- Photo of the Month: Daddy Longlegs
- Photography News: Gallery Event: Kathleen Bradford Studio/Gallery Opening Reception
- Photography News: Gallery Event: Creative Expressions Studio/Gallery Grand Opening
- Upcoming Class: Intro to Composition in Photography & Art
- Computer Help: Tablets versus Computers versus Kindle
- Computer Help: Mac Tutoring, Referral & Discount Tutoring Plans
PHOTO OF THE MONTH:
Black-Necked Stilt
aka the Daddy Longlegs, Longshank
Viera Wetlands & Click Ponds
Those legs! Those long, long legs. This bird stands out - literally! - from the crowd. In fact, they have the second longest legs in proportion to their body in the entire bird world, behind flamingos. Couple those long, pink legs with the distinctive black and white plumage, and gee whiz, any photographer worth her salt would jump for joy any time she crosses paths with one of these guys.
I've stumbled across black-necked stilts in some fairly unexpected places: in the middle of Wiggins Pass, all alone on a sandbar tower above a flock of terns and on a golf course lurking beyond a sand trap. Each time, it was a thrilling surprise that kept me grinning for a good long while.
Stilts use a technique called "belly-soaking" which is the carrying of water in cupped in their wings and ventral feathers. Crazy, right? In hot climates adults use belly soaking to cool themselves, the eggs or chicks, and to increase nest humidity. Stilts may make over 100 trips for water a day.
These birds distract predators using aerial maneuvers and mock injuries while the young scurry off to hide. Incredibly, they are also able to swim for short periods of time using their wings.
My feathered friends, much like my human friends, never cease to amaze and delight me.
Kathleen Bradford's Gallery and Studio on Bonita Beach Road (click for the web site and location maps) will be having a January 2012 Artist Opening Reception for featured artist Peter Sargent, local sculptor. Peter will be displaying new work titled, "Drawing Geometric Spatial Constructions”.
It's going to be a wonderful evening. Please come and enjoy amazing, local art featuring my photography, fused glass, wood sculpture, acrylic painting, and of course, Kathleen's own assemblage art. Bring your friends and enjoy wine and hor d’ovevres while you browse the gallery, enjoy the artwork, meet the artists, and say hi to me. I'll be there!
I'm really excited to be displaying my photography and selling my photo DVD movies at Creative Expressions Studio & Gallery. This new studio/gallery is located at Riverside Park on Old 41 in Artist Cottage #4. It's a darling place - and you'll want to stop by for the grand opening on January 22 and see paintings, my photography and jewelry. Art classes will also be offered there, including my own class, "Introduction to Composition in Photography & Art", beginning January 28, 2012. See below for more information about this class!
Please stop by and say hello on the 22nd!
UPCOMING CLASS: Introduction to Composition in Photography & Art
I'll be teaching a 4 week class, Introduction to Composition in Photography & Art, at Creative Expressions Studio & Gallery. This class will be held on Saturday mornings, from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. at the studio located in Artist Cottage #4 at Riverside Park on Old 41.
This class is an introductory class for anyone who'd like "see" more creatively and express that creative vision with a digital camera. This is NOT a class to learn the technical skills of using a camera! This is a class in creative vision and learning how to arrange the elements of any image in a way that expresses your vision.
Click HERE to learn more about this class. It will be a small class - 6 maximum - so there will be a lot of opportunity for individual training.
Call 239-498-0480 for more information.
COMPUTER TIP: Tablet versus Computer versus Kindle
One thing you can say for sure about technology: it never stays still very long.
A device called a TABLET is gaining in popularity. I thought I'd write a little bit about how tablets compare to computers, and how the Amazon Kindle is entering that type of technology.
TABLETS:
A tablet is a portable, touch screen device. You've probably all heard of, seen, or used an iPad. Well, iPads are a "tablet" device.Tablets are thin, lightweight devices that usually come with 7 or 10 inch screens. Most (but not all) of them require a connection plan with a cellular provider, which allows you to check email or view web sites anywhere your cell phone works.
Samsung Galaxy TabBut that's not all! Tablets can, with the use of a free piece of software called an "app", become Kindle devices. You can read and buy books, just like Kindles do.
iPad 2Tablets also allow you to view videos, listen to music, view maps (they'll even rival the best GPS units in your car!) and do many, many more tasks. And the very cool thing about tablets is that with a data plan from your cellular provider, you can travel just about anywhere with it - no wires or other internet accounts required!
If you're a person who does not depend on a computer for business, financial stuff (using Quicken or Quickbooks), photo editing or any other kinds of file editing, a tablet just may REPLACE your computer!
The two leading types of tablets are those that run software made by Apple (the iPad) or Google Android (the Samsung Galaxy Tab). There are pros and cons to both - but either type is wonderful and reliable. Prices and features vary model to model.
AMAZON's KINDLE "FIRE":
Recently, Amazon announced that they were jumping into the tablet arena with their newest Kindle - the Kindle Fire. This device will be both touchscreen and in color! It will run a Amazon-customized of Google's Android software. At $199, it will enter the tablet market at a VERY competitive price point, which may really shake up the tablet market.
As with any new product, it remains to be seen how much like a traditional tablet the Fire will be - or if it will any significant limitations.
The Fire is available for pre-sales now, and will begin shipping November 15.
Kindle Fire
TABLETS AND LIBRARY BOOKS:
Currently, all tablet users can install the free OVERDRIVE app, which allows you to check out digital books from your local library (provided you have a library card, of course). All Lee and Collier County libraries interface with Overdrive. Very cool, right?!
Well, almost.
In the world of digital lending libraries, there are limitations. There are often long waits for books, and not all (especially new) books are available in digital format. Publishers still have a tight hold on lending restrictions, and county budgets are strapped, so there aren't a lot of funds for them to purchase digital books. Lee County has the largest inventory of digital books in our area, and lending libraries in general are a blooming technology which gets better all the time.
Amazon has stated that the Overdrive app will work on the Kindle Fire when they ship in November.
WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
As I said, depending on your needs, a tablet may be a perfect replacement for your computer. They're portable, they do a LOT of stuff and they're very easy to use! It's a little easier to print directly from a Google Android tablet then an iPad, but it's possible with both devices. No word on printing from the Kindle Fire yet.
If you'd like to discuss a tablet in your future, please don't hesitate to call me at (239) 498-0480. I provide device purchase assistance, tutoring and tips for any tablet on the market today!
MAC TUTORING: For those of you with Macs, I am now offering individual tutoring on Mac computers. This will include teaching sessions only, not repair or problem resolution. If you have a Mac and want to get to know your computer a little better, give me a call for an appointment at 498-0480!
PREPAID DISCOUNT PROGRAM: My PrePaid lesson discount plan is still active. This is a great way to get a big discount on my hourly rates, especially for those of you heading north who don't want to be bothered with sending checks to Florida for your remote lessons. Here's how it works:
- Purchase a 5-hour PrePaid card for $300 and get a 6th hour for FREE.
- All PrePaid lesson cards are at my $60/hr rate and can be used for my mobile (at your home) services. This is a $5/hr ADDITIONAL savings, making the hourly rate $50/hr rather than $65!!
- These plans have no expiration date. No matter what my current hourly rate, you can use these hours. I'll even do the bookkeeping!
- The plan can be used for any kind of lesson, including home lessons and remote lessons.
- Home lessons have a one hour minimum, all other lessons have a 30-minute minimum.
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I'm always looking for new topics to cover that interest YOU, the reader! If you have ideas, just click to send me an email, or give me a call at (239) 498-0480.
Well, that wraps up another issue of my newsletter. Until next month, thanks for reading!
M.E. Parker
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