||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER |||

Visit Orcas Senior Center Monday through Friday, 9 am to 3 pm through April 19, to immerse yourself in the stunning photography of Julia Summers. This captivating exhibition will grace our walls throughout the months of January and February.

Julia’s artistic passion ignited at the age of eight when an art teacher, recognizing her unique perspective due to an eye patch and limited vision, handed her a camera with the encouragement to “show the world how you see it.” This marked the inception of her illustrious career as a photographer.

From overcoming adversity in school to making a profound impact on the world, Julia Summers has contributed her talent to renowned organizations such as the National Geographic, National Wildlife Federation, and the United Nations. Join us in celebrating her extraordinary vision and accomplishments at Orcas Senior Center.

TL;DR: Drones allow you to see the world in an entirely new way. Get in on this unique hobby now and buy the Ninja Dragon Phantom K Pro — which comes with a free (yes, free!) Blade X Pro — for just $149.99. Considering it usually costs $369, it’s an incredible price drop!

There are just so many views we can’t see from down here on the ground. Drones, however, let us soar through the air and get a literal birds eye perspective. And while this kind of tech sounds fancy and pricey, there are affordable ways to break into this hobby.

Consider this astonishing deal: When you buy the Ninja Dragon Phantom K Pro, you also get a Free Blade X Pro. That’s two drones for the price of one!  It’s a deal you can usually only snag for $369, but right now you can get these two drones for just $149.99, no coupons needed.

Of course, these drones aren’t just a must-buy because they’re on sale. The Ninja Dragon Drone stands out from other similar tools thanks to its sleek size, powerful battery life, and high-definition camera. Here’s what to expect:

• You can bring it with you anywhere, as it’s slim and foldable (toss it in any bag!)
• The 4K HD Camera delivers astonishingly crisp and vivid photos and videos
• It has WiFi capabilities, so you can actually check out that imagery in real time
• This drone can soar up to 12 minutes in the air
• When you’re done using it, you can use the One Key Return button, which brings the drone flying right back to you. It couldn’t be simpler to use

These drones are great for people who want to participate in a new kind of aerial hobby, capture unusual photographs, or tackle surveillance-related tasks. Regardless of your motivation, the drones will help you achieve your goal!

So, if you want to see the world in a different way, get the Ninja Dragon Phantom K Pro (along with a free Blade X Pro) now for just $149.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

In the scenic landscapes of Malta, a revolution in cinematic technology unfolds, blending the realms of academic research and practical filmmaking into a groundbreaking venture known as the VoLARe project. Spearheaded by the University of Malta and Stargate Studios Malta, with generous funding from MCST, this initiative seeks to transform the cumbersome process of background removal in post-production with an innovative application of light field photography. Diving into the essence of this technology, the project aims not just to refine but to redefine the efficiency of cinematic production as we know it.

The Genesis of VoLARe: A Technological Symphony

At the heart of the VoLARe project lies a daring ambition: to apply light field photography—a technique traditionally confined to still photography—to the dynamic and demanding world of cinematic video. This involves capturing a scene from a multitude of angles using a strategically arranged array of cameras, thereby creating a comprehensive depth map of the scene. Such a map is pivotal, for it allows for the seamless removal of backgrounds, a task that has historically been a painstaking hurdle in post-production. The collaboration between the academic prowess of the University of Malta and the cinematic expertise of Stargate Studios Malta is not just a partnership but a fusion of theory and practice aiming to leap over the current limitations of filmmaking technology.

Challenges and Breakthroughs

The journey of VoLARe is not without its challenges. The transition from static to motion pictures introduces complexities such as the synchronization of video feeds and the pixel-level calibration of cameras—daunting tasks that demand both innovation and precision. Yet, the project has already marked significant milestones, boasting a functional rig and invaluable experience garnered from actual video shoots. These achievements underscore the project’s commitment to not just conceptualize but actualize a solution that caters to the real-world needs of the film industry. The rig, a testament to four years of relentless research and development, stands as a beacon of progress in the quest to simplify and streamline the post-production process.

The Future of Filmmaking

The implications of the VoLARe project extend far beyond the immediate convenience of easier background removal. By harnessing the power of light field photography for video, the project paves the way for a future where filmmakers can exert unprecedented control over their visual narratives. This technology promises to reduce the physical and financial constraints of set design and location scouting, opening new vistas of creativity and storytelling possibilities. As the project continues to evolve, it is poised to not just enhance but revolutionize the landscape of cinematic production, offering a glimpse into a future where the boundaries of filmmaking are redefined by the limitless potential of technology.

In conclusion, the VoLARe project stands as a vivid illustration of what happens when visionary academic research meets practical cinematic expertise. By tackling the intricate challenges of applying light field photography to video, the initiative is not only simplifying post-production processes but also setting the stage for a new era of filmmaking. As this technology continues to develop, it holds the promise of transforming the cinematic landscape, making the once laborious task of background removal a relic of the past and unlocking new realms of creative freedom for filmmakers around the globe.

Rick Galloway of the Indiana Astronomical Society wears his science-enthusiast colors with pride.

Sporting a T-shirt that stated, “Indiana is on the path to be totaled,” Galloway recently led a presentation at the Fort Harrison State Park Inn that focused on the upcoming April 8 total solar eclipse. Central Indiana is directly in the eclipse’s path of totality.

Galloway started with a funny story about his shirt.

“Last October, my wife and I were driving down to Florida for fall break and we stopped at a gas station in Tennessee,” he said. “I went inside to get a cola or something to drink. And the lady behind the counter was ringing it up. She looks at (my shirt) and she looks at me (and said), ‘Is there something bad that’s going to happen in Indiana?’”

Nope — it’s good, and very, very cool. A little after 3 p.m. April 8, people in central Indiana will experience a total eclipse, something that hasn’t happened in this area for more than 800 years.

But what is an eclipse, and how does it occur?

“In its simplest, simplest terms, … what it does is, the moon lines up directly (between) the sun (and Earth) and puts a shadow onto the Earth,” Galloway said. “Simplest thing, but astronomically, it’s a very difficult thing to be able to do.”

That’s because the moon has an elliptical and angled orbit, so the lining-up part doesn’t happen very often, at least not over any specific spot.

“On average, somewhere on Earth about every year and a half, 18 months, we’ll have a total eclipse,” Galloway said. “The problem is, many times they’re out over the ocean — no way to go see it. So, having this thing come through the middle of Indiana is extraordinarily rare. And this is just so cool. This is so amazing.”

The upcoming eclipse also coincides with a predicted uptick in solar activity, Galloway said, which means that when the eclipse reaches totality — a complete covering of the sun by the moon — the corona, or outer atmosphere of the sun, likely will be even more spectacular.

When the eclipse has reached totality — and only at that time — Galloway said it is safe to remove special eclipse-viewing glasses. It’s a brief window of time, though, because as soon as totality starts to wane, the glasses need to go back on. He recommends getting special viewing glasses sooner rather than later.

“Being able to get these things online is getting more and more difficult,” he said, stressing that the eclipse safety glasses must be ISO certified, and there is no substitute. “Sunglasses, no. Welders glasses, no. I had one kid at a high school presentation, he says, ‘Well, what happens if I put on 18 pairs of sunglasses?’ Still no. Certified is the way to go.”

Looking directly at the sun before or after totality can cause severe eye damage.

Galloway said that when using binoculars, telescopes or any kind of camera, an ISO-certified filter lens made from the same material as the glasses must be placed on the front exterior lens, even if you’re wearing safety glasses while looking through it. A filter not only protects the eyes, it protects digital cameras, including phone cameras, from expensive damage.

Photographing a solar eclipse can be challenging. Galloway, who is a photographer, said a digital camera with a zoom lens can work well — just remember to remove the filter once totality is reached and then put it back on when totality starts to wane.

For those with phone cameras, he recommends a filter, of course (you can take apart a spare pair of safety glasses and tape one of the filters over the lens), along with a small tripod to keep the phone steady and an app called Solar Snap. The app manufacturer sells a kit to help with cell-phone eclipse photography, but the app itself is free and provides simple guidance to inexperienced photographers about how best to get a shot of the eclipse.

Galloway said several times that the weather on April 8 will be perfect, with no clouds for miles. But, he admitted, there’s actually only about a 40 percent chance of clear skies that day.

“This is what keeps me up at night,” he said. “This is what wakes me up in the middle of the night and makes me have night sweats.”

Galloway said he has four weather apps on his phone, and he won’t decide until a few days before the eclipse where he’ll go for optimal viewing, based on what those apps predict. If it is overcast that day, he said people in central Indiana will still see something. It won’t be nearly as cool as it could be, though.

“Things will just get darker and darker and darker,” he said. “So, remember, it’s going to be hundreds of miles from the nearest cloud on that day, beautiful, bright, sunny, 62 degrees.”

Fingers crossed.

For more, visit iasindy.org or science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024.

Total eclipses are going extinct

Nobody on Earth today will be around to witness it, but in about 600 million years, give or take a few years, there will no longer be total solar eclipses.

Rick Galloway of the Indiana Astronomical Society said that’s because the Earth and its moon, which is named Luna, are very, very slowly moving away from each other, which means the shadow the moon casts on the earth during an eclipse will be narrower and won’t completely cover the sun.

“It’s pretty neat that they can measure this thing at 4 centimeters a year,” he said. “They basically put mirrors up on the moon, and they sit here on the Earth, and they shine lasers back and forth, and they can tell with that much accuracy — 4 centimeters a year, 600 million years, it’s going to be so you’ll only have annular eclipses. You won’t have total eclipses anymore. But I don’t think we’ve got too much to worry about.”

During an annular eclipse, the edges of the sun remain visible, creating a bright ring around the moon.