100 Years of Photographic Technology...

...in a single snapshot.

My friends Ric and Kent visited Bandelier National Monument on Veterans Day last week.  Kent was using his Kodak 2D View Camera to take some 8x10 B&W photos of the ancient ruins there.  Meanwhile, I used Glass to document his process while Ric used his Canon DSLR to capture the beautiful fall scenery. 

The result was a photograph that I've long wanted taken:  a view camera next to Glass. 

Click to view larger image.

It summarizes all that has happened since 1921 when Kodak introduced their 2D.  Ric took the raw image through a Fuji Velvia filter and then applied a sepia effect, some random scratches, and a border. 

As monument visitors walked past Kent's set up, he would joke about the massive camera being his "point and shoot camera."  I just kept on filming. 

We had an interesting discussion about the differences between composing a photograph with both eyes (either a view camera or a digital camera/smartphone with LCD screen) and with one eye (traditional 35mm film camera or digital camera with a viewfinder).  If nothing else, a viewfinder makes it trivial to take digital photos in bright sunlight. 

Now time to build that "ground glass" app for Android--inverted, soft-focus images for the preview to mimic the effect of previewing an image on ground glass in a view camera.

Photographing the D&SNGRR

This week I rediscovered just how useful Glass can be.  The situation was trip to Durango, Colorado to ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

Use case #1:  Directions to the condo.  Navigation... no problem.  Actually, this is kinda ho-hum now. 

Use case #2:  Weather forecast.  With a 70% chance of rain forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday, it looked very likely that we'd get an uncomfortably wet trip.  Flash flood alerts were posted for most of that time.  With Glass, the weather radar app gave me a useful animation showing the storms and how they were moving.  It was many times faster than using NOAA, iMap, or browsing to the Weather Underground.

Glass, Interrupted

I'm back in the blogging saddle again, having survived the run-up to retirement. 

June with Glass

The Graduation

After the trip to Berkeley and then to Portland, you'd think I'd be done for awhile.  Not so, on June 6-10 I flew out to Boston and took the bus to Hanover, NH for my nephew's graduation from Dartmouth.  It was my first trip back their in probably 15 years. 

The food was great, the wine flowed, nephews were amazing and amusing, and the people were great.  I was able to use Glass to take plenty of photos and videos of the entire weekend.  Lots of friends of the family were eager to experience Glass and, as usual, they were very positive. 

First, there was the Phi Beta Kappa induction...

Then an honors reception at the Physics Dept...

including a tour of the undergraduate lounge...

and Peter's lab.  

 There were shenanigans in the back seat of the car on the way to the farm...

followed by lots of great food.

All this led up to the big event, Commencement.  Here's a GG snap of the Dartmouth Green with the crowd of visitors.

The processional was led by a bagpiper...

and we watched from a shady hillside.  

Glass was a big hit at the after-graduation luncheon...

and it let me take some great candid shots.  

#goodtimes

Once Again...

Thanks, Glass, for letting me capture moments like this with my brother.  

 

3D Glass

Project Tango

It appears that Google is working on a small-format tablet that will do real-time 3D scanning.  That's huge.  I can't even image what this kind of technology can do to enable the visually impaired.

Now jump ahead a few years and bundle this kind of tech with Glass.  You now have a web cam/browser over your right ear and the 3D scanner/processor over your left ear.  Talk about situational awareness.

Feast

Looks like Glass and privacy is in the news.  I find that interesting because here in ABQ, I've not had any negative public experiences, even if my manager is uncomfortable when I use them for work-related tasks.  In bars, I ask the bouncer on entry if Glass is OK, for example, at Two Fools' Tavern. 

At Annie's Soup Kitchen, they ask, "Where's your Glass?" when I don't wear them. 

Aztec Animal Clinic are using my #throughglass pieces in their social media and want more.  Here's Dr. Barb, the best vet in the entire world. 

Even the local food trucks are happy with my Glasswork. 

The issue will continue to work its way out as society comes to grips with the implications of pervasive, ubiquitous cameras.  As it is, security cameras, traffic cameras, and just plain smartphone cameras make the case against Glass pretty weak. 

I'll Stop Counting Now

Der Bunker

Finally got the Sandia-owned set of Glass back and took it out to the ersatz weapons storage igloo.  Took some nice stills and a couple minute-long videos.  Again, I'll have to await formal review and approval before I post them here.

The Sandia Glass appears to be stuck in XE12, so I expect an upgrade will be pushed over sometime this weekend.  Still not sure how it's handling Bluetooth... the iPhone says it's connected; Glass says it has no data.  Hmmm? 

Der Trompetenbaum

It's summer at last with temps in the 80s during the day and in the upper 50s at night.  I took this quick snap between rain squalls late this afternoon.  For two weeks each spring this catalpa is glorious, framing the south view from our pool. 

Then for the rest of the year it sheds spent blossoms, seeds, seed pods, and, in the fall, a ton of huge leaves.

Memorial Day Weekend

I'll be visiting my brother who suffers from PSP this Sunday, dropping by the National Cemetery en route to leave flowers on Dad's grave.  On Monday I'll be having Mom over for lunch... hamburgers hot off the grill.

Stand by for plenty of family photos.