The Snowflake Misses the North Wind, originally uploaded by Rob Snache - Spirithands.net.

"I heard you have found a girlfriend"
"Yes I met my chat friend on my vacation."
"Do you have a picture?"
I had her a couple of snapshots from my trip to the Philippines.
"Oh Rob! She's beautiful!"
I looked at my cousin, eyes welling up with tears.
"You must miss her?"
I looked at her and nodded.
Patti reached over to me and gave me a hug. "Everything will be alright"

And it was.

Patti was the one in a million person in life who was quick to smile, offer support without judgment and always there for family and friends. To say that I miss her is a gross understatement.

She will be missed like the stars miss the moon, earth misses the sun and the snowflake misses the north wind

RBS 4 BHO, originally uploaded by Rob Snache - Spirithands.net.

Hoping every United States Citizen will cast their vote tomorrow. I can not vote (I am an Ojibway or Native Canadian) but if I could I would cast it for Barack Obama. No other living politician in my lifetime as inspired me the way Obama has. A man of humble roots, he is the American Dream.

I have nothing but respect for John McCain. He truly and proudly served his country and would definitely be a fresh breath of air after 8 years of George W. Bush. But this year belongs to Barack Obama.

October Sky (BW), originally uploaded by Rob Snache - Spirithands.net.

I have been on a long hiatus from updating my blog. As a short update, I have been keeping busy learning to process HDR (High Dynamic Range) images. This image is a black and white version of my best HDR image so far. The colour version can be viewed on my flickr site here :

On this particular night I had the chance to take some photos at my brother's fastball game. It was taking place on Nomination night (for the 2008 Chief & Council election). On this night I learned that a faster lens and a camera with and extended ISO range with low noise would make a big improvement on this photo. Other than those two expensive options, I could shoot in daylight or I can read more tips like this link!

http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/100-things-ive-learned-about-photography/

The Path of Souls, originally uploaded by Rob Snache - Spirithands.net.

It's now August and I have spent much of the past few weeks chasing Noctilucent Clouds that never appeared in the sky in my area. Lately I have thought more about my the passing of my uncles over that last 2 years. Their souls have and are passing along the Path of Souls til they reach their final place of rest. Capturing this on my camera has been a bit of a distraction from taking more accessible shots in daylight, but this has been far more satisfy, and even a spiritual experience. I have been inspired by other captures of the Milky Way and craved to tell a bit more of my heritage as an Anishnabe.

It is still believed by many Ojibwe that when we pass on to the spirit world our souls will travel through the Western Doorway across the universe to the Spirit World. The path that they will travel is called Nenbosh-miikan or the Path of Souls. It is of great comfort and guidance to my soul that my uncles have travelled this path and someday we will meet again.

Under the Watch of the Stars, originally uploaded by Rob Snache - Spirithands.net.

This was the best night for shooting startrails that I have experienced so far! I just wanted to share my result! Please visit my posting at flickr.com.

http://flickr.com/photos/rbs/2453914520/

If  you have taken long exposures you might have noticed annoying characteristics of your camera.  I shoot with a Sony DSLR and noticed with my long exposures the camera would take a long time to process an image once I had released the shutter.  It was always exactly the same amount of time as the initial shutter speed.  For example, if I shot an image for 1 minute it would take an additional minute to process the final result.  Total time was exactly 2 minutes.  I began to wonder why.  I learned that if I wanted to use my camera without the annoying additional processing time, I had to turn off the Noise Reduction.  Ok, so I tried that and started shooting again.  This time the images were disappointing because the excessive glow that occurred in the corners of the frame.  I soon learned that this is the nature of the beast!  Either I shoot with Noise Reduction on or learn to reduce amount of noise with shorter exposures.





I wanted to be able to understand what was happening with this noise pattern that was inherit to Digital Photography.  I soon learned that it was call Amplifier Glow.  This an extreme example of what happens when you shoot and image with the cap on.  This is called a dark frame and is a perfect example of a noise signature.  The trick that DSLR's employ to get around the noise signature is called Dark Frame extraction.  This Dark frame noise signature must be removed from your shot to reduce and hopefully remove your amplifier glow.





We can take these two shots, your original capture and your dark frame into Photoshop to remove the amplifier glow.  For this to work satisfactory the two shots must have the same Fstop and same shutter speed.  Also because noise patterns are affected by ambient heat the frame should be taken under the same relative time frame.  Best to be taken one after the other.  In this shot I have applied the dark frame on top of the original shot and changed the layer property to Difference.




This is the result of a manual Dark Frame extraction. So now you know why you might want to have Noise Reduction turned on for your long exposures. It can be much easier for your camera to process the Dark Frame then having to do it manually.

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Flickr(ed) Through the Darkness, originally uploaded by Rob Snache - Spirithands.net.

One Hour on a Night of Clarity

So far it's been a cautious year. I never really got off to a great start in 2008. We remembered my uncle's life to begin the new year. A week later I hurt my foot while running. I am struggling with that until today and have learned to wait a little longer before I get back to real running again. I have also had some camera trouble. I have had sporadic aperture and auto focus problem with my DSLR. The point and shoot is basically unusable because the zoom and other buttons do not function. With no extra cash around to fix either I have dealt with the camera problems day to day. With my sore ankle I have just told myself I have to wait a little longer for it to heal. Feels like being in transition. Waiting for the next phase. This winter has been the longest in my memory. All this waiting is kind of represented in these long exposures. Just waiting for the results to come out. Even when it comes out of the camera, there is more processing, more time, more patience.

I suppose the message I have been given is to take one day at a time. Be patient. Seek clarity of thought. It was while processing these long exposures that something flickred through the darkness of thought; I need to be careful and tolerant of the uncertainty that has defined this winter season.

What does all of this mean?



Taken before the moon rise.

I have an interest in following the politics of our times. Living in Canada it is impossible not to know what is going on with our neighbors to the south. I remember staying up late to watch Gore and Bush on election night openly believing Gore was going to the White House. Then weeks later after much fighting Bush had somehow taken America off course. We are now into Bush's last year. There is so much division in America and it was very distracting and disheartning to see this. I had spent some time working and living in the USA and firmly supported and even envied our friends to the south.

It started looking like Bush would never be much of a president until 9/11. The entire dynamics changed. I'll never forget "Your either with us or against us". The polarization of American Politics was just beginning. Up until Bush decided to go into Iraq I was all for America taking the war to the terrorist. Iraq was a bad call. By 2008 it is clear the the American public no longer has a clear control on the steering wheel of Politics. So much is smoke and mirrors created by spin doctors and lobbyist clouds the issues. No body seems to want to come together and change the world for the greater good. There is more than a one way to change this mess, but it requires cooperation and consensus. Seems like an impossible likelihood.

I watched Barak Obama on the night of the South Carolina Primary (I lived and worked in NC around 1997/98). I felt like I was watching someone who knew what I was feeling and wanting. I did not fully comprehend what was unfolding before my eyes and ears. It is clear too me now that there is Hope for America. The USA is without a doubt the greatest nation of our time. It has fallen on hard times since 9/11, but I know it can be great again. Barak Obama makes me believe it. How I wish I could vote for him!

Please watch this video witch puts his "Yes We Can" speech to music, and I hope you will have Hope for America again.

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