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Rural Iowa Photos (9 Dec 2018)

by Greg Johnson, posted in photography

Below are some photos taken in the Kent Park area on 18 Nov 2018. Here I’m sharing the 1920×1080 size versions of the photos for people use as desktop wallpaper or enjoy in other ways. They also make for fun tablet or smartphone wallpaper. If you’d like to use any of these for commercial purposes, if you’d like the originals, or have any questions about this collection of photos, feel free to contact me. Thanks!

20120224fr-greg-signature

Camera and Settings Used

I was using a Canon 6D Mark II camera. For the photos that seem to have more saturation, I had selected the Vivid or Intense options available in the CA camera setting. See page 102 of the instruction manual for further details about these features. I was using the 24-105mm USM lens that came with the camera. Although I didn’t have a tripod, the Canon Image Stabilization (second generation) seemed to work well enough.

I was able to use the automatic mode for most of the photos. The camera’s choice of aperture, speed, ISO, and focal point were acceptable. Sometimes I’d switch to manual focus and at times used Aperture Priority when I wanted more control over the shot. Learn more about Aperture Priority on page 238 of the Canon 6D II instruction manual.

The Intense color setting can result in photos that seem too dark. However, using Intense that then later using software to increase the exposure will result in photos that are less washed out than if the photo had been taken without these color enhancement options. The Vivid setting is a less saturated option, but sometimes isn’t enough.

Rural Iowa Photos

Here’s the gallery of rural Iowa photos. Click any image for a larger gallery view. Enjoy!

Using Four Different Apple Watch Faces Throughout the Day

by Greg Johnson, posted in technology

I recently replaced my Apple Watch 2 with an Apple Watch 4 and I’m enjoying the larger display, louder speaker, improved water resistance, and the newer model is much faster for many tasks.

Because I use the watch for so many tasks, I’ve started using four different watch faces throughout the day. Rather that trying to create one watch face to do everything, I’ve created separate watch faces optimized for certain tasks as explained below.

The advantage of this is that the watch face can provide access to functions useful for certain tasks such as working out or cooking. Those functions need not appear on the watch face all day long – only when those tasks are being performed.

When I’m not using activity specific functions of the watch, I prefer a simple analog watch face or something simple and fun.

Classic Analog

One of my favorite watches has been the classic analog Casio style available in a few varieties. I like the uncluttered simple dial. I’ve recreated that style using an analog style watch face available with the Apple Watch. There are some additional informational displays with this watch face. I chose date, temperature, and battery level – partly because these curve nicely around the face. I like reading an analog watch face because it’s a break from a world with mostly digital readouts. So, this is the face I use most of the day.

20181130fr2045-apple-watch-faces-complications-daily-tasks-cooking-exercise-IMG_4473.jpg

 

Exercise Optimized Watch Face

In the morning, I start my day with yoga and a relaxing breathing meditation. In the lower right corner, the running stick figure icon starts the exercise mode which tracks yoga and other exercises. At the bottom of the watch face in the middle is the guided breathing feature with a timer so you can focus on the activity rather than watching the clock. With the watch sounds off, it vibrates at the end of the activity so as not to disturb others. When I get to the gym, I press the exercise mode again for weight lifting and elliptical. If I’m riding my bike to and from the gym, then the watch tracks my time, intensity, speed, and uses GPS to map my route. I keep the weather reading handy for when my workout takes me outside.  The lower left icon shows the percentage of battery power remaining and is a reminder to charge the watch fully before going hiking or bike riding since ongoing GPS activities can drain the watch more than usual.

20181130fr2045-apple-watch-faces-complications-daily-tasks-cooking-exercise-IMG_4474.jpg

Kitchen Optimized Watch Face

I like to multi-task in the kitchen. So, I use the timer feature frequently to help me avoid overcooking food while I’m doing other tasks. The house icon in the lower left corner gives me the ability to turn lights on and off. The sunrise / sunset icon reminds me of when I might be able to get some good photos – I like sunrises and early morning light. The music control in the lower right is helpful when listening to music in the kitchen.

20181130fr2045-apple-watch-faces-complications-daily-tasks-cooking-exercise-IMG_4475.jpg

Fun Tech Watch Face

The above watch faces are created using pre-defined templates that I customized. So, the general look and layout are already setup.

I’ve been playing around lately with designing different backgrounds for my watch using the Photos watch face. In the watch settings app on your phone, you can select a photos folder that the watch will display. It can be any photo gallery you create in the Photos app on the phone (or on your Apple computer). You can put one or many photos in that gallery and they will show up on the watch.

So, using the Apple Keynote program (similar to PowerPoint) I defined some images that are 368 wide by 448 tall pixels in size. This is the size of the 44mm Apple Watch 4 display. Then, I created some slides which I exported as JPG images.

Knowing that the time will display in a certain area of the watch face, I put a shaded rectangle with rounded edges as an overlay on my selected images. That makes the time more easily readable even if the background image has white or light colors.

Below are some samples of some fun watch faces I’ve created so far.

Circuit Board. This first watch face is a fun retro throwback design that makes it look as if the watch has old electronics inside.

20181130fr2045-apple-watch-faces-complications-daily-tasks-cooking-exercise-IMG_4476.jpg

Intel Inside. This second watch face shows an Intel Core i5 processor and a more high tech futuristic circuit board.

20181130fr2045-apple-watch-faces-complications-daily-tasks-cooking-exercise-IMG_4477.jpg

 

Iron Man. This third watch face features the iconic Iron Man arc reactor. I may try to create a more interesting and intricate version of this watch face, perhaps adding a circuit board or some other layer behind the arc reactor.

20181130fr2045-apple-watch-faces-complications-daily-tasks-cooking-exercise-IMG_4478.jpg

 

Vacuum Tubes. The fourth watch face is even more retro than the circuit board. It has old amplifier vacuum tubes to offer a steam punk theme suggesting the watch is powered by vacuum tubes. I might work on this watch face a bit more to add small knobs, switches, buttons, wires, or red indicator lights.

20181130fr2045-apple-watch-faces-complications-daily-tasks-cooking-exercise-IMG_4479.jpg

Get Your Own Custom Watch Face

Let me know if you’d like me to make a custom watch face for your Apple Watch. [Contact]

Kent Park Photos (18 Nov 2018)

by Greg Johnson, posted in photography

Below are some photos taken in the Kent Park area on 18 Nov 2018. Here I’m sharing the 1920×1080 size versions of the photos for people use as desktop wallpaper or enjoy in other ways. They also make for fun tablet or smartphone wallpaper. If you’d like to use any of these for commercial purposes, if you’d like the originals, or have any questions about this collection of photos, feel free to contact me. Thanks!

20120224fr-greg-signature

Camera and Settings Used

I was using a Canon 6D Mark II camera. For the photos that seem to have more saturation, I had selected the Vivid or Intense options available in the CA camera setting. See page 102 of the instruction manual for further details about these features. I was using the 24-105mm USM lens that came with the camera. Although I didn’t have a tripod, the Canon Image Stabilization (second generation) seemed to work well enough.

I was able to use the automatic mode for most of the photos. The camera’s choice of aperture, speed, ISO, and focal point were acceptable. Sometimes I’d switch to manual focus and at times used Aperture Priority when I wanted more control over the shot. Learn more about Aperture Priority on page 238 of the Canon 6D II instruction manual.

The Intense color setting can result in photos that seem too dark. However, using Intense that then later using software to increase the exposure will result in photos that are less washed out than if the photo had been taken without these color enhancement options. The Vivid setting is a less saturated option, but sometimes isn’t enough.

Kent Park Area Photos

Here’s the gallery of Kent Park photos. Click any image for a larger gallery view. Enjoy!

  • Frozen Pond
  • Tree Branch
  • Blurred Frozen Pond 1
  • Blurred Frozen Pond 2
  • Blurred Frozen Pond 3

Mineral Point, Wisconsin Photos (10 Nov 2018)

by Greg Johnson, posted in photography

Below are some photos taken in Mineral Point on 10 Nov 2018. Here I’m sharing the 1920×1080 size versions of the photos for people use as desktop wallpaper or enjoy in other ways. They also make for fun tablet or smartphone wallpaper. If you’d like to use any of these for commercial purposes, if you’d like the originals, or have any questions about this collection of photos, feel free to contact me. Thanks!

20120224fr-greg-signature

Camera and Settings Used

I was using a Canon 6D Mark II camera. For the photos that seem to have more saturation, I had selected the Vivid or Intense options available in the CA camera setting. See page 102 of the instruction manual for further details about these features. I was using the 24-105mm USM lens that came with the camera. Although I didn’t have a tripod, the Canon Image Stabilization (second generation) seemed to work well enough.

I was able to use the automatic mode for most of the photos. The camera’s choice of aperture, speed, ISO, and focal point were acceptable. Sometimes I’d switch to manual focus and at times used Aperture Priority when I wanted more control over the shot. Learn more about Aperture Priority on page 238 of the Canon 6D II instruction manual.

Mineral Point Photos

Here’s the gallery of Mineral Point photos. However over any photo for the caption or click any image for a larger gallery view with more details. Enjoy!

Greg Johnson – Monthly Update 201811

by Greg Johnson, posted in news

 

Personal Update 201811 | 5 Nov 2018 | Monday

Greetings,

I hope you’re doing well. Thanks for taking a moment to read my November update.

Photography

Of everything I share on my website and through social media, photography seems to be a favorite with people. So, I’ve been putting in some extra effort to regularly share featured photos just about every week.

With each vacation, hike, bike ride, or walk I’ll bundle the best photos and share them here AboutGregJohnson/tag/featured-photos. I hope you enjoy them! Photography is a great catalyst and reward to get outdoors and stay active.

I use the photography for websites that I design, and also for printed greeting cards I mail out.

Wellness

This last month we went to Tahoe, so for one week my workouts were outside the gym – hiking and walking. My total for weight lifting the rest of the month was about 127,000 pounds. I’m back to my regular routine this month.

Music

I’ve shared before about the Koolulam project that brings diverse groups of people together to learn and perform music. On 29 Oct 2018 the group held an event in South Africa in partnership with King David Schools. In 45 minutes, a group of 3,500 strangers learned then performed the song – in English and Zulu – producing this 5 minute video. You can view the video on YouTube.

Thanks

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

20120224fr-greg-signature

__________

Want More News? For additional news and updates you can subscribe to the Resources For Life Newsletter by sending an email to resourcesforlifenews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 18 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and activism. This is based on the life map presented on the Resources For Life website.

Iowa City Photos – 2 Nov 2018 – Canon 6D Mark II

by Greg Johnson, posted in photography

Below are some photos taken in the Iowa City area during the week ending on 2 Nov 2018. Here I’m sharing the 1920×1080 size versions of the photos for people use as desktop wallpaper, presentation backgrounds, or enjoy in other ways. They also make for fun tablet or smartphone wallpaper. If you’d like to use any of these for commercial purposes, if you’d like the originals, or have any questions about this collection of photos, feel free to contact me. Thanks!

20120224fr-greg-signature

Equipment Used

I was using a Canon 6D Mark II camera. For the photos that seem to have more saturation, I had selected the Vivid or Intense options available in the CA camera setting. See page 102 of the instruction manual for further details about these features. I was using the 24-105mm USM lens that came with the camera. Although I didn’t have a tripod, the Canon Image Stabilization (second generation) seemed to work well enough.

Camera Settings

I was able to use the automatic mode for most of the photos. The camera’s choice of aperture, speed, ISO, and focal point were acceptable. Sometimes I’d switch to manual focus and at times used Aperture Priority when I wanted more control over the shot. Learn more about Aperture Priority on page 238 of the Canon 6D II instruction manual.

The Intense color setting can result in photos that seem too dark. However, using Intense that then later using software to increase the exposure will result in photos that are less washed out than if the photo had been taken without these color enhancement options. The Vivid setting is a less saturated option, but sometimes isn’t enough.

About Blurry and Abstract Images

In addition to traditionally composed photos where the subject and context are easily identified, I usually take some abstract photos as well. So, some of the photos in this collection were intentionally made blurry using manual focus to create an abstract image that could be used as a background. The in-focus version is also provided to show the subject used for the blurry photo. There are also some photos that are taken in such a way that the context is not provided, thus making the image difficult to identify. This is done intentionally.

Iowa City Area Photos

Here’s the gallery. Click any image for a larger gallery view. Enjoy!

Iowa City Photos – 27 Oct 2017 – Canon 6D Mark II

by Greg Johnson, posted in photography

Below are some photos taken along bike trails on the west-side of Iowa City on 27 Oct 2018. Here I’m sharing the 1920×1080 size versions of the photos for people use as desktop wallpaper, presentation backgrounds, or enjoy in other ways. They also make for fun tablet or smartphone wallpaper. If you’d like to use any of these for commercial purposes, if you’d like the originals, or have any questions about this collection of photos, feel free to contact me. Thanks!

20120224fr-greg-signature

Equipment Used

I was using a Canon 6D Mark II camera. For the photos that seem to have more saturation, I had selected the Vivid or Intense options available in the CA camera setting. See page 102 of the instruction manual for further details about these features. I was using the 24-105mm USM lens that came with the camera. Although I didn’t have a tripod, the Canon Image Stabilization (second generation) seemed to work well enough.

Camera Settings

I was able to use the automatic mode for most of the photos. The camera’s choice of aperture, speed, ISO, and focal point were acceptable. Sometimes I’d switch to manual focus and at times used Aperture Priority when I wanted more control over the shot. Learn more about Aperture Priority on page 238 of the Canon 6D II instruction manual.

The Intense color setting can result in photos that seem too dark. However, using Intense that then later using software to increase the exposure will result in photos that are less washed out than if the photo had been taken without these color enhancement options. The Vivid setting is a less saturated option, but sometimes isn’t enough.

About Blurry and Abstract Images

In addition to traditionally composed photos where the subject and context are easily identified, I usually take some abstract photos as well. So, some of the photos in this collection were intentionally made blurry using manual focus to create an abstract image that could be used as a background. The in-focus version is also provided to show the subject used for the blurry photo. There are also some photos that are taken in such a way that the context is not provided, thus making the image difficult to identify. This is done intentionally.

Iowa City Area Photos

Here’s the gallery. Click any image for a larger gallery view. Enjoy!

Kent Park Photos

by Greg Johnson, posted in photography

Below are some photos taken in the Kent Park area on 21 Oct 2018. These are 12 photos selected. Here I’m sharing the 1920×1080 size versions of the photos for people use as desktop wallpaper or enjoy in other ways. They also make for fun tablet or smartphone wallpaper. If you’d like to use any of these for commercial purposes, if you’d like the originals, or have any questions about this collection of photos, feel free to contact me. Thanks!

20120224fr-greg-signature

Camera and Settings Used

I was using a Canon 6D Mark II camera. For the photos that seem to have more saturation, I had selected the Vivid or Intense options available in the CA camera setting. See page 102 of the instruction manual for further details about these features. I was using the 24-105mm USM lens that came with the camera. Although I didn’t have a tripod, the Canon Image Stabilization (second generation) seemed to work well enough.

I was able to use the automatic mode for most of the photos. The camera’s choice of aperture, speed, ISO, and focal point were acceptable. Sometimes I’d switch to manual focus and at times used Aperture Priority when I wanted more control over the shot. Learn more about Aperture Priority on page 238 of the Canon 6D II instruction manual.

The Intense color setting can result in photos that seem too dark. However, using Intense that then later using software to increase the exposure will result in photos that are less washed out than if the photo had been taken without these color enhancement options. The Vivid setting is a less saturated option, but sometimes isn’t enough.

You’ll notice several similar photos showing a grove of trees. These photos were taken using slightly different framing of the shot, and also different exposure levels. It’s interesting to see how the mood of the photo changes depending on the settings.

Kent Park Area Photos

Here’s the gallery of Kent Park photos. Click any image for a larger gallery view. Enjoy!

Lake Tahoe Photos – Oct 2018 – iPhone X

by Greg Johnson, posted in photography

Below are some photos taken in the Lake Tahoe area while visiting there in early October 2018. This group of photos were all taken with the 2017 model iPhone X. In another post I’ve shared some photos taken with a Canon 6D Mark II full-frame DSLR camera.

For some photos, the iPhone X produces a broader dynamic range than the 6D, so bright and dark aspects of an image are better rendered because smartphones have additional software to produce high dynamic range photos.

If you’d like to use any of these for commercial purposes, if you’d like the originals, or have any questions about this collection of photos, feel free to contact me. Thanks!

20120224fr-greg-signature

Locations Visited

During this trip, we mostly stayed in the South Lake Tahoe area. The higher altitude phots with a view of Fallen Leaf Lake and Lake Tahoe are from a hike up Mount Tallac which is an ascent of about 3,290 from the trailhead to reach the 9,739 ft peak. We only climbed about 1,400 feet and turned back so we could get some sunset photos near the lake. Because of the steep ascent I burned about 2,000 calories round-trip on that hike according to my Apple Watch.

The Echo Lakes Trail at about 7,000 feet was another nice hike. At these higher altitudes the air is very crisp, dry, and fresh which is invigorating and energizing. Heading south from Tahoe, we found some nice trails and views along Highways 88, 89, and 50.

Tahoe Area Photos

Here’s the gallery. Enjoy!

 

Lake Tahoe Photos – Oct 2018 – Canon 6D Mark II

by Greg Johnson, posted in photography

Below are some photos taken in the Lake Tahoe area while visiting there in early October 2018. These are 218 photos selected from about 1,400 total. Here I’m sharing the 1920×1080 size versions of the photos for people use as desktop wallpaper or enjoy in other ways. They also make for fun tablet or smartphone wallpaper. If you’d like to use any of these for commercial purposes, if you’d like the originals, or have any questions about this collection of photos, feel free to contact me. Thanks!

For additional photos, see my iPhone X Tahoe Photos gallery from the same trip.

20120224fr-greg-signature

Locations Visited

During this trip, we mostly stayed in the South Lake Tahoe area. The higher altitude phots with a view of Fallen Leaf Lake and Lake Tahoe are from a hike up Mount Tallac which is an ascent of about 3,290 from the trailhead to reach the 9,739 ft peak. We only climbed about 1,400 feet and turned back so we could get some sunset photos near the lake. Because of the steep ascent I burned about 2,000 calories round-trip on that hike according to my Apple Watch.

The Echo Lakes Trail at about 7,000 feet was another nice hike. At these higher altitudes the air is very crisp, dry, and fresh which is invigorating and energizing. Heading south from Tahoe, we found some nice trails and views along Highways 88, 89, and 50.

Equipment Used

I was using a Canon 6D Mark II camera. For the photos that seem to have more saturation, I had selected the Vivid or Intense options available in the CA camera setting. See page 102 of the instruction manual for further details about these features. I was using the 24-105mm USM lens that came with the camera. Although I didn’t have a tripod, the Canon Image Stabilization (second generation) seemed to work well enough.

Camera Settings

I was able to use the automatic mode for most of the photos. The camera’s choice of aperture, speed, ISO, and focal point were acceptable. Sometimes I’d switch to manual focus and at times used Aperture Priority when I wanted more control over the shot. Learn more about Aperture Priority on page 238 of the Canon 6D II instruction manual.

The Intense color setting can result in photos that seem too dark. However, using Intense that then later using software to increase the exposure will result in photos that are less washed out than if the photo had been taken without these color enhancement options. The Vivid setting is a less saturated option, but sometimes isn’t enough.

About Blurry and Abstract Images

In addition to traditionally composed photos where the subject and context are easily identified, I usually take some abstract photos as well. So, some of the photos in this collection were intentionally made blurry using manual focus to create an abstract image that could be used as a background. The in-focus version is also provided to show the subject used for the blurry photo. There are also some photos that are taken in such a way that the context is not provided, thus making the image difficult to identify. This is done intentionally.

Tahoe Area Photos

Here’s the gallery. Enjoy!