View allAll Photos Tagged Discretization
Talatamaty (Madagascar) - Ces enfants jouaient dans la rizière en s’éclaboussant. J’ai commencé à faire quelques photos, le plus discrètement possible. Mais un vazaha * au beau milieu d’une rizière, ça ne passe pas inaperçu. Ils se sont mis à courir en tous sens en criant « vazaha, vazaha, vasaha… », pour que je les photographie.
* Vazaha se prononce vaza et signifie « étranger d’origine européenne ». Ce terme ne comporte aucune connotation péjorative.
Run in the rice fields
Talatamaty (Madagascar) - These children were playing in the rice field while splashing. I started to take some photos, as discreetly as possible. But a vazaha * in the middle of a rice field does not go unnoticed. They started running in all directions shouting "vazaha, vazaha, vasaha...", for me to photograph them.
* Vasaha is pronounced vasa and means "foreigner of European descent". This term has no pejorative connotation.
🇭🇷 Hrvatski
U kasnom poslijepodnevu, kad sunce nježno klizi prema zapadu, jedrilica spokojno plovi nebeskoplavom pučinom. Lagani sjeverozapadni vjetar njiše bijela jedra, noseći plovilo kao tiha misao preko zrcalne površine Jadrana. Na horizontu, elegantni lukovi Krčkog mosta grle kameni otočić Sveti Marko, čuvara koji razdvaja dva raspona mosta. Iza njih, obrisi Rijeke stapaju se s modrim slojevima planina, dok zlatni odsjaji svjetlosti plešu po valovima.
U zraku lebde sjećanja na prošla ljeta — na smijeh, toplinu obitelji i valove što noću pjevaju uspavanke. Svaki povjetarac donosi miris soli i slobode, a svaki val nosi šapat starih priča. U ovom mirnom trenu, obgrljen ljepotom hrvatskog krajolika, osjećam kako me more nježno prima u svoje naručje i budi u meni duboki osjećaj pripadnosti i povezanosti s vječnom modrinom Jadrana.
🇬🇧 English
In the late afternoon, as the sun gently slips toward the west, a solitary sailboat glides across the sky-blue Adriatic. A soft northwesterly breeze sways its white sails, carrying the vessel like a quiet thought across the sea’s mirrored surface. On the horizon, the graceful arches of the Krk Bridge embrace the rocky islet of Sveti Marko, standing watch as it separates the two spans. Behind them, the outlines of Rijeka melt into the layered blues of the hills, as golden light dances upon the waves.
Memories of past summers float in the air — laughter, the warmth of family, and the lullaby of waves under starlit skies. Each breeze brings the scent of salt and freedom, and each wave whispers old stories. In this peaceful moment, surrounded by the beauty of the Croatian seascape, I feel the sea gently cradling me, stirring a deep sense of belonging and connection to the eternal blue of the Adriatic.
🇩🇪 Deutsch
Am späten Nachmittag, wenn die Sonne sanft gen Westen sinkt, gleitet ein einsames Segelboot über das himmelblaue Wasser der Adria. Ein leichter Nordwestwind bläht die weißen Segel und trägt das Boot wie einen stillen Gedanken über die spiegelnde Meeresoberfläche. Am Horizont umarmen die eleganten Bögen der Krk-Brücke den felsigen Inselchen Sveti Marko – ein stiller Wächter zwischen den beiden Brückenspannen. Dahinter verschwimmen die Konturen von Rijeka mit den blauen Schichten der Hügel, während goldenes Licht auf den Wellen tanzt.
Die Luft ist durchzogen von Erinnerungen an vergangene Sommer — Lachen, familiäre Wärme und das Wiegenlied der Wellen unter dem Sternenhimmel. Jeder Windhauch trägt den Duft von Salz und Freiheit, jede Welle flüstert alte Geschichten. In diesem stillen Augenblick, umgeben von der Schönheit der kroatischen Küste, spüre ich, wie das Meer mich sanft umarmt und ein tiefes Gefühl von Zugehörigkeit und Verbundenheit mit dem ewigen Blau der Adria in mir weckt.
🇮🇹 Italiano
Nel tardo pomeriggio, mentre il sole scivola dolcemente verso occidente, una solitaria barca a vela scorre sul blu cielo dell’Adriatico. Una leggera brezza di nord-ovest muove le bianche vele, trasportando l’imbarcazione come un pensiero silenzioso sulla superficie specchiata del mare. All’orizzonte, gli eleganti archi del ponte di Krk abbracciano l’isolotto roccioso di Sveti Marko, sentinella che separa i due tratti del ponte. Oltre, i profili lontani di Fiume si dissolvono tra le sfumature bluastre delle colline, mentre la luce dorata danza sulle onde.
Nell’aria fluttuano i ricordi delle estati passate — le risate, il calore della famiglia, e la ninna nanna delle onde sotto cieli stellati. Ogni soffio di vento porta con sé il profumo del sale e della libertà, e ogni onda sussurra storie antiche. In questo momento di pace, circondato dalla bellezza del paesaggio croato, sento il mare cullare dolcemente la mia anima, risvegliando un profondo senso di appartenenza e connessione con l’azzurro eterno dell’Adriatico.
🇫🇷 Français
En fin d’après-midi, alors que le soleil glisse doucement vers l’ouest, un voilier solitaire traverse l’Adriatique couleur azur. Une douce brise du nord-ouest gonfle ses voiles blanches, le portant comme une pensée silencieuse sur la surface miroitante de la mer. À l’horizon, les arcs gracieux du pont de Krk enlacent le petit îlot rocheux de Sveti Marko, sentinelle discrète entre les deux travées du pont. Derrière, les contours lointains de Rijeka se fondent dans les nuances bleutées des collines, tandis que la lumière dorée danse sur les vagues.
Des souvenirs d’étés passés flottent dans l’air — rires, chaleur familiale et berceuses murmurées par les vagues sous un ciel étoilé. Chaque souffle de vent porte le parfum du sel et de la liberté, et chaque vague chuchote des histoires d’antan. En cet instant paisible, entouré par la beauté du littoral croate, je sens la mer bercer doucement mon âme, éveillant un profond sentiment d’appartenance et de lien avec l’éternel bleu de l’Adriatique.
🇪🇸 Español
Al caer la tarde, mientras el sol se desliza suavemente hacia el oeste, un velero solitario navega sobre el azul cielo del Adriático. Una suave brisa del noroeste mece sus velas blancas, llevando la embarcación como un pensamiento silencioso sobre la superficie espejada del mar. En el horizonte, los arcos elegantes del puente de Krk abrazan el pequeño islote rocoso de Sveti Marko, centinela que separa los dos tramos del puente. Más allá, la silueta lejana de Rijeka se funde con los tonos azulados de las colinas, mientras la luz dorada baila sobre las olas.
En el aire flotan recuerdos de veranos pasados — risas, calor familiar y el arrullo de las olas bajo cielos estrellados. Cada brisa trae el perfume de la sal y la libertad, y cada ola susurra historias antiguas. En este instante de calma, rodeado por la belleza del paisaje croata, siento cómo el mar mece suavemente mi alma, despertando un profundo sentimiento de pertenencia y conexión con el azul eterno del Adriático.
Chrysolina graminis. River Ouse, York
The beetle is threatened due to reduction in suitable wetland habitat and food plants, including tansy tanacetum vulgare. UK distribution was thought to be restricted to the River Ouse in York but the species was rediscovered in the East Anglian Fens in 2014. The tansy beetle doesn’t travel far through its lifecycle and despite the presence of wings it rarely flies.
Both adults and larvae use the same host plant during their life cycle. As tansy often grows in discrete clumps, the total population of the beetle in an area may be divided and individuals may spend their entire life cycle within an area of a few square metres.
Adults mate between March and June. Between August and September, the resultant new adult population emerges to feed before returning underground to overwinter in October; emergence of adults is from March to April the next year.
Most adults from the earlier emergence die before the end of summer.
Survival during winter underfground hibernation is surprisingly high, as autumn and spring population sizes are very similar. This is despite annual winter flooding of the River Ouse, indicating that overwintering individuals must be extremely tolerant of long periods of inundation and oxygen deprivation.. Approximately 5% of overwintering adults do not emerge from the soil after the winter, but remain underground for the next year in a state of extended diapause and emerge in the following spring.
( Wikipedia)
The Orange-tip is a true sign of spring, being one of the first species to emerge that has not overwintered as an adult. The male and female of this species are very different in appearance. The more-conspicuous male has orange tips to the forewings, that give this butterfly its name. These orange tips are absent in the female and the female is often mistaken for one of the other whites, especially the Green-veined White or Small White. This butterfly is found throughout England, Wales and Ireland, but is somewhat-local further north and especially in Scotland. In most regions this butterfly does not form discrete colonies and wanders in every direction as it flies along hedgerows and woodland margins looking for a mate, nectar sources or foodplants. More northerly colonies are more compact and also more restricted in their movements.
This XVIIIth century urban ensemble was initially surrounded by water. The island was integrated to the city center when the Loire was filled in 1930. As can be seen from the picture, the open spaces were entirely redesigned in the early 1990ies for leaving more space for pedestrian. The white public lighting and discrete enhancement of facades magnifies the outstanding classical character of the place.
Blauwe vuurvlinder (Lycaena helle) Habitat & Behaviour: Damp meadows and bogs with an abundance of the larval food plant bistort, Polygonum bistorta. It flies discretely over the vegetation and neighbouring meadows. Due to its small size it is difficult to spot and is quickly lost to sight
Kanyakumari (Inde) - Je suis arrivé la veille. Tôt le matin je me dirige naturellement vers la mer. En moins de 5 minutes je suis dans le quartier des pêcheurs. J'entreprends une approche discrète. Un boitier autour du cou, mais sans prendre de photos, histoire de tester les réactions des autochtones. Les gens ont plutôt l'air étonné de me voir dans leur quartier. Un good morning par-ci, un sourire par là.
La pluie reprend et la femme qui venait de me faire un petit signe de la main en guise de bienvenue se met à courir soudainement pour se mettre à l’abri. J’ai juste le temps de déclencher.
It's raining on Kamyakumari
Kanyakumari (India) - I arrived the day before. Early in the morning I naturally head for the sea. In less than 5 minutes I am in the fishermen's quarter. I take a low-key approach. A camera around my neck, but without taking pictures, just to see the reactions of the locals. People seem rather surprised to see me in their neighborhood. A good morning here, a smile there.
The rain starts again and the woman who had just waved me a little welcome suddenly starts running for shelter. I just have time to trigger.
Le pont Charles-de-Gaulle est un pont franchissant la Seine à Paris, en France.
Il relie le 12e arrondissement, 13e arrondissement,( quai d'Austerlitz).
Le pont Charles-de-Gaulle tire son origine du développement récent du Sud-Est de Paris, dans les quartiers de Bercy et de la nouvelle bibliothèque François-Mitterrand.
Le projet lauréat, de Louis Gerald Arretche et Roman Karansinski, composé d'un tablier d'acier blanc ressemblant à une aile d'avion reposant sur des piles discrètes par l'intermédiaire de fins tubes d'acier, cherche à se fondre le plus possible dans le paysage. Commencé en 1993, il fut terminé en 1996.
The Pont Charles-de-Gaulle (Charles-de-Gaulle Bridge) is a steel-reinforced concrete girder bridge straddling the river Seine in the eastern part of Paris. It is a one-way bridge carrying road traffic from the 13th arrondissement to the 12th arrondissement
In 1986, the Council of Paris (Conseil de Paris) decided to construct a new bridge between the Pont de Bercy and the Pont d'Austerlitz in southeast Paris, to imitate the design of the Pont d'Austerlitz
A Europe-wide competition was held in 1987 to determine the best project design. At the conclusion of the competition, the concept set forth by Louis Arretche and Roman Karasinski was chosen for the bridge
The bridge has a single steel deck measuring 270 m long and 35 m wide, and the shape of which resembles an aircraft wing. It is supported by two concrete piers. Linking each pier to the deck are two conical steel frames shaped like upside-down tents.
The bridge roadway (not including footpaths and cycle lanes) is 18 m wide and carries four lanes of northeast-bound traffic from the Left Bank to the Right Bank. Two cycle lanes to the upstream side of the bridge and two footpaths, one on each side of it, permit unmotorized traffic to cross.
Wikipedia
Une photo de Chevêche traitée en mode minimaliste, monochrome, met en scène l’oiseau dans une esthétique de simplicité épurée qui renforce son apparence de timidité et d’isolement.
Isolée sur son unique branche, la chevêche semble presque hésitante, discrète spectatrice du monde, tout en douceur et en retenue …
Ce choix artistique souligne la fragilité et la beauté du moment, donnant à l’animal une pudeur touchante, comme si le regard du spectateur effleurait un instant de calme suspendu, loin de toute agitation !
°°°°°°°°
A photo of a Little Owl, treated in a minimalist and monochrome style, captures the bird in a scene of pure simplicity that enhances its appearance of timidity and isolation.
Perched alone on a single branch, the owl seems almost hesitant—a quiet observer of the world, full of softness and restraint …
This artistic choice highlights the fragility and beauty of the moment, giving the animal a touching sense of shyness, as if the viewer were gently witnessing a suspended moment of calm, far from noise and distraction !
HRVATSKI:
Kada dan šapne noći, ne ostane ništa glasno – samo odsjaj, samo tišina.
Jedna ribarska brodica na "svićo", obala Šila u tišini čeka noć, dok horizont još čuva posljednji odsjaj svjetla.
Tragovi dana još su vidljivi na nebu, ali more već pripada noći.
Taj trenutak je prolazan, ali u njemu ima trajnosti – jer mi ljudi ponekad trebamo takve prijelaze da shvatimo koliko smo živi.
Kad svijetla dalekih obala trepere, možda nije kraj, već novi putokaz.
Jer svaka tama je lakša kad nosi odsjaj jednog svjetionika.
ENGLISH:
When the day whispers to the night, nothing remains loud — only reflection, only silence.
A small fishing boat waits on the quiet coast of Šilo, casting its net under fading light.
The sky still carries golden traces of the day, but the sea already belongs to the night.
In this brief moment lies a quiet eternity — the kind we sometimes need to remember we're still alive.
And when distant lights shimmer across the horizon, it may not be the end, but a new direction.
Every darkness is gentler when it carries the echo of a lighthouse.
FRANÇAIS :
Quand le jour murmure à la nuit, rien ne reste bruyant – seulement un reflet, seulement le silence.
Un petit bateau de pêche attend au large de Šilo, sous la lumière mourante du jour.
Le ciel conserve encore les traces dorées, mais la mer appartient déjà à la nuit.
Dans cet instant fragile, une éternité discrète : celle dont nous avons parfois besoin pour nous sentir vivants.
Et quand les lumières au loin scintillent, ce n’est peut-être pas la fin, mais un nouveau cap.
Toute obscurité est plus douce lorsqu’elle porte l’écho d’un phare.
DEUTSCH:
Wenn der Tag zur Nacht flüstert, bleibt nichts Lautes – nur Widerschein, nur Stille.
Ein Fischerboot liegt ruhig vor Šilo, während der Horizont noch vom Licht des Tages glüht.
Der Himmel trägt noch goldenes Licht, doch das Meer gehört bereits der Nacht.
Dieser kurze Moment trägt eine stille Ewigkeit – ein Augenblick, der uns zeigt, dass wir leben.
Wenn in der Ferne Lichter flackern, ist es vielleicht kein Ende, sondern ein neuer Kurs.
Denn jede Dunkelheit ist leichter, wenn sie das Echo eines Leuchtturms trägt.
ITALIANO:
Quando il giorno sussurra alla notte, non rimane nulla di rumoroso – solo riflesso, solo silenzio.
Una piccola barca da pesca è ferma al largo di Šilo, mentre l’orizzonte trattiene ancora un po’ di luce.
Il cielo è dorato, ma il mare appartiene già alla notte.
In questo momento fugace c’è una forma d’eternità – quella che ci ricorda quanto siamo vivi.
E quando le luci tremolano in lontananza, forse non è una fine, ma un faro per iniziare.
Ogni buio è più lieve se lo guida la luce di un faro.
American Oystercatcher
The American Oystercatchers are a group of waders forming the family Haematopodidae, which has a single genus, Haematopus. They are found on coasts worldwide apart from the Polar Regions and some tropical regions of Africa and South East Asia. The exception to this is the Eurasian Oystercatcher and the South Island Oystercatcher, both of which breed inland, far inland in some cases. In the past there has been a great deal of confusion as to the species limits, with discrete populations of all black oystercatchers being afforded specific status but pied oystercatchers being considered one single species.
The name Oystercatcher was coined by Mark Catesby in 1731 as a common name for the North American species H. Palliatus, described as eating oysters. Yarrell in 1843 established this as the preferred term, replacing the older name Sea Pie.
For more info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oystercatcher
Tihi ukras kamena
U svijetu gdje se ljepota često traži u raskoši, priroda na otoku Krku tiho piše svoju vlastitu poeziju — u pukotinama stijena, gdje sunce neumorno prži, a zemlja škrto dijeli vlagu.
Tamo gdje bi oko tražilo tek prašinu i suhi kamen, izranja oštri žednjak (Sedum acre). Ne traži pažnju. Ne traži mnogo. Samo komadić kamena, djelić svjetlosti — i slobodu da cvate.
Njegovi sitni, žuti cvjetovi razasuti su poput zlatnog veza po sivim stijenama, nalik tihom ukrasu koji priroda dodaje bez namjere, ali s dubokim smislom. U toj tišini leži snaga. U toj skromnosti — otmjenost.
Žednjak je simbol upornosti, ljepote koja ne viče, već šapće. Ljepote koja se ne nudi, već otkriva — onima koji gledaju srcem.
Na Krku, gdje kamen ima svoju pjesmu, a sunce svoj ritam, žednjak je tihi ukras kamena — nježni podsjetnik da i u najsurovijim uvjetima može niknuti nešto čudesno.
🇬🇧 Silent Adornment of Stone
In a world where beauty is often sought in grandeur, nature on the island of Krk quietly writes its own poetry — in the cracks of rock, where the sun scorches relentlessly and the earth yields little moisture.
There, where one might expect only dust and dryness, sharp stonecrop (Sedum acre) emerges. It demands no attention. It asks for little. Just a piece of rock, a touch of sunlight — and the freedom to bloom.
Its tiny yellow flowers spread like golden embroidery across grey stone, a silent adornment offered by nature, unassuming yet full of meaning. In that silence lies strength. In that humility — elegance.
Stonecrop is a symbol of resilience, a beauty that doesn't shout but whispers. A beauty not displayed but discovered — by those who see with the heart.
On Krk, where stone has its own song and the sun its rhythm, the stonecrop is a silent adornment of stone — a gentle reminder that even in the harshest places, something wondrous can bloom.
🇫🇷 Ornement silencieux de la pierre
Dans un monde où l’on cherche souvent la beauté dans la grandeur, la nature de l’île de Krk écrit sa propre poésie — discrète, dans les fissures de la roche, là où le soleil brûle sans relâche et où la terre offre peu d’humidité.
Là, où l’on ne s’attend qu’à de la poussière et de la sécheresse, l’orpin âcre (Sedum acre) émerge. Il ne réclame pas d’attention. Il ne demande presque rien. Juste un peu de pierre, un rayon de soleil — et la liberté de fleurir.
Ses minuscules fleurs jaunes s’étendent comme une broderie dorée sur la roche grise, ornement discret offert par la nature, modeste mais riche de sens. Dans ce silence, il y a de la force. Dans cette simplicité — de l’élégance.
L’orpin est symbole de résistance, beauté qui ne crie pas mais murmure. Beauté à découvrir, pour ceux qui savent regarder avec le cœur.
Sur Krk, où la pierre chante sa mélodie et le soleil marque le temps, l’orpin est un ornement silencieux de la pierre — doux rappel que même dans les lieux les plus rudes, quelque chose de merveilleux peut éclore.
🇩🇪 Stiller Schmuck des Steins
In einer Welt, in der Schönheit oft im Prunk gesucht wird, schreibt die Natur auf der Insel Krk ihre eigene Poesie — leise, in den Rissen des Felsens, wo die Sonne gnadenlos brennt und die Erde kaum Feuchtigkeit spendet.
Dort, wo man nur Staub und Trockenheit erwartet, erscheint der Scharfe Mauerpfeffer (Sedum acre). Er verlangt keine Aufmerksamkeit. Er braucht nicht viel. Nur ein Stück Fels, etwas Sonnenlicht — und die Freiheit zu blühen.
Seine winzigen gelben Blüten ziehen sich wie goldene Stickerei über den grauen Stein — ein stiller Schmuck, den die Natur zurückhaltend, aber bedeutungsvoll verschenkt. In dieser Stille liegt Kraft. In dieser Bescheidenheit — Anmut.
Der Mauerpfeffer ist ein Symbol für Widerstandskraft, für eine Schönheit, die nicht laut ist, sondern flüstert. Eine Schönheit, die man entdeckt — mit dem Herzen.
Auf Krk, wo der Stein seine eigene Melodie hat und die Sonne im Takt spielt, ist der Mauerpfeffer ein stiller Schmuck des Steins — ein zarter Hinweis darauf, dass selbst an den härtesten Orten etwas Wunderbares entstehen kann.
🇪🇸 Adorno silencioso de la piedra
En un mundo donde la belleza suele buscarse en la grandeza, la naturaleza en la isla de Krk escribe su propia poesía — en silencio, en las grietas de la roca, donde el sol arde sin piedad y la tierra apenas da humedad.
Allí, donde uno esperaría solo polvo y sequedad, surge la uva de gato (Sedum acre). No exige atención. No pide mucho. Solo un trozo de piedra, un poco de luz solar — y la libertad de florecer.
Sus diminutas flores amarillas se extienden como un bordado dorado sobre la roca gris, un adorno silencioso ofrecido por la naturaleza, modesto pero lleno de sentido. En ese silencio hay fuerza. En esa humildad — elegancia.
El sedum es símbolo de resistencia, una belleza que no grita, sino que susurra. Una belleza que no se muestra, sino que se descubre — por quienes miran con el corazón.
En Krk, donde la piedra tiene su propio canto y el sol su ritmo, el sedum es un adorno silencioso de la piedra — un suave recordatorio de que incluso en los lugares más duros, puede florecer algo maravilloso.
🇮🇹 Silenzioso ornamento della pietra
In un mondo dove spesso si cerca la bellezza nella grandezza, la natura sull’isola di Krk scrive in silenzio la sua poesia — nelle crepe della roccia, dove il sole brucia implacabile e la terra dona poca umidità.
Là, dove ci si aspetterebbe solo polvere e siccità, spunta il semprevivo acre (Sedum acre). Non cerca attenzione. Non chiede molto. Solo un po’ di roccia, un raggio di sole — e la libertà di fiorire.
I suoi piccoli fiori gialli si distendono come un ricamo dorato sulla pietra grigia, un ornamento silenzioso offerto dalla natura, modesto ma pieno di significato. In quel silenzio c’è forza. In quella semplicità — grazia.
Il sedum è simbolo di resilienza, una bellezza che non grida ma sussurra. Una bellezza che non si mostra, ma si scopre — da chi guarda col cuore.
Sull’isola di Krk, dove la pietra ha la sua canzone e il sole il suo ritmo, il sedum è un silenzioso ornamento della pietra — un delicato promemoria che anche nei luoghi più duri può sbocciare qualcosa di meraviglioso.
HR:
Na žici pod vedrim nebom, lastavica kratko predahne od lova na kukce kojima hrani svoje mlade.
U sunčevoj svjetlosti otkrivaju se nijanse koje golim okom često ne zamjećujemo – tamnoplava, rđasta, srebrnkasta…
U tim malim trenucima skriva se čitav svijet.
EN:
Perched on a wire beneath the clear sky, the swallow takes a brief rest from hunting insects for its young.
Bathed in sunlight, the subtle hues of its feathers shine – deep blue, rust, and silver...
A small moment holding the grandeur of nature.
FR:
Perchée sur un fil sous un ciel clair, l’hirondelle prend une courte pause dans sa chasse aux insectes pour ses petits.
Sous la lumière du soleil, ses plumes révèlent des teintes insoupçonnées – bleu profond, rouille, argenté…
Un instant simple, une grandeur discrète.
DE:
Auf einem Draht unter dem klaren Himmel ruht die Schwalbe kurz von der Jagd nach Insekten für ihre Jungen.
Im Sonnenlicht erscheinen die feinen Farbtöne ihres Gefieders – tiefblau, rostrot, silbrig…
Ein einfacher Moment, voller stiller Größe.
ES:
Posada sobre un cable bajo un cielo claro, la golondrina descansa brevemente de su búsqueda de insectos para sus crías.
A la luz del sol brillan matices sutiles en su plumaje – azul profundo, óxido, plateado...
Un instante sencillo, lleno de grandeza.
IT:
Appollaiata su un filo sotto un cielo limpido, la rondine si concede una breve pausa dalla caccia agli insetti per i suoi piccoli.
Alla luce del sole emergono sfumature nascoste – blu profondo, ruggine, argento…
Un momento semplice, pieno di poesia.
ROE DEER (CAPREOLUS CAPREOLUS) | ADULT MALE | 05-2023 | TICINO | SWITZERLAND
VIDEO of the deer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3GFWK6hGYc&t=1s
My best photos are here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...
And in case you're interested, the black-and-white version of this photo is here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...
THE STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO:
When I decided a couple of years ago that my nature photography would be focusing only on what I was able to capture from within my garden or its immediate surroundings, I was aware I would likely never be able to shoot anything bigger than insects and reptiles, and perhaps - if I got lucky - birds.
You can find the reasoning behind my admittedly very limiting approach to photography here in case you're interested www.flickr.com/photos/191055893@N07/52278144284/in/datepo... ; I'm only bringing it up again because due to this self-imposed "strictly-garden" rule, a shot like the one above was something I originally never could have hoped for.
I captured this roe buck in May 2023, but unlike with the last photo I posted here, I didn't break my own rule. Nature always surprises me - but I guess I should start at the beginning. As some of you might remember, in spring 2022 I had already had an unexpected encounter with a roe deer, a beautiful female, just outside my garden. This made me realize that against all odds and contrary to what I had believed, bigger forest wildlife occasionally DID venture close enough to my garden for me to photograph it - just never once the sun was up and human activity in the village had started.
I was able to capture lady roe deer with my camera the following day from within my premises, but due to the low light conditions and high ISO required, the resulting image was so grainy it looked more like a Van Gogh painting than a photo, and so I opted for black-and-white: www.flickr.com/photos/191055893@N07/52441239338/in/datepo...
My doe-eyed neighbor subsequently returned on several occasions, always in the early hours, though she would inevitably retreat back into the forest as soon as sunrise approached, and I was never able to get a daylight shot. That was fine though; I was over the moon that I had gotten a photo of this beautiful animal at all, because that was already more than I ever expected.
Cut to spring last year, when my whole vacation went down the drain - quite literally - because it drowned in a seemingly never-ending downpour of rain. The entire month of May was cold, damp, dark and miserable, and the only cheerful thing about it was the sign attached to Heaven's floodgates: "YES, WE'RE OPEN: ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!" 😄
I rarely left the house, but one time when I briefly did go out around noon to inspect how much damage the constant downpour had caused to the terrain around my vacation home, I was greeted by a wonderful surprise: an impressive, almost regal looking roe buck was grazing peacefully in the meadow just below my garden.
"Of course!" I thought, mentally face-palming myself for not realizing sooner what should have been obvious to a country bumpkin like me from the beginning: the constant rainfall may have been a nuisance to us people, but precisely because it kept humans in, the animals of the forest dared to come out.
In such damp conditions, with no two-legged creatures around threatening them, the wildlife of the nearby woods enjoyed the rare privilege of grazing in the open field in broad daylight (well, calling it "broad" might be a bit of a stretch considering the lousy weather, but there WAS daylight alright - at least I could see my hands and it was definitely day 😉 ).
I wondered how many times in the past weeks I would have had the opportunity to finally get a "noise-free" shot of this shy ungulate if only I had remembered that I always used to go out and observe wildlife as a child when the weather was bad. But I certainly wouldn't let THIS chance here pass; carefully, veeeeery slowly I retreated back into the house to get my camera.
When I returned, the roe buck was thankfully still there (I glimpsed him through the bushes in my garden), and so I confidently applied what I consider my greatest (and some might say only 😂) real skill as a nature photographer: the SSA (that's short for "Sneaky-Stealth Approach" in case you wondered😉). I pride myself in having mastered this high art, and now was the moment to put it to use.
Alas, things did not go as planned. Just as I stretched my head out from behind the young ash tree that served as my cover and was about to set one foot into a more stable position (naturally in slow motion - as is protocol for the SSA 😉), Mr. Roe Buck decided to look up - and our eyes met.
Needless to say, we were both not happy. A - very - brief exchange of looks (or rather stares) followed, which I would translate into language thusly:
Roe Buck (startled): "What the -... Why are you out of the house, human? It's raining: this is against the rules!"
Me (pleading): "I'm really sorry. Can't we just pretend you didn't see me so I can photograph you? Please?"
Roe Buck (outraged): "How dare you! This is entirely out of order: I shall report this!"
And with a last clearly disgusted look at the unruly human he took off and darted towards the woods. But just before he reached the forest, he stopped and turned around. For a moment he just stood there in the tall grass, completely still, and looked back at me as if he wanted to make sure he hadn't just seen some ghastly apparition, which allowed me to get the shot you see above.
That moment only lasted a couple of seconds, then Mr. Roe Buck stepped gracefully into the woods and disappeared from my eyes. But he made good on his promise: as soon as he had reached the safety of the dense chestnut forest that surrounds our tiny village he started barking loudly, making sure every inhabitant got the report that a human was lose in the neighborhood.
I was more than satisfied though; the photo you can see here was taken from almost 30 meters away, and even though it lacks any real depth of field and isn't exactly crisp, I love the pose and the eye contact, and I think it conveys quite well what an elegant creature this is.
And I'm happy to report that the roe buck apparently didn't hold a grudge, as he subsequently came back many times (he was - and still is - easily recognizable by his unusual, very distinct almost white "mask").
The meadow below my garden is apparently his "turf", and I've been able to photograph (and film: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3GFWK6hGYc&t=1s ) him and his most loyal lady friend on many more occasions than I could and frankly WOULD have wished for (because - you guessed it - the weather here has been lousy WAY too often, particularly this year 😂).
Thankfully though, I've gotten better at the SSA, which means that nowadays I manage to observe and photograph these noble creatures discretely enough that they don't have to complain about me to the forest police 😊.
That's all for now; many greetings from Switzerland and have a great start into the new week everyone! And as always: thank you all so much for letting me know what you think in the comments (even though it will take me ages to respond as I haven't even managed to thank everyone who has commented on the last photo - but I promise I will). 🙏 😊 ❤
Genette commune Ginette ( femelle )
Merci à vous tous pour vos visites et commentaires
Thanks to all of you for the comments and visits
The studio of Nora Heysen AM, who was an Australian artist, the first woman to win the prestigious Archibald Prize in 1938 for portraiture and the first Australian woman appointed as an official war artist. Nora had an excellent pedigree, her father was Sir Hans Heysen, one of Australia's favourite artists.
This room was part of Nora Heysen's studio complex on the family estate near Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills district. Right after taking this photo I noticed a discrete sign advising visitors not to take photographs. Oh well, at least I didn't use flash - oops, oh yes I did. 😁
Studio, Nora Heysen, Hahndorf, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Tout le monde pense que les demoiselles sont discrètes, mais quand on me zoome dessus, impossible de cacher mon côté photogénique 😗
Selfie réussi, regard perçant, et antennes bien coiffées … qui dit mieux ?
°°°°°°°°°
Everyone thinks damselflies are discreet, but when you zoom in on me, it’s impossible to hide my photogenic side. 😗
Selfie successful, piercing gaze, and antennae perfectly styled … who could top that ?
Credit : Pedro Luis Saiz
Blauwe vuurvlinder (Lycaena helle) Habitat & Behaviour: Damp meadows and bogs with an abundance of the larval food plant bistort, Polygonum bistorta. It flies discretely over the vegetation and neighbouring meadows. Due to its small size it is difficult to spot and is quickly lost to sight
Under a heavy sky, a figure looks out over the horizon, caught between the stillness of the moment and the weight of thought.
A scene that feels cinematic frozen in a quiet, introspective frame.
"Davanti al silenzio"
Sotto un cielo carico di nubi, una figura osserva l’orizzonte, sospesa tra la calma del presente e il peso dei pensieri.
Una scena che sembra tratta da un film ferma in un istante di solitudine e bellezza silenziosa.
"Face au silence"
Sous un ciel chargé, une silhouette contemple l’horizon, comme suspendue entre le calme du présent et le poids des pensées.
Une scène qui pourrait appartenir à un film figée dans un instant de solitude et de beauté discrète.
Blauwe vuurvlinder (Lycaena helle) Habitat & Behaviour: Damp meadows and bogs with an abundance of the larval food plant bistort, Polygonum bistorta. It flies discretely over the vegetation and neighbouring meadows. Due to its small size it is difficult to spot and is quickly lost to sight.
Isn't that cute vicuña lady on her way to seduce us?
Vicuñas and guanacos are the two wild species of South American camelids. They are herbivores and live in the high mountains of the Andes.
Vicuñas are smaller, have a light brown head, a more discrete tail, and live at altitudes of 3,200 to 4,800 m (10,500 to 15,700 ft), while guanacos are larger, have a gray head, a coma-shaped tail, and live at lower altitudes (up to 4,000 m, 13,000 ft).
This photo was taken in the wild at a place called Vado del Rio Putana (ford of the Putana River), about 55 km (35 miles) north of San Pedro de Atacama, in the Chilean Atacama Desert.
#341 in Explore on Oct 28, 2024.
© 2021 Jacques de Selliers. All rights reserved.
For reproduction rights, see www.deselliers.info/en/copyright.htm.
Photo ref: j8e_28629-ps1-Atacama
P:17:39, X0=2, 1hF=6.4h, 2hF=17h, 3hF=26h, 3.5hF=35h, 4hF=108h
#WPD25Animals
Right over my head earlier this summer...
Cumulus cloud
Small cumulus humilis clouds floating over cloud that can have noticeable vertical development and clearly defined edges.
Cumulo- means "heap" or "pile" in Latin. Cumulus clouds are often described as "puffy", "cotton-like" or "fluffy" in appearance, and have flat bases. Cumulus clouds, being low-level clouds, are generally less than 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in altitude unless they are the more vertical cumulus congestus form. Cumulus clouds may appear by themselves, in lines, or in clusters.
Cumulus clouds are often precursors of other types of cloud, such as cumulonimbus, when influenced by weather factors such as instability, moisture, and temperature gradient. Normally, cumulus clouds produce little or no precipitation, but they can grow into the precipitation-bearing congestus or cumulonimbus clouds. Cumulus clouds can be formed from water vapor, supercooled water droplets, or ice crystals, depending upon the ambient temperature. They come in many distinct subforms, and generally cool the earth by reflecting the incoming solar radiation. Cumulus clouds are part of the larger category of free-convective cumuliform clouds, which include cumulonimbus clouds. The latter genus-type is sometimes categorized separately as cumulonimbiform due to its more complex structure that often includes a cirriform or anvil top. There are also cumuliform clouds of limited convection that comprise stratocumulus (low-étage), altocumulus (middle-étage) and cirrocumulus. (high-étage). These last three genus-types are sometimes classified separately as stratocumuliform.
Formation
Cumulus clouds form via atmospheric convection as air warmed by the surface begins to rise. As the air rises, the temperature drops (following the lapse rate), causing the relative humidity (RH) to rise. If convection reaches a certain level the RH reaches one hundred percent, and the "wet-adiabatic" phase begins. At this point a positive feedback ensues: since the RH is above 100%, water vapour condenses, releasing latent heat, warming the air and spurring further convection.
In this phase, water vapor condenses on various nuclei present in the air, forming the cumulus cloud. This creates the characteristic flat-bottomed puffy shape associated with cumulus clouds. The size of the cloud depends on the temperature profile of the atmosphere and the presence of any inversions. During the convection, surrounding air is entrained (mixed) with the thermal and the total mass of the ascending air increases. Rain forms in a cumulus cloud via a process involving two non-discrete stages. The first stage occurs after the droplets coalesce onto the various nuclei. Langmuir writes that surface tension in the water droplets provides a slightly higher pressure on the droplet, raising the vapor pressure by a small amount. The increased pressure results in those droplets evaporating and the resulting water vapor condensing on the larger droplets. Due to the extremely small size of the evaporating water droplets, this process becomes largely meaningless after the larger droplets have grown to around 20 to 30 micrometres, and the second stage takes over. In the accretion phase, the raindrop begins to fall, and other droplets collide and combine with it to increase the size of the raindrop. Langmuir was able to develop a formula which predicted that the droplet radius would grow unboundedly within a discrete time period.
For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumulus_cloud
I've always been kind of a back door man, preferring the discrete approach vs. a flashy front door entrance. The door on the right has definite possibilities for a legitimate stealth entry. I'd probably fall down those stairs if they were my chosen entryway.
Grass Valley CA
The old Russell Street Police Head Quarters -cream brick building sandwiched between the tall buildings on the right are famous (infamous?) for a number of reasons.
The front steps of the headquarters were used in the opening scenes of the classic 1970s Australian Police Drama-Division 4.
Then in 1986, it was rocked by a bombing resulting in the first Australian policewoman to be killed in the line of duty.
Perhaps lesser known was the shenanigans that took place in the car-park behind the Police Station in the late 1980s. When the Sherpa and I were ”going out” we lived on opposite sides of Melbourne. This darkened car-park was our meeting point to starting our city adventures
--and end them.
We used it as a safe spot to go “parking”-we had police protection-right ;) . We thought we were pretty discrete until a police officer came, tapped on our window and shone his bright torch into the car. “What are you two up to”? Ahhhh not much Officer. “Then move along...” All I can say is thank goodness for the blanket ;-)
Taken through the car windscreen
The mesmerizing beauty of the Great Grey Owl, the "Phantom of the North". with it's large facial disk and its piercing eyes!
The Great Grey Owl is one of the most stealthy birds of prey and is known for its silent, discrete nature and ghostly characteristics, hence its nickname of "Phantom of the north"! It is also known as the Lapland Owl, Spectral Owl, Bearded Owl, and Sooty Owl.
Its scientific name comes from the Greek ‘strizo’, meaning to screech, and the Latin ‘nebulosa’, meaning dark or clouded, referring to their grey colouration.
Great Grey Owls spend their time in dense evergreen pine and fir forests with small openings or meadows nearby. They also live in subarctic swampy evergreen forest dotted with bogs or other openings (also known as taiga). They are found in Scandinavia, northern North America, and northern Asia.
Chrysolina graminis. River Ouse, York
The beetle is threatened due to reduction in suitable wetland habitat and food plants, including tansy tanacetum vulgare. UK distribution was thought to be restricted to the River Ouse in York but the species was rediscovered in the East Anglian Fens in 2014. The tansy beetle doesn’t travel far through its lifecycle and despite the presence of wings it rarely flies.
Both adults and larvae use the same host plant during their life cycle. As tansy often grows in discrete clumps, the total population of the beetle in an area may be divided and individuals may spend their entire life cycle within an area of a few square metres.
Adults mate between March and June. Between August and September, the resultant new adult population emerges to feed before returning underground to overwinter in October; emergence of adults is from March to April the next year.
Most adults from the earlier emergence die before the end of summer.
Survival during winter underfground hibernation is surprisingly high, as autumn and spring population sizes are very similar. This is despite annual winter flooding of the River Ouse, indicating that overwintering individuals must be extremely tolerant of long periods of inundation and oxygen deprivation.. Approximately 5% of overwintering adults do not emerge from the soil after the winter, but remain underground for the next year in a state of extended diapause and emerge in the following spring.
( Wikipedia)
Note to self--it doesn't work to be lazy, leave your ND filters in the truck, and hope to combine discrete frames in a Photoshop stack to get smooth flowing water (this is a stack of 14 frames).
Here's mum. It's not easy finding, or taking a shot of an adult tawny owl, on foot, whilst walking through a dark forest. It is also extremely dangerous when she has chicks nearby. I don't want to become the next Eric Hosking and end up with one eye. We kept discrete and she showed no concern by our presence.
L'abeille et la fleur sauvage, dans le Cantal.
Merci à vous tous pour vos commentaires & favoris (très appréciés).
Thank you all for your comments & favorites (very much appreciated).
Pointe Pelée.
Une paruline des plus discrète. Cachée dans un fouillis de branches, faisant de très brèves apparitions pour disparaître à nouveau.
Tout l'après-midi, avec plusieurs photographes nous tentions, tant bien que mal, de la captée sans grand résultat. De retour le lendemain aux premières heures... Nous sommes les premiers sur place et la voilà qu'elle surgie hors de sa cachette, le temps d'un cliché...
Point Pelee.
One of the most discreet warbler. Hidden in a jumble of branches, making very brief appearances to disappear again.
All afternoon, with several photographers we were, somehow, trying to capture without much success. Back the next day in the early hours ... We are the first on the spot and here it comes out of his hiding place, time for a cliché ...
Un angolo che sembra immaginato, e invece resiste.
In un vicolo silenzioso, questo edificio sembra uscito da un sogno vintage o da un film Ghibli: intonaci irregolari, finestre tonde e piombate, colori caldi che colano sulle superfici come miele. Dentro, la luce soffusa rivela presenze discrete. È una trattoria italiana, ma come ogni cosa occidentale che attecchisce in Giappone, si è fusa con il tessuto urbano nipponico, generando un curioso e affascinante ibrido. Un luogo che parla due lingue — e forse due tempi — senza dire una parola.
まるで想像の中だけに存在するような一角、それでもここにある。
静かな裏通りにひっそりと佇むこの建物は、まるでヴィンテージな夢やジブリ映画から抜け出してきたかのよう。でこぼこな壁、丸い窓、柔らかな光が壁を蜜のように包み込む。中からは、静かな会話とぬくもりが感じられる。ここはイタリア風のトラットリアだが、日本に根付いた西洋文化らしく、街の風景と見事に融合している。どこか不思議で美しいハイブリッド。その佇まいは、ふたつの文化と時間を静かに語っている。
A corner that feels imagined — and yet, it endures.
Tucked in a quiet backstreet, this building looks like it’s been pulled from a vintage dream or a Ghibli set: uneven plaster, round and leaded windows, warm light dripping down the walls like honey. Inside, a soft glow hints at quiet conversations. It’s an Italian trattoria, yet like most Western things that take root in Japan, it’s fused with the local fabric — creating a unique, oddly harmonious hybrid. A place that speaks two languages, and maybe two timelines, without uttering a word.