Continuing on my theme of going back a little in time.

Male Kingfisher looking for small fish swimming past as he sits on Reed Mace.

greetings to all .... my Japanese series continues

Switzerland, May 2021

My best photos are here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...

My latest ANIMAL VIDEO (warning, it's a bit shocking): www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2-Xszz7FI

You find a selection of my 80 BEST PHOTOS (mostly not yet on Flickr) here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/western-green-lizard-lacerta-bi... (the website exists in ESPAÑOL, FRANÇAIS, ITALIANO, ENGLISH, DEUTSCH)

ABOUT THE PHOTO:

So this photo is a bit of a novelty for me - at least here on Flickr, but it's also a journey back in time in a sense. I've always loved b/w and sepia photography; already as a very young teenager I would go out into the woods with an old Pentax Spotmatic (which I had nicked from my father) whenever it was a foggy day to shoot b/w compositions of sunbeams cutting through the ghostlike trees.

I used films with a sensitivity of at least 1600 (for those of you who remember what that means 😉 ), and the resulting photos had an incredibly fine grain which I loved; I blew them up to the size of posters and hung them on the walls of my teenage man-cave next to Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Slash.

But then I abandoned photography altogether for 20 years, and when I finally picked up a camera again, it was one of the digital kind. Now neither film nor grain played any role in my photographic endeavours - let alone b/w compositions: because the reason I fell in love with shooting pictures once more was the rare and incredibly colorful lizard species that had chosen my garden as its habitat.

It's this species - the Lacerta bilineata aka the western green lizard - that my photo website www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ and also my Flickr gallery are dedicated to, but I've since expanded that theme a bit so that it now comprises the whole Lacerta bilineata habitat, which is to say my garden and its immediate surroundings and all the flora and fauna I find in it.

I like that my gallery and the website have this clear theme, because in order to rise to the challenge of portraying all aspects of a very specific little eco system (which also happens to be my home of sorts), it forces me to constantly explore it from fresh angles, and I keep discovering fascinating new motives as my photographic journey continues.

Which brings me to the horse pasture you see in this photo. This playground for happy horsies lies just outside my garden, and it normally only interests me insofar as my green reptile friends claim parts of it as their territory, and I very much prefer it to be horseless (which it thankfully often is).

Not that the horses bother the reptiles - the lizards don't mind them one bit, and I've even seen them jump from the safety of the fly honeysuckle shrub which the pasture borders on right between the deadly looking hooves of the horses to forage for snails, without any sign of fear or even respect.

No, the reason I have a very conflicted relationship with those horses is that they are mighty cute and that there's usually also foals. The sight of those beautiful, happy animals jumping around and frolicking (it's a huge pasture and you can tell the horses really love it) is irresistible: and that inevitably attracts what in the entire universe is known as the most destructive anti-matter and ultimate undoing of any nature photographer: other humans.

Unlike with the horses, the lizards ARE indeed very much bothered by specimens of loud, unpredictable Homo sapiens sapiens - which makes those (and by extension also the horses) the cryptonite of this here reptile photographer. It's not the horses' fault, I know that, but that doesn't change a thing. I'm just telling you how it is (and some of you might have read about the traumatic events I had to endure to get a particular photo - if not, read at your own risk here: www.flickr.com/photos/191055893@N07/51405389883/in/datepo... - which clearly demonstrated that even when it's entirely horseless, that pasture is still a threat for artistic endeavours).

But back to the photo. So one morning during my vacation back in May I got up quite early. It had rained all night, and now the fog was creeping up from the valley below to our village just as the sky cleared up and the morning sun started to shine through the trees.

And just as I did when I was a teenager I grabbed my camera and ran out to photograph this beautiful mood of ghostlike trees and sunbeams cutting through the mist. There had already been such a day a week earlier (which is when I took this photo: www.flickr.com/photos/191055893@N07/51543603732/in/datepo... ), but this time, the horses were also there.

Because of our slightly strained relationship I only took this one photo of them (I now wish I had taken more: talk about missed opportunities), and otherwise concentrated on the landscape. It was only later when I went through all the photos on my computer that I realized that I actually really liked those horses, even despite the whole composition being such a cliché. And I realized another thing: when I drained the photo of all the color, I liked it even better - because there was almost a bit of grain in it, like in the photos from my youth.

Since then I have experimented quite a bit with b/w and sepia compositions (some of which I will upload here eventually I guess), but this photo here is the first one that helped me rediscover my old passion. I hope you like it even though it builds quite a stark contrast with the rest of my tiny - and very colorful - gallery. But in the spirit of showing you the whole Lacerta bilineata habitat (and also in the spirit of expanding my gallery a bit beyond lizards and insects), I think it's not such a bad fit.

As always, many greetings to all of you, have a wonderful day and don't hesitate to let me know what you think 😊

As I continue to process images from my recently concluded trip to Kenya, I thought I'd post this image from a special encounter on my last trip with a hippo on land one very early morning. The grain in the image reflects the very early hour this image was taken, but it was still a rare and special site.

Please follow me on Instagram as well @gregtaylorphotography

All images are the property of Greg Taylor Photography. Do not copy, reprint or reproduce without written consent from me.

There are 2 major waterfalls on the Yellowstone River. This is the Upper falls . The water continues to flow a quarter mile downstream over the Lower Yellowstone Falls. It then enters the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The total height of the Upper Falls is 308 feet !!

Continuing on my clean up of the most recent images, still shooting and still staying safe.

Thank you for visiting and for all the very kind words, very much appreciated.

This coastal lagoon is fed by creeks and joins the ocean near this point. The lagoon was quite full due to a continuing good season. Middle Lagoon at Middle Beach in the Mimosa Rocks National Park Far South Coast of NSW.

To be continued... (maybe :P)

♬♪ Rain ASMR

Part 1 HERE // Part 2 HERE

▶Sponsored by

▷▷[SURPLUS MOTORS] Tanto v7.0

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On her:

Pose: Amitie At the Street Gacha

Hair: Stealthic - Lethal (Upgrade)

Dress: ISON - kennedi twist dress (Lara)

Bag: DIFFERENCE - PRADA bag V.2 Black

Fur: {le fil casse} Alondra Glitter Fur Black

Neckalace & Earrings: [POM] Lilo Set

Shoes: ISON - millonia platform heels -maitreya-

Nails: alme. Mesh Stiletto Nails – Maitreya

Make up: Sugarose

I continue to replace images that I posted before with a new version that I like better. Morning Glory is one of my favorite flowers in the garden. I start them from seed and enjoy seeing than blossom. Each stage of the flower is fascinating to photograph.

Continuing with the monochrome theme for this series of pictures from the south coast of England in Dorset: these stairs lead down to a small beach with views to the east. However, at the very top of the stairs (very top right) you can also drop down to the far side using another set of stairs which will take you down to a much larger, longer beach and close up views of Durdle Door, a natural arch cut through eroded sandstone. I'll post a picture of Durdle Door in due course. If you can't wait to see what Durdle Door looks like then follow the link below:

www.google.com/search?q=durdle+door+description

Continuing my homage to Maine...

Continuing my Toy-ronto Life series...

Happy Miniature Sunday!

Some golden coloured Toronto cityscapes through the TS vision :-)

…continues at the Pool, Central Park, New York

The rains continue to fall. It rained on St Swithin's Day and so we expect another 40 days of it. As each drop of rain falls, I feel my fear and worries rise. I am once again picking our son up from the floor following a seizure induced fall. His new specialist epilepsy neurologist is seeing us soon and I am documenting his current condition in his ‘seizure diary’. It does not make good reading.

I fear how I will convey this crucial information. I can talk about epilepsy and autism as well as his other conditions fluently and with confidence. But this meeting will be about our son. When I talk about the pain and torment our son lives through each day, I am always overcome with emotion.

The diary will help, and it will contain thoughts and questions that I will refer to if I need prompts. I am not expecting anything in particular, we have been trying different things over many years now. But his condition is getting worse. In front of our very eyes, we see the changes.

My fears are as plentiful as the endless raindrops falling outside. I just hope this new neurologist listens to my story and commits to continuing to support us through whatever the future holds …

Continuing the theme of "quirky Indiana", today's feature is this old Impala sitting on the top of a metal tower.

One may ask "why", and I don't have an answer. But this is (or was) part of a menagerie of unusual stuff that included a vintage motel sign, old railroad cars and junk trucks. All located at a train station that was converted into a seafood restaurant. The business has since closed and to my understanding most of this stuff have been removed from the property. I'm not sure if this car is still there or not!

Charlestown, Indiana

UPDATE: Unfortunately this car (and everything else) has been removed from the property as of 10/2021.

I continue to be in awe of the beauty I saw at Ox Bow Bend in Grand Teton National Park. Here is another look at this spectacular place. This image has a wider angle and less zoom than the one I posted several weeks ago. Any way you dice it, this is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Talk about a stress reliever.

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Continuing with my Positive Flags of the Nations project.

Thank you for your kind visit. Have a wonderful and beautiful day! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Cromford Mills.

OrWO Universal Negative 54 - iso 100

Voigtländer 35 CL

Ilfotec LC29 1:19 ~ 10 minutes (on one leg)

Epson 4490

Autumn Continues, although when I finally got out yesterday, I saw that the trees weren't nearly as full as they were last week

© AnvilcloudPhotography

Continuing from this post . The ladybugs left without finishing the job. The plant then got a really bad infestation about two weeks after they left.

I then bought a pack of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri‎. They are called “mealybug destroyer” for a reason. They immediately started to feast on the pest bugs, wiping the population very quickly.

Here you can see a Cryptolaemus bug chasing a mealybug (the white little one on the leaf border). Plenty to choose from, though.

To be continued, again.

Continuing my horns and antlers set with this bison bull photographed in Badlands National Park. His hind legs look like he may have some reptile DNA, but it's just dried mud.

So they were sitting in the car talking.

"Sorry for interrupting...Please, continue..."

All My Links

So you thought I was done with the Spiders? Ha! No chance. Temporarily I was without them as the usual locations are missing said Spiders due mostly to the change in the weather; but completely by accident I found another location against a different backdrop, these are much harder to photograph as there is no back light, just the night time black of the canal behind the metal railings where these little ones are living, so focus is a challenge even with the assistance of the Focus Illuminator.

Still, I have taken hundreds of new photos and many I will continue to post up here, this Orb Weaver was navigating between two rusted metal bars, against the street lights behind it, gave a really Urban Midnight feel, hope you enjoy!

Here's to another weekend, I hope everyone has a great one and so as always, thank you! :)

PS: Zoom in :)

A follow-up to a previous shot

This Kestrel wasn't going to give up easily

But neither was the owl

Transferring the hapless vole to it's mouth (releasing its claws for offensive/defensive duties) the aerial dogfight continued

That look of determination on the owls face telling you all you needed to know... he wasn't going to give up his well earned lunch without a fight!

Continuing along Merry Dale Clough and the Colne Valley Circular (W. Yorkshire UK)

I went back to visit the wasps nest five days later to see how the larvae were progressing. They became very protective this time. I made two photos and left them alone. The larvae have progressed tremendously.

* To continue our globetrotting we now arrive in the Lofoten Islands in Norway.

The drive through the Lofoten Islands from Solvar to Reine was full of interest. Lots of beautiful places to stop off at though time as ever was limited. I thought the little settlement of Hamnoy looked particularly attractive I could have done with more time to explore it properly. This is a view of the harbour of the village .

I must say that while Highland Scotland was stunning I still think the Lofoten Islands in Arctic Norway are the most beautiful place I have visited in Europe . Scotland does have one or two advantages though, its a lot closer and much cheaper to have a holiday in

THANKS FOR YOUR VISIT TO MY STREAM.

I WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD NOT FAVE A PHOTO

WITHOUT ALSO LEAVING A COMMENT

Continuing with my Positive Flags of Nations project.

Thank you for your kind visit. Have a wonderful and beautiful day! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Continuing my December theme:The colour Blue

Blue glass with freesias .... having fun with some flower shots from last month .... as it's too icy to venture out much this week ;o)

A Happy Bokeh Wednesday ;o)

The colour Blue: Here

Still Life Compositions: Here

The Glass set is here: Here

My freesia set: Here

"The Happy Family" is a renowned painting created by the Dutch artist Jan Steen. Painted during the 17th century, Steen was known for his ability to capture scenes of everyday life with a touch of humor and wit. "The Happy Family" exemplifies his style and showcases his talent for storytelling within a single image.

In this painting, Steen depicts a bustling household filled with various members of a family engaged in different activities. The composition is lively and intricate, presenting a chaotic yet harmonious scene. Steen's attention to detail is evident as he portrays each character with unique facial expressions and body language, adding depth and personality to the painting.

At the center of the composition, a jovial couple sits at a table, surrounded by their children and other relatives. The scene is filled with laughter, lively conversation, and playful interactions. The family members engage in various activities, such as eating, drinking, playing music, and engaging in games. Steen's use of vibrant colors and intricate brushwork further enhances the joyful atmosphere of the painting.

Despite the apparent chaos, "The Happy Family" also carries a deeper message. It serves as a reminder of the importance of familial bonds and the joys of shared moments. Steen's portrayal of the diverse characters and their interactions reflects the complexities and dynamics of family life. Through his portrayal, he highlights both the humorous and challenging aspects of domesticity.

"The Happy Family" is a testament to Jan Steen's skill as a painter and his ability to capture the essence of human experience. It continues to be appreciated for its rich storytelling, vibrant imagery, and its ability to evoke a range of emotions from viewers. The painting stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of art that celebrates the joys and challenges of family life.

Continued from yesterday. Mamma RSH with her young--a tight crop. This was right after the two parents watched me from across the river. Another few moments, she'll leap out of the tree and fly above me. I think she knew I was Camera Guy--I doubt any of the tent dwellers have a camera like mine--or at all. They do have their supply of needles, though . . .

The Nikon D7100 and the 200-500mm lens produce fine results. This is a rather tight crop, and it still came out just as well as if it weren't cropped at all, even in large view. I'll have the less cropped version of this and another in the distant future, more of Mamma here in the near future.

Thanks for Viewing.

....the deconstructed birthday bouquet.

lumen print, ADOX MCP 310 paper

all white daisies.

lumen color was adjusted using the scanning software.

Continuing on the theme of one sparrow a day this week, here is a beautiful Chipping Sparrow spotted near Nutter's Battery, Central Park, New York. They are now coming in increasing numbers...

Grimaud

continues...

While many other places in the northern hemisphere are showing signs of warming weather, we continue to demonstrate why it is not the weather that drew us here. No, ironically we came for the jobs.

I really love this shot. I was going to hold off on posting it, because I've had a few edits that I wasn't going to make public yet, but when I did this one, I decided to post them all! This is my favorite and I couldn't wait!

For some reason, I haven't hit Explore for about 2 1/2 years, and I really wish this one could make the difference. Whether it ever does or not, I still like it and hope you do, too!

I continue to feel more normal each day, and though I'm still a trifle congested, it's not much more than on a regular allergy kind of day! Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts and prayers during this time. I very much appreciate it!

Framed in my last picture, this shows the trail continuing, hugging the lakeshore. If you look closely you can see a man and his dog.

Continuing on with my series of my hometown of Muswellbrook , documenting buildings by night, particulary during the Blue hour

Meanwhile, winter winds slammed Florida, driving wind surfers to don half wet suits.

sometimes the conditions determine our way...but not change!..

Continuing on with my Halloween theme.

Thank you for your kind visit. Have a wonderful and beautiful day! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Continuing with the chase of southbound Housatonic Railroad train NX-12 making their Sunday turn from Canaan to New Milford and back. They have six cars behind them as they snake out of the woods at MP 20 beside Mill Pond approaching the South Kent Rd. crossing

The historic route following its namesake river the whole way is exceptionally scenic, but sadly none of the road's own sharply painted green and yellow HRRC units are presently in service and they rely almost entirely on leased GATX locomotives. In charge this day were GP38-2 GMTX 2328 (blt. Feb 1966 as Illinois Central GP40 number 3011) and MP15DC GMTX 229 (blt. Apr. 1982 as SOU 2408).

To learn about the history of the railroad please check out the long form caption with this shot: flic.kr/p/2jJEFTT

Kent, Connecticut

Sunday December 4, 2022

Continuing with the C-O-L-D theme...

This image was captured within minutes of yesterday violet-hued picture featuring the 'icebergs'. You can see the same-colored sky here.

At -10 below zero, the water near the shore has frozen and that is the blue and white ice here in the foreground. The darker blue on the horizon are the large waves rolling in the open water.

Fortunately the temperatures have moderated in the last few days and we feel warm at 25 f. :)

Enjoy the cold with me here!

Continuing with some cool winter shots in the dog days of summer. I know that some people don't want to see winter images in August, but here on the prairie we are being crushed by a heat wave, so these are for anyone who would really, really like to get down on their knees and rub their face on the ice.

Ice can be a rare sight on the southwest coast of British Columbia. Some years, during my extensive time there, I didn't get a single icy photo op. Not one. So as you might imagine, I'd get pretty excited when we had a cold night, or when I could find roads that were clear enough to get up above sea level and into the mountains. This is a sea level shot, made with my usual rig: tripod, cable release, and 105mm macro lens, this time with a 1.4x teleconverter.

For whatever reason, I overlooked it for a number of years, but finally opened the RAW file and saw the potential. That's a bit of conifer cone bract near the upper left; we can also see distorted reflections of bare tree branches. Shooting straight down allowed for parallel plane photography - I wanted edge to edge sharpness. I probably didn't have to stop down all the way to f/32; that was overkill. I think f/16 would have worked fine. There are always things we could go back and do just a little better.

Photographed at Witty's Lagoon Regional Park, Vancouver Island, BC (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2009 James R. Page - all rights reserved.