I’ve been having fun setting up my new IMac. Cost a pretty penny here. Apple products are expensive in the US. Here we have to add a 22% tax. This makes them REALLY expensive. My last computer was a MacBook Air. It was probably 10 years old. I had had it from well before I retired. I’d kept up with the operating system upgrades but it had started showing signs of its age lately.
So, I bit the bullet and sprang for the new IMac. Beautiful machine. I’ve been a Mac user since the very first Macs back in 1980. I’m not about to give up on them now. I’ve gotten this one set up, melded it with the Air and brought over most of my files. My Air had very old Adobe Creative Suite software from back before I retired. Nowadays you can’t buy it, you must subscribe to it. None of my old programs came over. Nor my music. Sad. Again I bit the bullet and bought the Creative Suite. So I am set.
Now I am taking pictures when I go on my walks. I would like to develop a portfolio of photos. I plan to frame them and hang them for myself and maybe I could get them displayed somewhere. No matter. I am having fun fooling with them. My focus is on Umbertide. All of my photos will be of Umbertide and the surrounding area. I love it in the fog and nowadays we have heavy fog in the morning. I have been converting them to black and white. For some of them I go back and highlight some parts of the photo. Like allowing the colors to come through the black and white. Here is an example. Autumn corn ready for harvest and wild flowers.

~~~~~~
The Covid cases are really going up here. Not as bad as Germany, UK, France and Spain. And a LOT less than in the US. But still, the cases are growing. Unsettling. The government here extended the Emergency decree until January 31. Thankfully, it allows the flexibility to make mandates as it deems necessary. The latest mandate is masks, inside and outside except for solitary exercise. The police are out enforcing the new rules. Fines of €400- €1000 for not complying. Also restrictions on bars and sporting events. Hoping this will slow this new growth. If not I fear a new lockdown is in our future.
The ban on travel to Italy for tourism from the US remains in force indefinitely. We plan no travel now for the foreseeable future.
Be safe everyone. 🌈 Andrà tutto bene!
Tony, I was a graphic designer and web designer during my career. I enjoyed it a lot. My old computer had legacy Creative suites software but it did not transfer to the new box. So I had to subscribe. I still like to dabble in it so it’s nice to keep. I will say Adobe really gouges. I bought the software using a VPN and my US credit card and US Dropbox address, as though I lived in the US. If I hadn’t I would have paid 40% more. adobe figures the European market will pay more. Not me! 😡
Back in like 1986 or so I worked at a print shop “Alphagraphics” where I was their graphic designer but it was mostly baby shower or wedding invitations and a few business cards all done on a little Apple Macintosh box! Nowadays it’s all so much easier and yep, Creative Suites is how it’s done. Looking forward to your photo portfolio!
Hi Margherita,
Thank you! I am having fun with the photos and the software and allowing a bit of creativity. I will keep at it!
I WISH there were huge fines for mask non-compliance here in the good old US of A!!.. Not a huge problem in Massachusetts for the most part, thankfully.
I’m happy for you that you’re able to continue nurturing your creative tendencies with your writing and photographs. The B and W photo of the corn stalks with the yellow wildflowers is charming!! Keep em’ coming, Nancy!
Ciao for now.