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In a previous article, I expressed the reasoning behind shooting in RAW. In the following article, I explain why and how I convert from RAW format to Adobe’s DNG format.
When I got involved in professional digital photography, whether to shoot in RAW or JPEG was an important consideration. Ultimately, I chose RAW.
My opinions resonate with Nasim Mansurov, who wrote the best article on the debate. He covers the advantages and disadvantages of RAW and JPEG formats, providing some nice visuals as well. Ultimately, he advocates ‘serious photographers’ shooting in RAW format, whereas recreational photographers should shoot in JPEG format.
For more information on why I chose RAW, you can read my article. I strongly suggest converting your RAW file to DNG, as DNG offers better forward compatibility, better compression, one file instead of two per image, and better interoperability.
Please note that RAW files aren’t always compatible with certain versions of Photoshop. I had to upgrade to Photoshop CS4 to process RAW files from my Nikon D700.
Snow Crash Review
Nov 22 2010 5:00:00 pm EST
I consider Snow Crash as a formative work, with influences on my style of writing and way of thinking. It’s interdisciplinary acumen paired with rich imagery, hypercreative vision, and sugary action make for a unique and refreshing writing style.
Navigate here if you’d like to read my review or go straight to Amazon.
Olé, John Coltrane. Song of Day
Nov 22 2010 11:09:57 am EST
Olé, is an excellent jazz piece by John Coltrane, recorded in 1961, running 18:15. Album: Olé Coltrane.
Very ominous, but determined. Excellent background music for working, not too imposing, inducing focus and perseverance through challenging tasks.
To cap off Tongue Mountain Range series, I wrote a review with directions and options on how to approach the network of trails.
Ben Folds is Sōsuke Aizen?
Nov 19 2010 12:37:38 pm EST
Remember watching Bleach thinking: ‘Man, I hope Ben Folds isn’t the bad guy…’
The final installment of the Tongue Mountain Range series covers the northern portion, including Five Mile Mtn., Brown Mtn., and Deer Leap. Tuesday, October 19, 2010.
The following image gallery corresponds with this audio log
The trail is better established and easier to hike, despite having the highest peak. The views are not as panoramic as the southern portion of the Tongue Mountain Range.
Without having two vehicles, I backtracked from Deer Leap to my campsite, whereupon the next day, I hiked to Five Mile Point on Lake George.
Five Mile Point is the trickiest hike, as the descent is relatively steep, with loose cobbles and slick rock. But the views are worthwhile.
On Monday, October 18, 2010, I hike a 12.6 mile loop along the southern Tongue Mountain Range, Northwest Bay Trail, and back up Five Mile Pt. Trail.
The following image gallery corresponds to this entry.
French Point Mtn. is the best view on the Tongue Mountain Range, with panoramic views of then narrows of Lake George.
Approaching Montcalm Point, the range narrows, with Northwest Bay converging on the lake. Along the way, the trail traverses dense clusters of dwarf oak trees. Navigation becomes a little tricky between the peaks, requiring backtracking at times.
The Northwest Bay Trail is a simple and pleasant hike with little change in elevation.
Peak, Mount, or Summit
Nov 17 2010 11:13:57 am EST
In doing research for Tongue Mountain Range review, I wanted to establish the difference between a peak and a mountain. I stumbled across this article on SummitPost, by Steph Abegg, an avid mountain climber with a background in civil engineering.
She does a clever thing by developing a model for each type, analyzing the elevations, prominences, and isolations of 2027 Mountains, Mounts, and Peaks in Washington state.
She provides a summary of the characteristics of each summit type, evidenced by the data. I find the visual and descriptive profile of each type intuitive and logical.
She characterizes the three as such:
Mountains:
Bulky low profile masses, generally found at lower
elevations in the rolling foothills of mountain ranges.
Mounts:
Distinct isolated massifs with large elevations and
prominences.
Peaks:
Short peaky summits in close proximity to other
peaks, generally foun
The following audio log covers my first day of a 4 day journey on the Tongue Mountain Range, Lake George, NY. It is Sunday, October 17, 2010; the foliage is just past peak, but there are still excellent photo opportunities to be had.
The corresponding image gallery can be found here
I start at the southwest trailhead off 9N, where the Five Mile Point Trail leads to the heart of the Tongue Mountain Range Trail. I head south on the Tongue Mountain Range, accidentally passing Five Mile Point, as it is not well marked.
Backtracking to Five Mile Point, I reach the summit with minimal effort. Although there are nice brief views on the summit and a lean-to, there is no nearby water source, and the lean-to has a hole in it. I decide to backtrack at the trail juncture for the Tongue Mountain Range and Five Mile Point. I set up camp near a brook, where I will end each day, thus allowing me to drop the majority of my gear in one spo
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