View allAll Photos Tagged FUTILE
After nearly 2 months of drought we finally got what we had been wishing for - rain!
It descended in torrents .. and felt like the pent-up rain of all 2 months was being delivered, Special Delivery, this morning! So the day's plans were hastily set aside as we dashed to move planters into shelter, and donned wellies to wade through to the sheds and find any buckets or empty trugs we could use to divert the water from the house, and take it from the paved areas to the storm drains. Looking back it was probably a futile effort ... the rain beat us, but mercilfully spared the house!
It was only as the storm abated and more 'normal' heavy rain replaced it for a while that I noticed just how beautiful the submerged flagstones looked beneath the clear rainwater! A strange madness to stand in the water and shoot the raindrops falling!
I combined 2 shots here in a double exposure ...
In Explore: Here
Explore #342 July 28th
Teton Mountains, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
These surely are among the most beautiful mountains in the world. I'm not suggesting they are THE most beautiful--I've seen enough of some of those others to know better--but they are glorious.
Do take a look after expanding it to fill the screen.
This was from my spring (2022) trip to the Northwest and was a spontaneous add-on. I had originally planned to take a more direct route to Oregon that would have had me traveling well north through Montana. Having reached my first planned major stop, Badlands National Park, a look ahead convinced me that a detour was warranted. My last visit here was over 50 years ago when but a wee lad, and though I retained vivid memories of that last encounter, it seemed time, past time, to make some new memories of this wonderful place.
This photo drove me crazy, taking much longer to process than average. I attempted for the greater part of this effort to do this in color, but it just wasn't working for me. When I switched to monochrome, again I was displeased initially, and briefly switched back to color. I finally decided to make this a composite. I stood at the spot for about four hours, taking numerous photos using three different lenses--so I had a lot of photographs to choose from. The main photo, which takes up at least 75% of the finished product, had an immediate foreground that was uniformly, and boringly, illuminated. In terms of the variegated cloud cover and the lighting of the mountains, however, it was the best, IMO. So, I used the foreground from another photo that made for a better contrast, with much of it being in deep shadow courtesy of a large dark cloud. I know that for some, this bit of editing disqualifies the piece for consideration as a "good" photograph. To each his own. But the attempt here is to create something that one might call "art"--not a bit of photojournalism. Thus, every tool in my toolbox can be used with abandon in that legitimate, if futile, effort.
Incidentally, both photos used here are Panos combining three snaps using my 35mm lens.
Con solo 1h e 10min di integrazione totale e temperatura del sensore 22°
-#85 in Explore 11/11/2016 (verificato 12/11/16 ore20:30)
Il 12/09/2015 acquisivo questo FOV con lo scopo di riuscire ad evidenziare anche le Nubi Molecolari che circondano il famosissimo ammasso aperto delle Pleiadi (M45). In questi casi occorrono cieli molto bui, una congrua integrazione e temperatura ambiente abbastanza bassa per chi utilizza le DSLR. Purtroppo velature e nubi mi avevano permesso di acquisire solo 14 frames da 300s: troppo poca l'integrazione di 1h e 10 min per pretendere qualcosa. Inoltre occorre ricordare che lo strumento fotografico era il teleobiettivo Zenit Jupiter-11A 135mm f4 (diametro obiettivo di 33,75 mm). flic.kr/p/MekcC7
Speravo in altre sessioni fotografiche per aumentare almeno l'integrazione totale, ma non sono stato fortunato.
Dopo un anno di inutile speranze ero comunque molto curioso di vedere cosa avrei potuto estrapolare da quei pochi frames. I frames combinati dal programma DeepSkyStacker (DSS) hanno creato il file.tif finale combinato, che mostrava appena un pò di nebulosità attorno a M45.
Il mio obiettivo erano le debolissime Nubi Molecolari quindi mi aspettava una elaborazione molto ardua!
E' stato necessario agire molto sulla regolazione livelli di PS e il forte "stretch" ha ovviamente evidenziato i limiti della poca integrazione. Non è stato facile controllare i diametri stellari e il rumore nei mezzitoni e nelle ombre . Questi effetti collaterali mi hanno costretto a lavorare molto con le selezioni e algoritmi riduci-rumore. Sapevo già che non potevo pretendere grande definizione dei dettagli.
Malgrado tutto l'obiettivo è stato raggiunto e mi ritengo molto soddisfatto del risultato finale, dove le debolissime Nubi Molecolari, presenti nella nostra Via Lattea, sono visibili.
Curiosità> Fa un certo effetto ripensare che fino a 15 anni fa con la fotografia analogica un risultato come questo era impensabile e irragiungibile con modesti strumenti.
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With only 1h and 10 min of total integration time and sensor temperature 22°C
-#85 on Explore 11/11/2016 (checked on 11.12.2016 8.30 pm)
On 09/12/2015 I acquired this FOV for the purpose too to be able to reveal the molecular clouds that surround the famous Pleiades open cluster (M45). In these cases it takes a long dark skies, a fair share integration and low enough ambient temperature for those who use DSLR. Unfortunately, clouds had allowed me to acquire only 14 frames of 300s: too little integration of 1h and 10 min to demand something. It is noted that the photographic instrument was the telephoto Zenit Jupiter-11A 135mm f4 (objective diameter of 33.75 mm). flic.kr/p/MekcC7
I was hoping for more photo sessions to increase at least the total integration, but I was not lucky.
After a year of futile hope I was however very curious to see what I could extrapolate from those few frames. The frames combined by DeepSkyStacker (DSS) program have created the final file.tif combined, which showed only a little nebulosity around M45.
My objective was very faint Molecular Clouds therefore waited for me a very arduous processing!
It was important to act on the adjustment levels of PS and the strong stretch has obviously revealed the limitations of little integration. It was not easy to control the stellar diameters and noise in the midtones and shadows. These adverse effects have forced me to work a lot with the selections and reduce noise algorithms. I already knew that I could not expect great detail definition.
Despite all, the purpose has been achieved and I am very pleased with the final result, where the faint Molecular Clouds, present in our Milky Way, are visible.
Curiosity> Makes a certain effect rethink that until 15 years ago with analog photography a result like this was unthinkable and unattainable with modest instruments.
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Lens: Zenit Jupiter-11A 135mm f/4 flic.kr/p/MekcC7
Camera: Canon EOS 550D (Rebel T2i) mod. Baader BCF
Mount: Sky Watcher HEQ5 Synscan
Seeing 3 (scala Antoniadi inversa)
14x300s 1600iso / 21 dark / 21 flat / 21 bias
date 12/09/2015
temperature 16°C (media)
Temperature sensor: 22°C (media)
Integration 1h 10min
Location: monti Nebrodi, (Sicily-Italy) 1550m slm
Elaborazione DSS + PSCS3.
Artwork ©jackiecrossley
© All rights reserved. This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying & recording without my written permission. This image is not authorised for use on your blogs, pinboards, websites or use in any other way. You may not download this image without written permission from me. Thank you.
We visited the Pumpkin Patch down the road from us to pick up a few pumpkins. Yes, that's correct - I said a few. They had all shapes, sizes and colors. Resistance was futile.
I came away with 3, and a small gourd. My sister even had more! 🎃
Explore: 10-21-19, #50
Sarb was trying to catch Sammy to put a Santa hat on him. I could have told her that was a futile mission. Here's Sammy hiding behind the sofa and Christmas greenery. He wasn't coming out any time soon.
Photo credit: Sarb
This year we end the Seven Days of Thanksgiving series in Paprihaven on the day after. Why? While it is wonderful to have a day set aside specifically to acknowledge our impossible debt to God by expressing our gratitude, every day should truly be a day of thanksgiving. After the amazing celebration at the Simmons,* the girls are back at Tracy's house.
Tracy: Wow. So tired. What a great time. Thank you, God.
Buckley: I'm so stuffed! I'll sleep on this bench if I can't make it upstairs.
Tracy: Who said you're staying here??
Buckley: You gotta be responsible, Trace! You can't let me drive home in this condition.
Briar: HAHAHA!
Tracy: You're not drunk! You don't even drink!
Buckley: I'm loaded with tryptophan. I can't make it. I'm DONE FOR, offissaaAAaa!
Briar: HAHA! What's 'trippafan'?
Tracy: It's an amino acid in turkey that people say makes you sleepy. I think what happened is we all just ate too much.
Briar: I ate sooooo much! I looooved that corn casserole! Who made that?
Tracy: I think Honor did.
Buckley: Ooohhh, I'm gonna pop. Let's just all get in bed, under the covers, and tell stories til we fall asleep.
Briar: That's FUN!
Buckley: But y'all GOTTA CARRY ME UUUUUUP!
Briar: HAHAHA!
Tracy: Oh, good grief. I'm stuck with both of you tonight. Are you sure you even have homes? You're always here.
Buckley: Oh! Haha! On Paprichat, Sheila Harper posted a video of her poodle grabbing a piece of turkey from the table!
Briar: I want to see that!
Tracy: Can you not be on your phone for like two seconds? And, I want to see too. And, who's Sheila Harper?
Buckley: She's got that pretty green Jaguar? Always real shiny? **
Tracy: Oh, yes.
Briar: I wanna see the video!
Buckley: Then come over here.
Briar: Can't move. You come over here.
Buckley: Uh uh.
Briar: BuuUUUUCK!!!
Buckley: You're outta luck, kid.
*WOOF!*
Briar: Hey, Biff!
Buckley: The Biffster!
Tracy: Wow, what a great day. And now we're just chilling. Peace. Joy. Love. God is good.
Buckley: All the TIME!
Briar: All the time!
Tracy: And, all the time...
Buckley: God is GOOD!
Briar: God is good!
Tracy: Bible challenge, then we somehow struggle upstairs. God's loving kindness. Psalm 117:2, "For His lovingkindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord!"
Briar: Psalm 63:3, "Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You."
...
Tracy: Buckley...
Buckley: Um... What's the one? "Please answer me God because you are loving and kind... and compassionate?"
Tracy: Close enough! Psalm 69:16, "Answer me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good; According to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me." Okay, upstairs! Up!
•───────────︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵────────────•
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
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God wants you to give thanks.
Well, Thanksgiving came and went. Did your gratitude last beyond your afternoon nap? For many, that’s the extent of their thanksgiving—a one-time, get-it-out-of-the-way holiday that reminds them to reflect on how blessed they are. Too often and too quickly, people resort back to being ingrates. But God wills us to be thankful all the time, in all things. That’s the point of 1 Thessalonians 5:18 where Paul says, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” So if you’re saved, Spirit-filled, sanctified, submissive, and suffering, you have one thing left to do in order to follow God’s will—be saying thanks.
Paul’s simple, direct command—in everything give thanks—allows believers no excuse for harboring ingratitude. In everything carries an unlimited requirement. It refers to everything that occurs in life. With the obvious exception of personal sin, we are to express thanks for everything. No matter what struggles or trials, God commands us to find reasons for thanking Him always (Acts 5:41; James 1:2-3; 1 Peter 1:6-9). That’s His will.
If you’re not obeying that command, you’re not following God’s will. Think of it like this: If gratitude doesn’t come easy for you, neither will finding God’s will. Or to put it another way, if you struggle with being thankful, you’ll struggle with following God’s will. Need some motivation? Here are some reasons God wills you to be thankful:
God commands it:
Gratitude should come naturally to believers in response to all God has done on their behalf, but because of our hardness of heart, God enjoins us to thanksgiving with commands (Philippians 4:6; Colossians 2:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:18). Therefore, all forms of ingratitude are sinful. Paul commanded the Colossians, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Colossians 3:15).
When Paul describes the believer’s Spirit-filled life, he writes, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father” (Ephesians 5:20). God doesn’t merely command those expressions of gratitude and leave believers helpless to comply. He enables us to articulate them (Philippians 2:13), and is pleased when we do.
Joni Eareckson Tada, who was involved in an accident that left her paralyzed from the neck down, writes, “Giving thanks is not a matter of feeling thankful, it's a matter of obedience.”
Thankfulness acknowledges God’s sovereignty:
The single, greatest act of worship you can render to God is to thank Him. It’s the epitome of worship because through gratitude, we affirm God as the ultimate source of both trial and blessing—and acknowledge our humble acceptance of both.
With a thankful heart, you can say in the midst of anything, “God be praised.” That kind of attitude looks beyond the circumstance to the plan of God. It sees beyond the pain to the sovereignty of God. It remembers, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). An attitude of thankfulness enables us to deal with those who wrong us, saying with Joseph, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20). Those who are thankful see the providential hand of God everywhere and say, “God, I thank You for the peaceful times as well as the hard times—a difficult marriage, a challenging job, a severe illness—because I know You will use those things for my good and Your glory.”
The grateful Christian remembers that suffering perfects, confirms, strengthens, and establishes him (1 Peter 5:10). God wills that kind of thankfulness.
God judges ingratitude:
William Shakespeare wrote, “How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child. Ingratitude thou marble hearted fiend.” If Shakespeare understood the hostile attitude behind thanklessness, imagine what God must think about it.
Ingratitude is the very essence of an unregenerate heart, ranking among the most intolerable sins in Scripture. The apostle Paul identified unbelievers as ungrateful: “For even though they knew God [through conscience and general revelation], they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans 1:21). Because man in his pride fails to honor and glorify God as Creator, he also refuses to thank Him for His gracious provision. Ingratitude betrays unbelief, and both sins bring about God’s judgment.
Although God is the source of every good thing that men possess—giving life, breath, rain, sunshine, and other natural blessings to the just and unjust alike (Matthew 5:45; Acts 14:15–17)—the natural man refuses to thank Him. In his fallen mind, to thank God is to acknowledge his own obligation to worship Him.
In summary, God wills our being thankful in all things because gratitude is the ultimate expression of a transformed heart. But thanklessness can infest and destroy a church, marriage, family and home. So cultivate a heart of gratitude. Be thankful for all things and in all circumstances. That’s God’s will. Are you following it?
- John MacArthur, adapted from God Wants You To Give Thanks
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* As seen yesterday!
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/54950920265
** As seen in BP 2021 Day 107!
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/51121244013/
Previous Days of Thanksgiving on Paprihaven:
2015:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/22949342829/
2016:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/31221411415/
2017:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/37886668344/
2018:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/31063953947/
2019:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/49137396007/
2020:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/50649209702/
2021:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/51704094592/
2022:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/52521485290/
2023:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/53349976036/
2024:
I'm not really one for big blue sky chocolate box shots by the side of the road but resistance was futile.
I actually drove past at first, around the big bend and started on up the hill on my way back home to Fort William after a great morning on Loch Tulla.
Temptation took over, the van was turned around and it was back down the hill rapid fast. I didn't really have a picture in mind, more wanted to take in the perfect reflection whilst enjoying a cuppa and something to eat in the warming sun after a busy morning chasing mist and light around Loch Tulla.
I have never, and I mean never seen a reflection like it. It was an incredible sight to see.
Once parked up I thought why not, I'm here anyway.
I walked the short distance along the road, set up with two tripod legs over the Armco barrier and one on the edge of the road and took a few shots.
Took a few at varying focal lengths and one series of pictures with a panoramic stitch in mind and this is it.
For a chocolate box shot I quite like it. Flickr isn't doing it much justice but on the big monitor it looks a bit tasty.
All rights reserved. Please do not use this or any of my pictures in any way without prior permission, including blogs.
Thanks for looking, favourites and comments, always appreciated.
From my 2017 trip to Iceland. Even though I was a good distance from the falls, the spray engulfed everything around me. When I took my lens cap off, immediately droplets formed on UV filter. Within three or four seconds, Skógafoss looked like a blur through the lens. So, I would walk back to my car--perhaps 300-400 meters away, leaving my tripod behind--get in, clean off my lens, walk back, reattach my camera, quickly take off my lens-cap and take a two second exposure. I repeated this sequence four times in the hopes of getting a decent shot. At least, that was the routine after first futilely trying to clean the lens there in the open. I ended up with some motion blur in a couple shots--no doubt jostling the camera/tripod in my hurried efforts. This shot was free of such blur, and was the shot with the fewest spots, which is by no means meant to suggest there weren't that many. I removed dozens, and many of the fainter ones remain--no doubt accumulating late in the exposure and thereby making less of an impact. I tried some shots with my long lens from a greater distance thinking that with the much larger hood and greater distance would make the lens free of droplets. Certainly there were fewer spots on the resulting photos, but they were still far from spotless. Since the above photo was a bit sharper, I went with it in spite of the problems.
In any case, this is one gorgeous waterfall. Many consider it the most beautiful falls in all Iceland. Hard to make a definitive judgment on that as there are SO many falls, each with its own unique characteristics. Though I saw perhaps 20 major falls, and countless minor ones, there were still many that I was not able to witness. Is a second trip there inevitable? I can think of worse fates. :-)
The white spots on the rocky walls are birds, BTW--kittiwakes.
If interested, I uploaded a color version of a virtually identical shot (though the B&W is definitely better) which can be found here: www.flickr.com/photos/80014607@N05/36139646510/in/album-7...
The second tier of Gurley Creek Falls. This view of the waterfall shot from my position on the sloping ridgeline only depicts about 1/2 of the descending waterfall. It was a stunning find. What was even more uplifting to me was these waterfalls face directly to the east, and when I was here, the sun was cloaked in deep cloud cover and mist. If the sun had come out from behind the clouds when I was here taking photos, it would have been futile. Next, I will share a video I made starting from as far down as I could see from where I'm standing here up to the crown of the second tier, then to continue up through and to the crown of the first tier.
After the Soviet Union pulled out of Afghanistan in 1984 after recognizing the futility of their conflict, Cuba and the Soviet Union decided to sponsor a revolution in Brazil. Communist guerilla forces along with hardened Afghansty airborne forces established bases in the rainforest where government forces could no longer find them. Many Afghanistan veterans felt that this was just as futile as the invasion of Afghanistan and did not believe in the cause.
- A little alternate history never hurt
Lisboa
"Instinct is something which transcends knowledge. We have, undoubtedly, certain finer fibers that enable us to perceive truths when logical deduction, or any other willful effort of the brain, is futile." – Nikola Tesla
A complex panel of petroglyphs rests in the shadows of the lower reaches of Paria Canyon in northern Arizona. Based on the various orientations of the figurines, I suspect that the majority were pecked into the rock when it was standing upright on the pedestal rock in the far left of the frame. At some point, the panel toppled into its present position, and then a few more figures were added, such as the right-side-up sheep on the right side. The transfixing light of sunrise catches the highest sections of Navajo sandstone cliffs in the upper left.
Truth be told, I initially marched right past this panel and did not see it at all, though I knew I should be looking close-by. However, through some strange, peristaltic twist of fate, my oldest son found that he needed to answer nature's insistent call some 10 meters away from this spot. Since trying to ignore these sorts of crescendoing biological demands is a futile business, I swung my pack down against some nearby rocks and began to look for the requisite toiletries to give to him. While he marched off in the opposite direction, I happened to turn around, and after a few soft profanities, I raised the camera, as it was clear that the light of sunrise was still magnificent.
Let me know what you think!
Explored 2017-06-05
Set in the final days before the fall of the Egyptian Regime, EDF Marines and Intelligence Agents conduct a raid on a UAPR safehouse in Cairo.
"Watch out for UAPR guards as we turn the corner!" said Agent Bryan over the radio as the convoy rolled through the crowded streets in their EDF pickups. A minute later the sound of AK gunfire and cracking glass rang out as the bullets bounced off their windshield. The agents opened their doors and returned fire quickly eliminating the lone guard. "Shit, everyone move in, move in now, they know we're here!" said Agent Stephen as he accelerated over the sidewalk to avoid the body. "Go, Go, Go!" said Agent Bryan as he ran up to the door with the marines. "Everyone in position? Right." He motioned to the marine across from him to make entry in 3... 2... 1...
The agents hoped to glean critical information on insurgency operations in Cairo and the eventual full UAPR assault on the city. However their efforts proved futile, as the intel recovered showed that the network of UAPR support in the city ran deeper than they thought. Cairo fell to the UAPR just seven days later.
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So this scene has been in the works ever since the Sunset Over The Nile event in the World In Darkness group but I never got to finish it due to school. On summer break now, so I finally got a chance to finish it. Made the trucks first which were kind of inspired by Afghan police trucks that I has seen in recent pictures, then I knew I had to build a scene around them. It turned out a bit bigger than I thought it was going to be because all the filler parts originally intended for the periphery of the scene ended up looking too cool to cut out. XD
7 Days with Flickr - Mondays : Free theme
Macro Monday theme ''Pareidola''
I am a robot from outer space, here to invade your planet! Resistance is futile!
Or perhaps am I only the upper part of a PRS guitar headstock?
The width of headstock including the tuners is a little more than 3”. But not by much… 😉
Thank you everyone for your visits, faves, and kind comments
Gentle Dimi went to sleep in my arms on Wednesday June 10 and crossed the rainbow bridge. He had tumors that had spread throughout his body. His vet had said he had a cyst. When it started growing and bleeding, we took him to another vet, and learned his true condition too late. We'd never even imagined.... Over just five days, we struggled with his true diagnosis, the possibility of surgery (amputation), and then the realization that surgery would have been futile...and the heartbreaking decision to release him from the suffering that seemed to increase by the hour.
Dimi was the gentlest and sweetest of creatures, and we will miss him forever. He would have been seventeen in six weeks. We laid him to rest underneath the apple tree in our yard, next to his dearest friend and brother Gali.
Dmitri: July 24, 2003 - June 10, 2020 ❤️
This it the 16th of 31 sunsets series - I'm half-way there, thanks for viewing my sunsets, Have a blessed day HBM! Stay blessed:)
If you have time please click on the photo to see it in the light box:) © All Rights Reserved
It’s VERY frustrating that some locations and representations of them, have become so fundamentally iconic to landscape photography, that even visiting them gives you a feeling of déjà vu. Now this over familiarity with certain locations, (even before one has even visited them) not only dampens the spirit of adventurous discovery, but poses even greater problems to the landscape photographer who is trying to develop and present new fresh approaches, especially when many of the dramatic places already have their own representations cemented in the popular consciousness.
On one level, even attempting to working in ‘these’ locations can feel akin to plagiarism, especially when a particular image has become so iconically tied to a location and photographer, it can feel futile to even point the camera in the same direction, in fear of diminishing one’s own creative integrity. Yes, yes, I’m aware of the popular urban myth perpetuated by photographic journalists, that encourages attempting new insights on the familiar, but frustratingly the room for creative manoeuvre is already pissing in the wind. Even then, assuming you have managed to find some creative shelter from the prevailing westerly’s, you then have to contend with flushing the said ‘icon’ out of your head, in order to explore fresh inspiration in the hope of unearthing something creatively unique. Ironically this approach can force the congruent photographer to ignore the obvious photogenic elements, leaving them to contend with lesser vaguer aesthetics.
Then, in an act of lasting degradation, when the photographer has dealt with the self induced shame, and struggled with the creative exploration and finally come up with something personally insightful, (however slight the movement forward is), they then have the final indignity of ‘comparison’ to deal with. How can something that is so loved, so widely published in the psyche of millions be distorted by new representations? How can David even contemplate approaching Goliath? Is there really any point?
Go on, I’ve asked for it... I ask for no mercy... I have no defence...Bring on the torrent... Open the flood gates...I deserve it........................
Photo By: Bounce Greggan
📍Location: Drone Haven
Sim Build: Myrdin Sommer
Sim Concept and Story Creators: Cate Infinity, Myrdin Sommer, Dia G
Robot Creators: Poppy Morris, Myrdin Sommer, Balaclava
Sound Engineers: Christo Winslet, Poppy Morris, Myrdin Sommer, Dia G.
Produced and Written By: Cate Infinity of The Refuge Productions
Backstory: Drone Haven stands as a somber monument to humanity’s fleeting reign, a forsaken city overtaken by the relentless march of nature. Towering, rusted skyscrapers—once symbols of progress—now crumble into the earth, their skeletal frames bound in a suffocating embrace of vines and moss. Faded posters and the echoes of forgotten graffiti serve as grim premonitions: “The End is Near!” On the fringes, a last-ditch survivalist camp briefly defied extinction. Dreamers, with fragile hope, planted gardens and built shelters in a futile act of defiance. But disease, depletion, and discord swiftly snatched away their fleeting defiance, leaving only silence and creeping green. At the city's heart, the butcher shop—a relic of human industry—stands decayed and broken. Its walls, softened by moss and pierced by vines, speak of a once-vibrant world now swallowed by time. The eerie message lingers: “The End is Near!” A grim echo of human ambition, now lost in nature’s quiet dominion. Among the ruins, drones—mechanical phantoms—still wander, remnants of their creators' ambition. They dutifully plant life during the Echocycle, maintaining the city as both a testament to human legacy and nature's quiet triumph. But even these tireless machines, bound by the limits of their energy, will one day cease. The paradox is clear: humanity’s imprint, though indelible, is as ephemeral as the machines it birthed. Drone Haven whispers a haunting truth: humankind, for all its perceived significance, is but a fleeting echo against the eternal backdrop of nature’s vast, unyielding cycles. In the city’s rust and bloom, it mourns the inevitable collapse, the fragility of life, and the inescapable reality that all things—natural or artificial—are bound to fade into silence. - Cate Infinity
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The Kintaikyo Bridge (錦帯橋, Kintaikyō) has been Iwakuni's most distinguished landmark and a subject of admiration for hundreds of years. The elegant, wooden bridge makes five bold arches onto massive stone pillars as it crosses over the Nishiki River.
Plans for the Kintaikyo were first drawn up when strong currents had once again destroyed a bridge crossing the Nishiki River. A more durable bridge was commissioned by Kikkawa Hiroyoshi, the third feudal lord of Iwakuni, whose statue stands at the entrance to nearby Kikko Park. After the bridge's completion in 1673, it kept standing until 1950, when Iwakuni was struck by a violent typhoon.
With the country still exhausted from the war, the maintenance of cultural properties suffered neglect. For this reason, the bridge that had stood for almost 300 years, collapsed as desperate townspeople looked on and futilely tried to divert the ferocious current. Shortly thereafter, determined residents began constructing a precise reconstruction of their cherished bridge. It was completed in 1953.
Source: www.japan-guide.com/e/e6177.html
@ Wizarding Fair ~ July 29 - August 12
Aptly described as a "box of lies and teeth," a mimic is a predatory creature that disguises itself in order to lure treasure seekers to their doom. Unfortunately this one was much too small to consume anybody and was promptly captured for study (humanely).
This mimic animesh accessory is intended to be worn on the back. The animesh version has a single looping animation (preview here) of the mimic in its futile struggles to escape capture. Two non-animesh versions are included as well, with the mimic closed and open. These two can be resized, though the animesh one can't be.
The chompy chest comes with shoulder ropes so having it on your back makes sense. These are also unrigged and are easily resizable and adjustable. There is a general male and female fit.
The mimic has 16 color options as shown above!
You can also use these mimics as rezzed props~ The non-animesh ones are best to use, but the animesh one is also rezzable.
Here's the damage:
Closed mimic - 2 land impact
Open mimic - 2 land impact
Animesh mimic - 39 land impact
Use caution when sizing up the non-animesh versions, as the land impact grows (though not considerably).
Mod / Copy / No Trans
More from me ♥
Clinging to something that brings but silence, like standing asway in an old, shabby room, in which none has lived for a while.
Spiderwebs dangling in each corner and on the wooden shelf, dusty pictures of long silent friends. And still I am turning slowly, clockwork-wise, asway in hopeful waiting for nostalgia's sake.
Alas, such futile endeavor and yet...
Picture taken at
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Love%20Cats/55/43/22
The late hours. :)
Brown Hawker (Aeshna grandis) - male
There is no doubt, after eight years of my addiction, that the Brown Hawker is the most challenging of hawkers to photograph in-flight - let alone perched!
The majority of experiences reveal a penchant for swooping, gliding and covering the largest possible route of their patrol, often in shade and rarely predictable.
This season I've happened across a couple who've surprised me by being remarkably predictable; none more so than this fellow who, restricted to a back & forth patrol along a deep ditch, provided the perfect opportunity to indulge and lose focus on why I was there in the first place.
Resistance was futile, and despite only being able to follow his shadow on the surface for some distance, the panning technique worked a treat regardless of his veering in & out of the focus plane or above or below truly horizontal.
Still a challenge, but a thoroughly enjoyable one.
There is no sound of laughter or happiness here
The little one has thrown in the towel today
Somber, melancholy moods decay the soul
It is futile to hope and dream and pray
hi guys! i might put caption later. been busy all day.. gahh..,you may like to view this in black to appreciate it more c;thanks and enjoy the day!
Ol Pejeta Nature Conservancy
Kenya
East Africa
White Rhino at Ol Pejeta in Kenya. I was privileged to be able to see two of the Northern white rhinos before their extinction. Another image in first comment section.
On December 20th, 2009, four of the world’s last remaining seven northern white rhinos arrived at Ol Pejeta. Najin, Fatu, Sudan and Suni had been living in Dvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic. All previous breeding attempts in the Zoo had been futile, and the hope was that the climate and rich grasslands of Ol Pejeta, a native habitat for the animals, would provide them with more favourable breeding conditions.
To keep the northern white rhinos safe and in good health, Ol Pejeta dedicated 24hr armed security, a 700-acre enclosure, and a nutritious diet supplemented with fresh vegetables. Expectations were raised when Suni was seen mating with Najin in 2012, but as the gestation period of 16 months wore on, it was clear that Najin was not pregnant. With so few northern whites remaining, it was decided that a southern white male would be introduced to Fatu and Najin in the hope of producing offspring that would at least preserve some of the northern white genes. Again, this proved unsuccessful.
In October 2014, we were devastated with the loss of Suni, who died of natural causes in his enclosure. His death left Sudan as the only northern white male in the world capable of breeding. In early 2015, checks by vets from the Czech Republic dealt us another blow – neither of the females is capable of natural reproduction, and Sudan’s sperm count was disappointingly low (but not surprising given his age). In July 2015, Dvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic lost Nabire, and in November 2015, San Diego Zoo lost Nola - leaving just three northern white rhino left on the planet.
On the 19th of March, 2018, Sudan died. He had been suffering from age-related health issues and from a series of infections. Once his condition worsened significantly and he was unable to stand up and evidently, suffered a great deal, the decision to euthanise him was made by his veterinary team.
The white rhinoceros or square-lipped rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) is the largest extant species of rhinoceros. It has a wide mouth used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species. - Wikipedia
Yesterday morning it was very exiting to watch the osprey activity. After several futile dives, the osprey did connect on this rather large (+ - 20 " Northern pike judged by the length of the osprey's body which is 23" as measured from a studyskin) Unfortunately it did happen a good distance away but through the camera I could see the bird had difficulties getting the fish out of the water, being submerged at times with just one wing above the water. Eventually it did get airborne and was gaining altitude on its way to the nest which is on top of a tall realay/communication tower not too far from the lake.. At this point (seen by another observer) an adult Bald eagle did make a pass at the osprey which dropped its catch.This is called "clepto parasitism" I have observed that behaviour on Langara isl.at the Queen Charlottes where they harassed peregrine falcons with the same result. The peregrine had to drop the prey (auklets) which the eagle sometimes caught in mid air.In this case the fish must have dropped at some inaccessible place because the eagle did not retrieve it, so it got lost unfortunately.
20 minutes later the osprey came back, was successful and made it to the nest to feed the eaglets.
Baobao & Beibei had their bath today.
Here is Beibei trying to fight the water from the shower rose. Resistance is futile. :)
[#209]
I was really starting to believe I would have internet again today. For a minute I forgot I was dealing with Comcast.
One simple outside connection. Fifteen days and counting. I cannot begin to describe my frustration or their incompetence.
But as for me I'm taking control of what I can. I'm not going to let Comcast or the futile attempt of maintaining this flickrstream without the internet control my thoughts or my life any longer. I'm done.
Happy Monday.
If you happen to be a fish caught by a Kingfisher your chances of survival are., well.. virtually zero
Added to which you can anticipate a pretty violent end
Not good for the fish., but if the suns out and you crank up the shutter speed on your camera it can make for some interesting photography
37510 passes Beighton box with only a few weeks life left of the old structure. The headboard says resistance is futile. The loco on the back 47813 was later required to rescue 47812 on the Eastleigh to Worksop which stopped at Rotherham Masborough.
5z57 1245 Derby RTC to Derby RTC - 37510 977087 975875 6340 6330 6338 6344 6346 + 47813
Porlock Marshes, When the 1996 storm caused the bay to flood, it was decided any attempt to restore it would be futile. Instead, it was allowed to become a saltmarsh. It's a wonderful place to visit with its skeleton like trees and old barn.
Long exposure for me, is one of the most creative and aesthetically pleasing of the techniques that can be used to produce images photographically. Now depending on the subject and desired effect, I tend to like exposures of anything between one second and twelve minutes, but as I said and would wish to stress, the choice of timing really depends on what I’ve visualised for the end result.
Now I’m really not too keen on classifying myself as ‘just’ a long exposure landscape photographer, as it does seem a little narrow a classification. But when looking back at my work it becomes evident that movement and the ability to exploit it photographically, is of fundamental importance to why I love photography. But why?
First, I think it has something to do with the fact that I’m a trained animator and the use of movement is a key element in the production off animation, (well the illusion of movement is, as animation is only a series of still images that trick the brain into seeing movement). This suggestive, (as opposed genuine movement that animation and live action has), is rather powerful in photography as it enables the viewer to reflect deeper into what’s before and what is to be after the moment in time on display. For me this slower more reflective nature of photography (not unlike painting) has a special quality to initiate depth of engagement in our faster quick fire instant gratification culture. Please don’t misconceive me here, I still love animation, but photography offers me something uniquely different to add to my creative experiences.
I also love using long exposure in dynamic environments, as it eliminates detail and simplifies the moving elements. This is a powerful compositional tool, as it enables the photographer to condense the detailed information to key elements providing less resistance in the guiding of the viewer eye around the image. Furthermore if you junkstapose hard subjects with soft ones, you are able to highlight detail very effectively and create a stronger viewer engagement.
I’ve always been fascinated by the way long exposures distort the light falling on the film or sensor and merges the tones and colours together. This process Introduces element of uncertainty and creates something that cannot be seen with our own eye, which subsequently from a viewing perspective injects elements of the surreal. Ironically this surreal, but photographically ‘real’ image is a paradox when it comes to reality, as it seems to fall in to both opposing camps of the fine art and realists images makers. Personally I’ve never been an advocate of looking for the reality in something and I’m a big fan of producing images that distort my own perceptions, and offer an alternative views. I’m a strong believer that we each have subtly different realities anyway and trying to force our own views on others is futile. It has always irritated me when people have asked of an images ‘reality’ credentials, as I feel there has been an absence of thought to what ‘reality’ actually is. Anyway let me try to get back on topic. Part of why I love experimenting with different length exposures, and different degrees of this mixture of tone and colour, is that it challenges my own way of seeing the world, which develops subtle evolutionary changes to my perceptions. For me life gets too boring if we only see one way and I’m not sure if it’s just me, but I have a strong desire to keep changing the way I look so that I can see with more depth and texture.
This shot in particular is an experiment that I made to try and find alternative views on the amazing conditions I was presented with at Sandsend a few months ago. I used a one minute exposure to try and distort the moving elements and this is the result. I particularly like the way this image draws out my conceptual nature, namely that there are no solid elements present, (well apart from the horizon and considering that is water, even that’s debatable) and that everything is changing within the shot. For me this speaks of the ever changing fragile world we live in and ironically I find security in continual metamorphosis of the differing natural elements
Note: This is the other side of the rainbow.
- Publilius Syrus.
When I planned our trip to Petit Jean SP, one of the key attractions was the lovely Cedar Creek, an overflowing stream from Lake Bailey. I waited until after a storm passed through to ensure a decent water level. Our planning was not a futile effort. The lake was full, and the stream was flowing with peak strength. From Google Maps, I have learned that a small artificial waterfall exists right next to the Cedar Creek Bridge, and I have had the waterfall framed by the Bridge’s arch in my mind during the 3-hour drive to the park.
Turns out I planned this a little too well. The creek at full flow was not crossable, and the best viewpoint to take the shot of the waterfall through the arch is by standing in the stream. I had to walk a bit further for the stream to bend south for another shot at the same view. Unfortunately, it was not an unobstructed view. There was a huge fallen tree and some overgrown shrubs in my way. I also foolishly hadn’t packed my 70-200 for this trip and this composition required at least a 100mm focal length to give the waterfall prominence. Thankfully my d850 has enough megapixels to crop without too much of a problem. Hopefully, I get some more chances to try at this beautiful location.
When there is no light and no good subject that's when you want to be a little creative :) After a lot of futile experiments with long exposure here's what I got. A bulb rising on my fist. Hope you like it :)
I kind of liked this experiment a little too much. So you are going to see a lot of these on my stream soon. And yes far better finishes than this. This for a good start!
Explore #253
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I saw the beautiful pictures of bryce canyon and decided december month would be good to capture this.
After spending time at Arches and Canyon lands I headed to Bryce canyon and reached there afternoon. What I saw really dissapointed me. There was no snow and all my planning was at worst futile. I captured few shots and headed back to hotel deciding its best for me to rest after so many hikes at Arches. I planned to start early in the morning to capture the sunrise. The sunrise was expected to happen at 7.30 am so it made sense for me to start around 6.30 am and planned to be there by 7.00 am. I woke up at 6 am and opened my door. I was shocked to see my car completely covered with snow. I didn’t expect this at all. I never factored in the time it will take to remove the snow from the car. I didn’t have the scraper. I headed back to my room and got the plastic tray and used it as a scraper. Obviously it still needed something else to completely remove the thin ice sheet on the window which I could not remove it through the tray. So I decided to use my 2 gallon water bottle to pour it on the windows to remove the snow. All this took almost 30 minutes. Then the realization sink in that I cannot drive this on the road with snow all around. I had to wait for the crew to remove the snow on the road before I can start driving. So headed back to the restaurant to have a fine breakfast and decided to just relax and take it as things go by. Around 9.30 am things looked good and I headed to the park to capture this beautiful shot.
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LE SIRENE SI SONO DATE UNA CALMATA.
Per il tema Macro Mondays di oggi pensavo ad un soggetto futile e non impegnativo ma il risultato migliore l'ho ottenuto con questa autoambulanza in miniatura ed il pensiero è corso immediatamente al ruolo fondamentale che questi mezzi di soccorso hanno svolto in tempo di pandemia.
Chi si scorderà mai delle continue sirene che ad ogni ora del giorno e della notte ci creava angoscia ed un senso di paura che prima o poi potesse correre anche per noi....
Se finalmente si può dire che l'emergenza è alle spalle il merito va sopratutto alla vaccinazione di massa che ci sta riportando ad una vita pressochè normale.
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THE SIRENS HAVE CALMED.
For today's Macro Mondays theme I was thinking of a futile and undemanding subject but I got the best result with this miniature ambulance and the thought immediately ran to the fundamental role that these rescue vehicles have played in times of pandemic.
Who will ever forget the constant sirens that at any hour of the day and night created anguish and a sense of fear that sooner or later could run for us too ....
If we can finally say that the emergency is behind us, the credit goes above all to the mass vaccinations that are bringing us back to an almost normal life.
CANON EOS 6D Mark II con ob. CANON EF 100 mm f./2,8 L Macro IS USM
This is the brownest great blue heron I have ever seen, I'm not sure if it's a juvenile or maybe molting? What ever the case it makes for a nice color variant to the many photos I have of the normal blue and gray coloring. Shot from a boat while dragging some spinners around in a futile attempt to catch salmon on the Columbia river.
"On August 10, 1897 this schooner was under full sail despite the near zero visibility. It contained 894 tons of hard and soft coal as it came up the coast from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Portland. Although attempts were made to save the ship, they were all futile. The schooner's crew's belongings and most of the cargo were taken to other ships. However, the Howard W. Middleton did wreck. Parts of the hull are visible at Higgins Beach. The amount exposed depends on the amount of beach sand from tides and ocean storms." - From Maine Memory Network www.mainememory.net/artifact/31656