Nude Photography Hint: White Balance

One of the challenges of attempting to use these modern-day digital cameras with automatic exposure control is to capture the scene more in accordance with the way you see it. The problem is that the CCS detector in your camera is nowhere as sensitive nor adaptable as the retina of the human eye.  Additionally, the spectral range of a digital camera's detector is shifted slightly to the infrared end by design.   Though this aids low-light level exposures the shift can add a yellowish or bluish cast to your images that in most cases is either unflattering or 'not the way you remember it'.

Back in the days of real-film photography I used to carry white and grey reference cards that could be placed in the scene of an important image so that they could then be later adjusted during the print phase of development.  Few of us carry photographer's reference cards with us so we need to give some forethought when taking images in marginal light.

What is needed is some reference point and for me that has become the white socks I wear while hiking.  Since the white of the socks will take on the same amount of hue cast as the rest of the image, a decent image editing program (like G.I.M.P. or Photoscape, both free programs) will be able to detect the amount of cast in a white reference point and use that information to apply a correction to the rest of the image.  Placing a white index card near the edge of the scene would also accomplish the same thing, though, since I'm usually wearing the socks I have a convenient reference almost always available..

Take a look at the two images below . . . before and after images ...

Unedited image taken in deep shade takes on a bluish hue

Using the White Balance Adjustment of my photo editing program, I select a point that I know is pure white (or as close to pure white as possible) . . . in this case my white socks . . . and let the program figure out how much out of register the color in the image is away from white.  That information is then uniformly  used to remove or add hue to the rest of the image and bring colors back into balance.

Correction based on the white reference point of my socks
removes an equal amount of bluish hue from the entire image,
making it much more pleasing and representative.

Image was taken during a recent exploration along the Beckler River in the Cascades.

Eye-opening Statement

"If a couple engages in improper behavior on a textile beach they are arrested. If a couple engages in improper behavior on nude  beach the beach is closed."

Attributed to George Winlock in responding to an ongoing discussion in a forum. 

Think about just how perilous our hard-won positions remain and . . . just how quickly we can lose them.

Thank You Shirley and Mountaindale Resort

A great Rooster Rock-Sauvies Island Clean Up Event and I sincerely thank Shirley and the great hosts at Mountaindale Resort near Portland, Oregon for getting me out and interacting with my friends once more.

I will post more about the clean up later but I first want to share the images from a few recent hikes I have managed to get in . . . along with the very few images I took during the Annual Cleanup event . . . day one at Rooster Rock where we moved tons of sand to fill in trails and buttress erosion on the beach, to a great reception and dinner at Mountaindale Resort, and finally to a sun-drenched day on Collins Beach serving up hot dogs and information of the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR).

Again, thank you.  Here's the link to the JAlbums:  Recent Nude Hikes


Meanwhile, Hike On . . . Nude, of Course

Hike Nude!

On the road to the Pass Creek Trailhead in the Cascades
A little advocacy on the run ...

Taken during a nude hike on the Pass Creek Trail June 11th,2010.  The photoJAlbum of this hike is here.

A Couple of Recent Hikes

I don't often get out as much as I used to so it felt really good to get out for a few nude hikes recently.  The photo album and commentary on those hikes is here.  I may write more about them later.

North Fork Skykomish at Trout Creek

Along the Index-Galena Road about five miles in from Index is a nice campground that used to be public but was recently posted as private property. But on the other side of Trout creek there are a few small rustic campsites that remain public property. I found the time to do a little exploring of the area this past Sunday after aborting an attempt to check up on Scenic.

The sky was overcast . . . humidity high and temps in the mid forties but I managed to spend a few hours just roaming up and down the river banks for some nude time.

Some images of this trip here: http://www.anthonians.org/forgotten_knot/North%20Fork%20Skykomish%20at%20Trout%20Creek/

Update on My CML

An email from a fellow Slugs member reminded me that I need to get out of this fugue. I don't necessarily owe it to anyone but I feel I should offer an update on my condition to my readers and let them know that I haven't abandoned my blog . . . nor nude hiking. I do apoligise to those who have emailed my over the past several weeks. I'm not ignoring you . . . just didn't have the energy for much else.

In late January and February I had to spend several visits in the hospital dealing with an enlarged spleen . . . a consequence to the Gleevec I take. Gleevec is a maintenance drug that prevents the signature CML chromosome linkage that overproduces immature white blood cells of this form of leukemia. A consequence is that my white blood count could drop substantially in the bone marrow causing the spleen to uptake the slack . . . thus enlargement and inflammation (and possibly removal). Fortunately, adjustment of my dosing has that problem under control.

The last three weeks have been spent learning pain management techniques. As this disease progresses, bone marrow is destroyed . . . sclerosed to a hard lattice within the bone that leads to a deep-felt chronic bone pain that is hard to control with OTCs. I have to live with the pain but I've learned to control the perception and at most times operate normally.

I spend quite a bit of time prone in bed when the pain is at its' worst. But I do get it under control and I have put in a few nude hikes . . . albeit short ones . . . when I could. Most of my time is spent either working the minimum number of hours a week to maintain my health insurance and working on the permits for Scenic Hot Springs.

The highlight to my season are the visits I make to the hot springs to check on conditions, kick a few trespassers out . . . and selfishly get in a nude hike of my own (despite the unseasonably cold weather we've had this spring.) Surprisingly, the cold barely affects me . . . I hiked up nude in a snowstorm last week . . . six hours nude in temperatures hovering right above freezing . . . a never felt a chill or effects of cold weather. Of course, the several hours spent soaking in 118F hot springs waters did me wonders.

More images from that hike here: http://www.anthonians.org/forgotten_knot/Late%20Spring%20Snowfall%20at%20Scenic/

9th Circuit Rules Indecent Exposure / Nudity Not a Crime of “Moral Turpitude"

An interesting read on moral turpitude and indecent exposure in the context of California's Indecent Exposure law, Penal Code 314.  The court particularly notes and holds that:

Exposing oneself in a public place is not necessarily either “lewd” (as required by § 314) or “base, vile and depraved” (as required by our traditional definition of moral turpitude). For example, as the BIA [Board of Immigration Appeal - clarified by myself] and the California courts appear to agree, a sunbather who removes all his clothes to tan on an unoccupied public beach and wakes to find himself surrounded by offended beachgoers has done nothing either lewd or depraved and thus is neither in violation of § 314 nor guilty of a morally turpitudinous act. See Smith, 497 P.2d at 810.

Similarly, the California courts have indicated that they would not uphold a § 314 conviction for urinating in public, because exposure motivated by the need to relieve oneself is not properly classified as “lewd.”

06-70219 9th Circuit Court of Appeals re: Indecent Exposure and Moral Turpitude


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New Nude Hiking JAlbums (photo albums)

Added two more JAlbums from recent nude hikes before I had to spend some time in the hospital.

• Scenic Hot Springs Stewardship (in the snow and nude), and
  
• A nude hike along a Forest Service road above Bolt Creek in the Wild Sky Wilderness

Update: WNBR Charges Dismissed against Daniel

A form-email myself (and several others) received from the Mayor's office announcing charges have been dropped against Daniel:

"Thank you for taking the time to comment in support of Mr. Johnson. As you may know, Seattle City Attorney Peter Holmes, not the mayor, is the elected official with the discretion to charge city infractions, misdemeanors, and gross misdemeanors. In this case, the decision to prosecute Mr. Johnson was made last month by the previous City Attorney. You will be happy to know that after City Attorney Holmes took office and reviewed the case, the charges against Mr. Johnson were dropped as of this morning. If you have any further questions or comments about this case, feel free to contact Mr. Holmes (peter.holmes@seattle.gov) and his Criminal Division Chief, Craig Sims (craig.sims@seattle.gov).

Again, thank you for taking the time to comment.

Yours in service,

Derek Farmer
Office of Mayor Mike McGinn"

The West Seattle Blog also has coverage, noting the charges of Indecent Exposure were Dismissed with Prejudice . . . which means the case is dismissed for good reason and the plaintiff is barred from bringing an action on the same claim. That good reason?  Probably the realization that this simply did not fit the definition of indecent exposure.  Quite possibly a statement that they are not going to pursue cases like this . . . that they've got better things to do.

In any case, congrats Daniel.