1st RAW Experiment - Holbein to Hockney

First experiments with RAW files this morning. I read the blurb for Picasa 2 and it does say one can open them to work on. And it seems one can. But to do anything other than a simple crop there seems a reluctance to allow one to open the image in PhotoShop. For instance, in Picture 1 (from the opposite kerb looking up towards Hill Top) there was some annoying and unsightly foliage which had to go. I managed to clone it out but I can't remember how. Then one has to 'save as JPEG'. But a lot of detail and subtlety is retained.

Picture 2 is from almost the same spot but looking at the trees rather than between them. One of the problems with RAW is that it produces very large files, because none of the information that the camera has seen is edited, as in JPEG. Both of these are 2mb+ and they took a long time to upload. For Blog purposes it isn't an experiment I shall repeat. A4 prints maybe, but certainly not for web-use. I hope they don't cause similar problems at your end.

Enough of that. Wednesday of course, is our Holbein to Hockney day. We set off early because I needed Maplins for an jack-to-socket earphones extension and I also wanted to replace my single ear-piece which I sometimes use in bed. Lying on it with it still in my ear has wrecked the existing one.

Maplins had both, and I also noticed that they have weather-stations with a clock which receive a signal from Rugby and are obviously always bang-on. I have really missed my old one, which I also managed to wreck by pressing too many buttons at once. So, a potential crimble-prezzie there I thought. Y nipped in the next door Aldi for milk and bits and pronounced it a lovely store. Wide aisles and very clean and well cared for.

Y needed to go to Bromley House Library and Waterstones so we agreed to meet at the Mechanics. I drove straight round and as there was some lovely light I took a couple of pictures which I will probably use tomorrow. I particularly wanted a well-lit shot of the old Victoria Station clock-tower which unfortunately now has an awful mutli-storey set of flats behind it. However, now I am getting more nimble with PhotoShop I might actually er..............................

The class was great. We polished off Sickert, moved onto Steer and then to the First World War and the war-artists. Smartly through Vorticism to Dame Laura Knight, Gwen and Augustus John and one of our members kindly drew averyone's attention to an exhibition including the above, at the Djanogly Art Gallery in the University Campus. We shall certainly visit that. Another day-out to look forward to. Speaking of which - tomorrow is National Trust Mansfield's annual Xmas trip. This year to Belvoir Castle - setting off from Walkden Street at 10am. It will be lovely to see everyone and have our customary good time and a laugh.

Tell you all about it tomorrow..................