MICROSOFT SCAM ALERT!!!

Just received an "Out of Area" phone call from a person who CLAIMED to be a "Microsoft Technical Support Representative." He told me that there was a trojan virus that he wanted to fix on my computer. I told him that he was scamming me.

I told him that my microsoft OS is not even registered with the phone number he called. He went on on on about how he knew my wife, me and my children along with my credit card number. I told him he was a SCAM and asked how many children I had.

He said he will email me a link, I said go ahead, what's my email address? He could not answer that. I told him if he was with microsoft that he would have my email address on file. I said again he was a SCAM! I asked him what version of Microsoft I am using. He couldn't answer that. I told him he was a SCAM again.

I got him all frustrated to the point that he told me he was going to infect my pc and render my computer useless. I told him to go ahead, I'll sit here and watch. He finally hung up on me.

P.S. He could not tell me how many children I have nor how many computers and laptops I am running microsoft on.

TMSphotos Photo Contest

WIN A FREE ARTISTIC EDITED IMAGE

For me, this is not the typical photo contest. I am looking for entries that have the potential for artistic photo editing.

WINNERS receive High Quality artistic edited images of their submitted photo for FREE!

There will be TEN winners! TEN winners and you could be one of them!

Submit your photos to tmspicschi@gmail.com

Submit your photos NOW!

The contest rules are quite simple:

Image Size - 25 MB max due to the limitations of Google email services.

Image Resolution - High Resolution images are needed in order for me to run them through my photo editing process.

File Types - RAW, JPEG, PNG, TIFF (NOT EDITED)

LIMIT - Three entries per person

In return, I will not sell or distribute your original or my edited images.

I retain the right to use the images on my Blog, website or other social media websites in reduced files sizes crediting the photographer on the image.

I will not submit the original or edited image in any contests.

You could win a FREE ARTISTIC PHOTO EDIT !!! 

This $60 value could be yours for FREE !!!

You must submit your images to WIN to tmspicschi@gmail.com

Here are a couple of examples of artistic edits …

Here is an original photo

Here is an artistic edited photo

ENTER NOW !!!

You must submit your images to WIN to tmspicschi@gmail.com

This $60 value could be yours for FREE !!!

ENTER NOW!!!

Expiration for entries is September 28, 2012

Additional Artistic Edit Samples can be seen on my Facebook Page


http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=400156866705789&l=baa7d87abe

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=399035453484597&l=46f7b3163d

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.397399780314831.94996.162269090494569&type=1&l=b8e01174db

Why am I doing this? 

I suffer from a brain injury and I do not have the abilities that I once had to travel and take photos. I am a veteran that has had the fortunate opportunity to travel half way around the world before I was 23 years old. I fell in love with photography and still love it to this day.

Now in my mid 50's I am unable to do what I once did so much. As part of my therapy I am trying to do new things. I have been blessed with the ability to make some very interesting artistic edits to photographs. I have been told that I have an eye for seeing things in an image that make a great image even better.

Now, I offer this opportunity to you. I have worked with a couple of photographers to date and I do this because of my love of photography and out of kindness. If you have any questions before you send me an image to edit you are welcome to contact me at tmspicschi@gmail.com

Enjoy Life, Take Pictures!

TMSphotos

2012 Revolutionary War Reenactment at Cantigny - Part 1

Cantigny Gardens in Wheaton, Illinois has always been a favorite place for me to visit and take photographs. This past weekend they hosted the 2012 Revolutionary War Reenactment which is quite an event. The reenactment participants actually pitch tents and spend the weekend at the park doing their best to create an atmosphere of the Revolutionary War times.

I really had been looking forward to this event for a couple of reasons. One, it’s a great time to capture some great photographic images. Two, I have some new photo editing software I wanted to try out.

The participants of this event do an outstanding job of creating a scene of the events around 1776. As you walk through their campsite you get a real sense of authenticity in what is presented. Throughout the campsites you see campfires along with cookware used back in the day. It sure made me appreciate my kitchen. Below are a couple of images of a campfire with utensils.

I’ll discuss more about the photo edits later but for now, as we walked through the campsite you would see a variety of meats and poultry being cooked and turned on their spits for their meals, along with plenty of beans. Since the participants actually stay on grounds of Cantigny and live in their tents over the weekend they also prepare their own meals. Below is a photo that shows the types of items that may have been found being prepared during the time of the Revolutionary War.

Children and adults alike gathered around the cannons on display. There was all kinds of discussion about the armaments of the time and a wealth of information provided to visitors.

Ammunition during revolutionary war times was much different than that of today. In the images below this gentleman was demonstrating the melting and preparation of the lead and pouring the molten lead into molds. It was an interesting process to watch.

I’ve many more photos and story to tell but I will write about that later. I would like to talk a bit more about Cantigny Parks and Gardens. There are year round activities at Cantigny and there are things to do for the entire family. I encourage you to visit http://www.cantigny.org/ and when you are in the western Chicago suburbs plan a visit.

In regards to the photos and the edits I had recently obtained a product from Alien Skin software called Exposure 4. This editing software allows you to take your digital images and give them a variety of B&W or Color film effects. I know that there are a lot of free applications that do this type of editing but I enjoy the outcome of Exposure 4 the best.

Here is a video about one of the features of Exposure 4



Now we all pretty much know that photography did not exist during the revolutionary war but I wanted to give my images an older look with some impact. I chose to edit my images with the B&W - Vintage Calotype - Sepia (no grain or blur) filter. After showing my images to my family they said that they like how the edited images look authentic. I’m glad they like them and I hope you like them too.

There are many more images on my Facebook Page.


Enjoy Life, Take Pictures!

BTW ... On Twitter I am @TMSphotos ... I am always willing to connect with photographers.

You are also welcome to follow my Blog here. I try to share knowledge, information and experience of my photography.

"LIKE" my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/TMSphotographyChicago

Candy Corn Photography

I don't recall when, but at some point in time I purchased this Martini glass made of a thick green transparent glass. For some reason I think I used it for jelly beans. But for now I feel the Fall approaching and the Halloween candy is on display at the Walgreens drugstore.

One of the types of candy I used to get on Halloween was Candy Corn. I remember when I was really young, maybe around first grade, I used to bring my Halloween candy home and dump it into a big pile. Next, I would separate my "favorite" candy from the "ok candy" and from the "don't like" candy so I ended up with three piles of candy.

I would try to trade the candy I didn't like with my sister or classmates for stuff I wanted. I would become a bit persuasive about the deals I would make too. I would spruce up the deal by offering two or three of my "don't like" pieces of candy for one of my favorites. If the other person would hesitate the trade agreement I would remind them that they will end up with more candy not just one piece. It seemed that the trigger words "more candy" was pretty effective for me when it came to trading.

In my youth Candy Corn was not a favorite, it sat in the pile of "ok candy" for some time. When I got to eating from the "ok candy" pile it was at the time when all of my favorite candy was gone and my candy trading days were over. My pile of "ok candy" was all I had left to enjoy. It turned out that the "ok candy" was probably the most cherished and enjoyed candy at the time. See, there was not a whole bunch of candy left and I had to make it last until it was time for candy canes at the Christmas season.

Ah but I digress to my youth. While at the Walgreens today I bought a couple bags of Candy Corn. Tossing a couple pieces of Candy Corn in my mouth and enjoying the texture and flavor reminded me of Halloween in my youth. What candy takes you back to fond memories of your youth?

Enjoy Life, Take Pictures!

BTW ... On Twitter I am @TMSphotos ... I am always willing to connect with photographers.

You are also welcome to follow my Blog here. I try to share knowledge, information and experience of my photography.

"LIKE" my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/TMSphotographyChicago