…you will find beauty everywhere

(Van Gogh)

Decided it was time to get outside for a solitary walk with Nature. Sometimes that’s not easy to do in my neck of the woods. But on this occasion, it was just me and my Egret.

(November 5. 2020)

The elegant Great Egret is a dazzling sight in many a North American wetland. Slightly smaller and more svelte than a Great Blue Heron, these are still large birds with impressive wingspans.

They hunt in classic heron fashion, standing immobile or wading through wetlands to capture fish with a deadly jab of their yellow bill. Great Egrets were hunted nearly to extinction for their plumes in the late nineteenth century, sparking conservation movements and some of the first laws to protect birds.

Great Egrets fly slowly but powerfully: with just two wingbeats per second their cruising speed is around 25 miles an hour.

Though it mainly hunts while wading, the Great Egret occasionally swims to capture prey or hovers (somewhat laboriously) over the water and dips for fish.

The oldest known Great Egret was 22 years, 10 months old and was banded in Ohio.

(600mm, 1/500 @ f/8.0, IS0 320)

Decided to join the Garden series scene.

I decided to take a stroll around the lake and woods of the park, looking for Lesser-spotted Woodpecker, this lunchtime and took my camera out for the first time since the Little Bunting in mid December. No LSWs seen, but this Jay posed nicely and there was a flock of Siskin foraging and feeding in alder stands by the lakeside.

A long shot, from the path along the edge of the woodland, walking down to the lake from Parkside entrance. I tried to sneak in a bit closer, but the dead leaves underfoot gave me away and it was having none of it...

Thank you for your comments and faves

MILOTA: Nanshe outfit at Main Store

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Pose usted secret pose at Main Store

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Decided to go a different route and did away with normality. Tried to make this photo as abstract as I could while trying to still make it look like a picture.

Dobie and I decided to go on a skateboarding adventure in the forest this evening, and we had a grand time wandering about, so much so that we completely lost track of the time. It seemed quicker than two shakes of a raven's tailfeather that dusk was upon us, and we had scampered so far into the woods that we were lost. Getting lost is a recurring theme for me, and yes, it happens in all lives: I have a really bad sense of direction. And on top of that, in SL, I have exceptionally poor navigational skills! So, full disclosure, I didn't actually do any skateboarding. And honestly, the terrain was not really ideal for it even if I was a super skater guru!

Fortunately for us, we happened upon this adorable and very friendly crow, and he kindly told us that we were going in the wrong direction (big surprise, right?!) and set us on the right path. Soon enough we were home again with another adventure to add to our memory album!

Happy, safe weekend, everyone! ♥

Decided to bring my camera as I went out to the waterfront park in San Diego around sunset. This composition with all the potential in it was the first thing I saw as soon I showed up. Afraid that the subject might move or something else might changed, I brought my camera online and fired away as soon as I could. I was quite pleased the results so sharing here. No effects have been applied, this is what the RAW image looked like.

..lil pup and I decided to chill out for a bit on the bridge...yes, I am a one trick pony sometimes...a one trick puppy? haha I love to daydream on this bridge in SL, and I have done so many, many times. Usually with a lil canine friend in tow! We saw some pretty dahlias blooming, and picked one to take back home with us. I was going to do *he loves me, he loves me not* with the petals, but they were too lovely to play such a silly game with! And anyway, my little Jack Russell pup always loves me. Nothing is better than puppy love, as I always say! I hope everyone's week got off to a beautiful start. Happy Monday!

At Haz...a happy place...a beautiful place too! ♥♥

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hazardous%20Inc/167/130/54

Decided to step out of the proverbial box of processing; not too sure how I feel about it.

We decided to return to Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. With all the rain California has experienced of late, sunny days have been few and far between. It was nice to see water everywhere, and we mean everywhere. Gadwall populations have grown exponentially over the past several decades, surpassing pintails, green-winged teal, and wigeon to become the fourth most numerous ducks, exceeded only by mallards, lesser scaup, and blue-winged teal.

Decided it was time to do a little studio work. I bought these roses for my wife a week ago...they are still fresh. I tell her that I bought them for her out of love...Yeah, love of photography, she claims...the truth is in there somewhere...Snicker!

Decided on b/w in the end as there wasn't much colour in the image! Taken at Colchester Castle Park.

last night appeared to be very overcast and yet we decided to venture to the shore of Ullsfjorden fjord to take some long exposures and we found that above the flowing clouds was a beautiful Northern sky to admire with occasionally stars showing and green lights showing through. Standing there in this silent immensity puts many things in life into the real perspective: all our self-built worries and preoccupations appear to shrink into little or nothing when witnessing the grand scheme of nature.

National Geographic | BR-Creative | chbustos.com

Hello There!

There is a local park which had some tulips that really wanted to be photographed. I obliged and spent that morning fooling around with the DoF while battling with the wind. Many of the images got turfed, but I decided to keep this one because I liked the colours which I did not alter. Editing and effects via Topaz Studio.

Happy Slider's Sunday! HSS!

Thank you for taking a peek and for your comments. I do love hearing from you! Have a happy day!

©Copyright - Nancy Clark - All Rights Reserved

Decided to take a look around for what is close to the new house and I think this beach may become a regular for me.

Explore - April 2, 2023 (#193)

Decided to pose for me even with having the feeder all to his or herself.

I decided to post this as a less “faded” companion to my previous image, Shadow to my Light. This photo was taken in my neighborhood, on one of those winter days when the weather is cloudy and dreary all day and then the sky suddenly lightens along the horizon and the sun makes an appearance just in time to illuminate a beautiful afternoon sunset.

These unexpected sunsets, in a time of year marked by long nights and skies seemingly perpetually arrayed in endless shades of gray, always spark a sense of joy for me. And I can feel a lightness rising in my heart as I watch the sun determinedly burn its way through the clouds and thread the sky with ribbons of light and color in a triumphant celebration of victory over winter’s gloom.

Before I merged completely into autumn, I decided to share some more butterflies, flowers and summer photos, and since today is Thursday I decided to go back to old files that were left behind for whatever reason.

Since I took this photo, I've been trying to find out what its name was, and today after I did a very long and careful research I found it! This one is a White Peacock butterfly which was just emerging or eclosing from its chrysalis. The moment is really exiting not only for us the ones that observe them, but also for them as they take a look at the their new habitat. This was taken at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens while I visiting the city. The person in charge of the this section of the conservatory instructed us bout the rules of how to visit this section, how to keep and eye on the floor since some of them leave the chrysalis and unfold themselves on the ground. This one did and I was lucky to spot it, I'm glad I did!

If you like to know more about this wonderful insects, here is place to start:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly

We all have something to look back and reminiscing...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=voQWlL-jj5Q

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Photography is my passion, and nature photography is my favorite.

I have been in Explore for more that a hundred times, and it is an awesome experience to have your photos showcased in such a special way.

I'm in many groups, and I only add my photos to them if they are not private.

I thank your for coming today, for leaving a comment, and make a favorite of yours this photo, (if that is the case) thanks again!

The best part of this forum is the contacts and friends that I have made over the years, that have the same passion for this art that is called photography!

Martha.

Decided to cool off and go on an adventure...

Decided to go for the trek to Hawrelak Park to see if there was any activity outside my yard. And in fact, I came across some ducks and gulls that I have yet to identify. This one here was no problem, it’s the Ring-billed variety engaged in an expert landing maneuver. He was so impressed with his perfection in pulling this one off, he started to scream for applause which I was more than willing to hand out because I was just as impressed as he was.

And since we are dealing with whole bunches of water here and the gull is wearing his white shirt (can’t see his blue jeans because they are under water) we are going with …

Blue Jeans (white shirt) – Lana Del Rey

Decided to do a little studio work with some flowers and a sunny day.

Decided to visit Bosham last evening on a spur of the moment.

As usual no high tide,but thought I would make the most of it.Some who know me,know that I do like,what I call, muddy water scenes.So I made good of this and the sunset.

Best viewed Large!!

The Specola in Padua is home to the Museum of the Astronomical Observatory, from which it took its name in the eighteenth century. In 1761 the Venetian Senate decided to establish an astronomical observatory for the University of Padua, using the ancient Torlonga of the Carrarese Castle as its seat.

Decided to go to the beach for a little picnic...it was such a beautiful and warm sunny day at home....oh well...what can you do. At least the picnic was tasty. This was pretty much the only shot out of 60+ that I am happy with...

Can't think of a name for this one....

Decided to take my Color-Isonar 45mm out for a spin

So I decided to populate my non working Twitter feed with NSFW now.

www.twitter.com/EthanlaneJaymes @ethanlanejaymes

[Lavarock Poses]:.Male Bento Pose-71

[Lavarock Poses] Mainstore: Teleport

[Lavarock Poses] MP: Shop

[Modulus] Bangs Set 1

available at TMD Teleport

[Modulus] Mainstore: Teleport

[Signature] Davis Body

[Signature] Mainstore: Teleport

Decided it was time for an updated portrait of myself.

Milky Way Night, Florida Keys.

Careful planning and some luck payed off here as I was watching the weather all week for clear skies and had scouted this location earlier in the week. I have seen virtually zero photos of the Milky Way in the Florida Keys but between islands the light pollution is low and I thought this dead tree would make a neat foreground. This early in the year the Core also rises in the very early hours before dawn so I was walking along these tide pools at 3am to set up for this shot. I was annoyed that a tanker truck decided to park near me on the roadside at this beach, but his lights ended up lighting the foreground for me! So happy to have my first Milky Way images this year from a new location.

I decided to take a day off to revisit with a friend the Partnachklamm in hopes of finding some more ice. It was worth it. On the one hand there were only a few visitors there on Monday morning and I was able to take long exposures with my tripod quite undisturbed and on the other hand there was still quite a lot of ice in the gorge. We were even quite lucky and were there for admission at 9 a.m., because around noon they closed the gorge because of icefall. I could hear a crash in the distance behind me, despite the roaring water, and I was quite scared... but all's well that ends well. :-)

I have stitched 3 photos for this panorama image.

Von der Hölle in den Himmel - Partnachklamm, Bayern

Ich beschloss, mir einen Tag frei zu nehmen, um noch einmal zusammen mit einem Freund die Partnachklamm zu besuchen, in der Hoffnung, noch Eis anzutreffen. Es hat sich gelohnt. Zum einen waren am Montagmorgen nur wenige Besucher dort und ich konnte ziemlich ungestört Langzeitbelichtungen mit meinem Stativ machen und zum anderen war noch ziemlich viel Eis in der Klamm. Wir hatten sogar ziemliches Glück, dass wir schon zum Einlass um 9 Uhr dort waren, denn gegen Mittag haben sie die Klamm wg. Eisbruch geschlossen. Einen Crash habe ich hinter mir in der Ferne trotz des tosenden Wassers hören können und mich ziemlich erschrocken...aber Ende gut, alles gut :-)

Ich habe 3 Fotos für diese Panoramaaufnahme zusammen gesetzt.

Decided to take myself off for a walk around the capital, me, myself and a canon.

I decided to print and frame a few of my black and white shots and hang them in the hall of where we're currently living, and the tenant upstairs was fine with the idea. Sherrianne had asked about seeing the finished product when all were hung, so, this is it, my mini art exhibit, 3 on one wall, and 1 on the opposite wall :)

Decided to have a drive through to the Lake District on Friday . It's a 3 hour drive for me and the views were beautiful alongside Ullswater arriving at 8am 😃 I hope you enjoy some of my images from the day 👍

I decided to include an excerpt from the Tourism guide of Smuggler Cove, considering it is far more interesting than my simple trek.

"This area has some notable history as the cove was used to transport Chinese workers into the United States in the late-1800's. Then, during the period of prohibition, smugglers would hide from authorities in the cove as they transported alcohol south into the United States."

www.vancouvertrails.com/trails/smuggler-cove/

www.photographycoach.ca/

I decided on my 2022 calendar theme - Western / Clark's Grebes, so you'll probably see a few more posts from my grebe sessions over the last three years or so. The "rush" is a super exciting courting behavior common to these two grebe species. It's preceded by all kinds of moves - water throwing, bobbing heads, among others. Then they line up, look at each other and they're off for the 100-yard dash. I probably posted another from this series, but they're closer to completely overlapping here, which I thought was kinda cool.

Decided To Eclose Today... on this very rainy day...

he also made his chrysalis in November.... praying for sun on Monday, so they can both take flight!

I decided to share today with you some photos of this fluffy, adorable family! They were taken 2 years ago in the magical Tulip Park of Keukenhof!! Enjoy!!!

#macromondays #condiments

I decided to take a shot of this multicoloured peppercorns to participate on the upcoming them called condiments. So what you see are multiple different peppercorns such as black, white, green and red pepper.

A condiment is a preparation that is added to food, typically after cooking, to impart a specific flavor, to enhance the flavor,[1] or to complement the dish. A table condiment or table sauce is more specifically a condiment that is served separately from the food and is added to taste by the diner.

The exact definition of a condiment varies. Some definitions encompass spices and herbs, including salt and pepper, using the term interchangeably with seasoning. Others restrict the definition to include only "prepared food compound[s], containing one or more spices", which are added to food after the cooking process, such as mustard, ketchup or mint sauce.

Thank you for your visits, comments and favs!

Vielen Dank für Eure Besuche, Kommentare und Sternchen!

Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved

Yesterday evening I decided spontaneously once again to exlplore my surroundings to probably find a nice place for the sunset. So I was driving around aimlessly. Suddenly, I saw, a bit besides of the road, these trees. After I found a way to that place I stood inside of a beautiful natural reserve at the bank of the river Large Roeder. The sun was just setting and bathed the young leafes of the willow trees in a golden shine, dreamlike. That place is only 15 kilometers away from my home and I never even heard about it before. I wasn't here for the last time, thats for sure.

Gestern Abend entschied ich mich spontan wieder einmal meine Gegend zu erkunden, um vielleicht einen schönen Platz für den Sonnenuntergang zu finden. Also fuhr ich recht ziellos umher und sah plötzlich, etwas abseits der Strasse diese Bäume. Nachdem ich einen Weg dorthin gefunden hatte befand ich mich in einem wunderschönen Biotop am Ufer der Großen Röder. Die Sonne ging gerade unter und tauchte die jungen Blätter der Weiden in ein goldenes Leuchten, traumhaft. Der Ort ist gerade einmal 15 km von meinem Haus entfernt und ich habe noch nie etwas davon gehört. Ich war ganz sicher nicht zum letzten Mal hier.

more of this on my website at: www.shoot-to-catch.de

I decided to head for the hills, up into the frosty fog. It would have been quite magical if the sun had broken through to illuminate the iced up and frosted branches but it didn't. I did wonder if I might chance upon a little goblin sat by the path awaiting my passage but that didn't happen either, although last time I was in the area a woman and a child explained they were hunting for goblins there amongst the trees. Had I seen any? It wasn't a productive morning but the post boozy evening walk had its benefits and I might have seen a pixie instead of a goblin as scant compensation. But I do have a pretty vivid imagination.

Decided I was going out somewhere, rain or no rain, to take some photos last weekend and thought sea or town due to the lack of sunshine and colours.

Ended up at the far end of Ayr and all wrapped up & waterproofed set off.

This is the first shot made from 2 photos of some big old houses looking out to sea....

I decided very late on that Saturday evening back at the end of October 2015 that I would venture up to the Lake District before dawn on a solo mission to capture the autumnal colours of the trees around Ullswater. I arrived just as daybreak was occurring.

I looked at it and thought that it would make a lovely subject to photograph. So I set up the camera and waited a few minutes before the sun made a fleeting appearance between the fog and clouds. The grasses on the right just lit up like a Christmas tree and I stood there and admired the view. On seeing the image on the back of my camera LCD, I knew I had something rather beautiful. I just love mornings like these and I can almost smell autumn in the air despite it being mid-August.

I hope you all like it.

Canon 5D MK3

Canon 16-35mm f4 @ 16mm

f13

1/30 secs

ISO100

LEE 105mm Landscape Polariser filter

LEE 0.6 ND Grad filter

Official Nisi Filter Promoter

Benro TMA48CXL Mach 3 Tripod

Benro GD3WH Geared Head

Mindshift Backlight 36L Bag

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Today I decided to take Sir Elton with me to visit my friend's house.

It was very exciting and super fun. Everyone who saw him walking down the street thought he was cute and charming. Needless to say, I felt like a peacock.

Suddenly our walk becomes tense because he saw the ice cream parlor.

And didn't want to take another step. Sir Elton is a bit of a spoiled brat. When he wants something, he's bossy and usually gets it. But this time, he didn't make it.

He started rubbing his paw against me and drooling all over my new shoes.

Can you imagine how the rest of the trip to my friend's house went?

♫ BLACKPINK - 'Ice Cream (with Selena Gomez)' M/Vhink Of You ♫

Credits: Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Lis.Blog

Glitzz Sellena Stockings - Fatpack Exclusive@Mainstore

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114/366: 2016

16/52: Project 52 - Patterns

I decided to think outside the box for the patterns theme and go for ICM in the bluebell woods at Blickling Hall in Norfolk. I used a ND grad filter to cut out some of the light and moved the camera in a downwards movement.

decided it's time to move on.

I decided to climb the hill a little way to get an elevated view of the Glen and the Loch. Worth the effort I think. I've entered the Glen from the left, and will exit to the right. The path I've been cycling/walking is visible on the far bank of the loch, and I had lunch is where the water exits the loch to the right.

it created a softer slightly more intimate look...it was just an idea~~~...not sure if a successful one...can't seem to leave the garden lately....lot's of plants to care for....

I decided to fold the complete set, it took me quite a while, but here it is ;-))

Each model is folded from one piece of double colored Kraft paper, red and gold, except for the locomotive. That one is made out of 3 parts, the body, the chimney and the wheels. Ensemble them together and you get the locomotive. No cuts, no glue.

I used the sizes given in the book, Final length of this set, when put in a straight line is 90cm.

I couldn't chose between the colored and the b&w version, so I show them both. In the first comment box you can see the b&w version of this photo.

Enjoy your Sunday ;-))

Model: origami Train Set

Design: Akira Kawamura

Diagrams: Origami Vehicles in the New Style by Akira Kawamura

Decided to play with Gimp today. Although I still dislike their interface it has some interesting options and a curious filter labelled 'Special Effects that Nobody Understands'. XD

I'm still a Photoshop guy but if you can't afford their fees you may like to give Gimp a go as its entirely free.

Second image to the main (scroll or click right).

Credits and more details on my blog

I decided to photograph a dead thistle head lying in the sand near the waters edge. I crouched down to photograph it, concentrating on taking the image when the incoming tide knocked me backwards onto my behind while the water surged around me. First instinct-save the camera. Second-check no-one saw the event.

I was soaking wet which of course the Sherpa thought was hilarious. Later I asked him to model for me in the reflecting sand (no other more interesting models available for me :-) when the tide came rushing in. He ended up getting soaked and it was my turn to laugh.

It was a warm, lovely evening. Walking back to the car, we were both wet but full of spent laughter. A perfect end to beach play.

Decided to upload a different version of this shot since.......he is taking me to Paris!!