View allAll Photos Tagged December2017
Questa la dedico a un mio caro amico, a tutte le volte che ci siamo aiutati, a tutte le volte che anche nei periodi peggiori non si è mai arreso e ha dato forza ad altre persone, alle nostre avventure, alle nostre ansie e risate. Grazie di tutto.
30th December 2017:
This was my main present from Graham along with a woolly bonnet. The necklace is gorgeous, but the hat reminds me of a tea cosy and has since been nicknamed that.
Both this and the tea cosy (bonnet) were made by the residence of the private; (buy one, not for rental), old people's apartments in town. Everyone lives independently in their own apartment, but they have someone on call 24/7 and have an activity room if they want to use it.
Those who do; make things to sell and all the proceeds go to the Nursery Schools within the area. The older generation giving to the new generation.
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
This looks like a very angry owl, however, this snowy was simply yawning. The photo, from a shoot a couple of seasons ago, took place on a remote portion of the NJ shore. The day was quite cold an windy. No one else seemed ready to spend the day outside, so the bird and I had the better part of the day alone. I laid on the beach for hours. If the bird slept, so did I. It only moved 2 or 3 times over about an 8 hour period and my Arctic gear came in handy.
A brief drive to the tip of Holgate hoping for a sunset through the clouds. Instead we got a little show from a snowy who seemed to be stalking a great blue heron! All the ducks were a bit further north and far from sight. It flew to within about 80 feet of the heron, perched, and waited. But when the light really got low, the heron took a bow and left the show. The heron would seem a rather mighty opponent but there's definitely an advantage when you can see in the dark.
Torii gate of Goza no Ishi Shrine at Lake Tazawa, Semboku, Japan. According to legend when Lord of Satake came to Lake Tazawa in 1650, he sat and rested on the bedrock in front of the temple, hence the name Goza No Ishi, “The rock where the great sat”.
A little sparrow watching from the guttering.
Probably a bit too far off even for the Panasonic, but I still like the photo.
I am replying the best way that Flickr is allowing me too at the moment.
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
Taken in November when the sky was *really* blue.
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
Naustavika is a very charming and beautiful place on Vigra. Great for walking and even bathing in summer. Impressive views to the island of Løvsøya and to the beach of Blimsanden.
Hasselblad 500C, Planar 80mm f1:2.8
Kodak Portra 160, C41
Location: Fyr at Naustavika / Vigra / Norway
Please view on flickriver and choose a white background:
www.flickriver.com/photos/105795038@N03/
It looks better :-)
I hadn't got an idea of what to used for this week until I noticed a used matchstick by one of our Advent candles, so used that.
The Panasonic decided it didn't like the light again, though had been fine yesterday and for the photo I took of our Christmas goddies. I however couldn't be bothered to try again with the Fuji.
Maybe better viewed large, but thank you for your favourites. :O)
I have wanted to photograph a snowy owl in the snow for some time. The opportunity arose when the nor’easter began to form last weekend. The tides were exceptionally high earlier in the day, meaning access might be difficult, but low tide was anticipated at about 3 pm with the snow predicted to start at a similar hour. At the last minute, I decided to attempt the trek. As the wind driven flakes began to fall, I found the owl perched atop a dune behind a tuft of dune grass. It looked vaguely uncomfortable, swinging its head from side to side as usual, but then intermittently staring wild-eyed up into the sky then down at the ground, as if it had no concept of frozen precipitation. I had never seen a snowy so disturbed by the weather. I sat watching the owl for a few moments, taking selected photos. Then, in an effort to blur the snow, I slowed my shutter to 1/160 of a second, never anticipating that the bird might actually fly. Suddenly, after shaking the snow from its face, it burst into the air. There was no time to change shutter speeds. So, while mumbling some obscenity I shot a burst of photos, anticipating a lost opportunity. Sometimes luck is in your favor and unexpected opportunity can be more beautiful than one that is planned.
Taken at two trips in December and January in Norway. Now scanned in April. Little bit late because of my break on flickr.
Hasselblad 500C, Planar 80mm f1:2.8
Kodak Portra 160, C41
Location: Blimsanden / Vigra / Norway
Please view on flickriver and choose a white background:
www.flickriver.com/photos/105795038@N03/
It looks better :-)
I've taken this window before, but not for ages and hadn't tried it out with the Panasonic.
Far better.
The building is Secours Catholique, here's a link about them:
www.caritas.org/where-caritas-work/europe/france/
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
. . . The heart of the Traverse City downtown area on a snowy almost Christmas night! The community Christmas tree is just to the left in the middle of Cass Street, Expresso Bay is just to the right, and of course the famous State Theater sign lights the entire block.
Have a great week Facebook and Flickr friends!
The littlest falcon doesn’t lack for bravery, for it either doesn’t realize that it is small or, quite frankly, it doesn’t care. I shared a few encounters with this beautiful male while visiting Flamingo in Everglades National Park. My efforts to capture it in flight were met with mixed success. And even though he didn’t seem terribly distressed about my presence, he was more than upset when a red-shouldered hawk flew into his territory. North America’s smallest falcon set out in pursuit, chasing the hawk across several acres of ground and up into a distant tree. The hawk remained for the next hour. It’s not unusual to see smaller, less fearsome birds chase larger, predatory birds. In fact, it’s fairly common. Have you ever seen it happen? #AmericanKestrel
Yesterday, I was able to spend a little time with this handsome gentleman and his squishy, delicious meal. He’s an American Kestrel, North America’s smallest falcon. Despite his small size he chased red shouldered hawks almost 3 times his size out of his territory.
His meal reminds me of a conversation my wife, son, our server and I had over dinner last night about food aversions based not on taste but on texture. My son has an aversion to the chewy textures of some foods like calamari. The server said she could never tolerate fruits with fuzzy skins. Do you have food texture aversions? What are they? #AmericanKestrel
Commuter train beside the Royal Canal at Broombridge, Dublin, Ireland
Passenger services commenced on 9 December 2017 on the new Luas Cross City Tram route from St. Stephen's Green to Broombridge, Dublin, Ireland. The route links up the existing Green and Red lines.
I was fortunate to make the journey on the very first Tram from St. Stephens Green to Broombridge. I then got off and we went for a stroll. I took a later Luas Tram back.
Still got the plasterers in and still a bit miserable outside so it's back to my "outage" of 2017-18 and this one of "The Crooked Spire" in Chesterfield. Taken in December 2017, after a good afternoon session in Wetherspoon's, just across the road!
Every particular in nature, a leaf, a drop, a crystal, a moment of time is related to the whole, and partakes of the perfection of the whole. Ralph Waldo Emerson
Gorgeous green Agapanthus leaves and a raindrop.
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
I do so hope I've got this right. It's taken me most of the morning to get one decent photo of what I know is being asked for.
I can produce bokeh when I'm not asked to, but trying to take a shot where it's the main theme, is a photo from hell!!
I used both cameras, the Fuji and the Panasonic and on various settings, in the end the Panasonic won, or I hope it did.
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
The journey is sometimes, and not infrequently, more important than the destination, for the destination can change a thousand times along the way. Don’t be afraid to take flight just because you’re not sure exactly where you are headed. If you don’t try, you will never get anywhere! #Lessonsfromasnowyowl #Nooneisperfect #snowyowls
During my family's last five weeks initial self isolation and more recently 'Lockdown', I've very much enjoyed and learned much from seeing images posted after experiments with monochrome and framing etc - so I thought I'd try too.
Much of today it was dull and wet - so instead of another planned walk - I decided to further experiment with processing by trying out previously untried techniques.
Although I took this as a coloured landscape image, Mid Afternoon on 10.12.2017, of a nearby lane to my home in Betws yn Rhos N.Wales - apart from the diffused blue sky it came out as predominantly black and white. I thought, therefore, I would fully convert it to monochrome and add a complementary coloured border that would blend in too. This was the result.
I'd very much welcome your views and feedback please. Thanks.
Taken on one of the few days of good weather we had last month.
I do hope we get a bit of sun soon.
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
Traffic Light trails on M11 at Kilmacanogue, Co Wicklow just after sunset. Sunset now takes place at peak evening traffic. The white trails is heavy traffic heading out of Dublin. The red trails is lighter traffic heading into Dublin.
Hasselblad 500 C/M, Carl Zeiss Planar 1:2.8
Kodak Portra, C41
Location: Vigra / Alesund / Norway
Please view on flickriver and choose a white background:
www.flickriver.com/photos/105795038@N03/
It looks better :-)
When I have no time and want to eat fish, I go there. You can catch here everything, even salmon. It is a narrow sea-street between the islands of Vigra and Giske.
Taken at two trips in December and January in Norway. Now scanned in April. Little bit late because of my break on flickr.
Hasselblad 500C, Distagon 40mm
Kodak Portra 160, C41
Location: Bridge from Vigra to Giske / Norway
Please view on flickriver and choose a white background:
www.flickriver.com/photos/105795038@N03/
It looks better :-)
. . . Where did you get those Peepers?" This Snowy Owl was quite wide awake after being scared off a spot by an oblivious couple walking down the gravel road at the Muskegon Wastewater Plant. They never saw the owl and walked right towards it! Several other photographers and I were trying to wave them off, but the couple must have thought we were just being friendly!
What I like best about this pose is not only the eyes, but take a look at those talons and fresh blood stains all down it's right chest feathers!
Have a great week Facebook, Flickr, and 500px friends!
I spent part of the afternoon enjoying the sun and birds along Barnegat Inlet. A moderate off shore breeze kept the birds moving out to sea. In return, the birds would eventually take to the air and fly back into the safety of the inlet. Only the harlequins seemed to avoid flying, staking their claim to some low-lying rocks. Long-tailed ducks floated in small rafts, intermittently diving together, and popping up nearby. These ducks (like the male in this photo) are capable of diving upwards of 200 feet, making them the deepest diving ducks in the world. They will soon return the Arctic to breed. #LongTailedDucks
The Great Blue Heron may seem to move slowly as is saunters across she shallow waters, stopping sometimes for minutes on end while stalking prey. But when it comes to the moment of the hunt, they strike with lightning speed, due in part to specialized neck vertebrae. At that moment, it’s not a good time to be a fish! The process is fascinating, even though it can be a bit disturbing. In the end, this is how life survives in the wild. #GreatBlueHeron