After a disappointing couple of days in Bryce Canyon, I moved on to my next location which was to be Kodachrome Basin National Park, which is located between Bryce Canyon and the Grand Staircase Escalante Region of Utah. I found a great site in the primitive campground at the back of the park, I think I like this campground better than the front campground because of the dirt road leading in to it. This prevents most RV's from attempting access and is a much more serene environment, although the front campground has free showers but they can be used by all visitors, so I seized the opportunity. :)

This is the Bryce View Campground and is named so because its view overlooks not just Kodachrome Basin but also Bryce Canyon, which can be seen here off in the distance with a spectacular sunset in progress. Wouldn't you know it, the day I leave Bryce the sky explodes over it. Bah!! I guess a fourth trip to Bryce is on the itinerary in the future. "If at first you don't succeed try try again" is what I was taught. :)

I found this tree just off of the dirt road that leads back to some of the more remote formations in the park. It sits perched atop a red stone formation and stands only waist high. I tried to get a POV and composition that portrayed this tree as much bigger and an alternate composition capitalizing on it's stunted nature. I ended up liking this one better.

I am considering this to be an FDR image "Full Dynamic Range." Not an HDR image. HDR is usually associated with software designed specifically for that purpose. The problem with these software solutions is that by the time you get something you like, they introduce strong haloing properties and unpleasant artifacts which give it a fake unnatural look. By blending exposures manually you control what aspects of each exposure will be included in your final result, leading ultimately to a "Full Dynamic Range" image. Maybe we can start differentiating the two different types of processes. Have you ever had someone ask "Is it HDR" I like being able to say "NO", then again, if they have to ask then I'm getting close to real looking FDR photos.

Thanks for taking the time to take a look at my photos, and as always, your views, comments, faves, and support are greatly appreciated!! Have a great day everybody!! :)

Please do me a "solid" and follow me on my other social sites found below:

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Copyright 2016©Eric Gail

The Comma is a fascinating butterfly. The scalloped edges and cryptic colouring of the wings conceal hibernating adults amongst dead leaves, while the larvae, flecked with brown and white markings, bear close resemblance to bird droppings.

The species has a flexible life cycle, which allows it to capitalize on favourable weather conditions. However, the most remarkable feature of the Comma has been its severe decline in the twentieth century and subsequent comeback. It is now widespread in southern Britain and its range is expanding northwards.

St. Marys is a town in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is located at the junction of Thames River and Trout Creek, southwest of Stratford and surrounded by the Township of Perth South. It is in the Perth census division but is independent of Perth County. The town is also known by its nickname, "The Stone Town", due to the abundance of limestone in the surrounding area, giving rise to a large number of limestone buildings and homes throughout the town. St. Marys Cement, a large cement producer founded in the town, capitalized on this close feedstock, and grew to be a major producer of cement in the province of Ontario.

St. Marys is home to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. It is the burial place of Arthur Meighen, Canada's 9th Prime Minister. Timothy Eaton, who went on to become one of Canada's greatest retailers, opened his first businesses in Canada in St. Marys

The St. Cloud Hotel is an excellent example of the early hotels that capitalized on the growing number of Route 66 travelers and salesmen in the mid-twentieth century. The first floor lobby area is currently used to restore classic automobiles. Second floor which had the rooms is abandon. Ghost signs on the side have been restored.

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The picturesque Sea Cliff Bridge is my metaphorical homegrown roulette. It’s a location that has teased me with opportunity and tempted me to only ever visit when the conditions have been borderline incredible and woeful.

The temptation is driven from the promise of what could be if those volatile conditions flipped over the hair thin line and transcended from rainy and bleak to intense and alive.

This weekend gone and I was back to old ways. The forecast was for rain at sunrise with high cloud – what that could mean in this game was any old punters guess.

Ed and I had agreed to make a trip to visit a waterfall in the Royal National Park but a tiny break on the horizon was enough for me to buy in and put my chips on the table – I was ready for another gamble.

The clouds were thick, it was drizzling rain and was probably going to eventuate to nothing but in this game you need to be in it to win it and I was front and center with my camera and drone ready to capitalize if the dice rolled right.

This wasn’t an outright bank roll but when you go all in sometimes all you need is enough to cover your losses. Enough of which to keep this addict addicted and playing in the game of life.

View large and, as always, thanks for looking!

22:52. Try and apply a technique or style that is widely associated with a specific photographic genre and use it in an unconventional way.

Not very imaginative this week but I did try out my 50mm for landscape capitalizing on its sharpness vs DOF capability.

The return of the Agapanthus

N'ayant pas de muguet dans mon jardin, je vous offre tout de même cette belle Agapanthe ! très bon weekend du 1er mai !!

Et n'oubliez pas le 11 Mai, ce n'est pas la fin de notre calvaire ! c'est juste le début, d'une nouvelle vie !! alors prenez bien soin de vous tous !!

A nous d'apprendre et gérer la règle des 4 M

www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3H2VWzTR9I

MASQUE : Le port du masque demeure obligatoire si l'on est malade ou soignant toujours et encore.

MAINS : S'il est fondamental de respecter un lavage des mains scrupuleux à l'eau et au savon ou avec des solutions hydroalcooliques lorsque le lavage des mains n'est pas possible en déplacement, il est aussi nécessaire d'apprendre à limiter les contacts de ses mains et son corps avec le mobilier ou les objets. Rappelez-vous "on touche avec les yeux".

MÈTRE : La distanciation sociale doit être maintenue, même si elle va certainement s'assouplir dans le temps. En cas d'impératif de déplacement et de contact avec une autre personne, veillez à toujours maintenir une distance minimum d' 1 METRE entre vous.

MINUTE : Maintenir une distance minimum c'est important, mais gérer le temps de présence est tout aussi primordial. Limitons nos interactions au strict nécessaire, et cela, autant que possible, au travail comme lors des périodes de repos.

Grâce à cela, nous capitalisons sur les sacrifices remarquables consentis par tous durant ce premier mois.Alors, n'oubliez pas : #RestezChezVous et tous #Ambassadeur4M

la-regles-des-4m-ou-comment-se-proteger

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3H2VWzTR9I

Having no lily of the valley in my garden, I still offer you this beautiful Agapanthus! very good weekend of May 1st !!

And don't forget May 11, this is not the end of our ordeal! It's just the beginning a new life !! so take good care of all of you !!

It's up to us to learn and manage the 4M rule

MASK: Wearing a mask is compulsory if you are sick or caring for it over and over again.

HANDS: While it is essential to observe scrupulous hand washing with soap and water or with alcohol-based solutions when hand washing is not possible while traveling, it is also necessary to learn to limit contact of his hands and his body with furniture or objects. Remember "we touch with the eyes".

METER: Social distancing must be maintained, even if it will certainly soften over time. In the event of imperative of displacement and contact with another person, take care to always maintain a minimum distance of 1 METER between you.

MINUTE: Maintaining a minimum distance is important, but managing the presence time is just as essential. Limit our interactions to what is strictly necessary, and this, as much as possible, at work and during rest periods.

Thanks to this, we capitalize on the remarkable sacrifices made by all during this first month. So don't forget: #RestezChez Vous et tous c

the-rules-of-4m-or-how-to-protect

This building downtown has nine large figures inlaid with tile at the entrance. From this vantage point, I thought it looked as though this "woman" was watching the neighbourhood. It was tricky trying to find the exact spot to stand to get the right perspective, but I think I got what I envisioned.

Thanks to Ted McGrath, here is the info on the artwork:

Conceptualized by local artist Lyse Lemieux, the “Personnages” installation is comprised of 18-ft-tall figures adorned to the double-height columns outside the lobby of the 39-storey condominium tower.

Her inspiration for the installation’s early concept came from the columns that wrap around the ground level facade of the tower, which reminded her of Greek caryatids — sculpted human figures that provide architectural support instead of a conventional column or pillar.

She was also drawn to mosaics for their storytelling properties, capitalizing on the timeless appeal of this medium that is both rooted in the past while still feeling very contemporary.

The development site also includes the retained and restored heritage Leslie House, and a seven-storey community artist production hub building at 825 Pacific Street, funded and developed by Grosvenor Americas as a community amenity contribution. This artist hub building also recently reached completion.

If you zoom in, you can see the tiny inlaid tiles.

Happy weekend!

The Comma is a fascinating butterfly. The scalloped edges and cryptic colouring of the wings conceal hibernating adults amongst dead leaves, while the larvae, flecked with brown and white markings, bear close resemblance to bird droppings.

The species has a flexible life cycle, which allows it to capitalize on favourable weather conditions. However, the most remarkable feature of the Comma has been its severe decline in the twentieth century and subsequent comeback. It is now widespread in southern Britain and its range is expanding northwards.

Fall in Mt. Hood National Forest can be a real treat. I will be honest, the trip to Lost Lake did not make our head spin with fall color. It was actually a bit hard to find a tree that was turning. The Campground was closed, so the gate was locked which meant a bit of a hike to the Lake itself. We went for the snow, I was hoping to get the snow and the Fall colors. There was snow for sure, but very little. And there was Fall color, but only on minimal trees. So we sought the few trees we would and rather then go wide to capture tons of trees, we went in close to capitalize on the few we could. Fall comes and goes so fast here in Oregon, but I hope to get out more the capture the color.

Taken at Cosmeston Lakes near Cardiff South Wales

The Comma is a fascinating butterfly. The scalloped edges and cryptic colouring of the wings conceal hibernating adults amongst dead leaves, while the larvae, flecked with brown and white markings, bear close resemblance to bird droppings.

The species has a flexible life cycle, which allows it to capitalize on favourable weather conditions. However, the most remarkable feature of the Comma has been its severe decline in the twentieth century and subsequent comeback. It is now widespread in southern Britain and its range is expanding northwards.

Have a lovely weekend everyone

The Comma is a fascinating butterfly. The scalloped edges and cryptic colouring of the wings conceal hibernating adults amongst dead leaves, while the larvae, flecked with brown and white markings, bear close resemblance to bird droppings.

The species has a flexible life cycle, which allows it to capitalize on favourable weather conditions. However, the most remarkable feature of the Comma has been its severe decline in the twentieth century and subsequent comeback. It is now widespread in southern Britain and its range is expanding northwards.

Thank you all for taking the time to view, like and comment on our photography, we appreciate the support very much!

Nathaniel Bentley (c. 1735-1809), commonly known as Dirty Dick, was an 18th and 19th-century merchant who owned a hardware shop and warehouse in London. He was possibly an inspiration for Miss Havisham in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, after he refused to wash following the death of his fiancée on their wedding day. His house and warehouse shop became so filthy that he became a celebrity of dirt. Any letter addressed to "The dirty Warehouse, London" was delivered to him.

A pub on the east side of the road Bishopsgate, in the Bishopsgate Without area, which Bentley had once owned, changed its name from The Old Jerusalem to Dirty Dick's, and recreated the look of Bentley's warehouse shop. The contents, including cobwebs and dead cats from the original warehouse, were originally a part of the cellar bar, but have now been tidied to a glass display case. Successive owners of the Bishopsgate distillery and its tap capitalized on the legend. By the end of the nineteenth century, its owner, a public house company called William Barker's (D.D.) Ltd., was producing commemorative booklets and promotional material to advertise the pub. The pub had to undergo a degree of deep cleansing in the 1980s in order to comply with health and safety legislation.

The pub is now owned by Young's.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_Dick

www.dirtydicks.co.uk

For a brief period of time, Autumn denuded trees along the Bow river shimmer like silver bells on a Christmas tree. Like the Horse Tail in Yosemite or the red Maple leaves of Northern Ontario's Autumn, this moment takes shape and lasts for a few brief days. If the day is overcast as many are during this period, the chance encounter waits another year. However, like most who have lived in their location for a while, one gets to know the terrain and can capitalize on the moment.

The afternoon low level sun rays penetrate the riverbed trees, while a background hill throws the forest into shade. Gnarled tree trunks are blackened and the thin branches catch the afternoon sunlight for just a brief time. The ground grasses appear to be on fire as they turn brown preparing for their winter respite. And, for just a brief time, a unique opportunity presents itself.

The Comma is a fascinating butterfly. The scalloped edges and cryptic colouring of the wings conceal hibernating adults amongst dead leaves, while the larvae, flecked with brown and white markings, bear close resemblance to bird droppings.

The species has a flexible life cycle, which allows it to capitalize on favourable weather conditions. However, the most remarkable feature of the Comma has been its severe decline in the twentieth century and subsequent comeback. It is now widespread in southern Britain and its range is expanding northwards (Courtesy Butterfly Conservation)

Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated.

The historic Lionvale in St. Mary's Ontario Canada is for sale.

St. Marys is a town in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is located at the junction of Thames River and Trout Creek, southwest of Stratford and surrounded by the Township of Perth South. It is in the Perth census division but is independent of Perth County. The town is also known by its nickname, "The Stone Town", due to the abundance of limestone in the surrounding area, giving rise to a large number of limestone buildings and homes throughout the town. St. Marys Cement, a large cement producer founded in the town, capitalized on this close feedstock, and grew to be a major producer of cement in the province of Ontario.

St. Marys is home to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

It's dropping snow here just north of Atlanta right now!

I'm pretty sure I have one of the best spots that exists for photograping this beautiful warbler species. I look forward to going there each Spring. I have a few composition goals for this species for 2018, capitalizing on the great numbers of this species, and the available trees where they breed. Snowdrop is also called Halesia.

A few words about my Spring warbler photography. First it is immensely different in many aspects than how I approach warblers during fall migration. When I set out to do Spring warbler photography I think the two most important things are to have a location where the target species is numerous, and to go early upon species arrival to breeding grounds. After that knowledge, and experience are keys to photographic success.

North Georgia Mountains. 4/14/2017.

Muir Beach is a census designated place (CDP), unincorporated community, and beach that is located 16.5 miles (26.6 km) northwest of San Francisco in western Marin County, California, United States. Unlike many other entities in the area, it is not named in honor of conservationist John Muir; instead it was named after Muir Woods National Monument to capitalize on the latter's popularity. The population was 310 at the 2010 census. The community itself flanks the northwest side of the beach.

Located about 2 miles (3 km) from the entrance to Muir Woods, the beach is about 1000 feet (305 m) long and 200 feet (61 m) wide, with coarse sand and several large boulders. Redwood Creek empties into the beach. There is a parking lot at the beach, which is accessible via a footbridge.

The Comma is a fascinating butterfly. The scalloped edges and cryptic colouring of the wings conceal hibernating adults amongst dead leaves, while the larvae, flecked with brown and white markings, bear close resemblance to bird droppings.

The species has a flexible life cycle, which allows it to capitalize on favourable weather conditions. However, the most remarkable feature of the Comma has been its severe decline in the twentieth century and subsequent comeback. It is now widespread in southern Britain and its range is expanding northwards.

KCS Local Freighter LNO335 is seen from above walking slowly across the Bonnet Carre Spillway bridge west of New Orleans, Louisiana, yesterday afternoon. Early week storms have the midday train leaving mid afternoon, and we were able to capitalize on it. The trains pedantic 10mph speed across the spillway meant that even with only one of us (not me) having a drone I could still borrow an angle after my friend shot all of his. Probably my one and only drone shot of 2023, and with the demise of KCS drawing near it's the one I'd want. Special thanks to David Perkins for allowing me to get a shot of my own from the spillway... This one will always be a favorite.

Thanks for looking and enjoy!

There were no leftovers after Coyote finished its meal. Every bit of the prairie dog went down, albeit with some gagging toward the end, transferred from one life form to another in the inevitable chain. It happens every day. Coyote has no choice.

When I have an extended session with an individual animal, I like to capitalize; it's like giving him a name, without being too cutesy about it. So, this is Coyote, rather than "a coyote"... and I am grateful for the glimpse into its life. Seeing behaviours and events like this makes my countless encounters with the prairie's wildlife somehow more real. I have lots of "pretty as a post card" images of the various species, but behavioural sequences like this constitute a deeper dive.

This ends the current image set; tomorrow, on to something different.

Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2023 James R. Page - all rights reserved.

Architectural Work of Art "Lionvale" 236 Jones St E in perfectly preserved Victorian Heritage town of St Marys (pop 6,600) . Circa 1880. Second Empire Italianate style, 5 bdrms )

Sold for approx &700. 000

The historic Lionvale in St. Mary's Ontario Canada is for sale.

St. Marys is a town in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is located at the junction of Thames River and Trout Creek, southwest of Stratford and surrounded by the Township of Perth South. It is in the Perth census division but is independent of Perth County. The town is also known by its nickname, "The Stone Town", due to the abundance of limestone in the surrounding area, giving rise to a large number of limestone buildings and homes throughout the town. St. Marys Cement, a large cement producer founded in the town, capitalized on this close feedstock, and grew to be a major producer of cement in the province of Ontario.

St. Marys is home to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

Zombie Fall 2018 - Things That make No Sense. A composite of "The Eyes of Earth Time" and a shot of graffiti from the Berlin Wall. The original art work (i.e., the zombie) was provided by a piece of the Berlin Wall with graffiti as seen on my travels in NYC. Located at 53rd Street between Fifth and Madison Avenue.

Clearly this is an attempt to capitalize on the popularity of my previous Berlin Wall/Zombie combinations but I liked the look of the blend and decided to go with it. The original idea was to see what the Tag "Zombie" would do for views and it clearly accounts for a couple of views over time but other tags can be equally effective to establish links to "outside" viewing sources.

BTW: If you have forgotten or this is your first time viewing my photostream: Things That Make No Sense are just that, assorted bits of amusement for nothing more than visual curiosity and my idea of what I call art or abstract art. Now a series of sorts, the series is interrupted with photographs that do make sense, or at least make sense to me. You can like them or not but they make me smile.

Hope everyone is well and always all the best!

Happy Slider Sunday - HSS

The Comma is a fascinating butterfly. The scalloped edges and cryptic colouring of the wings conceal hibernating adults amongst dead leaves, while the larvae, flecked with brown and white markings, bear close resemblance to bird droppings.

The species has a flexible life cycle, which allows it to capitalize on favourable weather conditions. However, the most remarkable feature of the Comma has been its severe decline in the twentieth century and subsequent comeback. It has spread northwards through England and is now widespread in south-east and central Scotland and its range is expanding.

Size and Family

Family: Nymphalids

Size: Medium

Wing Span Range (male to female): 55-60mm

Caterpillar Foodplants

The most widely used foodplant is Common Nettle (Urtica dioica). Other species used include Hop (Humulus lupulus), elms (Ulmus spp.), currants (Ribes spp.), and Willows (Salix spp).

Ok, yes, I spent some time there this year, guilty. You have to go a bunch of times in order to get the light you want. I have gone several times this year and only really had one day of good light, and that was only for about 10 minutes.

This image is from one of those bad light days. When you have bad light, you get close. I don't do a lot of macro or close up work, but my wife loves it when I do. It had been raining this early morning and I wanted to capitalize on that.

Let me know what you think.

The Fabled "Mud Cracks" of Death Valley during an early spring sunrise.

After getting a couple good shots on the card, here in Death Valley, I started to move around and explore the area a little more. The best spots were already covered by other photographers. I found this spot with a nice crack and quickly pulled up the center column and set up my tripod to shoot horizontally so that I could spread out the legs and shot as low as the tripod could go as to capitalize on the crack. One good thing about having all those photogs there is you always have a subject to use for scale, that is if if you don't mind using photoshop to clone them out, i just shoot all the other guys in there and remove them later in post. That's what I did, I removed 3 other guys from the shot but left this one in for scale. Don't let the crowd keep you from getting a shot.

Thanks for taking the time to take a look at my photos, and as always, your views, comments, faves, and support are greatly appreciated!! Have a great weekend my friends!! :)

Please do me a favor and follow me on my other social sites found below:

500px | Facebook | Flickr | Google+ | Instagram | Youtube

Architectural Work of Art "Lionvale" 236 Jones St E in perfectly preserved Victorian Heritage town of St Marys (pop 6,600) . Circa 1880. Second Empire Italianate style, 5 bdrms )

Sold for approx &700. 000

The historic Lionvale in St. Mary's Ontario Canada is for sale.

St. Marys is a town in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is located at the junction of Thames River and Trout Creek, southwest of Stratford and surrounded by the Township of Perth South. It is in the Perth census division but is independent of Perth County. The town is also known by its nickname, "The Stone Town", due to the abundance of limestone in the surrounding area, giving rise to a large number of limestone buildings and homes throughout the town. St. Marys Cement, a large cement producer founded in the town, capitalized on this close feedstock, and grew to be a major producer of cement in the province of Ontario.

St. Marys is home to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

Dad and the King take RISI north out of Johnsonburg with a leader that pissed off basically everyone other than those out shooting. I checked to see what was lining up for the train out of Riker in the morning, and saw this exact set, in order. We all figured it had to be flipped. Zach came through the door later that morning with news that the train was working the Sewer Plant with the prescribed set, so of course we had to capitalize!

Comma Butterfly:-

The Comma is a fascinating butterfly. The scalloped edges and cryptic colouring of the wings conceal hibernating adults amongst dead leaves, while the larvae, flecked with brown and white markings, bear close resemblance to bird droppings.

The species has a flexible life cycle, which allows it to capitalize on favourable weather conditions. However, the most remarkable feature of the Comma has been its severe decline in the twentieth century and subsequent comeback. It is now widespread in southern Britain and its range is expanding northwards.

Courtesy of UK Butterflies website

Harry Hays Lattimore House on Washington Avenue.

Ardsley Park was the first of two planned subdivisions as exclusive communities south of the city line in 1909. They were gated communities with no gates, as the city maintained the roads. It followed a strict grid pattern with small parks placed at regular intervals following the Oglethorpe plan for downtown Savannah and was the smaller of the two planned parcels. The other is of course was Chatham Crescent. Ardsley Park was one of the first automobile suburbs in which the car plays an important role as the primary source of personal transportation in and around town. Making it possible to build yet further away from the city center.

Ardsley Park was developed about five years too late to capitalize on the Revival/Late Victorian period, which petered out around 1915. It would take the market another fifteen years to rediscover larger homes again, beginning in the 1930s & 40s.

Houses represented in Ardsley Park were all manner of revival in style which were popular in the early part of the new decade before the bungalow style exploded onto the scene in 1915..

Today it is part of the Ardsley Park/Chatham Crescent historic district in Savannah and recognized as a very important contribution to the architectural history of Savannah.

The Comma is a fascinating butterfly. The scalloped edges and cryptic colouring of the wings conceal hibernating adults amongst dead leaves, while the larvae, flecked with brown and white markings, bear close resemblance to bird droppings.

The species has a flexible life cycle, which allows it to capitalize on favourable weather conditions. However, the most remarkable feature of the Comma has been its severe decline in the twentieth century and subsequent comeback. It is now widespread in southern Britain and its range is expanding northwards.

Thank you all for taking the time to view, like and comment on our work, we appreciate the support very much.

Once night shifts to day, and the fishermen arrive on the scene, the gulls start their day as well, in hopes of being able to capitalize on the fisherman's catch.

As light begins to filter through the clouds, colors emerge, revealing the lichens, moss, and marine detritus on the rocks around the base of the lighthouse.

Comma Butterfly:-

The Comma is a fascinating butterfly. The scalloped edges and cryptic colouring of the wings conceal hibernating adults amongst dead leaves, while the larvae, flecked with brown and white markings, bear close resemblance to bird droppings.

The species has a flexible life cycle, which allows it to capitalize on favourable weather conditions. However, the most remarkable feature of the Comma has been its severe decline in the twentieth century and subsequent comeback. It is now widespread in southern Britain and its range is expanding northwards.

Courtesy of UK Butterflies website

Romania

ON A TINY ISLAND IN a lake just outside of Bucharest stands Snagov Monastery which local tradition states is the burial place of Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Originally founded in the 14th century and later excavated in 1933, the monastery is a seemingly simple place of worship taking advantage of the calm its water-locked isolation brings. However, the story goes that after his notoriously cruel lifetime, Vlad Tepes III was buried in the church as per his request prior to his death. A number of archeologists and historians have worked to verify whether this tale is fact or simple apocrypha and none have been able to prove that the dictator was ever laid to rest on the island. After having dug up some of the site’s burial stones all that was found were a mix of horse and human bones, but nothing that confirms the possible Dracula’s interment.

Most historians now believe that the Prince of Wallachia was buried in a monastery in the Comana area, but this has not stopped the locals from spreading the spurious myth. A footbridge has been built to the island and visitors are encouraged to stop by the Snagov Monastery and view the supposed grave. However, the caretakers now charge anyone who wants to take pictures. The Romanian government even began plans to capitalize on the church’s unverifiable history by building an amusement park in Snagov called “Dracula Park” although development was mercifully canceled in 2006.

"Now, there was two butterflies castin' their eyes,

Both in the same direction,

You'd never guess that one little Yes

Could start a butterfly collection...."

THE COMA is a fascinating butterfly...The scalloped edges and cryptic colouring of the wings conceal hibernating adults amongst dead leaves, while the larvae, flecked with brown and white markings, bear close resemblance to bird droppings...

The species has a flexible life cycle, which allows it to capitalize on favourable weather conditions...However, the most remarkable feature of the Comma has been its severe decline in the twentieth century and subsequent comeback...It is now widespread in southern Britain and its range is expanding northwards...."

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Copyright ©

All Of My Photographic Images Are Subject To Copyright ! Each Of My Photographs Remain My Intellectual Property ! All Rights Are Reserved And As Such, Do Not Use, Modify, Copy, Edit, Distribute Or Publish Any Of My Photographs ! If You Wish To Use Any Of My Photographs For Any Reproductive Purposes, Or Other Uses, My Written Permission Is Specifically Required, Contact Me Via Flickr Mail !

For this image I was trying to capitalize the vegetation basking in the evening light. I thought the hairy nature of it would heighten the sense of details for the image. Yeah, think so!

HBW!

This species has a flexible life cycle, which allows it to capitalize on favourable weather conditions. However, the most remarkable feature of the Comma has been its severe decline in the twentieth century and subsequent comeback. It is now widespread in southern Britain and its range is expanding northwards.

Romania

ON A TINY ISLAND IN a lake just outside of Bucharest stands Snagov Monastery which local tradition states is the burial place of Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Originally founded in the 14th century and later excavated in 1933, the monastery is a seemingly simple place of worship taking advantage of the calm its water-locked isolation brings. However, the story goes that after his notoriously cruel lifetime, Vlad Tepes III was buried in the church as per his request prior to his death. A number of archeologists and historians have worked to verify whether this tale is fact or simple apocrypha and none have been able to prove that the dictator was ever laid to rest on the island. After having dug up some of the site’s burial stones all that was found were a mix of horse and human bones, but nothing that confirms the possible Dracula’s interment.

Most historians now believe that the Prince of Wallachia was buried in a monastery in the Comana area, but this has not stopped the locals from spreading the spurious myth. A footbridge has been built to the island and visitors are encouraged to stop by the Snagov Monastery and view the supposed grave. However, the caretakers now charge anyone who wants to take pictures. The Romanian government even began plans to capitalize on the church’s unverifiable history by building an amusement park in Snagov called “Dracula Park” although development was mercifully canceled in 2006.

Just a few moments before midnight, a northbound headed for Zeeland Farms in Ithaca just a few miles north passes a train tied down in the siding in Ashley that was left there by the day job. Train meets outside of Owosso and Clare are extremely unusual and hard to capture, and even though it was tied down with no crew, finding two trains outside of the previously mentioned locations is always something you have to capitalize on. It was also enough motivation for me to wait out the return from Zeeland, that photo will come in time.

The Comma is a fascinating butterfly. The scalloped edges and cryptic colouring of the wings conceal hibernating adults amongst dead leaves, while the larvae, flecked with brown and white markings, bear close resemblance to bird droppings.

The species has a flexible life cycle, which allows it to capitalize on favourable weather conditions. However, the most remarkable feature of the Comma has been its severe decline in the twentieth century and subsequent comeback. It is now widespread in southern Britain and its range is expanding northwards.

The Comma (Polygonia c-album) is a fascinating butterfly. The scalloped edges and cryptic colouring of the wings conceal hibernating adults amongst dead leaves, while the larvae, flecked with brown and white markings, bear close resemblance to bird droppings.

The species has a flexible life cycle, which allows it to capitalize on favourable weather conditions. However, the most remarkable feature of the Comma has been its severe decline in the twentieth century and subsequent comeback. It is now widespread in southern Britain and its range is expanding northwards.

Think the S would be capitalized in Shoes

Spent a rainy night at Sensō-ji in Tokyo Japan the other night. We got a small break in the rain that allowed me capitalize on the puddle here. Have to be honest, I was looking everywhere for a good puddle, I had an image in like this in mind the whole time. Had to play the waiting game a little to get everyone out of my frame. And naturally, when a few people saw what I was doing, I instantly had a crowd around me trying to get the same image on their phones. Comp-stompers. Can't avoid it.

Let me know what you think.

The Jeepster was Willys-Overland Motors’ answer to the pent-up demand for new cars following the end of World War II. The company was trying to capitalize on the popularity of its iconic World War II Jeep, which served U.S. soldiers so well and in so many ways during the war years. The highly functional Jeep remained popular with outdoors men and farmers in the years immediately following the war, but Willys-Overland Motors knew its long-term profitability depended on developing a vehicle that appealed more to the general public, thus the idea of the sportier Jeepster was hatched.

Around 19,000 Jeepsters were made in the three years Willys-Overland Motors produced the vehicle.

Willys-Overland Motors ended up being purchased by Kaiser Manufacturing Co. in 1953. In 1963, the company dropped the Willys name to the chagrin of many, and became Kaiser-Jeep Corp. Six years later, in 1969, the company was acquired by American Motors. It later became part of Fiat Chrysler, which is now under the ownership of Stellantis.

One would argue that this was the great great-grandfather of all today's sport utility vehicles. It began here!

Quelle: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul

Istanbul (türkisch İstanbul), bis 1930 Konstantinopel, ist die bevölkerungsreichste Stadt der Türkei und deren Zentrum für Kultur, Handel, Finanzen und Medien. Mit rund 14,37 Millionen Einwohnern nahm sie 2014 den 23. Platz unter den größten Metropolregionen der Welt ein.

Die Stadt liegt am Nordufer des Marmarameeres auf beiden Seiten des Bosporus, also sowohl im europäischen Thrakien als auch im asiatischen Anatolien. Aufgrund ihrer weltweit einzigartigen Transitlage zwischen zwei Kontinenten und zwei Meeresgebieten, dem Schwarzen und dem Mittelmeer, verzeichnet sie einen bedeutenden Schiffsverkehr und verfügt über zwei große Flughäfen sowie zwei zentrale Kopf- und zahlreichen Fernbusbahnhöfe. Istanbul ist daher einer der wichtigsten Knotenpunkte für Verkehr und Logistik auf internationaler wie nationaler Ebene.

Im Jahr 660 v. Chr. unter dem Namen Byzantion gegründet, kann die Stadt auf eine 2600-jährige Geschichte zurückblicken. Fast 1600 Jahre lang diente sie nacheinander dem Römischen, dem Byzantinischen und dem Osmanischen Reich als Hauptstadt. Als Sitz des ökumenischen Patriarchen und - bis 1924 - des osmanischen Kalifats war Istanbul zudem jahrhundertelang ein bedeutendes Zentrum des orthodoxen Christentums und des sunnitischen Islams.

Das Stadtbild ist von Bauten der griechisch-römischen Antike, des mittelalterlichen Byzanz sowie der neuzeitlichen und modernen Türkei geprägt. Paläste gehören ebenso dazu wie zahlreiche Moscheen, Cemevleri, Kirchen und Synagogen. Aufgrund ihrer Einzigartigkeit wurde die historische Altstadt von der UNESCO zum Weltkulturerbe erklärt. 2010 war Istanbul Kulturhauptstadt Europas.

Istanbul (/ˌɪstænˈbʊl/;‪Turkish: İstanbul [isˈtambuɫ] is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. Istanbul is a transcontinental city in Eurasia, straddling the Bosphorus strait between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Its commercial and historical centre lies on the European side and about a third of its population lives on the Asian side of Eurasia.‪ With a population of 14.4 million, the city forms the largest European urban agglomeration‪[c]‬ as well as the largest in the Middle East, and the fifth-largest city proper in the world.‪ Istanbul's area of 5,343 square kilometers (2,063 sq mi) is coterminous with Istanbul Province.‪

The area had been settled by Thracians in the late 6th millennium BC,‪ to establish the city now known as Istanbul under the name Ligos around 3 millennia ago, which developed to become one of the most significant cities in history. The town saw the presence of Phoenicia, Ancient Greece, Ancient Persia and Ancient Rome, the city was renamed and called Byzantium (Βυζάντιον Byzántion) for nearly a millennium. Following its renaming to Constantinople (Greek: Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis; Latin: Constantinopolis, Ottoman Turkish: قسطنطینية, Kostantiniyye) in 330 AD, the city served as an imperial capital for the Roman (476–1204 and 1261–1453), the Latin (1204–1261), and the Ottoman (1453–1922) empires,‪ when it became the largest city in the world. It was instrumental in the advancement of Christianity during Roman and Byzantine times, before the Ottomans conquered the city in 1453 and transformed it into an Islamic stronghold and the seat of the Ottoman Caliphate.‪

Istanbul's strategic position along the historic Silk Road,‪ rail networks to Europe and the Middle East, and the only sea route between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean have helped foster an eclectic populace, although less so since the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923. Overlooked for the new capital during the interwar period, the city has since regained much of its prominence. The population of the city has increased tenfold since the 1950s, as migrants from across Anatolia have flocked to the metropolis and city limits have expanded to accommodate them.‪ Arts festivals were established at the end of the 20th century, while infrastructure improvements have produced a complex transportation network.

Approximately 11.6 million foreign visitors arrived in Istanbul in 2012, two years after it was named a European Capital of Culture, making the city the world's fifth-most-popular tourist destination.‪ The city's biggest draw remains its historic center, partially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its cultural and entertainment hub can be found across the city's natural harbor, the Golden Horn, in the Beyoğlu district. Considered a global city,‪ Istanbul is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan economies in the world.‪ It hosts the headquarters of many Turkish companies and media outlets and accounts for more than a quarter of the country's gross domestic product.‪[20]‬ Hoping to capitalize on its revitalization and rapid expansion, Istanbul bid for the Summer Olympics five times in twenty years

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

To follow: an attempt to prompt a civil (hopefully productive) dialogue about a subject central to photography, most especially, street photography.

I took this photo from a vantage point on the cliff high above the beach. I like a number of things about the photo, the geometry formed by the rocks and their shadows, the pattern formed by the footprints in the sand, the pseudo drone-like aerial perspective, the edge to edge warm monochrome brown colour and most of all the juxtaposition of the dog and the suntanning woman. For me there is a subtle humour to the photo and I chose the title specifically to capitalize on that. However, I knew when I made the photo that there would be some who adamantly believe the photo is an invasion of another person's privacy and that I should not have taken it much less post it in a public forum.

I believe I could make cogent arguments both pro and con regarding this matter (I have thought it through many times and I revisit my thinking any time I photograph people on the street and in public places). I have drawn a personal 'line in the sand' on when and under what circumstances I can photograph people in public (and more importantly when I can't) but I am hard pressed to put into words exactly how I make that decision that will help inform others. I would never knowingly take or subsequently post a photo that I think could embarass/demean/ridicule or hurt in any way the person/people in the photo. I also, in my 'about' section on Flickr, have made a promise to anyone who recognizes themself, family members or friends in my photos to take down any picture they are in immediately on request - no explanation required. Please comment below (in a civil and thoughtful manner) what your thoughts are on the issue. I am very interested in deepening my understanding and improving my approach to photographing people on the street and in public places generally.

A second photo of the same scene is in the first comment box below.

Cheers, Michael

- Praia Pequena, Portugal -

Northtown-Minot heads west into Becker on a near-perfect summer afternoon.

It was about 9 months ago I had a couple opportunities to shoot the 9749 leading Becker coal trains, and with some luck I capitalized.

Now, the 9749, a MAC rebuilt into a MACe, is in mixed freight service with another AC EMD.

Of course, no train photography outing with Todd would be complete without some cloud drama! As you can see, it worked out wonderfully!

H-NTWMIN1-20A

BNSF 9749 - SD70MACe

BNSF 9123 - SD70ACe

After a good friend uploaded video of this train today, it reminded me of my less-than-valiant effort to capitalize on it myself.

SOO 6061 and five other EMD's have a combined trap rock monster on their hands as they head West on the old SOO. A fall Westbound of this caliber was worth the chase, although I ended up calling this "good enough" due to the cloud situation.

See how my pessimism was proven incorrect below.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCnU2ZaqYv8

Summer on “The Light Side.” Here it is light and airy for sure. This beautiful yellow Rose is soft and it could brighten up any room. When it opened up for the first time, I was ready. I think shooting flowers can be about your timing. Sunny or shady or after a light shower or heavy rain shooting the same subject your work can appear stunningly different. Depending on your timing and how you capitalize on the flower’s environment at any given moment can make all the difference. Gratitude and Kindness can show up in your work. Let it….

The IJ (pronounced [ɛi̯]; sometimes shown on old maps as Y or Ye) is a body of water, formerly a bay, in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is known for being Amsterdam's waterfront. Its name is an obsolete Dutch word meaning "water", derived from the West Frisian word ie "stream, small river" (from Germanic *ahwō, "water") and is cognate with Dutch Aa/Ee names for bodies of water. The name consists of the digraph ij, which behaves like a single letter. Therefore, both letters are capitalized; cf. IJmuiden.