Image manipulation, Web Development for Tesla Applications

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Christopher Boden by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <chrisboden-at-hotmail-dot-com>


>Photography on the Geek site seems especially
>sharp--higher than usual quality. What sort of camera
>was used, and how were they converted into digital
>images?
>
>Best Regards,
>
>Greg
>http://hot-streamer-dot-com/greg


With few exceptions photography on the site is done with Betsy's digital 
camera, or Mark's digital camera (Mark, what model is that? Yours and 
Betsy's are the same (or VERY close) model).

Stills are done on a megabuck Cannon 35mm SLR owned by Neemie. Then 
converted to digital on her scanner. Neemie is a photoGod and unfortunately 
does little still work lately as her big camera was stolen from her car this 
summer. She's replacing it soon.

Once digitized all images are ICQ'd to me and I dump them into Copernicus 
(our 2000 project system that I use as my Home-office computer).

Copernicus is a dual PIII-600 with 1Gb of ram running Win2K Advanced Server. 
It has dual monitors and a stack of Quantum Fireballs that I've stuffed with 
some wonderful software. It's the server for the Little St. Labs.

Most of the images get run through Adobe Photoshop 6.0, or Illustrator 9.0, 
but if I'm feeling freaky I can whip out the big programs up to and 
including 3D Studio Max (one of those MEGABUCK programs that makes me want a 
Barny Box (SGI)). 3DsMAX is one of the programs they use for movies like Toy 
Story and A Bug's Life. Maybe when I wade through the THREE INCH THICK 
instruction manual for it I'll be good enough to use even 5% of it's power. 
I also use Poser3D, Lightmax, and a bunch of other graphics proggies. Hint, 
the shot of me riding into the sunset on the Mach-2 luge was shot on a 
digital camera, they don't make Lens Flare ;). Walker and Neemie are FAR 
more talented at imaging than I am (Neemie has a degree in computer 
animation). But they both have lives...I don't :)

Once we're happy with the pics (usually only a sizing, cropping, and maybe a 
contrast, brightness, etc) I dunp them into Macromedia Dreamweaver and code 
them to the site. The site is written using Notepad (the greatest HTML 
editor on earth, lol) Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Shockwave, Flash, 
Aftereffects, and some more esoteric things that I seldom use. It's coded in 
HTML and some DHTML as far as raw code. Walker did the basic site layout, 
and I code 99% of the rest. Basicly Walker did the main templates, and I 
type all the text, place images, and insert media, effects, and Bugs. Walker 
comes over about once a month and spends a day debugging my spagetti code.

The single biggest pain in our pics is STREAMER SHOTS! Especially with a 
digital camera. By far the best way to photograph Arcs and Streamers is good 
old FILM. Street lugeing is a pain to shoot too, Digital cameras do NOT like 
fast motion. Most shots of me at speed on a luge look like a toothpickish 
blur on the concrete (I'm frightfully skinny).
We're still (after what, 2? 3 years?) learning how to shoot streamers, And 
don't have a single shot on the web that does justice to our current output 
(average 7', we need a bigger ROOM!). For full-motion video we use a REALLY 
NICE JVC-GFS-550 SVHS camcorder with ton's of pro functions (editing, insert 
editing, animation, etc). If you can FIND one I highly reccomend getting 
one. They are almost impossible to find, but worth it in functionality and 
quality.

The Geek Group teaches classes (and private tutorials) in Web Design, and 
all our contract web development is headed by another Pupman Listee, Aleks 
Novak from our UK office. Aleks has been VP of Web Development for over 2 
years now.

Maybe someday Terry will let us code a new Hot-streamer-dot-com :) Sorry Terry, 
but it's ugly, ;)

We are currently working on a way to incorporate more Audio, and A/V mixed 
files into the site. All audio is done by me, redorded on site digitally and 
ripped down to MP3 for web publication. ANYONE with an old 8-Track 
(preferably 1/2" or better) Reel-to-Reel that's collecting dust PLEASE 
contact me. I NEED a Tascam TSR-8 or similar for the Group's studio. eBay 
has them....for more than we can afford.

I JUST (it arrives Monday) bought a Capture card for Copernicus so I can rip 
video to the site. Within a week we will have LOTS of coiling footage. 
Including one destined to become a web legend, the FLAMING DEATH of a 
Pentium desktop system by Scott Coppersmith's coil throwing 10+' arcs at our 
Summer Teslathon! I'll also have video of 6 different Luge runs (ONE FROM 
THE PILOTS VIEW!), Thumper, and other goodies at Sigma-6.


duck




Christopher A. Boden Geek#1
President / C.E.O. / Alpha Geek
The Geek Group
www.thegeekgroup-dot-org
Because the Geek shall inherit the Earth!



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