AMOD AGL3080

Summer Sailing Adventure

GPS data visualized using Google Earth.

GPS data visualized using Google Earth. Click image to embiggen.

Before I left on my trip, I had the opportunity to go sailboat racing with some friends on the Mata Hari. This was also a perfect opportunity for me to test integrating the Amod GPS unit (Google Maps version of the race data or just download the raw KML file.). Unfortunately, I went sailing the weekend before I left and didn’t have time to edit the photos and put them online before I took off.

I finally got around to editing them last night. Part of the reason it took so long to edit them after I got back is that I’ve really been burned out with photography and needed a break. I’ve hardly picked up my camera since I got back and almost contemplated selling it (I’m pretty sure this is a normal feeling, and don’t worry, I’m keeping it).

Last night was really fun though. I’m still not quite ready to pick up my camera, but I’m getting close. I have another couple hundred photos to edit from Edays (yes, from April…holy crap). Perhaps after that, I’ll start doing some more picture taking. In the meantime, enjoy these photos from the beginning of summer as we start to welcome our Fall Overlords.

DSC_8802
70.0 mm || 1/2000 || f/4.5 || ISO200 || NIKON D70
Seattle, Washington, United States


DSC_8811
18.0 mm || 1/2500 || f/4.5 || ISO200 || NIKON D70
Bainbridge Island, Washington, United States


DSC_8828
18.0 mm || 1/2500 || f/4.5 || ISO200 || NIKON D70
Seattle, Washington, United States


DSC_8895
70.0 mm || 1/1600 || f/4.5 || ISO200 || NIKON D70
Bainbridge Island, Washington, United States


DSC_8840
18.0 mm || 1/2000 || f/4.5 || ISO200 || NIKON D70
Seattle, Washington, United States


DSC_8926
112.0 mm || 1/800 || f/5.6 || ISO200 || NIKON D70
Seattle, Washington, United States


DSC_8850
70.0 mm || 1/500 || f/4.5 || ISO200 || NIKON D70
Seattle, Washington, United States


DSC_8884
18.0 mm || 1/1250 || f/4.5 || ISO200 || NIKON D70
Wautauga Beach, Washington, United States


DSC_8888
22.0 mm || 1/2000 || f/4.5 || ISO200 || NIKON D70
Bainbridge Island, Washington, United States


DSC_8933
70.0 mm || 1/1000 || f/5.6 || ISO200 || NIKON D70
Hawley, Washington, United States


Sailboats against the Mountain
180.0 mm || 1/1600 || f/5.6 || ISO200 || NIKON D70
Manitou Beach, Washington, United States


Contrail
300.0 mm || 1/1250 || f/5.6 || ISO200 || NIKON D70
Rollingbay, Washington, United States

As is our usual agreement, the rest of the photos can be found on Flickr at: Summer Sailing 2009

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Technology for The Trip

One of the bigest things I had to figure out for this trip was all the technology I was (or wasn’t going to bring) and how I would be using it. Basically, I didn’t want to bring anything super expensive or heavy with me, and what I ever I brought needed to do its job and do it well. Here’s the list of hardware:

Additionally, I’ve loaded up my Netbook with some software specific for this trip:

  • AVG Anti-virus
  • GeoSetter
  • Google Earth
  • Google Chrome
  • iTunes
  • Skype
  • Windows Live Writter
  • TweetDeck
  • Lightroom
  • Meebone
  • Flickr Uploader
  • GPSBabel
  • Launchy
  • NotePad++

Many of the software tools on this list are standare fare, others are new to me. GeoSetter is an application that merges GPS data (from the AMOD AGL3080 GPS Data Logger) with photos (from the D70).

Meebone is desktop version of Meebo, which is a web-based instant messaging program.

GPSBabel is a program which can take GPS data (again, from the AMOD AGL3080 GPS Data Logger, which is in NMEA 0183 format) and convert it into any other format, such as Google’s Keyhole Markup Language (KML).

Launchy is a program used for quick access to programs. I just press ALT + Space and type in the name of the program I want to run.

Windows Live Writter is a desktop program for composing and publish blog posts. I’m using this because there will often be times when I cannot connect to the internet, but still want to write up posts. This will let me compose posts and then publish them when I hit a WiFi spot.

One of the other things I’m working on is a revised workflow for photos. I need a workflow that will quickly let me merge GPS data, import photos to Lightroom for processing, export, and upload. I’m still working out the kinks, but the basic process goes like this (based in part on Bryan Villarin’s My new geotagging workflow with the Amod AGL3080 and Lightroom (Windows):

  1. Move photos from D70 to Netbook
  2. Move GPS data from Data Logger to Netbook
  3. Use GeoSetter to merge GPS data with photos (data added to NEF file, not sidecar XMP)
  4. Import/Move photos into Lightroom
  5. Pick good photos and apply Auto Tone and/or Punch filters
  6. Export filters to JPG with High Sharpening for Screen
  7. Important photos to Flickr Uploadr
  8. Add photos to group(s), add tag(s) to photos
  9. Upload photos
  10. Delete JPG version of photos

We’ll see how that works. My other option is to just backup the RAW photos to my server and not process them until I get home, which I don’t want to do.

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  1. No, I’m not making that color up ↩