Life’s Sweet Ordinary — through my lens

Well, it’s moving time. Thanks to all the time and effort from Jennifer Gilbert, my blog is now set up and settled in to my domain. There are still a few things that need tweaking. For instance I can’t seem to get the font changed and I don’t like how small my logo is, and I’d like to learn how to do a fading slideshow banner. Oh, and in the move, none of the comments have moved over with all the posts, nor have any of the categories or tags; so I’ll be busy adding those as I get a few minutes here and there. So goes the saga.

I’m learning so much about ftp, CSS, and style sheets that my head is spinning — but it’s something to keep my ol’ grey cells exercised!

Without further ado, please check out my new blog residence and let me know what you think. I will leave a final note of redirection for anyone who pops by down the road. In the meantime, I would be so pleased if you’d change your bookmarks, RSS feeds, or if you have linked to my blog. I hope to see you over at my permanent home — same blog, just a new address!

I’m so grateful to every one of you who has been visiting, commenting, and following my journey this past year or so. The only change is the address and a cosmetic adjustment or two Come on over!

I bet you’re wondering why I have a photo of my dogs playing in the snow, right? One of the reasons is because we had snow overnight and it continues to snow today. I have no intention of going outside to take more snow photos so thought I’d pull out one I took earlier this winter. Maggie, our Springer Spaniel perplexes the two Australian Shepherds. She plays very differently than they do so they’re always cautious when playtime begins — they never know if she is playing or if she’ll attack them!

Dogs are so lucky; they live in the moment and don’t ever have to worry about how to learn or figure out the newest technologies. Their biggest concern is how many runs they’ll get each day and what time “mom” is going to feed them! But me, on the other hand, well technology seems to have taken over my life lately. I thought I was doing good ages ago when I tried figuring out how to use Photoshop Elements. Then along came Lightroom and I’ve been infatuated and thrilled to work in the digital darkroom ever since. My recent foray into rebuilding my website was wrought with one huge learning curve — actually more of an education in dealing with frustration & problem-solving. Thank heavens the company I used for my website template has such excellent customer service — I needed their assistance every single day and most days, multiple times.

Since it’s snowing today, I have time to figure out how to configure and use FTP (file transfer protocol) – egads! I’ve already had some headaches over that — actually the headaches were because I couldn’t understand the terminology used by those who write so-called how-to information for it.  Why do computer geeks think that all of us understand their weird terminology? So once I figure out my FTP dilemma, then it’s time to work on this blog. Thankfully, as I mentioned yesterday, Jennifer is still willing to help me with that! I’m hoping to have a blog as beautiful as hers. Trouble is, I have to learn more of this technological stuff. 

Now if all this isn’t bad enough, I tried using the brush in Photoshop Elements which is how I paste my watermark to my photos, but it won’t work right! I have no idea why the brush won’t work anymore. Yesterday I was experimenting in Photoshop trying to figure out how to use the clone tool (with zero success I might add) and now I can’t use the brush for my watermark. That’s why this photo has a cut/paste of my watermark banner. I have no idea where or how to begin figuring out how to get that brush working again so I can easily add my watermark. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Oh dear, technology. If only my life was as simple as that of my dogs.

Diane is a lifestyle photographer serving Grande Prairie & Northern Alberta. Visit Diane Schuller Photography.

Well, as you can see I’m trying on a new face. Once I went through the themes with light backgrounds, I found several that I liked. Some had a real classy look yet had a very narrow text box for photos and some had teeny tiny print that I was sure you’d curse me for! Then I found two that have a flexible width so I am really hoping when I try offering you the first of my monthly desktop wallpapers, it will ‘hold’ the size. This is going to be an experiment (in size) so if the images I’m offering end up pixelating then I’ll have to find a different way of offering them (either in a pdf document or by including them over at my website gallery). I know that in the past I have come across a few personal blogs like this that offer images and instead of right-clicking, you simply click on the image and it automatically downloads in full size. If any of you are far more web savvy than I am and know how to do this, please contact me to explain or share the coding process. See, I’m really in learning mode!

I plan to offer you a choice of two desktop wallpapers each month. The two images below in this post are yours to use and to brighten up your days. You are welcome to send others here as well to share in the colourful backdrop as we head towards spring. Right click to save it and then add it as your wallpaper.

** Please note: these images are being made available for personal use only. They are not to be used for commercial purposes.

On Thursday or Friday I will post about the giveaway and a couple of the things I taught myself so far this year. Sorry to scoot off … today I have a proposal to complete and submit, dogs to walk, and another interview to arrange. That means it’s time to get off the computer and get my bones off to work. Cheers!

{Reminder for those with dogs, I still write the occasional post over at Dogs Naturally.}

I need your input.

I have decided I would like to offer you, my blog readers, a free desktop wallpaper for download every month beginning in March. Because I am limited to the size I can offer with this particular blog format, it has me considering a slight change. This is where I need your input please.

Cyclamen © Copyright Diane Schuller. All Rights Reserved.

To be able to ‘drop in’ a suitably sized image for you to download once each month, I would have to change the particular blog theme so that it can handle a larger sized image (in dimension and pixels). So, are you open to seeing a facelift here? If I do a facelift to the blog I’m still limited to using the standard WordPress templates, especially since I have no idea how to customize blog themes. You are the ones coming to view the photos and read the blog, so I felt I’d give you the opportunity for input on this. Would you like to see a fresh perky white or light background? I thought it might be nice with Spring soon upon us anyway. I really like how the black background allows the photos to stand out, although white can do the same thing. So, here are the two real questions for which I need a response:

1. Would you be interested in a free downloadable desktop wallpaper (a new one available each month)?
2. Would you like to see a change in theme with a white or other light background (even if only for the spring & summer months)?

If you have other suggestions how I could conveniently offer the free downloadable photos each month, I’d love to read your suggestions. Also, if you have any other suggestions about the blog theme (how the blog looks), bearing in mind I haven’t a clue how to customize using CSS (whatever that is) or HTML.

PS: This is blog post 2 of 2 for today! … just in case you missed the one below.

I’m so excited! I’m leaving the boondocks to spend a few days in the city! As I’ve mentioned before, although where I live is ‘pretty’ and has an abundance of nature to enjoy, it’s way too remote for me. I often go weeks without seeing another human being other than my husband. So, a trip to the city is like recess is for kids — only better.

It’s a six hour drive from my home to Edmonton so the driving time really takes a chunk out of the traveling days. My husband is taking all day Friday off work to look after the dogs so I can have an extra day! It’s partly a working trip but I’ll also be spending time visiting my son and his family.

Because I’m stuck out here on the farm I really don’t have any good clothes and I always feel so self conscious when I’m in the city. I’ve decided I’m going to buy myself a new top while I’m in Edmonton so I don’t feel like such a country bumpkin. And I might buy a pair of shoes too if I get time since all I have to wear is boots.

With all the outrage by the public over Facebook sneaking in those new terms of service, I see they retracted those outrageous terms! But, careful friends. Those of you who do participate there, I bet they incorporate them later on down the road anyway. Next time they’ll be ready with a well polished PR campaign to sell the idea with all kinds of spin.

I’m finding that I’m spending more time on the Internet again than I really want to. In fact, I’d even say I’m becoming a bit of a mouse-potato. In the past I’ve given myself time limits for the amount of time I would spend on emails. It often works for as much as a few months at a time, then I slip back to spending more Internet time. The same thing happened a couple years ago with blogs I would visit. Again, I gave myself limits — an hour and no more per day. That worked quite well for a while but, you guessed it, I’ve allowed myself to slip back into spending more time online. So, here I sit writing this taking time that should otherwise be spent outdoors, working on my writing, or even house cleaning (egads).

The moral of the story friends is that I have to go back to limiting my online time. Beginning Monday when I return from my fabulous weekend in the city, I will go from mouse-potato to life-spud (busy-with-life). I will be spending no more time at Flickr. I will be spending less time blogging. Blogging will be sporadic and visiting blogs will be greatly reduced.

I have some fiction I need to focus on. I have two photography projects that need my attention for some gallery submissions this year. I have dogs that need to be exercised and stimulated at least twice or more a day. And so it goes. I know that most of you have the same types of responsibilities and likely understand.

I’m not leaving altogether but I must move away from the Internet and back into my real life.

For those of you who love photos and are interested in seeing some of my work, you can visit my daily photos. I don’t even have to be on the Internet for those: I load up a bunch and let it be; the comments come to my email which is much more manageable.

So, I’m off to the city and look forward to the sea of people; the buzz of conversation; the delights of spending time with my son, his wife, and my grand daughters (and their Boston Terrier, Mabel); and Starbucks. May you have special times doing what you love or being with those you love.

Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can. ~Danny Kaye

I hope you’ll leave the mouse behind and go toss a little paint on life too!

"books" Copyright © Diane Schuller

As many of you know, once you put your images online, you risk having them stolen by people who seem to think they are free. Some of these people help themselves to our photos for their blogs or websites and others are making money from them. We need to know how to protect our images.

Thanks to Roberta of Uncommon Depth, she has shared information for those posting at Flickr who are concerned about people who help themselves to our photos. It’s such important and helpful information, I too am passing along this helpful article on protecting your images.

That article by Greg Cope spells out specific ways to protect your images and I encourage you to read it and take steps for protecting your images from theft. You’ll notice that I have begun adding a watermark and, in some photos, I include both a watermark and a copyright notice. Sure someone can still steal the image. With the small copyright notice on the bottom corner that many people use, it’s so easy for anyone to clip that off and use the photo. The watermark is a bit more difficult to remove but people can do it — if they want the photo badly enough. My hope is that most who steal photos will be discouraged when they encounter my photos with a big watermark (or two of them) appearing on the photo.

I’ve also begun to make the photos smaller in [resolution] size but have not figured out how to add the right-click feature so it can’t be downloaded to start with.

This past week I deleted a bunch of my photos over at Flickr because they are real easy to steal plus Flickr is a hotbed for photo theft. No doubt you too have heard many stories of those who have experienced photo theft. I’ve actually had people tell me to my face that if they need a photo for their blog, website, (and a teacher who uses them for teaching tools) or other purpose the first place they go is Flickr! And you can bet your bottom dollar they don’t ask the artist for permission either. That is theft, pure and simple. So, I have decided that in the next month I will be removing a bunch more of my images from Flickr and the ones I plan to leave there will be replacing them with a duplicate that has my watermark plastered prominently in the image.

It has always astounded me that a person might see a neighbour’s tools in the backyard but they’d ask permission to borrow them yet the same person won’t think twice about helping themselves to a photographer’s photos (or a writer’s writings) and then slip away in the night.

If you’re on the other end however, as a person who is interested in using images found on the web, there IS a proper and legal way of doing so:

• If you see an image you are interested in using for your own blog or website, check the person’s website/blog or photo sharing site (such as Flickr) for information on their copyright or copyright policy. You’ll usually find this information on a page or sidebar such as the “about”, “copyright”, “permissions”, “profile”, or similar page/area.
• If the copyright notice indicates “All Rights Reserved” — they are definitely not yours for the taking.
• Now you need to contact that person (and that information is usually always available as well) to request permission to use their image. Don’t be afraid to do this; some people are flattered and will grant you permission. Some will ask for compensation. Don’t take it personally if they choose not to provide permission. After all, it does belong to them.
• If you don’t get permission and are really in need of a particular type of photo for your blog or website, use your search engine using keywords, “creative commons + [keyword for type of image you need]“. There are some people who have images available under licence as creative commons. Those are images where permissions will be granted for your use, yet you likely will be required to provide attribution (give credit to the specific owner). Flickr has a listing of their members who provide creative commons images as well as a simple explanation in the sidebar on what the particular type of creative commons entails.
• Not so difficult, right? And this way it’s legal.

Jenn and Karina over at Tiny Choices blog are a great example of the correct way to use other’s photos and how to give proper attribution. (Note that they use photos from Flickr that fall under “creative commons” and that they correctly provide attribution & a link directly to the individual; it is not correct to give attribution to Flickr because Flickr does not own the photos.)

I hope this is helpful in providing information on how to protect your images online. On the opposite hand, if you know of someone who may benefit from learning about the legal way of using online images, please share the link to this particular post. You are also welcome to link to this post from your own blog or website to share with others.

“If we know better, we do better.” ~ Maya Angelou

PS: After receiving some comments, I want to re-emphasize reading that article noted & linked to at the beginning of this post (the one by Greg Cope). My post is an effort to begin the conversation and to offer some tips and suggestions. Mr. Cope’s article is much more indepth and provides very specific how-to information in this regard.