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Arabella Dress

Our Arabela Dress is now available at Uber Event. It is rigged for Kupra, Reborn, legacy, Maitreya & Hourglass! 24 color options available

Peas.Caged Heart

Beautifully designed and original mesh hovering heart enclosed in a detailed cage with padlock. The Cage door opens and closes to touch and the heart hovers in your hand.

One heart in a cage

one holdable bento pose

One hud with 6 colour texture options for the heart and 5 metal options for the cage and resize options.

all info in the blog

blog

Wonderfully detailed Shelf Fungi working its forest floor magic.

Detailed info: www.thedomeedinburgh.com/history

Pahto (Mount Adams), seen from Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Last weekend I decided to meet up with a friend for a sunset hike at Mount Rainier National Park. We made detailed plans ahead of time for both the hike and sunset watching, and then ended up both arriving later than planned, doing a different hike, and hiking more slowly than anticipated due to snow (yes, more snow!) on the trail and a stop to search for my friend's dropped phone. But sunset wasn't until 8:51pm so we figured we still had plenty of time.

We were hiking with the sun behind us, and time was flying by as it has a way of doing when we hike together, so when we emerged from a forested section of the trail into a meadow, we suddenly noticed that the sun was starting to drop into the trees, and realized we had to turn around and hustle back down the trail to where we had planned to watch the sunset over Tahoma (Mount Rainier).

As we hiked at a quick pace back, through every break in the trees, my eyes were drawn to this view of Pahto and the south Cascades. In the evening light, with that fog rising from the forest below, I finally decided it was necessary to stop for photos, despite our time constraints.

Note: Pahto is the second highest peak in Washington, standing 12,281 feet/3743 meters tall and is considered one of the 5 active volcanoes in the state, although the last eruption was 1000 years ago. It is one of the five sacred mountains to the native Yakama peoples and part of the mountain is territory of the Yakama Nation.

Credits and more detailed pictures here<3

Tune

Gracias a Elo y Vega por la paciencia! os adoro ♥

Setting myself the challenge of finding many different ways to photograph this beauty...Very lucky to have moved here recently so expect more :)

Abberton reservoir walk

13th September 2021

This is my original Lower Whitfield Gill Force image that i used to create the "Dark side of the Force" image i posted back in December. The rock details help to make this a very rewarding little waterfall to photograph.

Mercedes-AMG GT S at North Pitt Auto Spa

@dave412reid

Detailed view

7DWF Monday "Free theme"

In thinking of gourds, most people would think of pumpkins, or perhaps the bright colors for the season...but in photographing these gourds, I particularly like the detailed lines that are so evident. What a distinct element! Hope you enjoy!

Fort Lewis Commissary

Fort Lewis, Washington

102119

© Copyright 2019 MEA Images, Merle E. Arbeen, All Rights Reserved. If you would like a copy of this, please feel free to contact me through my FlickrMail, Facebook, or Yahoo email account. Thank you.

***************

This photograph has achieved the following highest awards:

DSLR Autofocus, Hall of Fame (7)

Honey Bee on lavender!

Glam Affair Lake Skin Applier for Korina Lelutka Bento Head New** @Summerfest

Lelutka Korina Head @Lelutka mainstore

Tram Hair l0618 Hair New** @Uber

Tee*Fy Anja Top New** @Kustom9

LaGyo Ankh Set New** @Fameshed

Lunar Nini Shorts New** @Equal10

Milk Motion Shantyboat New** @Uber

{anc} Bird and Sofa @anc mainstore

Plaaka Plant and chair @Plaaka mainstore

Battlescars Windilight Lucy New** @marketplace

Ty:) ♥♥♥♥

birdchoices.blogspot.com

A bit of a departure here. This was simply a low-lying tree full of snow rendered from several different filters in Nik, On One, and Smart Photo Editor, all in PSE12. I tried it in B&W but preferred the colored version. Hope you can stand it. Thanks for looking!

Red-fronted Rosefinch (Carpodacus puniceus) captured at Brum Ther, Gojal, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan with Canon EOS 7D Mark II.

For detailed information about Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan visit fb.me/birdsgb

Orchis anthropophora, Antanges, Vaud, Switzerland, in its initial stages.

Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)

My best photos are here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...

More TICINO/TESSIN Wildlife Photos (all taken in my garden in Monteggio/Ti, Switzerland): it.lacerta-bilineata.com/ramarro-occidentale-lacerta-bili...

If you're interested, you'll find a more detailed closeup here (it's the 8th photo from the top): www.lacerta-bilineata.com/western-green-lizard-lacerta-bi...

My latest ANIMAL VIDEO (it's very brief but pretty unusual: a tiny wall lizard attacks two young great tits): www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQqkSsyrm7E

THE STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO: MY LONG AND ARDUOUS JOURNEY TO BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY

If you've set yourself the challenge of exclusively shooting the wildlife in your own back yard, you might find - as I did - that bird photography is really, really hard.

It's not that reptiles are easy to photograph either, mind - but at least the ones in my garden stay (for the most part) on the ground, and one can learn how to carefully approach them with a camera. They're also clearly egoists, which from a photographer's point of view is is a great character trait: if a lizard detects a human in its vicinity, it's only interested in saving its own skin, and it won't alarm its buddies.

But birds... oh man. Over the years, my feathered friends and I have developed a lovely routine that now defines our peaceful co-existence. As soon as I as much as open a window (let alone the door), I'm instantly greeted by an eruption of panicky fluttering and hysterical shouts from my garden: "SAVE YOUR WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND FLY FOR YOUR LIVES: THE HAIRLESS, PINK MONSTER IS COMING!!! (Yes, I speak bird, and I know that this is exactly what they are shouting 😉).

Needless to say, with the exception of the redstart I already showed here, all my efforts to get the kind of detailed shots I usually strive for with my nature photography ended in complete failure and utter disillusionment. I was ready to give up on stalking the winged misanthropes in my garden altogether, but then winter came - and changed everything.

One day this past January I observed my neighbor Signora P - a kind, elderly Italian lady - putting something on the low garden wall in front of my house. At first I thought she was just putting some treat there for her cat Romeo; the young tom patrols that wall constantly (it's his favorite spot in the garden, and during the warmer months he usually lurks in the thick foliage next to it to prey on lizards).

But once I detected a lot of movement on that wall through my window, I understood she had put a little pile of bread crumbs there; she was feeding the birds who soon arrived in flocks. This was certainly well-intended on my neighbor's part, but her noble action came with a catch, and I'm afraid quite literally.

When I took a stroll through my garden the next day I discovered a suspicious amount of feathers on the ground next to the wall. Romeo had apparently switched from his low-calorie summer diet (lizard) to more energy-rich meals consisting of "fowl" (it was winter after all, so from a nutritionist's point of view this made sense).

I would find fresh traces of Romeo's victims (mostly feathers, but also the odd wing) in my garden over the following days; so my first intuition that my neighbor was feeding her cat hadn't been that far off after all, as Romeo was now clearly being "served" fresh birds on a daily basis. And although the hungry visitors seemed to be aware of the danger and became slightly more prudent, they just couldn't resist the tasty snacks Signora P put on that wall - and neither could Romeo.

It was obvious that I had to act, but talking to my neighbor - who is as stubborn as she is kind - would have been futile, I knew that much. I pondered the matter long and hard - until a light bulb went off in my head. The idea was genius. If successful, what I had in mind would not only increase the birds' chances of surviving Romeo's appetite, but also greatly benefit my own photographic endeavors.

I started to enact my master plan the very next day by buying a giant bag of bird feed (consisting mainly of sunflower seeds) from the store. Then I dragged a huge piece of a tree trunk (approx. 120 cm in height) that we normally chop firewood on in the shed out into the garden and emptied almost half of the bag's content on top of it. Signora P's buffet for birds (and cats) was about to get some serious competition 😊.

My reasoning was as follows: not only would the birds be lured away from the fatally low garden wall to a place where they were safe from the cat - there was nothing around that tree trunk that provided cover for a predator, and the birds had a nice 360° view around it at all times - but I was also able to photograph them while hiding in the shed.

However, in order for my plan to work there was one little extra measure I had to take, and it was one that risked lowering my own life expectancy considerably once the owner of the property - my mom - discovered it. You see, our shed is completely windowless, so if I wanted to use it as a blind, I had no choice but to cut a hole into one of its wooden walls... which I promptly did (I figured all's fair in love - and photography 😉).

Granted, I have absolutely zero carpentering skills, and it showed. That hole was an ugly mess: the shed's wall seemed to have had an encounter with Jack Nicholson's ax-wielding lunatic character from the film 'The Shining'. Needless to say, I was incredibly proud of my work (I mean, come on: there now was a hole where before there wasn't a hole, and it was big enough for the lens of my camera to peek through, so it was mission accomplished as far as I was concerned).

Now all I had to do was wait for the birds to discover the tree trunk. In the meantime I started to mentally prepare myself for the inevitable confrontation with my mom and go through possible explanations for that splintering hole in the wall (it was either gonna be a rabid woodpecker attack or an emergency rescue mission with a feeding tube for a little kid that had accidentally locked himself inside the shed - both seemed valid options, though I slightly preferred the locked-in kid due to the involved drama and heroism 😉).

A whole day went by, and not a single bird visited the sunflower seeds. I had expected that it might take a few hours until the first of the ever curious great tits or blue tits would show up, but given how tiny my garden is, an entire day seemed excessive. Then another day came and went: the birds kept flocking to the bread crumbs on the wall, and my tree trunk kept collecting dust. To add injury to insult, a few fresh feathers on the ground were proof that Romeo was still feasting.

It was incredibly frustrating: I provided my winged guests with a much better view - plus a higher chance of surviving the cuisine - than Signora P's place; I risked (almost) certain death at the hands of my own mother (OK, the act of vandalism on the shed I had committed for my own benefit, but still), yet the birds kept ignoring me.

Then, after three days, just before sunset, I spotted a single blue tit on the tree trunk picking away at the sunflower seeds.

When I got up the next morning I immediately realized that the loud noise that accompanies each and every tit activity had shifted from the wall to the shed. At last the dam had broken: there was a flurry of movement around the tree trunk, and I counted at least 5 different species of birds feasting on the sunflower seeds.

From day 4 onward my plan worked beautifully: the birds now indeed mostly ignored Romeo's "snack wall" and kept to the tree trunk. And yes, I was able to play peeping tom from behind the shed's wall and photograph them!! 😊

Thus, dear readers, I finally managed to produce some acceptable bird photos, and I had even saved my feathered friends from a deadly foe in the process. All through winter and spring I took advantage of my new bird hide, and in late May I started mixing some cherries with the sunflower seeds. The idea was to attract a Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius), and as you can see, it worked!

It took me almost three weeks and more than a few tricks to capture that clever fella, but given how long I've been rambling here already, that's a story for another day. As for my mom, she still doesn't know about the hole in the wall, so please don't snitch! 😉.

I hope you like the photo and wish you all a wonderful weekend! Many greetings from Switzerland, and as always: let me know what you think in the comments 🙏 😊 ❤!

P.S. if anyone has their own funny tale about the obstacles we photographers are prepared to overcome for a desired photo, please write it in the comments: I love such stories 😊

Little Bunting (Emberiza pusilla) captured at Borit, Gojal, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan with Canon EOS 7D Mark II.

For detailed information about Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan visit fb.me/birdsgb

In a garden in Worthing, West Sussex

This image showcases an acorn surrounded by twisted, intricate roots, creating a mystical and organic scene. The lighting casts dramatic shadows, emphasizing the detailed texture and the connection between the seed and its environment, symbolizing growth and the mysteries of nature.

AI creation

This is for Macro Monday's "Crack" theme. I'm finding these challenging, but really good to stretch the imagination & photography skills.

So this is a crack in one of the bricks on our house. Rotated horizontally for easier viewing. A couple of things this made me think about:

My wife is going to kill me because the first time I post a photo of the bricks that make our house, I post a cracked one. With a weed growing out of it. 😬

Isn't it cool the way nature takes over manmade items eventually, our house being 25 years old (this is probably more a testament to what a lazy handyman I am looking after the place). I love those old temples in Cambodia where the trees have consumed the temples. They look amazing! 😮 Must dig out some old pics of that.

Rotating the pic to horizontal made me wonder what if we lived in a horizontal world, you know if there wasn't gravity & stuff, what would humans look like? Would we be horizontal instead of standing/sitting vertically as well? Would we have 2 legs& 2 arms on the same side of the body? Would we watch TV sideways? We would look at contact's photos on Flickr laying down, in which case this photo would be the right way up. Or would it. Too hard to think about for this tired brain 🤔😵‍💫

Anyway I digress sorry, have a fantastic week ahead ✌😀

The stunning Dracaena Trees by Little Branch is the latest weekly sale item available now for 50% off at the LB temporary store.

The dracaena grown both indoors and outdoors in subtropical climates will enhance your landscapes perfectly, it comes with one or more trunks that lead to detailed leaves in green, yellow and gold.

100% mesh with realistic textures and comes animated giving that life-like appearance you want to reach out and touch. Land Impact ranges from 2 to 4 but as permissions are both Copy & Modify you can adapt the trees to suit your gardening and landscaping needs.

Find it here: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Aspen%20Springs/231/178/231

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Luke 12:27

Southend Street Art.

I often have very immersive, detailed dreams. I dream about all kinds of things and often the games that I play. When I saw this outfit, I thought Baulders Gate. The elven look came together easily and Found a great pose on MP with a bow.

Sponsor:

Art&Ko - Becca set

Available at Art&Ko Mainstore

Available for Reborn, Legacy & Maitreya.

Buy the pieces you want or splure and get the fatpack. Textures are amazing. If you have not been to this store go check them out. Worth the time and the L's you will spend.

Link to the pose I used in the photo - Poserz - Poison Arrow Male Archery Pose - PA003

Hair By Doux - Chill

Billy Joel - River of Dreams

In the middle of the night

I go walking in my sleep

From the mountains of faith

To the river so deep

I must be looking for something

Something sacred I lost

But the river is wide

And it's too hard to cross

Even though I know the river is wide

I walk down every evening and I stand on the shore

I try to cross to the opposite side

So I can finally find out what I've been looking for

In the middle of the night

I go walking in my sleep

Through the valley of fear

To a river so deep

I've been searching for something

Taken out of my soul

Something I'd never lose

Something somebody stole

I don't know why I go walking at night

But now I'm tired and I don't want to walk anymore

I hope it doesn't take the rest of my life

Until I find what it is that I've been looking for

Siberian Stonechat (Saxicola maurus) captured at Borit, Gojal, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan with Nikon D500 and 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR.

For detailed information about Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan visit www.birdsofgilgit.com

216d 10 - TAC_6297 - lr-ps-wm - frame

[Amias]: Ryan Shirt

[Bolson]: Travis Tattoo

[Savage]: Crash Pants

Above available at TMD Teleport

[Merak]: Pizza pop n fizz

[Merak] Mainstore: Teleport

[Kraftwork]: Brick BBQ Shed

available at Level Teleport

[Kraftwork]: Garden Bin

Available at Equal10 Teleport

[Kraftwork Mainstore: Teleport

Gotta shoutout to Bambi for helping me with this set up, it wouldn't be this detailed if not for her immense assistance!!

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) captured at Borit, Gojal, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan with Nikon D500 and 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR.

For detailed information about Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan visit www.birdsofgilgit.com

Dragonfly

Detailed look at the recently installed patterned cladding of the new Regent Park South Community Centre, part of the Regent Park revitalization project. Designed by CS&P Architects Inc.

Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis) captured at Basho Meadows, Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan with Nikon D500 and 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR.

For detailed information about Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan visit www.birdsofgilgit.com

This photo was part of a test using my Canon 5D Mark iii and new Canon 100-40MML ii. All I can say is detail, sharp, bokeh!

The same insect as yesterday's post, this time looking down on it from above and getting a good look at its beautiful wings and body.

Check out the red stripes and wooly hair on its body!

I like the patterns and colors of the wings, too.

Resting on Milkweed leaves for about 20 seconds, this Skipper then flew off into the woods.

Every summer I discover new insects, new flowers, new natural wonders... What a joy.

FujiXE (kit lens, noise filter)

Getting down on the ground for this shot was worth it. One of my favs from a very enjoyable day of taking photos. I really can't say enough good things about this lens - it is versatile and amazing!

жж IMG_9531

Like how Sharp this turned out.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird perched in the garden. I think the feather detail came out very well on this one. Thanks for visiting and I do appreciate all the Faves and Comments.