Tag: iPhone 13 Pro

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 2, 20218:44 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Damsel

In a neighborhood dominated by renters, residents come and go—and that’s one reason for the apparent number of kitties. Likewise, they leave with their owners and arrive with new tenants. Such is the case with this cute Calico, who appeared in the same window as the black nicknamed Night—profiled in August 2018.

The Featured Image comes from iPhone 13 Pro; captured in ProRAW; cropped and edited in Apple Photos on 16.2-inch MacBook Pro then exported as JPEG. Vitals: f/2.8, ISO 32, 1/424 sec, 77mm; 10:05 a.m. PDT, Oct. 24, 2021. The seventy-eighth feline found behind door or window earns nickname Damsel.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 31, 20219:37 pm

The Maine Coons’ House Sold

A chapter is closed in the saga of the two Maine Coons whose backyard territory was clearcut in early August 2021. Their old residence listed as sold on October 28. Mimi and Sweet Pea occasionally go into their old habitat, but the behavior must stop whenever new construction begins. I expect the owners will demolish the existing house and build an apartment building, based on zoning.

Both kitties appeared in my “Cats of University Heights” series during May 2018. Mimi is mother to the other; both are ferals who lived on the property for about eight years. The woman who fed them has made space in her smaller, fenced outdoor space across the alley—and both go there for food and safety.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 28, 202112:03 am

Where are the Oscar Mayer Cold Cuts and Nathan’s Franks?

Someone might blame the so-called supply chain crisis for this unnamed (I won’t say) supermarket’s empty packaged, prepared, processed meat section. I’d like to think that to celebrate the World Series and return to big gatherings before the big screen following more than 18 months of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2)/COVID-19 lockdowns that a whopper shopper cleared out the Bologna, hotdogs, and other deli delights for the big game.

The temperature gauge is in the red, which could indicate cooling malfunction—that despite stocked goods on either side of the empty section. As I walked by, a store employee wheeled a cart stacked with boxes of deli-fresh replacements. You’re welcome to blame the supply chain, and who doesn’t these days? I won’t.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 26, 20218:17 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Spartacus

Blind kitty Petey shares space with Spartacus—and, yes, both are real names. Their residence is just a few doors down from the Schoolhouse, which my wife and I almost bought in late-summer 2017. Click the link for an education in home buying that unfortunate experience teaches better than anything from the classroom.

I used iPhone 13 Pro to capture the Featured Image and companion, on Oct. 24, 2021. The original files were RAW imported to Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic, cropped, edited, and exported to JPEG. I am dissatisfied with the color profile changes applied during import for the smartphone and will likely use different software in the future. Vitals for both: f/2.8, ISO 32, 1/602 sec, 77mm; 10:28 a.m. PDT.

Apple by Joe WilcoxOct 23, 202110:40 pm

Apple iPod Turns 20

On this date in 2001, Apple unveiled iPod, its fourth major endeavor for that year—at great risk, by entering a new product category for which the company had no prior experience and during a time of financial hardship. Recession gripped the United States; Apple had suffered share price and quarterly revenue setbacks as a result.

Six weeks earlier, terrorists flew highjacked American airliners into the World Trade Center (collapsing the Twin Towers) and the Pentagon. There was grim mood around the country, which created poor receptive marketing atmosphere for launching anything. Then there was the distraction dogging the tech industry: Windows XP’s impending global debut two days later.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 21, 20219:42 pm

We’re Negative!

A few days ago, my wife developed a nasty cough, accompanied by flu-like symptoms that include fever; while subsiding, they persist today. SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2)/COVID-19 is obvious concern. The Delta variant is highly communicable, whether or not somebody is vaccinated. Think nature’s inoculation: Everyone will catch the Novel Coronavirus now. Being vaxxed often will not prevent infection but reportedly minimizes the worst symptoms of the disease. Regardless, everyone is bound to develop some degree of natural immunity if the B.1.617.2 variant continues to be easily transmitted.

Annie’s cough sounds pretty bad. One of my neighbors is an ICU nurse, who asked about my wife and reassured me that her coughing, while frequent, is strong. That’s good. We own an oximeter, which I use to check her blood oxygenation—and it’s excellent! Still, we had to consider COVID-19, since Delta assures SARS-CoV-2 will infect everyone. With Annie hacking so often, and the possibility of spreading the virus—even masked—we decided against going out for a test, like we did eight month ago.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 18, 202110:01 pm

Stripped Bare

I don’t know what to make of this. Just inside the Vermont Street Bridge, still on the University Heights side, I saw a wayward bicycle frame—early afternoon Oct. 15, 2021. Bike chop shops pop up […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 17, 20218:39 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Gypsy

On this date five years ago, the series started with a kitty nicknamed Scruffy—seen once and never again. A few months earlier, surgery in both eyes recovered my vision, remarkably also making it better than anytime earlier my life. Adjusting to a new way of seeing and also wanting to improve my photography skills, I chose cats as objects for my camera (and smartphone).

But I expected the project to be short-lived. As stated on Oct. 17, 2016: “I begin a new series that ends when the photos are all used”, thinking something like 30 days at most, given the pics already taken and the few additional to follow—because in a community dominated by dogs surely few cats could be found. Obviously, I was gravely mistaken; happily, if you prefer.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 16, 202110:47 am

Pumpkin Mountain

The iPhone 13 Pro camera system surprisingly satisfies—more than any other smartphone to bless my grubby fingers. I am loving the ultra-wide (13mm) and telephoto (77mm) lenses, along with RAW capture capabilities. Shots are sharper than I would ever expect from a device with relatively small sensor and which primary function is not photography.

All combined, the 13 Pro is creative fun—and that’s from my only surface skimming the sea of benefits. The Featured Image is example, with distortion from the ultra-wide lens adding character to an otherwise mundane scene. Vitals: f/1.8, ISO 50, 1/122 sec, 13mm; 1:01 p.m. PDT, yesterday.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 15, 20214:07 pm

Who Do We Blame for This?

You tell me. Because I really want to know.

I used iPhone 13 Pro to take the Featured Image, this afternoon in San Diego’s Hillcrest neighborhood. The gas station is located at Fourth and Washington. Vitals: f/2.8, ISO 32, 1/699 sec, 77mm; 1:18 p.m. PDT.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 10, 20218:47 pm

Cluck, Cluck

When my wife and I walk past the home of Daniel Tiger, we sometimes hear chickens—could be along the side of the building or perhaps the backyard. Today, we saw one of them pecking about the frontage. I pulled out iPhone 13 Pro for some fast shots—and, of course, the bird repeatedly turned back-to as I clicked the electronic shutter.

The Featured Image is one two usable head-in-view portraits. Vitals: f/2.8, ISO 100, 1/122 sec, 77mm; 9:46 a.m. PDT. The telephoto range of the third lens is a welcome change over earlier models’ 52mm. Before going out, in camera settings, I flipped the switch enabling Apple ProRAW, expecting that would be the format for today’s captures. Nope. Unbeknownst to me, the user must tap RAW on the touchscreen to truly turn on the feature. Frak.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 6, 202110:48 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Jax

The cruelty to the kitty backlog of still-to-be-published profiles: We skip to the front of the queue a tabby observed today—on Alabama, making this fine feline the seventy-fifth seen on the street since the series started five years ago this month.

Honey and Phil both live (if they still do) nearby where I passed by the tiger-stripe on my way to the Smart and Final (shopping for frozen tri-colored peppers, but none were available). I used Leica Q2 to capture the Featured Image. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/80 sec, 28mm; 4:06 p.m. PDT.