Bob Crum

His name is Alex. Alex is a regular reader of Focus on Photography. Alex sent me an email saying that he is ready to enter the Royal Realm of 'Real' Photography (RRRP). Fret not, he's not totally foregoing phonetography. Just that he has become acutely aware of it's limitations with respect to dedicated camera possibilities.

Alex requested help selecting a camera. Delighted considering that I love spending other people's money. I suggested a camera store in Santa Barbara. I know there are camera stores closer but camera selection (inventory) is far greater at the Santa Barbara store.

I asked Alex his budget. “Oh, about $ 95.00” he said. OK, but I think we're going to have a problem finding a Kodak Brownie camera except on eBay. Consider increasing your budget. Alex flashed a credit card... with a gargantuan line of credit. Oh yes, this was going to be fun! Hmmm... Hasselblad?

The camera store to Alex was like a candy store to a six-year old. Alex's grin displayed exhilaration with the proclamation: WOW! Never heard that from anyone entering a smartphone store! Just sayin'.

We were promptly greeted by store rep Ron. I explained that my friend Alex needs a few minutes to get acclimated. He acknowledged saying wave when ready.

Finally Alex waved. I suggested that Ron first present a few point-and-shoot best sellers. These days, many reasonably priced P&S cameras are excellent. But they have fixed lenses. Benefit: no sensor dust. Con: can't change lenses for special needs. Alex wasn't impressed wanting more versatility. Next, ILCs (Interchangeable Lens Cameras).

Ron presented three best selling mirrorless ILCs. Alex was instantly hard pressed to curtail his excitement. Remember, I said, you're not just buying a camera, you also need a lens. “No problem”, said Alex, grinning.

Continuously fondling a Fujifilm X-T2, an Olympus OM-D EM-1 and a Sony A6500 camera, Alex taxed Ron's patience to frustration. Finally Alex said OK. OK what I asked? “I don't know what to buy,” he said. Arrrrgh! “Just kidding,” he added.

After much agonizing, Alex bought the Olympus OM-D EM-1 camera and a 14-150mm lens. Awesome kit. Plus he bought a couple extra batteries and other accessories-polarizing filter, lens cleaner, camera bag etc. Alex instantly experienced ecstasy with his new nifty photographic equipment. And I added another notch on my camera strap.

We spent the rest of the afternoon photoing as Alex learned how to operate the camera and the menu system. A quick study, Alex began photographing everything. Telltale symptoms of photographers. However the exuberant Alex was calling me constantly telling me about all of his latest awesome photos. I had to block his phone number.

Note to procrastinators: Photography is therapeutic and extremely rewarding. Also scratches your creative itch. Want to go shopping?

When not shooting events, you should expect that I enjoy shooting for pleasure. One particular subject, the majestic eucalyptus tree on highway 126 west of town, eluded my photographic capture until recently. I waited because I thought a sky with clouds would enhance the image. One day clouds came and I went and made the photo. Afterward I thought, would a blue sky be better? Do the clouds enhance the tree? When confronted with the conundrum of boundless creativity, I quote Henry Miller: “Whatever I do is done out of sheer joy; I drop my fruits like a ripe tree. What the general reader or the critic makes of them is not my concern.” Of course my fruits being photos.

Hark! The awesome County Fair begins 8/1! Imagine a gazillion photo ops!!!! Cameras UP!

Happy photoing!

Send comments, suggestions and/or questions to: photography@earthlink.net

Fillmore High School Principal Tom Ito.

[Following is a letter from Tom Ito to Fillmore High School Staff, submitted at his resignation. Mr. Ito is retiring. The Gazette will have a full statement from Mr. Ito in our July 26 edition. He will be greatly missed…]

Flashes,

I am writing this email to thank all of you for your contribution to making Fillmore High School a great place for students and staff to be and also one of the best schools in Ventura County.

All of you in your own way have contributed each day in supporting students and staff at Fillmore High School. The many ways you extend yourself for our students is not only admirable but also noticeable to everyone that has had the opportunity to be part of our great school or comes in contact with any of you as you perform your daily duties. Every year that I have been at FHS, I have seen and heard the most positive comments and praise by parents, community members, visitors, and most of all our students. They marvel at how giving and kind you are to the students. Many have shared that the influence of the staff on their child has helped to motivate, inspire, change and support their growth. Returning students have consistently told me that the school has really changed and they are very happy with their teachers. You all need to know that the students depend on you so much and are so appreciative of any support you show them. With all of this support and effort from all of you, achievement in academics and athletics has reached new highs and will continue to do so as long as the students are first in our thoughts and actions. The data shows it, but as I have repeated through the years, we don’t need data to confirm how special it is to work at Fillmore High School.

On a personal note, I want to thank all of you for making my four years at Fillmore High School the best they could be. You have been the easiest and most willing staff to work with. So many of you welcomed me and made feel at home when I first arrived to FHS. We shared the same mindset in that we believed that every student could achieve and every student is special. There are so many things that we as a staff achieved that it would take me a very long time to go over. Suffice it to say, we moved as a group which allowed our students to achieve as a group. We did not leave any students back and we provided immense enrichment in all areas of the school.

The future of Fillmore High School looks very bright. As the WASC Committee stated, this is a vastly improved school from the one they saw in 2014. When they return in 2020, I know you will once again impress them as a school staff. I hope you are allowed to continue to learn from each other and to have a major say in the direction of the school. You are the experts. I have never said this before, because it was not true until then end of 2017, but you are now the best faculty I have ever worked with during my 34 years in public education. So much has to do with the giving nature of the staff and with the addition of 34 new staff with the same disposition, FHS has undergone a major upgrade.

In 2019, I will attend the Venice High School Class of 1989 30th Year Reunion. I have attended their 1999 and 2009 reunions too. They were a very special group of students that I taught in my early years in education. They were willing, very kind and such a giving bunch of kids. They made my first years as a teacher enjoyable and rewarding. For a first year emergency credentialed teacher learning the ropes they made all the difference in the world to me. I won’t ever forget any of them. I only write about them to illustrate how I feel about you and what you have done for me. To end my career on the same high note that I started it on is a dream come true and you were a big part of it.

Thank you and so long,
Tom

HANDS-ON Consultations (HOC), Computer Support Services, a Fillmore, Ventura County based company, is pleased to announce our twenty (20) year anniversary in business as a full-time computer support company serving business and home users in the communities of Ventura and Los Angeles Counties and beyond.

In July of 1998, Harv & Patti Oliver established their computer support services company out of their home in Fillmore, CA. The startup business began after owner and Senior Tech Harv Oliver decided to put his services and skills to work with his own business plan. The skillset at that time was developed working for the Department of Defense in the “mainframe” world and then evolved to include Personal Computers (PC’s) as they were incorporated to the mainframe operations/networks, and eventually, as they are today in nearly every business and home. Twenty years ago, July 14th, HOC assisted their first client. For those of you who recall, this was Archer Chiropractic with offices on Central in Fillmore. At the same time, we assisted Shuel Chiropractic with offices on Main in Santa Paula, as the two doctors worked on a developing effort together. In the twenty years since, HOC has assisted with thousands of service calls and clients to keep their computer operations working.

In their original business plan, there was never an intent for a storefront, but to provide “HANDS ON” services onsite for businesses and home users or in the HOC offices as required. Trying to maintain an inventory in such a fast moving and ever-changing field, based on location, population, etc. was evaluated as impractical and this business model has worked well. In July 2001, due to business expansion and requirements, the business transitioned leasing offices from Aguirre Financial & Insurance Services in their current location in the Gurrola Building at 606 Sespe in Fillmore. “We primarily provide ‘field services'”, Harv stated. “We do schedule appointments and system drop-offs at the office however the bulk of our work is ‘onsite’ at client facilities or homes.”. Clients have expanded to hundreds of home users, business medical & dental practices, engineering, manufacturing, travel agencies, insurance providers, and many more.

Harv provides technical support services and manages the day-to-day operations with Patti providing support in operations and continuing business development. Through the years, experienced and qualified technicians have provided additional support activities and in 2012, after six months in a supporting role, Tobias Knowles was a hired as a second full-time technician to assist the growing client base. Toby’s skillset in programming, networking, systems repair, and Server Administration have been a huge and valued addition to the HOC team. Cynthia Chessani has provided the bulk of accounting/bookkeeping & administrative services for over ten years – a true asset and part of the HOC family. And while she recently moved on to her new full-time position providing the skills developed in her six years assisting HOC, a shout out to Daisy Palma, who starting from the Fillmore High School ROP student program, assisted with miscellaneous administrative support activities. Additional technicians, administrative personnel, and program developers provide miscellaneous support services as needed to enhance the primary support staff.

“Providing professional, friendly services, while building mutually beneficial relationships has always been our goal”, stated Harv in noting the anniversary. “When we started, I asked myself, ‘How can we separate our services and rise above the multitude of other support services out there?’ In any service industry, providing outstanding customer service and dealing honorably with our clients are the most important factors, in my opinion, and that’s what we’ve always tried to do. We all know you can’t please everyone, but at HANDS-ON Consultations we do our very best and our continuing success in the local communities reflects that. Word of mouth and referrals are the keys to success for any business. I believe sustaining a healthy business for 20 years is a strong statement for our approach and services.”.

HOC services are provided for business and home users alike. Ranging from hardware/software troubleshooting, repairs and upgrades, computer components, new computer systems to network design, development, & support to web design, development, and hosting to training for Windows and associated applications. Services also include security solutions, malware data protection/restoration, and program and database software development. HOC provides incidents support services, along with scheduled maintenance plans and are aligned with other vendors in various support contracts.

Server Administration/Management is another key area of services provided. Of course with todays ‘online’ advancements, services are also often provided ‘remotely’ which is a win-win as client’s issues can often be addressed in a timelier fashion, which is the real goal – to get things working properly as soon as possible.

“I’d like to thank all the members of the private and business communities we serve for assisting us in reaching this milestone. Success is many things and we are meeting and achieving the goals we set for ourselves 20 years ago. We’ve seen a number of businesses come and go and surviving each and every year, particularly with an ever-changing and challenging economy, in any kind of business, is tough and this is something we’re very proud of. We look forward to continuing to assist our friends and associates in this ever-developing and exciting field now, and into the future. We’re not done yet!”

Harv Oliver, Senior Tech/Owner

More information is shared at the HOC web site: www.hocsupport.com

David W. Rowlands, Fillmore City Manager.

Porch Fest – 2018

The Bridges subdivision, located east of Rio Vista Elementary School, has been selected as the host location for the first ever Porch Fest. This is a community event that celebrates music and community. The event is an open invitation to whomever wants to drop by and enjoy the live music which will be performed on front porches, yards or driveways within The Bridges subdivision. Porch Fest will be held Saturday, August 4th from 5:00 pm to 7:00 p.m. Information on band locations and bands will be on the city web site www.fillmoreca.com and Twitter page. Parking is available on the street.

The “All Digital String Band” will be performing traditional Bluegrass with highlight performances from local Fillmore musicians.

Notable local blues festival favorite “The Kingfish” will stop by for a short cameo acoustic performance. Kingfish is a favorite at the Long Beach Blues Extravaganza where he performs with his band The Other Mules.

Fillmore Association of Businesses – FAB Up and Running

FAB is an association of downtown business owners, managers and property owners working together to bring innovative ideas and events to promote a sustainable, energized, and creative environment within Fillmore’s downtown business perimeter. FAB will work in sync with the City’s Downtown Strategic Plan focusing on business retention, expansion, and attraction. If you are interested in joining or have ideas to share please contact Ernie Villegas, Special Projects Manager at (805) 524-1500.

Entrepreneurs – Fillmore Now Allows Pop-Up Businesses

The City Council recently changed its laws to allow “pop-up” businesses to locate within the Commercial Highway, Central Business District, Commercial Neighborhood, Manufacturing/ Industrial and Business Park zones in the City if the business is a permitted use or allowed with a Development Permit in that zone. Businesses will be allowed for an initial time of 45 days and up to a maximum of 90 days without needing to seek entitlement permits. Allowing additional temporary uses in the zones will promote economic vitality by temporarily locating business and uses in buildings and structures which might otherwise remain vacant.

Fillmore Pavement Resurfacing Completed

Paving was recently completed on portions of B Street, C Street, D Street and Mountain View Street.

Let’s work together to keep Fillmore the “Best Last Small Town.”

David W. Rowlands, Fillmore City Manager

Bob Crum

I've been shooting the Fillmore fireworks show for about 87 years, so it seems. Normal camera settings are auto white balance, ISO locked at 100, aperture f/11 and 'bulb' mode. Bulb mode allows the shutter to be held open for a period of time. Assistant #1 holds the shutter open with a remote control until I yell CLOSE! Assistant #2 fetches another cold beer. Just kidding.

In years past, I noticed that bright bursts are, you know, too bright resulting in blown out highlights. No big deal considering there isn't any detail in bright light blobs. But super bright lights tend to overpower the image. Attempts to cool down the highlights in post processing just make the highlights an ugly shade of gray. I'd like a better balance of the bright light and colors while executing longer exposures. So what to do?

A Ventura friend photographer suggested installing an ND filter on the lens. Hmm. An ND filter reduces light coming into the lens like sunglasses for your eyes. Why do that? Because theoretically reducing light entering the lens allows for longer exposures without overexposure. BTW, works wonderfully for photoing mermaids frolicking in squally seas.

I decided to use a 0.6ND on my Tamron 16-300mm lens which will reduce the exposure equivalent to 2 f/stops.

One disadvantage of using an ND filter is that it darkens what you see through the viewfinder rather dramatically. Worse, depending on the filter used auto-focus may not work. However, neither issue was a problem regarding fireworks photography. I simply used the camera's live view (LCD screen) to initially compose the images and used manual focus with the lens set at infinity. The only problem is that live view goes dark the instant the shutter is actuated so can't tell what is being recorded. Hello guesswork!

The overall range of my firework exposures is from 3 to 14 seconds for a reason described below. Did the 0.6 ND filter accomplish the anticipated results? Yes with an unexpected benefit. The foreground is better exposed from the ambient light the result of longer exposures. A delightful bonus. Love surprises!

It's important because what are fireworks for if not to be observed? So, from my perspective, adding people in the foreground provides some 'show' context. Knowing that a train with people on open-air flat cars will be parked near the firing stage, I took a position between the train and Old Telegraph Rd. Viola... people and fireworks thanks to the ND filter.

Now, about the long 3 to 14 second exposures. A single firework burst is not by itself necessarily impressive. On the other hand, two or three bursts in a single frame... now that's exciting! I could shoot single bursts and create composites afterward. Composites are simply the blending of two or more images to create one final image. While this definition makes compositing sound quick and easy, it’s anything but, often times requiring several hours of editing work to complete. I don't have the luxury of time to create composites. So I go rogue and improvise. When the first firework is fired into the air, I open the shutter... and hold it open (in bulb mode) for the duration of two or three firework bursts. This is like creating a composite in the camera. Much quicker to do it in camera... another reason for the ND filter. Now you know a craft secret. Shhh.

See the fireworks slide show video featuring John Wayne and Kate Smith: https://youtu.be/aggnhfHH5Gk

Happy photoing.

Send comments, questions or suggestions to: photography@earthlink.net