8 Ways to Sunday

This is where my mother and I are staying while she visits doctors in Tucson:

The front entrance as seen from the courtyard at dusk. Click for slightly larger version.

Beats the hell out of Motel 6, that’s for sure.

Hotel Schmotel Tucson Hospitality Inn is a non-profit hospitality house especially for seriously ill people receiving treatment in Tucson and their caregivers. It’s kind of like a B&B in the way it’s set up, and only costs $35 per night. (Update: The hospitality house where we stayed has changed its name from Hotel Schmotel to Tucson Hospitality Inn as of late 2005.)

I’d hoped to take more pictures by now, but for now all I’ve got is the exterior shot above and this photo of the kitchen:   (more…)

A guy has his brain tumor removed and posts the operation photos on Flickr for all to see. Not for the squeamish.

(Props: Shtuff)

Microsoft has launched a new section of its web site targeted specifically at professional and advanced amateur photographers, and has released a free download for Windows XP that adds RAW image thumnailing and viewing to the company’s flagship operating system. After years of playing second fiddle to Apple in the digital imaging arena, it looks like Redmond is gearing up to give Cupertino a run for its money in that market.

The pro photography home page is about what you’d expect. It contains several informative articles that will be especially useful for advanced photographers that are just making the move from film to digital, or for Macintosh- and Linux-using digital photographers that are trying to get their heads around how things work in Windows. There are several articles on color management, including monitor and scanner profiling and a color space tutorial. Other pieces cover shooting landscapes digitally, choosing the best hardware and software, rescuing photos from damaged memory cards, digital workflow, digital print permanence, and even Photoshop actions.

The RAW tool is an interesting exercise in both compromise and restraint for Microsoft. Here’s how they describe it in the white paper that’s offered alongside the download:   (more…)

The Washington Post has published an article with some good, basic advice for novice digital photographers. The tips come from pros and hobbyists, and are spot-on for the most part.

The only bit I’d disagree with is Nigel Aves’s comment that you should throw out the image editing software that comes for free with your camera. Nigel says they’re all junk, but this isn’t as true as it used to be. Some digital cameras are now shipping with Photoshop Elements, a very capable program that I use myself.

For digital photographers seeking more advanced advice, I strongly recommend O’Reilly’s Digital Photography Pocket Guide, by Derrick Story. It’s packed full of concise information that you can put to use immediately, and it’s small enough to fit in your backpack, purse, or camera bag.

According to PhotoshopNews, you can now get your hands on a 30-day demo version of Adobe’s flagship photo editor. They provide download links for both Windows and Mac versions.