New Software...

...Translated from nerd that means "new toy". It's no magic past-altering Fortran email program, but still pretty cool. I've been using Apple's Aperture 2 to edit all my photos and the one thing I find it lacking for a basic user like myself is a panorama stitching feature. I've tried the software that came with my camera as well as some free programs with (very) limited results. So I went out to Big Blue Sunday afternoon to grab Photoshop Elements 6 (for Mac, natch). Fortunately for me I still had Christmas gift cards so it was pretty easy on the wallet (Thanks Grandma Timmons and Jody), though I couldn't help pick up an Old Crow Medicine Show album while I was there as well.

I've got a lot to learn with this new program but for the most part the auto-stitcher worked pretty well for my Death Valley panoramas. It's pretty cool actually see these come together. My favorite is below, but check them all out here. This was the only one I shot in two rows, and it looks like I could have used on more picture. This is 13 pictures in total. And yep, that's a volcanic crater. The whole neighboring area is volcanic rock as well. Yet more diversity in Death Valley NP. The pic below is resized to about 1/10th of the original. The Picasa posts are as small as 1/100th. If anyone has a need / want for any full size, leave a comment or shoot an email and I'll send you a jetbytes link.

Big Ubehebe Crater