You Score! (Post 1, Score 2)
View allAll Photos Tagged improve,
Trying to improve upon some of my images from the past, looking for that 'extra' one can 'do' in post processing and having fun at the same time...b.mikic
“I almost wish we were butterflies and liv'd but three summer days - three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain.”
― John Keats, Bright Star: Love Letters and Poems of John Keats to Fanny Brawne
Yes you have reached the right page...LOL...it is me, Kellytopaz Firehawk but.....just the new and improved version of me,
Kelly - ̗̀ϟ ̖́- Dark... as I've now taken my amazing husbands name...with that being said....
I'm bringing some newness by Nutmeg..not only am I familiar with this Familiar Mess, I found myself counting how many of the same items I have that are on/in this desk LOL!
I used the English Garden Shed by Hisa (group gift) to display this new set from Nutmeg because who wouldn't want an enclosed outdoor office? Information you need below:
Nutmeg. Familiar Mess Desk Dark v1
Nutmeg. Familiar Mess Chair Dark
Nutmeg. Familiar Mess Cabinet Bonus Item
Nutmeg. Familiar Mess Nutbook Bonus Item v2
Kustom 9: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/kustom9/116/98/22
Nutmeg Mainstore: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/REKA%20NUTMEG/233/125/21
Nutmeg Flickr: flic.kr/ps/Yr6Sn
Nutmeg. Warm Respite Rug Adult
Nutmeg. Warm Respite Leather Messy Armchair Adult
Nutmeg. Warm Respite Papers Bonus Item
Nutmeg. Attic Hideout Armchair Cedar Adult
Nutmeg. Attic Hideout Pillows Set2 Decor
Nutmeg. Attic Hideout Lamp Light w/Light On-Off
Nutmeg. Grandma's Cottage Basket w/Flowers
Nutmeg. Laundry Day End Table
Nutmeg. Bike White&Stickers w/Static Anims
HISA - English Garden Shed Group Gift
Hisa Mainstore: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/someday/130/117/23
Hisa Flickr: flic.kr/ps/3RR2wW
Soy. Reed Screen [Sudare] Dark -Half rolled
dust bunny . potted cheese plant
Foxwood - Boston Pup - Sit
.:revival:. vintage rug
Apple Fall L'Air Frais
HPMD* WildGrasses
Yugen.// rongo.
Thank you so much for all the support and be well! 😊
Improved version of earlier (way down in time) upload
-----------------
Free private and non-commercial use of images on my website www.flowingandglowing.com.
Conditions apply.
Commercial licenses for high resolution images are available
Vanguard, 2 Riflemen, and a female Scout. Comment your favs. Ik they're similar but I think they look much better than some of the originals. Share your Rebel armies too!
Masai Mara National Reserve
Kenya
East Africa
Happy early Caturday!!! But late, because I discovered yesterday was International Cheetah Day Dec. 4, 2025.
The world’s fastest land animal is racing against extinction. Help us win the race! The global population of cheetah now numbers less than 7000 adult individuals. Currently on the IUCN red list as vulnerable.
Dr. Laurie Marker designated December 4th as International Cheetah Day. The annual celebration was set in remembrance of a cheetah cub named Khayam, that she raised at Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon. She then moved to Namibia and continued her work there.
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a large cat of the subfamily Felinae that occurs in North, Southern and East Africa, and a few localities in Iran.
It inhabits a variety of mostly arid habitats like dry forests, scrub forests, and savannahs.
The species suffered a substantial decline in its historic range in the 20th century due to habitat loss, poaching for the illegal pet trade, and conflict with humans. By 2016, the global cheetah population has been estimated at approximately 7,100 individuals in the wild.
Several African countries have taken steps to improve cheetah conservation measures. - Wikipedia
🌟Improved image uploaded 13/09/2024 👌
⭐️Thank you in Advance for your kind ‘Faves’ and visits they are so very much appreciated. 👍
I cannot always ‘Thank’ everyone individually, for their visits and ‘Faves’ however, I will always try to respond and thank all those that leave a ‘Comment’. If I do not reply to your 'Comment', it is not because I am ignoring you, it's because I have not seen the 'Comment'.
Your 'Comments' do not always appear in 'Notifications' or Flickr mail, so, I am sorry for any delay in responding. Often your 'Comment' is only spotted 'On the Page' on the day, that I see it. (seen ONLY when replying to someone HAS 'Commented' on the image, and I see a notification)
The Cefn viaduct near Llangollen, north Wales, was completed in 1848 and is one of a small number of spectacular viaducts and aqueducts in the area.
The purpose of these structures was to dramatically improve the connectivity between local coal and iron industries in Wrexham and north east Wales to major markets in Chester, Birkenhead, and Liverpool.
The 19 arch viaduct is 460m long and rises almost 45m above the river Dee. It is still in active service.
sim: Whimberly
uber: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Whimberly/181/212/26
Tune: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2U0Ivkn2Ds
Les Films du Poisson
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Films_du_Poisson
In Cooperation with:
MGM Studios
Is Proud To Present
A Twain Orfan Film:
Say Something !
The Critics Have Spoken:
'I haven't had much time to see Twain's movies lately, .. but this one really got to me. I was with a friend of mine, trying to eat pop corn, ya know ? ..and, .. I could barely chew it .. tears were just streaming down my face. It was really an emotional experience for me... One of his best films to date I'd have to say. [Gwyneth Evergarden / New York Times / Flickr Artist ]
'So, Lobo and me went to see this movie and we were like, ya know, the acting of the main star, Mollie. She was like .. 'Wow'. I guess Twain's directing skills have improved quite a bit. He'll never be a musician like my Lobo is. And this windlight he uses has got to go ! But, .. yeh. Great movie ! I kept pulling Lobo's arm around me for comfort. It was sad .. and touching. Bravo Twain ! [Carisa Franizzi / Baby Girl Times / Flickr Artist ]
'I don't really know Twain at all. So I thought I'd check out one of his movies and, ..well, .. the
cinematography was awesome ! It just hit me in my gut ! The lead actor, Mollie, she projected such emotion ... I felt her isolation. I just wanted to get up from my theater seat and give her a hug, ya know? It was a solid movie. [Betta B. / Chicago Times / Flickr Artist ]
'I finally had the time to see this movie of Twain's. It is definitely moody, sad, and pulls at your heart strings. It hits all the right notes. The Production behind the movie by both Claire Danes
www.imdb.com/name/nm0000132/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm and also by Reese Witherspoons Production Company 'Hello Sunshine' en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello_Sunshine_(company) insured the quality of the Production would be top notch !! Twain as the Director .. yes. He did seem to work with Mollie well. I can feel through out the film this constant searching for something 'more' .. the missing element. It is sad and touching. I admit .. I loved it.
[》Sιℛι《 Amblack 《 / Independent World Association / Flickr Artist ]
'I am on the same sim as Twain is ..I'm working near by on the MGM Studio lot. I am dressed in only a rather skimpy swimsuit. Twain comes up to me and asks me if I could help him out and be in this photo for him. Now .. I had heard that Twain is a bit of a caution. Actually .. insane ! Here I am in the middle of a photo shoot ..almost naked. I was ready to turn him down ..then he tells me. 'You'll need to put more clothes on for this movie.' .. Well? I've never had a Director tell me I'd need more clothes ! So I thought that was a good sign. So I walk off the MGM studio lot and go with Twain to this remote area. I sit down on these pillows, all comfy. Twain tells me.. 'No! No pillows ! ' Twain throws out the pillows .. ? So I'm sitting there on the bare wood. He asks me to tell him a sad story .. and I start to tell him about when I was much younger, and how I had this puppy .. how it suddenly took ill, .. and .. and .. [waves her hands in front of her face ],... sorry, .. I , ... I just can't ... go there ... Anyways, .. I just felt so sad and isolated. Alone. Twain really knew how to draw out my emotions. The funny thing is most Directors are really very talky .. talk a lot. Twain was really very quiet. It must have taken about an hour to do this one scene alone. But he seemed rather 'normal' ? I'd work with him again. The pay wasn't that great. But he seemed a good Director and he gave me a coupon that has a $35.00 Linden value at any Perkins Restaurant. He let me watch the dailies of the filming as it proceeded which no other Director had ever let me do before. Seemed like a decent fellow. So .. yeh .. I'd work with him again. What else can I say?
He dresses in a formal suit on set everyday .. that's a bit much. Other than that no complaints.
[Mollie Pop / Lead Actress / Flickr Artist ]
I haven't used my drone very often this year, mainly because my other camera was more inviting, but maybe coming winter I will use my drone more often.
One of the nice things of a drone is that you can picture structures from height that you otherwise wouldn't see.
That is easy seeable with this picture of the "Ijsseleye".
The IJsseleye is an artificial island in the Ketellake (Ketelmeer, province of Flevoland, the Netherlands) used as a depository to store polluted silt. Most of the polluted silt was deposited in the Ketelmeer by the IJssel river between 1950 and 1990. Removal of silt soil from the Ketelmeer lake also aims to deepen the channel leading to the mouth of the IJssel to at least a depth of 3.5 m (11.5 ft), thus aiming to improve access to the river for navigation.
Featuring:
Cynful @ Collabor88
Psycho:Byts @ Mainframe
Axix @ Kinky Event
Pecheresse @ 2much Event
Full Details @ rainbowpixiefarts.blogspot.com/2021/08/new-improved-1156....
A very new moon and a clearer atmosphere than any of my recent visits to the area. Papalote Rancho Viejo campsite in Big Bend Ranch State Park, Presidio County, Texas.
To improve my Compositions I am attempting to use the Rule of the Golden Triangle to my Images. My Latest Video on YouTube covers a number of favourite images with before and after comparisons
The Panorama of the Ian McKean Pinetum is one of the few new Subjects in the Video. To see more, use the link below to access the video
European hornet closeup (Vespa crabro), 10-2022, Ticino, Switzerland
My best photos are here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...
European hornet (Vespa crabro), 10-2022, Ticino, Switzerland
If you're interested, you can find my best photos of the WILDLIFE IN TICINO, SWITZERLAND here: fr.lacerta-bilineata.com/l%C3%A9zard-vert-occidental-lace...
THE STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO:
I guess you can tell by the look on its face that this is not a happy hornet. That's not unusual for hornets - truth be told, variations of "not happy" "angry", or at least "badly irritated" seem to be pretty much their natural state of mind - but what's interesting about the fella above is that he also wasn't exactly sober.
To spell it out more clearly: that was one hammered hornet. It was so drunk in fact, it couldn't fly for two seconds straight without crashing. I shot that photo in my garden last fall, but as with all my pictures, I'll try to give you a bit more context.
Every year at least one hornet queen decides that some crack or hole inside the thick stone walls of my 400-year old house in Ticino is the perfect place to raise her royal family.
That in itself wouldn't pose a problem, but if there's one thing we know about "royals", it's that they're a complicated bunch (though it has to be said for both princes William and Harry that they rarely build little palaces inside the walls of some stranger's house, but I digress).
There is a slight potential for conflict; in my experience, all hornets are born with a sweet tooth and a bad temper, and particularly when there's ripe figs in my garden, tensions can rise.
That is entirely my fault though, because I still sometimes foolishly try to negotiate the human place in the food- (or rather: fruit-) chain, despite knowing perfectly well that fig season isn't the time to want to improve human-hornet relations, as any attempt in that regard will inevitably follow the same frustrating pattern:
Human: "Oh hello there Ms Hornet, how nice to meet you here at the fig tree - isn't the weather just lovely?"
Hornet: "Bzzzzzz. I have a sting. Bzzzzz. Go away. Bzzzzz."
Human: "There is really no need to be so angry, dear Ms Hornet: we're all friends here, and there's enough figs for all of us! How are the kids, I mean... larvae?"
Hornet: "Bzzzzzz. I have a sting. Bzzzzz. Go away. Bzzzzz."
Human: "Jeez, OK - relax! I can see you have a sting, I'm going, all right? You can have all the figs Ms Hornet, see: I'm already leaving!"
Hornet: "Bzzzzz. Yes, I have a sting. Bzzzzz. Don't come back. Bzzzzz."
And that's how THAT conversation goes.
Yet despite our occasional differences (like when I nearly died of smoke inhalation because Her Royal Hornet Majesty had decided my chimney was another suitable place for her nest), I'm happy to report we generally get along quite well, unless... - well, unless the hornets are intoxicated.
It's one of nature's lesser known facts (or perhaps its dirty secret) that many of our friends in the animal kingdom occasionally like to get high, and hornets are no exception. Not on anything illegal, mind; they are law-abiding insects after all, so you won't see them smoke crack or snort cocaine (although with some hornets I wouldn't rule that out completely 😉).
No: their usual drug of choice is alcohol, which my irritable neighbors find - surprise! - in my fig tree. Once some of the overripe fruit start to ferment, their potent juices become a magnet for hornets - and that's when the trouble starts.
It should come as no surprise that "hornets and hooch" are an inherently problematic combination. Because the crux with alcohol is this: it doesn't alter your personality, it only brings out the character traits that are already there without a filter, so you just become a terribly unrestrained version of yourself when you drink too much.
Which with hornets - who aren't the most cheerful bunch even on a good day - is a recipe for disaster. They are MEAN drunks - and I'm not kidding, oh boy. All that bottled-up anger constantly boiling underneath that shiny, chitin surface from the moment they hatch is finally released into the world, and it's not a pleasant sight, let me tell you.
Alcohol REALLY doesn't seem to improve their mood, and the other animals in my garden all agree (and I concur) that the fig tree would be a much happier place if the hornets just smoked weed and listened to Bob Marley instead (if them getting high can't be avoided altogether).
To be fair though, not all hornets have a drinking problem. Most of them behave responsibly and "don't drink and fly" (which I'm sure is a motto that gets taught in hornet school from an early age). And they don't get high all year long: It's only when fall arrives that the hornets like to have a merry get-together in my fig tree to get a good "buzz on".
But you know how it is: just like with any good party, there's always the ONE guy who can't hold his liquor and basically turns into your angry, drunk uncle at Christmas who starts picking fights with every one at the dinner table and insists on letting you know - very loudly - what he thinks about Trump or Biden or the Corona virus once he's had one too many.
Which finally brings me back to the fella in the photo above, because apparently he was THAT guy. That particular "drunk uncle" hornet sat underneath the fig tree on a fallen (and pretty rotten looking) fruit and was deep into its cups. As soon as it saw me, it started to buzz angrily and seemed intent on a confrontation, but it didn't manage to get airborne for more than a second.
After a few more failed attempts to lift off and a few more angry "Bzzzzzz" sounds (I think I actually did hear the words "Trump", "Biden" and "Corona" in there 😉), it just went back to boozing on the juices of the spoiled fig on the ground.
I left it to its own devices, happy that I got this quite expressive shot. 😊
P.S. I think it was actually a crazy, drunk AUNT - not an uncle 😉)
P.P.S. Just to make sure we understand each other (maybe as a disclaimer for readers who come to this gallery for the first time and aren't familiar with my kind of humor): I love the fact that these beautiful insects visit my garden. Watching how these efficient predators hunt wasps, horseflies or other insects is incredibly fascinating (adult hornets themselves mainly feed on sugary plant juices, but they hunt because their young need protein to grow).
Hornets may seem like they're constantly angry (which to me is funny - hence this text), but they're not; they're actually very peaceful towards humans, and even when you compete for a ripe fig with them, their furious buzzing is mostly just a bluff, and I've never been stung (and I don't know anyone who has).
Due to the unfounded fear many people have of hornets, who often get exterminated because they're confused with common wasps, this species is threatened in many countries (in Germany for example, hornets are a protected species). But unless you step (or sit) on them or destroy their nest, hornets don't attack, and even when they're drunk, they are usually so incapacitated that they are completely harmless (just like your uncle/aunt 😉).
So if you have hornets in your garden, just enjoy watching them and please don't harm them! 🙏 🙏 ❤ ❤
With that being said, I hope you like the photo and wish you all a wonderful weekend! Many greetings from Switzerland, and as always: let me know what you think in the comments 🙏 😊 ❤!
© All of my photographs are Copyrighted and All Rights Reserved. They may not be used or reproduced in any way without my explicit written permission.
Feel free to state your opinion about the image.
Help me improve my skills and knowledge,
Thank you for viewing and commenting!
The weather improved on Sunday afternoon after Storm Dennis began to pull away from the UK so managed to get out and about with the camera and took a stroll around Torquay harbour and seafront and captured the pier using 3 shots and blended them together to create this.
In Landshut am Hofberg befindet sich die Teufelsbrücke. Wie sie zu diesem Namen kam, kann ich leider nicht sagen. Aber ich glaube fast, das wäre eine interessante Geschichte.
Beim Bild handelt es sich um ein HDR, bestehend aus drei Einzelbildern, die in Lightroom CC verrechnet und anschließend in Photoshop CC veredelt wurden.
In Landshut (Bavaria) you can find the Devils Bridge ("Teufelsbrücke"). I don't know, why the bridge has this scarry name. Maybe it's an interessting story.
This picture is a HDR from 3 single images, combined in Lightroom CC and improved in Photoshop CC
After their overnight run from Medley, FL, FEC train 336 switches onto the Cemex City Point lead at CP City Point in Cocoa, FL.
CP City Point was rebuilt from its original configuration a few months prior to this photo. Originally, it was just the single main and the City Point lead with some standard vaders. Now, as you can see, there's a whole new main being built and two tracks that turn west off of the main to head toward Orlando for Brightline.
For improved visibility on level crossings, NS are fitting the class SNG EMUs with a yellow front. For now, the blue and yellow fronts can be seen together - in this case literally, as the leading unit has the blue front (mostly obscured by the overhead line portal and, of course, the other EMU) and the trailing one is yellow. The pair are on their way on a local service from Amsterdam Centraal to Amersfoort Vathorst. Soest, 05-09-2021.
Updated improved image 20/06/2024
⭐️Thank you in Advance for your kind ‘Faves’ Visits and Comments they are so very much appreciated. 👍
I cannot always ‘Thank’ everyone individually, for their Visits and ‘Faves’ however, I will always try to respond and thank all those that leave a ‘Comment’. If I do not reply to your 'Comment', it is not because I am ignoring you, it's because I have not seen the 'Comment'.
Your 'Comments' do not always appear in 'Notifications' or Flickr mail, so, I am sorry for any delay in responding. Often your 'Comment' is only spotted 'On the Page' on the day, that I see it. (seen ONLY when replying to someone HAS 'Commented' on the image, and I see a notification)
Camera: Holga 120N
Film: Ilford HP5 Plus 400, rated @ ASA 800
Exposure: 1/100 sec and f/11, hand-held
Film developed and scanned by Foto Brell, Bonn
Edited under Adobe Lightroom
Cropping improved the composition but removed the Holga typical vignetting.
After some nights spent to learn and practice new imaging techniques, I propose a version of my first attempt to Andromeda Galaxy, less harsh, more realistic and detailed and (I hope) nicer to see.
- OTA: William Optics Zenithstar 61 APO doublet + WO Flat61 field flattener
- Mount: SkyWatcher Star Adventurer GTI
- Camera: Nikon D800 unmodified
Stack of 34x120s. shots @3.200ISO + 10 dark + 10 flats, using Starry Sky Stacker (SSS) for Mac.;
Processing through Adobe Photoshop
Any comment and/or advice for improving is welcome
Improved image uploaded 16/09/2023
⭐️Thank you in Advance for your kind ‘Faves’ Visits and Comments they are so very much appreciated. 👍
I cannot always ‘Thank’ everyone individually, for their Visits and ‘Faves’ however, I will always try to respond and thank all those that leave a ‘Comment’. If I do not reply to your 'Comment', it is not because I am ignoring you, it's because I have not seen the 'Comment'.
Your 'Comments' do not always appear in 'Notifications' or Flickr mail, so, I am sorry for any delay in responding. Often your 'Comment' is only spotted 'On the Page' on the day, that I see it. (seen ONLY when replying to someone HAS 'Commented' on the image, and I see a notification)
The first record of a mill at Worsbrough was in the Domesday book of 1086, although the exact location of the mill along the River Dove is unknown. The oldest part of the mill standing today dates from about 1625 and forms the two storey stone building known as the Old Mill, which houses the waterwheel. Before the Mill House was built in the mid 18th century the miller and his family would have lived in the mill itself. There are large fireplaces on both the ground and first floors and the lintel over the fireplace on the first floor is inscribed with several dates and initials of the millers.
The Old Mill was probably modernised in the early 1820’s to improve its output, and in the 1840’s the New Mill was built next door. The machinery in the New Mill was powered by a steam engine and a third floor, where grain could be stored in bulk, was added.
Trade for corn and flour began to drop off towards the end of the 19th century as cheap imported wheat came in from abroad.
Today at the cabin . So perfect , so quiet we had the whole lake to ourselves , we chopped trees to improve the view from the cabin deck and then sipped tea as we had a fire , earlier we paddled in our canoe, and saw a mink , herons and a kingfisher ..
My good friend Peter EW&F suggested that I improve my bug trap to save the Honey Bees.
I haven't caught any Honey Bees yet mostly flies and ants but I improved it anyway just incase, I can now open the lid and let them out.
See original trap below.
Have a great day!
When the Hebden Moor Mining Company began to exploit the lead veins of Bolton Gill in 1853, there was no track up Hebden Gill, the only access to the site from Hebden being up the Raikes to the left of Eddy's Barn at Hole Bottom onto the moorland pasture at the top, and then back down towards Bolton Gill.
Better communications were required, and in 1855 the company improved access from Hebden to Hole Bottom, which including cutting through the moraine at Scale Haw to ease the gradient.
However, they needed access to the other side of the beck from Hole Bottom to enable them to drive a track up the east bank of the gill. They applied in October 1856 to the Duke of Devonshire's agent, Stephen Eddy, to purchase a small plot of land on the west bank, and he, sensing a seller's market, offered to sell it for an extortionate £50, which the company declined.
By July 1857, the price had fallen to £15, and it was purchased. This enabled them to build the beautiful and iconic Miners’ Bridge, and hence drive their track up to the mine.
The other one was so messy, so I redone the whole thing, and I also didn't like his previous owner...
Ville d’eaux reconnue depuis l’Antiquité romaine, Luchon connaît un réel essor au XIXe siècle. Réorganisé en 1761 par le baron d’Étigny, l’établissement thermal accueille régulièrement des membres de la cour et des visiteurs très aisés. Un nouvel ensemble, dessiné par l’architecte Edmond Chambert et inauguré en 1857, attire rapidement Napoléon III et la famille impériale.
Grâce à la mode du thermalisme qui prévaut alors et à la redécouverte de la région (célébrée dans le « pyrénéisme » littéraire de Russel), Luchon connaît bientôt un afflux de visiteurs célèbres (comme Lamartine). Les installations et l’offre de soins ne cessant de s’améliorer, la ville gagne encore en renommée et en notoriété. L’arrivée du train en 1873 et la construction du casino en 1880 achèvent de faire de la station thermale et climatique l’une des destinations phares d’un tourisme encore huppé et international.
City of waters recognized since Roman Antiquity, Luchon experienced a real boom in the 19th century. Reorganized in 1761 by Baron d'Étigny, the thermal establishment regularly welcomes members of the court and very wealthy visitors. A new complex, designed by the architect Edmond Chambert and inaugurated in 1857, quickly attracted Napoleon III and the imperial family.
Thanks to the fashion for hydrotherapy which then prevailed and to the rediscovery of the region (celebrated in the literary “pyreneism” of Russel), Luchon soon experienced an influx of famous visitors (like Lamartine). The facilities and the care offer are constantly improving, the city is still gaining in fame and notoriety. The arrival of the train in 1873 and the construction of the casino in 1880 completed making the spa and climatic resort one of the key destinations for still upscale and international tourism.
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Ahh so many amazing things happened during the last days and one of them was getting featured on My Modern Met! That was such a huge surprise and I feel really honoured.
A huge thank you goes to everybody on Flickr. Because without you, this would have never happened. Flickr was and still is the main reason why I keep taking photos and what motivates me to learn new things and to improve my skills. I'm thankful you're all here and I really hope the "new Flickr" won't influence this amazing community.
I am really excited about sharing this photo, I worked for so many hours on it. It makes me miss California. I shot the landscape last year when I was in San Francisco area and I never realized until now how perfect it was. This is why I just had to use it for a photo and there are so many beautiful memories connected with this photo. This is far from what everything looked like in reality, but I wanted to show what it felt like. Absolutely magical. Like a dream.
Vokiečių street. Improved sharpness and resolution of beer lid camera by making a smaller .175 mm pinhole.
Camera: beer lid
Film: ortho photocopy, 2.5 cm diameter
Exposure: 5-10 min, sunny day
Developer: old D-76
Fixer: sodium thiosulphate
Scanner: CanoScan 9950f
On the edge of Kingsmere Lake, Mackenzie King spent almost 50 years (1903 – 1950) improving and expanding his estate, which he bequeathed to all Canadians. From the moment we enter this picturesque estate through wooded paths, we can enjoy the beauty of the Mooreside Main House and gardens where he hosted several important statesmen such as Winston Churchill among others. The spirits lead us to King’s historical ruins:
The Abbey Ruins
The stones from the Abbey Ruins were pieced together from remnants of other buildings, including
- the Canadian Parliament Building destroyed from fire in 1916,
- the crest of a former speaker of the House of Commons at Westminster, England,
- the stones from the printing office owned by King’s maternal grandfather, and
- the temple-like front piece (“Greek temple on a hill” he says) – came from a bay window removed from a Sandy Hill house about to be demolished. His imagination turned the bay window into the Acropolis.
Mackenzie King Estate, Gatineau Park, Québec, Canada
Au bord du lac Kingsmere, Mackenzie-King passa près de 50 ans (de 1903 à 1950) à améliorer et à agrandir son domaine qu'il légua à tous les Canadiens. Dès que nous entrons dans ce domaine pittoresque par des chemins boisés, nous pouvons apprécier la beauté de la maison principale et des jardins de Mooreside où il a hébergé plusieurs hommes d'État importants, tel que Winston Churchill. Les esprits nous mènent aux ruines historiques de King:
Les ruines de l'abbaye
Les pierres des ruines de l’abbaye ont été reconstituées à partir de vestiges d’autres bâtiments, notamment
- le Parlement canadien détruit par un incendie en 1916,
- l'emblème d'un ancien président de la Chambre des communes à Westminster, en Angleterre,
- les pierres de l’imprimerie appartenant au grand-père maternel de King et
- le morceau de façade en forme de temple « temple grec sur une colline », dit-il) - venait d'une baie vitrée retirée d'une maison de Sandy Hill sur le point d'être démolie. Son imagination transforma la baie vitrée en Acropole.
Domaine Mackenzie-King, Parc de la Gatineau, Québec, Canada
After the end of the Dust Bowl, few were prepared for the abundance of grain harvested as the rains returned. To help deal with the surplus, one of President Roosevelt’s New Deal policies offered temporary grain storage in the form of what was called “government granaries.”
Once the kit was delivered to the farm, farmers built forms and mixed and poured crude cement blocks on which the granaries rested. Later kits improved in quality and appearance and eventually became a prairie land improvement on nearly every farm. I am guessing this building came from those developments.
Another bash at improving my product photography. This time with an additional prop. I still have a long way to go before I'm happy. I'm limited these days by space so everything is done in a Heath Robinson fashion! I'd love a proper studio with proper lights instead of standing on one leg whilst holding foamboard, diffusers, flashes and remote controls!
I've had to comp together the bottle and the glass. This lighting effect could not be achieved in a single shot.
I've used as single YN560IV speedlight. For the bottle: Flash in a 24" double diffused softbox to the rear. Approx. 18" away. A further diffuser was used just behind the bottle to give a more gradated rim light. This hasn't quite had the effect I wanted! I cut from a piece of black foamboard a slightly larger shape of the bottle and placed this behind. Then 2 larger pieces of black foamboard placed left and right of subject to control the glare from the softbox. Speedlight triggered via YN560TX Full power @ 24mm. I then used the same flash with a Rogue grid attachment to light the label. 1/128 @ 24mm.
The glass was filled with water and a few drops of red food colouring. Same set up as the bottle but with a much lower flash power. 1/32 @ 24mm.
PP included masking the label frame into the bottle then compositing it with the glass. I'm quite comfortable with the camera/flash aspect of these shoots but PS work still blows my mind.....
I also need to inspect my purchases closer for wonky damaged labels. Hope it tastes ok tho :)
Still, it's much better than sat in front of the gogglebox having your brain fogged by a soap opera!
Attempt #2 shoot on strawberry drops. To my surprise, my wife still hasn't finished the strawberries in the fridge, and I'm taking advantage of it to try it on a different shaped vase, and also a box cover as the background instead of my black poster board. Comparing this with the old one side by side, this really puts the old one to shame.
I still find things to improve, and I most likely need a 3rd and 4th source of lighting to get this right. I might also need a lint free cloth to clean up between attempts... but for now, I'm pretty happy with the results. Next time i'll try another fruit... *grin*
If you like this shot, you may be interested in these shots too. My Explore set, and
Here’s a Vertorama that I captured at the Camps Bay tidal pool on Sunday afternoon… about half an hour before sunset.
Although the sky was completely overcast with rain the whole day on Sunday… I was really hoping that the clouds would clear up a bit by sunset… just enough to allow some sweet light through. As luck would have it… that’s exactly what happened!!
So there I was at the tidal pool… admiring the amazing cloud reflections in the calm water… and looking around for the most interesting compositions. I really liked the way that the rocks on the right of this composition all seemed to be pointing towards the sun… and how the heavy right-hand side of the composition was balanced out by the bright sun in the upper left-hand corner. All I needed was for someone to walk along the rim of the tidal pool… not only would that improve the composition… but it would also add a human element to the photo (which is something that I’ve been consciously trying to do). I looked around me to see if there was anyone whom I could kindly ask to walk around the tidal pool for me… but as I turned around… I noticed this smartly-dressed guy was already walking along the wall… without me even asking! I waited till he was in my frame and directly below the sun… and snap… got him!! :)
Nikon D300, Sigma 10-20mm at 14mm, aperture of f11, with a 1/400th second exposure.
Click here to check out my Vertorama tutorial.