Category Archives: Santorini

Backing Up

On the caldera path, Firostephani, Santorini
Camera: Panasonic DMC-GX8 | Date: 04-10-2015 18:45 | Resolution: 4963 x 3722 | ISO: 500 | Exp. bias: 0 EV | Exp. Time: 1/60s | Aperture: 7.1 | Focal Length: 15.0mm | Location: Santorini | State/Province: South Aegean | See map | Lens: LUMIX G VARIO 12-35/F2.8

Coming up with a reliable backup policy is a challenge as data volumes grow. My approach is as follows. On a weekly basis I do a full backup of the system disk of the more "volatile" PCs in our collection, plus a differential backup of the other disks. The best tool for full backups appears to be Acronis, but it has a brain-dead approach to partial backups, which cannot always be restored if you don’t have every file in the chain, and it’s just not reliable enough. I therefore also continue to use the venerable Windows ntbackup, even under Windows 10, as I still haven’t found a better option which supports a true "differential" model.

Every three or four months I then do a full backup of every disk in every PC, and re-set the baseline for the differential backups. That’s due for this weekend, and as a result I’m trying to finish processing images from some previous trips, so they will be fully backed up in their complete form. I have about 100 images from Santorini to process today, and then I get to a very neat breakpoint. I’m not sure whether such a deadline really helps, but at least it drives me to keep my photography backlog under control.

The picture above is mainly just to provide a bit of colourful cheer on a damp and windy February morning. Enjoy it!

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Grockles! (Santorini Portfolio Now Online)

Grockles! Other tourists (I suppose I have to admit I was one of them :) ) taking in the sunset at Oia, Santorini
Camera: Canon EOS 40D | Date: 30-09-2009 16:56 | ISO: 200 | Exp. Time: 1/60s | Aperture: 6.3 | Focal Length: 110.0mm (~178.4mm) | Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

Well, I’ve finally finished processing my shots from last year’s trip to Santorini. As expected, lots of blue church domes and sunsets over the caldera, but a few more unusual images as well. The sunset light there really is quite magical, and lifts even the banal to something special. Getting a spot in Oia for the sunset show can be a bit of a challenge, as the above shows.

The portfolio also includes some of my most successful underwater pictures so far. I’m finally getting the hand of using my Canon G10 underwater, and then properly post-processing the shots.

Let me know what you think.

Andrew

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Caldera Sunset #3

Sunset over the Caldera, Santorini
Camera: Canon EOS 40D | Lens: EF-S17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM | Date: 01-10-2009 16:59 | ISO: 200 | Exp. bias: -1/3 EV | Exp. Time: 1/250s | Aperture: 8.0 | Focal Length: 38.0mm (~61.6mm) | Lens: Canon EF-S 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS USM

Sorry there was no photoblog post last week, but I was busy processing my shots from the wedding of my good friend, Dave.

Here’s a third (and, I promise, final) “Caldera Sunset” shot from my Santorini trip. This one works, I think, because of the way the ripples on the sea and the clouds repeat similar shapes. Let me know what you think.

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Caldera Sunset Zen

"Caldera Sunset Zen" Oia, Santorini
Camera: Canon EOS 40D | Lens: EF-S17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM | Date: 30-09-2009 16:12 | ISO: 200 | Exp. bias: 0 EV | Exp. Time: 1/125s | Aperture: 5.6 | Focal Length: 47.0mm (~76.2mm) | Lens: Canon EF-S 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS USM

I’m making good progress on sorting out my photos from last year’s Santorini trip, with the intention of getting them finished before the anniversary… 🙂

I was going to publish a series of the Caldera sunsets in weekly instalments. I may still do that, but processing this wonderfully peaceful image made a slight departure from the plan irresistible.

I call it “Caldera Sunset Zen”. Let me know if you like it.

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Caldera Sunset #1

Sunset over the Caldera, Santorini
Camera: Canon EOS 40D | Lens: EF70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM | Date: 29-09-2009 16:46 | ISO: 200 | Exp. bias: 0 EV | Exp. Time: 1/400s | Aperture: 7.1 | Focal Length: 110.0mm (~178.4mm) | Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

I’m finally getting round to processing the shots from my Santorini trip – only about a year late! The sunsets over the Caldera really are quite amazing. Here’s one, and I’ll post a couple more over the next few weeks.

Also, if you’re interested, I’ve recently added more shots from Europe last year to my online album. Have a look and let me know what you think.

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First Photo Blog Post

Another of my favourite subjects - sunset light on water
Camera: Canon EOS 40D | Date: 05-10-2009 16:27 | ISO: 200 | Exp. Time: 1/3200s | Aperture: 8.0 | Focal Length: 300.0mm (~486.5mm) | Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

Hi, welcome to my new photo blog. Here’s a shot taken on my trip to Santorini last year, a “grab shot” of a rather nice yacht scudding along in one of the island’s trademark sunsets. The triangular shapes at the bottom are actually the edge of a nearby roof, out of focus.

Let me know what you think.

Andrew

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