Night smoke, bad timing

[Tim Richards]

My brother was over the other night, as was a friend of my son. Neither had ever seen a flintlock fired in person so it seemed like a good opportunity for me to try and catch the sparks and flame on the digital camera. I squeezed the shutter when my son squeezed the trigger. The gun went off quick enough that the slight delay with the digital missed the fireworks. Oh, well, at least my brother and son's friend thought it was great. A neighbor did call, wondered if I knew anything about a shotgun being fired. Made it clear to me how much our neighborhood has changed; 20 years ago there were 14 houses total on a two mile stretch, us in the middle. One neighbor (now departed, his wife divorced him and the three sons are grown and gone) even had a range set-up with an outdoor night light so they and any neighbor who wanted could shoot whenever we wanted. A quick mental calculation and I realize we now have about 35 new houses on the same stretch of road, not all of whom appreciate or are used to shots. Guess us old-timers will have to adjust. Well, not during deer season.

 

[jeepwj992002]

Ehh that still is a nice shot. I know how you feel about how too many folks are moving out into the country. I remember just a few years ago where I live there was a lot of farm land. Now almost all I see is new homes. My countryside is going away.

 

[Tim Richards]

Besides losing the rural culture at a steady pace, we're losing top farm land that can never be replaced. My daughter and family recently relocated to Dublin, Ohio. My son-in-law took me for a drive. It looked like mile after mile of houses, condos and so on, most look like they've been built in the past few years. Sad situation, but I can't blame the landholders who have a chance to make enough to live very well on for the rest of their lives.

 

[jeepwj992002]

I can understand where the farmers are coming from. It is getting harder and harder to be a farmer nowadays.

 

[Slake]

digital cameras have a wee bit of a delay to them unless ya spend big dollars on one...if you anticipate the delay you'll get those flames..
as to the houses.....oh man...I used to shoot all over the place now I belong to gun clubs...and hunting camps

 

[howdydoit]

sure is some nice smoke tho.

 

[Leonredbeard]

TDR,
Does your camera have movie mode? If it does just shoot a movie next time and link us to that. We seem to never tire of watching it.
The ole pyro'
volatpluvia

 

[Tim Richards]

I hadn't thought about the movie feature, but you're right, it does. I've only used it once, took a short clip of my 2 year old granddaughter playing the piano and singing with her uncle, so I know it works. Good idea, it never even occured to me, thanks.

 

[Homesteader]

You moved TO Ohio?! I moved away for good in '88, and travelled a good bit before that. I honestly cannot imagine why anyone would want to move there, unless maybe you're going to Athens county or the like.

But, to be fair, even where I moved is now becoming loaded with people. When I bought my land about 5 years ago the county engineer told me I could do anything I wanted "way out" where I was. Now I have a rich man's ranch next to me, and everything I want to do is scrutinized. It's the way of things, I suppose.

Do any of you know of a place in the US where a man can still go and be left alone? I don't. At least not in the lower forty, and sure as He** not east of the Missisip.

A sad state of affairs, I believe. I have read and reread the Constitution, and I cannot find the passage that gives the Tin-Horns so much power to interfere with my private property, my land.

Ah well... Can't take life all that seriously. It's a temporary state, after all.

 

[tmdreb]

The photo's fine, you just need to advertise it better! Your story needs to be that you've taken all kinds of pics out back before, and never saw the mysterious orbs until the spirits were awakened by the black powder smoke. This isn't a bad shooting picture, it's a great ghost picture!

 

[hildo]

It is quite easy to get just the perfect flame from you muzzle, if you have a photocamera with a movie option. I have used it a lot and you get spectacular photo's, although not of very high resolution. Depending on your camera upto 640 x 480 pixels probably. (TV screen like)

1) Make a film of your shooting session
2) Playback on a computer
3) Stop the movie at the exact right moment
4) Press the 'print screen' button on your keybord
5) Open a photo programme (I use photoshop)
6) Paste (control + V)
7) The picture should now be pasted in your programme that you use to work on photo's
8) Adjust if necessary en save as...

 

[jeepwj992002]

I usually use my Sony Digital 8 camcorder. I can get still photos from the video that are pretty high quality.

 

[Tim Richards]

Thanks for the ideas, guys. I'll give them a try. Hmm, wonder if I could make money somehow off the idea of catching a will o' the wisp in a photo...