Learn to see the small treasures our gardens provide

Part one of a series

In our woodland garden, early spring is certainly not the most picturesque time.

Without the foliage from the ground on up to the heavens, it’s not much more than a vast space of brown leaves and unappealing bare stems. And to make matters worse, it’s open for all to see more or less in it entirety.

It’s a good time to look around and recognize the areas that could use a little help. Maybe an evergreen in that corner to block an ugly view or a small privacy fence to break up the view of your neighbour’s BBQ. Other than that, it’s easy to look aside and yearn for the summer when everything is dense, green and in full bloom.

Anyway, at this time of year, most of us are too busy bringing out chair cushions, garden statues and other garden accoutrements from the shed to really look at the early spring garden.

But, it’s worth a look –and a close one at that.

Listening and observing the music of the garden

I often ask my friends if they still listen to music. When I ask that question, I don’t mean have the music on in the background while they are surfing the net or getting household chores done. I mean really listen like we did as kids when we got home with a new piece of vinyl or the latest CD. Remember when we would darken the room, close our eyes, drop the needle, clear our minds and really listen to the music.

Those days are slowly disappearing. Most of us are too busy to devote that kind of time to a single album let alone a song or two.

Seeing – and I mean really seeing – is also slowly disappearing from our daily routines.

So many of us are too busy cleaning up the garden to actually take the time to actually see it. The result is often not only a missed opportunity, but a growing inability to appreciate the smaller things in the garden – the emerging rosettes of our favourite native plants, the tiny leaves of the columbines before they get large enough to flower, the slow unfurling of our ferns.

I am as much at fault as anyone. Like you, I’m always anxiously awaiting the flower to emerge, while overlooking the beauty of the foliage. (For a greater understanding of the role foliage plays in our gardens, check out my posts here and here.)

Canadian photographer Freeman Patterson, as well as many others, have devoted entire books on learning to see. Seeing requires us to do more than simply opening our eyes to what our gardens offer. I think it requires a more active role on our part. Getting down on our knees, not just to clean an area around our plants, but to appreciate the tiny little worlds and truly experience the garden.

Get up close and personal, take in the earthy smell, listen to the natural sounds – the wind blowing through the trees, the birds, the spring peepers, the bees even those pesky mosquitos.

Seeing – I mean really seeing – can involve all our senses.

Last year, I decided to fully explore the spring woodlands (see: A walk in the woods) around our home. It was an incredibly enjoyable and educational experience wandering through the spring woodlands and watching it emerge over the course of weeks… months. I learned to see the natural woodland in a new way and was inspired to take what I learned and bring vignettes back into our woodland garden.

This year, I plan to experience spring in our own woodland where I’ll explore the art of seeing in the comfort of my own backyard woodland.

If your garden is more traditional, it doesn’t mean you can’t experience many of the same enjoyments and be inspired by the emergence of your garden plants, trees and shrubs.

Just make the commitment that this is the year you are going to really begin trying to “see” and fully experience the garden, starting from the ugly brown phase through to summer with its explosion of colour, wildlife and visual fireworks.

Come and join me on this journey in the spring woodland where each week I’ll unveil new surprises both visually and through my, hopefully, inspiring and descriptive accounts of my experiences.

Our backyard birds are getting busy

We start this exploration in late April just as many of the plants emerge. At this time neither the hummingbirds, nor the orioles or warblers have invaded the area but they are very close. Our hummingbird and oriole feeders are out and ready for visitors.

Although many of the migrants are still on their way, our backyard feeders are bursting with birds from goldfinches to blue jays, cardinals, house finches, juncos, chickadees, a host of woodpeckers, sparrows and even a colony of crows that visit the backyard on a regular basis.

The following are just a few images of the birds that are hanging out in the yard at this time of the year.

Seeing the garden – I mean really seeing the spring garden – can often be expressed not literally but in abstract form. In this ICM (intentional camera movement) photograph, I was able to focus on the white birch trunks without the distractions of green leaves. Later in spring, this image would not be possible because of the foliage that would block the lovely white trunks.

Learning to see different areas of the garden in a more abstract form can be a rewarding artistic experience that forces you to try new ways to use your camera.

If spring in the garden means nothing more to you than the time you have to spend hours in the garden working to get it ready for the “big show,” take a moment to relax, and really see it, experience its hidden beauty, and consider capturing that beauty in a photograph.

Celebrate spring with these outstanding new features from Luminar Neo

The difference between a very expensive lens and the inexpensive consumer version often comes down to which lens can render a softer, more pleasing out-of-focus background.

Fast, expensive lenses deliver on both sharpness when it comes to the subject as well as the ability to soften the background translating into what most photographers describe as beautiful bokeh.

Those smart phone images that have become so common on social media often lack any real bokeh. Instead, everything is sharp from front to back. The same can be true for most point-and-shoot camera results. That can work in many cases, but if you have always wondered why more experienced photographers’ images always have a beautiful look to them, chances are the bokeh of their lenses plays a significant role.

(If you are interested in checking out or purchasing Luminar Neo, please consider using my discount code here.)

In the past, not having access to fast and often expensive lenses, means those beautiful, soft-background images were unattainable.

Luminar Neo’s new spring feature package has changed all this.

From portraits to landscapes, beautiful bokeh can change everything

Now, Luminar Neo can turn your smartphone and inexpensive kit-zoom photos into images with a beautifully soft creamy bokeh. Even better, you have complete control over the bokeh effect in your images.

Originally released as part of its “Portrait tools”, Luminar Neo’s Bokeh module fits just as easily in a nature, wildlife and flower photographer’s tool box.

I remember when Lightroom first introduced a similar feature and it changed the way I saw many of my older photographs. I spent weeks going back over images with distracting backgrounds and seeing how the software could improve the images by softening the background.

Now I can do the same in Luminar Neo for a fraction of the price. And, I have to say that Luminar Neo’s new bokeh module is better and works in the same three-dimensional way as Luminar Neo’s outstanding Light Depth module works.

The bokeh module and the light depth module combination can literally transform your photography from boring to spectacular without the purchase of expensive cameras and lenses.

If you have not read my post on Luminar Neo’s light depth module, you can check it out here.

I think the following before-and-after pictures best tell the story.

The above images illustrate how Luminar Neo’s new bokeh module can improve nature images by creating much more pleasing backgrounds that allow the main subjects to stand out. These are important features in nature, flower and wildlife images, but they are also critical in other forms of photography from street photographs to travel and especially portrait images.

In fact, Luminar Neo chose to locate their bokeh module in their portrait tools where they thought it would be most useful. So, for those looking to improve their people pictures – whether that is professional work or just shots of your kids or family on vacation – Luminar Neos new bokeh module is certainly worth further investigation.

For people shooters (not my specialty) Luminar Neo has actually unveiled many new interesting modules to enhance your portraits.

Earlier this month Luminar Neo rolled out its new upgrade focused on portrait photography on both desktop and mobile. The mobile update inclues the Bokeh AI module discussed above along with new Face AI features such as Face Light and Face Slim. In addition, Blemish Removal has been significantly enhanced.

Desktop updates include Bokeh AI discussed above for nature and garden images, In addition, with Face AI users can control Dark Circles under eyes with an improved tool that is simple to use, as well as expanded capabilities for Face Skin smoothing, Body Smoothing and Shine Removal and a brand new Blemish Removal tool.

The is also a new Mask Feather feature that softens mask edges for smoother blending.

If you are interested in purchasing Luminar Neo (which offers a one-time purchase model rather than paying monthly) please consider using my discount code here.

Steps to discourage ticks in the garden

There was a time as a young boy and teenager growing up in Southern Ontario when ticks were not a thing. In fact, I remember only a single location where ticks were present in Southern Ontario – Longpoint Provincial Park.

It just so happened that Longpoint on the Lake Erie coast was my favourite summer hangout. The beaches were the best around and on good days we could ride the waves.

And, although I spent a lot of time at Longpoint Provincial Park, still, I never encountered a single tick. In fact, during my entire childhood, through my crazy teen years and right through my 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s …, I never even really thought about ticks.

Those care-free days are gone.

It wasn’t until more recently that ticks have become an issue in our neck of the woods.

And have they ever.

Today, as I right this post, ticks have become a serious problem not only in this area but in our own backyard.

Last year, I needed precautionary Lyme disease medication after discovering an engorged tick on my leg (see image below). It had to have been attached for at least 24 hours. This year, after a little garden cleanup, my wife has already had two ticks attached and we have pulled a number both dead and alive off our dog. Not all the ticks may have been picked up in our yard, but I’m guessing most originated in the dry ornamental grasses and fallen leaves in the yard.

Of course, having a massive black dog is certainly a tick magnet, but even without Colby to bring ticks into the yard and eventually into the home, transitory animals and birds spread these little critters from property to property.

Ticks are one of the reasons I welcome Opposums on to the property whenever I see them. They are known to devour ticks by the hundreds.

Last year, after taking our dog into the nearby woodland, we discovered he was covered with ticks and, as a result, seemed to have an allergic reaction to being bitten in and around his face.

Now that was not a whole lot of fun.

Thankfully, he was on his regular tick medicine from the vet and the situation cleared itself up over a short time.

Bringing a boat load of ticks into your living space via your dog, however, is not something most of us want to do.

Reasons for the rise in ticks

I’m no expert, but I can’t help but think the rise in our local tick population is the direct result of climate change. In past years, our bitterly cold winters killed any chance of ticks migrating north from our southern neighbours. But, as our winters warmed, new animals appeared along with plants and, of course, ticks – lots and lots of ticks.

Once established in the area, they are impossible to exterminate and, because they can potentially spread Lyme disease, they are not something to be taken lightly.

I had hoped this year’s severe winter would diminish the local tick population in the area. Instead, the deep snow cover, like a nice warm blanket, actually helped the ticks survive winter and left us with even more of the critters this spring.

The very nature of a woodland/wildlife garden almost guarantees you are going to have ticks if you live in an area where ticks are a problem.

In the entrances to the woodlands surrounding our home, large signs (See top image) warn that there are ticks in the area and to take precautions both for your own well being and for your pets - primarily dogs but also cats.

In fact, in hindsight, I’m thinking we may have lost one of our cats from a tick bite. Cats can get a number of diseases from tick bites.

According to Petmeds: Cats can contract several dangerous illnesses from tick bites, most notably Cytauxzoononosis (bobcat fever), Hemobartoneliosis (feline infectious anemia), Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis. Severe anemia, high fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite are symptoms. Regular, year-round tick prevention is the best protection. 

Tips to deal with ticks in the garden

So how do we deal with them?

First off, it’s important not to use insecticides to control ticks. Doing so will only eliminate other important insects that call your garden home.

Take the following steps before resorting to the use of any harsh insecticides.

Take a multi-faceted approach to controlling ticks

I think keeping ticks at bay is probably best accomplished through a series of actions meant to deter them from areas of the garden where you and your pets like to hang out.

A first layer of defence can be the plants we choose to place near the areas we most frequently visit – near the patio or deck or other sitting areas and pathways around the garden.

Ticks are known to hang out in ornamental grasses or any long grass so it’s probably wise to keep long grasses in areas of the garden where you won’t brush up against them on a regular basis. But, it’s not just ornamental grasses where these tiny insects can hide. Any foliage could be home to these little critters.

Use plants as a first defence

With this in mind, there are plants we can grow that are said to actually help repel ticks. Don’t expect miracles from these plants, but if they help even a little they are definitely worth adding to your garden, especially in heavy traffic areas.

The following is a list of six suggested plants that help deter ticks in your yard.

1. Lavender,

2. Mint

3. Marigolds

4. Catmint

5. Rosemary

6. Chives

Tick removal tool is critical addition to your kit

If you or your dog get bit by a tick and it is still attached, it helps to have a tool to remove it as quickly and painlessly as possible.. This premium tick remover (Amazon Link) will get the job done. It’s always a good idea to have one of these tools available even if you have never had to remove a tick.

Sprays to keep ticks at bay

The next line of defence I like to use is a spray – Mosquito Barrier – that is said to keep mosquitoes, ticks and fleas from attacking you and your pets. It’s important to note that this is not an insecticide and only acts as a deterrence.

Its primary use is to form a barrier against mosquitoes, but it’s listed to be effective against fleas and ticks as well.

Mosquito Barrier (company web site) comes in concentrated form so although it may appear expensive, a single bottle can last several years. Its main ingredient is industrial-grade garlic which gives off a powerful odour on application but eventually mellows out to a pleasant garlic smell – and who doesn’t like a little garlic.

In a small yard, you can spray generously around the perimeter of the property on plants, fences, trees and walls. In larger yards, it is probably better to just create a boundary around the areas you and your pets tend to hang out.

We like to give the area a spray about once a week and top it off after a rainfall.

So far, we have found it helps keep the mosquitoes aways so I’m sure it’s having some effect with ticks and fleas. I plan to use the spray much more this year directly on plants around the patio. The spray is available through Amazon, (link to Mosquito Barrier) but we purchased our bottle at our local RAW dog food store.

Safe botanical/herbal sprays specifically for use on dogs and clothing

The next line of defence is a botanical-based spray used directly on both our pets and our own clothing to repel ticks. Again, it’s important to note that these are not insecticides they are a repellent. The main ingredients are essential oils that repel ticks and fleas safely.

If you don’t want to spray your dog directly, consider spraying a cloth and rubbing the cloth over the dog’s legs, chest and head being careful to keep it away from their eyes.

Using mice to control ticks

Tick control tubes made by Thermacell are another defence that you may be interested in. Although these DO use an insecticide and are more aggressive than botanicals and other deterents, some users swear by them. They work in an interesting very targeted way by using garden mice to kill the ticks.

The concept is that mice take the cotton stuffed in the tubes laced with a natural insecticide and use it for bedding in their lairs. When ticks attach themselves to the mice and are taken back to the lair the insecticide kill the ticks without injuring the mice and their offspring.

I’m a little Leary about this approach but plan to try it this year to see how well it works.

Using harsh medicines to control ticks

Finally, using a focused medicine to protect your dog and cat from ticks is often a necessity, if you live in an area where ticks are abundant. If you live in an area where ticks are not a problem, you could probably skip this final defence method.

Not all dogs and cats react positively to taking these drugs or putting the medicine on them. The decision to go ahead and use these medicines should be made after discussing the possible cons with your veteranarian.

It’s important to note that the medicines do not kill the ticks until they actually bite the dog or cat. At that point the ticks die. Even while on the medication, it’s not uncommon to see a tick crawling on the dog. If you see one, just pick it off and dispose of it.

For more ideas on how to control ticks, you might want to check out this Amazon page of potential solutions.

Add visual appeal, utility and interest to your front landscape

If walking the neighbourhood with our dog has taught me anything, it’s that knee walls are quickly becoming a trend in front-yard landscape design.

It’s easy to understand their appeal. Not only do they successfully add an element of interest away from the front of the home closer to the street, they also provide a convenient spot to display address numbers and anything else that might strike your fancy – a favourite garden quote, a lovely hummingbird feeder or sophisticated bird house maybe.

Add an electric or solar spotlight to highlight the house numbers or a favourite plant and the knee wall looks as good in the evening as it does throughout the day.

More importantly for gardeners, these knee walls offer the perfect opportunity to create a lovely little garden to give a visual boost for that all-important street appeal we all crave.

In our neighbourhood, the knee walls are primarily made of stone, brick or concrete, but I have seen simpler DIY designs made from wood.

For a more natural approach, a large boulder or rock slab with house numbers attached, can also provide a similar look and feel as the more traditional knee wall.

If you are considering adding a traditional brick, stone or cement knee wall, be aware that they can be expensive to install.

The larger, heavier units will need a concrete foundation to ensure the wall does not lean and/or eventually fall over. Without the support of other walls giving the knee wall support, a solid foundation is a necessity.

In addition, adding electricity to the knee wall would likely require hiring an electrician and running conduit from the home’s main electrical outlet to the knee wall. Tapping into today’s high-quality solar lighting can save you money and allow you to easily move the light(s) around to highlight various accents such as favourite in-season flowers, shrubs or even garden art.

Building a DIY knee wall out of wood can be a great cost-saving approach, but it needs to be visually appealing and carry the proper weight for the size and style of home and landscape design. Painting the wood slats black creates a contemporary feel and adds a nice dark background to best display your house numbers.

The following are just a sample of knee walls I come across on my daily walks in the neighbourhood. Unfortunately, most of these images have been taken in the early spring before the flowers have bloomed, and the shrubs and the grasses have fully emerged. I’ll be looking for more examples as summer approaches and be sure to add them to this post, so you can see them in their prime.

Was the Pentax VS20 a digital precursor to modern-day Pentax 17 half-frame camera?

Say what you will about Pentax cameras, but this venerable Japanese company is not afraid to take risks. Unfortunately, not all of the risks prove successful.

The recent Pentax 17 half-frame camera might be a case in point. Although it did meet with initial success as one of the first film cameras to be released in recent times, with the exception of an avid hipster fan base, collectors and film enthusiasts – which, mind you make up a sizeable number of photographers – I’m not sure the camera attracted sufficient users to call it an overwhelming success. Add that to their even more recent Monochrome DSLR experiment, which has proven moderately successful to a narrow group of BW digital enthusiasts.

No one is saying these cameras are not great, only that their narrow base might not be enough to take the cameras over the top in regards to overwhelming success.

The concept behind the vertical shooting “Pentax 17” was twofold: first double the number of pictures out of a roll of 35mm film to save costs, and second; provide users with instagram-ready images already in the vertical/portrait format to perfectly fit the smartphone aesthetic on social media. All this wrapped up in a nicely built, pocketable camera that looks as good in your hand as it does on the table of your favourite trendy coffee shop.

Bravo to Pentax engineers and designers for throwing caution to the wind and producing cameras no other mainstream camera company dared create.

Pentax’s forgotten digital social-media gem

To be honest, Pentax already had experience creating a camera that specialized in vertical images. In fact, it could be argued that their first attempt made a whole lot more sense than their latest film-based endeavour.

Head-to-head with the smartphone

The problem, like many of Pentax’s adventures, was their first attempt was just too far ahead of its time.

The Pentax Optio VS20 was officially announced by Pentax/Ricoh on January 25, 2012 – just as 14-million or so smartphones with their built-in cameras saturated the market. Pentax’s answer was a pocketable camera with a 20x optical zoom and separate portrait and landscape shutter releases complete with zooming mechanisms and separate tripod sockets. For more information, check out the Pentax/Ricoh official site.

Now, you would be hard-pressed to name a smartphone that packed that much of a punch.

For many camera enthusiasts and reviewers, the Pentax VS20 digital camera with its dual shutter releases – a traditional release and a separate vertical/ portrait release – was nothing more than an unnecessary gimmick to sell their latest travel camera in a large field of new digital camera releases.

One highly respected on-line review put it succinctly: “While ideally each new camera should have a special, unique feature that sells it on its own terms and distinguishes it from the pack, depressingly most don’t. But, in the case of the Optio VS20 from Pentax we don’t quite know whether to rejoice in or ridicule its points of difference.”

Whether photographers of the day ridiculed or admired the camera, it’s almost as if the Pentax designers knew that the world would eventually be obsessed with vertical/portrait images in the never-ending search for as many social-media “likes” as possible.

Today, smartphones dominate that market, but there was a time when the very nicely built, easily pocketable little VS20 travel camera may have competed with that same market.

If the VS20 included modern-day bluetooth capibilties to quickly and easily transfer images from the camera to your smartphone, it may well have become the darling of social media.

Instead, it faded into the history books along with so many other excellent point-and-shoot cameras.

But back to why this camera might be worth considering again today.

For one thing, the new film-based Pentax 17 will set you back $400 or so dollars, while the digital equivalent can be purchased for a fraction of that. I got a mint condition never used version – for a mere $35 Canadian, quite possibly the best deal ever for the camera – but typical used versions go for about $100.

Feature-packed camera

Not only was the camera already designed to shoot vertical images, it sported a highly sought after 16 megapixel CCD sensor and an Intelligent Zoom function that extended the core 20x optical range (22.-580mm in 35mm terms) by 144x to provide a lens reach of a ridiculous 4032mm in terms of a 35mm film camera. You might not want to push it that far, but in case of a once-in-a-lifetime picture, it’s nice to know the possibility is there for the taking.

Oh, and have I mentioned that it even sported two tripod socket mounts for more serious photographers who were either looking to achieve the ultimate in sharpness, or just wanted to be included in the picture. (It’s also wise to use a tripod when you are extending the camera’s lens to these extremes.)

Again, you’re not going to get that type of reach on your average smartphone.

Add a CCD-based sensor

And, yes, you read that right the camera was equipped with a 16mp CCD sensor. If that means nothing to you, a little research will quickly unveil the cult following for CCD-sensor-equipped cameras that are said to be able to obtain a more film-like image quality.

I can’t say the results a film-like, but I can verify that the jpeg images coming out this camera are very natural with excellent colour and depth. Unfortunately, it does not shoot in RAW.

Hipsters everywhere must be losing their minds to have missed such a great little CCD-based social media darling camera.

But, it’s not only hipsters. Any photographer looking for an everyday carry might want to take the time to track down this sweet little travel camera from 2012 that sports a host of goodies under its hood.

Features galore

Let’s take a Quick Look at what this camera offers.

I’ve never really been a fan of the Optio series of Pentax cameras because they lack many of the ultimate control more advanced photographers look for in a serious camera.

The VS20 is no different – lacking the ability to put the camera in shutter or aperture priority let alone in fully manual. That aside, the camera’s multiple modes are enough to satisfy most photographers’ wants and needs.

The trick is, like many point-and-shoot style cameras to learn how to get the most out of these cameras’ shooting modes.

And, like most cameras in Pentax’s Optio line, the VS20 sports a plethora of modes – 20 to be exact –, presented across two screens and tabbed through using the multi directional pad.

The intelligent Auto Picture mode and Program Auto join with natural skin tone portrait mode, handheld night snap, night scene portrait, night scene, digital panorama, plus the self-explanatory landscape, blue sky, sunset, flower and digital shake reduction options. The second screen and second dozen options cover kids, pets, generic portraits, food (enhances saturation and contrast), fireworks, surf and snow, sport, plus the digital effects filters which comprise fish eye, sketch and miniature, along with text mode and frame composite mode – adding a border to your image but fixing the pixel count at 3MP at the same time.

More serious photographers will choose the “program Mode” where we can narrow or enlarge the focus area, as well as activate AF tracking. Exposure can also be tweaked between +/- 2EV, the camera’s dynamic range can be adjusted for highlight correction, shadow correction or both, plus the likes of shake reduction, face detection, blink detection and the digital zoom implemented if desired.

That’s just a taste of what this highly useable, should I say '“enjoyable” camera offers users.

There is a standard (for its era) 3-inch, square-ish 4:3 aspect ratio LCD with anti reflective coating to compose and review stills and 1280x720 pixels video clips. The screen still holds up as a higher resolution than one would expect of an entry-level snapper of this era at 460k dots.

The black faceplate on the back adds a little sophistication to the camera’s aesthetic – with white being an alternative choice on some cameras.. There’s also a gentle curve to one end by way of a hand grip, plus a rubber pad at the opposite end for those preferring the two-handed approach when lacking a tripod.

The camera also features an extremely good macro feature that allows the photographer to get extremely close-up images. Perfect for flower and insect photography.

Image quality

All of the images in this review were taken using the 16 megapixel “best” JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 4.5Mb.

Is this camera capable of matching what you would get out of your mirrorless camera or DSLR? Of course not. Is it capable of capturing your garden in full bloom, the critters that share it with you as well as your pets, children, grandchildren and even your next vacation – absolutely.

Not only is it more than capable, you might find using the camera is actually fun. It is certainly small ebough to fit into your pocket so you have it with you wherever you go.

That’s not to say it’s the perfect camera.

Pentax’s VS20 was never considered an “expensive” camera with an original retail price at about £199.99 / $249.95 new. Today’s prices on the used market make it an absolute steal if you can find one in good shape. (I got mine for under $50 Canadian virtually brand new and never used.) Ebay.com has them listed anywhere from around $60 to almost $200 U.S..

That said, the focus is slow. As a result you may find some of the images are not sharp - it’s a little hit-or-miss at times if you are snapping pictures quickly. It’s important to give the camera time to get focus before clicking the shutter. You might want to turn the “beep” up so you get an audible assurance before clicking the shutter. Also, because you don’t have complete control of the shudder speed, don’t be afraid to use the built-in flash or a tripod to ensure sharp images.

Images maintained detail into the corners for the most part at maximum wideangle, with minimal if any barrel distortion too. Brighter conditions can result in over exposed highlight detail plus there can be some pixel fringing between areas of high contrast, but the latter only becomes an issue on close inspection.

In terms of low light performance, the camera can be used up to ISO800 with acceptable results. Higher ISOs begin to degrade the images more than you would want, unless it is a critical shot. If you have access to high quality post processing software, these high-ISO problems become less important.

Having said that, the camera has a night scene mode and, as long as you have a steady surface at your disposal, it’s possible to achieve really quite acceptable results in low light situations.

One last annoying problem I have discovered. The four-way button is easily pushed with your thumb which, in my case, sends the camera into a 10-second timer mode causing me to miss a couple of shots of birds and other wildlife. Not a big deal if you are aware of it, but it did cause me to miss a couple of potentially good shots.

Specifications

Camera Type: Super Zoom Compact CameraSensorTypeCCDSize1/2.33’’ CCDTotal Pixelsapprox. 16.00 megapixelsEffective Pixels

16.56 MP

Still16M (4608x3456), 12M [1:1] (3456x3456), 12M [16:9] (4608x2592), 7M (3072x2304), 2M [16:9] (1920x1080), 640 (640x480)Movie

Compatibility AVI (Motion JPEG)

Resolution :

• HD: 1280(1280 x 720): approx. 30/15 fps.

• VGA: (640 x 480): approx. 30/15 fps.

• 320:(?320 x 240): approx. 30/15 fps.

SensitivityAuto ISO, manual (80 ? 6400 ISO)

Shake ReductionCCD-shift Shake Reduction

LensFocal Length 5-100mm, equ. to 28-560mm in 35mm, aperture : F/3,1 - 4,8

Digital Zoom

• Optical Zoom:20X

• Digital Zoom: Approx. 7.2 X

• Smart Zoom Approx. 30x at 7M, approx. 144X at 640 (including optical zoom)

Construction11 elements in 8 groups (1 aspherical elements )

Focusing SystemTypeTTL autofocus with contrast détention

FunctionsManual Focus, Infinity-landscape

Focus Range (automatic)

AF points

Standard

1.6m - infinity (at tele setting)

3-point AF, Spot AF, Auto tracking AF (anticipating moving subject), 0.4m - infinity (at wide setting)

Macro

0.1m - 0.5m (at wide setting)

Super Macro

0.01m - 0.2m (middle zoom position)

ScreenType3’’ LCD Colour screen

Resolutionapprox.460K points

ShutterTypeElectronical shutter with sheduled automatic exposition

Speed1/2500  - 1/4 sec.  4 sec max. (Night Scene mode setting)

Exposure systemMeteringMulti-segment metering  

Exposure Modes Auto Picture, Program, Natural Skin Tone, Handheld Night Snap, Night Scene Portrait, Night Scene, Digital Panorama, Landscape, Blue Sky, Sunset, Flower, Digital SR, Kids, Pet, Portrait, Food, Fireworks, Surf & Snow, Sport, Fish-eye, Sketch, Miniature Filter, Text, Frame composite, Movie, Green.

Compensation+/-2EV (1/3 EV steps)

FlashType Integrated auto flash control

Automatic activation in low light conditions.

ModesFlash-on and Flash-off modes "Red-eye" reduction function

Effective Range

Flash range Wide: approx. 0.2 ? 5.1m (ISO Auto) Tele: approx. 1.6 ? 3.3m (ISO Auto)

Exposure ParametersModes Mode: Standard, self timer,burst shooting, high speed burst (L,M,H****), Remote control DRE: "Dynamic Range Enlargement", shades compensation: high lights 

Face Recognition Face recognition AF&AE is available for all modes up to 32 faces, Smile Capture, Blink Detection, animal recognition

White BalanceAuto, Daylight, Shade, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Manual setting

Digital Filter B&W/Sepia, Toy Camera, Retro, Color, Extract Color, Starburst, Soft, Fish-eye, Brightness, Miniature, Natural Skin Tone, Sketch

MovieRecording

Sound : Yes

Movie : Shake reduction Mode (SR)

Duration : Depends on memory card capacity

Resolution :

• VGA (640x480), approx 30/15 fps

• QVGA (320x240), approx 30/15 fps

• HD 1280 (1280 x 720p), approx 30:15 fps

EditingRecord as pictures, spilt movies.

PlaybackDigital Filter

B&W/Sepia, Toy Camera, Retro, Color, Extract Color, Starburst, Soft, Fish-eye, Brightness, Miniature, Natural Skin Tone, Sketch

Options

Slideshow, Image Rotation, Stretch Filter, Small Face Filter, Digital Filter (B&W/Sepia, Toy Camera, Retro, Color, Extract Color, Starburst, Soft, Fish-eye, Brightness, Miniature, Natural Skin Tone, Sketch), Frame Composite, Movie Editing, Red-eye Compensation, Resize, Cropping, Image Copy, Protect, DPOF, Startup Screen

StorageInternalApprox. 16MB

ExternalCompatible with SD, SDHC, SDXC memory cards

File Format

Photo format : JPEG (Exif 2.3), DCF 2.0, DPOF, PRINT Image Matching III

Video format : AVI (Motion JPEG), with sound

Special FeaturesFeatures

Text size: Standard, large

World time : 75 cities, 28 time zones

?Language

English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Japanese, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek, Russian, Thai, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese

PrintingFormatInterfaceInterfaceUSB2.0 (Hi-Speed), PC/AV terminal (NTSC/PAL, mono)

PowerSource

Battery : Rechargeable D-LI122 Luthium-ion battery

Optional AC adapter also available

PerformanceRecording capacity approx. 200 shots and 180 min in play mode.

DimensionsHeight60mm

Width108mm

Depth34mm

Weight191g (charged with battery) Approx. 170g (body only)

CompatibilityPCWindows XP SP3, (SP3), VistaTM and 7MacOS X 10.3.9 or aboveAccessoriesIncluded SoftwareSoftware: (CD-ROM) S-SW121

Kit ContentUSB cable I-USB7, AV-IAVC7 video cable,  rechargeable battery Li-ion D-DLI92, battery charger D-BC92, O-ST104 strap and software.

OptionalOptional AC adapter

Fujifilm F660EXR: From thrift-store find to priceless European vacation images

It takes a special camera to find a spot in your travel pack just weeks after picking it up at a local thrift shop for less than a couple of fancy Swiss espressos.

That’s exactly what happened recently when my wife and I flew to Switzerland to board a once-in-a-lifetime Rhine River cruise. I had been trying to decide what cameras would be small enough to take everywhere I went in Europe, but also could provide the quality I wanted to ensure I would not regret the choice when I returned home with hundreds maybe even thousands of images.

The choice was the Fujifilm F660EXR travel camera from 2012 that boasts a 15X compact superzoom with a 35mm equivalent lens ranging from a very wide 24mm to a more than adequate 360mm.

This combination meant there was nothing standing in the way of capturing the incredible vistas of the Rhine River valley complete with its magnificent castles, or the details of same castles from the comfort of our deck chairs. All this capability packaged with Fuji’s EXR technology and a 1/2"-inch, 16MP CMOS sensor with a generous 3.0-inch 460,000 dot LCD viewing panel.

For the beginner photographer who cares little about such details, these specs simply translate into a very capable camera.

But the impressive stats were not the only reason I chose to pack this camera rather than a host of other more capable possibilities filing my camera case.

What really convinced me was the camera’s superb performance discovered in the few weeks prior to the cruise. After running the camera through its paces, I gained complete confidence that it would deliver. That, and the fun factor of using this little gem to capture the spring woodlands around our home made the decision easy.

Now, to be fair, a big part of the decision revolved around the camera’s pocketability and, once again, the Fujifilm F660EXR proved too good to be true. Fuji made this thing so streamlined that there wasn’t a pocket it didn’t like.

I confess that Fuji’s magnificent little travel camera was not the only camera in my pack. The other travel companion was the miniaturized Pentax Q complete with a couple of its tiny lenses. Both cameras gave me everything I needed to capture the beauty of Switzerland and the Rhine River.

In this post, however, I am going to focus on the Fujifilm. For my separate post on the Pentax Q, click here. For my post on shooting street photography while on vacation, click here. And, for my post on capturing window box images in Europe click here.

As travel cameras go, the Fujifilm EXR F-series pack a real punch including their almost cult-like film-simulation settings including Velvia for vivid colours, Provia for a more natural look, Astia for a softer effect (excellent for portraits and people pictures) and, of couse, B&W and sepia settings.

Add to the film simulations a huge selection of picture modes for special effects or difficult exposure situations. A particularly useful addition is Fujifilm’s impressive pro-focus selection that creates an image with a soft background that can be varied depending on your preference.

The list of features the camera includes are too numerous to list here but of note is the ability shoot in every mode imaginable from manual to aperature and shutter priority for those who want to take full control of the camera, to the EXR mode that looks at the scene and selects the best option for the finest results. Unlike a typical “program” mode – the Fujifilm has this mode as well – the EXR uses the camera’s most advanced abilities to ensure high-quality images even in the worst or most difficult lighting conditions often involving taking a series of images and then incorporating them into a single, high-resolution image.

The above images and the following ones are just a few of the images taken on the European vacation. For more images taken on with the Fujifilm F660EXR film camera – including some of my favourite images not taken on the vactation, watch for my photo gallery which will be appearing here at a later date.

Fujifilm F660EXR Specs

Body type: Compact

Max resolution: 4608 x 3456

Effective pixels: 16 megapixels

Sensor size: 1/2" (6.4 x 4.8 mm)

Sensor type: EXR CMOS

ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 (6400 and 12800 with boost)

Focal length: (equiv.)24–360 mm

Max aperture: F3.5–5.3

Screen size: 3″

Screen dots: 460,000

Max shutter speed: 1/2000 sec

Storage types: SD/SDHC/SDXCUSBUSB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

Weight (inc. battery): 217 g (0.48 lb / 7.65 oz)

Autofocus

• Contrast Detect (sensor)

• Multi-area

• Center

• Tracking

• Single

• Continuous

• Face Detection

Digital zoom Yes (2x)

Macro focus range: 5 cm (1.97″)

Based on the Fujifilm FinePix F-series history, there were at least 10 distinct EXR-model travel cameras released between 2009 and 2013.

10 distinct EXR-model travel cameras released between 2009 and 2013 

These cameras were characterized by the EXR CMOS sensor technology, designed for high-resolution, low light, or high-dynamic-range shooting in a compact, portable body ideal for travel photography or as an everyday carry camera.

Key models in the Fujifilm EXR F travel zoom lineup included:

• F200EXR in 2009 – the first to feature the EXR sensor

  F80EXR/F85EXR (2010)

• F300EXR/F305EXR (2010) introduced Phase Detection AF

• F500EXR/F505EXR/F555 (introduced in 2011 adding GPS and RAW capabilities

• F600EXR/F605EXR/ (introduced in 2011)

• F660EXR/F665EXR Introduced in 2012

• F770EXR/F775EXR introduced in 2012 along with the 20X zoom

• F800EXR/F820EXR introduced 2012-2013

• F800EXR/F820EXR introduced in 2012-2013

• F900EXR introduced in 2013

The Fujifilm FinePix F660EXR is a 15x compact superzoom built around the company's EXR technology. It features the same 1/2" type 16MP CMOS sensor as the co-announced F770EXR, along with the same 3.0" 460,000 dot LCD but loses the more expensive camera's zoom range, GPS and Raw-shooting capability. It still offers an impressive 24-360mm equivalent stabilized zoom and 1080p movie shooting.

My first impressions of the Lensbaby Velvet 56.

If you wanted to pick the perfect partner for flower photography, it would be hard to beat a Lensbaby.

“What the heck is a Lensbaby,?” you may ask.

Think a specialized lens (system) that is almost designed specifically to photograph flowers. And, not just your typical flower photography, Lensbaby is all about encouraging photographers to take a creative approach to flower and garden photography using built-in, selective-focus techniques.

Suffice it to say that Lensbaby offers a selection of different lenses for most of the major camera brands that uses various “selective-focus” techniques giving photographers incredible opportunities to expand their creative approach to flower photography. Although the lenses are not limited to flower or garden images – they also excel at portrait and landscape photography – there is no question that garden and flower photography is certainly their sweet spot.

In the company’s own words: “Lensbaby revolutionized creative photography forever with our unique award-winning creative-effect camera lenses. Known for their distinctive in-camera effects, our lenses and optics allow photographers to highlight specific areas of an image while creating effects that can't be mimicked.”

This post is going to focus on my first impressions of the Lensbaby Velvet 56 after taking it to the local public garden greenhouse and putting it to use for a couple of hours one afternoon in the cold of winter.

Lensbaby lenses have been around in different forms since 2004, but they have taken giant steps in just the past few years with the introduction of their Velvet series of lenses – the 28mm, the 56mm and the 85mm.

Check out Amazon for the complete listing of Lensbaby lenses and accessories, including a book about using the various Lensbaby products.

Lensbaby describes the effect as: “The Velvet effect is … designed to produce images with a uniquely soft and velvety appearance, reminiscent of classic portrait lenses from the past. They combine a sharp central focus with a smooth, ethereal glow in the out-of-focus areas, resulting in images that exude a romantic and timeless quality. The Velvet effect is particularly well-suited for portraits, still life, and any subject where a touch of artistic flair is desired. It adds a sense of depth and emotion to the image, enhancing its storytelling potential and evoking a sense of nostalgia. With its distinctive rendering and dreamy aesthetic, the Velvet effect allows photographers to create images that are both visually stunning and emotionally compelling.”

Okay, no mention of flower and garden photography, – a real miss on their part – but trust me, you will love the results.

So here are just a few more images made with the Velvet56 in just a few short hours in the greenhouse. All the images were made, handheld with an Olympus EM10 digital camera.

Although shooting handheld is a lot easier and fun than lugging around a tripod, I prefer to use a tripod if possible to ensure accurate focus and to force me to slow down and fully explore the possibilities each flower offers.

Lensbaby lenses are all manual-focus and can be difficult to get pin-point focussing accuracy at times because of their inherent soft-focus attributes. Focusing the lenses closed down (at f8 for example) and then opening them up to f5.6 -f2.8 prior to capturing the image is always a good idea. I find using a focusing aid such as a hoodman (amazon link) on the back of the camera’s focusing screen can go a long way to ensuring proper focus.

Learning to use the Velvet line of lenses is not difficult. Besides having to manually focus the lenses like vintage manual focus lenses, and setting the f-stop manually, the lenses simply mount on your camera and are ready to use. In most cases it is best to set your camera to use aperture priority. This way you can let the camera choose the ISO setting and the shutter speed to get proper exposure.

In conclusion, I recommend anyone who is serious about flower or garden photography to seriously consider adding one of the many Lensbaby lenses to their camera bag. The lenses are often available at very good prices on places like Facebook marketplace, e-bay or other on-line locations.

You can also check out camera outlets such as KEH, BH cameras and Henry’s cameras.

Modern cameras and post processing turn vintage lens into a woodland/wildlife gem

Years ago, I owned a Ricoh 600mm mirror lens. It was an f8 lens at a time when Kodachrome 64 was the film of choice and every image cost more than a few pennies.

The combination of manual focus with a darkened f8 viewfinder and a very slow shutter speed, together with a minuscule depth of field, made getting proper focus extremely difficult. Successful images were few and far between and the cost of film made using it difficult to justify.

Needless to say a tripod and static subject was almost a necessity for success. And even then, it was wise to take several images to score a few respectably sharp ones.

A lot has changed since then, and a long supertelephoto mirror lens with a fixed F8 aperture is no longer considered quite the liability it once was.

Modern in-camera stabilization or IBIS, the ability to dramatically increase ISO and the freedom to shoot an unlimited number of digital images at no cost, transforms the mirror lens’s capabilities. Add to that, modern post processing programs with AI sharpening capabilities, and those near misses resulting from the super shallow depth of field, quickly become a thing of the past.

In the short time I have owned the lens – and thanks to modern technology – I have found a corner in my camera bag and arsenal of photography tools for the Tamron 500mm constant f8 mirror lens. A major plus for the lens is its incredibly small size and especially its weight at only 575g.

And, for the mere $75 Canadian I paid for the mint-condition lens, I can say that it has already easily paid for itself a couple of times over. I expect even greater things in the spring, when I can get out and really put it to the test.

Just for comparison, a modern autofocus Nikon 800mm f6.3 lens will set you back about $8,500.00 US, or well over $10,000.00 Canadian. Now, it may not be fair to make the comparison, but it’s nevertheless still interesting. I guess it’s better not to even mention the $29,000.00 U.S. Canon 1200mm f8.

If a super telephoto lens with the latest autofocus technology is not something you would use regularly, a mirror lens like this Tamron SP 500mm might be the perfect compromise. I’m currently using it with my Pentax K5 APSC camera but will also be mounting it on my M4/3 bodies with an adapter. And, if I ever have the desire to shoot for the moon, attaching the 500mm mirror lens to my Pentax Q would give me the equivalent of about a 2,500mm lens.

Now that’s some pulling-in power.

In the meantime, I’m enjoying putting my $75 mirror lens through its paces in the eye of a Canadian cold front.

Mirror lenses making a comeback

If you’ve been following the latest trends in photography, you’ll know that mirror lenses are beginning to have a little resurgence of late.

TT Artisan, for instance, has released a tiny 250mm f5.6 mirror lens (Amazon link) that is making waves among photographers looking for a small, carry around lens with some telephoto reach. Its small size makes it perfect to carry around and the shorter focal length makes it easier to use whether you are shooting landscapes or street scenes.

And the donut bokeh that was always cited as a problem in the past, is being embraced by a new breed of creative photographers looking for a way to have their images noticed on social media.

But that’s not the only reasons mirror lenses are making a comeback.

Let me explain.

Super telephoto that fits in your bag

On my APS-sized sensor on the Pentax K5 with IBIS, that 500mm becomes a close-focusing 750-800mm, f8 lens. Not only does the in-camera stabilization make it hand holdable in bright conditions, but the ability to bump ISO to unheard of levels when the lens was originally released in 1979, turns a once almost unusable lens into an everyday carry for photographers looking for an inexpensive super telephoto that easily fits into a camera bag.

It’s long reach is really only half the reason for my recent love affair.

Close-focussing from a distance

Its close-focussing capabilities are also worthy of mention. With a minimum focussing distance of 1.7meters (around 5-6 feet) and a magnification ratio of 1:3, the possibilities in the garden are endless.

The birds in this post, for example, were mostly right outside my window. And, while I had my fair share of throwaway images due to missed focus, the keepers make it all worthwhile.

Unusual bokeh can be a benefit

The other half is the unusual bokeh this lens exhibits. I’m not talking about the weird donut rings that can be effective but are mostly just annoying unless they are used creatively, I’m talking about the “other” bokeh few people seem to focus on when talking about mirror lenses. It’s a painterly effect that can be quite beautiful given the right situation.

The owl image above gives a hint of the painterly bokeh in the out-of-focus green leaves in the background. The image below of a Junco in a snowstorm with two textures added, takes the painterly look to the extreme.

A little background on the lens

The Tamron 500mm mirror or catadioptric lens was originally introduced in 1979 as the smallest and lightest 500mm mirror telephoto lens ever produced. The lens was significant because it changed the thinking of optical engineers in the industry primarily because it uses Mangin mirrors. Mangin mirrors are lenses with one side of the lens being either aluminized or, in the case of Tamron's mirror lenses, silvered for peak reflectivity.

Light passes and refracts through the unsilvered front side of the lens element, reflects off the aluminized or silvered back surface, and then the light again passes and refracts through the front side of the lens element. The whole point of using Mangin mirrors within a catadioptric lens is to reduce weight and size by getting away from the heavy solid catadioptric lens designs and earlier conventional mirror lens designs which were nowhere as compact."

There are two versions of the Tamron adaptable lens known as 55B. One version is the same size as the later 55BB and has a screw in hood (This is the one I own.). The other is about 15mm longer body and has an integral sliding hood.
The 55B's are easily distinguishable from the later 55BB by the presence of the tripod mount, and the ribbed rather than dimpled pattern of the rubber grip. The lens was manufactured from 1979 to 1983.

For those who care, the optical construction is 7 elements in 4 groups. It has the high end BBAR multi coatings and a minimum focus distance (mm from film plane) 1.7m, with a magnification ratio 1:3
and a filter diameter: 82mm front; 30.5mm rear. It normally comes with a deep flock lined screw on metal hood that inverts for storage. Its Length (at infinity) 8.7cm with a weight of only 575g.

Water is critical for wildlife during extreme cold

A dependable source of water can be a critical factor deciding whether your backyard wildlife make it through extreme cold conditions.

The temperatures, often freezing overnight, make it difficult for our backyard birds – especially when it comes to obtaining water. Even those of us who are vigilant about keeping our feeders full, too often underestimate the importance of a reliable water source.

Ensuring a reliable source of fresh water is probably more important to our backyard birds than a source of food. Birds naturally store seeds leading up to winter and they can forage in our gardens for additional sources of food throughout winter.

But, having access to water becomes much more difficult.

So, when our bird bath heater stopped working during a recent cold spell, I didn’t hesitate to go in search of another one. That led me directly to the Urban Nature Store where I had a choice of a number of heated bird bath alternatives from simple units that drop into existing bird baths to more extravagant bird baths with the heating element is embedded in the bird bath.

The selection was truly impressive. It’s important to note that heated birdbaths do not remain on at all times. Most have a thermal regulator on them that turns the unit off and on to maintain a water temperature just above freezing. This means the heater is not using electricity 24-hours a day.

I chose the K&H heater at $69 Canadian, but any of their offerings would have likely got the job done.

I must say, however, that this unit has performed exceptionally well, even in the record-cold temperatures we have experienced over the past couple of weeks.

We are lucky enough to live near a small, fast-flowing stream that provides emergency water sources to all our neighbourhood birds and wildlife that can easily access it.

However, I like to help out by ensuring a reliable water source in the garden. Not only does it make their lives a little easier, it attracts a wide variety of birds including many that may not regularly visit the feeders.

Squirrels are also regular visitors to the DIY birdbath.

For my other posts on bird baths, check out adding water to your garden and a DIY solar drip conversion.

Why water is critical for birds especially in winter

Water is critical to birds in the heat of the summer and even more important in the winter when traditional water sources are frozen over, including ponds and puddles. Bathing is an important part of a bird’s feather maintenance.

Wetting the feathers in a bird bath helps to loosen dirt and makes feathers easier to preen.

When preening, birds carefully rearrange the feathers and spread oil from the preen gland so they remain waterproof and trap an insulating layer of air underneath to keep them warm. That’s vital during cold winters where I live, especially when temperatures and wind chills can reach a bone chilling -30C and beyond and stay that way for days.

In fact, this has been a particularly bad winter in our area with prolonged periods of well-below freezing temperatures even during daylight hours. As I write this at around 11 am on January 31st, the outside temperature stands at minus 15 Celsius with a windchill of minus 23C. For those still using farenheit, that’s 5F and minus 10F with the windchill.

Birds lack sweat glands, so they traditionally need less water than mammals. They do, however, lose water both through respiration and in their droppings. Many insectivorous birds get most of their water from their food, but seed-eating birds, which are our most popular visitors in winter, have a dry diet and need to drink several times a day.

The appeal of a reliable water source may even be a stronger draw to birds than a well-stocked feeder, especially if there is no other reliable water source in the area.

Attract birds to your heated bird bath

If you set up your heated bird bath in a separate area to where you normally have your bird bath, or your heated bird bath is entirely new to your garden, don’t be surprised if it takes a while for the birds to discover and be comfortable using it.

I have a couple of small feeders in the dogwood just above the heated bird bath, so there are always lots of birds around. Be sure to locate the feeder far enough away from the bird bath to ensure that the seed does not fall into the water.

My feeder is located just outside of our French door allowing me to photograph the birds from the comfort of our home. Consider locating yours near a window where you can both appreciate and/or photograph them.

To encourage birds to use your heated birdbath, be sure to set it up in a safe area of the garden. In winter, birds need even more cover in case of attack. We have a Coopers Hawk that visits regularly looking to make our birds into a meal.

Include perches above the bird bath to allow the birds to come down and check out the bird bath from a short distance. Include stones or landing spots inside the bird bath where smaller birds can either drink from or wade into the water slowly.

The stones also help hold the heat in the birdbath and offer birds more of an ice-free area to drink from the birdbath.

Build your own photo studio for the birds

With this in mind, I set about creating both a reliable water source and a backyard photo studio and reflection pond. In fact, I have two: one large reflecting pool and a smaller heated pool that will be the main source of water in the yard when the temperatures turn to freezing.

Our DIY project started with a round, medium-size black plastic basin that I picked up from a local nursery for just over $10.00. It’s a couple inches deep, so it’s perfect for small- and medium-sized birds to use safely. Larger birds, like jays and robins, will not hesitate to create havoc in the bath as they splash about, but we’re all good with their daily antics.

This bird bath is quickly becoming the gathering place for our backyard birds.

It sits on a concrete bench just outside our family room French door where I can easily monitor the water levels. At the same time, it’s close enough that I can use it to capture photographs of our feathered friends enjoying a bath. And, I can do it from the warmth of our family room.

An electric heater from was carefully placed in the bird bath and hidden with a thick layer of pea gravel and a few larger river rocks to give the birds a landing spot.

A birch branch across the back will help to stabilize the bird bath in case a large bird or animal decides to use it as their personal bath tub. It also creates a lovely background for the birds using the feeder. A few other branches help to hide the edge of the plastic tray, give it a little more stability and add to its natural appearance.

The heater, buried in pea gravel, keeps the bird bath ice-free in the coldest temperatures but remain hidden under the gravel.

The heated pea gravel also plays a role in helping to keep the water ice-free, but, if necessary, adding a kettle full of hot water on particularly cold mornings will keep the water open.

The pea gravel also provides birds with a gradual slope into the water much like a sandy beach. This allows birds of all sizes to enter the water to a comfortable depth, and put them in a position that creates good photographic opportunities.

Although the goal was to create a reflection pond that doubles as a heated bird bath, the round plastic dish comes up a bit short to capture perfect reflections of the birds on a regular basis. It will work nicely for a small bird on the pea gravel, but the reflection will likely fall just short for a larger bird like a blue jay or cardinal.

Buy locally grown for the best seed

Trying to save a buck when it comes to bird seed is not a wise decision… for a lot of reasons.

I found that out recently when I decided to pick up some cheap bird food at a local store known more for, let’s say, its car parts rather than bird food.

The specialty bird store I usually buy my seed from is in the next city over and involves a 20-minute drive, so I kept putting it off until it was too late and I needed to quickly restock my supply before a snowstorm hit.

The result is a large bag of bird seed that is maybe okay for the local squirrels and mice. (I’m actually putting the seed beneath our owl box hoping to attract mice to it to provide a ready-made food source for our little screech owl who lives in the yard.)

But, in searching the internet for a closer specialty store that stocks the seed cylinders I love so much, I discovered The Urban Nature Store – a Canadian-based bird and nature store that just happens to be located right in the small town where I live.

Turns out it’s been hiding just a couple kilometres away in plain sight for close to a year.

Why is this important? Because it verified what I already knew but choose to ignore to save a buck – high quality bird seed makes all the difference in the world. Not only high quality seed, but preferably seed that is locally sourced.

Not only will a higher quality of seed attract more birds to your yard, it will attract a greater variety of birds.

Let me explain.

On my first visit to The Urban Nature Store, I picked up a bag of nyger seed and a 25-pound bag of what they call their “no-mess blend” of bird seed.

My existing nyger seed was bringing in a grand total of zero gold finches, juncos or even sparrows, but within one day of filling the feeder with this new nyger seed, I had flocks of Juncos waiting in line to get their fill of this black gold. Today, I have a combination of juncos goldfinches and chipping sparrows lining up at the nyger feeder to get their fill of this important, high energy winter food source.

There is a good reason why the old nyger proved unattractive to our backyard birds – it had simply dried out probably before I even brought it home. (For more on Nyger seed, go to my earlier post here.)

A few days after refilling the nyger feeders with this locally-purchased seed, I emptied our regular feeders at our main feeding station that was full of the cheap seed and replaced it with the no-mess blend seed from The Urban Nature Store. I also put one of the store’s seed cylinders up and within hours the feeding station was boiling over with birds lining up for a taste of this new seed. Cardinals, Blue Jays, Goldfinches, Dark eyed Juncos, mourning Doves, sparrows and a mix of woodpeckers including red-breasted and downy, just to name a few.

This was more bird action than I ever really got from even the best seed from my “other” specialized bird store in the next town over. This was truly remarkable.

The mess-mix is packaged in Canada using local and international ingredients, and combines sunflower hearts, peanut halves, dried cranberries and raisin. The mix is perfect for those who want to serve a variety of premium seeds with no messy leftovers. No shells means everything is eaten. The Nature Store reports that the seed mix is very popular with cardinals, chickadees, warblers and finches. Not sure about warblers, since they are primarily insect-eating birds.

And, since I have been using this seed, the number of birds at our feeding stations has only grown steadily.

“So what’s the difference?” you may ask.

Besides being a high-quality seed, an important difference is where it was sourced and the closer to home the better. This happens to be a Canadian-based store that sources much of its seed locally.

Who knows where big box stores source their seeds from, and I know that the other “specialized bird store” I purchased my seed from in the past was American based and likely sourced much of their seed from the U.S.

The closer you can purchase your seed, the more success you are likely to have. If you are based in the U.S., look for seed that was sourced nearby. The same holds true for U.K. based readers.

In the case of nyger seed, which mostly comes from Africa, the critical factors are how old the seed is and, if it has been overcooked in ovens that remove the natural oils that give the seed its nutrients. Purchasing from a specialized bird food store helps guarantee high turnover and is less likely to leave you buying old seed that has not been handled properly.

Not only has the seed from my local Nature Store been a magnet for local birds, the seed cylinder that I purchased is still going strong more than a week after mounting it, despite continued snow and rainfall that often prematurely weakens other seed cylinders I have used in the past. The fact it has held up so well means an extended run for the woodpeckers rather than the seed cylinder breaking up and falling to the ground for the squirrels and other critters.

If you have taken the time to check out The urban Nature Store link here, you will find that it is a wholly-owned and operated chain of Canadian stores with its head offices based in Toronto. It does offer mail-order for some products for anyone who does not live near one of its 9 store locations in

• Ancaster/Hamilton

• Etobicoke/Toronto West

• Kingston

• Markham

• Mississauga

• North York/Toronto East

• Oshawa

• Pickering

• St. Catharines

I encourage all my readers to check out their impressive web site and support a truly Canadian company.

However, I recognize that we have many American and UK followers who cannot or choose not to purchase from The Canadian based Urban Nature Store.

All I am saying is that whenever possible – especially when it comes to purchasing bird seed – buy it from a local supplier. If the results I am having means anything, It really does make a difference.

Fresh bird seed that comes from a locally sourced supplier can make all the difference in the world to your bird feeding success.

Lensbaby takes creative flower photography to new heights

Winter has set in and taken a firm hold of the garden, but that’s no reason not to let the sunshine in.

This week I decided to pick up a bouquet of flowers so I could get back to one of my favourite pastimes – photographing flowers. Rather than shooting in the garden, I brought a little of the garden into the kitchen where a large bay window allows a lovely soft light to bathe the flowers.

Even if you have no intention of photographing the flowers, it’s never a bad idea to bring a little sunshine into our homes during the long days of winter. We could all benefit from a little happiness these days.

It turned out to be the perfect opportunity to put a few Lensbaby lenses to good use. The following images are a little taste of my morning with a trio of Lensbaby lenses.

Getting creative with a trio of Lensbaby lenses

If you are not familiar with Lensbaby lenses, they are specially designed lenses aimed at encouraging photographers to have a little fun by adding a more creative element to their images, mostly in the form of selective and soft focus.

Unlike traditional lenses, the goal is not to attaina perfectly sharp, sterile image.

One Youtuber describes experimenting with Lensbabies like sitting at the high school lunch table with all the artsy students complete with body piercings, vintage clothing and “interesting hair colour.” Now, while I can’t say that would describe me in high school, it sure sounds like hanging out with them would be a lot more fun than talking calculus.

Nothing wrong with perfectly sharp, perfect sterile images, but, when it comes to creative flower photography, sharp and sterile just doesn’t make the grade.

For these images, I used a combination of a Lensbaby 2.0 with a double-glass element 50mm lens, a Lensbaby Velvet56, and a Lensbaby Composer with a double-glass element 50mm. In addition, I used Lensbaby’s 4X and 10X macro filters to move in extremely close for some images. The macro filters can be stacked for even closer views.

All Lensbaby lenses are manual focus and do not have electrical contacts to communicate with your camera body. As a result, settings on many cameras need to be adjusted to work with these lenses. I usually use them on aperture priority and use the +/- compensation adjustment for fine tuning the correct exposure.

There are several other Lensbaby lenses available that create a variety of different effects.

For more information on Lensbaby lenses, go to the Lensbaby website here.

Here is an Amazon link to Lensbaby lenses for those interested in pursuing this very fun and rewarding form of photography.

While Lensbaby lenses can be used for any type of photography including portraiture, street photography and landscapes, they really shine when it comes to capturing soft, delicate and impressionistic images of flowers.

These images are just a few examples of my recent morning with a trio of Lensbabies and a handful of flowers on a cold winter morning.

Using Ai as a learning tool

Whatever you think of Ai, there’s no denying that it is here to stay. The question many are asking is: Will AI be used for good, or for evil?

The answer to that question is still being written. Luminar Neo, however – unlike many other photo processing programs – is putting its support on the side of good.

To be more precise, Luminar Neo is tapping into the power of AI to use it as more of an educational and learning tool, than one to dramatically manipulate images.

At least that is my initial impression after putting it to the test with a number of my images. The focus seems to be at least as much about education as it is about transforming images.

Understanding the capabilities of modern photo editing programs and techniques has never been more important.

After all, getting the most out of our images, whether they are from our latest vacation, pictures of our kids, grandchildren or flowers in our garden, is the goal for most of us.

The before and after pictures of the red barns are examples of how, with a little knowledge, we can transform boring images into dramatic ones simply by understanding a little about post processing techniques.

So how does Luminar Neo’s AI assistant help us achieve similar results?

The image below shows one of three suggested edits from the Luminar Neo AI assistant module. The image is much better than the original, but falls short in comparison to the full edited version at the top of the page.

Over time, however, we the AI assistant teaches us how to achieve desired results by explaining what tools were used and making suggestions on how the image can be improved.

How it works

Luminar Neo’s AI Assistant is available in both the Presets and Edit tabs and users can simply input text prompts to get AI Assistant’s editing suggestions. 

There are two types of prompts.

 Action prompts, like “Enhance this photo,” provide tailored recommendations with three adjustment sets and live previews, while How-to prompts, like “How do I remove this object?,” offer step-by-step guidance and buttons to quickly find the right tools in Luminar Neo.

 It’s like having a personal editing advisor at your fingertips, helping you explore creative possibilities and discover the best tools and workflow for every image. You can use text commands in all Luminar Neo languages.

Back to our discussion about using AI in our work flow.

Knowledge about the tools available helped me create the top image. The original image’s sky was replaced and dramatic lighting was added in Luminar Neo’s Light Depth module.

In the past, we took pictures, today we make images

In photography, we often talk about “making” images rather than simply taking them. In the past, that most often was referring to “making” images in-camera during the analogue era of photography. Making images today with modern post processing can be taken a step further to include anything from minor enhancements to the photograph and removing distractions, to completely changing the image by adding elements not in the original image.

I’m not here to debate the validity of the different “levels” of enhancement, except to say that every photographer has to define the line they are not willing to cross. If you take a photojournalist approach to your photography, only minor enhancements are appropriate. If, however, photography is more a creative outlet for you, the same restrictions would not apply.

Important note: If you are looking to dramatically transform your images using ai, chances are you are not going to find those capabilities in this version of Luminar Neo’s AI module.

What you will find, however, is the ability to make positive, yet more subtle, changes to your images, while at the same time getting a thorough education on, not only what the program is doing to the image, but how the photographer can take control of the post processing and add their own creative effects using Luminar Neo’s wide range of creative modules.

For the beginning photographer who has not yet perfected the art of post processing, this Ai module is a tool that promises to transform their images over time and equip them with the knowledge they need to “make” outstanding images.

It might be the best use of Ai in any photographic post processing program. Understanding how to use post processing tools is much more important than just telling your computer to do the work. Luminar Neo does exactly that by adding three informative text-based explanations of changes it suggests for the particular image.

A good illustration is this image of a baby picking flowers at a local garden.

Once the Ai module is opened in Luminar Neo, the photographer is faced with two questions: 1) Typing in a command to enhance the image; or, asking the ai module how to use the tools available in Luminar Neo to make changes to the photograph.

The first suggested prompt is a simple one and a good starting point: “Enhance this image.”

If you choose this prompt, the program goes into action generating three different suggestions to enhance the image.

For this image the suggestions range from boosting the highlights and shadows and adding more golden light, to increasing depth of field and making colour harmony adjustments.

Other simple commands that are available to users include changing the photograph to a B&W image.

More important are commands to teach the user how to change the image. Questions such as: how do I remove distracting elements in the image, or how do I improve the skin tones in the image?

The result is a list of suggestions the program makes to guide the user to the appropriate modules to make the changes themselves. The result, a better understanding of the capabilities of the program and how to use it to make the images you originally envisioned.

Luminar Neo is continually improving their Ai features and will certainly further refine many of the features in their recently released AI module.

Meanwhile, beginner photographers have a built-in assistant to help them learn the intricacies of the program and expand their post processing knowledge with the end goal of creating images anyone would be proud to share with friends and family.

If you are interested in further exploring Luminar Neo and its features, please use my link here.

Forget-me-nots and other flowering ground covers for the woodland

Few spring-blooming flowers easier to grow than Forget-me-nots, or Myosotis, if you like to impress your friends with Latin names.

These charming, low-growing spring flowers, that are well known for their tiny, delicate blue blossoms with yellow centres – though they can also be pink or white – want nothing more than cool, moist conditions to spread throughout your garden. And woodland gardens usually have plenty of these conditions to offer.

I think I started with a packet or two thrown in an out-of-the-way spot in the woodland garden several years ago. Today, these usually biennial plants put on a lovely show in the early spring just when the garden is waking up.

Last spring, during my extensive exploration of the woodland around our home, I stumbled up large swaths of these lovely little spring bloomers. If Mother Nature taught me anything, She showed me that growing Forget-me-nots for impact was not for the timid.

The larger the swaths the better. In fact, I first noticed these flowers on my walks in the woods from a distance. One morning, a blue mist far down the path rose up from the spring greens and caught my eye. (see image below).

Little did I know that it was the beginning of Forget-me-not season in our little woodland. The plants seemed to be everywhere – circling trees, edging forest paths, weaving their way through the forest and around other native plants.

Forget-me-nots are well-suited for woodland gardens due to their ability to naturalize and spread, creating a carpet of color under trees and shrubs. Their early spring blooms attract pollinators, supporting local wildlife and contributing to the garden's ecological balance.

When planting forget-me-nots en masse, you can achieve a stunning visual impact, creating a lush carpet of blooms that enhances the overall aesthetic appeal of the garden. This planting technique not only adds a cohesive look but also mimics the way these plants grow in the wild, forming beautiful clusters that blend seamlessly with the surrounding vegetation.

These plants require minimal care but benefit from occasional watering during dry spells and deadheading to prolong blooming. By incorporating forget-me-nots into your woodland garden, you not only elevate its beauty but also support local wildlife and promote biodiversity, making them a perfect choice for any nature enthusiast.

In my walk through the woods, there were few single plants popping up here and there. These were communities of Forget-me-nots working together, and the effect was truly memorable.

We need to bring some of this abundance into our gardens, even if it is just for a brief time in spring.

Grow theses plants around trees to highlight them in spring. Put them in large swaths so that from a distance their tiny flowers form a beautiful blue mist arising from a corner of our garden (see above image), and tuck them along pathways so they guide your way to a favourite destination.

Along the way, you will be joined by early pollinators.

A little background: Forget-me-nots are from the genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae. In the Northern Hemisphere, they are known as forget-me-nots or scorpion grasses and are the official flower of both Alaska and Daisiand, Sweden.

The name comes from Ancient Greek and means "mouse's ear", which the foliage is thought to resemble.

Their foliage is alternate, and their roots are generally diffuse. They typically flower in spring or soon after the melting of snow in alpine regions.

If nature teaches us anything, it is to be bold with our plantings. As a spring ground cover, Forget-Me-Nots can really bring a smile to our faces.

The flower is native to Europe, Asia, and North America.

Unfortunately these little flowers are not long-lived and, as they say, death is not their finest hour. That’s when they grow leggy, dry up, and are often beset by powdery mildew in their waning days. To ensure a good crop the following year, however, it’s important to resist the temptation to pull them up, before they finish setting seeds.

If living with their ugly dead stems is too much, intermingle lots of perennials and annuals where they are growing to help cover up their unsightly dead stems.

These hardy, self-seeding plants thrive in cool, moist conditions, often used to edge beds with spring bulbs like tulips, but some varieties can become invasive, so deadheading is key if you don't want them to spread. far and wide.

They're tough, attract pollinators, and offer a lovely texture in woodland, rock, or container gardens

Forget-me-nots prefer cool weather and moist soil. They grow best in lightly shaded areas, but in wet soil they can take full sun. In hot-summer climates, they need shade and extra moisture to survive.

Forget-me-nots are easy to start from seeds. Just scatter seeds in a shady garden area at the end of summer. The seedlings will have plenty of time to settle in before winter. You can also start seeds indoors, but, why bother. Keep it simple and distribute seed generously in areas of the garden. Your efforts will eventually be rewarded.

How they got their name

Legend has it that a French knight walking along a river with his lady and a clutch of flowers fell into the current. Before sinking into the river forever, he threw the flowers to his lady, shouting don't “forget me.” Not sure if it’s true but there is a lesson here. When walking along a river with heavy armour on, leave the flowers be. In fact, we shouldn’t be picking any flowers in nature. Lesson learned the hard way.

Back to the plants: they are really a short-lived perennial best grown as an annual. However, it can also be grown as a biennial by planting seed in the ground in mid-summer for bloom the following year.

Of course, Forget-me-nots are just one of many woodland plants to consider as ground covers in our gardens.

Combine other Native Ground Covers with Forget-me-nots

Native plants play a crucial role in garden ecosystems, promoting biodiversity and supporting local wildlife. When considering native ground covers for your woodland garden, trilliums, wild geranium and Canada anemones are excellent options and can work well growing among the Forget-me-nots.

Trilliums, known for their three-petaled flowers, bring a touch of elegance to woodland settings. These plants not only add beauty but also provide essential habitat and food sources for insects and small mammals. When planting trilliums, ensure they are placed in well-draining soil with dappled sunlight to encourage healthy growth. Regular watering and mulching can help maintain their vibrant blooms throughout the season.

Canada anemones, with their delicate white flowers, offer a graceful alternative for ground cover. These plants thrive in moist, shady areas, making them ideal for woodland gardens. Canada anemones also attract pollinators and contribute to the overall ecosystem balance. To cultivate Canada anemones successfully, provide adequate moisture and space them out to allow for their spreading nature while keeping them in check to prevent overcrowding.

By incorporating trilliums and Canada anemones into your woodland garden, you not only enhance its visual appeal but also contribute to the preservation of local flora and fauna, creating a harmonious and thriving natural environment.

Concluding the exploration of native ground covers in woodland gardens, it is evident that incorporating plants like forget-me-nots and other native species offers a multitude of benefits. These ground covers not only enhance the visual appeal of your garden but also provide crucial support for local wildlife, promoting biodiversity and ecosystem balance. By planting these native species en masse, you can create a thriving habitat for insects, birds, and mammals, contributing to the preservation of local flora and fauna.

Textures add painterly effects to ethereal images

Ansel Adams once said you don’t “take a photograph, you make a photograph.”

Back then, Adams used the traditional darkroom to create magnificent Black and White images of the natural world, often times spending days in the darkroom “making” these images.

Today, the traditional darkroom has been replaced with the digital darkroom, turning the concept of “making” images rather than just “taking” them accessible to every photographer who chooses to explore their creativity and take their photography to new heights.

In this post, I am going to explore how, combining the inherent creativity built into every Lensbaby lens with the creative tools available in Luminar Neo, can change how you approach garden and flower photography as well as portraiture and landscapes.

• Go to the bottom of this post for the latest HOLIDAY offering from Luminar Neo

In case readers are unaware of the magical qualities of Luminar Neo post processing software and Lensbaby’s creative line of photographic lenses, let’s take a moment to familiarize ourselves with these creative photography tools.

Luminar Neo is a photo editing software package that combines ease of use with the power of Ai to assist photographers, who may have been hesitant to dive into more complex photo editing software in the past, to embrace the ease and convenience of a more simplified, yet powerful, editing program.

Lensbaby is a lens manufacturer that embraces and encourages photographers to push creativity by offering lenses with unique characteristics that create elegant, soft-focus effects, beautiful colour blending and soft ethereal results that enhance almost any image, especially in the garden, with flowers and portraits.

In the final days leading up to Christmas, Luminar Neo is offering a special “creative” Advent Calendar package just in time for photographers to give themselves a special gift for the season.

The lowest price is available now, but once the doors officially open, the cost will range from $119 to $159 depending on if you are a new or existing user.

The Advent Calendar includes 12 unique surprises, each hidden behind a daily window. Photographers can discover a new gift every day, such as:

🔸 Luminar license

🔸 Marketplace items (Skies, bundles and more)

🔸 X-membership subscription

🔸 Educational courses

There are different surprises depending on the Luminar Neo package you choose or currently own.

Check out the information at the end of this post for details on the special creative and educational packages.

Adding textures to existing images is rather simple with Luminar Neo’s intuitive photo editing program. It’s as simple as dropping a textured image on top of your main image and then choosing from a host of blend modes from a drop-down menu. Once the texture is applies and the blend mode chosen, it is up to the photographer to decide if they want to go farther using masks or a host of other editing modules within Luminar Neo.

One of my new favourite modules is Luminar Neo’s incredible “Light Depth” module that is capable of transforming flat, boring images into beautifully lit, three-dimensional images. Check out my earlier post here, for more on using the Light Depth module in Luminar Neo.

If you are interested in exploring Lensbaby lenses further, you can check prices here (Amazon.com) or here (KEH used camera exchange.) If you are interested in exploring Lensbaby lenses further, check out the offering of books available through Alibris used books here.

My earlier posts on Luminar Neo

Adding textures, manipulating lighting, or even repairing old family photos are just a few of the incredible bonus features offered by Luminar Neo’s comprehensive editing software. For more of my posts on the benefits of exploring Luminar Neo, I encourage you to check out the following posts.

• Exploring Luminar Neo mobile for your phone: click here.

• Exploring Luminar’s incredible photo restoration module: Click here.

• Can Luminar Neo act as your only photo editing program. Click here

Of course, garden flowers are not the only subject for Lensbaby lenses and Luminar Neo textured effects. Below is an image taken recently of our new flat Coated retreiver, Colby. This image was taken with the Lensbaby Velvet 56. The Velvet series of lenses are capable of truly beautiful results with an ethereal glow that is magnified depending on the f-stop used (from quite sharp at f5.6 through f16 and getting softer from F5.6 through to F2.

Two B&W textures were added to the original image to maintain the overall B&W, painterly effect.

The image below and the above images represent just a few of the creative approaches available to photographers using special effect lenses and/or filters, and combining them with the creative effects available through Luminar Neo. Please explore the links provided for my earlier posts on Luminar Neo and be sure to click below to check out all of the special deals on creative assets, tools and educational resource materials Luminar Neo is adding for their “creative advent calendar.”

Luminar Neo’s holiday calendar of gifts explained

From December 13th to 24th, open a new surprise every day and discover creative tools, content, and inspiration worth more than $1000.

The calendar can also be gifted to friends, family, or photography enthusiasts, making it a thoughtful and creative holiday present.

 Calendar Timeline:

• December 10: Presale begins with lower prices

• December 13–24: Daily windows open (one per day)

• December 16–25: Calendar available at full price

If you are like most of us, our phones are an integral part of capturing favourite memories.

Unfortunately, most of the images sit on our phones until we either get a new phone or delete them to save space. Sure, a fraction of them might make it to instagram, Facebook or sent via email to friends and family.

It’s rare, however, that these images are given the attention they deserve. It’s even rarer that they ever get an edit to fix problems and realize their full potential. Most are taken, forgotten and eventually deleted never to be seen again.

Throw away memories that are never printed and easily forgotten.

Luminar Neo is looking to change all that with their mobile app that packs much of their photo editing power into your phone. If that’s not enough, the folks at Luminar Neo are making transferring images from your phone to your laptop or desktop Luminar Neo post processing program as quick and easy as a few simple clicks.

• If you are an existing user to Luminar Neo, click here for more details.

• If you are a new user to Luminar Neo, click here for more details.

Do phone images even need editing?

You might say ‘my phone is capable of taking great images and don’t need to be edited.’

In many instances, images produced by your smartphone are very good. However, I can honestly say that most images can be improved with a quick edit, and many can be transformed with editing prior to publishing.

If, for instance, your instagram account is important to you, taking a few minutes to quickly edit your images is time well spent.

For example, If you are taking images in unusual conditions, such as at the beach with white sand, or in winter with snow, or directly into bright sun, you will need to edit the images before posting. If you are taking images is poorly lit areas, using your phone’s flash or maybe you need to remove distracting elements. In all these cases, you will need the capabilities of a powerful post processing program.

That’s where the Luminar Neo Mobile app goes into action.

Lighten the shadows to bring out detail in the backlit image, turn that blueish snow into the crisp white you remember. Crop it, add some warmth, improve skin tones and even turn to a little Ai magic to remove distractions in the image.

And, that’s not all. Many of the features on the full desktop program are available on the mobile version, including Luminar’s transformative “Light depth” module. For more on this outstanding light manipulation editing module, check out my earlier post here.

For more on Luminar Neo’s Holiday gift for photographers, check out my post here.

Finally, if you want your favourite smartphone images on your laptop or desktop for further post processing, transferring your mobile images to your laptop or desktop Luminar Neo program is as simple as a few quick clicks. All of the edits you made on the mobile app are transferred to your desktop ready for you to further refine the image.

The folks at Luminar Neo have taken huge strides in combining the power of our smartphones with the power of their ai-based post processing software to put the magic of Luminar Neo literally at our fingertips.

And they have slashed prices this holiday season to make Luminar Neo the perfect gift to give to yourself or your favourite photographer.

What you get and pricing packages

You might be surprised just how much processing power you get for a more than reasonable price. Luminar Neo’s Black Friday offers are live with discounts of up to 77% — the perfect moment to get the full Luminar Neo Ecosystem.

Here are some of the pricing details: Please use the click here to get the discounts through my affiliate with Luminar Neo.

Prices for new users: Click here for more details

Luminar Neo Desktop Perpetual: $99

Luminar Neo Cross-device Perpetual (Desktop + Mobile): $139

Luminar Neo Max Perpetual (Desktop + Mobile + Spaces): $159

Prices for existing users of Luminar Neo: Click here for more details.

Upgrade Pass: $49 
Ecosystem Pass: $69

Please use the two links above to get more information or to make a purchase. By using these affiliate links, I receive a small contribution at no extra cost to you for making the purchase.

Simplify post processing to a few simple clicks

If there is one tool that has transformed my photography more than anything else in the last year, it has been the introduction of Luminar Neo’s photo editing program to my post processing toolbox.

Now, it’s available for up to 77 per cent off an already very reasonable cost.

By simplifying the whole process of editing my digital images down to merely a few simple clicks, the photo editing software has made post processing not only a real joy, but a way for me to discover new, and exciting approaches to photography.

And, when I want to take my images to a whole new level, Luminar Neo’s extensive editing tools offer all the capabilities that more serious amateurs or professionals would want in a post processing package.

Add their most recent additions to an already extensive list of tools and post-processing modules, and it’s probably fair to say that Luminar Neo is not only the new kid on the block, but it managed to take the best of what’s around, simplify it and add its own unique creative editing modules to put this photo editing software in a league all its own.

Click here for pricing and details if you are a new user of Luminar Neo

Click here for pricing and details if you are an existing user of Luminar Neo.

Luminar Neo is also not resting on its laurels. They tell me that in the coming weeks they will also be introducing the beta of their AI Assistant, a powerful new tool arriving in Luminar Neo before the end of the year.

Light depth module

By far, Luminar Neo’s new “Light Depth” module is so transformative that it alone makes the program worth purchasing. The ability to change the light in your digital images to highlight areas of the scene from one with flat light, into one with a three-dimensional look, is game changing. Add to that, the ability to control the warmth and coolness of the scene both near and far – all with a few simple clicks – and it’s hard to not get excited about the possibilities.

Click here for my complete post showing the incredible results you can get from Luminar Neo’s Light Depth module.

Restoring old photos is so simple

In its latest release Luminar Neo has made professional photo restoration and colour conversion as simple as one click. And the results are literally astounding. There is no more need to pay professional photo restorers to bring back your family photos, it’s all built into the new version of this Ukraine-based post processing photo program.

Click here for my complete post showing the transformative results you can get from Luminar Neo’s new Restoration module.

Now you can get your own Space to show off your photos

No need for a fancy and expensive website, now you can get your own space to show friends and family your best images. As part of Luminar Neo’s newest release, purchasers can get their own “space” where they can show off their favourite photos or vacation pictures with friends and family without the expense of creating their own website.

Check out two spaces I recently created on Luminar Neo’s new “Spaces”. Our European vacation here and fall in the backyard here and for a look at a few of the images I restored using Luminar Neo’s “Restoration” module, click here.

More posts on Luminar Neo

All of this and much more is available with Luminar Neo’s latest release just in time for the holiday season. For my of my posts on Luminar Neo, check out the posts below.

• Discover the beauty of the woodland with Luminar Neo.

• Can Luminar Neo stand on its own as an editing package?

What you get and pricing packages

You might be surprised just how much processing power you get for a more than reasonable price. Luminar Neo’s Black Friday offers are live with discounts of up to 77% — the perfect moment to get the full Luminar Neo Ecosystem.

Here are some of the pricing details: Please use the click here to get the discounts through my affiliate with Luminar Neo.

Prices for new uses: Click here

Luminar Neo Desktop Perpetual: $99

Luminar Neo Cross-device Perpetual (Desktop + Mobile): $139

Luminar Neo Max Perpetual (Desktop + Mobile + Spaces): $159

Prices for existing users of Luminar Neo:

Upgrade Pass: $49 
Ecosystem Pass: $69

This is the perfect year to let family, friends and relatives know that helping others during the holiday season is the ultimate gift. It may be nothing more than giving to a food shelter or offering a helping hand to a local family in need. Maybe donating to agencies helping war-torn countries like Ukraine.

These gestures can make all the difference during the holdiday season.

But don’t forget our backyard friends who will also appreciate a little helping hand. Reports are calling for some serious winter weather in most of Canada and parts of the United States as well as throughout Europe. That means keeping our feeders full will go a long way to easing any hardships local wildlife may face this winter.

Even better, why not consider adding specialized houses, not only to attract wildlife, but to help them through the cold winter months.

Several years ago I installed a screech owl house on one of our old pine trees and for the past two years we have had a screech owl spend the winter in our yard. Such a blessing to sit inside on a cold winter’s night and hear our little owl calling out, his big eyes peering out from the warmth of his home.

I have recently teamed up with Buy 2, Get 1 FREE! " target="_blank">Big Bat Box to offer readers excellent deals this holiday season starting on Black Friday and running through to December 7th. Although the company started out making outstanding Bat Boxes for our winged mosquito munchers, they now offer an assortment of bat, owl and bee boxes that would make outstanding gifts for nature lovers.

For my post on attracting owls click here. For my post on the importance of attracting bats to your yard, click here.

And to make it even better, Buy 2, Get 1 FREE! " target="_blank">Big Bat Box has a special deal available where you can buy 2 and get the third free. What a great way to cover three gifts at once. Or, you might just want to keep one of the houses for your own yard.

If that wasn’t enough, Big Bat Box is a Ukraine-based company. So, by supporting their efforts to help wildlife, you are also helping to support Ukraine as they fight for their survival against Russian aggression.

There are several styles and sizes to choose from in bat and owl houses.

We’ve all seen them, smiling faces standing like statues in front of tourist hot spots surrounded by hundreds of others waiting to get the exact same photo.

Sitting through photo after photo of “Here’s us in front of …..” get’s a little tiring for friends and family, but include some more “interesting” images and you might just have a very captive audience.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s a place for these images among your vacation snaps. After all, what would a European vacation be without a shot in front of the magnificent cathedral, the impressive fountain or the incredible view of the Alps. Nothing says “I was there” better than a snapshot at the scene.

But don’t forget to get your creative juices flowing by experimenting with more memorable images that capture the true experience of going to an unfamiliar place. Take the time to embrace the real culture of the area, roam some of the backstreets and bring home some truly memorable images of a once-in-a-lifetime vacation.

That’s exactly what I did during a recent two-week European vacation that started and ended in Switzerland with stops in picturesque towns and cities in, The Netherlands, France and Germany.

While other passengers on the river cruise were entertained by the guide explaining the historical significance of certain tourist hot spots, I wandered off in search of more interesting images on side streets, at cafes and through shop windows.

The following is a small sampling of some of the “street” images I was able to capture, with explanations of why I was attracted to the scenes.

Focus on plants for best fall colour

Full fall colour can be so fleeting.

If you’re not paying attention, all those beautiful reds, yellows and burnt oranges disappear into mounds of dried, crunchy leaves on the garden floor.

And that’s okay. The leaves carpeting the woodland floor provide a home for overwintering insects and their future offspring, as well as foraging birds looking to supplement their diet of seeds and berries.

Too many of us choose to stay inside at this time of year thinking the garden is all tucked in for the season. Experiencing late fall in the woodland, however, can be an extremely satisfying experience. Just breathing in the earthy aromas and the cool autumn air is a real joy. Add a hot chocolate or a large mug of coffee and your best four-legged friend at your side, and it’s hard not to appreciate our change of seasons.

Now, if experiencing late fall in the woodland garden is a real joy, capturing beautiful fall images takes the enjoyment to an all new level.

I experienced that enjoyment this week (early November) when I decided to pull out the Lensbaby Composer lens to give it a much-needed workout to capture the delicate tones of the late fall woodland garden.

For those who may not know about the Lensbaby line of lenses (Amazon link), you can check out their informative website here. If you are looking for a great deal on a large selection of Lensbaby lenses and accessories, be sure to check out the used options on MPB.com

In a nutshell, the minds behind Lensbaby, unlike most lens manufacturers, are not concerned about achieving extreme sharpness throughout the image. In fact, their focus is on creating soft, ethereal images where the photographer takes control of narrow bands of sharpness while the surrounding areas of the image is allowed to go soft. Depending on the f-stop chosen, the depth of sharpness increases or narrows.

Lensbabies are ideal lenses for creative flower photography as well as portraiture, but they have their place in landscape images especially fall landscapes.

The Lensbaby Composer is a completely manual lens and requires a little work getting the focus the way you want it. I like to use a combination of a sturdy tripod and a Hoodman Loop to nail the narrow band of focus. The Hoodman Loop also helps me see the image on the back of the LCD screen, especially in bright lighting conditions.

The following are just a few images of my favourite fall-colour woodland garden plants taken this fall with the Lensbaby Composer.

More information about the subject is included below each image. If you are looking to add fall colour to your garden, you could do worse than putting these plants on your list of purchases in the spring. Of course, there are many other plants that offer bold fall colour to our landscapes, but these plants are sure winners in our garden.

MPB.com is an excellent place to either trade in your previously used photo equipment or purchase dependable used camera gear, whether it’s your dream camera or lens. For a great selection of Lensbaby lenses from MPB, click here.

Restoring, colourizing vintage photos

Not long ago, fixing old family photographs involved bringing them to professional photo retouchers and paying a week’s salary to have a handful of them restored.

Those days are gone thanks to a new, incredibly impressive new feature in this fall’s Luminar Neo release.

With a single click of your mouse, you can transform a faded, scratched, blemished old black and white photograph into a perfect reproduction of the original Black and White version.

And that is just the beginning.

The simplicity of the “restore” module is almost too good to believe.

Restore module is the essence of simplicity

In fact, there are just three buttons to choose from to transform your vintage images: “Full” which repairs scratches, blemishes and colourizes the image to modern standards; “Colour” which simply colourizes the image without removing scratches and blemishes for a more authentic Lomography look; and “Scratches” which leaves the image either in its original BW or colour state and simply removes any scratches or blemishes on the photograph.

It’s so simple and effective that it is difficult for me to go into much more detail than – choose what you want to do and press the appropriate button.

If you are interested in trying Luminar Neo, please consider using my affiliate link HERE to purchase the program. By doing so, I receive a small payout that does not affect your purchase price.

Obviously, you will have to have a way to get the old images into Luminar Neo. I choose to use a flatbed scanner, but you could easily take digital pictures with your phone or, even better, a digital camera with the ability to take close-up images.

Once the images are on your computer or phone, import them into Luminar Neo, drop them into the restoration box, choose the appropriate button – either Full, Colour or Scratches – and Luminar Neo will drop the finished photo into a separate folder named restoration.

It’s as simple as that. The following are just a few examples’s of what the “restoration” Ai module can do in just a minute or two.

For more before-and-after images, check out my new “Spaces” gallery from Luminar Neo here.

The following is a good example of what the Luminar Neo “Restoration” module can do for heavily compromised images by not only restoring them by removing scratches and even missing parts of the image, to colourizing them to create authentic-looking images.

The following shows the original scan, a repaired scan and the final colourized version.

If you are interested in trying Luminar Neo, please consider using my affiliate link HERE to purchase the program. By doing so, I receive a small payout that does not affect your purchase price.

If you are a new user to Luminar Neo, use this link.

If you are a current user of the program, use this link

Prices below: Black Friday is Coming:

Dates: October 24 - December 1
Discounts: Up to -75% on the Luminar Neo Ecosystem - the best prices of the year!

Prices for new uses:

Luminar Neo Desktop Perpetual: $99

Luminar Neo Cross-device Perpetual (Desktop + Mobile): $139

Luminar Neo Max Perpetual (Desktop + Mobile + Spaces): $159