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Well, the weather forecast for Kananaskis for yesterday, 24 September 2019, was not exactly accurate - sun, with cloud in the afternoon. They kind of forgot to mention the strong wind, light rain .... and SNOW! For a few minutes, it was one kind of weather, then a few more minutes of a different kind, repeated throughout the afternoon.
Our temperatures are falling - forecast for rain tomorrow, rain and snow the next day, then two days of snow with temps down to 0C and -1C. What a way to celebrate the first few days of fall. The expected snow will probably remove quite a few of the golden leaves, so I wanted anther chance to see and photograph them while I had the chance.
The sky was blue when I set out yesterday morning and I felt quite hopeful. When I go to Kananaskis, I always go south from the city. I had no idea where I would be going, but I knew that it wouldn't be as far as I would have liked. As it turned out, I had a few surprises along the way, so it was a real mixed day of photo opportunities - my favourite kind of day.
After stopping to take a few scenic shots on the way to the main highway through Kananaskis, I eventually reached the area where the American Pikas live. I really lucked out almost straight away, as the only few photos I took were when one Pika showed itself, and that was within maybe ten minutes. By this time, the wind was strong and it was snowing, and it was cold! Time to get out of there, as the scree slope is treacherous enough on a calm, clear day.
Driving further north, I was delighted to see a convoy of maybe a dozen beautiful old cars heading in my direction. Couldn't resist, so I followed them when they turned off into a small picnic area. I asked if I could take a few quick photos and they were happy enough for me to do that. One car owner did comment about blurry photos because of the falling snow, but surprisingly my photos came out sharp enough.
Further on, I made a quick stop at another pull-off and was happy to notice a few mushrooms. When I turned around to head for home, I was even happier. I pulled over to take a photo of one of the mountain peaks. One tiny white speck in the distance, just off the road, caught my eye. When I went to check it out, I found myself staring at a little group of Shaggy Mane/Ink Cap mushrooms. The largest one had already started the process of curling up the rim of its cap and dripping a black ink. So much rain this year has resulted in such an amazing fungi season.
Much closer to home, I decided to take a side road that has such beautiful hill and mountain views. An old wooden barn was a welcome surprise - I don't remember seeing this one before.
So, a lovely day out, driving 320 km, with such a mixture of weather and sightings. So glad I did decide to go - as usual, a very last minute decision, but basically, I just need to grab my cameras and go : )
Florisuga fusca
Black jacobin hummingbird visiting the inflorescence/infructescence of Schwartzia brasiliensis (Marcgraviaceae) in vegetation near the restinga. Record made at 'Praia da Fazenda,' Ubatuba-SP, Brazil.
A large thunderstorm had developed just north of Chico (Vina Area). The clouds were traveling east and began to backup across the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This brought very heavy rainfall to the area. In this shot, a Union Pacific manifest catches some sunlight as it races south along the UP Valley Subdivision, just out of reach of the tumulchuous thunderstorms.
UP 8219 --- QPWRV --- Nord, California
jakemiillephotography.com
Maple Ridge, BC Canada
The Fraser Riverfront Trail is a scenic pathway that runs along the north shore of the Fraser River in Maple Ridge, BC.
The trail starts at the Kanaka Creek Regional Park and extends along the river, offering beautiful views of the water and surrounding nature.
The trail is approximately 2.5 km long, making it a great option for a leisurely walk or bike ride.
You'll find lush greenery, wildlife, and the calming sound of the river as you walk along the trail.
The trail is accessible year-round and is popular with local residents and visitors alike.
Along the trail, you'll find picnic areas, viewpoints, and opportunities for bird watching and wildlife viewing.
It's a wonderful spot to enjoy the natural beauty of the Fraser River and get some fresh air.
Thank you for your visit and any faves or comments are always greatly appreciated!
~Sonja
The wall of the Alps rises 1400m above the coastal town of Makarska.
110907 410
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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 the downtown was 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:
Some of my long-time flickr friends know how much i love the ocean and the sand on the beach.
There is almost nothing better than taking a walk on the beach and smell the salty air. ♥
Thank you all for your always lovely, sometimes very funny and always so thoughtful comments.
I appreciate every single comment very much.
There are four walls to this beautiful building. One of the four walls comprises mainly of windows. These four are not pictures of the four walls. Inside this hide there is a great atmosphere maybe of reverence and respect of hopeful anticipation and of success at finding a connection point to relax and to explore nature.
This picture is from RSPB Scotland Loch Leven towards the end of the day.
© PHH Sykes 2025
phhsykes@gmail.com
The sign pictured here is a part of the work continuing at Loch Leven by the RSPB and I see it as a part of their ecological work involving us all.
RSPB Scotland Loch Leven, Kinross, Perth and Kinross, KY13 9LX
One of my favorite places to have lunch when I worked in Winona was just across the river near Winona Jct. on the BNSF. There was plenty of variety in those days. I was partial to clean repaints. Seeing another train running wrong main makes me wonder if there was some sort of project happening on main 2 this day.
February 7, 2002.
The waxing crescent Moon two days after New low in a smoky sky setting over the Badlands of Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada. This was June 30, 2022. Despite the hazy skies, the twilight colours show up well in the sky. The glow of Earthshine shows up slightly on the night side of the Moon.
This is a blend of a single 3.2-second shot with the RF24-105mm lens at f/4 and 105mm for the sky, with a stack of four longer 13-second exposures for the darker ground at the same lens sertings, and with Canon R5 at ISO 200.
Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia
Philadelphia :Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia,1817-1918.
The Basilica of St. Lawrence, completed in 1905 is of a distinctive Catalan style with the tallest freestanding elliptical dome in North America. Asheville is a city and Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the most populous city in Western North Carolina. Print size 13x19 inches.
Known as the “City of the Two Seas”, Trapani is a port city in Western Sicily. Trapani has the shape of a sickle, Drepanon in Greek, and an enviable geographic location: between the two seas, at the foot of Mount Erice, in front of the Egadi Islands and the salt marshes (which you can see in the left of the foto).
Walking through the old town, the signs of the passage of various civilizations over the centuries are immediately evident, and all left architectural, artistic and monumental evidences. A distinctive Arab influence is seen in the white buildings of the city’s historic centre, just behind the port.
Thanks to its strategic position, ancient Drepanon (its original name) was initially the market outpost of Erice and subsequently a Phoenician trading port. It then became a Roman Province but the deepest imprint was left on the city by the subsequent three centuries of Arab domination.
The best way to savour the full charm of this city rich in art and history is to take a long leisurely walk.
The region of Trapani has a fascinating history: the Tyrrhenian and the Mediterranean sea meet right in front of the peninsula where the ancient “Drepanon” was founded – “drepanon” is a Greek word for “sickle”: the legend says that a sickle fell from the hands of Saturn and turned into the strip of land where the Elymians found Trapani. The city was once the port serving Erice, and became an important centre for the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs and the Normans thanks to its strategic position.
The Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne, Australia.
Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS
16mm; 1/400 sec; f/8; ISO 100
On Day Seven of my Southwestern Adventure I had the pleasure of hiking out to The Wave! I got an early start before sunrise hoping I could at least get some alpenglow on some mountains...again the sunrise was uneventful. But this hike is killer with so many awesome things to see and shoot! I made a point to pick out spots to shoot on my hike back out.
They say it's only a three mile hike, but with some steep, rocky, and thick sand inclines, as well as some long, thick sandy trails, my little body felt it was more like six miles! It took me about an hour to get here as I stopped for a breakfast snack, to take a few shots, and simply enjoy the views. The weather was perfect...a bit chilly in the early morning and warming up for the day, but not unbearable.
The best part was that I had the hike in and the first 1/2 hour at The Wave all to myself! Then they came! There are only supposed to be 20 permits granted per day, but there seemed to be a few more and they all came nearly at the same time. There was a french couple with two kids who just didn't care what anyone else was doing or where! Their kids ran around climbing, slipping, and sliding on the rock faces getting in people's shots while the parents were oblivious. I hate that!!!
I didn't stay as long as I wanted or explore as much as I should have as I wanted to shoot on the way out and try to hike Wire Pass before dark. But I think I came away with a few nice comps and I'm already planning a return! :)
I promised myself that I would post one shot from each day of this trip before going on to something else. It's very hard to do especially since I have made three other trips since this one and have some nice shots to show for it, too! Only three more to go then I'll be all over the place again.
Thanks for stopping by for a look and a comment...as always it is much appreciated!
#157 in Explore ~ November 16, 2011
© Jean Day ~ Please see my profile page for prints and licensing.
CHIRK CASTLE WAS COMPLETED IN 1310 DURING THE REIGN OF THE CONQUERING EDWARD I TO SUBDUE THE LAST PRINCES OF WALES. BUILT ON AN OUTCROP ABOVE THE MEETING POINT OF THE RIVERS DEE AND CEIRIOG, THE IMPOSING CASTLE WAS A BROODING STATEMENT OF ENGLISH INTENT IN THESE DISPUTED WELSH LANDS.
WITH OVER 700 YEARS OF HISTORY, AND AS THE LAST CASTLE FROM THIS PERIOD STILL LIVED IN TODAY, CHIRK CASTLE'S MANY OCCUPANTS HAVE LEFT BEHIND LAVISH INTERIORS AND A BEAUTIFUL AND ECLECTIC COLLECTION. THE STATE ROOMS INCLUDE A 17TH-CENTURY LONG GALLERY, GRAND 18TH-CENTURY SALOON WITH RICH TAPESTRIES, SERVANTS' HALL, AND THE RESTORED EAST RANGE, CONTAINING THE LIBRARY AND 1920S STYLE BOW ROOM SHOWING OFF CHIRK CASTLE’S CONNECTIONS TO HIGH SOCIETY.
THE AWARD-WINNING GARDENS COVER 5.5 ACRES OF MANICURED LAWNS, CLIPPED YEWS, HERBACEOUS BORDERS, BEAUTIFUL ROSE, SHRUB AND ROCK GARDENS, AND THE WOODED PLEASURE GROUND – PERFECT FOR A STROLL. DON'T MISS THE TERRACE OVERLOOKING THE 18TH CENTURY HA-HA AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GARDEN, WITH STUNNING VIEWS OVER THE CHESHIRE AND SALOP PLAINS.
CHIRK CASTLE HAS OVER 480 ACRES OF ESTATE PARKLAND FOR YOU TO EXPLORE, WITH WILD PONIES, SHEEP, VETERAN TREES, AND A BEAUTIFULLY PRESERVED SECTION OF OFFA’S DYKE. THE ESTATE IS LOCATED WITHIN AN AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY AND HAS ALSO BEEN DESIGNATED A SITE OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST AS AN IMPORTANT HABITAT FOR RARE INVERTEBRATES, BATS, FUNGI, AND WILD FLOWERS.
Hestercombe House, Nr. Taunton, Somerset
Hestercombe House is nestled in the parish of West Monkton approx. 13 miles away from Taunton, Somerset. Originally built in the 16th century for the Warre family where it remained for approx. 400 years. The house was enlarged and changes were made, alas that work is no longer visible, due to extensive renovation work carried out in and around 1875. The house today is a mixture of different styles of architecture, Neoclassical, Italianate and French but pleasing to the eye.
Sometime in the 18th century a watermill was built, today this is now the visitor’s centre.
The garden when originally set out consisted of a grand cascade, a Gothic Alcove, a Tuscan Temple Arbour, several Ponds and a folly Mausoleum. A formal parterre was added in the 1870’s. Between 1904-1906, an Edwardian Garden was laid out by Gertrud Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens doyens of the Art and Crafts Movement.
Lutyens designed the Orangery (Grade 1 listed). The ‘Great Plat’ featured Gertrude Jekyll’s herbaceous planting. Unfortunately very little of this work exists today. By the early 1970’s the formal gardens were largely run down. It was then that Somerset CC along with the Fire Brigade that restoration work started. In 1995 a project to restore the Landscape garden, in 1998 The Great Plat was replanted. In the same year work on the Victorian Terrace commenced and the fountain repaired.
Another garden where each year more improvements have been completed to make it a great place to visit. This is the 1st of 2 postings.
“The Eye Moment photos by Nolan H. Rhodes”
Theeyeofthemoment21@gmail.com
www.flickr.com/photos/the_eye_of_the_moment
“Any users, found to replicate, reproduce, circulate, distribute, download, manipulate or otherwise use my images without my written consent will be in breach of copyright laws.” www.flickr.com/photos/the_eye_of_the_moment
softly processed with one of my favorite and addictive texture brands, flypaper. Check out Jill's blog, stream, and group here:
flypapertextures.blogspot.com/
www.flickr.com/photos/borealnz/
www.flickr.com/groups/flypapertextures/pool/with/5265242023/
Manufacturer: Imperial Division of Chrysler Corporation / Chrysler Group Limited Liability Company (LLC), Auburn Hills, Michigan - USA
Type: Crown Series YL43 4-door Hardtop Sedan
Production time: September 1969 - September 1970
Production outlet: 1,333
Engine: 7206cc Chrysler RB-series V-8 440 valve-in-head
Power: 350 bhp / 4.400 rpm
Torque: 651 Nm / 2.800 rpm
Drivetrain: rear wheels
Speed: 196 km/h
Curb weight: 2386 kg
Wheelbase: 127 inch
Chassis: Chrysler C-platform perimeter type ladder frame with 6 crossmembers and all-steel uni-body (by Chrysler)
Steering: integral power recirculating ball and nut PAS
Gearbox: Chrysler TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission / all synchromesh / steering column shift
Clutch: not applicable
Carburettor: Holley R-3918A 4-barrel downdraft
Fuel tank: 91 liter
Electric system: 12 Volts 70 Ah
Ignition system: distributor and coil
Brakes front: BUDD 11.7 inch hydraulic self-adjusting discs
Brakes rear: 11 inch hydraulic self-adjusting drums
Suspension front: independent upper triangular cross-bar, lower simple cross-bar with elastically mounted tension strut and chrome-steel longitudinal torsion spring bar, sway bar + Oriflow telescopic shock absorbers
Suspension rear: beam axle Hotchkiss type, rubber isolated semi-elliptic leaf springs + Oriflow telescopic shock absorbers
Rear axle: live semi-floating type
Differential: hypoid 2.94:1
Wheels: 15 inch steel discs
Tires: L78 - 15
Options: Bendix Anti-lock braking system (ABS), speed control device, Auto-Temp Air Conditioning, Dual Auto-Temp Air Conditioning, 6-Way power seats, leather bucket seats trimmed with vinyl, power vent windows, AM/FM Multiplex Stereo radio with Stereo tape player, AM/FM Golden Touch tuner radio, power antenna, power door locks, Tilt-A-Scope steering wheel, rear heater, defroster, tinted glass, automatic headlight dimmer, Safeguard Sentinel lightning, power trunk lid release, Sure-Grip differential, dual stripe whitewall fiberglass-belted tires, trailer-towing package,
two-tone colouring
Special:
- The Imperial name had been used since 1926, but was never a separate make, just the top-of-the-line Chrysler, until 1955 when it was launched and registered as a separate luxury marque.
- The new "Fuselage Look" with rounded "tumblehome" sides, bulging at the belt line, and tucking in down to the rocker panels was designed by Elwood Engel.
- This new styling made the cars look longer and wider and surrounded the passengers in a hull-like fashion, similar to an aircraft, hence the reference to "fuselage".
- The 1970 Imperial (Chrysler) Imperial Crown Series was available as this 4-door Hardtop and as 2-door YL23 Hardtop (254 units built).
- This fourth generation Crown (1969-1973) was assembled at the Jefferson Avenue Assembly, Detroit (Michigan - USA).
Nature gives us an amazing amount of wonders and within her bounty we find similarities upon which we decide to have reflections and those can lead us on to further investigation with wondrous revelations. The figure created by the silhouette of The Pentland Hills is an amazing sight and she can transform her image from different positions even appearing as if she is pregnant from one vantage. Here Mono and Colour are used to give a further insight into the Sleep Skyline Figure that may have been seen as a Goddess, as Geology in transition and also held so many regards that have been given and lost even as she is found in the landscape today and will with weathering and other developments over many, many years be seen as something vastly different than she appears today.
The Pentland Hills are magnificent and here is a share of their beauty.
I have been mentioning the weather lore of, “Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight,” and now the mention is still reaching into the links below.
© PHH Sykes 2024
phhsykes@gmail.com
Pentland Hills Regional Park
Red sky at night and other weather lore
www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/how-weat...
Matthew 16:2-3, King James Version
2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
Gospel of Matthew 16:2-3, King James Version.
Making of a good shot - let down I think by the busy sky!
Still, like all things it was nice to go somewhere new, and Wimpole estate is fantastic. Nice trees and sweeping landscape. And a wonderful little folly hidden away at the back.
Going back without question.
Thanks to binliner for the tip.
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Light was particularly difficult to obtain here but the interior of this beautiful and tiny mosque was so overwhelming that I really had to share this architectural gem with you. Tucked away in the center of Tetovo, a town not particularly known for its beautiful buildings, this mosque is worth a detour from and to almost anywhere in the region.
Šarena Džamija, (Macedonian: Шарена Џамија; Albanian: Xhamia e Pashës; Turkish: Alaca Cami) meaning Decorated Mosque in English, is a mosque located near the Pena River in Tetovo, Macedonia. The mosque [also referred to as the Painted or Colored Mosque in English] was originally built in 1438 and later rebuilt in 1833 by Abdurrahman Pasha.
The Šarena Džamija was originally built in 1438. The architect behind the Šarena Džamija was Isak Bey. Most mosques of the time had sultans, beys or pashas financing their constructions, but the Šarena Džamija, however, was financed by two sisters from Tetovo. As with many mosques, a hammam was built nearby across the river. The site used to include an Inn as well as a bathhouse on the other side of the river. The current courtyard of the Šarena Džamija is filled with many flowers, a fountain, and a Türbe. The octagonal "türbe" houses the resting places of Hurshida and Mensure, the two sisters who financed the construction of the mosque in 1438. Abdurrahman Pasha, a great enthusiast of art who was fond of Tetovo, reconstructed the Šarena Džamija in 1833. In 1991, the Islamic Community in Tetovo built walls around the mosque in the typical classical Ottoman style. In 2010, a renovation of the exterior paintings was completed and, with a €94,700 grant from the United States State Department, the façade will be reconstructed and preserved in 2011.
Unlike the traditional Ottoman ceramic tile decorations in mosques, the Šarena Džamija has bright floral paintings. More than 30,000 eggs were used to prepare the paint and glaze that went into the elaborate decorations. Another major difference between the Šarena Džamija and other Ottoman mosques is that the Šarena Džamija does not have a distinctive exterior dome.
One of the phenomenal bronze sculptures sitting at the Delaire Graff Estate where we stayed a few nights. I will upload some other ones as well as his work is just breathtaking within the environment. This is the cheetahs pair with the Simonsberg mountains in the distance.
South African sculptor Dylan Lewis is forging the evolution of bronze. He was raised in a landscape of red soils rich in copper. His country offers some of the earliest evidence of man, such as the Cradle of Humankind, a Unesco world heritage site near Johannesburg. Here, hunters lived in caves, some of which contain bulbous, tumbling limestone stalactites — natural sculptures directly expressive of primeval forces, wrought through base material.
Lewis claims to be a man of not many spoken words but he communicates a great deal through his work, enlivening inanimate materials by pinch, smear and cut as he moulds clay models to be cast in bronze. “Clay is a highly malleable material that allows me to express emotion through my hands; clay is my voice. I can explain concepts and ideas in words but I seem only able to express emotion through my hands,” he says. Solid stone has a different resonance for him as, he adds, “it requires a slow steady struggle with a very resistant material, whereas clay, because it is so soft, allows me to scream, sob, smile and laugh”.
Each of his clay figures is translated with the use of a silicone rubber mould into a hollow wax copy. The wax model is then encased in a refractory ceramic and heated in a kiln, whereupon the wax oozes from the mould and leaves a cavity into which the molten bronze is poured. When the bronze has cooled the ceramic coat is chipped off to reveal a metal replica of the original clay sculpture, with Lewis’s marks and imprints intact. The possibilities for this ancient “lost wax” technique are as infinite as an artist’s imagination. That is, except for scale: molten bronze can only travel so far within a mould before it cools and hardens. The larger the mould, the more difficult, and expensive, it gets.
Bored with the beauty that surrounds them, people revert to the security of their digital world. Free from the troubling questions of reality.
Traveling in a railroad car , Surrounded by Mountains on the rail road track of the Canadian run by Via rail , Trip from Toronto to Vancouver and back with stay in , Vancouver , cropped photograph , Martins photograph , Vancouver , British Columbia , Canada , June 21. 2014
Person’s eye view
Mountain view
Top of the train
The Canadian operated by Via Rail
Waterfall from a mountain
David Village Community Gardens
David Village Community Gardens , Gardening plots
David Village Community , Gardening plots
Gastown Steam Clock
Gastown Steam Clock in Vancouver
Gastown Steam Clock Vancouver , British Columbia
Vancouver rail yards
Mountains
Vancouver harbour
Vancouver harbour and rail yards
Mountains on the background in Vancouver
Night view at a bridge in downtown Vancouver
Allium in bloom VanDusen Botanical gardens in Vancouver
Botanical gardens
Allium in bloom
VanDusen Botanical gardens Vancouver
Alliums
VanDusen Botanical gardens
Allium in bloom VanDusen Botanical gardens
A-maze-ing-laughter
sculptures by Yuen’s Minjun
converted to black and white
Photographs converted to black and white
A-maze-ing-laughter sculptures
A-maze-ing-laughter sculptures by Yuen’s Minjun
Lions Gate Suspension Bridge across the Burrard inlet to the harbour , it’s connect of the Northern end of Stanley park to the North shore
Lions Gate Suspension Bridge
Burrard inlet to the harbour
the Burrard inlet
Fraser River
the Fraser River in Vancouver
Fraser River
Favourites
Bridge in Vancouver
Vancouver
British Columbia
Canada
Martin’s photographs
Bridge in Vancouver
June 2014
Bridge
Nikon
Nikon DF
DF
FX
rail road track
Monochrome
photograph converted to black and white
zwart & wit
zwart en wit
black and white
Black & white
French type of tourist camera from about 1890-1900 for 13 x 18 cm film. The camera was sold by Barend Groote & Co who with his brother Hendrik had a store with photographic supplies at Kalverstraat 43 in Amsterdam.
The camera is sporting a no name aplanatic lens - here with a clip-on yellow filter; the shutter is by Butcher & Son. It's a simple camera with hardly any movements. To make horizontal pictures one could rotate the camera's back panel 90 degrees which simultaneously rotated the bellows; the frontpanel has horizontal and vertical shift.
When travelling the camera can be folded into a nice flat package.
The growth end of a kelp stalk shows how the floats and fronds emerge from very simple tabs of growth. The base of the fronds develop into a bulb and the frond itself differentiates from a smooth-plate of kelp into one with a mottled texture and spikes along the edges - had you ever wanted to know this.
This was taken at the northwest corner of Broadway and 98th Street.
Note: I chose this as my "photo of the day" for Aug 10, 2015.
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This is the continuation of a photo-project that I began in the summer of 2008 (which you can see in this Flickr set), and continued throughout 2009-2014 (as shown in this Flickr set, this Flickr set, this Flickr set, this Flickr set, this Flickr set)), this Flickr set)), and this Flickr set)): a random collection of "interesting" people in a broad stretch of the Upper West Side of Manhattan -- between 72nd Street and 104th Street, especially along Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. These are the people in my neighborhood, aka "peeps in the 'hood."
As I indicated when I first started this project six years ago, I don't like to intrude on people's privacy, so I normally use a zoom telephoto lens in order to photograph them while they're still 50-100 feet away from me; but that means I have to continue focusing my attention on the people and activities half a block away, rather than on what's right in front of me. Sometimes I find an empty bench on a busy street corner, and just sit quietly for an hour, watching people hustling past on the other side of the street; they're almost always so busy listening to their iPod, or talking on their cellphone, or daydreaming about something, that they never look up and see me aiming my camera in their direction.
I've also learned that, in many cases, the opportunities for an interesting picture are very fleeting -- literally a matter of a couple of seconds, before the person(s) in question move on, turn away, or stop doing whatever was interesting. So I've learned to keep my camera switched on, and not worry so much about zooming in for a perfectly-framed picture ... after all, once the digital image is uploaded to my computer, it's pretty trivial to crop out the parts unrelated to the main subject. Indeed, some of my most interesting photos have been so-called "hip shots," where I don't even bother to raise the camera up to my eye; I just keep the zoom lens set to the maximum wide-angle aperture, point in the general direction of the subject, and take several shots. As long as I can keep the shutter speed fairly high (which sometimes requires a fairly high ISO setting), I can usually get some fairly crisp shots -- even if the subject is walking in one direction, and I'm walking in the other direction, while I'm snapping the photos.
With only a few exceptions, I've generally avoided photographing bums, drunks, crazies, and homeless people. There are plenty of them around, and they would certainly create some dramatic pictures; but they generally don't want to be photographed, and I don't want to feel like I'm taking advantage of them. There have been a few opportunities to take some "sympathetic" pictures of such people, which might inspire others to reach out and help them. This is one example, and here is another example.
The other thing I've noticed, while carrying on this project for the past six years, is that while there are lots of interesting people to photograph, there are far, far, far more people who are not so interesting. They're probably fine people, and they might even be more interesting than the ones I've photographed ... unfortunately, there was just nothing memorable about them. They're all part of this big, crowded city; but for better or worse, there are an awful lot that you won't see in these Flickr sets of mine...
Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I am still right here
From Hurt by Johnny Cash. I have used this song before but I love it so much. There's so much feeling in it.
I'm thinking about doing a red cloth series. My dad has got to stop going to bed so early though. This was the first shot. I need my own place.
I went to the quarter finals of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam today! It was a lot of fun. We saw Mikhail Youzhny vs. Mario Ancic (I rooted for Youzhny, I could relate to him in a way, I was a bit of a 'temperamentful' tennis player once (I was never any good though :p). Mario won.), and Andy Murray vs. Marc Gicquel (rooted for Marc, who later gave up due to an injury). Also watched the doubles game between Coetzee/ Moodie and Berdych/ Melzer. Rooted for the first. I mean, how can you not like someone named Moodie? They lost though. I like an underdog. Or me rooting for you makes you loose. :p Also had a silly picture taken with Super Mario and ate a botox sandwich. Or something like that. Silly Dutchmen. ;p
On the edge of my dreams is where I want to stay
It's there...I'm forever ...safe...sound
At the edge of the mountain I'll remain breathless
Seeing only clouds....feeling.... within.
Will you always be there on the edge of my dreams?
Will you always meet me to the edge of the mountain?
-rkentdesign
Late Gothic church containing an altarpiece of absolute value and a series of interesting frescoes. These include an important depiction of the Battle of Lepanto, which can be compared with a representation of the same event in the beautiful Collegiate Church of Casei Gerola, the neighbouring village.