Photography – Page 37 – a sibilant intake of breath

Hacking a Canon digicam

For a number of years now, I have been recommending the Canon Powershot series of point and shoot digital cameras to everyone thinking of buying a relatively inexpensive but surprisingly capable digicam. Thanks to a firmware hack called CHDK, it seems they can be made even better. You can activate features normally available only on much higher end cameras, such as live histograms and taking pictures in RAW format.

Unfortunately, the A510 that I use to take all the photos on this blog is too old for the software. When it finally kicks the bucket for good, I may well buy a camera that can me modded in this way.

I learned about this via flying penguin.

From glowing pixels to my walls

I am thinking of getting a few 8×10″ or larger prints made from some of my photos. While the exclusively IKEA furniture does create an overwhelming sense of individuality on its own, it might be good to add a bit of my own touch to this apartment.

I don’t suppose anybody is aware of a capable Ottawa photo lab (something akin to Vancouver’s Custom Colour)?

One late end to the Oxford era

Having finally got round to uploading the last of my Oxford pictures to photo.net, I am struck by how long ago the events portrayed seem to have happened. They seem no more immediate to me than photos taken two years ago or more.

Photos from British Columbia – as well as the first Ottawa shots worthy of Photo.net – will emerge in due time. So too will some from Morocco.

PS. Anyone confused about my overall system for sorting photos online should have a peek at this page.

[Update: 12 August 2007] The Morocco photos have been added to Photo.net.

Morocco photos, part five

By climbing the slippery canyon walls, you could get a good view of the middle section of the cascade.

I had to spent a very long and uncomfortable day traveling to see them, so readers should be willing to tolerate a large number of pictures of the falls.

Pool at the base of the falls

It took an hour of waiting in the sun to get five other people together for a taxi from Ouzoud to Azilal.

In the hot sun, this watermelon truck had a lot of appeal. Unfortunately, they refused to sell me anything less than an entire melon.

Morocco photos, part four

Sorry to have been so slow in posting these. Life has involved a lot of disruption, moving from Oxford to Vancouver to Ottawa.

Crowd at the Gnawa Festival beach stage.

Marakkesh street at night

The Kasbah Mosque, in the southern part of the city.

Cascades d’Ouzoud

This donkey had the unenviable task of carrying empty bottles from the restaurants near the falls to the top of the valley.

Morocco photos, sixth batch

The ceramic vessels with conical tops are used to cook tagines: a distinctive Moroccan dish.

The Atlantic coast is, for the most part, rather rocky.

Essaouira’s fortifications were apparently built by the Portuguese.

I discovered a stairwell that led up through the sea wall to a rather excellent lookout point.

Standing atop the sea wall.

Morocco photos, fifth batch

Coastal engineering in Essaouira

These odd looking six tonne objects constitute some kind of coastal defence, possibly from erosion.

This cat is peeking out from one of the windows of the flat we rented.

Loom in an artisinal school.

Spinning wheel

Morocco photos, fourth batch

Some projected art at the Gnawa Festival.

Cloth and sky.

Painting at an artisinal school.

The sea wall in Essaouira, complete with canons.

West African fish, partaken of by the other members of our caravan.

Morocco photos, third batch

The edge of the Djemma El Fna at night.

The three Norwegian women I met in Essaouira.

Gulls over the Atlantic.

Essaouira harbour.

View from atop the sea wall.

Morocco photos, second batch

Some of the detail from the Ali ben Youssef Medersa.

Mosque in Marrakesh. It’s interesting how different they look from the ones we saw in Turkey.

Shine in Marrakesh

For some reason, I like the look of donkeys. They seem dependable and worthy of respect.

Marrakesh has a large wall around the whole of the old city, as well as smaller dividing walls inside.