bob_ternes

I have been a user of Picture Publisher 10 for a few years on a Win98

machine. Recently after building a new machine and installing WinXP I

am not able to open and view .pcd (Kodak Photo CD) files with Picture

Publisher 10.

 

Also, WinXP Explorer does not seem to support the Thumbnail view

option of .pcd files like it did in Win98 (have no idea why)

 

So, since I can't view them in Explorer, or open them with PP10, I

decided to convert them all to hi resolution .jpgs or .tifs

 

I tried Irfanview, but when it converts it must use a peculiar look

up table or color space because all of the converted files are dark

and muddy. Completely unlike how Picture Publisher had handled them

in the past and also unlike how the Win98 Explorer thumbnails

appeared.

 

This isn't a difference between 2 different machines. If I take one

of the Irfan converted files to the old machine it looks completely

different than the Photo CD preview.

 

Does anyone have a solution for my problems or a suggestion on a

program that converts them accurately?

 

Converting one at a time is out of the question and I need a batch

converting program.

I will also suggest Memories on TV....you can download it from their website for an evaluation. I bought it and had a few questions for tech support. I emailed my questions on a Sunday nite and had a response (with real answers) in my inbox on early Monday morning.

Let us not forget one thing...many of the photos that you see here on photo.net are technically excellent photos to start with. The amount of post processing on the raw scans is a lot easier to do with a properly exposed negative or slide.

 

For what it's worth....a very, very small number of my photos look as "amazing" either, and I suspect the photos you refer to are the results of good technique, both pre and post exposure along with a ruthless attitude on editing and culling substandard work.

Hans....Just prior to Christmas our family purchased a Toshiba 1800 something model DVD player. It said it could read VideoCD on the outside of the box and I took a chance. It was about $89 at a discount store here.

 

I also had the Nero software and so I created a VideoCD on CD-R media, to my surprise it worked perfectly and actually looked quite good on our large screen TV. It does seem as though the slightly darker images show a little better, and you might even try a little boost in saturation. However, my TV is getting rather old, so maybe my color tubes are getting tired.

 

Good luck, I think you may be pleased.

A little sidebar question to Timothy`s post...

 

Does anyone have any information on photo opportunities at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park? The Florida State Parks website says there is limited access there, but I was wondering what might be available. I`m not a bird enthusiast at all, but enjoy other nature/wildlife opportunities. It sort of sounds like it could be interesting for a morning visit.

It is my observation that I believe this is one of the more colorful falls we have had in a few years. Even the soft maple and other trees not known for showy fall color are looking great in my part of Ohio. I believe it to be the conditions over the last few weeks.

 

I meant to include this in my first post.

I`ll second Kurt`s suggestion for a drive up State Route 62 into Holmes county. That area is home to the largest concentration of Amish in the USA. Millersburg, Berlin, Sugarcreek are all good areas for scenics and fall colors.

 

Many photogenic farmsteads also without the usual electrified clutter (Utility poles). An abundance of sugar maple, black maple along with red oaks,ash and cherry are native trees there and lend their colors well this time of year.

 

As I write this, I believe we are in about the peak of our fall color here (about 50 miles North of Holmes County)so your timing should be ideal.

I took this exact trip a few years ago with my wife...We were most impressed with Sedona and Flagstaff area. Sedona and Oak Creek is good for at least 5 rolls alone....Route 93 from Vegas to Kingman looked like a lot of nothing to me, but I`m sure someone will have some suggestions on that leg. I probably passed up some great photo locale and didn`t even know it, so I`m going to be checking this thread for more knowledgeable responses in case I ever get the chance to repeat.

 

 

One side note...We had an Arizona state map that indicated a ghost town off Route 93 about 10 miles or so. I drove back and forth on a dusty gravel road 3 times before I found it. It was a bunch of building foundations and boards laying on the ground with a bunch of tin cans laying about. Not exactly what I had in mind. I hope someone can steer you to a better one than that. My wife thought I was nuts!!!

Tom...indeed your photographic "vision" has contributed to your increased awareness of the wildlife that abounds in our country. Here in Ohio, just down the road on I-90, I am also seeing and noticing more animals than I used to. I have a good reference point also, I grew up on the same farm where I currently live. As a young child it was a rarity to see a whitetail deer, and if you saw one, you talked about it for weeks. My father has also made these same observations and he has no interest in photography. The same could be said for turkeys and eagles. Now we see deer on a daily basis, sometimes in groups as large as 10-15. It is often stated that there are more whitetail deer in the US than there were when the first settlers arrived, and I believe it.

 

 

I believe the increased wildlife we see comes about as the result of several factors. Professional game management by state agencies regarding bag limits and seasons to increase or decrease herd sizes to match carrying capacity of the land. The abandonment of marginal cropland to revert to a natural status, hence more cover and habitat. Reintroduction of species into areas where they may not reestablish themselves naturally. Abundant food due to high yield farming practices that increase per acre yields of crops. Example: a 2 bushel decrease in soybean yield due to deer damage is a lot easier to accept if you are getting 55 bushels per acre than in my Grandfathers day when yields were maxed out at 20-25 bushels. High yield farming also leads to the abandonment of the above mentioned marginal cropland as it is not economically feasible to farm low productivity land.

 

 

Also, I believe that wildlife in general, have become much better adapted at living in the proximity of humans, if the needs of food and habitat are present. Some of the areas here in Ohio with the largest per square mile deer populations are in urban and semi-urban areas.

 

 

I do agree with you about your expanded vision due to photography. I also find myself noticing things that may not have caught my eye 20 years ago. Although I can`t say for certain exactly why, it seems that sunsets, sunrises, old majestic trees, wildlife, flowers, gentle summer rains and even my crops, have all gotten more beautiful in these later years. Or is that just a natural appreciation for all life revealing itself as I grow older?

Peter...I responded to an earlier post with some information on Highlands Hammock State Park in Sebring, Florida. The subject line was "What`s happening in SW Florida currently" Read my response and if that`s not enough I can elaborate some more I guess.

Since you will be starting in Orlando and heading down to Ft. Myers, I will assume you might travel on US 27. If so, an afternoon at Highlands Hammock State park in Sebring would be a nice fill in. Many walking trails over both dry land and black swamps. It isn`t usually heavily visited and there are plenty of places to set up tripods and gear. Most trails are from 1/4 to 1/2 mile loops back to your vehicle.

 

Our family has a home there and I have always enjoyed this park for Florida whitetails, gators, otters, and some birds. On a warm day take the elevated boardwalk trail out over the swamp and there is almost always a large gator somewhere basking in the sun. Long glass will be helpful as well as a pair of binocs for spotting.

 

Exposures have been somewhat tricky for me as there are a lot of really dark (almost spooky) places in there even in bright midday. Trails are well marked but do be cautious where you step and don`t be alarmed when you first encounter the scourge of Florida (the armadillo), they are really harmless, but can sound like a large animal when foraging.

 

This park is said to represent some of the only remaining truly untouched by the hand of man land in Florida. You may well imagine you are Ponce de Leon searching for the fountain of youth, and you will be amazed how different native Florida must have looked to those first European explorers.

The keywords in most insurance policies are, "sudden and accidental"

While this doesn`t exactly fit with the Utah suggestions, I would encourage you to make a small side trip excursion while you are in Las Vegas. If you have a free morning on your visit you might want to consider driving up to Kyle canyon area and Mt.Charleston in the Toiyabe National forest. It is about 45 mins to an hour away from wherever you will be staying on the strip or downtown. Take I-15 north towards downtown and then 95 north towards Tonopah, go about 18-20 miles on 95 to rt 157, turn left (only way as I remember) and proceed straight up into Kyle canyon 26 miles. The road pretty much deadends at a nice lodge and restaurant where you can get a sandwich and hot chocolate. There are some nice places along the way to get some photos and the road is wide enough to permit you to pull over in most places. Don`t worry when you first start up the 26 mile leg of 157...it`s pretty plain but soon gets interesting when you cross the tree line. I visit Las Vegas with some regularity and always take any first time visitors up there and like to watch their amazement at such a pretty place not more than an hour from the desert floor of Las Vegas. You can do the whole trip and back by noon if you start about 8 am. Oh...by the way, be careful on the way back down the 26 mile from the canyon, you can really get your speed up there if not careful. One time we actually coasted all 26 miles with never stepping on accelerator, only the brakes.

Living where I do (Northern Ohio) and my occupation (farmer) exposes me to all kinds of road conditions, from whiteout snowstorms to sudden and immediate road icing. Having said that however, I`m not naive enough to think that experience qualifies me to venture anywhere in the world. It`s certainly different in the west than here. I appreciate all those who responded with suggestions and words of wisdom.

I am planning to attend seminar in Colorado Springs in late Jan early

Feb. On other trips I have flown to a city within reasonable driving

distance of my final destination and rented vehicle to finish off the

trip. I was considering flying to Albuquerque and driving up to Colo

Springs. My friends say that road conditions could prevent this

driving leg of the trip. I know nothing of New Mexico except Bugs

Bunny took a wrong turn there once. I would appreciate any

suggestions on a preferred route and possible photo opportunities

along the way. Time is flexible and I am reasonably able driver.