Category: Photography

Categories
Photography

Sunny and sweet

Oh I’m in a marvelously good mood today, not the least of which is that the weather is perfect for a gentle walk in the woods, I and my code are one, and my life is become full of wonderous possibilities.

The first of my metadata plugins is almost finished and it is a pure delight, and sure to be the selling point for those who embed photos into their pages. It will take a URL to a photo and create as rich a metadata block about that image as it can, just given the URL and, optionally, some additional information provided by the weblogger.

There is a great deal of information that can be extracted automatically for a photo. For instance, if there is exif information attached to the photo, this information will be extracted and added to the metadata. If the photo is at flickr, accessing the API this site provides gives the number of comments, ratings, tags, photo information, notes, description, etc, which are also added to the metadata. In addition, if the photo is at flickr and you want to identify a local name for the picture (just in case you replace the flickr link with one locally), you can do so and the metadata will not only map the photo to the page, but also to the local photo name.

(If the photo is not at flickr, you’ll then have the option of adding additional information: description, title, tags (or keywords), license, and notes. But you don’t have to–it’s all optional.)

But wait, there’s more…

If you search for weblog posts based on some category or search keywords, clicking on the link provided by another plugin will take this search result and access the metadata and extract out a mini-photo album containing photos in these posts. You can then click on each photo and see the rich metadata attached to it, as well as link to the post where the photo is found (or link to flickr). To make things more interesting, I’m also looking at what I can do with the tags for the photo — this chain could go for miles before I nail it to the ground.

But the metadata can be used for more than just reporting. I’m also looking at building a second plugin that will convert the URI for a photo in case the location of the pictures has been changed. This will make updates not only in the metadata, but in the actual IMG link within the post, itself.

Another benefit to this functionality is if the weblogger is using Creative Commons licensing, they can now identify a separate CC license for each photo, in addition to the page writing, all separate from the overall page design and stylesheet–that’s precision in licensing.

The issue has been with rich metadata that it takes too much effort for people to add it when they write their posts or other web page content. Well, how is clicking on a list item in the edit page and in a page that opens, filling in a minimum of one field and a maximum of six and making a selection from another list box just to get all of this? Still too much work?

In fact, there’s no reason why a person can’t do another plugin which scans for images within posts and automatically pulls in whatever it can find, allowing the weblogger to add the additional information when time and opportunity presents itself.

Lordy but this stuff is just too much fun. I have to go on a walk before I burst from all the fun.

Categories
Burningbird Photography

The shop

The Shop: Update.

I installed both Coppermine and Gallery photo management software, and after playing around, I decided to stay with Gallery. Coppermine is nice, and a very clean interface. However, Gallery, with it’s themes and pages of configuration allows me to have more control over the interface.

I uploaded just a few test photos, but they won’t necessarily be in the collection when I’m finished. I have to also go through all the photos and decide which to display. Let me know if you want to help me go through several hundred photos.

My business model for the Shop is based on seeking revenue from many different avenues. I’m going to LuLu for a calendar–the Water Mills of Missouri. I may also do one on my recent Florida trip, and call it One Ticket Please (just like the book that is now making its way around from place to place).

For goods, I have a store at Café Press. It’s a hacked mess now, and the images haven’t been refined for their use — but it was fun to play today. That’s when I got the idea for the limited edition of Burningbird refrigerator magnets. Other goodies too. Not a thong, though.

I’m focusing on my Missouri photos, as I can’t help thinking a regional collection could be the best avenue for revenue. We’ll see.

Finally, at Tinfoil Project itself, in the gallery, I’m following a model that Bill Grant is using (yes, pretty Alley Spring photos); except rather than using email, I’m either going to connect in a Paypal shopping cart, or I may interface directly to OsCommerce. I think the PayPal solution is better, at least right now. OsCommerce is a big, complex app.

What I’m doing different from Mr. Grant is that I am providing a web page image for no charge — free for personal web sites to use as long as they provide a link back. The reason for this is to hopefully start generating interest in the work. A larger, high resolution image is then available for sale, for royalty free use by the buyer.

I’m providing prints through my local development studio, though I won’t be charging as much. I’ll also provide an option of a ‘photographer’ print: hand printed by me and signed. I know–aren’t I special?

I’m banking that my photos–not all, but some–are good enough. Or, at a minimum, you’ll all want one each of my limited edition magnets.

Suggestions, as always, welcome.

(And now I return to regularly scheduled writing…)

The link to the old Tinfoil Project photo weblog can still be accessed for now; but the weblog is going away. I’m replacing the photo weblog with a photographer’s How-To weblog, covering digital photography and tools. And in this site, I will be putting the Google ads back up, since the topic is so focused on photography.

The photos will be in the Gallery software, and once I redesign the new weblog, it and the gallery and the stores will all be linked from a main page.

I thought you all might find the progress–how the software evolves– to be interesting, which is why I’m pointing all these sites out now, even hacked as they are.

Categories
Burningbird Photography Places

Ads are gone

Here are some of the photos from today’s Alley Spring Mill trip. I need to return in about 3 weeks when the trees have started to green. And I also need to go about mid-morning, when the light on the Mill will be better.

It is a wonderous place, though. As was all the countryside on the trip down, even in winter with barren trees.

You might notice, if you access this post individually, that the ads are gone.

After reading several negative posts about AdSense this week from people who read my weblog–two new ones just today–I have decided to remove my ads. Since I don’t provide full content in my syndication feeds, I don’t want readers to have to install special software to remove the ads just to visit my site.

The money from the ads would have been enough to pay for my web site, my internet connectivity costs, and maybe even enough left over for a Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. However, I also didn’t like seeing the drilling ads come up with my ANWR writing.

Which is too bad, because I really like Ted Drewes.

Speaking of ads and making money, AKMA wrote on this today:

But y’all didn’t start blogging just for my entertainment. If blogging is putting bread on a few tables, buying toys for a few kids, putting together the down payment for a newlywed’s house, then I’m the last one in line to bemoan times past. It’s all changed, but do you know what? It was going to change anyway. It was going to change anyway, and while it’s changing, there are no people I would rather have those changes benefit than the wonderful friends I met back when none of us was making a cent off blogging.

Odd thing about all this is, of all the changes I’ve seen over the years–in the character of our writing, our interests, and who we interact with and how–making money or running ads was never a cause.

Categories
People Photography Plants

A purple crocus podcast

I had hoped to have my annual post on the state of Etech finished today, but while working on it I found myself starting to take it far too seriously. This just won’t do. Time to take a break and return to it when I control the topic, rather than the topic control me.

In the meantime today is Spring, or at least, Spring for me. The weather was warm and the daffodils, tulips, and other flowers were in full bloom. The Magnolia is just now starting too bud, and the Missouri witch hazel ending its cycle, leaving behind a most wonderful fragrance.

I walked Botanical and grabbed some sunshine and photos. Though I know you’re all tired of flowers and that sort of thing I’ll still add a couple to this writing, just to break up the words. Between you and me, I like seeing something besides red, yellow, and orange on the page from time to time.

Walking over the bridge in the Japanese Garden, the koi fish followed along in hopes of getting some of the fish food you can buy from gumball-like machines at either end. While I was dropping food into hungry mouths, a fairly large group of people approached and several exclaimed in surprise when they saw the fish. They had strong southern accents — more mountain than plantation — and evidentally had never seen koi before.

A couple of women and a young girl ran down the hill to the stream that fed the lake and dropped down for a closer look, while one guy, who seemed out of place, walked around with a quarter in his hand, trying to break into the chatter and laughter.

Another guy yelled down the women, “Watch out, Hannah. That sucker’ll jump out and take your head off!” I finished my feeding and my photos and started to pass the increasingly loud group when the same wit yelled out, “They are the ugliest things I’ve ever seen.”

I glanced at him when I passed, this guy with pasty white arms, sparse straggly black chin whiskers raggedly covering blotched, pink chin and cheeks; matted dull, black hair under an old baseball cap, and huge gut falling out from under his too tight and too short gray t-shirt.

Botanical isn’t the only place with the sights of Spring. Tonight when I went downstairs to get a bottle of water, I noticed Zoë at the window, intently looking out. I peeked through the glass and saw several young bunnies hoping about, grazing on the grass.

And the daffodils are up. Life is good when the daffodils are up.

Speaking of bunnies, thanks to Scoble, I found what I *wanted from the Easter Bunny, a podcasting kit. No, seriously.

A couple of folk pointed out to me today that there’s a rumor going around that Burningbird isn’t Shelley Powers, an American woman. No, Burningbird is none other than Jonathon Delacour, an Australian gent.

I don’t know where these rumors start, but I decided to nip this one in the bud before it spreads too far. I thought I would record a podcast, and you all could hear my softly feminine voice with its distinctly American accent.

I also thought about taking a photo of my breasts, and posting it as proof of my sex, but for all I know, Jonathon has **man breasts, and could do the same. Wouldn’t it be the pits if his were better than mine?

Catching up on my reading, Phil pointed out that Google is looking to relocate to The Dalles, in Oregon. Great location, absolutely gorgeous area, finest wind surfing in the world, but Phil’s explanation left me equally surprised:

Great Googly Moogly. To build a data center, Google has to belly up right next to a dam, with a big ol’ river to use for water cooling? That’s more computers than I can imagine piling up together.

Geez, not even Bill Gates has his own dam and power station. I can see it now: the next time a major weblogging meme hits, Portland suffers a blackout.

And on that, more than past time for bed.

*Well, I really wanted a standards-based Internet Explorer, but the Bunny wouldn’t stop laughing so I had to change my wish.

**Note, I have nothing against man breasts — as long as they aren’t better than mine.

Categories
outdoors Photography Places Plants

Purple crocus

Today is Spring, or at least, Spring for me. The weather was warm and the daffodils, tulips, and other flowers were in full bloom. The Magnolia is just now starting too bud, and the Missouri witch hazel ending its cycle, leaving behind a most wonderful fragrance.

I walked Botanical and grabbed some sunshine and photos. Though I know you’re all tired of flowers and that sort of thing I’ll still add a couple to this writing, just to break up the words. Between you and me, I like seeing something besides red, yellow, and orange on the page from time to time.

Crocus

Walking over the bridge in the Japanese Garden, the koi fish followed along in hopes of getting some of the fish food you can buy from gumball-like machines at either end. While I was dropping food into hungry mouths, a fairly large group of people approached and several exclaimed in surprise when they saw the fish. They had strong southern accents — more mountain than plantation — and evidently had never seen koi before.

A couple of women and a young girl ran down the hill to the stream that fed the lake and dropped down for a closer look, while one guy, who seemed out of place, walked around with a quarter in his hand, trying to break into the chatter and laughter.

Another guy yelled down the women, “Watch out, Hannah. That sucker’ll jump out and take your head off!” I finished my feeding and my photos and started to pass the increasingly loud group when the same wit yelled out, “They are the ugliest things I’ve ever seen.”

I glanced at him when I passed, this guy with pasty white arms, sparse straggly black chin whiskers raggedly covering blotched, pink chin and cheeks; matted dull, black hair under an old baseball cap, and huge gut falling out from under his too tight and too short gray t-shirt.

Botanical isn’t the only place with the sights of Spring. Tonight when I went downstairs to get a bottle of water, I noticed Zoë at the window, intently looking out. I peeked through the glass and saw several young bunnies hoping about, grazing on the grass.

And the daffodils are up. Life is good when the daffodils are up.

Bright Daffodils