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“I’ve got three sisters, two younger and one older than me. My two youngest sisters were adopted. Both my parents were teaching English in China, where they met. They came back to the UK, had my older sister and me, and a couple of years later decided to adopt. My mum once told me that ‘You get to a certain point when you realise that you don’t need to bring any more children into the world’. For a while, when I was younger, I thought it would be difficult for my parents to love my younger sisters as much as me. I know that sounds really bad, but then I realised it’s so much more difficult for them, being adopted. You can just tell if someone is your sister, whether they’re related by blood or not. My two younger sisters are definitely just as much siblings as my older sister.”
Meet Sophie.
She was wandering the markets, like myself, when I saw her. She was actually catching a train down to London for an interview the following day, it was for a prestigious arts college (I forget the name); I hope she got in!
This picture is #083 in my second round of the 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
A European tube (or potter) wasp on the flower border outside an Olhao hotel. This genus is notoriously difficult to identify in the field or from photos because the species are so similar. In particular, A. gazella is extremely similar to A. parietum At least, that is the situation in the UK. In Iberia A. parietum is unknown.
This picture shows one of the features used to tell the species apart - a ridge across the front of the first dorsal abdominal plate (between the waist and the first yellow band). This is straight in A. gazella (as here), but has a clear V-shaped notch in A parietum, Consequently, I'm doubly happy with the ID.
Difficult to make good astro pictures so close to the city. The light down to the right is an airliner leaving the near by airport.
difficult to paint on that wall , and it was so cold , anyway happy to show you the first piece in 2011
I saw something flutter out of the corner of my eye. Zoomed in, click and before I could get anymore it was gone. Not sure what it is.
Given the short notice, it’s difficult for the League to muster everyone to the call, but eventually the League manages to assemble in Gotham. What catches all six of them off guard though is the reason I called them in. They all expected that I was hoping to use them to oppose Ra’s and his forces. It is a logical conclusion, but that’s not what I called upon them for.
They’re crowd control.
Given West’s reluctance to Jim’s warnings, the GCPD is unprepared for leading the evacuation of the city. So if it’s going to be successful we need more than just the police. We need the Justice League.
Superman: Bruce, I really think we have more pressing issues than crowd control given the threat made against Gotham.
Flash: Especially given the escalation caused by the deployment of the national guard. How long before they get here, Vic?
Cyborg: Last reports had the estimated time of arrival at just under two hours.
Superman: Not a huge window to evacuate a whole city.
Flash: Worried you’re too slow, Clark?
Superman: Just because you got lucky during our last race Barry, doesn’t mean you’ll get lucky again.
Flash: Is that a challenge?
Aquaman: Stop it, both of you. We don’t have time to indulge in your rivalry.
Green Lantern: It’s always a weird day when I agree with Arthur.
Wonder Woman: Perhaps a more reasonable strategy would be to anticipate where this Ra’s Al-Ghul will make his first move from, so we can halt this assault with a preemptive strike.
Aquaman: Diana does raise a valid point. Severing the head of this beast before it has a chance to take root would be the best course of action.
Flash: Not to mention it sounds like an easier job.
Green Lantern: Not up to the challenge, Barry?
Flash: What? No, I was just pointing out that it’d be a damn sight easier taking on a small unprepared army than it would be evacuating a whole city.
Cyborg: Not to mention it would avoid us potentially overstraining the Watchtower’s systems in the process.
Inevitably, they all come to the same conclusion. My decision is the foolish decision. Understandable given the circumstances.
On any other day, I’d be obliged to agree.
Why make more of a challenge for yourself when you can end a problem when it’s only in its infancy?
Thankfully, I have an appropriate answer to that question.
Batman: No. We press ahead in leading the evacuation of the city.
Green Lantern: I thought he was the supposed smart one here? Even I can tell you that’s the wrong move to make.
Batman: Usually yes, it would be. We’ve faced countless villains with ambitions of taking lives on a large scale. But in this case, we’re facing something different. This is a man who knows full well his capabilities as well as those of his opponents. If he suspects your involvement, he’ll go to ground again. Or worse still, he’ll have ways to combat you all.
Superman: We can take him.
Green Lantern: We’re the Justice League. We can take anyone.
Cyborg: Don’t tempt it. You know how well things work out when you say something like that.
Flash: Especially after that mess with Hades.
Wonder Woman: You mean Ares.
Aquaman: Not to mention Amazo.
Superman: Guys, this isn’t the time.
It’s funny really. Clark was always one of the most reluctant members to join the League following the conclusion of the Star incident, and yet to the public he’s the one who leads us. The reality of the situation couldn’t be further from the truth. There is no leader of the Justice League. At least, not one that the seven of us are aware of.
Some would say that’s crazy, for a team with such diverse abilities as ours you’d need some form of a command chain to stop the clashing of egos. It’s a valid point. But probably the main thing that’s kept the Justice League together for so long is its flexible command structure. Given the diversity of problems we encounter, it makes perfect sense why the structure would change accordingly. After all, someone such as Diana and Arthur are more adept at combating magic users than Barry and I. Just as Clark and Hal are more experienced in combating threats from space.
But every once in a while, one of us has to take charge and usually, whether he likes it or not, that’s Clark. Well….when it’s not me that is.
Batman: Thanks Clark. Look. This fight isn’t your fight. It’s my fight. Ra’s hasn’t come all this way for the Justice League, he came here for Bruce Wayne, and that’s exactly what I intend to give him.
Wonder Woman: You can’t fight him alone, Bruce. As you said, he has an army of followers at his command.
Batman: So do I.
Flash: A few birds don’t really count as an army Bruce.
Green Lantern: No matter who trained them.
Batman: Who says that’s all I have?
Wonder Woman: Sounds like you’ve been busy.
Cyborg: When you’ve actually stepped out of your cave that is.
Eventually, they relent and agree to focus on safely evacuating people from the city. It’s clear as day that they’re not content with this, hoping instead to do more as is there, I couldn’t be more honoured to call them my friends. But they cannot be a part of this. This my battle, and mine alone.
I’ve known it was coming for years. I didn’t know when, I didn’t know how. But I knew what, and that gives me an unusual advantage.
Often warring armies would rely upon the genius of their generals to lead them to victory. A similar situation is now presenting itself here between Ra’s and myself. The sole difference? We’re aware of each other’s methods to some degree or another. So then the question becomes what separates my tactics from his? The answer to that question is simple.
Home field advantage.
Not to mention the fact that whilst Ra’s’ tactics are unlikely to have changed given how he’s spent hundreds of years refining them, mine have evolved. Where Ra’s will rely on the Lazarus Pit’s restorative powers to keep him in prime physical condition, I shall be relying on the arsenal I carry in my belt, as well as the blade Hephaestus forged for me. I had also hoped to be able to use the sample of Lucifer I tasked Jason with retrieving, but it appears he won’t be back before Ra’s gets here, assuming he’s still alive. I hope he’s alright.
But I can’t worry about him right now.
The battle ahead will be difficult, and it needs my full attention. They’re counting on me. They need me, and I need them.
I can’t guarantee that any of us walk away from this unscathed.
I can’t even guarantee if anyone of us will walk away alive
As I active the war room protocol for my office, I walk outside to greet the team. To my surprise, there are two extras I didn’t expect. A man and a woman. The woman appears familiar for some reason.
It’s not until I look at the man that I realise why she seems familiar to me.
Batman: Jason?
It’s at that moment that it all becomes clear to me.
Whilst the odds are not in our favour, we have one advantage that Ra’s does not.
His army are simply soldiers. Loyalists. Servants.
Mine are family, and we will do anything to help one another.
Some come with all that you can muster, Ra’s.
Your fight isn’t just with me.
Your fight is with us.
All of us.
November 21st, 2042
A couple of hours after getting taken away by the Court of Owls, Batman awakens in a cell at an unknown location. Before he’s able to recover from the effects of the sedatives he got hit with and regain his strength two people dressed in black clothes, wielding sharp and gold-colored weapons, enter his cell and order him to follow them. As he struggles to stand up he notices that the exoskeleton from his suit has powered down, making it much more difficult to move around at all and leaving him in no shape to stand up against them. He complies and follows the one figure as the other one takes position behind him. After walking for a short while they end up in a long hallway, with a red carpet on the floor, expensive furniture on either side of the hall and large paintings hanging from the walls. Batman takes a look at the wall decorations and notices that every single painting features a person holding a strange owl-shaped mask in front of their face. There’s a door at the end of the hallway, guarded by two people wearing the same outfit as the ones escorting him. They open the door for them, giving way to a spacious and empty courtroom. Behind the judge’s desk stands a giant wooden statue of an owl, decorated with gold accents and lit with candles around it. On the sides of the room are several giant windows, all covered with dark red curtains which prevents any natural light from entering the place. Only Helena is sitting in the room, tied to a chair at the defendant’s table.
Batman gets escorted into the room and forced to sit on the chair next to Helena as he gets restrained as well. Before he can ask his daughter if she’s okay, the gates of the courtroom swing open as a group of masked individuals march into the room. They all silently take a seat on the public benches behind the two right as the jury enters the room as well, conveniently all wearing the same owl-shaped mask too. As they all sit down at the exact same time Helena begins nervously looking around her, intimidated by the situation she is now in. A door inside the giant owl statue opens, out of which a judge appears. Batman notices the judge seems to be the same person who appeared in the Wayne Tower and ordered them to come to the Court in the first place. He takes a seat, breaks the silence by slamming his hammer on the table and demands order in the courtroom, starting their trial against Batman and Robin.
The judge starts by telling about the Court of Owls, explaining how they have been around since Gotham was established decades ago. For years they managed to rule the city from the shadows, killing anyone who found out about their existence or opposed them using a group of specifically trained assassins called the Talons. When a certain masked vigilante began running around Gotham they didn’t see him as a threat at first. Finding that having him assassinated by the Talons would be a bit excessive they instead opted to orchestrate a series of events which would lead to a deranged serial killer by the name of Zsaz escaping from Arkham. Knowing that the Batman would take it upon himself to go after him, they hoped that he wouldn’t stand a chance against the killer and get killed while fighting him. However, they found themselves astonished as Batman managed to defeat Zsaz with ease, something they had not taken into consideration. Realizing the danger of him running around Gotham they considered ordering the Talons to murder him, but changed their mind after he coincidentally started targeting several of their opponents. The Court then decided to willingly let Batman fight the criminal world of Gotham without interfering, only stepping in if he accidentally stumbled upon them or started targeting them. All the while, the Court continued to influence the city from the shadows.
Roughly 5 years later, a long series of unfortunate events led to the Dark Knight retiring. With the Batman no longer being a possible threat to the Court, they decided to start spreading out their influence more while making certain their existence was kept a secret. Over the decades, dozens of wannabe vigilantes hoping to step into the footsteps of the Dark Knight started to make their way onto the streets. As rumors of a secret underground society who are secretly controlling Gotham started leaking, many of them started to seek them out and found their way right on the doorstep of the Court. In order to preserve their secret they were forced to murder everyone who stood in their way, having to cover up the assassinations to not arouse any suspicions. After decades of doing this the Court of Owls decided they could not continue covering up the disappearances of teen vigilantes, deciding to take action by making a statement by taking down the Dark Knight. Upon discovering his identity and tracking him down using the help of a deranged Edward Nigma and a frail Hugo Strange, they began orchestrating a long plot in order to get him to put on the suit again. One of the Talons assassinated Selina and left behind evidence to make him suspect the Joker, knowing this would motivate him to return to Gotham to investigate. By using a tiny improvised explosive device hidden within the playing card they hoped to detonate it while he was holding it within Arkham. However, they did not account for Batman giving the card to Joker himself, which allowed him to survive the blast and only killed the Clown Prince of Crime along with the other Arkman inmates. After so many years, they decided enough was enough; it was time to put him on trial in front of the Court of Owls for standing in their way too much.
Batman barely has any time to process what he just heard as the crowd and jury start shouting how they think they are guilty. There’s no way they would win a case against a kangaroo court like this; their decision was already made way before the trial started. The judge slams his hammer down again, silencing the chaos as he prepares to read his verdict. Due to being found guilty of interfering with the plans of the Court of Owls, Batman and Robin get sentenced to death at the hands of the Talons right now. The judge asks if he has anything to say about his verdict, but cuts him off right as he is about to speak up. The spectators and jury start cheering and clapping as two of the Talons walk into the courtroom, each entering on opposite sides of the room. They take their positions in front and behind the two, unsheathing their golden weapons to prepare for battle. One member of the Court gets ordered to untie the Dynamic Duo in order to make the odds more fair as the rest of the crowd prepares to watch as the Batman finally gets taken down by the Court of Owls after so many years.
The Talon behind Batman strikes first and stabs him in the back, but his armor prevents the blade from piercing through his skin. He manages to reactivate his exosuit and turns around, ready to fight again as he pulls out a Batarang from his belt. His enemy strikes again, aiming for the exposed skin around his mouth instead, but Batman manages to deflect it with his own weapon. He uses the opportunity to slice the Talon in the arm, although this doesn’t phase him. Batman holds his hand in front of his face and casts a glance at the spectators, seeing they are all silently toasting for their demise with expensive drinks in their hands. His short distraction gives the Talon an opportunity to successfully hit him, but Helena deflects the attack at the last moment with her own weapon stick. He compliments her for being able to stand her ground against their opponents before continuing the battle. The Talon starts attacking more and more fiercely, slowly managing to weaken Batman’s defenses while coming closer to getting a successful strike on him. He tries his best to keep up with him, but Batman slowly starts to become weaker and weaker with every attack. Right as he is about to slash the Dark Knight in the face, the leader of the Court suddenly commands the assassins to stop attacking. Unsure of what to do, the Talons lay down their weapons for a moment as they watch what their leader’s intentions are right now. He mutters something about hearing a weird noise outside as he walks towards the window and lifts up the curtains. Batman tries to get a glimpse of the outside world to locate their hideout if they manage to get out, but he soon picks up the sound outside too; he hears the loud revving of an engine in the distance slowly coming towards them, accompanied by the sound of a car horn. The crowd gathers around the window to see what the commotion is about, but quickly runs away in terror as the Batmobile crashes through the wall at full speed.
Pieces of debris rain down everywhere as the vehicle comes to a screeching halt right in front of Batman and Robin. Chaos ensues in the room as each member of the Court desperately tries to make their escape, terrified of the imposing black vehicle which just crashed through the wall of their hideout. The door opens as the person driving the Batmobile beeps the horn, prompting them to jump inside. Batman kicks the Talon in front of him to the ground and hits the other one in the chest with several batarangs to give them a window to escape. He and Helena jump inside the Batmobile as he takes control of the steering wheel, closing the door right before the Talons can make their way inside. He puts his boot on the gas pedal and activates the rocket booster in order to make their escape from the Court. As they are driving through the streets of Gotham early in the morning, Barbara appears on one of the screens of the console, asking if they are alright. She explains that she left the Wayne Enterprises building for a short moment to check up on her case at the GCPD, but when she returned she saw the camera footage of them getting abducted. Although it was impossible for her to track them down at first since the Court of Owls covered up almost all of their tracks, Batman reactivating his high-tech suit set off a GPS signal which allowed her to pinpoint their location. With the help of a new modification to the Batmobile she was able to remotely control the armored vehicle for a while to reach the place and to help them escape.
Helena sighs of relief, tired of the confrontation they just went through when she says that they must’ve escaped the Court by now. However, right after she says this the two feel something landing on the roof of the Batmobile. Before they can react, one of the Talon’s golden weapons cuts through the armored material like butter, making an opening for himself to enter the vehicle. Batman stands up from his seat and orders Helena to drive despite her not having any driving experience yet as he deals with the Talon standing in the cramped open space in the back of the Batmobile. He makes his way towards him, feeling the cold morning air cut through his skin while he begins punching his enemy. After hitting him a couple of times the Talon catches his fist inside his hand, landing a couple of strikes on his face and damaging his cowl before Batman kicks him right in the stomach. The impact of the kick makes him land hard on the cold floor of the Batmobile, but before he can recover Batman leaps on top of him and starts pounding him in the head. He stops for a short moment to charge up his exosuit for a bigger punch, but the vehicle suddenly making a sharp turn to get outside of Gotham, makes him miss the Talon and denting the floor instead. While he recovers and tries to get another punch in, the other Talon lands on the front of the car and begins damaging the engine. Helena makes a couple more sharp turns in an effort to get him off the car but all it does is make Batman lose his balance, giving him a disadvantage in the fight. As smoke begins coming from the engine Helena loses control of the vehicle, prompting Batman to abandon the fight to prevent them from going off the road. However, he is too late; before he can do anything, the Batmobile crashes through the guardrail on the ride of the road, sending them all tumbling down a hill.
When Helena regains consciousness, she feels herself getting dragged out of the wreckage which was once the Batmobile. Pieces of wreckage are scattered everywhere as the smell of smoke fills her nose. Once she is at a safe distance away from the wreck, she is able to properly see the damage; the Batmobile is laying upside down with a fire having erupted in the engine as several important components of the car have been damaged or broken off. Suddenly, she notices one of the Talons crawling away from the wreck. His outfit has been torn and burned, with him being unable to walk because of the crash. Batman sees him too, and begins slowly walking towards him. The Talon notices this and for the first time he hears one of them speak as he begins pleading for him to put him out of his misery. Batman stays silent for a while before telling him to go back to the Court. He wants him to relay a message to them, warning that it will take much more than this to take down Batman. They tried their best to get rid of him, and they failed. If they try this again, he won't be taken by surprise like this time and warns that he will do whatever it takes to take down the entire Court by himself. The Talon begins crying out that the Court of Owls will just murder him for this fiasco, but Batman ignores him and turns around leaving him on his own. He calls Barbara to pick them up as he puts an arm around Helena, complimenting her for what she did today as the Batmobile continues to burn down behind them.
Roughly a week has passed since the incident with the Court. Despite Bruce and Barbara’s best efforts, they haven't managed to track down the Court again; upon returning to the place where he was taken to to be put on trial, he only found an empty and abandoned building with all of the furniture and decorations taken away. Barbara has taken the wreckage of the Batmobile back to the Wayne Enterprises building, developing plans to rework the vehicle into something else instead of simply rebuilding it.
During a boring evening at the Wayne Building, the regularly scheduled tv programme gets interrupted by a newsflash; A terrorist going by the name of Bane, suspected to be the person responsible for getting a majority of Gotham addicted to Venom, has attacked the Gotham Stock Exchang. In a publicly broadcasted video he revealed to have gotten his hands on a decaying neutron bomb which is set to detonate this Christmas Eve. In his video he directly challenged the Dark Knight, saying that he is only willing to stop the bomb from exploding if he manages to defeat him. Confident that he can save Gotham once more, Bruce suits up and sets out to bring down Bane. Helena offers to join to help take him down, but Batman declines as he fears not going to him alone could have severe consequences. Without being able to use the Batmobile to get around for the time being, he climbs to the top of the building and decides to make use out of his new experimental cape glider. He leaps off the structure as he spreads out his cape, which folds out in the shape of the wings of a bat allowing him to glide to the financial district.
After gliding for a while, Batman lands on top of the glass roof of the Stock Exchange building giving him a good look at the situation. Right below him he can make out the figure of Bane, surrounded by several of his goons, all guarding the neutron bomb. He uses a Batarang to cut a hole into the glass to grant him access into the building. After jumping down the hole he lands right in front of Bane, quickly alerting him of his presence. This is the first time he has gotten a good look at the terrorist; before him stands a very big and muscular man, wearing a black luchador-esque mask which conceals his face. Batman catches a glimpse of a big tank filled with Venom on his back with tubes attached to it, all injected straight into his skin and mask. His goons, all having taken some of the strength-enhancing drugs as well, point their guns at the Dark Knight but Bane tells them to lower their weapons. After telling them to step back he stretches out his arms, challenging the Dark Knight to a one-on-one fight. Batman agrees, taking off his utility belt and preparing for the fight. He laughs, his voice muffled by the mask, asking himself if he will be a match to him or if he will go down as easily as his other opponents as Batman charges towards him.
Batman strikes first, getting in several powerful blows, but it doesn’t even seem to phase his opponent. He pauses for a short moment and tries to continue the fight, but Bane catches his hand before it can hit him. Batman hears something crack when he clenches his fist, feeling that his glove has been damaged. Before he can recover, Bane grabs him with both arms and headbutts him with a lot of force. The blow almost makes him lose his balance, but his opponent grabs him by the throat before he falls to the ground and punches him right in the face several times. Batman starts to taste blood in his mouth but is unwilling to give up so easily. He releases himself from Bane’s grip and tackles him to the ground, using all his strength to kick him in the face several times. Again, his opponent is unperturbed by his attempts to fight back, simply taking the blows without flinching. As Bane doesn't fight back Batman becomes overconfident for a moment, not noticing as his arm reaches out for his leg. He grabs a hold of it and janks it towards him, making him fall to the ground again.
‘’You know, I used to admire you. Hearing all about your heroics back when I was growing up motivated me to be better than I already was. But now that I am not a bright-eyed and naive child anymore, I’m finally able to see you for what you really are; A pathetic elderly man, having to rely on some high-tech suit to even attempt to compete with me!’’
Bane raises his fists in the air, bringing them down with full force on the chest of the Dark Knight. Although his suit absorbs most of the strike to prevent his ribs from breaking upon impact, Batman still feels the pain from his attack and notices the armor on his chest having shattered.
‘’Over the years, I've dreamt of being the one who would kill the legendary Batman. However, I have recently come to the conclusion that killing you would only end your agony and silence your shame.’’
He attempts to fight back again and gathers his strength to reply to his opponent’s comments, but Bane silences him with a nasty kick in the gut before he can do so.
‘’I don't think you quite know who I am. I’m not some scarecrow or a riddler. I’m not a jester or a clown! I’m not a flightless bird nor a cryogenic scientist! And most importantly, i am not some rich guy playing dress-up!’’
Bane begins continuously stomping Batman in the face, slowly cracking open his mask more and more with each kick. By the time his cowl has been completely destroyed Batman has been knocked unconscious, having collapsed after all of the attacks.
‘’ I AM BANE! AND I WILL BREAK YOU!’’
As his goons cheer him on, Bane picks up the defeated body of the Dark Knight and raises it over his head. He slowly spins around like he’s showing a trophy to his friends, reveling as the realization that he has become the one to truly break the Bat begins to set in. Batman regains consciousness, but only just in time to feel himself getting driven down towards the ground as he collides with Bane’s knee.
With one nasty snap, he quickly finds his body in anguish as his spine has completely shattered. Bane drops him to the ground and commands his henchmen to take the bombs and go away, taking the broken mask of the Dark Knight with him as a trophy before leaving himself as well. Batman tries to move, but becomes terrified when he notices that he is unable to even move. With this one attack, Bane has paralyzed the Bat.
Quite some time passes before someone arrives to pick up the wounded Bruce. He gets taken to the Wayne Building instead of a hospital in order to preserve his secret identity, where he gets hooked up to some medical equipment to keep him alive. As the days pass by, Gotham begins to decay more and more into chaos as the threat of a neutron bomb decimating the city gets closer. Each attempt made by the police force to disarm the explosive has led to nothing, leading to many of the city’s residents deciding to get out while they still can. Despite Bruce being in no state at all to fight back against Bane, he stubbornly refuses to leave the city as he believes his back will he recovered enough before the bomb is set to go off. Along with this he also feels personally responsible for letting this happen and does not want Gotham to fall under his watch.
Less than a week is now left before the bomb is set to go off. Bane had taken his bomb to the city centre, where his henchmen are guarding him all day to prevent anyone from interfering with his plan. With no sign of his spine recovering in the slightest, Helena and Barbara are urging Bruce to leave the city with them, as they know nobody else is left to stop him. Barbara is close to converting the damaged Batmobile to an airborne vehicle and tells him it could be fit to get them out of there. However, he does not want to hear any of it and keeps insisting that he can find a solution. In an old scientific report about the Venom drug he read some time ago, he noticed it stating that taking the drug can completely heal severe wounds within moments. With his mind set on this new opportunity to save Gotham he asks Barbara to get him a sample of the substance, hoping this will put him in a position to fight back again. Despite her hesitation she agrees to do so, although she warns him that this is only a short-term solution for a permanent problem for him.
When she returns, Bruce has removed the armor from his arms and prepared a new suit to help him control himself while under the effects of the drug. Barbara reluctantly hands him a syringe filled with Venom, but before she does so she tells him that the scientific reports he read left out some important details. It's true that taking Venom can heal severe and permanent injuries in a matter of moments, but the catch is that once the drug’s effects have worn off the injuries will just return, sometimes getting even worse as a result. Bruce tells her he is more than willing to sacrifice himself if it means that he is gonna be able to save Gotham once more as he grabs the syringe out of her hand. Before any of them can react, he slams the needle into his skin and presses the plunger down allowing the substance to enter into his bloodstream. Bruce feels the effects hitting him almost instantly, and before he knows it he finds himself able to stand on his own again. While he struggles to keep himself from succumbing to the drug’s effects he puts on a new suit; an outfit plated with a gold-colored metal and with a reinforced cowl and cape. Ready for battle, he makes his way to the newly designed Batwing to take himself to the city center to face off against Bane.
----------------------
I have found great solace in hunting and photographing birds. I become obsessed with the birds that are very difficult to capture, nervous songbirds like these beautiful tree swallows.
We were making our way to Elk Island Park along the backroad to Josefburg when I noticed several tree swallows sitting on power lines. Whoever owned the property had erected small birdhouses on the fenceposts.
We pulled over and I hopped out. The day was beautiful, with pretty light, and I had plenty of time. So I took a few test shots, and set my camera controls.
I joyfully photographed the birds as they flitted about. I got some pretty good shots, but nothing outstanding. However, with nature...there can be a surprise in store...and there was.
I saw one of the tree swallows land atop a fencepost. It was a little closer to me, so I decided to make it my subject...and I am so glad I did. For within a few seconds, I captured this remarkable behavior.
I had no idea what I was watching; I only knew that it was amazing. Thank God for burst mode...I had my exposure in good shape, so I just let the frames slide by.
I was stunned after returning to the car, and reviewing my images.
Later, I did some research to find out what the heck the birds were up to. I discovered that this is part of the tree swallows mating rituals. How odd...screaming at each other. Yep, that would do it for me. LOL
I am turning all these images live, something I don't normally do...but I am so proud of them.
Please enjoy, but don't feel the need to comment on all of them. Really, it's okay.
I have my reward. Thanks, God.
Blessings,
Sheree
...just wait until your Father gets back!
Thank you for your visit, comment, fave or invite, all are much appreciated.
All rights reserved.
This photo is not authorized for use on your blogs, pin boards, websites or use in any other way.
Photos and textures used are my own.
It is difficult to make a portrait of a tree. Even though they are one of my favorite and frequent subjects (or perhaps because of that), I would say in general trees are tough to photograph. They are challenging to isolate and they are very messy. There is so buch going on with the branches, roots, and leaves -- not to mention that they seldom stand alone -- that it's almost impossible to reduce the static and get a message across. You can hike through the woods all day, and never get a clean look at a tree.
That's why I'm here today to praise the trees on the edges. When it comes to making a portrait of a tree, I look to the edges. I can't tell you how many great compositions I have dreamed up of the trees along the side of the highway. Trees along the shore of a pond or a lake are fantastic. Along the perimeter of a clearing works too. Especially if there is an elevation gain behind them so no white airspace trickles through into the frame. Trailhead parking lots, like the location of this image here, are great also, since they are often heavily wooded and lined with beautiful trees.
Difficult lighting and lightning fast bird movements meant that I had to shoot this one with high ISO. I don't think that this matters and actually gives the image a nice quality, what do you think?
It's really difficult to shoot these festivals and anyone who thinks otherwise should really read the following:
I was assigned both Foals and The National that were playing 15 minutes apart across an extremely crowded sold out park this past wekeend at Lollapalooza. This is Grant Park, which is incredible stretched out. To make matters worse, the stage closest to Foals was the stage Ellie Goulding had just finished playing. About five minutes before Foals was supposed to start and after Ellie had just finished, the stage manager told myself and all other photographers who had been waiting in line (As per my usual, I was there early for my assignment), that the band had decided they wanted photographers to shoot the last three songs instead of the first three.) I then ran like crazy to catch The National.
Now, you hear about stampedes and people dying at music festivals. I am prone to panic attacks and claustrophobia but the kind experienced by the throngs of Ellie Goulding fans was pretty beyond tolerable. I literally felt like I stopped breathing at one point and then I had to run even faster with all of my camera gear in tow just to not miss The National.
I shot The National (Matt Berninger is always dull in the first three songs anyway and now they have a right grab photo contract and all he did was wear sunglasses and slightly open his mouth). Then, I ran like crazy the 3/4s of a mile back to Foals and worked my way through another relentless crowd.
And, do you know what this photographer was told after she ran herself ragged and thought she was going to die? She was told that the band's manager had changed his mind halfway through the first song and decided photographers should shoot the beginning of the set. They wouldn't allow me in the photopit at all.
People, I am not one to give up on an assignment. When I couldn't get good pit shots of Justice last year because of that ridicous cross they sat on top of, I embedded myself in the crowd and got beer spilled down my back. I have been pushed and elbowed. I have been jeered at while running with all of the hopes of my knees not giving out "Get out of the way of the female photographer. She has to get her shot right now" said one sarcastic adolescent male on my way back to Foals.
But, I always get my shot. The festival organizers are actually incredibly nice to me but bands should really start making up their minds, though. That would be pretty helpful to a girl like me.
Official Foals website: www.foals.co.uk/
I sent Pitchfork both this shot and another shot. Here's a link to the shot they used and posted:
www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151830129171000&set...
**All photos are copyrighted. Please don't use without permission**
It was really difficult to make the panorama since it merges shots from two different panorama series which were taken with a different moment (a few minutes) and from places also slightly different. The right area of the panorama suffers a little bit but I believe that the overall result is good enough.
This is a 5 HDR shots panorama, in which each one was made up of 5 shots taken in autobraking mode (-1.4Ev; -0.7Ev; 0Ev; +0.7Ev; 1.4Ev). HDR was made with Enfuse and the panorama composition with Hugin using a Triplane projection. You can read additional technical information in my profile (about section).
I took another one with my reverse-lens adaptor and I'm very proud. It's difficult to get the right focus with it. The dof is so narrow and the possibility to set the aperture is not given. You can use the lens as usual, set the aperture and hold the button for checking dof at the camera while removing the lens. Then the lens keeps the defined aperture and you can use it in reverse mode. Maybe it is the cheapest way to take nice macro-shots... But you have to approach very very close :)
Parking outside of Jabba’s Palace was a difficult task, considering the guards usual fare. However, Luke managed to convince the Gamorreans, somewhat easily, that his and Biggs’ business dealings with Jabba should allow them to park for free. Obliging, the two guards stepped aside, allowing Luke to park his Landspeeder in a small hanger full of numerous vehicles.
“That was impressive,” Dub said as the speeder came to a halt, “I haven’t seen a negotiation go that well since the Clone Wars. And that was period of galactic war mind you.” Smiling as he exited his vehicle, Luke responded,
“Thanks.” Followed quickly by Biggs saying,
“They were Gamorreans. All they really do is grunt and drool.”
“Not unlike yourself.” Pike said as he walked past the group and towards the exit to the garage. Raising his hands defensively in shock, Biggs was met with Luke sarcastically saying,
“We were all thinking it.” The remaining trio then followed Pike out of the garage and into a narrow hallway where they were greeted by a white protocol droid,
“Good morning, sirs. I’m afraid Jabba isn’t feeling up to a meeting today, but if you wish to set one up I implore you to refer to Sek Fortuna in Anchorhead.”
“We’re not here to meet with Jabba…” Pike began before Luke stepped in front of him, cutting him off with,
“Yes we are. We wish to speak with the…great…powerful…exalted Jabba for only a few minutes,” Judging by the silence the protocol droid responded with, Luke persisted with, “After that we’ll leave. We only wish for a few minutes in the presence of the unassessably wealthy…stupendous…”
“Yes, I’m rather sure we know how great Jabba is. I will speak with him and be back in a moment.” With that, the white protocol droid turned and walked briskly down the stairs into Jabba’s throne room. Luke looked from Biggs to Pike and then to Dub who said,
“Ok, one time is a coincidence. Hell, even two times is. But, kid, there’s something about you. Something I haven’t seen in a very long time.”
“It’s called luck.” Luke firmly responded.
“That’s not what they would’ve said twenty years ago…” Dub said, chuckling to himself and looking up to see the white protocol droid returning.
“Who would’ve said…?” Luke began to ask as the protocol droid cut in,
“Jabba says you have five minutes. No more and no less.” The group descended the stairs as Biggs joked,
“If only Tarkin could see me now. Walking into a den of thieves and smugglers with weeks left before the academy.”
“Imperial bastard…” Pike mumbled to himself as Biggs spoke, and while the latter heard he was unaffected by the statement. In fact, in many ways, he agreed with it. As they all reached the bottom of the stairs, the enormous figure of Jabba the Hutt came into view. Surrounding him were various species of bounty hunters from across the galaxy including: a crippled Talz, a muscular Gamorrean, and a man who the group recognized immediately as Godden Mann grasping what looked like the hilt of some weapon. Turning Luke around to talk to him privately, Biggs asked,
“What exactly do you have planned here?”
“We talk to Jabba, and as we do, we give Dub and Pike time to talk to Godden Mann.” Luke responded calmly.
“You do know he can repossess both of our homes AND Skyhoppers at a whim, right? You have to have more of a plan than that if you want to…” Biggs was cut off by the booming voice of Jabba the Hutt. The two young friends turned around just as this was followed soon after by the voice of the white protocol droid translating what the Hutt had said,
“The mighty Jabba awaits your excuse for interrupting his rest.”
christians kirke (formerly frederiks tydske kirke), christianshavn, copenhagen 1754-1759.
architect: nicolai eigtved (1701-1754). completed by georg david anthon (1714-1781).
I am finding it a little difficult to let go of hans christian hansen and thought I'd take you to a church hansen himself mentioned as an inspiration for his work on tagensbo. christians kirke was the final building by nicolai eigtved, one of the finest architects in copenhagen history - a man who came from nothing, the orphaned son of a serf, to become architect to the crown, a brilliant one at that, even organising the new royal academy of art shortly before his death.
in terms of style eigtved's buildings are best described as tempered, northern rococo, though I suspect a lack of funds was occasionally to blame for their simplicity. in christians kirke, built for the german community, that was certainly the case, but its plain brick walls hide one of the city's more haunting interiors.
this chilly space, in colours so restrained you can barely determine if a photo is black and white, was built according to the protestant church type of the querkirche, which had the congregation facing their preacher across the short side of its rectangular plan - this to break down traditional ecclesiastical hierarchies and to support a liturgy in which the devout were equal to anyone but the example set by the son. significantly, outside hierarchies were still respected as seen in the royal box on axis with the altar.
the grey, wooden boxes, stacked in three galleries along three sides of the church, were sold to wealthy local families to fund construction. they add a sense of the theatre, but also - and, I believe, of equal importance - they make an urban square of the interior, oddly out of scale, but all the more moving for its strangeness.
the pietists, the protestant fundamentalists of the day whose values are reflected in eigtved's ascetic interior, could have gone much further, many of them having lost faith in the role of the church altogether, reformed or not. their resistance to institutions was such that the state deemed it necessary to ban private religious gatherings only a decade before christians kirke was built, the fear of fundies being nothing new.
yet, for a Dane these particular fundies are our parents, our ancestors. they were part of that truth-seeking aspect of christianity which had to question any authority that might stand in the way of truth and the promise of salvation. as nietzsche has taught us, it was this strain of thought which led christianity, after 2000 years, to finally face the godhead itself and for many to dismiss it. our two churches, christians kirke by eigtved and hans christian hansen's tagensbo kirke, are part of this critical tradition in christianity and contain in their very layout and design both the fanaticism of our past and clues to our current godlessness.
hansen took much from eigtved's church - the building type, of course, the intensity of the relationship between preacher and laity, the three floors, the economy of means - and added a measured warmth and an intimacy, I would call almost strict, one you cannot easily turn away from.
no-one would challenge the importance of eigtved's church, but the fact that one of our present architects to the crown has called its 20th century offspring, hans christian hansen's tagensbo church, ordinary and without religious solemnity, advising that a deconsecration would leave nothing worth protecting, still strikes me as wrong. these spaces are, on the contrary, our most profoundly religious, and what they offer by example is to make the play of power and the sentimentality of our more conventional churches plainly and painfully obvious.
It seems as though travelling abroad has been even more difficult in 2021 than in 2020. Nevertheless, myself and three others managed to escape the UK for a two week trip taking in Austria, Hungary and Slovakia at the end of October/beginning of November. This had originally planned to be a long trip to India, but with their borders still closed the possibility of the USA was looked at. This too was also a no-go for the dates we had so an itinerary taking in parts of Europe that we had wanted to tick off was cobbled together. We had held off booking until the last possible moment to avoid a Covid bowl out which was just as well since we had originally planned to cover Romania, but with case numbers there shooting up the week prior and restrictions once again being introduced we shelved this idea. With around 48 hours notice we booked a Sunday afternoon flight to Vienna where the weather forecast was reasonable and we could pick up the planned itinary.
Despite one of our group losing and then regaining his luggage on the way to the airport and a farce involving certain types of masks required in Austria we successfully made it to Vienna late on the Sunday evening. Our first port of call was a couple of days on the Semmeringbahn and fortunately our first afternoon was blessed with some glorious autumnal sunshine. EC151 hauled by 1144.116 delivered us to Semmering and after dumping our luggage at our accommodation we made our back down the valley to Breitenstein. Following an increadibly difficult climb from the footpath below, ÖBB 1144 class no. 1144.261 is seen crossing the Krausel-Klause viaduct with EC158 06:45 Zagreb to Vienna service on 25th October 2021.
A difficult choice for our 3D printed bus/coach driver… go with the old school Interurban coach, the single decker in classic Stagecoach stripes. Or go modern, and board the sleek and streamlined double decker, wearing the all yellow “long distance” livery?
Stagecoach West Scotland, or Western Buses Ltd registered at Sandgate, Ayr in 1:76 scale (OO gauge) diecast form.
Wearing the stripes is R119 OPS, a Plaxton Premiere coach. It displays service X36 Glasgow via Garnock Valley. The real 119 was new to Western in 1997, went on to be repainted to Citylink livery and withdrawn in 2012.
The double decker coach is YX18 LKO, a Plaxton Panorama. It displays service X76 for Kilmarnock from Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station.
Plaxton Premiere R119OPS - Corgi OOC Diecast.
Plaxton Panorama YX18LKO - Holland Oto, commissioned by Buckie Model Centre.
It's difficult to capture the depth of the "Big Hole" in Kimberley but the height of the buildings give an idea of the scale.
Kimberlite, an ultramafic igneous rock and a rare variant of peridotite, is most commonly known to be the main host matrix for diamonds. It is named after Kimberley where diamonds were mined from this hole.
Kimberlite occurs in the Earth's crust in vertical structures known as kimberlite pipes, as well as igneous dykes and can also occur as horizontal sills. The consensus on kimberlites is that they are formed deep within the mantle, hence at high temperatures and pressures.
If he came from the bayou he's a LONG way from home!! This is a Chukar that I found on the top of the volcano on Maui!! Difficult to get close enough to this specimen who managed to stay just out of range of the lens that I had packed!! I'll show you a bit of his habitat a bit later! Photo taken on the top of Haleakala crater on Maui Hawaii!
DDF_1485uls
schwer zu finden und noch schwerer zu fotografieren, eine Kreuzotter, Vipera berus, im Münsterland
Difficult to find and even more difficult to photograph, a common European adder, Vipera berus (Linnaeus, 1758).
After trekking up Melincourt Brook these falls were quite difficult to get to as fallen trees and rocks made it impossible to get up stream. So had to climb up to the top of the gorge approx. 200 - 300ft then across the top then down the steep gorge further along. Some lovely lush ferns and plants no sun in this gorge and had to climb back up again and down the other side!!!. Probably better to be with somebody as no mob.phone signals, or people and dodgy terrain. I enjoyed it but was tired and thirsty so drank from the stream. I was pleased to find this waterfall don't know if it's got a name.??. Anybody know the name.? OH , I flipped it horizontal thought it was a better composition..
f 13 iso 100 28mm 0.6 sec
B&W 103 Grad
"The first and most difficult challenge Ferrari always faces when it decides to develop a new model is to push the boundaries of its own achievements yet again.
This challenge is made all the tougher when the task at hand involves designing a new 12-cylinder engine, the power unit that hailed the start of the glorious Prancing Horse story 70 years ago in 1947.
On this occasion, intensive research and development focused on exploiting Ferrari’s wealth of track-derived engineering know-how has produced the 812 Superfast, designed to offer its drivers both benchmark performance across the board and the most riveting and rewarding driving experience possible..."
Source: Ferrari
Photographed in Northern Ireland.
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It is difficult to imagine that this idyllic Shropshire landscape was involved in the lead-mining industry in the 19th century. Most of the evidence of this has now disappeared though there are the remains of a couple of engine houses within a short distance of here. When I first arrived I thought I was back in Cornwall with its old tin-mining industry! This is looking towards the west, while behind the camera is the Stiperstones, an eight mile-long quartzite ridge formed some 480 million years ago. In the distance is Corndon Hill, which is 1,683 feet above sea level at its highest point. A few miles beyond that is the Welsh border. This area is known as the Shropshire Hills, and is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
I've been hoping to find one of these green forester moths (Adscita statices) for quite some time and then I find one (a female) in Åva-Stensjödal in Tyresta National Park and she was most accomodating. Staying on her thistle and trying out multiple poses.
I am however not entirely pleased with the end results. The gorgeous metallic colours coupled with the dark head and underside made it difficult to light properly. Maybe the next one?
Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/51425542387/
Part 2 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52729881829/
Also, in the bottom of this shot is a Prosternon tessellatum click beetle, which can be seen better in this shot with a couple of ants: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52437622280/
Still finding it difficult to get excited about shooting or editing. I stumbled across this shot I never edited last spring, though, and even though I've posted a similar photo from this set, I've been editing landscapes differently in the past few months and thought I'd post it anyway. The light after such a stormy day was beautiful. Maybe there's a lesson in there for life.
I have tinnitus, it affects me 24 hours a day 365 days a year, sometimes more some times less but it is always there...
What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the name given to the condition of noises 'in the ears' and/or 'in the head' with no external source. Tinnitus noises are described variously as ringing, whistling, buzzing and humming.
The noise/s may be heard in one ear, both ears or in the middle of the head or it may be difficult to pinpoint its exact location. The noise may be low, medium or high-pitched. There may be a single noise or two or more components. The noise may be continuous or it may come and go.
What causes tinnitus?
Tinnitus is not a disease or an illness, it is a symptom generated within a person's own auditory pathways. Although it is often assumed that tinnitus occurs as a result of disease of the ears, this is often not the cause. The precise cause of tinnitus is still not fully understood but is usually associated with some hearing deficits.
Who gets tinnitus?
Experiences of tinnitus are very common in all age groups, especially following exposure to loud noise, however, it is unusual for it to be a major problem. There is a widely held misconception that tinnitus is confined to the elderly, but various studies have shown that it can occur at any age, even quite young children. Mild tinnitus is common - about 10 per cent of the population have it all the time and, in up to one per cent of adults, this may affect the quality of their life.
To find out more plese visit www.tinnitus.org.uk
It’s windy
Portraits are difficult in windy conditions. Hair and clothing blow in unflattering directions.
Hace viento! In the original Mary Poppins, a neighbor fires a cannon from the roof every morning and evening, prompting the women of the house to brace vulnerable decor. I do the same thing in my backyard every time hace viento. I refer to the wind-proof arrangement of plants, lanterns, and the hammock chair as “battle positions.”
Jacket, Jessica Simpson (thrifted). Sweater, Gibson (thifted). Tunic, Wet Seal (thrifted). Leggings, J2 Love. Boots, Vionic.
My Dear Friends in this difficult time we need so much Hope, Light, Love, Warmth...
Here is I would love to share " Moving stories of the people from Japan", which I received from my Dearest hearty friend - Bridgy, you can see her photostream, full of light and love here: www.flickr.com/photos/10334788@N02/
Thank you, Bridgy, very much for your support!
°Moving stories of the people from Japan. °
I translated some from @prayforjapan, some are from TV news I am hearing. There is so much love and hope and beautiful stories even in such devastated times.
A high school boy was saved because he climbed up on top of the roof of a department store during the flood. The flood came so suddenly, that he saw people just below him.. trying to climb up the roof … being taken by the flood. But he knew that he had to leave something that showed that he and these others were alive… so he kept filming that situation. He still cant reach his parents but he says, its no body’s fault. There is no one to blame. So I know we have to stay strong and be positive. That is the mission of those who are alive.
I saw a little boy thanking the station staff saying “thank you so much for trying hard to run the train last night” the staff had tears in his eyes, and I was crying…
In the super market where all the things fell, people were picking up things so neatly together, and then quietly stand in line to buy food. I was glad to be a Japanese.
A foreign friend told me, they were shocked to see a looong queu form so neatly behind one public phone. Everyone waited so patiently to use the phone even though everyone must have been eager to call their families.
The traffic was horrible!! Only one car can move forward at green light. But everyone was driving so calmly. During the 10 hour drive (which would only take 30 minutes normally) the only horns I heard was a horn of thank you. It was a fearful time … but then again a time of warmth and it made me love Japan more.
Last night when I was walking home (cause all traffic stopped) an old lady from the bakery shop which was totally passed their closing time was giving out free bread. Even at times like this, people were trying to find what they can do and it made my heart warm.
When I was waiting at the plat form, so tired and exhausted… a homeless person came to us and gave a cardboard to sit on… even though we usually ignored them in our daily life… it was so warm
Suntory (juice company) are giving out free drinks, phone company creating more wi-fi spots, 1000000 noodles given from food company… everyone is helping the best they can. We have to do our best too, to stand up.
When I was walking home for 4 hours… there was a lady holding a sign that said “please use our toilet” they were opening their house for people to go to the restroom. When I saw that, it made me cry feeling the warmth of people
At Disneyland, they were giving out candies. High school girls were taking so many so I was thinking “what???” but then the next minute, they ran to the children in the evacuation place and handed it to them. That was a sweet gesture.
When there is a black out, there are people working to fix it. When the water stops there are people working to fix that too.. and when there is problem with nuclear energy there are people going there to fix that. It doesn’t fix automatically. While we are waiting for things to be fixed saying we are cold.. there are people risking their life to fix it.
An old man at the evacuation shelter was saying “whats going to happen now..” and then a young high school boy sitting next to him said “don’t worry!! When we grow up, we will promise to fix it back !!” and was rubbing the old mans back. And when I was listening to that conversation, I felt hope. There is a bright future
Okay, so we experienced the world biggest… M9.0 Then we got to make the world biggest energy and love too… to build back our life.
See @prayforjapan for more…
It is difficult to describe just how uncomfortable I feel when out in public with my camera. It is with great reluctance that I pulled the camera from my bag at slung it around my neck on the way home from work. But I knew that I had an opportunity to take some images of the journey home, images I have kept in my mind's eye for a good while now. It has been a good exercise, although I am still very self-conscious and do not like to draw attention to myself. Thank goodness for M4/3 cameras and the Panny 20mm pancake lens. And yet, as you can see, I was observed.