Click on a thumbnail to enlarge.

[Show as slideshow]

If you like these, you might like to browse my flickr or photoblog.  (Same pics, different layout)

Related posts:

• Phriday foto: 01-16-09
• Phriday foto 05-16-08
• Phriday foto 06-29-07
• Phriday Foto 10-29-10 :: XC
• Phriday foto 04-11-08

A few pictures I took of my family about a month ago.

Click on a thumbnail to enlarge.

[Show as slideshow]

If you like these, you might like to browse my flickr or photoblog.  (Same pics, different layout)

Related posts:

• Phriday foto: 01-16-09
• Phriday foto 05-16-08
• Phriday foto 06-29-07
• Phriday Foto 10-29-10 :: XC
• Phriday foto 04-11-08

Click on a thumbnail to enlarge.

[Show as slideshow]

If you like these, my flickr account is here and my photoblog is here.  (Same pics at both places.)

Related posts:

• Phriday foto 04-11-08
• Phriday foto 5-11-07
• Phriday foto 06-08-07
• Phriday foto: 01-16-09
• Phriday foto 04-25-08

Little Photography for ya today.  My son’s Cross Country team.

Click on a thumbnail to enlarge.

[Show as slideshow]

If you like these, my flickr account is here and my photoblog is here.  (Same pics at both places.)

Related posts:

• Phriday foto 04-11-08
• Phriday foto 5-11-07
• Phriday foto 06-08-07
• Phriday foto: 01-16-09
• Phriday foto 04-25-08

While moving through security, a man wanted past one of our teens and cursed them under his breath as he went by.  This may have happened in Vietnam, but mostly everyone just made their way through and around everyone else.  Jimmy overheard the guy and asked him, “Kinda grumpy arencha?”  The man never paused or turned.

The flip side is the selfishness that I’ve found myself experiencing.  We’ve got a really bad layout for our flight schedule.  Our travel agent is based in Dallas/Ft. Worth and so she routed us through there, even though we asked to be routed through Denver (direct flights to Tulsa) which would have dropped a leg off our journey, presumably saving us money and TIME.

While in Vietnam, I was frequently asked to adjust schedules and do things to accomodate others and it was no problem.  My mindset was that I was there to serve and I was happy to do so.

Now I’m in San Francisco and the desire to serve has been replaced by the desire to be served.  My aggravation over the travel plans is cumbersome.

It’s not that I should accept the situation passively and without question.  We hired her to do a job and she didn’t do it as well as she could have, so we are going to look elsewhere for better performance.  That’s not wrong.

My consternation with my own attitude stems from the reality that I sense a sinful and selfish attitude within.  There’s a difference in wanting more for my money and having some sense of entitlement that reveals my wicked heart.

How is it that I can turn off and on the desire to serve?  What makes me think that there are times to serve and times when I am to be served?  I’m grateful that Jesus did not demand to be served at all times He was worthy of it, but yielded His rights and poured Himself out as a servant.  From His service to the Father, I am redeemed.

I have such a long way to go.

Comments

• March 21, 2009, Bob Cleveland writes: "I have such a long way to go." You sure do. All the way to Heaven. I suspect it'll take you longer to get there, than it will me, but I also suspect I have further to go than you. Bob Clevelands last blog post..Faint Memories. Thundering Echoes.

Related posts:

• Vietnam
• Vietnam 2009
• Vietnam 2009: Orphanages
• Vietnam 2009: Gone, Baby, Gone
• Vietnam: Education

I’m in the San Francisco airport and I’m noticing so many different attitudes – in those around us and (most disturbingly) in myself.

While moving through security, a man wanted past one of our teens and cursed them under his breath as he went by.  This may have happened in Vietnam, but mostly everyone just made their way through and around everyone else.  Jimmy overheard the guy and asked him, “Kinda grumpy arencha?”  The man never paused or turned.

The flip side is the selfishness that I’ve found myself experiencing.  We’ve got a really bad layout for our flight schedule.  Our travel agent is based in Dallas/Ft. Worth and so she routed us through there, even though we asked to be routed through Denver (direct flights to Tulsa) which would have dropped a leg off our journey, presumably saving us money and TIME.

While in Vietnam, I was frequently asked to adjust schedules and do things to accomodate others and it was no problem.  My mindset was that I was there to serve and I was happy to do so.

Now I’m in San Francisco and the desire to serve has been replaced by the desire to be served.  My aggravation over the travel plans is cumbersome.

It’s not that I should accept the situation passively and without question.  We hired her to do a job and she didn’t do it as well as she could have, so we are going to look elsewhere for better performance.  That’s not wrong.

My consternation with my own attitude stems from the reality that I sense a sinful and selfish attitude within.  There’s a difference in wanting more for my money and having some sense of entitlement that reveals my wicked heart.

How is it that I can turn off and on the desire to serve?  What makes me think that there are times to serve and times when I am to be served?  I’m grateful that Jesus did not demand to be served at all times He was worthy of it, but yielded His rights and poured Himself out as a servant.  From His service to the Father, I am redeemed.

I have such a long way to go.

Comments

• March 21, 2009, Bob Cleveland writes: "I have such a long way to go." You sure do. All the way to Heaven. I suspect it'll take you longer to get there, than it will me, but I also suspect I have further to go than you. Bob Clevelands last blog post..Faint Memories. Thundering Echoes.

Related posts:

• Vietnam
• Vietnam 2009
• Vietnam 2009: Orphanages
• Vietnam 2009: Gone, Baby, Gone
• Vietnam: Education

Still, if you like these and want to see more, you can check out my photoblog or my flickr page.

Click a thumbnail for a larger picture.

[Show as slideshow]

Related posts:

• Phriday foto 04-11-08
• Phriday foto 5-11-07
• Phriday foto 06-08-07
• Phriday foto: 01-16-09
• Phriday foto 04-25-08

Haven’t been out lately, but here are a few of Cain’s Ballroom.  I’ve posted them before, but it has been a while.

Still, if you like these and want to see more, you can check out my photoblog or my flickr page.

Click a thumbnail for a larger picture.

[Show as slideshow]

Related posts:

• Phriday foto 04-11-08
• Phriday foto 5-11-07
• Phriday foto 06-08-07
• Phriday foto: 01-16-09
• Phriday foto 04-25-08

You can see these and more at my photoblog or my flickr.

All pictures taken with my camera phone, click on a thumbnail to enlarge.

[Show as slideshow]

Related posts:

• Phriday foto 04-11-08
• Phriday foto 5-11-07
• Phriday foto 06-08-07
• Phriday foto 04-25-08
• Phriday foto 08-31-07

Sorry for the long wait on Phriday Fotos.  I’ve been negligent with my camera, much to my own chagrine.  Nevertheless, here are some pictures from our Ski Trip with Bonnie’s family over the Christmas break.

You can see these and more at my photoblog or my flickr.

All pictures taken with my camera phone, click on a thumbnail to enlarge.

[Show as slideshow]

Related posts:

• Phriday foto 04-11-08
• Phriday foto 5-11-07
• Phriday foto 06-08-07
• Phriday foto 04-25-08
• Phriday foto 08-31-07

First, you need Gimp.  Gimp is a FREE graphics program like Photoshop, which is expensive.  Gimp is not quite Photoshop, but for free, it rocks.  Also, it works on either Mac or Windows.  I first learned about it from Frank Turk who has a Gimp University blog with loads of tutorials.

Simple directions are first, followed by detailed directions and screenshots.

Simple Directions

1. Create a duplicate layer:  Layer->Duplicate Layer
2. Desaturate the top layer:  Color->Desaturate (pop up window->desaturate)
3. Erase the top layer where you want color to shine through:  Tool->Eraser
4. Save As your picture in the format of your choice.

Detailed Directions

I’m going to post pictures of the progress as we go through.  Click on the pictures you see in the article for a full sized picture.

For this process, I picked a Christmas Parade picture in which a very colorful lady presented a profile, but she blended somewhat with the other spectators in the original picture.

(Click for Larger Pic)

For well done graphic work, everything is done in layers, so get used to adding multiple layers to an image.  To create a duplicate layer, you need to select the layers menu and then duplicate layer from that menu.

(Click for Larger Pic)

This is going to give you two layers in the layer menu toolbar.

(Click for Larger Pic)

Next, you want to take all the color out of the top layer, which is called desaturatization.  The easiest way to do that is to drop down the color menu and choose “desaturate.”

(Click for Larger Pic)

You’ll get a pop up with several options.  Just click the big desaturate button.

(Click for Larger Pic)

This will give you a Black and White layer over the color layer.

(Click for Larger Pic)

Then select the eraser tool from the tool tray, select the brush size you want and erase where you want the color to bleed through.  (The more precise way to do this is to create a mask that will create a selection around the place you want to erase, but this is the quick, easy and dirty way to do it.)

(Click for Larger Pic)

When you are done, from the file menu, click “Save As” and save the image.  I created this by naming it “color through BW.jpg” and it automatically took me through the process of exporting it as a jpeg image.

(Click for Larger Pic)

Related posts:

• Vietnam 2009: San Sa Ho
• Phriday Photo 09-07-07
• Protecting Families
• Wal-Mart Employee trampled to death on Black Friday
• The future of denominations

I featured some pictures last week during Phriday Foto that had everything Black and White except the only important person in the picture, my daughter.  Turns out this is pretty easy and can be done with a free program, so I thought you might be interested in learning how to do it.

First, you need Gimp.  Gimp is a FREE graphics program like Photoshop, which is expensive.  Gimp is not quite Photoshop, but for free, it rocks.  Also, it works on either Mac or Windows.  I first learned about it from Frank Turk who has a Gimp University blog with loads of tutorials.

Simple directions are first, followed by detailed directions and screenshots.

Simple Directions

1. Create a duplicate layer:  Layer->Duplicate Layer
2. Desaturate the top layer:  Color->Desaturate (pop up window->desaturate)
3. Erase the top layer where you want color to shine through:  Tool->Eraser
4. Save As your picture in the format of your choice.

Detailed Directions

I’m going to post pictures of the progress as we go through.  Click on the pictures you see in the article for a full sized picture.

For this process, I picked a Christmas Parade picture in which a very colorful lady presented a profile, but she blended somewhat with the other spectators in the original picture.

(Click for Larger Pic)

For well done graphic work, everything is done in layers, so get used to adding multiple layers to an image.  To create a duplicate layer, you need to select the layers menu and then duplicate layer from that menu.

(Click for Larger Pic)

This is going to give you two layers in the layer menu toolbar.

(Click for Larger Pic)

Next, you want to take all the color out of the top layer, which is called desaturatization.  The easiest way to do that is to drop down the color menu and choose “desaturate.”

(Click for Larger Pic)

You’ll get a pop up with several options.  Just click the big desaturate button.

(Click for Larger Pic)

This will give you a Black and White layer over the color layer.

(Click for Larger Pic)

Then select the eraser tool from the tool tray, select the brush size you want and erase where you want the color to bleed through.  (The more precise way to do this is to create a mask that will create a selection around the place you want to erase, but this is the quick, easy and dirty way to do it.)

(Click for Larger Pic)

When you are done, from the file menu, click “Save As” and save the image.  I created this by naming it “color through BW.jpg” and it automatically took me through the process of exporting it as a jpeg image.

(Click for Larger Pic)

Related posts:

• Vietnam 2009: San Sa Ho
• Phriday Photo 09-07-07
• Protecting Families
• Wal-Mart Employee trampled to death on Black Friday
• The future of denominations

These are of my daughter marching in the Christmas Parade.  Can you guess which is mine?  Next week, I’ll show you how to do this with a free program like Photoshop (not free, very expensive) called Gimp.  Feel free to download and start playing, if ya want.  Available for Mac or Windows.

Click on a thumbnail to see a bigger picture.

[Show as slideshow]

Comments

• December 12, 2008, Bob Cleveland writes: Cute as can be, brother. And, I'm betting she got her good looks from you. I mean, I checked your profile picture; Bonnie still has hers. Bob Clevelands last blog post..What's All This Baptist Identity Garbage?
• December 12, 2008, art rogers writes: Too funny.

Related posts:

• Phriday foto 04-11-08
• Phriday foto 5-11-07
• Phriday foto 06-08-07
• Phriday foto: 01-16-09
• Phriday foto 04-25-08

If you enjoy these, then be sure to check out my other pictures at my Photoblog or at Flickr.

These are of my daughter marching in the Christmas Parade.  Can you guess which is mine?  Next week, I’ll show you how to do this with a free program like Photoshop (not free, very expensive) called Gimp.  Feel free to download and start playing, if ya want.  Available for Mac or Windows.

Click on a thumbnail to see a bigger picture.

[Show as slideshow]

Comments

• December 12, 2008, Bob Cleveland writes: Cute as can be, brother. And, I'm betting she got her good looks from you. I mean, I checked your profile picture; Bonnie still has hers. Bob Clevelands last blog post..What's All This Baptist Identity Garbage?
• December 12, 2008, art rogers writes: Too funny.

Related posts:

• Phriday foto 04-11-08
• Phriday foto 5-11-07
• Phriday foto 06-08-07
• Phriday foto: 01-16-09
• Phriday foto 04-25-08

These are of a spider I found suspended on a bridge of his (or her?) own making above the floor of the woods whilst hiking the other day.  Though I think I disconcerted him (or her?) somewhat at first, he (or she?) seemed to get used to me pretty quickly.

Click on a thumbnail to enlarge the picture.

[Show as slideshow]

Related posts:

• Phriday foto 04-11-08
• Phriday foto 5-11-07
• Phriday foto 06-08-07
• Phriday foto: 01-16-09
• Phriday foto 04-25-08

If you enjoy these pictures, you can check out more at my photoblog or flickr.

These are of a spider I found suspended on a bridge of his (or her?) own making above the floor of the woods whilst hiking the other day.  Though I think I disconcerted him (or her?) somewhat at first, he (or she?) seemed to get used to me pretty quickly.

Click on a thumbnail to enlarge the picture.

[Show as slideshow]

Related posts:

• Phriday foto 04-11-08
• Phriday foto 5-11-07
• Phriday foto 06-08-07
• Phriday foto: 01-16-09
• Phriday foto 04-25-08

Been a while since I posted pics on Friday.  Sorry about that.  I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t even had time to take pictures, must less download and process them.  Which is all a shame, too, since I had just saved up to buy that 10-20 mm Sigma wide angle lens that I love so much.

So a couple of weeks ago, I went on vacation with my bride to a cabin in Beaver’s Bend State Park, in Southeast Oklahoma.  Got enough pictures to last until next year, if I choose.

Here’s a set from the porch of our cabin taken of the night sky with use of a tripod.  The first picture is taken at 1600 iso and was an 8 second exposure.  The next was was at 400 iso for 8 mins and the last was at 400 iso for 30 mins.  All were taken at f/4.0.

Click on a thumbnail to see the full picture.

[Show as slideshow]

Couple of things to note…

You can see the North Star through the trees and all of the other stars seem to rotate around it.

The Milky Way (our galaxy) can be seen in all three pictures.

If you go to Flickr and look at the really big sized versions of the pictures that show motion, when you zoom in really close, there are billions of stars that don’t appear to move at all, though faint and very far away.

Comments

• October 31, 2008, John Stickley writes: Very nice. Extended exposure night photography is just flat out cool.
• October 31, 2008, Michael writes: Very, very cool. Thank you Art. You may have just revived an old dead astronomy hobby of mine. God bless.
• November 1, 2008, JeraldD writes: God's grandure is amazing every time I see it. I guess I'll have to find a dark place to try this myself. It looks like fun. Blessings, --Jerald JeraldDs last blog post..The Salvation Deception -

Related posts:

• Phriday foto 04-11-08
• Phriday foto 5-11-07
• Phriday foto 06-08-07
• Phriday foto: 01-16-09
• Phriday foto 04-25-08

If you want to see more, be sure to check out my photoblog or flickr.

Been a while since I posted pics on Friday.  Sorry about that.  I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t even had time to take pictures, must less download and process them.  Which is all a shame, too, since I had just saved up to buy that 10-20 mm Sigma wide angle lens that I love so much.

So a couple of weeks ago, I went on vacation with my bride to a cabin in Beaver’s Bend State Park, in Southeast Oklahoma.  Got enough pictures to last until next year, if I choose.

Here’s a set from the porch of our cabin taken of the night sky with use of a tripod.  The first picture is taken at 1600 iso and was an 8 second exposure.  The next was was at 400 iso for 8 mins and the last was at 400 iso for 30 mins.  All were taken at f/4.0.

Click on a thumbnail to see the full picture.

[Show as slideshow]

Couple of things to note…

You can see the North Star through the trees and all of the other stars seem to rotate around it.

The Milky Way (our galaxy) can be seen in all three pictures.

If you go to Flickr and look at the really big sized versions of the pictures that show motion, when you zoom in really close, there are billions of stars that don’t appear to move at all, though faint and very far away.

Comments

• October 31, 2008, John Stickley writes: Very nice. Extended exposure night photography is just flat out cool.
• October 31, 2008, Michael writes: Very, very cool. Thank you Art. You may have just revived an old dead astronomy hobby of mine. God bless.
• November 1, 2008, JeraldD writes: God's grandure is amazing every time I see it. I guess I'll have to find a dark place to try this myself. It looks like fun. Blessings, --Jerald JeraldDs last blog post..The Salvation Deception -

Related posts:

• Phriday foto 04-11-08
• Phriday foto 5-11-07
• Phriday foto 06-08-07
• Phriday foto: 01-16-09
• Phriday foto 04-25-08

Here’s a taste (just click on the thumbnail for a larger version):

[Show as slideshow]

If you like those, you can check out my photoblog for more.

Related posts:

• Phriday foto 04-11-08
• Phriday foto 5-11-07
• Phriday foto 06-08-07
• Phriday foto: 01-16-09
• Phriday foto 04-25-08

Here’s a little small town Friday Night Football in Oklahoma.  Last week, the #1 ranked (in 3A) Clinton Red Tornados (15 State Titles) were defeated by the #2 ranked (in 2A) Chandlers Lions, a team that sported a whopping 20+ Seniors.

Here’s a taste (just click on the thumbnail for a larger version):

[Show as slideshow]

If you like those, you can check out my photoblog for more.

Related posts:

• Phriday foto 04-11-08
• Phriday foto 5-11-07
• Phriday foto 06-08-07
• Phriday foto: 01-16-09
• Phriday foto 04-25-08