Dust on the lens

"Dust me or how much time do you spend looking at me?"
D90 slide from movie
This photo shows 2 things, 1 that there's a new dimention to what I can do with video and 2 of course, we have a lot of dust here where we live.   We are not sure why.   Click on this photo to see how detailed it is.   I will show you more later that were taken with the D90 in Video mode.   Effectively it opens up the sensor completely and takes an image at about 24 frames a second.   This is a high definition image so one still has about the resolution of a 2 mega pixel camera (I have a 2 mega pixel camera, an expensive one from 1998).    Really amazing when you see things from frame to frame.  And great for getting that shot of something that you don't want people to know you are photographing or something that you don't have time to setup the shot for.  I think this feature to shoot HD movies in AVI format really is a tool for the still photographer!  One who needs to shoot LOTS of frames just to have the right shot of something.  Although focus is manual and quality is very good.  Pictures that can be extracted from an HD source are good enough to be printed as stills.   And so hidden photographs can be taken and moments frozen in time can be animated.   This live-view option of taking HD movies with sound is supposed to add a video element to still photographers.. well in this case it lets me do even more still shots.    As a still photographer having a video option in my camera was something I just thought might be interesting but really had no baring on why I chose to buy the Nikon D90.  I chose it because it met several professional need specks and because it has virtually the same image processing sensor and system as in the award winning D300 and D2x.   

When you want a quick picture.. hit high-def video record.

Taken from a high-def video shot with the Nikon D90
This form of image processing to get 2mp quality out of a 12.5mp camera why?? Why would video be important in a still camera..? I shot the above as other police cars drove by and captured this one drive right through this thourghfare.    I wanted to see if the images really were 2mp quality.. good enough to say print in a news papor..post on a blog..or even print as a picture.   Sure enough as long as the camera did not move it was taking streams as if the camera has a mode insteat of shooting 4.5 frames or so a second.. it could switch to shoot 25 frames a second.    Not quite as controllable or as high resolution as regular photos but none the less that's what the camera is doing.

There are lots of power wheel chairs on the Max train.   I've seen 100s of them and you see new one's every day.. but this one was by far the Largest.. Jese look at the size of those motors and this guy is riding in stile.   I did not want in those close quarters to take my large camera at photograph him obviously right in front of everyone and not ask his permission.   So I opened the shutter and hit record.    I was able to get several perfectly in focus frames from a quick swipe of the camera that did not look like I was trying to get a photo.

"Power chair city"
Nikon D90 slide from AVI

 These images were not even modified.  Just taken directly off the video footage from the high definition video.   Click on image to see a still from a high-def film.
Now as a photographer I can get pictures while blending in and get good ones.  The D90 is the first camera I owned that for the first time I truely feel it can nearly "see" just as well as I can... for so many reasons in terms of taking pictures quickly and not missing a shot or even taking undercover shots.

And also awesome is using the high def movie mode to shoot with the old late 70s early 80s Nikon auto and even auto focus (Nikons prosumer SLRs can operate older lenses that requre a gear in camera) lenses with the F-stop control ring.    You can set the Irus operating the D90 as a video camera by positioning a box anywhere on the screen.. also you can change the f-spot.    So what does this lead up too??   No matter what you will get the shot if you are afraid you will miss something or want to take a somewhat covert picture.. just run the camera in video mode.    Then I just use a simple frame by frame movie player to make still images of the movie.    I just find the one's that are in the best focus and save that frame as a JPEG.  It's really simple but it definitely adds a new dimension to taking photos.  I knew I could do this with consumer cameras but the quality would be really bad. I did not know that my D90 had the quality to do this either.. it does as you will see. 

"Walks of life"
Nikon D90 EFS 18-105mm lens
And this photo I wanted to make sure I posted.   When ever I doubt taking pictures and finding new things in them I look at this one.   There are so many moments going on at the same time in this picture it's like several TV channels.   From the girl up front to the family on the side there are alot of things happening here.   I thought that was interesting.

"Allready broke in"
And this door got SMASHED in.   I don't know how or how many times.

This is long exposure spanning seconds.

"Train of Motion"
D90 18-105
Another long exposure

"Two things happening at once"
I thought that would be the right idea behind this.  Clearly the train is gone.. or is it??   This is a  long exposure that let in more light from the building then the train blocked or created thus making this effect.

Trash Comments

I want to apologize for a problem that has been ongoing with this site.   Comment scams.   You have probably noticed the really trashy spam comments that have been added to my site.   These are advertisements and links to sites that I have no connection to.  They are down right vandalism and usually are about subjects which have nothing to do with my site.   It really makes me mad when someone tries to advertise some type of adult toy or drug on my site.   This site was set up as a g-rated environment and it's going to stay that way and get a bit cleaner.  I will begin reviewing comments on a regular basis and I have taken measures to insure that if someone posts a comment here, they have to authenticate it.   I will take stronger measures if this on line VANDALISM does not stop which may make it impossible for anyone who does not have a Google account to leave a comment.  I hope it does not come to that.

Nobody likes an eye-sore!

I truly appreciate the hundreds of real comments left about my site.  They are like fan-mail to me and make me feel really good about what I'm doing here.  I also enjoy answering people's questions if I can.   Please feel free to leave a comment about this site, my articles.. or my pictures how ever you feel about them.   Just please don't leave links to trashy sites or ads for adult products.    If you wish to write something for this site as a comment or email me directly you can do so by emailing me at=
a/l/i/n/a/n/g/a/b/e@yahoo.com
(the / slashes have been added here  to prevent spam systems from getting our email address off this page)
--or you can use my old address olngwb@yahoo.com


Thank you,
Gabe Beasley (site admin)

This is the way my site should look.   Here is me and my wife during a night time shoot I did a few nights ago.   I took this long exposure (10sec approx.) by remote control with my D90.   I've got more night-time shots as well as a whole project I've been working on for months.   From "gutter-punks" to "shopping cart people" I want to show the many diverse ways people live and express themselves here in Portland Oregon.   Look for that soon here on mostly macros.

Photographing in Portland and at home I took every picture on this site except the one taken by my wife about a year ago.   The drug needle was laying out in the open like this when I found it.   It's bad enough to do drugs but to just throw your durty needles down like this is a health hazard.   The other more awesome pictures include a wide angle lens shot done with my super zoom and a few of a 1929 Radiola tabletop AM radio.   It was a gift from a ham radio friend of mine.  It works great and was one of the first AC operated AM tabletop radios made in the USA.    Also shots from Mount Hood Community Collage where my wife had an apointment and other stuff from last year.   To view close-up click on picture and then use your back arrow to return to my site.

These are two Collages of pictures I created composed of multiple images.   The first one is just a mix of pictures I've taken over the past couple of months.   The one above is 4 pictures in one.   These cardboard signs I found laying on the ground where a lot of homeless people hang out and pan handle.   Take a look at what some of these signs say!   On the bottom of this shows a photo of homeless people waiting in line in down town Portland.  Probably for food.   Don't think I'm just a cold photographer behind the lens who does not care.  

I myself have been homeless.  I slept under an overpass in Portland not far from where these pictures were taken.    When I was 18 I left home and went on an adventure ending up homeless and hitchhiking. I was lucky and finally came to my senses after getting pneumonia got off the streets. Many people however don't get that lucky. Some people actually chose to be homeless and live on the streets, others are forced there because of hard times.   I don't want anyone thinking I'm making fun of these people.. I'm just showing you what I've seen through my lens. Awareness of social problems is the first step towards doing something about them.  People should know what it's like and realize that every day with a roof over your head and food in your stomach is a blessing.  Sadly, mental illness and drug abuse are among the biggest causes for homelessness.  Another common cause is the fact that it's next to impossible to get a job if you have any kind of criminal record.   This problem is ridiculous.   I swore not to get into politics in my website blog but I think anybody who thinks and ends up writing something ends up writing about how they feel eventually.   If people just knew.  I mean really knew and thus could do something about the messed up stuff that happens in this world.   Lets say you make one mistake in your life.   Once you have a felony.. even if it's not violent.. nobody will hire you.  You can't work.  So how are you supposed to live?   I think this is a gross injustice something should be done about.   If you get out of jail and can't get a job because you were in jail what's the point of getting out??   Nobody will hire you so what can you do??  As one person put it.. our criminal justice system is criminal.   It's discrimination on a hideous level.   I think forgiveness for one dumb mistake should be the rule not the exception.  They make it next to impossible.   That leads to desperation, substance abuse and homelessness.

Portland Saterday Market-- The D90 comeback

"Art day"

I went to Portland Saturday Market with my new Nikon D90.  I got the D90 because it meets some critical professional requirements and it turned out to have some incredible features.     It's an awesome camera.   I was thinking of getting the D300s but in further research found out that it's not really worth the extra money unless you shoot allot of video.  The D90 has the same imaging systems and sensor as the D300s.  I'm mostly all a still photographer so the D90 with nearly 5fps was plenty of pro-cam for me.    Iso flexibility that none of my other cameras came close too.  I never dreamed I'd be able to shoot at 3200iso+ on a regular basis and get really good shots.    It's an awesome camera that outperforms everything I had before the fire.    It took me nearly 6 months to save up enough for it on our income.. but it was well worth it. 

"Sitting around"
There were LOTS of people there.. people where having fun too.    Including news cams and other photographers.   The Portland Saturday market is a place for fun, meeting people.. selling stuff.. buying stuff.. taking pictures or doing arts and music.. just about anything you can think of during the spring and summer months is going on down there.    It's fun for the whole family and definitely worth checking out.

"Tents of people"
The Nikon DX format-image sensor is truly awesome.   I'd say it's definitely medium format film equiv.  I can crop stuff as small as 1/15th the image and still get a nice 8x10 print.   The D90 truly is an awesome camera.     I did not miss a shot because of waiting for the buffer and I won't have to worry about that any more.   

"Where's my Baby?"
Take a close look.. that's not a kid in that stroller.  Where's the kid.. where's the parents??

"Cross walk"

"Look at the photographer"
As you can see from these shots there were lots of different kinds of people there.  I caught some of them at there best, some who wanted to be photographed and some who might have not.    I should mention.. if anyone requests that I do not photograph them or that I do not post there photo.. I honer there wishes even though I don't have too.    That is one of the many differences between  a photographer and a paparazzi.  

"Ready to save!"
Two bullhorns blasted with fundamentalist Christian extremism.   It was too much for me and a few other people who yelled back at the "your going to hell" church of the screaming Bible people.   Don't get me wrong.. I'm a Christian myself.. but these guys went a bit too far.

"Fountain of fun"
The weather was great and the water cycles so the kids can play.    With the D90s large format sensor.. I can make a panorama out of any picture.   It has twice the resolution of my Canon 10d which was destroyed in the fire. 

"Jump!"
With a fast frame rate.. I the camera does not miss a moment.   The kids were having lots of fun.

"Cool Kid"

"Big kid"
Not just the kids were having fun.. some older kids jumped in as well!

"Action shot"
This girl was amazing.. she gave a show for me and another photographer.  She really knew what she was doing.

"Hula Girl"
The D90 can shoot almost noiseless shots at up to 3200iso.   Leaving for freedom I've never had before in taking pictures.   This day however was sunny and most of these shots were at F3.6-5.6 with an AFS 18-105mm Nikon lens.   I can go as low as iso100 with the D90 or as high as 6400 or so giving a great range of creative possibilities.  I shoot most daytime stuff at iso200.     

"Hula girl 2"
She really put on an awesome show.   On her bag there's a small sign saying "Free hugs".  

"Hula airborne"

"Free hugs"
These guys were right behind the hula girl.    The sign says "Free hugs".   I had a good time at the Saturday market and everyone seemed to be having a good time as well.   No fights, drunks or people getting arrested that we saw.

"Church of the screaming Bible"
These guys were on a mission.   With a bullhorn screaming about how we are all going to hell and Gods really mad at us.    I really don't think that's a way to win people's respect.   Sorry to say but you just sound stupid or crazy or both when you scream through a speaker on the street about anything.

"The cross walk Saturday market"
This is a panoramic shot made from one print.   I am a bit afraid that I processed this at minimum resolution to reduce file size on line.   In short that means this set of pictures was a bit lower in quality then they should have been.   Next time I proses  them there should be more resolution.   Don't forget to click on any image to see the full screen view.   Use your back arrow to return to my site.

"Art class"
Photography and music were not the only arts in progress that day, several people were drawing or painting the schenes with cherry trees in bloom.

"Musical expression"
This thing sounded weird.  I'm not sure what they were playing but it was not your typical Australian sound.  

"Bad photo day"
I cought some people at there best.. and others deffinately not so much.
:-)  This shot was actually an accident.   Many pictures are not discovered until you review and or prosses.

"Photographing cameras"

"On the grass"

"The moments"
Just take a look at this picture and see how many things are going on in it.  

"Portland lightrail"
My wife and I took the Max light rail train from our home in East Portland to the oldtown stop down town for the Saturday market.   I took this shot a couple of days lator visiting my grandma.

"City scope"
This was a great day to get other photos so I drove around looking for places to take pictures and found lots more I've not posted yet.  Down town Portland and some of the down town city life.  

FOREST PARK 2010

From forest park to the mall.   Images taken Christmas 2009.