View allAll Photos Tagged EFFORT
Some poor planning, along with a little laziness put me in a predicament that would leave me with just about zero possibilities of a decent shot. C789 dodges the shadows at Van Dyne on its way to Green Bay for C Reis.
This photo reflects the effort to get the summit of this corridor.
Climbing up a snowed corridor completely vertical with crampons and a rope is an amazing experience.
It serves to gain practice at the mountain and to improve in difficult situations in the future.
Vermicelle's Corridor. Cambre d´Ase. French Pyrenees.
After finishing up their work at Tri City and leaving the two classic GP18s behind there New Hampshire Northcoast Railroad train D8 from Ossipee to Dover is highballing south behind GP38-2s NHN 3825 (blt. Sept. 1978 as CR 8244), leased FURX 5509 (blt. Mar. 1970 as high nosed straight GP38 SOU 2801) and NHN 3823 (blt. Sept. 1978 as CR 8242). They are approaching the Old Milton Road crossing as they roll thru the colorful the marshland surrounding Heath Brook near MP 81.8 on the former Boston and Maine Railroad's Conway Branch.
For those who are less familiar with this route here is a concise history excerpted from a June 2004 report to the NH State Legislature by the state DOT's Bureau of Rail and Transit on the feasibility of reopening the line to service all the way to Conway.
'Several railroad histories describe the formation and construction of the Conway Branch rail line, most recently The Rail Lines of Northern New England (Robert M. Lindsell, Branch Line Press, 2000). After several attempts to form railroad companies and construct the southern segments of this line, the Portsmouth, Great Falls, and Conway Railroad was chartered in 1865. Construction of the line was completed to West Ossipee in 1871 and to North Conway in 1872.
Initially, the line initiated at Jewett in Maine, through Salmon Falls to Somersworth. This
alignment was replaced by the current line from Rollinsford to Somersworth. Passenger service from Boston to the new North Conway station began in 1872. A connection with the Portland & Ogdensburg Railroad (later Maine Central’s Mountain Division) at Intervale was made in 1875.
The Portsmouth, Great Falls and Conway was part of the Eastern Railroad, which merged with the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1890. The railroad served manufacturing plants in several communities and lumber mills and sand and gravel operations in the Conway area. Freight service north of Ossipee ended in 1972. During the 1980s, the Boston Sand & Gravel Co. initiated service on the line for its subsidiary, Ossipee Aggregates by a new railroad, the New Hampshire Northcoast. This included the purchase of the line from Rochester to Ossipee and a major rehabilitation project that was partly funded by the state of New Hampshire through capital budget appropriations, federal Local Rail Freight Assistance funds, and the state’s revolving loan program for short line railroads. In 1994, the New Hampshire Northcoast purchased the balance of the line from Rollinsford to Rochester from the B&M.
The rehabilitation of the Conway Branch to Ossipee was a major undertaking, involving a large investment by the New Hampshire Northcoast and expenditure of $989,000 in state capital budget funds, $656,000 in LRFA funds (with railroad matching funds), and $606,000 in revolving loan funds now being repaid by the railroad. The railroad’s ability to handle heavy loads of sand and gravel has removed approximately 30,000 trucks per year from the highway system between Ossipee and Boston.
The Boston and Maine and its predecessors operated passenger service on the Conway Branch from 1872 to 1961. The Interstate Commerce Commission approved abandonment of the line from Mt. Whittier (West Ossipee) to Intervale in 1972. Abandonment, a process now handled by the federal Surface Transportation Board, the successor to the ICC, relieves a railroad of its obligation to provide freight service to a shipper. In 1974, the railroad corridor within the town of Conway was sold to the Conway Scenic Railroad.
Efforts to preserve the Conway Branch as a railroad corridor have included the purchase of most of the line within the town of Madison by the town in 1987, and its subsequent sale to the state in 1995. The state of New Hampshire purchased the balance of the line owned by the Boston & Maine in 2001. Today, the New Hampshire Northcoast owns the railroad corridor from its junction with the B&M main line in Rollinsford to Route 28 in Ossipee, the state owns it from that point to the Albany-Conway town line, and the Conway Scenic owns the balance of the corridor in the town of Conway to Intervale.'
Rochester, New Hampshire
Wednesday October 8, 2025
This Grey Wagtail was non stop in its efforts to feed her brood.Photographed a little while ago at Clumber Park.
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I was one of the lucky ones who got to spend the day with what's left of the men, women and machines of the Royal Air Force's amazing Tornado Force today.
These incredible workhorses have less than two months left before the disbandment parade that will signify the end of their operational careers.
Fittingly, RAF Marham has painted one of the machines into the scheme the type wore when entering service. She looks magnificent.
Sincere thanks to all for their efforts today and always.
A few hours later than previous photo. Fingers frozen, and getting tired. On the way back to the highway we came across a Captrain engine waiting to leave the Alaska section. This would have been a nice one to follow, but me and my friends lights were fading out so it was time to head back to our respective homes.
ASCEN 266 003 (CTB 6603), Antwerpen Bundel Alaska 23-1-2016
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In an effort to bring in more pollinators to my vegetable garden, I've started trying to grow more flowers. I'm not nearly as successful with flowers as I am with veggies!
I've been making an effort over the last few weeks to get some Pan Am shots at locations I've not gotten previously (even though this spot is in my home town); this netted me this view of AYPO hustling east at 'Cummings' in South Berwick, Maine. B40-8s are fairly unusual in District 2 so even with the gloom I was happy with the result. The B&M Cummings depot that stood at this spot is now on display at the Johnson Hall Museum on US Route 1 in Wells, Maine.
Cerne Abbas, Dorset
An early start today, but well worth the effort.
Sony A1, FE 200-600 G OSS
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Rosas de Santa Gemita - 122721 - Enhanced-5
Many Thanks to the +13,305,000 visitors of my photographic stream
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© Ioan C. Bacivarov
All the photos on this gallery are protected by the international of copyright and they are not for being used on any site, blog or forum, transmitted or manipulated without the explicit written permission of the author. Thank you in advance
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My house is built on hallowed ground and land that was reclaimed from the sea. It suits the essence of me and calms my spirit to walk in my garden knowing that it was left for many years, an abandoned place until the house was built and the stony and sandy ground where nothing much grew except ancient plants; wild flowers that blew in on the wind. Then someone planted trees from all four corners of the earth and plants that should not have survived began to flourish as if the roots of these trees breathed new life into the earth. There have been only a few guardians of this magical place and I am honoured to be the current guardian. At first I tried to plant what I liked; tried to enforce my will on this holy place, but in time I realised something … you cannot force a garden to grow; to bend to your will. A garden evolves slowly over time of it's own accord mostly and we, as guardians, should allow it to guide us. In this way I have found peace and happiness here and I embrace the changes of my ever-evolving garden. I seldom buy anything new to plant. I wait for the winds; I wait for the seasons; I witness the changes and I grow and evolve as a person in much the same way as my garden does. It is a joy to anticipate each new season; each new wind; and to see what appears. There is always something unexpected appearing. Life is full of surprises; of serendipitous moments. I wonder sometimes about these old trees. I think whoever planted them was guided and perhaps the garden welcomed the dappled shade on what once was a desert. Certainly I feel myself sometimes directed to introduce a new species. Perhaps I am guided also by a hand that I cannot fathom. We are not meant to understand everything. If we allow ourselves to just be, we may find, without effort, how our path unfolds with relative ease. I have found this to be the case. All those years of struggle and now I can just let go … it really is that easy to be content.
p.s. I was compelled reluctantly to remove a Laburnum tree that I thought might be harmful to my cats. I had always wanted such a tree with it's beautiful yellow flowers … but in it's place a Forsythia grew with a profusion of yellow flowers. I did not plant it! Magic? Yes, I believe so! : 0)
“I like gardening. It’s a place where I find myself when I need to lose myself. “
– Alice Sebold
Soundtrack : www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbx6aXhocew
IN ABANDONED PLACES - Raison d'Etre
Please enjoy the unique experience of this video.
Lieber Rolf, ich denke du wirst diesen Film zu schätzen wissen! : 0)
“We leave our footprints in a place to mingle with the echoes of all that went before; our heartbeats; our rhythm; the patterns of our lives.” - AP
I wander in the wilderness
my garden of delights
a jungle by the turquoise sea
a land so flat; the moon at night
shines down with silvery fingers
and touches the ground with magical spells
and come the breaking dawn of morning
all ills are banished and all is well
the dark and mysterious creatures
who loiter in the dusk
emerge in brilliant sunshine
with all-seeing eyes; an elephant tusk
protrudes and scythes the longest grasses
parts the meadow like the ancient sea
leaving behind a trail of crimson
flowers of sorrel and sweet harmony
reigns here as the King of the Jungle
seeks solace in the afternoon siesta
ignores the urban sounds outside
these walls; these trees; a back-firing Fiesta
alerts the songbirds from their idle rest
they flitter and flutter from tree to tree
and as I lie within the striped hammock
I swing and sing low to the sound of the breeze
a mist arises suddenly; springs up from the sea
settles a cloak; an air of mystery
around the shoulders of myself and the limbs
of the ancient trees as I sip my Pimms
I can barely keep my eyes from closing
the warmth of the air so cloying and deep
I find myself falling gently to the humming of bees
as I lapse now into a soundless sleep
I awake to find the blue sky black
lit by a billion diamonds or more
an infinite guide is laid out before me
the wisdom of ancient celestial stars of yore
some say when we see them
they have already died
long ago before our ancestors
what does this imply
do our eyes deceive us
or are we psychic or perhaps
we are more knowledgeable than we realise
all we need falls easily into our laps
but still we often ignore
the instincts that are given
override them; divide them
dilute them; we're driven
to only see clearly to the end of our noses
we fail to stop often to smell the scent of the roses
take stock; stand still
absorb the nature of all living things
for in this garden I discovered
nature brings happiness and happiness brings
peace of mind; plentiful bounty
the sweetest fruits of the earth
the love that will bind us
circumnavigate the world's girth
here I find every day all that I need
the flora; the fauna; all that set seed
and I've no desire to be anywhere else
as much as I desire to be here
in this garden full of Heaven
there is love; there is goodness that I hold dear
from the humblest of creatures
find the beauty in a fly
sing so loud like a blackbird
view the world through a child's eyes.
- AP - Copyright © remains with and is the intellectual property of the author
Copyright © protected image please do not reproduce without permission
My artwork is a blend of 4 of my photographs taken in my garden
Faded.
Secret #24
Sometimes, I wonder how I got to be where I'm at now.
I'm a fairly humble guy, and i often sit back and wonder why me?
Ever since Jr. High, I was never really a good test taker, and that lived through to the SAT's....i took them twice and combined, only scored an 890. It is what it is, i put forth an effort both times and I just couldn't make it.
I applied to one school..California University of Pennsylvania, its part of the State School System in PA, now, I'm not sure if they just let anyone in, or if they were looking for more of a demographic from Central part of the state (its kinda like the 13th grade of Pittsburgh)
To be honest I'm not sure why I got in. But what came of it, is what makes me glad that i was accepted.
Towards the end of my freshman year, my one professor approached me. now earlier on in the day i was dickin around in class w/ a friend so i thought well i deserve whats about to come to me...i walk into his office and he asked me to be his lab assistant...Little did i know, that this professor was about to become one of my best friends. Thats when i knew i was in the right spot....when he announced who his labby was going to be almost all the professors responded with a "Who? Why? Really?"
...well little did they know but, I caught wind of this, and i was now not only out to impress myself....i wanted to prove these professors wrong, and make a somebody out of myself. From that moment on I changed i could tell, I was given an opportunity, and I knew it would take hard work.
All went well, and then as part of my Labby duties I attended the Advisory Board meeting, cause we were going through accreditation. There I met an industry leader, someone i've only dreamed of talking to, some one we talked about in Class..it was crazy i'm sitting next to this person and i some how got the courage to ask him a few questions...i was intrigued by this cutting edge technology he helped build...he was very polite, and before i knew it we were setting up a position for me at the company he worked for as an intern
...now previously i jokingly talked up this company like "Yeah I want to work there someday"
....well that day was now, i started immediately that summer and have been there since...(2 summers now)...
I've made a name for myself... and thats something i can be proud of.
now i'm starting my last semester, I'm graduating a semester early, and my journey is ending, and ...all the professors are sad to see me leave.
That was like 4-6 secrets in itself, i hope you all took the time to read this, i apologize for its length.
It’s difficult to reach the top
Easy to fall back down
The efforts of a single person
In the end
Even when all the stars line up
Are never enough
Reach out, hold my hand.
Of all the images I’ve taken in the last twelve months, this one, for me, represents the year 2020.
Only half awake, I stand here with my hands in my pockets gazing into the distance, watching the shape of the dunes and the sheer size of it is overwhelming even frightening at 4 am. The only existing light is a star filled sky above me. I could’ve stayed here, watched the day arrive softly with each ray of light warming my skin; I could’ve written a love letter and been perfectly content. But on this day, in October, my goal is to climb up the highest dune and photograph at sunrise. Surrounded by silence, my inner voice tells me: You’ve been here before, you know this place, trust your instincts, trust your heart. Encouraged I begin my journey. But be aware, gravity tests your balance with every step sinking into sand as the mind begins to wander: I’ve left my roots far from here, does it mean I’ve grown? Or will I need to find my way back, because the original source is where life began holding water? Certainly, the rhythm of life has changed as well as the rhythm of each step I take. Intently, I listen to the melody familiar to me -my beating heart, moving forward, here and in life -my life. Just then I see a shooting star; flickering lights in my eyes I whisper: “Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight.” I make a wish and I make it to the top. The rising sun greets with all her glory surrounding me with golden hues as far as I can see. For thousands of years these dunes have been here, yet they stay young: always moving, always changing, separating and reconnecting; it's a life of art in motion. The passage of time right in front of my eyes, like an hourglass -two glass bulbs connected- shifting sands, and I can’t help to think that in this lifetime we are all in search for some form of connection -two hearts connected- to give and to take.
Empty, so empty
When the sun goes down
The human touch far
Where do we belong
What do we hold on
Only time will tell
Twenty twenty.
*****
This year, sharing art with people around the world, for me, has been rewarding. I believe that we speak a common language created within all of us -making something meaningful with our cameras. Along the way, we see a glimpse of each other's world. Understanding how much we have in common unites us as people no matter where we come from; the earth is home to all of us. Thank you for being here, I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season filled with joy, health and happiness. Above all, I wish you love.
*****
Decided to make the effort and get up and out of bed to start doing sunrises again.
This is Higger Tor / Surprise View in The Peak District, the light was fantastic for about 20 minutes and then the grey clouds just appeared.
Wow wow wow!! 2.5 yrs ago the robin at my old hide had 5 young unfortunately rats were seen killing 2 of the remaining 3 ,2 were leucistic 1 not a lot i called Storm the other an absolute beauty of a bird I called Blizzard.
Well after they had grown they were chased off by their parents and luckily 1 of the little whites went 200 yds to a friend lotty plot for a few weeks but disappeared.
Now my new place is the other side of the ground quite a distance away I have been there since last March and its affectionately know as the paddock hide.
Well yesterday I went down with the dogs and the camera and after an hour who should appear but Blizzard cant tell you how happy I am and to top it all as well as it being almost Christmas today is national robin day you I'm extremely happy to see my old friend (how old do robins live esp when their bright white) and I have a male sparrowhawk on the prowl?
What a delight just like to wish my flickr friends a very Merry Christmas and I really hope old blizzard becomes a regular fixture .
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Thanks to everyone that takes the time and makes the effort to comment and fave my pics its very much appreciated
Regards Clive
So my efforts to identify this fungus are unresolved. Is it carbon ball or Brittle Cinder Fungus? Or does Kretzschmaria Deusta identify them. Found in a small patch in the 280 acre Culberson Woods Nature Preserve in Clinton County. It's known as a wet beech forest, with a thin layer of white clay on top of its soil. The only trail is a 3 mile loop with no shortcuts.
A bit torn and tattered Monarch butterfly resting on a hydrangea flower. I'm seeing many more Monarch butterflies this year than in recent years. I have many native plants that I planted specifically for the butterflies, and it seems that my efforts are not in vain. Backyard photography.
An afternoon of challenging conditions, I got the briefest of gifts for my efforts climbing Cairn Gorm the interesting way via the Fiacaill Buttress. It's moments like these that are the cherry on top for me, The ridge in the distance is the route I took up. An enjoyable and exposed scramble in the Cairngorm National Park, Scotland.
Malgré son chant et la danse de ses plumes, les efforts de ce mâle restèrent vains. Point de femelle en vue.
One of the most iconic photo-spots in Germany. It is far out in the East, out of (almost) everyone's way. But we made the effort to get there. I planned to shoot through sunset into the blue hour. But the weather gods weren't quite with us that evening... except for a few brief moments before sunset when the bridge was lit up dramatically. Those few moments were totally worth it!
Featured on FRONT PAGE of The New Perfection In Pictures in February 2018
Prints are now available for all of my images. Head over to the About-section of my web page to find out more!
Thanks for your visit. If you like my images, stop by at hpd-fotografy or follow me on 500px, Instagram, flickr and Facebook.
Oh! And a big sorry to everyone! I know, I have kept you waiting a long time for a new image. That's because I was extremely busy with many things lately. But big promise for 2018: I will edit and upload more often! Still have many sleeping beauties on my hard disk and quite a few new photo-journeys planned. So watch this space! I am still alive :-)
Be the first to kick start your generous support and fund my production with more amazing images!
Currently, I'm running a crowd funding activity to initiate my personal 2016 Flickr's Project. Here, I sincerely request each and every kind hearted souls to pay some effort and attention.
No limitation, Any Amount and your encouraging comments are welcome.
Crowd funding contribution can be simply direct to my PayPal account if you really appreciate and wish my forthcoming photography project to come alive.
Please PayPal your wish amount to : men4r@yahoo.com
Email me or public comments below your contribution amount for good records with your comments and at final day, at random, I shall sent out my well taken care canon 6D with full box n accessory during random draw to one thankful contributor as my token of appreciation.
Now, I cordially invite and look forward with eagerness a strong pool of unity zealous participants in this fundermental ideology yet sustainable crowd fund raising task.
Basically, the substantial gather amount is achievable with pure passion n love heart in photography and not necessary be filty rich nor famous to help me accomplish raising my long yearning photography career, a sucking heavy expense that been schedules down my photography making journey had inevitably, some circumstances had badly fall short behind racing with time and inability to fulfill as quickly in near future consolidating good fund .
Honestly, with aspiration and hope, I appeal to urge on this media for a strong humanity mandate through good faith of sharing and giving generously on this particular crowd funding excercise to achieve my desire n is not just purely a dread dream , is also flickers first starter own crowds funding strength turning impossible into reality through this pratical raising method that I confidently trust it will turn fruitful from all your small effort participation, every single persistency will result consolidating piling up every little tiny bricks into an ultimate huge strong living castle.
In reality, I have trust and never look down on every single peny efforts that been contributed as helpful means, turning unrealistic dream alive is the goal in crowd funding excercise, No reason any single amount is regard to be too small when the strength of all individual wish gather to fulfill my little desire to make exist and keep alive. .
I sincerely look forward each and every participants who think alike crowds funding methodlogy works here no matter who come forwards with regardless any capital amount input be big or small , please help gather and pool raise my objective target amount as close to USD$10K or either acquisition from donation item list below:
1- ideally a high mega pixel Canon 5DS ( can be either new or use ok)
2- Canon 70-200mm F2.8 L IS lens ( can be either new or use ok)
Last but not least, a photography journey of life time for a trip to explore South Island of New Zealand and Africa.
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My intended schedule may estimate about 1 month round trip self drive traveling down scenic Southern Island of New Zealand for completing the most captivating landscape photography and wander into the big five, the wilderness of untamed Africa nature for my project 2016 before my physical body stamina eventually drain off.
During the course, I also welcome sponsor's to provide daily lodging/accommodation, car rental/transportation, Fox Glacier helicopter ride and other logistic funding expenses, provide photographic camera equipments or related accessories .
Kindly forward all sponsors request terms of condition n collaboration details for discussion soon.
Great Ocean Drive- the 12 Apostle's
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Ice and snow slowly transition to liquid water in a small, shallow tarn high above the Innvikfjorden and the town of Loen, Norway.
The climb up a different fjord on the previous day was significant enough that some in our party balked at repeating the effort so soon on its heels, so on this day we elected to plonk down our kroners and enjoy an effortless ride to the top of the Innvikfjorden via the Loen Skylift. The Skylift is a large gondola supported by only two towers, one at the beginning and one at the end. On the ride up, the angle of the lines is such that one is essentially hauled straight up a good portion of the cliff, providing quite a sensation of the heights. The top of the Skylift has a restaurant with an extraordinary view, and a ledge frequented by people wearing squirrel wingsuits to launch into the void, for what must be the mother of all adrenaline rushes. We witnessed several people preparing to make the leap, and I cannot say I was inspired to attempt such foolishness myself.
Seeking adventures on a somewhat less exciting scale, I had it in mind to walk up one of the peaks that is several kilometers from the top of the Skylift. Not long after setting off, we encountered more or less continuous snow cover, and it was clear that the route to the peak I wanted to ascend was steep and snowy enough that it would be dangerous without axe and crampons. Lacking such helpful instruments, I noticed a rock band that looked possible to climb up and around the steepest of the snow, but my wife put her foot down firmly and informed me she was not at all interested in such things, but that I was welcome to head up myself if I wanted. My two boys also demurred. Feeling that common sense might be percolating through the rest of my family, I gave up the idea and we set our sights on a somewhat closer, and reasonably safer overlook in a different direction. Along the way I discovered this small tarn, and I was captivated by the abrupt phase transition from solid to liquid that divides the frame.
A huge amount of effort has been made to encourage the Bittern to breed in the UK. From a low number of just eleven breeding pairs in 1997 their population has increased to 227 breeding pairs. Much of the reason for this has been habitat management. This has been great for the Bittern and also those like me who are interested in birdlife in the UK. The big issue for those enthusiasts is that the Bittern is a shy and secretive bird that lives in reedbeds, rarely poking its beak out to look at the outside world.
I have seen and photographed them before but much to Shirley's frustration she has only had very distant views of the birds. Yesterday all of that changed when we were sat in the Roger Mitchell Hide at Potteric Carr, Shirley quietly but excitedly pointed me in the direction of the nearest reedbeds where the unmistakable shape of a Bittern could be seen stealthily stalking through the reeds. Good views were short lived but we could see its shadow and occasionally its beak poke up to see what was going on for some time.
This planet seems good. One species seem to be so populous they have infiltrated every continent. They do have some rudimentary language skills but their mathematic ability is so basic they would never be considered an intelligent species. Atmosphere is very similar to ours with minimal terra and bioforming needed making it cheap to colonize.
The fingers quickly tapped the device sending a communication to corporate headquarters that they could apply to the commission to colonize earth with a high degree of probability of being approved.
Within a decade the ships started arriving. Humans objected to being colonized and threw every nuclear weapon they could scrap up. The colonizers retreated back to orbit, baffled by a species intelligent enough to create a bomb that could destroy the atmosphere and stupid enough to deploy it. The colonizers requested equipment to cleanse the atmosphere which was an extra expense. By the time they received approval and the equipment, all life forms on earth were dead except for cockroaches.
The colony shipped in fauna and flora from their original planet. It was much better really. Normally it was very difficult to get permission to make a planet exactly like home. There were groups that fought for planetary diversity but really it wasn't the colonizers' fault the original species killed themselves and almost everything else.
No one was happy about the cockroaches tho. Not even the groups for planetary diversity as cockroaches spread quickly across the galaxies once a few managed to get aboard ships. Major funding was approved to eradicate them. Nothing worked. The cockroaches kept surviving and coming back. Very irritating.
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Since SL is a community effort with lots of people making things, like a movie, here is the credit roll of everyone who helped make this picture possible
Windlight Sky:
Naturally Dreamy Summer from ColeMarie's Windlight Set (Series #1) by ColeMari Soleil
Backdrop:
Data Spaceship Backdrop by Synnergy.Tavis
Handheld object with pose:
Data Reader Bento Pose by Synnergy.Tavis
Myself:
Catsuit ZX-3 Maitreya White by CyberFactory
Hair: River Hair by Raven Bell
13. Bangs / Swept Right Narrow by TRUTH
Simrugh Horns Winter Special Edition by AERTH
Wrist/hands tattoo: Winter Touch, hands by +Fallen Gods Inc.
Lipstick: Evo X - 01 Silver Glitter Lipstick 75% by Izzie's
Eyelashes tinted turquoise through Lel Evox hud for Noel 3.1 by LeLUTKA
Face: Frozen (LeL Evo X) - Porcelain by Bold & Beauty
Skin: Icy by Velour
Head lel Evox Noel 3.1 by LeLUTKA
Body: Lara v.5.3 by Maitreya
Shape: Tessa Shape Vv by WoW Skins with modifications by myself
Note: I added texture and the aqua lighting on the right through Photoshop. For the texture, I used NightCafe to create an image with two planets on one layer and then used the SoftLight filter in PS at 40% opacity. The aqua lighting I brushed two circles of aqua, then Guassian Filter to spread them out, then Vivid Light filters at differing opacity for each circle.
This is my original raw picture from SL
The interior of the 45 meter (147 ft) wide dome of the Il Duomo di Firenze (Florence Cathedral) features a sprawling mosaic decoration of The Last Judgment. Started in 1568 by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari, and several other artists, it took 11 years to finish. The upper portion near the lantern gives the illusion of three-dimensional imagery, incredibly impressive considering that it is a 430-year-old work of art.
Florence Cathedral is the main church of Florence, and is one of the largest in Italy. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can climb the Duomo; I counted 462 steps, but supposedly there are 467, and it’s well worth the effort. Mid-way up there is a gallery where you can walk around and see this amazing fresco a lot closer than from the cathedral floor.
For this photo, I couldn't get my Nikon D60 above the protective glass to get a shot...but my iPhone 6s+ did the job just fine. I have to say that the camera on this device is surprisingly good.
*Press L for best viewing.
Link to ~My best photos~
*** All my photos are © All Rights Reserved. ***
This Photo:
In two weeks time I'll be off to Japan again for our annual White & Wild Japan tour.
Many years ago, I started to experiment with off-camera flash in an effort to create truly original images of the often photographed Japanese snow monkeys. At the time, no one else was doing this, so it seemed like a good thing to do. And it was. Over the years I've created an entire series using this technique, and it eventually won me the Grand Title 'International Nature Photographer Of The Year' at the International Photography Awards. I'm still very proud of that achievement, but it also taught me a valuable lesson: it pays off if you try to be different.
We're still in the early stages of the digital revolution, but you can already see how it has changed photography. Just look at this website for instance. Someone posts a picture on 500px, that picture becomes very popular, and soon after you will see a lot more pictures taken at that same location or of that same subject. Locations that were once exotic have turned into cliches within a decade. If you're the exploring type and/or love hiking, you don't have to worry - people probably won't be able to find your locations and copy what you're doing. But the moment you decide to photograph a common subject or a well know location, it's good to know that you have to put in some extra work to make your images stand out from the rest. That's not easy, but in the end, it will be a good thing for both yourself as an artist and for the quality of photography in general.
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If you're interested in joining us on our White & Wild Japan tour to photograph snow monkeys, Japanese cranes, Steller's sea eagles and whooper swans, please check out our website for more information:
Squiver Photo Tours & Workshops
Marsel
©2015 Marsel van Oosten, All Rights Reserved. This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.
Devil of a job latching onto this stoat as it tumbled, jumped, cavorted and zipped around for about 30 secs. The only passable image of the event.
Many thanks to all who visit, view and comment upon, my efforts
In an effort to improve fuel efficiency, NASA and the aircraft industry are rethinking aircraft design. Inside the 8’ x 6’ wind tunnel at NASA Glenn, engineers recently tested a fan and inlet design, commonly called a propulsor, which could use four to eight percent less fuel than today’s advanced aircraft.
The new propulsor is designed to be embedded in the aircraft’s body, where it would ingest the slower flowing air that normally develops along an aircraft’s surface, called boundary layer, and use it to help propel the aircraft.
The tests showed that the new fan and inlet design could withstand the turbulent boundary layer airflow and increase efficiency. Results of the tests can be applied to cutting-edge aircraft designs that NASA and its partners are pursuing.
Image credit: NASA
The area that was to become West Palm Beach was settled in the late 1870s and 1880s by a few hundred settlers who called the vicinity "Lake Worth Country." These settlers were a diverse community from different parts of the United States and the world. They included founding families such at the Potters and the Lainharts, who would go on to become leading members of the business community in the fledgling city. The first white settlers in Palm Beach County lived around Lake Worth, then an enclosed freshwater lake, named for Colonel William Jenkins Worth, who had fought in the Second Seminole War in Florida in 1842. Most settlers engaged in the growing of tropical fruits and vegetables for shipment the north via Lake Worth and the Indian River. By 1890, the U.S. Census counted over 200 people settled along Lake Worth in the vicinity of what would become West Palm Beach. The area at this time also boasted a hotel, the "Cocoanut House", a church, and a post office. The city was platted by Henry Flagler as a community to house the servants working in the two grand hotels on the neighboring island of Palm Beach, across Lake Worth in 1893, coinciding with the arrival of the Florida East Coast railroad. Flagler paid two area settlers, Captain Porter and Louie Hillhouse, a combined sum of $45,000 for the original town site, stretching from Clear Lake to Lake Worth.
On November 5, 1894, 78 people met at the "Calaboose" (the first jail and police station located at Clematis St. and Poinsettia, now Dixie Hwy.) and passed the motion to incorporate the Town of West Palm Beach in what was then Dade County (now Miami-Dade County). This made West Palm Beach the first incorporated municipality in Dade County and in South Florida. The town council quickly addressed the building codes and the tents and shanties were replaced by brick, brick veneer, and stone buildings. The city grew steadily during the 1890s and the first two decades of the 20th century, most residents were engaged in the tourist industry and related services or winter vegetable market and tropical fruit trade. In 1909, Palm Beach County was formed by the Florida State Legislature and West Palm Beach became the county seat. In 1916, a new neo-classical courthouse was opened, which has been painstakingly restored back to its original condition, and is now used as the local history museum.
The city grew rapidly in the 1920s as part of the Florida land boom. The population of West Palm Beach quadrupled from 1920 to 1927, and all kinds of businesses and public services grew along with it. Many of the city's landmark structures and preserved neighborhoods were constructed during this period. Originally, Flagler intended for his Florida East Coast Railway to have its terminus in West Palm, but after the area experienced a deep freeze, he chose to extend the railroad to Miami instead.
The land boom was already faltering when city was devastated by the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane. The Depression years of the 1930s were a quiet time for the area, which saw slight population growth and property values lower than during the 1920s. The city only recovered with the onset of World War II, which saw the construction of Palm Beach Air Force Base, which brought thousands of military personnel to the city. The base was vital to the allied war effort, as it provided an excellent training facility and had unparalleled access to North Africa for a North American city. Also during World War II, German U-Boats sank dozens of merchant ships and oil tankers just off the coast of West Palm Beach. Nearby Palm Beach was under black out conditions to minimize night visibility to German U-boats.
The 1950s saw another boom in population, partly due to the return of many soldiers and airmen who had served in the vicinity during the war. Also, the advent of air conditioning encouraged growth, as year-round living in a tropical climate became more acceptable to northerners. West Palm Beach became the one of the nation's fastest growing metropolitan areas during the 1950s; the city's borders spread west of Military Trail and south to Lake Clarke Shores. However, many of the city's residents still lived within a narrow six-block wide strip from the south to north end. The neighborhoods were strictly segregated between White and African-American populations, a legacy that the city still struggles with today. The primary shopping district remained downtown, centered around Clematis Street.
In the 1960s, Palm Beach County's first enclosed shopping mall, the Palm Beach Mall, and an indoor arena were completed. These projects led to a brief revival for the city, but in the 1970s and 1980s crime continued to be a serious issue and suburban sprawl continued to drain resources and business away from the old downtown area. By the early 1990s there were very high vacancy rates downtown, and serious levels of urban blight.
Since the 1990s, developments such as CityPlace and the preservation and renovation of 1920s architecture in the nightlife hub of Clematis Street have seen a downtown resurgence in the entertainment and shopping district. The city has also placed emphasis on neighborhood development and revitalization, in historic districts such as Northwood, Flamingo Park, and El Cid. Some neighborhoods still struggle with blight and crime, as well as lowered property values caused by the Great Recession, which hit the region particularly hard. Since the recovery, multiple new developments have been completed. The Palm Beach Mall, located at the Interstate 95/Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard interchange became abandoned as downtown revitalized - the very mall that initiated the original abandonment of the downtown. The mall was then redeveloped into the Palm Beach Fashion Outlets in February 2014. A station for All Aboard Florida, a high speed passenger rail service serving Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando, is under construction as of July 2015.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
Waimea Valley, Botanic Gardens
"Through the efforts of men and women who appreciate the plant that blooms for us every day of the year, Hawaii may rightly be called the Land of the Hibiscus."
- Gerrit P. Wilder, 1921
Modern tropical hibiscus hybrids are truly spectacular, with large flowers and wide variety in color and form, as seen in this section.
These botanical treasures simply would not exist without Hawai'i's pioneering hibiscus breeders. Their impact on the world is clear: Nearly every modern hybrid descends from an early Hawaii hybrid!
Today, breeders throughout the islands and around the world continue to perpetuate Hawaii's legacy of creating and sharing beauty.
The pylons of the bridge that joins Sweden and Denmark (The Øresund Bridge) is seen behind the sailing boat. These countries were (and are, temporarily) separated as a consequence of a govermental effort to limit the spread of the corona virus.
A misty rain fills the sky north of Danville, West Virginia as CSX empty coal train U005 heads towards the yard in town behind a pair of ES44AC's. The train is passing through the remnants of a former coal loadout that is in the process of being demolished to start mine reclamation efforts on the site.
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CSX Coal River Subdivision
Danville, WV
CSX U005 (Coal Empties; Russell, KY to Danville, WV)
CSX 3104 ES44AC Blt. 2012
CSX 3000 ES44AC Blt. 2012
It might be one of the most photographed spots in Banff National Park, but when you see it in person, you understand why. The sweeping mountain backdrop and the lake’s unique shape make it a must-see. It’s one of the few breathtaking viewpoints in the Rockies that requires only a short and easy walk to reach.
Peyto Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada