[e182]
I wanted to post some better beetle photos from work, since the one I showed last entry was an example image. I didn't know how my main boss, Q, would want the final piece to look, but I needed to show him that I can use photoshop well. We almost hired a postdoc to work in the lab, with no photoshop experience, to do these finalized images - so I decided to flex my fingers a bit and show my boss that I wanted that job. It only made sense - April is so busy working on two projects for Q that she really doesn't have the time to be training a newbie how to use photoshop.
E. Compressitarsis:
Dorsal view, original.
Fixed.
Ventral view, original.
Fixed.
April did, however, show me how to properly add those groovey shadows in today. It only took a minute of her time and a note or two from me to get it down. We decided on some presets for everything, but in the ventral view part of the shadow gets cut off. I'll ask Q next Friday if he wants me to fix this, since it would take under a minute to do so.
Q is currently writing a book on taxonomy for the general public. He says it's the only book like this he'll ever want to publish, and he even has the attention of one literary agent, but no editor. I offered to help him with this project as well, since (surprisingly) I have next to no knowledge on taxonomy and would make a terrific guinea pig. He seemed excited, so here is yet another interesting opportunity where I get to pretend to be an editor and read a work in progress. I promised to rip him a new one after I give it a look-through. ;)
We deviated from the subject of his work when he asked me if I would be interesting in pinning and labeling new Eleodes specimens to add to the collection. He started to ask me if I had ever pinned an insect before and I cut him off before he could finish with an amused "Nope!" I loved the startled look on his face - he wasn't the first to assume I've had field experience since I have such a huge background knowledge on insects. Next Friday he's going to start me on that.
The downsides of today:
1. I had a full leg fall off a specimen and I have no idea how to properly glue it back.
2. Our ultrasonic cleaner finally gave out. April is going to use our institute's credit card to buy a new one (with a 2 year warranty!) on Monday, so I'll be able to properly clean specimens next Friday.
3. My uncle Uwe finally wrote back to me about mine/Edwin's trip to Germany. He'll probably be in South Italy while we're there, though I'm waiting for a response to see if he leaves before we even land or while we're already there. If the latter, then we can probably work something out so that we can visit him sooner.
4. Uwe also wrote that, like everyone else from my dad's side of the family, he suffers from extreme depression and has been in a clinic the last three months trying to treat it. This makes it harder to pretend that it wasn't passed down to me.
5. My grandmother's best friend died on Monday, and now my grandmother has lost the will to live. This trip might be the last chance I get to see her alive. I know that sounds dramatic - but when my great aunt (her sister) lost the will to live she was dead within a matter of months. I feel like I've only just now started to get to know her... and I care about her the most out of all of my relatives, as bad as that sounds. Thinking about her passing away tears me apart, even though I know she can't live on forever.
E. Compressitarsis:
Dorsal view, original.
Fixed.
Ventral view, original.
Fixed.
April did, however, show me how to properly add those groovey shadows in today. It only took a minute of her time and a note or two from me to get it down. We decided on some presets for everything, but in the ventral view part of the shadow gets cut off. I'll ask Q next Friday if he wants me to fix this, since it would take under a minute to do so.
Q is currently writing a book on taxonomy for the general public. He says it's the only book like this he'll ever want to publish, and he even has the attention of one literary agent, but no editor. I offered to help him with this project as well, since (surprisingly) I have next to no knowledge on taxonomy and would make a terrific guinea pig. He seemed excited, so here is yet another interesting opportunity where I get to pretend to be an editor and read a work in progress. I promised to rip him a new one after I give it a look-through. ;)
We deviated from the subject of his work when he asked me if I would be interesting in pinning and labeling new Eleodes specimens to add to the collection. He started to ask me if I had ever pinned an insect before and I cut him off before he could finish with an amused "Nope!" I loved the startled look on his face - he wasn't the first to assume I've had field experience since I have such a huge background knowledge on insects. Next Friday he's going to start me on that.
The downsides of today:
1. I had a full leg fall off a specimen and I have no idea how to properly glue it back.
2. Our ultrasonic cleaner finally gave out. April is going to use our institute's credit card to buy a new one (with a 2 year warranty!) on Monday, so I'll be able to properly clean specimens next Friday.
3. My uncle Uwe finally wrote back to me about mine/Edwin's trip to Germany. He'll probably be in South Italy while we're there, though I'm waiting for a response to see if he leaves before we even land or while we're already there. If the latter, then we can probably work something out so that we can visit him sooner.
4. Uwe also wrote that, like everyone else from my dad's side of the family, he suffers from extreme depression and has been in a clinic the last three months trying to treat it. This makes it harder to pretend that it wasn't passed down to me.
5. My grandmother's best friend died on Monday, and now my grandmother has lost the will to live. This trip might be the last chance I get to see her alive. I know that sounds dramatic - but when my great aunt (her sister) lost the will to live she was dead within a matter of months. I feel like I've only just now started to get to know her... and I care about her the most out of all of my relatives, as bad as that sounds. Thinking about her passing away tears me apart, even though I know she can't live on forever.