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Actually, it's condensation...a favorite subject of mine, especially since we have no raindrops for me to photograph...
Nah, that's just a fake ID... It's actually the name of a street in Bangkok. But this is a Thai sculpture, at the home of one of my friends, half human size.
I later realized I could have dropped the shutter speed to 1/f and gained about two stops on the ISO, but ISO 5000 is not a huge hurdle for the 1DXM2.
1DX06461
Actually, I put the coffee on the brick column and he didn't move. I thought maybe this gull was a coffee drinker, but more likely he just was hoping I had a sandwich or some other morsel. Or maybe it's because they just can't take selfies.
Actually, I have these six thread mount and four M-mount Leicas and I've sworn to each and every of them that I will remain faithful to her, forever and ever.
But a man can resist anything except temptation. That's a well known fact. So when I happened to see a colour dial Contax IIa on Fleabay that allegedly was in perfect working order, I placed a bid.
My conscience made me place a low bid. My reasoning was that I had succumbed to temptation, but as my bid was unlikely to go through, I had, technically at least, remained faithful. Little did I know that my bid would come out on top. The next day I was the surprised owner of yet another rangefinder camera.
In 1925, the optical instrument company Ernst Leitz in Wetzlar, Hesse, brought out the Leica, the first truly compact photo camera. It was an instant success, and Leitz quickly followed up with increasingly advanced models, introducing, in quick succession, exchangeable lenses, then a coupled rangefinder, then broader exposure time ranges.
Though blazingly expensive, the Leica sold like hot cakes and revolutionized photography.
The much larger camera maker Zeiss Ikon, based in Dresden, an amalgamation of four companies decided to snatch a share of the 35 mm camera market from the Leica with a technically superior product, the Contax.
The original model came out in 1932 and was even more expensive than the Leica, and arguably, far more advanced technically, but not in terms of durability. It was followed by the Contax II, which had a significantly improved metal shutter and a combined range- and viewfinder, something Leitz would not manage until the M3 in 1958. Then came the Contax III with its uncoupled light meter.
The Contax ran rings around the Leica but the Leica with her simpler, more rugged design persistently outsold her competitor 2:1. While the Leica was seen as the camera of choice for (rich) amateurs, the Contax was for the pros. Robert Capa's "death of a loyalist militiaman"? Shot with a Contax. Capa's magnificent eleven? Contax.
After the war, the Zeiss Ikon factories in Dresden lay in ruins, and what was left of the tools, parts and construction plans was hauled off to the Soviet Union. All German patents were voided, which greatly benefited the Japanese camera industry.
In the USSR, Contax production was soon resumed at the Arsenal factory in Kiev. But that is a different story.
However, one Zeiss factory was in Stuttgart, in the American-occupied sector of Germany. Part of Dresden and Jena staff moved there and from then on, there were two Zeiss companies, the West German one in Stuttgart, the East German one in Jena.
Zeiss Ikon in Stuttgart quickly set up their rangefinder lines again and also started making SLRs, but that is a different story. Their first rangefinder was the IIa black dial, which was still excruciatingly expensive. That was followed by the IIIa, which had an uncoupled meter.
There were numerous changes with respect to the pre-war Contaxes. The new Contaxes had slightly smaller bodies and their rangefinder baseline was reduced, which makes them easier to use because it is harder to inadvertently cover the rangefinder window with one's finder. They also offered flash synchronisation.
The colour dials came later, with some more technical changes. A PC terminal and some modifications of the shutter, the merits of which are hotly debated to this day. Production ceased in 1961, and a decade later, following a series of egregious management errors, Zeiss Ikon stopped producing cameras altogether.
You will find that the Contax IIIa is far more common than the model IIa, because they were both shockingly expensive and the well-heeled, who were the only ones who could afford such cameras, would go for the model with the meter. The colour dial IIa is the rarest of the series, which makes it all the more surprising that my modest bid won. Normally, this is the model that the collectors go for. Especially if it is in as good shape as this.
I was not interested in the IIIa because a selenium meter will at any rate either not work at all or not work accurately, and it isn't aesthetically pleasing - it breaks the clean line of the top of the camera.
The seller did not provide very good pictures, which may explain why he did not obtain as high a sum as by rights, he should have (Honestly, how hard is it to take some sharp and detailed pictures of a camera?).
And then, this baby didn't have the highly prized 1:1.5 Sonnar, but "only" the 1:2. Actually, the 1:2 is sharper and better. I am not a collector, but a user. I use cameras to do what they were designed to do: take pictures. So this is the lens I wanted.
So far, I have not found any fault with my Contax, other than that the rangefinder needs adjusting, which is hardly surprising with a 60 year old camera.
As many times as I'd chased and photographed trains on this railroad I'd never actually ridden it except for one short trio behind 425 from Port Clinton to Schuylkill Haven and return. But this past fall I finally rectified that with a ride on Reading and Northern train PIJT from Pittston to Jim Thorpe and return about their spectacular boat tail observation car number 7, the King Coal...which once graced the rear of the Illinois Central Railroad's City of New Orleans.
After a fun 4 hr 35 min stay in Jim Thorpe spent walking around, having lunch and beers with a friend, and photographing 2102 I'm now on my way back north on 2 hr 20 min journey to Pittston via the Lehigh Gorge and up over Solomon Gap. The train consisted of a pair of GP38-2s, power car 1257, coaches 306, 312, 303, Crown Class coaches 451, 562, dome car 4, Pullman sleeper 1127, first class lounge number 7.
Continuing with the journey after shooting us on the CNJ bridge I crossed to the opposite dutch door on the engineer's side for this shot looking toward the head end of the train as we approach the cantilever signal bridge at COAL interlocking at MP 124.9 on modern day RBMN's Lehigh Division mainline. We are leaving the former Central Railroad of New Jersey trackage and entering the one timeLehigh Valley Railroad mainline on this connection that was built by the RBMN here where one never existed in CNJ/LV and CR days. This area is double tracked though interestingly Norfolk Southern still retains ownership of the parallel Main 2 which is their Lehigh Line main. These days this once busy route does little more than provide access to the Ashmore Secondary for one daily local to and from NS' outpost of Hazleton.
For a trackside view of this spot that I captured earlier in the year check out this shot: flic.kr/p/2ruiZSY
Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Saturday October 25, 2025
Actually he is an experienced worker as other images show him!
Don't always believe what you see on Flickr!
I’ve met him there a number of times!
Actually I wanted to go shooting the sunset today ... BUT there was no sun today :-/ So here is just one shot from the daily "shopping" ;-)
Actually just milliseconds before. Just as totality began there was a burst of light that produced this lens flare and the diamond ring effect.
Actually this is the second thing.
FIRST thing to do with an Argus 21 (shown here), C4 or C44 is to test fire the shutter ONCE while watching the shutter blades from the back side. If there is any hesitation at all in the blade movement, then you need to take the shutter blade assembly apart and clean the blades before you fire the shutter again. They tend to have a lot of loose pieces, but it's not difficult.
The springs in most leaf shutters are pretty gentle, and act directly on the blade actuating rings. In this series of cameras, though, the shutter springs work like a little Cummins Diesel, and drive the blades in both directions with enormous force through a tiny hardened steel link that you can see in the cutout at the 9:00 position on the camera body here. If the blades are sticky or blocked, there is enough power to break that link. Replacing the link itself is not especially difficult either, but the only source for a replacement is another camera.
Actually, this was well past sunset, by about 20 minutes. Bobbie and I went camping at Shallow Bay this weekend, and guess who forget their tripod....yup, me.
Actually, there is one on my desk. I have wanted to eat it since this morning. Yesterday's banana did not survive to get painted. This one fared a little better, it is now afternoon. But now...it's banana time! :D
alittlemealittlehue.blogspot.com/2012/03/fruitful-bounty....
Actually looking for places to live up in the hills so these are literally grabbed shots from a couple of lookouts. All Fuji X100s
i actually took this last month, while I was still living at my old apartment -- and it's nearly identical to some similar pictures taken last year -- but it always first REALLY feels like spring to me when these little flowers come up every year...
I will miss seeing them next year, since I won't have any on the boat!
Actually the south of Bornholm features kilometers of the finest sand beach you can imagine. The beaches are not maintained but due to the weather conditions and the water specifics (more later) they are typically very clean in most areas.
Anyway, when you get there after end of Danish summer holidays, you can hardly see any people.
Actually they are "Wall Runners". When we take them for a walk, they insist on jumping on this wall and racing along the top. Happy Springtime everyone!
Actually this is the furthest south I have been in the world. (Further south than Cape Town, Sydney and Wellington)
Sitting in front of the sea —also known as the Statue of Lovers— is a Chilean sculpture located in the city of Puerto Montt that portrays a couple embracing and sitting, looking at Reloncaví's bosom . The work, by artist Robinson Barría, was inaugurated on February 14, 2002 and is inspired by the song " Puerto Montt " by the Uruguayan group Los Iracundos . Since its creation, it has been criticized for its physiognomy and aesthetic value, at the same time that it has become an urban landmark of the city.
Puerto Montt is a port city and commune in southern Chile, located at the northern end of the Reloncaví Sound in the Llanquihue Province, Los Lagos Region, 1,055 km to the south of the capital, Santiago. The commune spans an area of 1,673 km2 (646 sq mi) and has a population of 245,902 in 2017. It is bounded by the communes of Puerto Varas to the north, Cochamó to the east and southeast, Calbuco to the southwest and Maullín and Los Muermos to the west.
Founded as late as 1853 during the German colonization of southern Chile, Puerto Montt soon outgrew older neighboring cities due to its strategic position at the southern end of the Chilean Central Valley being a gateway city into Chiloé Archipelago, Llanquihue and Nahuel Huapi lakes and Western Patagonia.
Puerto Montt has gained renown and grown significantly due to the rise of Chile as the second largest salmon producer of the world during the 1990s and 2000s. However, the Chilean salmon aquaculture crisis of the late 2000s resulted at least temporarily in severe unemployment and exposed weaknesses in the local economy. The city's cultural heritage mixes elements of Chiloé culture with German heritage although the city has attracted a significant number of newcomers from all over Chile in the last 30 years due to employment opportunities.
Actually the train was spot on time, but I couldn't resist the title given this shot was taken from a coffee shop!
A Richmond to Stratford 'London Overground' service departs from platform 4 at Willesden Junction.
The tawny owl is one of the most common owls in Britain but avery rarely seen due to their nocturnal habits. Typically they are found in woodlands and are very territorial, feeding on small rodents, rats, mice, rabbits and voles. This is actually a captive Tawny which I was lucky enough to photograph in ancient woodland.
With the late Spring and burst of warmth over the weekend bluebells have flourished into bloom transforming woodlands into wonderlands awash with colour throughout Essex. These iconic flowers make the most of Spring flowering before the woodland canopy is out in full leaf. They are especially important as a food source for pollinating insects such as butterflies and bees providing a rich source of nectar.
Actually close to the site of New England. Load 10 including two Kitchen cars roaring up the mainline towards London.
Actually it was the second night in Rome.Watching the colosseum by night was always one of the top 10 things I would like to do while I stayed there.We were going to viisit it during the afternoon, but when we arrived it had been closed already.We walked a long way along the Foro Romano untill we arrived at the Capitolini Museum.There we past almost 2 hours.When we got out, we went to the Piazza di Venezia, and then walked all way down the the Colosseum.Later, we dropped off the camera and other things in the hotel and went to Trastevere to have some dinner.It was the first day of the Chinese New Year.And I'm happy for how I spent it.
Actually for reasons unknown to me this is known as a Red Bellied Woodpecker...go figure huh. Saw him visiting a tree in my yard this morning, so glad he hung around long enough for me to get the big lens:) I'm off work for a few days, will be back later to catch up!
The two young lovers gazing into each others eyes. Minimal editing. Canon DPP.
This is one of many images I am currently preparing. Taken at the Henna of my dear niece in Israel. It is a custom shared by eastern Jews as well as other cultures to daub couples with Henna before a wedding. Years ago the Henna would have been an opportunity to meet their prospective (arranged) spouse for the first time. Now of course it is more a celebration of the upcoming wedding usually occuring about a week later.
Actually just drying his feathers having spent some time washing, but light was good and to me, he makes a nice composition.
Shot with the 150-600mm on the Fuji X-H2s
Actually, two flashguns with orange gels, one on model and one on wall, to make it look like the scene is lit with late afternoon sun; the day is overcast/cloudy. Taken during a Creative Flash Photography Workshop at Burnside Plantation in Bethlehem, PA.
Actually, the black sheep is hiding behind the silver one. These two stylized miniature sheep are souvenirs my mother brought home from a few days on the isle of Texel, in the north of the Netherlands.
Actually shot this on my iPhone while picking out paint today. Couldn't help but post it :)
Internship starts in 2 weeks.
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Actually this was five years ago but while I was messing around with it this morning it did take on a kind of apocalyptic feel.
Hopefully we are putting this little heatwave behind us. I love the heat..during the day. At night, not so much. 11 pm and it was 90 degrees inside last night. Needless to say I've had little sleep in the last 48 hours. Yep, this is me whining. I'm convinced now that A/C is going to have to happen next year..either that or move :)
Actually these Forster's terns are flocking, not migrating, but this is the time of year to look for birds travelling to their wintering grounds.
Sterna forsteri, Mountain View, California
Actually I only thought about possibilitys to build whitewall tires only of original Lego parts. Therefore I needed some car to display them.
I saw some cool Rods built by 1saac W. and Johnni D, so I decided to build my own Rat Rod. This is not a specific model, but it is near some Ford Sedan.
I was inspired by some mocs I found in the www which appeared to be built by Calin.
Actually it is a fountain. The mowers knocked the top part off & I had not put it back together yet. The crow is so much bigger than the largest dove I've had there.
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Garland, Texas
My photos can also be found at kapturedbykala.com
Actually, a furry-looking, hairy thorax: an adult locust borer is 7⁄16″ to 1⅛″ (11 to 28 mm) long, densely covered with short, velvety hairs; jet black with numerous bright yellow bands and spots, they look something like a wasp or hornet, an example of Batesian mimicry, making the beetle appear unpalatable to potential predators
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Locust Borer Longhorn Beetle – 2020OCT02 – Charlotte, NC
I went to harvest goldenrod for goldenrod tea, finding in the bountiful blossoms a breathtaking bonus: a beauteous beetle!
Spectacular arrays of brilliant yellow flowers attract throngs of insects intent on collecting and consuming the nutritious large and rather sticky pollen from myriads of small flowers on each plant, a magnet for late summer and early autumn insects, this wasp-striped longhorn beetle among the most eye-catching, especially important to it as a mimic (Batesian mimicry, something harmless imitating something dangerous): looks like a bee or a wasp but cannot sting.
Many insects, like this locust borer, try very hard to imitate bees (called bee mimics) and wasps, and do a surprisingly good job of it!
Hope you enjoy this 25% of 213 captures I took here this day!
Actually, I know who it is but he looks so different here, at York, on April 1st, 1978, that I suspect this may be a difficult one. This gentleman, despite the flares, tended to keep a low profile and I always respected him for that. Mr Heyl and myself were spending the better part of the day between York and Doncaster, he was surprised to see us, to say the least! To give a clue or two, this man was always interested in the timing of trains and more often seen behind class 40s on the North Wales coast. Over to you ...
Here we are on the train, Tim and me, taken but JJ. I have a confession - this was actually in the morning, on our way from Nice to Menton! If it had been our return trip, we were all separated as the train was painfully busy! JJ and I nipped upstairs hoping for seats while Tim stayed down. We didn't meet up until the train was nearly back at Nice! (Not a lot of fun!)