Did you shoot all those pictures?
Yes.
Are you going to continue to work on the site? Can I see more?
Yes and yes. My stash of shoeboxes of pictures that are awaiting processing is, however, rapidly growing. Currently there is a lag time of about two years between when a trip takes place and when the pictures shot on the trip make to the web. But I am continuing to work on it whenever I find the time.
What are some of the upcoming places to be featured in the next "sequel"?
Rocky Mountain National Park, Zhang Jia Jie (China), Three Gorges (China), Yosemite (including Yosemite in a snow storm), New York City (including Ground Zero), Yellowstone, Stehekin (North Cascades, WA), fall foliage in US northeast, winter on Yellow Mountain (China), Alaska (including the "inside passage," Glacier Bay, and Denali), and Sanqing Mountain (China).
Why do the pictures look terrible in AOL's browser? How do I fix it?
In a selfish attempt of reducing load, most shipped AOL browsers by default ask their servers to perform a proprietary image compression scheme that does nothing for their customers but ruining their web experience! (Here is an example of how bad things get on AOL.) To turn this off, choose My AOL, Preferences, WWW, Web Graphics, and deselect Use Compressed Graphics. To toss the terrible compressed files that you have downloaded already, you also need to choose the General tab, and delete the temporary internet files by pressing the Delete Files button. Or better yet, use Netscape or Internet Explorer instead! (In case you didn't know, you can use any other browser for surfing after you have signed onto the net via AOL.)
Can I buy prints of some of these pictures?
This site is developed solely for fun, not profit. However, I do make extra prints once in a while for viewers when requested. Feel free to inquire by email. I will only charge enough to recover printing and mailing costs.
Can I be notified for future updates to the site?
Yes. Just send me your email address and you'll be added to a mailing-list. Also send email if you want to change or remove the name.
Can I use some of these pictures for a project I'm working on?
Please inquire by email. As long as the project is for non-profit causes and it's in reasonably good taste, in almost all the cases, I'll simply say "yes".
What equipment do you use? Any tips?
Please check the credits page for the equipment list. In general, the equipment I use are pretty common stuff and cheap; I don't think equipment matters that much. In terms of photography tips, here's a one-second soap-box: just get out there often! :-) Seriously, when it comes to the secret of a good image, I sincerely believe that 90% of the credit goes to mother nature and 9% goes to luck. The photographers whom I admire most are the ones who talk about places instead of f-stops, gadgets, and, worst of all, themselves.
Some of the pictures (such as this
one) have a blue shade. Are they manipulated somehow?
No. I do NOT use filters, and digital manipulation afterwards is limited to removing dust particles or scratches, and occasionally, cropping. No other form of manipulation is involved. The blue hue of some of these pictures is the result of taking long exposures: film is typically designed for "normal" shutter speeds and unusally long exposures typically introduce a blue shade that are effected by the ambient light.