take very few garbled notes. But, Apple has iChat 101 at http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304767
iChat 101 has instructions for using a trial .mac account where you can get a free iChat account which you can keep for free even if you decide you do not want to pay to continue a .mac account.
If you have a problem getting iChat 101 email me and I will send you a good pdf copy.
Scott put this picture on his screen of Richard Lubot at Scott's cabin in northern Canada. The little smidgen of brown behind Richard's ear is a bear looking in the window. Scott used Photoshop to add the bear to make it more interesting.
Scott used this as an example of showing something using iChat - it could have been a keynote presentation, slide show, iTunes music, or a movie.
Scott sent Barry a document - I am not sure what it was, to show you can send stuff using iChat.
Here is another picture of Scott's computer on the NVRH screen showing Scott engaged in a video chat with Barry, and two Michigan Macintosh user group members just to show you can have a video iChat with four people at once.
Scott asked Barry for permission to take over Barry's computer from Michigan. It worked, at least partially. Barry could not control his cursor with his own mouse.
Fuzzy Pictures
Before the meeting I was trying to find a way on my camera to use the automatic setting of the ISO speed but limit it to no more that 400 or 800. I did not find a way to do that, but when I thought I was setting it back to Auto I set it at 1600. The above pictures are blurry because my camera takes blurry pictures at ISO 1600. Blurry is not the correct technical term, just descriptive.
I even had a new GorillaPod to hold the camera steady for shooting at slower ISO speeds, but it shot the next two pictures at 1/650 second shutter speed.
Barry Hayes showing us one of the the big glorious prints that he submitted to the New Hampshire Professional Photographer's competition.
Warren Walker with a beautiful picture of water flowing over rocks. You really should see the print itself anyway, it was beautiful.
There is no good thing about the quality of these pictures, but their size has an advantage. They add very little to the downloading time of this eNewsletter.
3. Other Meeting News
The Photoshop CS3 Book for Digitaal Photographers
In the raffle, Mary Killian won The Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby donated to us from Peachpit Press. The money received will go to the Northern Vermont Regional Hospital in appreciation for what they do for the Northeast Kingdom as well as for our use of the wonderful meeting room..
Exploring Pages '08 with Pages' 08
Mary Killian came to this meeting specially to get a copy of Exploring Pages '08 with Pages '08. She looked at the one printed copy, and loaded the pdf onto her computer.
You can download a copy of Exploring Pages '08 with Pages '08 if you are using Mac OS X 10.3 or better. Pages '08 requires OS X 10.4.10 or 10.5 to run. Choose Go > iDisk and then choose Other User's Public Folder from the submenu. Type hartleyj3 in the Member Name field, and then click Connect.
There are so few books about iWorks Pages '08 that I can say with some confidence that Exploring Pages '08 with Pages '08 is one of the best books about Pages 08 regardless of price, and it is free. I would greatly appreciate some reviews of this book to help others decide if they would like to download and read it..
Skype
Beth Robins came to this meeting specially for help in getting a copy of Skype off of her computer so that she could put on her own copy to use it to talk with someone in India. Stephen Farber helped her. I do not know whether they solved the problem.
4. Gordon Alexander - Photojournalist
I wrote to Gordon Alexander and asked him about photojournallsm because I thought you would be interested in his work as a photojournalist. Gordon misses most of our meetings now because he is working for the Caledonia Record in the border area on weekends. I believe you will be interested in his response.
I'll try to get something together about photojournalism. There area Photojournalists, News photographers, Press Photographers ( they wore a sign that said that in their hats circa 1940 ) and lastly the overly aggressive "photo at all costs" Paparazzi who most of us credible news folk like to disassociate ourselves with although some of us have gotten involved in a photo feeding frenzy trying to photograph hard to get at people who create fast breaking news.
I retired from "The Day" a 365 a day daily out of New London , Connecticut in 1998 where I was a photojournalist (the managing editor liked to call us that) for 25 years. During the latter part , before accepting a retirement buy-out, I was the assistant Chief photographer. I reluctantly retired,took my buy out, then went back to work for them part time , winding up working more hours and making more salary then when I was there full time. I then re-retired because official on-the-book retirement became to strenuous.
I moved back up North to get away from traffic, high crime, submarines, casinos and high cost of living. I recycled myself back to the Vermont/Quebec area in 2001 and since have been doing correspondent/part time photography for the Record and Outlet in Quebec, The Newport Daily Express in Newport Vt and now The Caledonian Record. I generally shoot 2 or three days a week , mostly the weekend doing light feature work and hard news when it presents itself. I sort of work at my own pace which is slowing down as the years progress.
Most of my work is assignments I generate myself with Newsroom-suggested assignments " occasionally " Most of the news formats in the above mentioned papers are not " In your face" hard news but more light feature/government meeting typed news with more emphasis on words than photos.
Most small papers hire reporters who carry cameras than news photographers. Their photos are generally an afterthought to help reinforce their story with faces and places.
Smaller papers can not afford the luxury of hiring "just a photographer" so a photographer has to do some writing or he/she does not work. The goal is to write a decent story and provide a meaningful photo with extra information the text does not provide. Sometimes it is hard to do both. You are missing good photos while feverishly taking notes. Or missing information , facts, details , names, quotes while taking photos. You have to try for a happy medium.
Photography is something I love do do and getting paid once in a while justifies all the driving and other expenses involved.
Shooting digital, (I once said I would never do it,)...is GREAT. No more film to buy, wet photo solutions to mix, The alchemy is gone, but now I can focus on the subject matter of the photo.
More later. I'll send you some pix once in a while and give you some info to go with it. By dropping connections with NVMUG, MAC users at the Caledonian could be missing out on vast resources of information on the mechanical aspects of their trade and getting their work into hard copy using their Mac equipment. How about getting some folks that work on pagination with Macs or photo and copy handling on deadline at the Caledonian to give a talk at one of our meetings on how they make Macs work for them, problems etc.
When I first broke down and bought a computer I wanted one the same as they we using in the photo department, so I could learn how to work more efficiently with the Macs , having a compatible computer I could use for recreational purposes as well. At the "Day" the photo department and newsroom were using Macs, cross-platforming to Windows. We were scanning -in color negatives from Wing-Lynch color processors just before buying digital cameras for the five full-time staff photographers.
