Q and A’s
February 1, 2010I’ve gotten a bunch of emails asking some questions about the google reader in a Tofurious Blog as well as the reverse macro technique and the edits I did so instead of emailing everyone back, I’m just going to go ahead and post the answers here in hopes that all of you who asked will see this post. =)
First up…let’s talk about google reader and getting it fixed on your blog so you can see both posts and photos. Now….my template was one of Lawernce’s older templates and I want to say that in his newer ones, he fixed this problem but I’m not sure. You can still go through these same steps to double check. It may not look the same way but as long as you have the number “2″ after rss, it means you are good to go. =)
Here’ are the steps:
1. Go to your wordpress dashboard, and go to the “Editor” under “Appearance”
2. Click on the Header.php template
3. Scroll to the bottom and find this bit of code: (see below for the code) rss
4. Insert a 2 into the code after (’rss_url’), so it should now read: (’rss2_url’)
5. Click “Update File” and that should be it
Sorry I can’t put the entire code here…it makes this post go all wack-a-doodle. =)
Now…click on the RSS button on your blog and you should see both posts and photos in the reader. I’m in IE so I’m not sure what it looks like in Safari and Firefox.
Take it one step further…copy your feeds URL and go to Feedburner.com. It will ask your for your blogs feed, just paste that URL in the box and follow the steps they give you. The cool thing with Feedburner is that you can see how many people are subscribed to your blog and it has a bunch of cool features as well.
NOW if I could just figure out how to make my tags show up at the end of each post, I think I will actually be done working on the blog! LOL!!
BTW…I wanted to thank Scott S for the code for fixing the rss. He was kind enough to send it to me a while back. =) Thanks Scott!
Next up…the reverse macro technique that I used on the flower shots in the previous post (and the photos below). THIS is a great article to get your started on it. I actually use my 50mm 1.4 lens for them so I got the reverse mount bracket for it so my sensor isn’t exposed. You can get all sorts of lens adapters for lens…you just need to get the right size. If you look in your lens cap, you’ll see a number like 52mm or 58mm…that’s the size adapter you’ll need to get if you want to use that lens for the shots. I find my 50mm is the best lens to use. You’ll have to set your camera on manual focus and move in really really slowly to what you want to focus on. You only get a small amount in focus because your DOF is sooooooo extremely small and closed up…which also gives you that nice butter-like, blurry, colorful, soft background.
Elanie…the best way to attach the adapter to your lens is first put the lens on your camera like normal. Then attach the adapter to the front of your lens. You’ll have to screw it on there and you should here a “pop” when it’s on and secure…just to make sure, just tug at it a bit and make sure it doesn’t come off. Next, release your lens from your camera’s body and flip the lens around so the adapter will screw into the body. If you look closely, you’ll see a red dot on the adapter (just like lenses have). Line that dot up with the dot on your body, press in the lens release button and screw it in until it won’t turn anymore. Release the button and turn the lens counterclockwise a bit until you here the “snap” sound. That means it’s securely in. =) Then go and shoot and have fun!! =)
Miss Tamara and Kim: the actions I used for the first one was my COLOR BOOST action and DEEP and RICH action. For the second one, I used Florabella’s SOFT URBAN action. The texture I have no idea where I got it…I wish I knew but it has a generic name to it so I don’t know where I got it BUT if you go to Flickr, and search free textures, there are a TON on there that you can download. I’m pretty sure that’s where I got it because it was sized small and most of those are sized that way.
Hopefully I made it through this post without any typing error (I know that’s probably doubtful). LOL!! I’m a typying error queen and today I’m just to tired to go back and re-read this so lets cross our fingers that I didn’t use any bad words! LOL!! And I can’t leave you with one of Miss G doing her thing. =)
BTW Gail….I didn’t come back with a furry friend although if I had a BIG farm with tons of land, I really think I would have taken all of them home. =( There was a BEAUTIFUL full-blooded great dane there was was soooo cute and mild mannered. He was deaf (which probably was a good thing living at the shelter) but sweet as pie. I think my hubby would have freaked if I brought him home. There we so many animals there without homes….but this shelter is awesome and they have a ton of helpers and all the animals are treated so nicely and well cared for. The girls had a ball…it was such a good idea to do it because sometimes they don’t understand and see that side of animals. It’s not all happy go-lucky, taken care off and loved on all the time. Miss G and I see the ASPCA commerical all the time and still cry when we do. Which makes me think that another action special would be great to help out the shelters. HMMM…soon, very soon. =)
Melanie Joanne: Thank you, you are the best!!! Was such an easy fix and it is working perfectly. Thanks again
Elaine: Honestly, could you be anymore helpful! You are the best, thank you so much. You have no idea how much I love the textures and this post.
laura t.: ohhh the photo of miss g is beautiful...and love the macro shots! i took more photos on manual ala your 125/100 method and i'm discovering a whole new world! off to sign up to audit the upcoming bloom...hope it isn't too late!
Gail: Im amazed at your ability to resist. I love great danes! I just avoid such places altogether because I know resistence is futile..I would be bring home every stray in the city if I didn't blacklist those spots altogether. And even though we do have a large parcel of land around our place, big enough for a few strays anyway, we are moving back to NZ at the end of the year...so no adoptees allowed. For now.
kim g: Thank you! Love your work and love that you're willing to share how you do it!!
Tamara Lalanne: Thanks for the tips on processing the flowers and mounting the lens etc. Very helpful!! Your are the best!
Jessica Drossin: Just wanted to say that picture at the bottom is absolutely dreamy. The wind, her hair... wow.
Jen: Brenda, I LIKE you! There are not enough photographers like you out there. So since you were so nice to do this Q&A, I'm going to ask you another question that I've been dying to know, but too afraid to ask. Awhile back, you mentioned that you can make your white background dark by changing the shutter speed. Is that right? I've been messing with it and can't figure it out. HELP!
brenda: Jen...thank you! =) You can change you white background dark if you are using strobes/lights...not so much with natural light (although you can do it slightly but not as drastic). And it's not so much due to the shutter speed, it how far you position your subject away from you backdrop and where you position your light. The further away you subject is from the bg, the darker it will go. And if you direction your light more on your subject and have it fall less on you the bg, it goes darker too. The images of the beautiful little girl were done with a white bg. I had her about 7 feet away from it so it took on a gray look. Hopefully that will help you some. =)
Jen: Definitely helps! Thanks! I do use strobes, but I don't have enough room in my studio to get my subject far enough away from the background. Someday in my "dream studio" maybe!! Thanks for being so helpful :) And btw, you have the most beautiful children!