View allAll Photos Tagged Problematic
Posting an image of the Grand Canyon is problematic in that it has been captured so well, over and over again throughout the decades. It is visually stunning and defies comprehension. It is daunting to post something fresh. However, I decided to not be intimidated and have presented an image of the moment I was there. It was my time with an epic place. So hear it is...
With a snow storm dumping several inches of snow within a couple hours on an early November morning, Union Pacifics Cascade subdivision became problematic with issues like multiple spots of broken rail and several downed trees from the heavy cascade snow weighing them down. To add to the list of problems, an empty oil train in front of Amtraks Coast Starlight #14 had a traction motor catch on fire halfway down the grade and causing more delay for Amtrak and another headache for Union Pacific problems on this morning. After a total of 4.5 hours of sitting for maintenance to clear the tracks and the train ahead to set out the burned motor, #14 races to catch up time while still offering its Thanksgiving passengers a wintery scene to be viewed through out their journey in the Cascades of Oregon.
Heather, Oregon.
Wacker Quay, which is where this is, has not always been this oasis of calm. In the late nineteenth century Cornwall was a remote location with a limited road infrastructure which was unsuited to meet the logistical requirements of the new forts being built nearby to help keep Napoleons armies at bay. Accordingly a channel was dredged in the River Lynher and a military quay built at Wacker, directly below Scraesdon Fort. However, the steep gradients made resupply of the fort problematic and in 1893 a military railway was built connecting Wacker Quay with both Tregantle and Scraesdon Forts.
The boat at the head of the estuary? (zoom in) Somebody lives there!
Markyate, Hertfordshire; Leica M8. I am getting more familiar with the lens (Leitz Elmar 4/135, built in the 1960s). I have described previously that this lens is not properly adjusted to the camera's range finding system. I am now at the point where "body memory" tells me how to achieve good focus. Works most of the time. Problematic is, however, that the optical viewfinder does not show the frame lines for this lens. I have to guess what will and what will not be in the picture.
During my holiday in Denmark, a photo tour at Lyngvig Fyr lighthouse was a must. In order to get the best possible photos, I went twice. Once in the evening and once in the morning at sunrise. The whole thing is a bit problematic because the sun in Northern Europe sets quite late and rises very early. Nothing for late risers.
The sky, which presented itself shortly before sunrise, made up for everything.
ISO100
F/16 for consistent sharpness
18mm (APSC)
Photographed on a tripod, since the exposure time is 0.6 seconds.
Monday, June 13: Stripes
I spent all week trying to capture some beautiful quartz stripes on a small rock that I had found but was unable to get anywhere near the image that I had in mind. The focus was out....the depth of field was lousy...the lighting was problematic - nothing I tried seemed to work. I finally gave up.
Here then is the "second" attempt at what proved to be a very trying theme.
Cardstock on edge
El Matador State Beach
Malibu, CA
10-22-2022
Art photo composited 10/30/24
{I think most photographers don't just automatically share their process, but I've been doing it for a while on my Facebook photography page for those interested, and sometimes do so here on Flickr as well.}
This is a composited image sewn together in Photoshop from two photos taken on the same day at the same place, and pretty much with the camera aimed in the same direction but at different times. Photos taken on Oct. 22, 2022. Processing took a couple of days off and on and was completed this morning 10/30/24.
The foreground is at El Matador State Beach. I composited the sunset shot from one I took farther up the beach about a half hour later. The foreground of the sunset shot wasn't that interesting, and the foreground shot here didn't have an interesting sky, so I merged the two. I also expanded the sunset itself which was much smaller and farther off on the horizon.
When doing something like this, I pay attention to the edges of the foreground image and the lighting. I darkened those two rocks extending up into the sky, but they might still be too light. I also experimented with the lighting and color correction filters in Topaz Photo AI but was not satisfied with the "computer's" results.
I had a bit of trouble with the clone brush getting the area of ocean between the rocks to match with the sunset, and tried various tools including the removal tool (the one I use to make people disappear). It's not a major part of the image, but while the sunset to the left of the rock looks okay to me, the area to the right does not.
I'm cognizant of the fact most everyone who views digital photography on a website like Facebook, Instagram or Flickr does so on their phones. I've seen images which look "amazing" on a phone but if blown up look out of focus and full of noise. I use a lot of processing tools, and go in to pixel depth to sometimes correct an area I find problematical in one of my images. My images are meant to be seen on the largest screen possible, and they're still sharp and vibrant. (or at least I hope they are. 😁)
Asteroid is an alternative name for the animal we more commonly call a starfish, an echinoderm so named because it belongs to the class Asteroidea. I had forgotten this curious alternative name until I checked Wikipedia for some starfish info and realised the image could be used for the Smile on Saturday theme 'Anything with A'.
My thanks to SkyeBaggie for spotting this wee critter among the barnacles during our recent trip over to Elgol. I thought it rather looked like it was running along and reaching out to pat a limpet. It was definitely alive, just waiting for the tide to come back in, but even its slight movements made doing a focus stack a bit problematic.
At the time of this photo VIA was leasing several CN GP40-2's pending arrival of new F40's. This was not one of them. It represents something seldom seen anymore, that of host road freight units being poached to assist ailing power on passenger trains. In this case, CN 9586 tows a problematic LRC through Paris, Ontario.
CN 9586 GP40-2
VIA 6929 LRC
It's that time of year again: the sun is shining, the days are long, the hills are beckoning ... and swarms of midges are lying in wait. The scourge of the Scottish summer, the Highland midge, or Culicoides Impunctatus, to give it its proper name, has ruined many a day trip and camping holiday. It's by no means a recent phenomenon; back in 1872 even Queen Victoria was forced to abandon a Highland picnic after complaining of being 'half-devoured' by the beasties.
Prevalent at dawn and dusk the midge is particularly problematic in the Highlands and Western Scotland where damp conditions provide perfect breeding grounds.
A single midge is almost invisible to the human eye, measuring one millimetre in length with a wingspan of less than two millimetres. The male is less of a nuisance, happy to feed off plants and nectar; it is the female of the species which is vicious. She requires blood to help form her eggs and when she's alerted to our presence by smelling carbon dioxide in our breath she attacks - along with thousands of girlfriends!
According to research, a swarm can inflict about 3,000 bites in an hour, while 40,000 midges can land on an unprotected arm over the same period. After their - or more likely, your - retreat the effects of the attack can still be seen. The bite marks will be itchy, often lead to swelling and, occasionally, other complications.
The number of insects that can be found in nature has fallen sharply in recent years. That is problematic and we, humans, are the cause of this. Everyone should have more green in the garden and different plants / flowers. Get rid of all tiles and say welcome to nature.
Thanks for your visit and comments! Would you like to use my photo on the web or print? Just ask :-)
Greetings, Robbie Veldwijk
Knowing there was an empty Wabush train out, on the morning of day 8 I headed towards Emeril Jct. Along the way I caught a quick glimpse of what looked like a ballast train, shoving back towards Opocopa Siding for a meet with the ore train.
After a short wait at the nearby crossing on the Trans-Labrador Highway, the ballast train came into view with a former CN caboose leading the shove.
For power the train had two units, both built new for the QNS&L.
SD40-3 312 has worked on the same rails since 1973. Originally ordered as SD40-2 250, was one of 43 SD40-2's acquired by the railroad. However with advancements in technology, the SD40-2 fleet was slowly phased out by the 2000's as ore trains grew. A number of units including 312 were rebuilt into SD40-2CLC specs. The CLC system from what I have read, was fairly problematic. By the 2000's, 9 of the CLC rebuilds were sold off along with the remaining SD40-2's and SD40's. 310-316 were eventually sent out for rebuild into SD40-3 specs in the 2010's while 317-322 remained in storage, until they received the same treatment over the last few years. The QNS&L SD40-3's, even heavily modified still have several unique differences. The most noticeable being an enlarged fuel tank. Due to the extreme winters, the air tanks were relocated inside the carbody to keep them from freezing up, while the extra fuel capacity extended the range of the units. High rock lights were required for the many rock cuts the railroad traverses, while a now removed cab mounted bell kept the warning device out of the snow which would otherwise clog it. Despite the many rebuilds, the unit has retained its Canadian marker lights and handrails and like most of the QNS&L fleet it has been equipped with LED ditch lights. A keen observer, will also notice the P3 horn, which has been mounted sideways. With the demands of work trains and mixed freight service ever growing, these units stay busy year round. Facing a near constant power shortage, recently QNSL has leased a number of ONR SD40-2's to augment the fleet.
As for the trailing unit, QNSL AC4400CW 418 was delivered new in 2006, as part of the initial batch of AC4400CW's the railroad bought.
After meeting the ore train, the crew would shove back to Emeril Jct, to tie the train down so it could be reloaded. The surfacing work was being done, in preparation for a tie project in September.
Quebec North Shore & Labrador Railway
Train: Work 312-6 South
7/6/2025
Opocopa, NL
QNS&L Northernland Subdivision
44396 (Várpalota-Passau) Due to the deteriorated technical condition of railway line number 20 (Székesfehérvár-Szombathely), both freight and passenger train traffic is prohibited between Ajka and Veszprém. Buses operate instead of passenger trains, while freight trains operate on alternative routes. There is neither money nor will to restore the problematic section, and the current situation will remain the same. The railway line is currently only used by various private railways who's park their trains at the stations. There are stopped freight trains at every railway station, which are constantly being replaced. One such train can be seen in the photo, which spent the holidays at Várpalota station and then left for Germany after the holidays.
I think the fibres are probably nylon.
It is effective abrasion for scrubbing and is easy to use but I presume the microplastic particles it produces are bound to be problematic.
This one has a handle that can be filled with detergent via screw-off cap at the end of the handle.
Macro Mondays theme "Scrubware"
X Ray Spex - Germ Free Adolescents
Week 45/52:The 2016 Edition (Friday 4th November - Y Thursday 10th November - Theme: UPSIDE DOWN
For this weeks Upside Down theme I took a trip to Dunlaoghaire Harbour and found these Upside down Boats. It was afternoon a short time before sunset
I didn't have my tripod. Balancing the bright sky from setting sun and darker corner where the boats were was a bit problematic.
I post this photo hours after taking it, I did not feel like waiting to post it.
It was 11:45 this morning when the BNSF's Stockton to Provo trackage rights left for Utah with an NS AC44C6M on point. I was sitting at home, not planning to do anything or go anywhere, but I realized that this train might make it to the snowline before dark. Getting screwed out of shooting the spreaders only a few days earlier when my car got hit, which happened the night before I was going to go up, I wanted any excuse to go to the snow. I decided to start at Roseville, where one of my friends would meet up with me. We would end up carpooling to chase the train. However, things were not looking so bright when the train left Roseville nearly three hours after departing Stockton, just after 2:30. On top of that, the dispatcher had sent it up Track 1, which would add on even more time. Thankfully, this was not a massive train, so it moved fast. The trackage rights reached Colfax just before 4 PM, and after I devoured a sandwich we headed to Casa Loma.
Casa Loma was looking nice, as the canyon reflected a light ray while the sun was rapidly setting. It didn't take long before the NS showed up, and I told myself it was the last shot, for a few minutes. Right before getting back to the highway exit, I decided that it might be worth going further. An attempt would be made to shoot it at Emigrant Gap.
In 2021, I had shot a grain train overlooking the valley below E Gap, and I wanted to reshoot it in the snow with blue light. However, I knew that this was risky, the access road was more than likely not plowed, and hiking up the hill is long and very steep. Since we had went to Casa Loma, we also would not have a whole lot of time. After getting to Emigrant, the two of us saw that the signals were on and there was a green, at that moment all I could think was that we were already here so I may as well try, even though I was convinced this would fail.
Parking at the bottom of the hill, I would lead the two of us up as fast as possible. I was trying to retrace my steps from four years ago, eventually attempting to go straight up the side of the hill. The photo doesn't really show that well just how steep the side is on the left, but while climbing it is very much possible, trying to climb on a time crunch is hard. However, there was a certain point where me nor my friend could find good footing to continue up the hill, with things like slippery rock and unstable brush covering an area in front of us. After a few minutes I was ready to call it quits when finally I found an area just good enough to get up, and raced uphill. It was just after this the sound of a horn could be heard blowing nearby. I raced the rest of the way up, trying to keep the wind from blowing my hat off my head. Finally, I had made it to the top, and only about ten seconds later the train would roll around the curve. Once it cleared, my friend made it to the top, as it turns out he had been struggling to get by the problematic area. Just then I also realized there was a far easier and faster way to get up the hill the whole time. Needless to say, I felt like an idiot that I tried to go up the hard way when there was a very obviously far less steep path we could have taken. It was now over though, so we headed back down to the car and traveled down the mountain.
The theme for “Smile on Saturday” for the 26th of March is “numbers”, and by that it cannot be a mixture of letters and numbers. I considered this for a while, and looked through many of my lettering books from the 1970s and 1980s for nice numbers but found nothing. It was only as I was winding one of my many clocks (admittedly one with roman numerals) that I suddenly thought of the numerals on a clock face. So, this stylised number five comes from the 1920s Gunter Art Deco mantle clock that sits in my dining room. The number and its surrounds are one piece of silver plated metal that have been impressed into the maple face. The grooves you can see in the metal are from a century of the hands of the clock turning. Of all the clocks that I own, this one is the least problematic and most reliable. I have had it for twenty five years now, and I have never had to have it looked at or repaired and it keeps time very well. I hope you like my choice for the theme this week, and that it makes you smile.
Site du gouvernement du Québec
www.urgencequebec.gouv.qc.ca/fr/inondation_printanieres_2...
(english below)
Ça fait un bout que le Québec est en deça des normales saisonnières. Tout le printemps a été pourri.
La situation actuelle pour le Québec se détériore.
Pierrefonds dans l'ouest de l'île de Montréal devient problématique. Trois digues ont cédé durant la nuit. Rapidement la situation s'est envenimée. S'ajoute ... La Rivière-des-Prairies dans le secteur d'Ahuntsic/Cartierville commence à faire des siennes.
Les effectifs de l'armée ont été triplés.
En ce moment, on envisage de placer Montréal en situation d'urgence.
À Rigaud, le maire rend l'évacuation obligatoire dans certains secteurs.
J'ai sélectionné une photo prise en avril à Saguenay montrant pour montrer la grisaille qui ne lâche pas.
s been a while that Quebec is below normal seasonal. All spring was rotten.
The current situation for Quebec is deteriorating.
Pierrefonds in the west of the island of Montréal becomes problematic. Three dikes gave way during the night. The situation quickly deteriorated. Army personnel were triple in many sectors of Province.
Now, it is envisaged to put Montreal in emergencies.
In Rigaud, the mayor makes evacuation mandatory in certain areas.
I selected a photo taken in April in Saguenay showing to show the grisaille that does not let go.
A fairly common bird, but can be problematic to photograph.
Treecreepers use their slender, curved beaks to remove insects from the trunks of trees - they hop & climb their way up the bark, inspecting cracks for unsuspecting bugs.
2 more shots in the comments below. The bottom shot shows a Treecreeper trying to keep cool on a hot summer's day.
(If the shots below aren't visible then you may need to click "View previous comments" to reveal them)
The #MacroMondays theme for 9/2 is collections. We appear to have quite an assortment of collections, which may make choosing one to post a tad problematical, eh? (And I haven’t even delved into the blue and white ceramic things OR the duckies!!)
Btb, I have a dozen of these in almost every hue imaginable :) And white but I think someone absconded with the black one…. giggling
……💙 HMM 💙
The burn flows from the Coire nam Bruadaran (Coire of Dreams) and tumbles over at the Eas a' Bhradain, the 'Salmon Waterfall' that I go past on a regular basis, but have only photographed infrequently. Yesterday, after all the rain we have been having, there was a lot of water coming down the burn, so I returned today as I was in a waterfall sort of mood and a black-and-white mood as well when it came to processing.
I normally refer to this location as the 'Tourist Waterfall' as numerous visitors in cars and buses stop in the parking area opposite, cross the road for a few quick photos, then return to their vehicles and go on their way to the next holiday snap opportunity. In fact getting closer to the waterfalls can be problematic, especially after lots of rain. Even with wellies on, getting through the boggy mud was a challenge and I almost lost one boot.
Camera: Holga 135BC
Film: Ilford HP5 Plus 400, rated @ ISO 800
Exposure: ca. 1/100 sec and f/8, hand-held
Film developed and scanned by Foto Brell, Bonn
Edited under Adobe Lightroom
Whether 35mm or medium format, you can use the Holgas as toy cameras and eagerly anticipate the results, or as serious cameras, like any high-quality classic camera. I prefer the classic approach. I've gotten used to the viewfinder parallax, and the film advance on the 35mm version works without overlap (I use 24-exposure film instead of 36-exposure). I cover the notoriously problematic areas with gaffer tape to prevent light leakage. I use the Holgas to achieve the typical look of the plastic lens: soft rendering of details in the center, a drop in sharpness towards the edges, vignetting, and color saturation in the case of color film. Not all subjects are suitable for this. But when it works, you get impressionistic, painterly images. Sharpness isn't everything in photography, and sometimes too much sharpness can be distracting. Reduced sharpness can downplay unimportant details, thus focusing attention on the essential elements. Sharp or soft reproductions are not mutually exclusive for me, but rather complementary approaches in photography.
In this case, I thought that the little Holga would be the appropriate recording tool for capturing the winter mood within the walls of a centuries-old castle ruin. The distinct softness results from the rendering of the plastic lens and the fog.
Camera: Holga 135BC
Film: Ilford HP5 Plus 400, rated @ ISO 800
Exposure: ca. 1/100 sec and f/8, hand-held
Film developed and scanned by Foto Brell, Bonn
Edited under Adobe Lightroom
Whether 35mm or medium format, you can use the Holgas as toy cameras and eagerly anticipate the results, or as serious cameras, like any high-quality classic camera. I prefer the classic approach. I've gotten used to the viewfinder parallax, and the film advance on the 35mm version works without overlap (I use 24-exposure film instead of 36-exposure). I cover the notoriously problematic areas with gaffer tape to prevent light leakage. I use the Holgas to achieve the typical look of the plastic lens: soft rendering of details in the center, a drop in sharpness towards the edges, vignetting, and color saturation in the case of color film. Not all subjects are suitable for this. But when it works, you get impressionistic, painterly images. Sharpness isn't everything in photography, and sometimes too much sharpness can be distracting. Reduced sharpness can downplay unimportant details, thus focusing attention on the essential elements. Sharp or soft reproductions are not mutually exclusive for me, but rather complementary approaches in photography.
In this case, I thought that the little Holga would be the appropriate recording tool for capturing the winter mood within the walls of a centuries-old castle ruin. The distinct softness results from the rendering of the plastic lens and the fog.
Another dip back in to the archives, but this time a rework of an image originally uploaded 12 years ago.
I've fond memories of the late Spring and early Summer of 1977. With professional education now complete but still doing a job that wasn't overly-taxing regards time commitments, I made full use of the fine and often sunny evenings to get out on the bike with the camera. I also managed three trips up to the Woodhead route over a matter of a few weeks (not on the bike I hasten to add) now that, with the demise of the 'Westerns' a few months earlier, I needed a new project. That's another tale though.
In this shot, taken from the footbridge at the south end of Toton Yard, the relatively new kids on the block, the class 56s, were making their presence felt on the Merry-Go-Round trains taking coal directly from colliery to Ratcliffe-upon-Soar power station. In a sign of things to come, with train-load rather than wagon-load traffic beginning to take over, this working passed straight through the Yard without any wagon management or shunting necessary - a few years later these new traffic patterns effectively forced the closure of Toton Marshalling Yard as we then knew it.
Here one of the 30 problematic Electroputere-built units, 56017, is seen hauling 29 loaded MGR wagons. Such was the speed of unloading at Ratcliffe Power Station that the whole ensemble returned a couple of hours later making its way north to likely one of the North Nottinghamshire pit-heads for another load of the black stuff. Sadly, in 1992, unit 56017 was involved in a collision with a class 31 on the Coalville branch and was deemed not worth repairing - as a result it was moved back to Toton Yard for cutting-up.
This rework has balanced the exposures a bit better and removed the worst excesses of the film grain. I've tried to keep the 'film feel' as far as I can, and the original upload has been deleted.
Note the still-open Wagon Repair Shops above the loco. Enlarges to full-screen quite well.
Agfa CT18
21st June 1977
Half way between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, just off the mainland lies Bribie Island. Like other islands of Moreton Bay, it is a sand island, but in this case close to the mainland and linked by a bridge. The island is also quite flat, an easy place to ride a bike and great place to live. Our in-laws live there so we have semi-frequent visits.
The island is separated from the mainland by a channel called Pumicestone Passage which extends as far north as Caloundra. Wide at its southern end, it narrows and shallows as it reaches north. At certain times of year at high tide it is navigable by fairly shallow draft vessels (tours available) but at other times that is problematical. The Passage is aptly named because the area of mainland is part of a huge former shield volcano now punctuated by the remaining volcanic plugs which are known as the Glasshouse Mountains. The passage is also famous for its rich diversity of fish and other marine life and wildlife, including dolphins and dugong.
North of the bridge on the mainland, there are a couple of small townships, started partly as fishing villages although they now also serve as retirement and dormitory areas. It's not that far to travel for work to the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Region or evening Brisbane although the major artery, the Bruce Highway is notorious at times for congestion. The two small towns are Donnybrook and Toorbul, both on the coast and within sight of Bribie Island, or even good swimming distance if you are an excellent swimmer and prepared fo risk it. Canoe is no doubt better and motor boat the preferred means of water transport.
This shot is taken looking north from Toorbul (mainland), closest to the Bribie Bridge as the crow flies but a longer way round by road. Two of the Glasshouse Mountains can be seen in the distance, Tibrogargan on the left and Coonoowrin on the right. The Passage is great for sea grass in this area and also attracts black swans. There were some just out of shot munching away with the heads mostly in the water. If we swung to the right,mae would see across the Passage to Whitepatch from where beautiful views of the mountains are also available.
Nikon D810 with Sigma 150-500mm lens.
On 5th October 2021, beneath a threatening sky, BR Standard '9F' 2-10-0 92134 eases back at Swithland Sidings. The overgrown trackwork in the sidings, presumably as a result of routine weeding having been problematic during the pandemic, emulates the 1960s BR-era of such facilities for local freight falling into disuse.
© Gordon Edgar - All rights reserved. Please do not use my images without my explicit permission
On our first evening on the Lofoten, we checked the KP index and were super excited to find that it is 4 which meant that there is a chance to see the Green Lady. However, there was only one problem: we hadn’t been to any of the famous beaches yet and therefore didn’t really know which one would be best for photographing the aurora, especially since our faster lenses are not very wide. Although 24mm is already considered a wide angle, with steep mountains in close proximity you might need an even wider lens to capture the aurora in a single frame, assuming it extends beyond the mountain tops. The latter could also be problematic and so we looked for a beach where the surrounding mountains are further away. After some research, we decided on Storsandnes Beach, not only because it seemed to offer a wide view, but also because it was only a 10-minute drive from our accommodation.
All the aurora forecast apps were predicting a KP maximum around 10 pm and so we ate dinner, put on all our layers of warm clothes and headed to Storsandnes. As we arrived, my girlfriend said: “Look, that very faint greenish haze above the horizon, that’s it! That’s the aurora!” And indeed, it was the Green Lady, but so faint, that I had a hard time seeing it at first. After finding a parking space a few hundred meters from the actual beach, we got out of the car and took a first few test shots. However, soon thereafter the intensity started to wane and so we decided to move closer to the actual beach and explore the surroundings until the aurora hopefully returned. Due to the lack of interesting foregrounds, we decided to fill the lower part of the picture with the water and so we set up our tripods right next to the road which provided a nice and slightly elevated point of view (which would not have been the case down on the beach). Then it was a case of waiting, which fortunately paid off as the intensity of the aurora increased again and a small streak of green shone brightly in the sky. We also waited a little longer and I also tried to shoot a panorama which I might upload at some point, but for now I’m really happy with this image, also because I noticed that one of the brightest stars was right in the center of the aurora which I think adds a really nice touch to the image. I hope you like it!
94014 (Székesfehérvár-Veszprém) Due to the deteriorated technical condition of railway line number 20 (Székesfehérvár-Szombathely), both freight and passenger train traffic is prohibited between Ajka and Veszprém. Buses operate instead of passenger trains, while freight trains operate on alternative routes. There is neither money nor will to restore the problematic section, and the current situation will remain the same. The railway line is currently only used by various private railways who's park their trains at the stations. There are stopped freight trains is at every railway station, which are constantly being replaced.
I know it was a new moon, and I only get a limited number of these during milky way season, so I set out for an image that I have long wanted, but was not sure was possible. I have always wanted an image of Vista House in the Columbia River Gorge with a milky way behind it. I knew this view looked south, so it might be possible, but I also knew that this location was close enough to the Portland area that it would not exactly be dark sky. I have shot the structure many times, but not with the stars like this. So I set out. I had recently seen a post form renowned Portland photographer Victor Von Salza who shot the Vista House in a way I had not seen, you can see his here. Victor is prolific, you should check him out. Anyway. I set out to shot this and was surprised to see how many people were there at midnight on a Wednesday. They were not photographers, as I expected, they were just having a party, music from the cars, booze (great idea on windy mountain roads), and everything that goes with a party. In fact, there was one highly annoying girl that was amazed at the view and kept taking flash photos with her phone, of the view, over and over and over. I am sure the flash filled in all of Portland though, probably a great image. She was right above me, and I was taking long exposures, so this proved a bit problematic. One of her party then tried to pull in their truck and hit the wall you see between the House and me. Ok, time to go.
I did manage to get a few good frames in though and much to my surprise I did manage to get some of the milky way, even though there was a lot of light pollution to deal with.
Enjoy.
The view from the stile near the top of Y Garn across the valley to the conical Yr Aran and the cloud shrouded mass of Snowdon on the left.
That cloud stubbornly remained on Snowdon's summit all day and we never got to see its top. Still it remained such a clear day as we had traversed the Nantlle Ridge.
The temperature had dropped significantly at this point as we had retraced our route back to Y Garn. I had slipped about half an hour earlier, having been caught out on an icy rock slab coming back down the rocky scramble on Mynydd Drws y Coed. My right thigh had taken the brunt of the fall and it was pretty bruised and sore, so it was nice to keep the muscles moving.
I don't know if others have issues with Vibram soles, but the ones on my Scarpa Manta boots are useless on wet rock, let alone frosty surfaces. I had another pair of Berghaus boots in the car and I tend to wear them when it's wet as the soles are far more grippy. Still I was pleased to have had John Bleakley with me on this walk, just in case that careless slip had turned into anything more problematic.
We made the steep descent of Y Garn back to the car in Rhyd Ddu in swift order without any issues and reflected on a great day out in the Mountains on the long drive back North.
© Leanne Boulton, All Rights Reserved
Street photography from Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Previously unpublished shot from November 2018.
It won't be too long before distinguishing between AI generated images and real photography will become deeply problematic. When you can't trust what you see with your own eyes, what can you trust? I will always remain a fan of the real thing, real photography, real people and real places. AI masking tools in Lightroom, however, are big timesavers in the editing process! Take care my Flickr friends.
No wonder so many farmers look worried.
UK farmers are facing significant difficulties due to a combination of financial pressures and challenging market conditions. Rising costs of inputs such as fuel, fertiliser, and feed, exacerbated by inflation and supply chain disruptions, have squeezed profit margins. Additionally, changes in agricultural subsidies and uncertainties post-Brexit have created financial instability. Access to finance is also becoming more problematic, with stricter lending criteria and reduced availability of credit from banks. These financial strains are compounded by unpredictable weather patterns and increased competition from international markets, making it increasingly difficult for UK farmers to sustain their operations.
MId Devon Agricultural show 2024. Knighthayes court, Tiverton, Devon, UK.
The Tansy is an invasive wildflower that shows up infrequently on my outings around here. It was brought to North America from Europe centuries ago, and it has played a role in some quasi-medicinal practices for centuries. It has a toxic component however that makes it problematic if mixed with animal feed.
I find the flat flower discs quite compelling, especially in the many angles in a small area. I also love the Fibonacci array of the micro-flowers on each disc.
, keeping you obsessed
Play me on repeat, endlessly in your head
Anytime it hurts , play another verse
I can be your sanctuary
Know I'm the only one right now
I will love you more when it all burns down
More than power, more than gold
Yeah, you gave me your heart, now I'm hеre for your soul."
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James City, Virginia, renamed Leon, was the site of a Civil War battle in October 1863. It was one of the the few battles where the village inhabitants were caught between the two opposing North and South armies. This abandoned farm property is now being cleaned up as a historic marker, but funding is problematic. The property has multiple buildings including what was once a large home.
On a visit to my archives, I rediscovered this shot - a location you have to really want to get to, requiring at least a 30 minute uphill pathless slog into Coire Sgreamhach to reach here. As with a number of Skye waterfalls, photographing it is a challenge. It is found in a steep-sided gorge, making access problematic. As it was, I was standing with the tripod just about over the edge. The waterfall is huge - this image shows less than half of the vertical drop. It is possible to capture the entire long drop using a vertical panorama, but I ran out of light! This was taken just before the light on the hillside was lost and the landscape looked very drab indeed!
This is a scoliid wasp of unknown species. Scoliidae are solitary wasps. They are parasites of beetles, laying their eggs near their lava for food.
The wasp was so hairy, I found the mid section problematic to photograph. So I tried to emphasize both the head and abdomen and downplay the thorax. I'm not sure how it turned it out with two areas of focus but I kind of like it.
Aphids On The Bill For Breakfast
Thanks to Tim Melling for naming the small insects, enabled me to add the following information
Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects belonging to the superfamily Aphidoidea. These pests are widely known for feeding on plant sap and are often considered some of the most problematic insects for gardeners and farmers due to their rapid reproduction and ability to damage crops.
Key Characteristics:
Size and Color: Aphids are tiny, generally ranging from 1-10 mm in length. They can be green, yellow, black, brown, or even pink, depending on the species.
Body Shape: They have pear-shaped bodies with long antennae, and some species have two small "tailpipes" called cornicles that extend from the abdomen, which secrete defensive chemicals.
Reproduction: Aphids reproduce both sexually and asexually, with many species able to produce live young without mating through a process called parthenogenesis. They can reproduce extremely quickly, leading to large infestations in a short period.
Although the pier at Southwold was only built as recently as 1900 it does have an interesting history.
Here's an extract I have found online which details its problematic past.
Until the early 1930s most holidaymakers travelled by sea and Southwold was a favourite destination. However, as the roads improved, the steamships lost business and Belle bought coaches instead.
In 1934, the T-shaped landing stage was swept away in a violent storm and never replaced. Three years later the timber buildings at the shoreward end were replaced with a two-storey pavilion complete with concert hall and amusement arcade.
At the outbreak of World War II, engineers exploded a section of the Pier to prevent a German landing. To make matters worse, a drifting sea mine struck the Pier in 1941, destroying a further section. Both holes were repaired in 1948, but in 1955, the Pier, in a much-weakened state, was hit by a storm which washed away the end half.
In 1979, another storm reduced the length of the Pier to only 60ft.
In 1987, the Pier was privately bought and work to rebuild it started in 1999 making new legs with the latest piling techniques. In 2001, the work was completed with the pier reaching its current length of 623 feet. It was named Pier of the Year in 2002 and is Britain’s only 21st Century Pier.
As a footnote, when we visited last week repair work was ongoing on the last third of the pier. It seems as though the effects of the weather, not wartime issues are still making their presence known.
In rural areas, it is sometimes necessary to cross significant lowlands to travel from one village to another. During the rainy season, crossing the shallows is problematic, particularly for evacuating sick people or women to give birth. The best solutions are using canoes or constructing improvised bridges, some of which reach several hundred meters. The example in the photo concerns the crossing of the Wouanzo River between the localities of Po and Poa on one of the main tracks in the commune of Kyon. This entirely wooden structure is imposing for its length and gives an idea of the skill required.
Dans les zones rurales, pour voyager d'un village à l'autre, il est parfois nécessaire de traverser d'importants bas-fonds. Durant la saison pluvieuse, le franchissement des bas-fonds est problématique, ce plus particulièrement pour l'évacuation de malades ou de femmes devant accoucher. Les meilleures solutions sont l'usage de pirogues ou la réalisation de ponts improvisés qui pour certains atteignent plusieurs centaines de mètres. L'exemple sur la photo concerne le franchissement de la rivière Wouanzo entre les localités de Po et Poa sur l'une des principales pistes de la commune de Kyon. Cet ouvrage entièrement en bois est particulièrement impressionnant par sa longueur et donne une idée de l'habilité nécessaire pour l'emprunter.
Introducing Miss Zippy. She has been coming to us for a few months now. Up until yesterday, her m.o. has been to arrive after everyone else in the afternoon only. Didn't take long for her to get accustomed to being hand fed - she is a very hungry and fast eater. Despite that, she is happy to share which is sometimes problematical for very hungry Galahs.
While she is an adult, she hasn't been for all that long. For the first time yesterday, she came in the morning so someone has tipped her off to the all day buffet, well, the morning and afternoon variety anyway. And despite the lust for food, she is a dear thing and we have found some ways to calm the hungry beast. It's that time of year where behaviours change a bit as it is the start of the breeding season.
Notice her crest is up, as Mummy Possum was with bubs enjoying Tibouchina dessert just behind me to the left.
Her eyes are quite dark in this shot but if you zoom in a bit, you will notice the telltale orange eyes.
The south polar skua is a large bird (though small compared to other skuas sometimes placed in Catharacta) that measures around 53 cm (21 in) in length.
Adults are greyish brown above, and have a whitish (pale morph) or straw-brown (intermediate morph) head and underparts, and the contrast between head and body makes it easy to separate from similar species with good views.
Juveniles and adult dark morphs are harder to distinguish from their relatives, and more subjective or difficult-to-observe criteria, such as the colder brown plumage and blue bill base, must be used.
Distinguishing this skua from the Northern Hemisphere Arctic, pomarine, and long-tailed skuas is relatively straightforward.
The large size, massive barrel chest, and white wing flashes of this bird are distinctive even at a distance. The flight is direct and powerful. Identification of this skua is more complicated when it is necessary to distinguish it from the closely related great skua of the North Atlantic, and the other large Southern Hemisphere skuas.
Identification problems make claims of any Southern Hemisphere skua in the eastern North Atlantic problematic, and few records of south polar skua have been accepted in Western Europe. Similar problems occur, of course, with extralimital claims of great skua.
This image was taken in the Bransfield Strait in Antarctica
These high-magn pictures are a bit problematic,yet reveal interesting details
Mitutoyo 50x NA 0.55, tube lens: Thorlabs (165mm)
Illumination: Oblique
Rabida Island
Galapagos
Ecuador
South America
Flamingo searching for food in the saltwater lagoon on Rabida Island formerly called Jervais Island.
The American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) is a large species of flamingo closely related to the Greater Flamingo and Chilean Flamingo. It has also been known as the Caribbean Flamingo, but the species' presence in the Galápagos makes that name problematic. It is the only flamingo which naturally inhabits North America.
The American Flamingo breeds in the Galápagos, coastal Colombia, Venezuela and nearby islands, Hispaniola, Cuba, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and along the northern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. Most sightings in southern Florida are usually considered to be escapees, although at least one bird banded as a chick in the Yucatán Peninsula has been sighted in Everglades National Park, and others may be vagrant birds from Cuba. Wikipedia