Wales is deceptive. A bit like France in miniature it takes longer to navigate your way across it than even your frankest assessment of the map in front of you allows for. As we finished what passed for our breakfast in the Travelodge (our provisions not theirs) next to the old Severn Bridge we knew the 170 odd miles to the opposite end of the Principality was going to take longer than your average journey of this sort of length - but we should have added on a couple of hours for good measure. There were a lot of tractors making steady progress along narrow roads, where often we would find ourselves crawling to a halt as we waited for red lights to change to green. The highway maintenance teams of Wales certainly appeared to be fully occupied as we slowly continued towards Anglesey.

Mind you, there were plenty of distractions, and I'm not just talking about the beer aisle in Aldi at Abergavenny. Once we'd got past the environs of the Brecon Beacons I was in completely uncharted territory, and I liked it very much. Suddenly Builth Wells and Rhayader were real towns in handsome surroundings rather than simply names on a map. We stopped at the latter for a coffee and what was either an early lunch or a second attempt at breakfast. I don't remember which. I'd never heard of Clywedog Reservoir until I was gazing down at it from a thoughtfully placed car park. It really was all rather splendid. How on earth had I advanced into middle age without having seen these places before? It's not that far away from Cornwall.

Further north we persevered and for the first time there were dark brooding mountains on the horizon. I love mountains - I'd never seen a proper one until I was well into my thirties and I've been obsessed with them ever since. It's just that it's a long journey from home to see them, and my better half doesn't share my enthusiasm, which doesn't really help to be honest. We'd come for a three night stay near Caernarfon and the Snowdonia national park was to be our playground for the long weekend ahead - we were getting close. But before all of this our plan was to get to Llanddwyn Island on Anglesey to photograph Twr Mawr lighthouse.

By the time we arrived at Newborough Beach the February light was already beginning to fade, taking with it those beautiful mountains, which now lay to the south. While Dave and Lee stopped on the beach, distracted by what I still have no idea, I pressed on against a strengthening wind towards the island. A storm was due over the weekend and was letting us know early, shaking my tripod with every restless gust from the west. The cold wind coming in hard from the Irish Sea, the lack of time to absorb the place as the darkness approached and the sullen bank of cloud did little to help my composition and after a few shots I moved on and found another view. The famous lighthouse hadn't been a success. Sometimes you have to just walk away.

A year later I decided to have another try at the raw files I'd made that day. Lockdown in the UK has meant that some of our YouTube gurus have been producing rather more educational content than they normally would, and I hoped I might have absorbed something that would help me to revisit old images. I'd also invested in the Topaz utility suite, which is often helpful in removing indiscretions - camera shake in this case - and bringing a little sharpness to a previously blurry image. I'm afraid I'm a sucker for trying to grab 1.3 seconds in a gale and sometimes I don't get away with it. But those moving grasses were just begging to be captured.

So now I'm at peace with this image. I managed to catch the backdrop of those shadowy beasts of Snowdonia before the distant clouds stole them for good, and although there was none of that classic sunset stuff that you look for in a scene like this, it brings to me that sense of a big storm approaching. Storm Ciara did arrive later, and much of Sunday was lost as we decided not to take any silly risks with flying debris sailing past our rented cottage all morning, while we cowered inside with coffee watching Whisky Galore. It was brutal and the nation was advised to stay indoors. Sadly much of the time we'd planned among the mountains was lost to the storm.

We returned home from Wales on the Monday via the North West of England and the motorways. Despite the snowstorm it was a much faster route, but nowhere near as appealing. Next time I'll stick with the scenic route and get stuck behind all of those tractors again. But it'll be worth it.

Wir möchten ganz lieb für Euren Besuch

und die netten Kommentare Dankeschön sagen ...

Vielleicht schenkt Ihr uns auch ein Sternchen ...

Wir wünschen Euch, eine Woche voller Freude

und immer viel Foto-Glück ...

Haltet Abstand, seid achtsam, passt auf,

die anderen tun es nicht und bleibt gesund ...

Viele liebe Grüße 🌲✨🌲⛄️💖🐻⛄️💖🌲✨🌲

Kindergarteninder ...

💕⛄❄️⛄🍄🐖🐞🍀💞

🍀💕🙋😍😍😍😍😍😍😍🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟😍🍀🍄💖💕💞😂👍🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟😍❤💚💖☃💕🙋‍♂️💖💚❤😍

🐭🐾🙏

👍👍👍📷😍💙♡💚

˚♥* ✰ ...♫• * ' '

🐧🐧

🍳 😳

⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨🙋⛄❄💝🌞🍀🌸

👢👠 👠👢💋 🦘

😍❤💚💖💕🙋‍♂️

😊💕💖🐻🌞💖🐻🌞💖🐻🌞💖🐻🌞💖🐻🌞💖🐻🌞💖🐻🌞💖🐻🌞

🌀✳❇🔔❎🔔✳❇🌀

🙋‍♂️🐁💝🐀🐤🐦🐓

😊😍😍💕

❤💐🌸🌹🌺🌻😍🌷☘🌼🌼☘🌷😍❤🌸💐🌻🌺🌹

😂😂 👌🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟

💐💐🌸🌹🌺🌻🌼🌷☘😘☘🌷🌼🌻🌺🌹🌸💐❤😘

💘🌜❄❄❄🌛💘

😊😍⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨❤😍👍😍😍😍

_Ὥ Ὥ Ὥ Ὥ ᾩ Ὥ_🐑🐑🐑💕🐏💕

👍 😲 😣 🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟

🚑🚓 🚗

👍🌞💖🐻🌞💖🐻🌞💖🐻🌞💖🐻🌞💖🐻🌞💖🐻🌞💖🐻🌞💖🐻🌞🙋💕🍀😷🍂😊 ⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨

☃🐓💋🐓🐔🐔🐓💋🐓☃‍♂️💕‍♂️💠🚻💑💑🚻💠

❄❄🌛 🐭 🌜❄❄

*˛˚ღ✰* ★

˚. ★ *˛ ˚♥* ✰

★♫• * '

😊 ⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨💕💖💛💚♥😍❣💕⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨!❣😍♥💚💛💖💕👏👏🙋‍♂️😂🙋🌟✨ 🙋🌟✨ 🙋🌟✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨⛄️💕🌟😘🎿✨

💕⛄❄️⛄☘️🍄💖💕⛄❄️⛄

👍 🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟🙋✨🙋🌟

🐭❄ 🌛

It’s taken a year for me to post this photo. I mentioned in yesterdays post the midge onslaught from last year in this wood and that I was running scared to return at this year. Just writing about it I started to miss the place. Ok I suffered the days after the visit but I was in the wood from 5:30am to 8:50 so I persevered the conditions for a while. I decided to visit the photos from last year and here is one I can remember having fun with. I climbed all over this fallen birch looking for the killer composition and I thought I feel I failed at the time looking back here is one I quite like. Although there is no clear focal point in the distance it does give depth and I do like diagonal of the fallen tree, it’s like a barrier to different terrains. I’m away in Hertfordshire next week but on my return I just might squeeze a late June visit.

My interpretation of Turner work Pastel on Canson paper. Snow Storm - Steam-Boat off a Harbour's Mouth shows a ship off the English coast struggling to persevere through a storm. Rumor has that Turner actually had himself tied to the mast of a ship during the storm to get a better account of the wind and ocean and what the ship must've felt like in the midst of it. There is no way to test the validity of this rumor, however it is clear that unlike any other artist, Turner grasped the nature of the storm better than any other artist. This story, located in Harwich, was most likely invented but shows a striking proof of Turner's lifetime of experience on the sea.

The steam-boat resides in the center of the vortex. Turner once again shows the effects of the environment over mankind's inabilities.

I didn't get the vendor in this shot, he had just ducked behind the stand to grab two of whatever the customer ordered.

I loved walking around Vietnam at night. Lots of activity, people stop to practice their english and patiently persevere while I try my hand at Vietnamese.

Hadn't been out with camera for a week, poor light and rain etc. so had a go today. Just about to leave when she turns up at 12:00 ! Best light of the day, sometimes you need luck if you persevere and she didn't disappoint, another 45min session. The squirrels saved the day when I switched off the camera at 12:00 , they all shot up the trees and started their warning calls which was my cue to get ready for "Polly". Still cant believe she keeps turning up at mi-day , needless to say I "filled my boots" and my SD card 😁 Always important to get her to show her paws which they seem to hide most of the time !

Canon EOS R5 +300mm f2.8MKII @11 metres 1/320 f3.2 iso 2500

This morning I went outside shortly after breakfast to test an older camera. The reason for this is because I'll be taking it with me tomorrow to the Wales Airshow at Swansea Bay as a standby just in case I totally write off my Canon 90 d ( heaven forbid 😣 ) as I did with my previous camera the last time the event was held ( photo in comments of what happened then .. ..)

It's on a diet.....of peanuts.

It is unbelievably windy out there this morning.

All the leaves that I piled on the gardens and carefully tucked in will be in the next county.

Each fall I try to pick a time that it will rain the next day. I cover the beds with leaves and then wait for the rain and to see if Mother Nature will just blow them all away.

Very efficient way to mulch. 😱😟😣😬😖😕

Another early start but this time I was awake by 2am(😲😣) so I got to the headland with a bit more time today. Windy & Clear Outside had predicted a better showing of High Cloud and less on the horizon but the cloud on the horizon softened the sun as it rose so it really was that orange/red colour and it got reflected in the water. A few mins before I took this photo a pod of dolphins was swimming/jumping just out of shot on the right but I only had a 70-200 with me so couldn't get anything worthwhile and concentrated on the sunrise

Old Harry Rocks, Studland, Dorset - Standing tall on Handfast Point at the southern end of Studland Bay is one of the most famous landmarks on the South Coast – Old Harry. They are part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and are managed by the National Trust.

The chalk formations are popularly known as Old Harry Rocks, but the name Old Harry actually refers to the single stack of chalk standing furthest out to sea. Until 1896 there was another stack known as Old Harry’s Wife, but erosion caused her to tumble into the sea, leaving just a stump.

Thousands of years ago, Old Harry and The Needles (another chalk rock formation) on the Isle of Wight were linked by a line of chalk hills that eroded away during the last ice age. On a clear day you can see The Needles from Studland Bay.

There are a number of theories about where Old Harry got its name. It is reputedly named after either a famous local pirate (Harry Paye) or the devil. The top of the cliff nearby is known as Old Nick’s Ground which is another name for the devil. (Ref. Visit Dorset).

© All rights reserved Steve Pellatt. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.

*"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails."

"Corinthians"

Well nothing showing again this morning so revisited the Goldcrest from Yesterday. this one is a bit better, I will persevere though, best viewed on full screen.

Jackson ist ein US-amerikanischer Hersteller von E-Gitarren und E-Bässen mit Sitz in Scottsdale, Arizona. Jackson ist eine „Tochterfirma“ des Gitarrenherstellers Fender, der bereits seit den 1940er Jahren Solidbody-Gitarren baut und heute zu den größten und erfolgreichsten Konzernen der Branche zählt. Mit der Übernahme der Firma Jackson stieg Fender auch in die Metal-Szene ein.

Bei z.B. Kiss, Metallica und Children of Bodom gehörten Jackson Gitarren zu den Auserwählten. Und deshalb will ich auch eine .. 😣

Jackson is an American manufacturer of electric guitars and electric basses based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Jackson is a “subsidiary company” of the guitar manufacturer Fender, which has been building solid-body guitars since the 1940s and is now one of the largest and most successful companies in the industry. With the takeover of the Jackson company, Fender also entered the metal scene.

For example, with Kiss, Metallica and Children of Bodom, Jackson guitars were among the chosen ones. And that's why I want one too..... 😣

A beautiful night with storm clouds gathering in the west. A few tiny gnats were waging war on me, but I persevered! A few are actually visible in the image!

Contrast as of late has consumed me with winters scorn. I've found contrast in colors can be dramatic and shouldn't go unappreciated. I'd like to thank my virtual friends for commenting/fav'ing as of late. You're part of the driving force that allows me to persevere the cold and to capture these moments in time.

L’Homme Magazine SL May 2024

On our cover is Gaze (Wendigo Daddy), designer-owner of AFTERPARTY, and other ventures including his own shopping sim. We watched Gaze persevere and grow as a creator, starting from scratch with simpler accessories and now rigged items and outfits. His friendly and kind nature and his passion for creating is admirable. Great work Gaze, keep on creating!

In this issue, we are excited to share with you the most recent amongst a myriad of men’s fashion creations that our designers churned out over the months, presented by our photographers and stylists in several Designer Features, Editorials, and Advertisements.

There is also a special feature of the Top Eight Winners of Neo-Japan Event Photo Contest for March-April 2024 event round! Congrats winners!!

Readers’ Group Gifts – please enjoy our group gifts prepared by our generous designers.

Remember to activate our group tag to pick up your gifts!

Read it online Below!

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Facebook Page:

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Discord link:

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Cover: Gaze (Wendigo Daddy) from AfterParty

Photographer: Skip Staheli

Went back out at night..Waxing Crescent 35.2% Moon was providing natural lighting. About to walk into the grassy area to get a bit close then saw a snake 60-70cm long moving slowly in the grassy area where I was going to walk 😱

Okay it is your territory and I am staying on the paved road! Good thing was before I stepped on the grassy area although it was very low grasses I checked with the flashlight..Might have stepped on it 😣 Be careful if you go out for night photography in the summer time. Still happy photography!

I love Cornwall, especially during the winter months. Although the weather hasn't been favorable this week, there was a break from the howling winds and rain, so I ventured out for a stroll along the SW Coastal path.

Pedn Vounder beach isn't an easy place to get to, especially when the ground is still wet, but persevere I did. Mounting a tripod on a narrow ledge and scrambling to attach an ND filter, not so easy....

Thanks for viewing and have a great day....:-)

Just like the snail....Persevere, no matter how slow it goes!.......It is said that Edison failed 3,000 times or so before he made the electric light. Do not be discouraged if you fail a few times.

What it boils down to is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison

This shot is dedicated to Max and Emma who found this snail in their garden and came running in the house yelling...."Aunt Debbie...Aunt Debbie....get your camera there is a snail in the garden on the okra leaf." Thanks Max and Emma for making life so much fun! I love you! Aunt Debbie : )

With the distillery reflected in the water, and the fading colours of sunset, you'd be forgiven for thinking this is idyllic.... Midgies. Midgies are evil. 😣

So I've been working (trying) with Barn Owls for the past month with some success, as per the earlier photos, but they seem spooked every time I try to use a wide angle lens. Hence the lack of images recently!

I'll persevere with the Owls, but I decided to spend the last couple of days working on different subjects. A couple of days ago I headed up to the Peak District to photograph Mountain Hares.

Fortunately one proved not to be worried by my presence and allowed a slow and steady approach as a crawled through the grass to get a clear shot.

The windmill is quite symbolic; considered to be a universal symbol of life, resilience,self-sufficiency,and perseverance in a harsh environment. It is important to recognize that no matter what happens in life you can overcome any problem. Life is composed of ups and downs. Learning to get through the downs is key to being successful. Without obstacles,difficulty,struggles,and challenges, life wouldn't make much sense. You become stronger, more compassionate, and more grateful when you strongly believe in your capacity to persevere and rebuild again.

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Body by Envy Shapes

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Makeshift Wind Turbine 7 Toolbox-Razor Bird

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My Dear Husband: There's a flag on the play and a penalty's been called for rushing down the field of life. Take one day's time out to celebrate happiness. Happy Birthday, Honey.

Weathered and withered leaf, impaled by the wind on a branch and persevered here through the winter in contrast to the dancing spots of light on the surface of a fish pond.

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Persevere its in there somewhere.......

Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodia

Spoonbills are tall white waterbirds with long broad black bills and black legs. They fly with necks and legs extended. In the water, they feed with elegant sideward sweeps of their bill. In the breeding season, adults show some yellow on their chest and bill tip. The species is of European conservation concern and a very rare breeding bird in the UK. They're listed are listed on Schedule 1 of The Wildlife and Countryside Act, making it illegal to disturb these birds. Most birds migrate south in the winter, but many individuals remain and spend winter in Western Europe.

This is one of the older types .... he/she used to love hanging out on this and eating his fill. Which in reality was probably not much at all.

But, I bought some called SquirrelBusters and now... well, they read the sign on the side of the holders... I'm sure they can read ... and then, they shout "Curse you SquirrelBuster"!.... give it a touch or a whack and then... go away.

One neighbour in particular hates it if she thinks anybody is feeding squirrels as she has some in her attic area...and, nobody has been able to rid her house of them. She has had exterminators several times... people have actually gone up inside the attic and managed to trap a few ...but, still they persevere. She says she hears them in the wee hours of the morning and it makes her crazy.

A Grey Squirrel... they are out and about the past week as it is a bit warmer.

I found this info on them...""" Grey squirrels are warm-blooded homeotherms. Homeotherms maintain a constant body temperature throughout the seasons and do not need to hibernate.

The primary mechanisms grey squirrels employ for winter survival include:

Building protected nests

Sharing body heat

Reducing physical activity

Creation of food caches

Development of fat stores

Development of a thicker coat

Utilization of shivering """

This is a photo from 2018 in the early fall..... as you can tell by the leaves on the lilacs... and, the fact that there is no snow.... which we have here for months in winter......... there is still almost a foot on the lawns and gardens from snow around Christmas time... it stays cold and the snow hangs around... it gets old and rather dirty looking.....there is hard ice on the subdivision roads ...but, main roads are now clear.. might be more snow in the week to come.

... at the preferred playground of my childhood.

At that time, the fauna was much more present 😣

---

An einem trüben Oktobertag am bevorzugten Spielplatz meiner Kindheit.

Damals war die Fauna deutlich präsenter 😣

(PA270165)

Romeo the rare blue Bolivian water frog seeks a Juliet on match.com, he found a few matches as can be seen, but failed to find his Juliet, so therefore turned to modern technology, he really needs her to save their species he's probably the last male alive,

it surely would be awful if a beautiful female can't be located ..... poor chap!

😕😣😭

"It's a frogs life"

I'm little froggie,

croaks avoiding moggie,

hops, jumps, and swim,

it's like my going to the gym,

if the pond is brimming,

my thoughts turn to whiming,

I spied a slimy blue hopper,

she loves me, don't stop her,

we done piggy back riding,

now tadpoles here a hiding,

its been fun being froggie

now happy under loggie.

The end.

Poetry by: Sean

I only add a little poem with a image if I feel the urge to add something to accompany the photography, these are supposed to be funny, I usually write a piece of poetry in under a hour and try not to alter it much once it's penned.

I have been writing poetry for the last twenty years, I find its a great method to describe your feeling, or thoughts and very enjoyable too!

I really love nature and have done so from an early age, and hope this comes through in my poetry .

Love & Peace 💞

Key: whiming = women.

moggie = cat.

froggie = frog.

loggie = log.

Well this tiny little prince frog is actually my mothers, I borrowed it for my prop for this weeks Macro Mondays theme of: "Matchstick"

I cut down some safety matches and inserted these into my little blue water frogs mouth.

He is a frog price, and really didn't want to be used like this but eventually calmed down stopped croaking and agreed.

Ich hatte an einem Tag in der letzten Woche ein wenig Zeit und habe einen Motorrad-Händler besucht. Dort habe ich tolle Fotos gemacht .. dachte ich .. 😣. Leider sind die Bilder zwischen all dem Licht und Chrom nichts geworden. Ich muss dort nochmal hin ..

I had a little free time one day last week and visited a motorcycle dealership. I took great photos there.. I thought.. 😣. Unfortunately, the pictures came to nothing between all the light and chrome. I have to go there again..

Great Blue Heron

Samish Flat, Washington

Ich habe meinen neuen Dienstwagen bekommen, aber .. Hilfe .. ich kann nicht rückwärts einparken !

I got my new company car, but .. Help .. I can't reverse parking!

Shot this on a cloudy night with a full moon. I wanted to show how the moon perseveres to light the night sky through thick cloud.

We've all had days similar to this, haven't we? We will persevere.

Chevrolet Camaro (1979–1981): Mit fast 283.000 gebauten Exemplaren war 1978 das beste Verkaufsjahr in der Camarogeschichte.

Chevrolet Camaro (1979–1981): With almost 283,000 units built, 1978 was the best sales year in Camaro history.

We hiked a few miles into Marble Canyon which had the most amazing narrows.

As is usual in Death Valley, in order to get to the trailhead we had to endure 10 miles of what was euphemistically described as "high clearance road", meaning barely discernable track through the desert. But we persevered and really enjoyed this hike.

Explored.

The Zollverein Coal Mine Complex in Essen (More images in my series Zollverein) is one of the most impressive surviving examples of industrial culture from the modern era.

At our way to the Zollverein area we continously had pouring rain ... shortly after arrival sun broke through, providing marvellous light. Sometimes luck is with those who persevere.

Press L to see this image in more detail.

After two years of cancellations, it was exciting to again experience the WTA ASB Classic tournament in Auckland. Unfortunately the weather gods did not really want to play ball nicely with many periods of games being interrupted by drizzle and rain at the outdoor centre court. Wet foot prints and umbrellas became a very familiar sight for the spectators. Here's from the men's quarter finale game. The enthusiastic crowd, and the players, persevered.

Pics I took a lot

Well over a hundred shots

This the last I got

I spotted this treehopper on an Elderberry branch, just about eye level. But each time I tried to get a good shot, the little critter moved to the other side of the branch, meaning I had to duck under the overhanging clusters of berries to get to the other side. Back and forth, back and forth, it led me a merry chase, probably laughing its head off. I just kept shooting, and it kept moving, and finally I gave up, but the last shot turned out to be the best, so I'm glad I persevered for so long.

And by the way, initially iNaturalist gave Hadrophallus bubalus as the first choice of id, but also named Stictocephala bisonia (Buffalo Treehopper) as a possibility. I asked the internet what was the difference between the two insects, and AI answered that that there isn't much. Something about the pronotum being a slightly different shape, and the bubalus being hairier. Right?

This show jumping rider and her horse were just doing some warm ups and waiting time for the main event. At the Redcliffe Show.

Many thanks to everyone who has persevered and watched this series, I hope it may have brought back some memories or well, you just enjoyed it. And have a great weekend all.

A storm gathers over Woolwich Dockyard as hopeful anglers persevere.

"You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place ? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know."

~René Daumal

On Mt. Adams, Washington, 12,210ft. The snow columns are called nieves penitentes and form at high altitudes under hot sun.

If you're on Facebook come like my new page :) www.Facebook.com/westerleighphotography

This native pigeon / kereru sat patiently in a big plant in our back patch while I ran at pace to pick up my picture procurer. It's the passing of precepts of privateness putting me into paraphrasing perseverations.

I was partial to the presence of this protected passerine.

Please comment people to prevent my phobia!

(No P comsumed in the writing of this caPtion.)

Someone here said espresso martini so it would have been rude not to play today.

WAH are visiting Alcohol today.

Can't say I recommend it out of a can but I'll persevere.

Thanks in advance for stopping by, your interest and your comments on my photography

© www.juergenbodamer.com

Stairway To Heaven

Led Zeppelin

There's a lady who's sure

All that glitters is gold

And she's buying a stairway to Heaven

When she gets there she knows

If the stores are all closed

With a word she can get what she came for

Oh oh oh oh and she's buying a stairway to Heaven

There's a sign on the wall

But she wants to be sure

'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings

In a tree by the brook

There's a songbird who sings

Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiving

Ooh, it makes me wonder

Ooh, it makes me wonder

Went into Sydney City at 4:30am to shoot a street near Central Station in the dark. That went well, and I will post that image later..

We then took the train down to George St and did some street photography in the empty streets around the QVB.

Its been years since I photographed the spiral stairs inside this building, so decided that when in Rome...

The stairs and escalators were gated off until 7:30am, so we grabbed brekky and waited for security to remove them, which they did just as we were finished stuffing our faces.

This is quite a difficult composition to get right using a tripod.

I had shot for a while hand held, and had bumped the iso right up, and opened up the aperture quite wide, but I was getting too much noise and the images were rather soft at the edges due to the open aperture, so I persevered with the tripod option.

Hanging your camera over the edge of a stairway on a tripod that isn't secured properly to the floor is not fun, but where theres a will, theres a way.

This is also the first time I have ever posted an image, where I think the colour image is equally as impactive as the B&W.

So, I will post the colour version later in the week, as I really like that too.

Hope you like "Stairway To Heaven"

Cheers, Mike

So I've been working (trying) with Barn Owls for the past month with some success, as per the earlier photos, but they seem spooked every time I try to use a wide angle lens. Hence the lack of images recently!

I'll persevere with the Owls, but I decided to spend the last couple of days working on different subjects. So yesterday saw me heading to the east coast in search of seals. Fortunately there is a Grey Seal colony close to where I live. My luck seemed to be in as this newly born Grey Seal pup was very inquisitive. I'd watched him from afar as he suckled with his mother. After a while he moved away and his mother went off to find a comfortable rock pool to lounge around in. As I lay watching him, initially with a 500mm lens, he slowly came over towards me, so close to being within touching distance.

I couldn't resist going for some wide angle shots of him, especially considering he decided to go to sleep!

Pano of Bridgenorth station showing the impressive collection of heritage loco.

BR 70000 Britannia catches some lovely afternoon sunshine in Sandy Lane

This beautiful Great Blue Heron has looked like this for a long time. He seems healthy and perseveres in spite of his affirmity. I lovingly refer to him as Ole' Crookneck.

I was looking back at my Lassen trip photos and had some fond memories of this hike. This view really shows how steep this climb is on the way to the top. I am not ashamed to say that it kicked my butt. What made the hike worse was the cinder on that trail that we had to move through. It was really loose and it seemed like every twelve inches that you went up, you slid back down six.

I'm really glad that I persevered and made it to the top. The view is truly amazing once you get there. You have a 360 degree view of the area. You can see first hand how the volcanic activity formed the land features here.