Random Notes

"Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah"
(Original lyrics by Leonard Cohen)

More news of the Digital Nocturne (for better or worse) and various angelic YouTubes:

- Read Jim Goldstein's rant - "Why I Hate HDR: Photo Technology Porn" - Mathematics vs. Aesthetics.

- For the opposing view, see Apogee's 3-part article on the merits of HDR and the ensuing debates brought about by its use (abuse), by Jim Austin. Left brain vs. right brain.

- See some of the above-mentioned abuse here.

- On a completely different note, see Brandi Carlile on YouTube here (Hallelujah), here (Creep), and here (SONY video of "The Story").

- Finally (courtesy of TOP) view Max Roach's 'high-hat solo' as performed on The Tonight Show (date unknown) on YouTube.

(from The Nocturnes NightNews feed)

"How do you know when you're in Texas?"

This thing (CLICK! to enlarge) has me in stiches! On a recent trip fellow Nocturne Manu Schnetzler captured the images necessary to create this panoramic view of a Texan landscape.

His story (presumably he's sticking to it) follows.

"Landing in Houston early August, the first sign that we're now in Texas is the heat, and the humidity - even at 1am, in the middle of the night. Picking up my rental car, the real sign that we're in the oil capital of the US is the row of cars waiting patiently under the Avis signs.

"Like a tame herd of gas guzzlers, the red, white and blue (patriotic?) - and a few yellow (the ribbon?) - monsters are lined up patiently waiting for proud drivers to pick them up. What can a herd of Hummers stuck in an Avis parking lot be dreaming of?

"I think I'll stick to my compact car."

(Thanks to Greta for the title)

Random Notes

"And we speak of things that matter
In words that must be said.
Can analysis be worthwhile?
Is Photography really Dead?"
(with apologies to Paul Simon, "The Dangling Conversation")

News of the Digital Nocturne, the Language of NPy, and accidental notes:

- Quite a lively discussion recently on theonlinephotographer re: tone-mapping (isn't that something that Jack Casady is famous for {:<)} - again, with the musical references!) initiated by The Nocturnes printer, Rob Reiter of the LightRoom, Berkeley, CA.

- Another take on coaxing that extra little bit (or a lot) of detail - "Hidden in the shadows" - this from Brian Chapman's blog.

- Joe Reifer continues his translation of the language of NPy - on his blog.

- A couple of good books - re: b/w work and digital printing - also mentioned on TOP.

- There is a rather ominous post on, once again, TOP.

(from The Nocturnes NightNews feed)