If you have missed this video with these two great small fighters, you should check it out. 🙂
Category: English
Feel-good – Take a moment and see the beauty of everyday life
When we watch the news it seems like the security cams just catches the bad guys.
This video is about the opposite…
Best wishes for this November Tuesday
My current top iPhone Photo Apps
One of my first posts on this blog was about which iPhone Photo-apps I preferred. And since then I now and then have posted and reposted that list.
(link to app-store) – From my previous post
If you like filters and sharing images with the rest of the world you’ll love Instagram (my nickname on Instagram is @pedrohansson). I’m surprised how creative and actually really beautiful images that are shared at Instagram. And many of those just using their iPhone (1) What I think separates Instagram from many other “filter-apps” is their strength as a company. You can feel the quality.
© Pedro Hansson – iPhone-Image using Instagram-app
Upplands Väsby Sweden
(1) A portion of the images at Instagram are shot with professional equipment
Perfectly Clear
One of the downsides with “phone-photo” is usually noise, and dealing with the small sensor. With this app I’ve rescued many images that sometimes get to dark, with to much noise, and so on.
It’s not a traditional photo app with ton’s of filters and picture bending operations, but it’s a great tool to use to enhance images.
Camera+
Link to the company:
I think that almost everyone that’s interested in taking pictures with the iPhone have come across this app. In my opinion it’s one of the easiest out there to use, and it comes with quite a lot of features as well.
Here’s a youtube review of the app:
Snapseed
Link to the company: http://www.snapseed.com
Link to app-store: https://itunes.apple.com/se/app/snapseed/id439438619?mt=8
I downloaded Snapseed quite a long time ago (in technology terms) and I immediately liked the GUI. Professional and really easy to use at the same time. I can’t say that this app is the best in terms of amount of filters or in number of parameters you can change, but I think it’s one of the best apps in quality and GUI.
- Startscreen in Snapseed
Photoshop Express
(link to app store) – From my previous post
I guess Adobe don’t need any further presentation. In the image-industry they are one of the biggest, and the Photoshop-software have been around for quite awhile. With Photoshop Express you get one feature that I think is necessary if you’re keen on getting the noise out of your pictures, Noise Reduction (this feature is actually the single feature that I use in this app but Noise is almost always a problem when you’re using mobile phone cams so I use it on almost every pic I share).
Below you have the same picture, with and without the reduce noise function in Photoshop Express.
iPhone-image of Visby sunset without reduce noise function (Click image for large version)
Same picture as above, but now with reduce noise (Click image for large version)
A note to using this function is that, when you reduce noise, also loose details so the result will, as always, differ depending on what you want to show. Photoshop is free but you have to spend a few bucks on getting the Reduce Noise Function
Pro-HDR
Link to the company: http://www.eyeapps.com/Home.html
Link to app-store: link to App-store
One of the apps that I’m using the most. The iPhones built-in functionality for HDR is quite good but this app is so far ahead in terms of control and image quality. If you don’t know what HDR is and are interested in getting some new ideas for your photographic session I suggest that you look into it. In short HDR is using several exposures (over- and under exposed) to create one image. By using several exposures you can use the lighter information in the under exposed image and vice versa. HDR-apps can also being used for creating motion and ghost-like effects.
Another side-effect with HDR is that you can find colors that otherwise aren’t possible due to over- and under exposure-difficulties.
A side effect of using two images is that you need keep the camera absolute still, otherwise you get some blurry effects.
© Pedro Hansson – iPhone HDR-image of
South Kensington Station in London
I hope you can use some of the app-tips above. Happy for comments. What is your best photo-app and how do you use it?
PhotoToaster
Link to the company: http://www.eastcoastpixels.com/cgi-bin/product.php?p=4
Link to the app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/phototoaster-photo-editor/id433671262?mt=8
This is, together with ProHDR and Photoshop Express the photoapp I’m using the most. I started off with using the “junior-version” but upgraded to the full version later. What I really enjoy with PhotoToaster is that it has some really nice filters to enhance the picture without making them look “too funky”. Focus on many of the filters are almost like a pre-set Photoshop app.
- © Pedro Hansson – photo of Piteå City Church in PhotoToaster JR
Powercam
Link to the company: http://powercam.wondershare.com
Link to the app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/powercam/id453180850?mt=8
The last app on this list is PowerCam. This is app that I only use when I wan’t to do Tilt-shift images. With Tilt-shift I don’t just mean the effect when things will look like a miniature world. I use it more frequently when I wan’t a nice bokeh (from Wikipedia: the blur,or the aesthetic quality of the blur, in out-of-focus areas of an image). This app does that better than any of the other I’ve tried on the market.
- © Pedro Hansson – Photo taken at Liffeys in Stockholm with PowerCam
Youtab gives you the chords to your Youtube-videos
Earlier today I found a great service for those who play guitar, Youtab. This great service gives you the chords from youtube-videos. Among all the famous songs I found a great cover of Rihannas “Diamonds”.
New Page, Music
I’ve always loved music and from time to time I’ve posted some tracks on this blog, but to try to keep this blog a little bit more “clean I’ve made a new page on this blog where I try to keep “the best music right now. This page will be updated over time and I hope that I may give you some new Music inspiration over time.
I hope you have a nice evening
Link: https://saarimner.com/my-music/
The woman at Norr Mälarstrand
How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.
~George Washington Carver
Sometimes we pass those persons with a really strong character. It doesn’t matter if they stand up and shout, or as this woman, just sits at a bench, they have an aura.
Before I took this photo I exchanged some words with her, and I really got the impression that she was so calm and satisfied with her life, the way she had lived it, and I guess that gives an aura in itself.
At the end of our small conversation I asked for permission to take a photo, and she just said ok, and went back to her earlier calm, relaxed pose…
Entered Rodposse. Photo Challenge
Earlier today I entered Rodposse. photo contest. I’m not sure whether I’ll fit or not, but I thought that I might do something more with my photos.
Link to the contest: http://rodposse.com/2012/11/19/15th-challenger-the-dogs/
My contribution was a photo from a while back, that I thought turned out well, especially when it comes to lighting.
Best wishes for the evening
This is my photo, and you’ll find the story about it here -> https://saarimner.com/2011/11/19/a-man-with-two-dogs/
Last days of autumn
I think Autumn has a special purpose in terms of reflection. The autumn isn’t always sunny, warm or cozy but it gives us time to breath and reflect. To stop, and listen to where we are, what we are, where we’re going and maybe serve as our yearly soul examination.
Soon the “bright white winter, the alpine season, the long walks in snow-season” will be here…
Life
This is a photo i took last year while walking along Nacka Strand. It was a really great feeling in the summer air, and this couple really draw attention. I can’t really say what I like with this photo other than it, for me, reflects life.
“Where there is love there is life.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
Best wishes for a new week
Some moves for the weekend
If you’re on your way out, maybe you’ll find some historic dance moves to bring to the party… 🙂
Best wishes for the weekend everyone!
Form
I’ve always enjoyed different forms, and I guess there are always nice things to search for while we’re enjoying our lives.
This photo is taken in Spain from the restaurant in a hotel where we stayed during some days, for playing golf. I think the proportions came out pretty well.
Changes
Some thoughts for a new week
“Keep your best wishes, close to your heart and watch what happens”
― Tony DeLiso
Monday is a special day, it’s almost like a mini 1:st of January. Every week I try to set some goals for myself. A goal might be a burden if you tell everyone what you have in mind, so I always try to keep them for myself. For me, this is a way to make sure that I’ve made some progress, and actually a way to make me feel better when I know that I either reached the goal, get closer to it, OR maybe the goal has changed for some certain fact that I didn’t know about before the week started. Anyway, the goal keeps me at focus and brings meaning to my actions.
The upcoming week is full of great activities even on evening time, Keane-concert tonight, Soccer game on Wednesday and a night at Magic Bar on Thursday, so I guess I’ll have to try to just enjoy every bit of the week to gain energy together with all the great people I will spend my time with.
I hope you all have a great start of the week.
What I see through my iPhone lens – Stockholm Söder
It was a cold and moist evening in Stockholm. One of those evenings when the sky is pitch dark, and the lights hit, in contrast to the sky, the ground with that magical reflection. While walking at Söder, towards Medborgarplatsen I thought that the lighting, and the people walking to their next destination felt really special.
Time Lapse of New York during Sandy
This is a great time-lapse of New York during the hard days when Sandy moved in over land. If you like photography I think you will enjoy the angles and composition in many of the scenes.
Best wishes to all of you that were in the middle of this storm.
Hope for a quick recovery to a normal situation
Random pictures from the net – for a soft start of the weekend
Open Shutter Experiment
This image was shot on a cold winter evening in Stockholm in December, almost a year ago. I think it was my third attempt, using my “walking technique with an open shutter”.
The image is taken on the pavement just outside Casino Cosmopol in Stockholm. If you look carefully you’ll discover a person moving against me.
Is this one of the best duels ever?
Yesterday I came across this old clip of two famous Swedish Table Tennis players. This is a big sport world-wide, especially in China and when you see this video it’s hard to argue against their amazing skill.
A year from now you will wish you had started today
Some quotes for the weekend
“Remembering you are going to die, is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” -Steve Jobs
“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” –Elbert Hubbard
Spotify link: REO Speedwagon – Roll With The Changes
Happy weekend!
Great elevator prank
“4th episode of the speech controlled elevator. Hidden camera from a norwegian talk show hosted by artist brothers Bård & Vegard Ylvisåker, known as YLVIS. Click CC to turn on/off english subtitles.”
Busy woodcutter
This little story was sent to me by a friend of mine. I think it’s a really telling story of how things can turn out when you just go ahead with something, and never stops for a minute to reflect, train or think.
The photo is taken in a national park just outside Stockholm. This photo suffers a bit from Chromatic Aberration (look at the purple around the edges) which I will soon make a new blog post about, and how you can clean it up. Other than that I think the framing and composition in the photo went pretty well.
I hope you will have a good day
Busy
Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter ask for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. The paid was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best.
His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work.
The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees
“Congratulations,” the boss said. “Go on that way!”
Very motivated for the boss’ words, the woodcutter try harder the next day, but he only could bring 15 trees. The third day he try even harder, but he only could bring 10 trees.Day after day he was bringing less and less trees.
“I must be losing my strength”, the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.
“When was the last time you sharpened your axe?” the boss asked.
“Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees…”
– Stephen Covey
Quote
If you can’t get someone out
of your head, maybe they are
supposed to be there
Autumn – Thomas Hood
I saw an old Autumn in the misty morn
Stand shadow less like silence, listening
To silence.
– Thomas Hood
First glimpses of Austin F1 track and future Formula E (supported by FIA)
Last weekends race was one of the best I’ve ever seen. Vettel’s impressive drive, Raikkonens impressive win for Lotus, Hamilton flying in the front before retiring, Rosberg flying over Karthikeyan, Kimi snapping off his second race engineer, Grosjean driving rally (as always) and so on, and so on.
So I guess there are many out there that are as excited as me moving on to the next race, Austin Texas. The first time there. I watched a few videos about the track and it feels like it can get exciting. High speed straights and really technical corners. Can be a lot of fun!
On-board simulator drive
Flying over the track
and while we’re talking about future things…
From their site:
Initially expected in 2013, this championship will begin in 2014 in Rio de Janeiro
About the electric open-wheelers, they must be approved by the FIA to participate in the championship, therefore, Formula E will be open to other teams but the Formulec EF01 is the referent vehicle, 10 teams and 20 drivers will compete for the championship in the world’s major cities.
Open Shutter – one way to create “arty” images
During the last year I’ve experienced quite a lot with using an open shutter while walking with the camera hand-held. To be honest I’ve created many many bad photos while experimenting, but a few of them I’ve really enjoyed and for every day I learn a bit more when to use this technique, and when I shouldn’t.
One of the things I’ve learned is that composition will be even more important because I won’t be able to use depth of field as I would do on a normal photo. I think it’s also important to remember the lines, and where the eye will move along the photo when you’re using blurry techniques.
For those of you that aren’t so into the technical parts of photography, the shutter functionality is to open and let the light into the camera lens, and then close again. This will then create the image. For obvious reasons; the longer the shutter is open, the more light there will be on the camera lens.
With an open shutter in this case, I mean when the shutter is open many seconds.
If you’re using your iPhone for this purpose, I can recommend the app “SlowShutter”
This is an image I created last week while walking in the forest, that I think turned out pretty well. The shutter speed in this case was 3 seconds. What I really enjoy with these types of photos is that they can keep your imagination busy for a longer time than a normal photo. In short, I think they last a little bit longer.
Autumn – Harbor Winter Closing
Yesterday, our small harbor had its closing time for the year which means that the club is closing down and start to prepare for the winter. Since the seasons in Sweden are pretty sharp, in the sense that we really have them all, this also comes with a meaning, that the winter is soon here.
While cleaning up I took a few pictures.
I hope you all have a great start of your working week
© Pedro Hansson – Flower along the canal – Nikon D7000
Photos of irony :-)
A while back I received an e-mail from a good friend with some pictures of irony that’s gone viral. I guess they all speak for themselves.
Best wishes for the weekend
To reach port, we must sail
Great article that “shatter-your-image-of-historical-people”
This is a great collection of a total of photos that tries to show other sides of 14 historical people The photo of the Clintons is priceless. : – )
3,3 seconds for 5 new wheels; 4 rubber, and 1 steering wheel
I nearly never misses an F1-race unless I’m not completely out of possibilities so last weekend was no exception from that, when F1 visited India. The race itself was good (as always), but not one of the best I’ve seen. Even though the race in itself was average one sequence was really amazing.
In my work we’re helping other companies to be more efficient and to make them achieve good processes, and I think this is as good as it gets when it comes to that.
During the beginning of the race Lewis Hamilton complained about not being able to hear the pit so good. If that was the reason for what was about to happen during the first pit-stop, I don’t know, but I think these 3.3 seconds really shows what this team sport is all about, perfection!
Saarimner.com 
