artistic

First Attempt at Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Jeff

As someone who has had a life-long interest in drawing and photography, I was excited to be invited to try Adobe’s Artificial Intelligence image generating software Firefly. The program is in Beta format so nothing is “owned” by the users at this point and everything generated under the Beta is restricted from commercial use. I have been using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop for years and they are top-notch products.


Adobe Firefly Introductory Video


One thing I have come to appreciate about Adobe and their evangelists such as Terry White, is their constant work towards creating a better product and end-user experience. That is why I patiently waited for Adobe’s entrance into the Artificial Intelligence (AI) realm. It is not currently the leader in this field, but I have a strong feeling that they will eventually be one of the best.

I am also excited to be able to learn as I go and provide valid feedback to enable the Adobe team to continue to make improvements and enhancements. To quote Jim VandeHei from Axios, “We’re on the doorstep of a new age — don’t be a bystander.”

With that being said, this is my first attempt at producing a Text to Image picture. I encourage anyone who is interested to give it a try. You will have to have an Adobe ID. Click HERE for complete details regarding how to access the Beta version of Adobe Firefly.

 


 
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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.


©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 2023 — JBRish.com


Pumpkin Carver Extraordinaire – Ray Villafane

Jeff

Ray Villafane, internationally acclaimed sculptor, pumpkin carver and magic maker, shares tips and tricks to take your Jack-o-Lantern to the next level.

NOTE – I have attended two Pumpkin Carving Celebrations at Cave Creek’s Sundial Garden and Ray Villafane was the main sculptor/teacher each time. His work is beyond excellent. He carves more than pumpkins. His sand carvings are outrageously detailed!

Here are a few of my blog posts with some of his amazing pumpkin creations:

Part I

Part 2

You can see some of Ray’s sand sculptures HERE:

There is no pumpkin carving festival at Cave Creek this year due to the pandemic!

 

 

More Vide – Ohs

To See additional Interesting Videos Click HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged #please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 2020 – JBRish.com



SignEdge: An Au Contraire Wine

Jeff

Wine labels are really a new art form. With so many good to very good wines available at very reasonable prices, vineyards need a way to catch the eye of the prospective buyer.

I suppose a very bright label might spark an interest in one type of customer while a more subtle, but still clever label might attract another personality type.

As for me, I enjoy any wine label that is “different” which brings me to today’s SignEdge label from the Taub Family via the Russian River Valley.


Here is the back label which is somewhat hard to read, but I think you will get the idea that they are proud of David. S. Taub, the company’s founder.


You can read some of the history and story behind the wine at Palm Bay International.

 
See previous SignEdge posts HERE
Just for SignEdge wine or beer labels HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 2020



Photography: A Pathway to Creativity

Jeff

It is hard to explain how fascinating and interesting photography is for me. I have discovered that it is one of the most flexible creative outlets. Most people I meet don’t appreciate the depth and variety of photography and related graphic art forms. For now, let’s not discuss whether or not photography is a true art. In my opinion it is!

This is a photograph I took at Europa Point in Gibraltar. It was a beautiful clear day with one of the bluest skies I have seen. On a day such as this, onlookers can see Morocco across the Mediterranean Sea. It is the closest point between Europe and Africa.

The lighthouse juxtaposes beautifully against the surroundings of the ultra blue sky and Mediterranean Sea. I find it very striking.



The above photo stands alone as a nice rendition of the scene, but perhaps it would be even better if rendered more like a line art painting or drawing.



There is software available the allows the photographer to express his or her artistic vision in a variety of graphic formats. This is a hybrid of photography and painting albeit via digital manipulation.

Perhaps the artist’s real concept of the scene lends itself more to a watercolor.



The landscape has such contrasting colors of lights and darks. Would a black and white interpretation be interesting?



With a bit more training and skill, the photographer can add a slightly different yet compelling artistic vision of the lighthouse.



I have tried to explain how photography has opened my creative flow and I believe it can do the same for others. If you are trying to find a tool to unleash your imaginative powers and that can develop into a passion, you might want to pick up a camera and start creating!



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NOTES:
One of the beautiful aspects of digital photography is that the photographer can see the results very quickly. There is no film to send to the developers. A version can be seen on the camera’s LCD immediately (in most cases) and a true rendition later on a computer.

Once I retired, I began to apply myself to photography. It has always been of interest to me and now it has grown into a serious hobby. I am not a professional, just a photography enthusiast.

So…where is Gibraltar and Morocco?



Map Via

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Metadata

Original Photo

File Name: 000029_Europa Point Lighthouse, Gibraltar_0971.tif
Capture time: 12:30 PM
Capture date: May 14, 2018
Exposure: 1/350 sec @ f/5.6
Focal Length: 44mm
ISO: 200
Fujifilm X-T2
18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS

Edited in Lightroom & Photoshop

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Check out Jeff’s Instagram account for more interesting photos!

Read more photography posts HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged #please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 2020 JBRish.com



Photography: My Shot – Earthen Details

Jeff

“The devil is in the detail.” — Gustave Flaubert

 

Not only is the devil the the detail or details, as a photographer I find inspiration and beauty in the details. I am not the best photographer and have little hopes of attaining that title. I enjoy photography for many reasons, but let me address just one.

A significant benefit I receive from my photographic hobby is learning to see. We all look at a multitude things every day; perhaps millions of things if we could count them. But how many of us actually “see” those things at which we are looking?

Photography has given me an appreciation for taking my time to look at an object or a scene. I now search for the details; the small things that make the location or item special. The picture below was taken at Cathedral Gorge State Park in Nevada. If you are going through that area, I recommend it as a very picturesque and worthwhile stop.

While at Cathedral Gorge, I hiked among the canyons created by the eroding clay hoodoos. They were very intriguing in their other-worldly appearance.

This specific grouping of hoodoos served as a collection point for a number of tumbleweeds and these earthen structures created a chimney-like opening where they piled one on top of the other to make an amazing composition.



What struck me was the beautiful coloring and the synchronicity of the two natural aspects, i.e. the eroded clay hoodoos and nature’s tumbleweeds. They came together to form a wonderful, natural image – nature as artist!

I love the textures of both the formations and the tumbleweed. The brown tones bind them together to create, what in my opinion, is an artistic rendering.

Seeing the opportunity, however, doesn’t necessarily mean a photograph is going to successfully capture it the way it appeared to the observer and therein lies the beauty, the challenge and the motivation of photography.

I can’t think of a better hobby for people seeking to express their creative souls than that of photography.

 

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Metadata

File Name: 0000199-Tumbleweed plays among the hoodoos – Cathedral Gorge, NV
Capture time: 9:55 AM
Capture date: June 13, 2019
Exposure: 1/30 sec @ f/13
Focal Length: 20mm
ISO: 125
Camera: Nikon D3300
Lens: 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

Edited in Lightroom

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Check out Jeff’s Instagram account for more interesting photos!

Read more photography posts HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged #please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 2020 JBRish.com



Photography: My Shot — Pine Cones in the Mist

Jeff

When we plan our hiking and photography trips, we understand that we are most likely going to have some days when the weather is not ideal. Even if it rains, as long as it isn’t a deluge, we carry out our plans to hike. We may elect to alter the selection of trails, but hike we will.

During our adventures in Sequoia National Park, California, we wanted to see a stand of the giant sequoias that were located in the Muir Grove near the end of the Muir Grove Trail. The day was a dreary, drizzly one. To add a bit of drama, we had a map that accessed the trailhead through one of the campgrounds that was unfortunately closed for renovations. Cars were not allowed, but we were told we could walk in.

The construction turned the campground into ghost town and the cloudy, misty, rainy day created an eerie spectacle. Undeterred however, and with most of the landmarks altered or removed, we finally located the trailhead.

As we made our way along the designated path, we came across the beautiful branch pictured below. The two elongated pine cones were dangling in the air. They were posed in such near perfect juxtaposition against the misty background, that I was inspired to take this photograph and I am glad that I did.



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Metadata

File Name: 000031_sequoia_1619.NEF
Capture time: 12:10 PM
Capture date: June 10, 2018
Exposure: 1/60 sec @ f/16
Focal Length: 35mm
ISO: 1250
Camera: Nikon D3300
Lens: 18.0 – 55.0mm f/3.5-5.6
Edited in Lightroom

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BTW – Here is a picture of me by the unbelievably huge sequoia’s near the end of the trail. To give some perspective to the scene, I am nearly six feet tall and I am standing at the base of a single tree.

Click HERE for more information about the Grove Muir Trail.



See more photography posts HERE and visit Jeff’s Instagram site HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 2018 – JBRish.com



Photography: My Shot — Swirling Pine Needles

Jeff


Pine Needles Swirling in the Stream

After hiking for more than a week in Yellowstone National Park, we moved on to Red Lodge, Montana to continue our adventure. We decided to explore a course along the Silver Run Plateau, Trail #102, Loop #3 just outside of town.

The first part of the loop was quite rocky with boulders and large rocks buried in and around the path. The return half of the hike, however brought us nearer to the river which had much better footing and more intersting views. Along the way, we passed a feeder stream that had a very slow, but consistent flow. A large number of pine needles were “caught” in a side channel and they were swirling around in a somewhat circular motion as the water worked its way around some rocks and debris.

The pattern was very appealing and I found that watching the movement was similar to playing with a kaleidoscope.

 

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Metadata

File Name: DSC_3958.NEF
Capture time: 11:18 AM
Capture date: Sept. 17, 2018
Exposure: 1/100 sec @ f/11
Focal Length: 55mm
ISO: 100
Camera: Nikon D3300
Lens: 18.0 – 55.02mm f/3.5-5.6
Edited in Lightroom & Photoshop

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See more photography posts HERE and visit Jeff’s Instagram site HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 2018 – JBRish.com



Photography: My Shot — Aged Doorway – Sintra, Portugal

Jeff


An Old Historic Doorway in Sintra, Portugal

If you have done much traveling of any kind, you might have seen posters, T-shirts or other artwork that depicts interesting doorways of a particular city. Perhaps they were doorways of Boston, doorways of Georgetown or doorways of San Francisco, etc.

I am a sucker for old or unique doorways. The picture above is of a doorway we came across in Sintra, Portugal in the vicinity of the National Palace of Sintra. This doorway is reminiscent of a bygone ancient era. The wood is old, cracked, discolored and partially rotted. The metalwork is well-used and rusted, but still attractive in design. The doorway exudes character!

The craftsmanship is enhanced by the cementwork frame and the ornamental details increase the beauty of the entranceway. Onlookers quickly come to understand that this building has been an eyewitness to history.

 

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Metadata

File Name: DSC_2646.NEF
Capture time: 11:18 AM
Capture date: May 10, 2018
Exposure: 1/60 sec @ f/9
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO: 180
Camera: Nikon D3300
Lens: 18.0 – 55.02mm f/3.5-5.6
Edited in Lightroom & Photoshop

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See more photography posts HERE and visit Jeff’s Instagram site HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross – 2018 – JBRish.com



Photography: My Shot – Reflections on Dinner

Jeff

I have always been interested in lighting, shadows and reflections. Most of us have probably looked at reflections of ourselves in a glass ball, a jar or perhaps a glass doorknob and became interested, if not fascinated, about the distorted representation of ourselves.

I recently returned to a restaurant we like which has a great view of the Phoenix, AZ valley. As a matter of fact, the restaurant is called Different Pointe of View. It is part of the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs complex in the Moon Valley section of Phoenix. The hotel and restaurant sit on a mountain top.

While we were dinning, the sun set and as I looked at the view of the valley in the large glass windows, not only could I see the city lights, I could see the reflection of our dinner table and it was mesmerizing.


Reflections of Dinner at a Different Point of View
“Reflections of Dinner at a Different Point of View”

The coffee cups and teapot are very discernable as are the two frontmost glases of water. What makes the photo most interesting to me is the reflection of the two people in the foreground combined with a view of the distant city lights. When I consider this was taken with my iPhone, I am pleased with the abstract result.

 

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Metadata

File Name: reflections_on_dinner_1431.JPG
Capture time: 8:38:34 PM
Capture date: march 17, 2018
Exposure: 1/15 sec @ f/2.4
Focal Length: 4.12mm
ISO: 3200
Camera: iPhone 5
Lens: 4.12mm f/2.4

Edited in Lightroom

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Read more photography posts HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross – 2018 – JBRish.com



Photography: As Shot – Reflections of Dinner

Jeff

NOTE – “As Shot” photographs are some that I have posted on Instagram, but without any imposed crop that might not be warranted, less detail reduction and more of an explanation.


Reflections of Dinner in a wine glass

Reflections of dinner in a wine glass

I don’t usually photograph abstract scenes or items, but sitting at dinner a few days ago, I was fascinated by the reflections of our dinner plates, silverware and food in the bottom half of my wine glass. It may be hard to see, but look carefully and I think you will notice the plates, spoons, etc. in the reflection. They are distorted by the curvature of the glass.

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Metadata

File Name: IMG_1188.JPG
Capture time: 5:49:30 PM
Capture date: Nov. 21, 2017
Exposure: 1/15 sec @ f/2.4
Focal Length: 4.12mm
ISO: 800
Camera: Apple iPhone 5

Edited in Lightroom

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Read more photography posts HERE

Visit Jeff’s Instagram Portfolio HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross – 2017 – JBRish.com