City of the World (Post 6 & Comment 3 Please) NEW
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gossiping people in big stone
Explore : thank u very much to all :-)
Highest position: 370 on Thursday, September 20, 2007
These are the Four Peaks - Wekopa - east of Scottsdale.
I went out to the Fraesfield Trailhead to scout for sunrise locations. Leaving my house the sky was mostly clear so I figured this was going to be mostly hiking and not much photography so I left my tripod at home. As I hit Happy Valley Road and crossed over the mountains the clouds were rolling in over the Superstitions and the Salt River. Made me regret not bringing my tripod.
I found some spots on the Whiskey Bottle Trail for sunrises. I'm going to scout the Granite Mountain Trailhead. So far I still like the spot on the Marcus Landslide Trail.
I stopped at the Brown's Ranch Trailhead to scout for sunset spots. Some potential.
www.mcdowellsonoran.org/fraesfield/
Offering access to a variety of easy to moderate scenic trails in the Preserveâs northern area, this trailhead provides plenty of parking for hikers and mountain bikers, as well as an equestrian staging area.
hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=19208
The Whiskey Bottle Trail is a new trail in the expanded northern section of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. The trail starts at the Fraesfield Trailhead and heads northwest across the northeast side of  Fraesfield Mountain and terminates at  Powerline Road #2. From there, you can go back the way you came, or continue throughout the system of trails making a larger loop back to the Fraesfield Trailhead.
This was taken earlier in the day. Tried a landscape version, to see if this works as well..
Comp ain't all that great, so I just had to settle for a "best" crop. Thank God for a 21 mp RAW file... Turned up the WB quite a fair bit to achieve the warmer look that I think is suitable for this image,,,
Schwabacher's Landing (Hope I spelt it right) at the Tetons. The sun was still a tad too bright near the tip of the range.. Was waiting for it to disappear past the range, but right after that, this huge cloud came by and killed the light. This is about the best light we got that evening... It held such promise.. But hmm maybe I'll get a chance to try my luck with this beauty again.
I did not have enough of the United States yet... For sure...
A few rays of sunlight sneak through storm clouds to highlight Saguaro Cacti in Arizona's Superstition Mountains (March 2022)
This is the first view point we stopped at once we set up camp near Jenny Lake. But light was really bad that afternoon, so we gave up.
This shot was taken before we left the park in the morning. 6am MST... Sky was already aout to blow. A storm was building, and we managed to catch the dark thunderheads looming over the mountain. I kinda like how the flowers are the only source of color in this!
CPL
5D2
16-35L
4 stop reverse GND
A twisted abstract tree that appears to be just hanging on, on the rocks of Windy Point in the Coronado National Forest of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Shot in digital infrared.
Titcomb basin is one of the most incredible places iv had a chance to visit. awesome granite features and a nice sunrise was more than worth the fifteen mile hike in.
Grand Tetons last year.. Sunrise was a total bust, but at least I got to see the place, which is more than one can ask for at times!!!
Yosemite National Park in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains is known for its giant, ancient sequoia trees, and for Tunnel View, the iconic vista of towering Bridalveil Falsl and the granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome.
One of the things I couldn't get over while in Montana was the immense, beautiful mountain ranges that backdrop the MRL. Classic Wisconsin redneck saying, am I right?
Here, MRL 500, the only GP40 owned by the railroad, idles in Missoula yard as the engineer looks on.
Today is Father's Day, and I'm not sure if daddy will look through my photostream, but if so,
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!
I miss you dad.. Can't wait to see ya in a couple weeks! =D
This is a 4 shot pano taken at Snake River, Grand Tetons National Park. Gonna fess up here. The river is totally blown to hell, so made a reflection of the mountain range unto the river.. Am gonna try getting this printed and framed as a gift for my dad when I get home. Best viewed Large
This was a little off trail, and it was kinda freaky to be shooting there, cos we heard either coyote or wolf howls right as we got there. and a few seconds later, a deep growl can be heard. Did not have my bear spray with me, so both JP and i ended up yelling and singing throughout the entire sunset. And yes, neither of us have what it takes to be a singer. Let's just leave it at that.. haha =D
To me, photography is not about making really really good images, but to be able to capture these places, and share them with my loved ones. A lof of my friends/family back in Singapore might not ever have the chance to see sights like this, and the least I can do is to try to capture these places and bring em home.
To all Dad's out there, Happy Father's Day! You know you all deserve it!
Made famous by Ansel Adams, this is a awesome location to be, to see the Grand Tetons in it's full glory. The trees kinda blocked the view of the river, and I cropped it in such a way to show the entire range. Left it large intentionally..
Please, please, please, please VIEW!
Hope all of you had a great weekend!
This guy is as close as that allowed by my tele lens (~6 ft.). I often have to retreat to achieve focus. After many years, these engaging rodents are now totally accepting of my presence, and often crawl over my boots in their excursions around the pond! This guy has picked up a dried leaf and is attacking it like a taco.
IMG_3685; Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
On the way from Roche Plate to Marla.
Auf dem Weg von Roche Plate nach Marla.
The Cirque de Mafate is a caldera on Réunion Island (France; located in the Indian Ocean). It was formed from the collapse of the large shield volcano the Piton des Neiges.
The very remote and inaccessible cirque was settled in the 19th century by maroon slaves (i.e. slaves who had escaped from their masters), then later by poor white laborers. It owes its name to one maroon leader.
The cirque is entirely enclosed by mountains, especially tall cliffs, known as remparts, save for the sole river exiting, the Rivière des Galets ("river of the pebbles"). Inside the cirque, there are considerable declivities. The îlets are pieces of more-or-less flat lands, on which the hamlets are located.
The name "Mafate" comes from the Malagasy word "Mahafaty", which means lethal, an allusion to the difficulty for accessing the Cirque.
The cirque has one village, La Nouvelle, and several hamlets: Marla, Roche-Plate, the Îlet-aux-Orangers, etc.
The Cirque is entirely public property, managed by the Forestry service, from which the inhabitants rent inexpensive concessions.
There is no main electrical supply. Inhabitants thus produce their own electricity using solar panels (with battery storage), and occasionally diesel generators. However, fuel for the latter must be brought by helicopter at high cost. Because of the reduced available power supply, inhabitants systematically use low-consumption (fluorescent) light bulbs.
Similarly, all inhabitants use solar water heaters. These can be supplemented by gas-powered heaters — but gas canisters must also be brought by helicopter.
La Nouvelle and hamlets have grocery stores where staples can be bought from. Typically, these stores also provide some limited bar and restaurant services (hot coffee and local fast food, such as samosas).
Many inhabitants have opened gîtes (dormitories, WC and showers) where hikers can stay for the night, and often dine, for a fee.
La Nouvelle and several of the hamlets have elementary schools. In 2005, the school at Marla reopened with 6 pupils after being closed for an insufficient number of schoolchildren. There are no secondary nor higher education facilities.
There are several dispensaries between which a few nurses rotate, as well as scheduled visits of a physician, but no permanent health care facilities. All emergencies have to be evacuated by helicopter. There is no Gendarmerie station
One originality of Mafate is that there are no roads. Because of this, it is a major attraction for hikers willing to experience some unspoiled nature, while still benefiting from grocery stores and other amenities. For this reason, with the impending creation of a national park on the heights of Réunion, it seems very unlikely that roads would be ever built.
All access, including for supplies, is by foot or helicopter. There are a number of footpaths for accessing the cirque, among which:
By the Col des Bœufs ("pass of the oxen"), from the Cirque de Salazie, leading to La Nouvelle. This way is the easiest, since there is a forestry road leading to parking lots at the pass.
By the Col du Taïbit from the Cirque de Cilaos.
By the Canalisation des Orangers on the heights of Saint Paul (Réunion).
(Wikipedia)
Der Cirque de Mafate im französischen Übersee-Département Réunion ist die nordwestliche Caldera des Piton des Neiges. Der Talkessel, der größtenteils auf dem Gemeindegebiet von La Possession liegt, erstreckt sich in Nord-Süd-Richtung über etwa zehn Kilometer und in Ost-West-Richtung über etwa fünf Kilometer. Vom Gipfel Grand Bénare fallen die fast senkrechten Felswände über rund 1600 m ab. Der Cirque de Mafate ist die isolierteste Caldera in der Region, die nur zu Fuß oder per Hubschrauber zu erreichen ist. Die Versorgung der lokalen Ortschaften erfolgt heute hauptsächlich durch Hubschrauber, bis vor wenigen Jahren noch in hohen Maße zu Fuß, meistens über den Pass Col des Bœufs (1956 m), der auf einer gut ausgebauten Forststraße vom Cirque de Salazie erreicht werden kann.
Seit August 2010 gehören neben dem Cirque de Mafate auch noch der Cirque de Salazie, der Cirque de Cilaos und der alles überragende Vulkan Piton des Neiges, die alle im Nationalpark Réunion liegen, unter dem Titel Pitons, cirques et remparts de l’île de La Réunion (dt: Gipfel, Talkessel und Steilhänge der Insel Réunion) zum UNESCO-Weltnaturerbe.
(Wikipedia)
Even though snow was still on the ground at 7800 feet, as soon as the sun popped up...the mosquitos were all over us and chased us back to the vehicles.
My travels around the UK by car for three weeks with my son. June/July 2019 Scotland.
Day fifteen .. In the Northwest Highlands on our journey to Helmsdale where we are staying the night.
The Northwest Highlands are located in the northern third of Scotland that is separated from the Grampian Mountains by the Great Glen (Glen More). The region comprises Wester Ross, Assynt, Sutherland and part of Caithness.
The geology of the Highlands is complex. Along the western coastal margin it is characterised by Lewisian gneiss, the oldest rock in Scotland. Liathach, Beinn Alligin, Suilven, Cùl Mòr, Cùl Beag, and Quinag are just some of the impressive rock islands of the significantly younger rich brown-coloured Torridonian sandstone which rests on the gneiss. Some of the peaks, such as Beinn Eighe and Canisp, are topped with later light grey or white Cambrian quartzite. Cambro-Ordovician limestone is also to be found in a narrow outcrop between Durness and Skye. The larger part of the region is formed from rocks of the Moine succession much of which is metamorphosed sandstones (psammites) and schist. These have over-ridden the gneiss and the Cambrian and Ordovician rocks of the northwest margin along the Moine Thrust Belt.
The region has steep, glacier-carved mountains, glens and interspersed plains. Elevations of around 750 metres (2500 ft) or over are common, as are mountains exceeding 3000 feet or 914 m (Munros).
The Northwest Highlands are typically not quite as cold as the Cairngorms. Considering its terrain and its latitude of about 57 to 58 degrees North, the area is surprisingly warm: this is due to the mild influence of the Gulf Stream. The aurora borealis is sometimes visible on winter nights, especially at the climax of the 11-year cycle. Bordering the region to the north east is the lowland area of Caithness. There are relatively few roads, and many are single lane (with passing places). The region has a very low population density. Significant settlements are Kyle of Lochalsh, Mallaig, Dingwall, Dornoch, and Ullapool.
For More Info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Highlands
This guy is as close as that allowed by my tele lens (~6 ft.). I often have to retreat to achieve focus. After many years, these engaging rodents are now totally accepting of my presence, and often crawl over my boots in their excursions around the pond! They seem to welcome our arrival at the cabin as if they know that easy food will soon be in the offing... bird seed... but they could care less what we call it!
IMG_4627; Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
British postcard by Pyramid, Leicester, no. PC 2104. Photo: Mitchell Gerber / Corbis. Caption: Natalie Portman, Portrait.
Israeli-American actress, director and film producer Natalie Portman (1981) got her first role in the action thriller Léon / The Professional (1994) as Jean Reno's co-star. The big success came when she got the role of Padmé Amidala in Star Wars Episode I, II and III (1999, 2002 and 2005). She was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Closer (2005), which won her a Golden Globe. In 2011, she won the Oscar for Best Female Lead for Black Swan.
Natalie Portman was born Natalie Hershlag (Hebrew: נטע-לי הרשלג) in Jerusalem, Israel, in 1981. She is the only child of Israeli doctor Avner Hershlag and his Jewish-American wife, born Shelley Stevens. ‘Portman’ is a stage name, after her grandmother's original surname. The family moved to Maryland due to her father's job, then Connecticut, before settling on Long Island. Portman was discovered in a pizzeria when she was 11 years old by an agent of Revlon, who wanted her as a model. She turned it down with a view to an acting career. Her mother became her agent. At 12, she made her film debut as Matilda in the action drama Léon / The Professional (Luc Besson, 1994). Her role as an orphan girl who befriends a middle-aged hitman (Jean Reno) was the beginning of a pattern of portraying characters who are usually particularly intelligent and mature for their age. Michael Mann offered her the small part of the suicidal stepdaughter of Al Pacino's character in the action film Heat (1995). Ted Demme cast her as a precocious teenager who flirts with her much-older neighbour (Timothy Hutton) in the ensemble comedy-drama Beautiful Girls (1996). Portman received good reviews for her part. She next appeared in Tim Burton's comic Science Fiction film Mars Attacks! (1996) and Woody Allen's musical Everyone Says I Love You (1996). In 1997, she briefly withdrew from film to take part in the Broadway revival of ‘The Diary of Anne Frank'. This stage role was followed by the coming-of-age film Anywhere but Here (Wayne Wang, 1999) in which Susan Sarandon played her mother. Portman was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1999 for her role as Ann August in the film.
Star Wars fans know Natalie Portman as Padmé Amidala in the George L:ucas’s prequel trilogy, Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005), her first big-budget productions. She worked closely with the director, George Lucas, on her character's accent and mannerisms. She did not attend the first episode's premiere so she could study for her high school finals. In 1999, Portman graduated from Syosset High School in Syosset, Long Island. In 2003, she graduated from Harvard University with a degree in psychology. The following year, Portman returned to Israel and participated in various courses at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In the Summer of 2001, Portman acted in a stage production of ‘The Seagull’, based on a play by Anton Chekhov. The production, directed by Mike Nichols and also starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline, was a hit with audiences at the Delacorte Theatre in New York's Central Park. In Closer (Mike Nichols, 2004), she played Alice, a young woman looking for her place in life alongside Julia Roberts, Jude Law and Clive Owen. She won the Golden Globe Award for this film and was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 2005 Academy Awards. Closer grossed over $115 million worldwide against a $27 million budget. Also in 2004, she portrayed the upbeat and disorderly Sam in the independent romantic comedy Garden State (Zach Braff, 2004). She then played Evey Hammond in V for Vendetta (James McTeigue, 2005), based on the comics of the same name, about an alternative future where a neo-fascist regime has subjugated the United Kingdom. For this role, she had her head shaved. In 2007, Portman was featured in the music video for Paul McCartney's single Dance Tonight. In 2012, she collaborated again with McCartney in the song My Valentine. Scarlett Johansson and Portman portrayed rival sisters Mary and Anne Boleyn in the period drama The Other Boleyn Girl (Justin Chadwick, 2008). She served as a jury member of the 2008 Cannes Film Festival and also launched her own production company, named Handsomecharlie Films, after her late dog. Portman's directorial debut, the short film Eve, opened the short-film screenings at the 65th Venice International Film Festival. Portman is known for her social engagement. In Venice, she won the ‘Movie for Humanity’ award, an award for the actor or actress who has done the most for good causes that year. In 2009, she appeared in a faux perfume commercial called Greed, directed by Roman Polanski.
After producing and co-starring alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the black comedy Hesher (Spencer Susser, 2010), Natalie Portman played the title role of Nina Sayers, a ballet dancer, in the psychological thriller Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky, 2010). The ambitious ballerina is overwhelmed with the prospect of performing Swan Lake. Portman was trained by the professional ballerina Mary Helen Bowers, and in preparation, she trained for five to eight hours daily for six months and lost 20 pounds (9 kg). Her acclaimed performance earned her her second Golden Globe Award and an Oscar. Black Swan emerged as a sleeper hit, grossing over $329 million worldwide against a $13 million budget. Her film adaptation of Amos Oz's autobiographical novel A Tale of Love and Darkness (Natalie Portman, 2015) premiered at the Cannes International Film Festival. In 2016, she took on the role of presidential wife Jacqueline Kennedy in the biopic Jackie (Pablo Larraín, 2016), about Kennedy's life immediately after the 1963 assassination of her husband. It earned Portman a third Oscar nomination. She has also been part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since her role as Jane Foster in the comic adaptation Thor (Kenneth Branagh, 2011), Thor - The Dark Kingdom (Alan Taylor, 2013) and Thor: Love and Thunder (Taika Waititi, 2022) with Chris Hemsworth as the title character. This established her as one of the world's highest-paid actresses. As a producer, she was involved in the films Hesher (Spencer Susser, 2010), Jane Got a Gun (Gavin O'Connor, 2016) and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Burr Steers, 2016). Portman has also directed the short film Eve (2008) and the biographical drama A Tale of Love and Darkness (2015), in which she also starred. In 2021, Portman and her producing partner, Sophie Ma, founded the production company MountainA, under which she produced and starred in the film May December (Todd Haynes, 2023) with Julianne Moore and the miniseries Lady in the Lake Alma Har'el, 2024). While filming Black Swan, Portman got into a relationship with choreographer Benjamin Millepied. In 2010, their spokesperson announced that they were engaged and that Portman was pregnant. She gave birth to a son, Aleph (2011) and a daughter, Amalia (2017). Portman and Millepied married in 2012. Portman separated from Millepied after allegedly having an affair with a 25-year-old climate activist in the summer of 2023. The divorce was finalised in early 2024. Natalie Portman will next star in Fountain of Youth, an adventure film directed by Guy Ritchie.
Sources: Wikipedia (Dutch, German and English) and IMDb.
And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.