Chandeshvara Nayanar

The South Indian legend, narrated, for instance, in the Periyapuranam, states that he was born into a Brahmin family and was called Visarasarman. When he was a young boy, he found that cows remain uncared for, and hence he himself commenced tendering and caring for the cows. While doing so, he would pour some milk on a lingam, which he made of sand. The news of this wastage of milk reached the ear of his father, Datta; and he himself came to the field to scold his son. Chandesha was deep in meditation in front of the sand lingam, and he did not see his father. The enraged father kicked the sand lingam. At this Chnadesha’s meditation was interrupted, and he struck his father’s leg with a staff. The staff turned into an axe and his father’s leg was severed. At this point, Shiva manifested himself, and blessed Chandesha, declared that he would become a father to Chandesha; and restored the severed leg of Datta to normal state.

This handsome hummingbird is called Ecuadorian Hillstar and it´s one of the very few hummer species that can be found at the high elevations found at some of the highest volcanoes in Ecuador, here for instance, at 12000 ft above the sea level (Antisana Volcano). Thanks for looking!

You can join me in my next photography tour next October 2020! www.neotropicphototours.com/phototours/

First manned fligh.The first clearly recorded instance of a balloon carrying passengers used hot air to generate buoyancy and was built by the brothers Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Etienne Montgolfier in Annonay, France. After experimenting with unmanned balloons and flights with animals, the first tethered balloon flight with humans on board took place on October 19, 1783 with the scientist Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier, the manufacture manager, Jean-Baptiste Réveillon and Giroud de Villette, at the Folie Titon in Paris. The first free flight with human passengers was on November 21, 1783. King Louis XVI had originally decreed that condemned criminals would be the first pilots, but de Rozier, along with Marquis Francois d'Arlandes, successfully petitioned for the honor. - Wikipedia

Honeycombed brickwork in a wall of Flemish garden wall bond.

The honeycombs were used (back in the day) for allowing air to circulate. In this instance the circulating air was used to help keep animal food stuffs (such as hay) fresh.

The building is a former stable and barn, with space for horse & carriage to drive through the width of the barn, also to store the carriage in the barn.

Flemish garden wall bond consists of 3 stretchers (the brick laid longways) to 1 header (the brick laid short ways) all along each course.

Headers in a wall provide strength (English bond has many headers, and is the strongest bond). It’s very difficult to make a wall look nice on both sides with lots of headers being used (they can vary in length, but should be exactly 215mm long). So garden wall bonds are used, that have some headers, but not too many to make it difficult to face a wall on both sides.

I think you’ll find Flemish garden wall bond very attractive to the eye.

The current owners use tea-lighters to enhance and show off the now decorative honeycombed brickwork.

Sherbourne, Warwickshire.

HWW!

Introduction

I am not the photographer of this fine Duesenberg J however, the background image being used in this composite image was photographed by yours truly this past June while attending the 2016 Grand Experience / Grand Classics event at the Gilmore Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan.

This exquisite automobile has shown at practically all the major Concours events throughout the United States and in many instances, taken top honors in its class.

History

The Duesenberg Model J's debut at the New York Auto Show in 1928 was front-page news. The combination of the Duesenberg reputation and the Model J's grand concept made it the star of the show. Even during the Great Depression, the Duesenberg's power and luxury was a metaphor for prosperity and success. Known for their formal limousines, Derham built relatively few open cars, and this Tourster design is considered to be the firm's masterpiece.

About

This Model J - chassis number 2646 with engine J-448 - is one of the few retaining the original body, chassis, engine and other major components. The 420 cubic-inch 'Straight Eight' engine delivered 265 horsepower in naturally aspirated form with dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. When new, this was the only Model J equipped with vertical hood louvers. The SC-specification external exhaust pipes provided period flair and performance is enhanced by an exhaust system dump at the flip of a lever on the floor. The exhaust-dump system was a rare option; it bypasses the exhaust system and redirects the airflow through a three-inch open pipe.

The Tourster features a wind-up rear windshield that could be cranked from inside the front seat back. The deletion of the rear side vents and the rear cowl made it easier for passengers to enter and exit.

This car was one of eight Derham Toursters designed by Gordon Buehrig.

The current owners of this example have driven J448 on several thousand miles cross-country touring events. It has a continuously documented history.

Source: www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z14238/Duesenberg-Model-J.aspx

Hope you’all enjoy…………

Another instance where patience paid off in Patagonia as we waited for storm clouds to disperse around the peaks of the southern Andes looming over Lake Viedma outside El Chalten, Argentina.

Certain impressions

Constant conjunction

Across many instances

One of the reason's I haven't been doing anything SL wise is in part due to this game I've been sucked into -- here is one of the things you can do, its an instance set to 400% difficulty - but this character I have is somewhat "broken" and just melts everything (so fun) - plus trying a new video capture that gives no lag when recording. The game is also free if anyone is interested and I can help you with whatever you need.

The camera does not lie, but in some instances, it does not convey the entire experience. I have struggled with dappled light in old tree groves. The experience feels somewhat dreamy for me, but straight exposures yield images that are either too harsh or too dark. Here's a version using ICM.

My take on a local land mark. In this instance we have eclipsed our neighbours I think.

eclipse

ɪˈklɪps/Submit

verb

past tense: eclipsed; past participle: eclipsed

(of a celestial body) obscure the light from or to (another celestial body).

"Jupiter was eclipsed by the Moon"

deprive (someone or something) of significance or power.

"the economy has eclipsed the environment as the main issue"

synonyms:outshine, overshadow, put in the shade, surpass, exceed, excel, be superior to, outclass, outstrip, outdistance, outdo, top, cap, trump, transcend, tower above/over, dwarf, upstage, shame, put to shame; More

literary

obscure or block out (light).

"a sea of blue sky violently eclipsed by showers"

synonyms:blot out, block, cover, obscure, veil, shroud, hide, conceal, obliterate, darken, dim;

Sometimes, fireworks don't explode where you expect them... Thanks to photoshop, I develop my own technique to put them where I want them to be plus combining this with my DRI technique.

Parfois les feux d'artifices n'explosent pas toujours là où on voudrait... Grâce à photoshop, j'ai développé ma technique qui me permet de les mettre là où je les veux en la combinant à ma technique DRI.

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Thanks for the visits, comments, awards, invitations and favorites. Please don't use my images on websites, blogs or others medias without my explicit permission.

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© All rights reserved

My technique is alway the same:

Three exposures -2EV, 0, +2EV and then temperature adjustement using Lightroom and layering with luminosity mask using photoshop. Removal of distracting stuff with the stamp tool or patch tool. High pass filter to enhance details. Then saturation, contrast selectively control, dodge and burn where need...

DRI stand for Dynamic Range Increase. Three RAW files are used to achieve this. Rather than using a software like Photomatix for instance, I simply use mask to blend, my own way, the light, dark and normal shot with Photoshop and Lightroom.. To me, It looks more natural than the usual HDR treatment that I would normally applied.

Merci pour les visites, commentaires, récompenses, invitations et favoris. S.V.P. n'utilisez pas mes images sur des sites web, blogs ou autres médias sans ma permission.

Merci!

© Tous droits réservés

Ma technique est toujours la même:

Trois prises de vue -2EV, 0, +2EV. Ensuite ajustement de la température de couleur avec Lightroom et usage de calques et masques de luminosités avec Photoshop. Retrait d'éléments de distraction avec l'outil tampon. Filtre High pass pour le rehaussement des détails. Ensuite saturation et contraste ajustés de façon sélectives et locales. Dodge and burn là où requis...

DRI vient de l'anglais Dynmic Range Increase, qui pourrait se traduire par étendue dynamique améliorée. Les même 3 fichiers RAW entrent dans la composition d'un DRI. Plutôt que de se servir d'un logiciel comme Photomatix qui fait tout le travail, je me sers plutôt de masques pour filtrer l'éclairage dans photoshop et Lightroom. De mon point de vue, cette façon de faire donne une image plus naturel que le traitement HDR que j'employais auparavant.

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The Northern Lights of The Aurora Borealis form amazing displays. As humans through identify threat and food we begin to see all sorts of things within all sorts of often none related things. Pareidolia is the term applied to our making sense of shapes and patterns that brings an acceptance of a structure in an image that many will be also able to see such as either a face for instance, or maybe here a Dragon? The Dragon was visible forming and flying on all through one area of The Northern Lights of The Aurora Borealis that were dancing and continually moving.

As for the title, “is it better either One, Number Two, or Three, maybe Four,” would it be of no surprise to mention that I have seen an Optician recently?

© PHH Sykes 2024 also edited © PHH Sykes 2025

phhsykes@gmail.com

While many owls are among the first birds to nest each season (our regions great horned owls are sitting on eggs even in tonight's snowstorm, for instance), Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) are among the latest of nesters. Why? Their fondness for berries, of course. They time the rearing of their young with prime berry-picking season. And while other birds are growing strong feasting on caterpillars and grasshoppers, cedar waxwings munch on mulberries, serviceberries, raspberries, and even honeysuckle berries. So rich in fruit is their diet, that cowbird fledglings parasitizing their nests will not typically survive!

Did YOU see the second waxwing in the shadows? :)

Bus Bench.

Word on the street.

Edmonton, Alberta

We have the highest instance of Covid-19 per capita in the country.

IMGP0014

I believe the adult is a hen. Males and females have similar appearance except for their bill, but even that is not easy to discern in this instance. "A close relative of the Mallard, the Mottled Duck is the only dabbling duck specialized for nesting in southern marshes, far to the south of most of its relatives. Unlike most waterfowl, Mottled Ducks are almost never seen in large flocks, generally traveling in pairs or small groups. A major threat to their survival is the release of numerous pet Mallards in Florida and elsewhere in southeast; these feral birds interbreed with Mottled Ducks, diluting the wild population of the latter." Source: audubon.org "There are two distinct populations of mottled ducks. One population, A. fulvigula maculosa (mottled duck), lives on the Gulf of Mexico coast between Alabama and Tamaulipas (Mexico); outside the breeding season individual birds may venture as far south as to Veracruz. The other, A. fulvigula fulvigula (Florida duck), is resident in central and south Florida and occasionally strays north to Georgia." Source: wikipedia.org

Compared to the old days when freight locos never (or very rarely) got a wash and that includes BR it was notable that the trio of shadow freight companies in the late 90s did keep their expensively repainted charges in reasonable external nick in order to present a good image to their customers - a lesson well learned by GBRf for instance. It was always a good day when a Loadhaul liveried loco appeared before the camera and even better when it was a Grid! This location was great as there was no hint of a shadow even in the depths of winter thanks to the expanse of the former goods yard.

i miss fresh time-zero. here's an old shot that i have never scanned until now for polaroid week.

time-zero

polaroid sx-70

This is what happens the instance I say "okay" (it's also the reason I've been mentioning my fingers in connection with balancing games : )).

This is one of the things I love about border collies...all that energy and essence-of-bonkersness may be bubbling around inside at the moment, but they still manage to think and interact with you somehow.

A rare instance of a Sea Otter attacking and eating a bird. Normally Sea Otters feast on shellfish not birds. More on this encounter can be found on my blog entry Sea Otter Attacking a Western Grebe

©2008 Jim M. Goldstein, All Rights Reserved

This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.

This picture is a reproduction of one I first saw in the Athleta catalog (for instance athleta.gap.com/browse/outfit.do?cid=1047782&oid=OUT-...), which seems to arrive at our house once a week. The landscape in the Athleta photo looked at lot like Utah and the signs on the trailhead board offered some clues for a location but it took using a magnifying glass to make out the words. I discovered this is Faux Falls right outside of Moab, Utah. Coincidentally, we were going to be traveling through Moab on our way back from New Mexico and so I got the directions on the internet and we made the slight detour and then the hike to the falls. It was extremely hot. Jessica complained about hiking from the car being the worst experience of her life. When it came to recreating the Athleta picture, as you can see, only one of my models, Kellie, was cooperative while the other one was only looking for shade. Faux Falls got its name because although the water looks like it is coming right out of the desert rock, this is actually a man-made waterfall build by diverting a water source with pipes. Still beautiful!

For more of my creative projects, visit my short stories website: 500ironicstories.com

Another instance of the 7 Tilden drags loads on the appraoch to Eagle Mills.

This was an instance where I just wanted to satisfy the image that had popped into my brain...

Texture by SkeletalMess

Birds by Shadowhouse Creations

Trees by MidnightsTouch

Although our calendar divides itself neatly into four seasons, it sure feels as though there are a lot more seasons here in Ottawa-Gatineau. For instance, right now you can sense that winter is spent: the days are longer, the sun is more powerful, the daytime temperatures generally hover around zero, and the snow is melting. Perfect weather for the maple trees to offer up their sap for sugaring. Hence, I call this the Sugaring Time season. The streets are muddy, goldfinches are changing colour, there’s still plenty of accumulated snow, and everyone is a little more hopeful. Before we have the full-fledged Spring, we pass through another season when there are remnants of snow in the city (the forests still have a fairly good supply), a few crocuses appear (and maybe some early daffodils), more songbirds arrive, and we begin to change our wardrobe. My painting is of the essence of this season – the hardy sugar shack labouring away in the forest and spreading its aromatic odours of wood smoke and sweetness.

Bien que notre calendrier se divise nettement en quatre saisons, on a vraiment l'impression qu'il y a beaucoup plus de saisons ici à Ottawa-Gatineau. Par exemple, en ce moment, vous pouvez sentir que l'hiver est passé : les jours sont plus longs, le soleil est plus puissant, les températures diurnes oscillent généralement autour de zéro et la neige fond. Un temps parfait pour que les érables offrent leur sève pour créé le sirop. Par conséquent, j'appelle cette saison le Temps des sucres. Les rues sont boueuses, les chardonnerets changent de couleur, il y a encore beaucoup de neige accumulée et tout le monde a un peu plus d'espoir. Avant d'avoir le printemps à part entière, nous traversons une autre saison où il reste des morceaux de neige dans la ville (les forêts sont encore assez bien approvisionnées), quelques perce-neiges apparaissent (et peut-être des jonquilles précoces), plus d'oiseaux chanteurs arrivent, et nous commençons à changer notre garde-robe. Ma peinture est l'essence même de cette saison – la robuste cabane à sucre dans la forêt et répandant ses odeurs aromatiques de fumée de bois et de douceur.

Au bout de cette petite impasse l'ancien tribunal d'instance de Troyes devenu depuis Pôle civil. Le message pré-fermeture du Tribunal d'Instance est malheureusement toujours d'actualité. Sans rentrer dans les détails et pouvant être partial, je vous joins quelques lien sur ce propos.

Infos : Infos sur le pôle civil (FR) && MrMondialisation sur les revendications (FR) && Média indépendant sur les revendications (FR) && RadioFrance sur les revendications (FR)(Audio)

A rare instance of a Sea Otter attacking and eating a bird. Normally Sea Otters feast on shellfish not birds. More on this encounter can be found on my blog entry Sea Otter Attacking a Western Grebe

©2008 Jim M. Goldstein, All Rights Reserved

This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.

Sister visited from California...the first visit she made in October at my instance that she should come and see the fall color.

In 2018, there WAS NO COLOR, but we took the fall foliage train excursion anyway.

No color and not many passengers gave me time to play and experiment. Most of the images in this series were taken inside the train.

Here's an instance where I really could've used a different focal length. Sometimes I really wish the G617 had the ability to zoom or switch lenses. In this case, I would've loved to zoom out just a little so the top of McGown Peak wasn't so close to the edge of the frame.

Fuji G617

Velvia 50

I really wish sometimes that I would pause to think about each photo before I take it. For instance, if I had opened the aperture up, I would have gotten the blurry background that the picture rightly deserves instead of trying to recreate that blur through post processing.

Sometimes, I can just get really annoyed with myself and my lack of presence.

In 2018 I was fortunate to visit some friends in Cyprus for two weeks. Having packed all my camera gear, I was able to travel the island releasing the shutter for over 7,000 pictures of people, scenery, architecture (in one instance close proximity to a prison led to my being detained, interrogated, and my camera confiscated by police who interrogated me believing me to be a spy; a memory one does not easily forget), and birds. This Little Owl was in the distance on a hillside in the shadows, with the setting sun at its back. The lighting was a challenge, the rule of "sun at your back", was impossible, but I was glad for a tripod and some good images. Canon 5DM3 iso 320, f9, 400s 840mm

A million housewives every day pick up a tin of beans and say beanz, meanz, Heinz.

That was their little ditty in the UK TV adverts back in the 60's.

I read this week Heinz has just had a commercial banned in the UK because it allegedly encourages dangerous behaviour in children. A few people complained to the ASA* I suppose you could say those people spilled the beans :))

The 60's www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS3Hdugq1Dw and now adage.com/article/agency-news/u-k-heinz-baked-beans-ad-ba...

I am in heaven as I've found my favourite baked beans at The World Market and I guarantee I won't cut myself.

*The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the self-regulatory organisation of the advertising industry in the United Kingdom. The ASA is a non-statutory organisation and so cannot interpret or enforce legislation. However, its code of advertising practice broadly reflects legislation in many instances. The ASA is not funded by the British government, but by a levy on the advertising industry. Its role is to "regulate the content of advertisements, sales promotions and direct marketing in the UK" by investigating "complaints made about ads, sales promotions or direct marketing", and deciding whether such advertising complies with its advertising standards codes.

yesterday we passed through many flower meadows with lots of wildflowers. So that made it worth to get the macro lenses out :) The flower depicted is a tiny blue wildflower, not larger than than a thumbnail and I still don't know the name of this bewitchingly beautiful wildflower but I had to showcase it in proper manner in a triptych.

In this instance, the title is factual as what appears to be a misty day at the reservoir was in fact somebody burning a lot of stuff nearby and the smoke was drifting over the water at Trenchford reservoir.

One of the MNA's Ex-NS B32-8's freshly painted into corporate colors at Aurora, MO. As per usual G&W its painted for another road, except in this instance it's actually supposed to be shipped to the Georgia Central in coming months.

Till Sunday 13th

This (in this instance I am referring to the point of focus - the Anthers) like countless others, isn't 100% sharp. There's nothing wrong with the lens... if I use a tripod and photograph a stationary object at f11 ... no problem at all.

Each time I photograph tulips I realise that I haven't nailed my macro photography at all. It's a huge challenge. The tulips sway in the breeze. The camera focus system isn't flawless... certainly not on a "we must track this moving tulip on a macro scale". I have so many images "almost" sharp. And probably only more experimenting will yield answers. e.g. do I need a shutter speed of 1/640 instead? Are shutter vibrations (at lower speeds) potentially also an issue?

Unfortunately I can't tell, by reference to the camera screen, whether a photo is "totally sharp"... only find out when you get it back on the computer. I am probably pixel-peeping too carefully!

Love to hear from those experienced in this area!

Lomography Hydrochrome | Kodak 400TX

Because of my inexperience as a film photographer I apparently didn't quite get the film inserted into the take-up spindle and in a few instances the film did not advance as I rotated the dial. As a consequence I got three images that were double-exposures. These images created imaginary worlds that remind me of the city spaces in my dreams: places that don't exist but are built from my mind's understanding of what cities and towns are supposed to look like.

Mouse: Linus wake up ! Linus ! LINUS !!!

Linus: What ... do ... you ... want ?!!!

Mouse: I have to tell you a story.

Linus: No !

Mouse: What do you mean, no ? It's important !

Linus: I have enough of your stories and I'm sleeping.

Mouse: How come you are talking if you are asleep ?

Linus: I always talk in my sleep, ask mom !

Mouse: So you listen to my story now ?

Linus: NO ! I need my sleep to recharge my batteries !

Mouse: To do what ?

Linus: Hunt pesky mice, for instance !

Mouse: You haven't caught any mouse in months.

Linus: I could catch one if I wanted to. I could catch YOU !

Mouse: I don't think so.

Linus: And why ? I'm a cat after all !

Mouse: Yes, but you are specialised on THE BIRDS. Mice are different, we are smarter.

Linus: I wouldn't tempt fate if I were you. Cats are quite smart too.

Mouse: Cats in general, maybe, but you .....

Linus: That's enough ! You better sneak off now before I forget that I'm specialised on birds !

There is another capture in the comments. :)

The draconian ruling of the Polish Constitutional Court which bans pregnancy terminations even in instances where a foetus is diagnosed with a serious and irreversible birth defect, has brought thousands of people to the streets. At the same time, the recently appointed catotaliban minister of education announced that students and teachers involved in the protests will be punished. This photo was taken at a rally opposed to that minister of education and demanding his resignation. A lightning is the symbol of the protest movement.

Here are some online petitions supporting women's rights in Poland:

secure.avaaz.org/campaign/pl/solidarity_with_polish_women...

www.change.org/p/polish-government-legalise-abortions-in-...

The draconian ruling of the Polish Constitutional Court which bans pregnancy terminations even in instances where a foetus is diagnosed with a serious and irreversible birth defect, has brought thousands of people to the streets.

The peaceful rally on Nov 18 had to confront heavy police presence and police brutality, including plain clothes police attacking people with batons, teargassing protesters, media, and members of parliament who according to the Polish law, are allowed to intervene during protests and are covered by immunity. It was one of the saddest days of our democracy.

Here are some online petitions supporting women's rights in Poland:

secure.avaaz.org/campaign/pl/solidarity_with_polish_women...

www.change.org/p/polish-government-legalise-abortions-in-...

It's interesting how scarcity alters the perception. For instance, I happen to think that the magpie (Pica pica) is one of the absolutely most beautiful birds we have in Sweden with that high contrast white and black plumage and a metallic green shimmer hiding in the black parts - but since it's an extremely common bird, people seem to rarely notice its beauty.

This here is a bee beetle (Trichius fasciatus) which if not common, at least not rare around these parts. I posted a shot of one of these several years back and got an impressed comment from someone in the UK as I in his eyes had shot an extremely rare beetle - as it is much more scarce in the UK than here.

This of course works both ways as there are loads of cool UK bugs that would be awesome to come across up here.

This particular bee beetle was enjoying pollen on a tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) near the boat pier at Lillsved in the northern part of the peninsula of Värmdö, just east of Stockholm, Sweden.

Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52254727932/

A very rare instance of a car that had previously looked abandoned, but for one reason or another was brought back into use. Currently taxed and MOT'd until September 2022. A few more new photos in this upload, but I'm determined not to forget about the stuff from the last couple of years that I keep meaning to upload.

“The hypothesis of God, for instance, gives an incomparably absolute opportunity to understand everything and know absolutely nothing. Give man an extremely simplified system of the world and explain every phenomenon away on the basis of that system. An approach like that doesn't require any knowledge. Just a few memorized formulas plus so-called intuition and so-called common sense.”

Arkady Strugatsky, Roadside Picnic

and dream well,

A rare instance of a Sea Otter attacking and eating a bird. Normally Sea Otters feast on shellfish not birds. More on this encounter can be found on my blog entry Sea Otter Attacking a Western Grebe

©2008 Jim M. Goldstein, All Rights Reserved

This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.

We’re so used to thinking of bees as large insects, bumble bees, honey bees, carpenter bees. Many bees are tiny, often mistaken for flies, but when viewed close enough, it’s easy to tell that they really wonderful little bees. The sweat bees, for instance, are important pollinators, and can be incredibly colorful. Here is a shiny, green sweat bee, about 7mm long.

For instance, look at this poor angel, left out in all weathers, either with a goose for company or to contend with. Isn't it time we put an end to child abuse?

Hello there. Relevant comments welcome but please do NOT post any link(s). All my images are my own original work, under my copyright, with all rights reserved. You need my permission to use any image for ANY purpose.

Copyright infringement is theft.

We all love photography judges who give us first place, but when our photos slide past unnoticed, well, the judges are simply Philistines. Can't they recognise our brilliance!

There is a part of me that would prefer not to judge photography competitions because all I can offer is a subjective opinion. And often I am asked to provide a comment or suggestion as to how a photograph could be improved or strengthened. Essentially I am being asked how I would have photographed or presented the image to get a higher score. Should I be doing this?

Recently, I listened to judges discuss one of my prints which had a grainy, black and white finish. One said that he didn't know why I had applied the finish as it wasn't something he would have done – and maybe it would be better without the finish.

This set me thinking: does this judge mean that unless I create photographs the way he does, he won't give me a high score? And if this judge doesn't like grainy black and whites, does that mean he will never score such entries highly?

To be fair to the judge in question, he was trying to be helpful by making a suggestion as to how the image could be improved.

So let me give another example. I am not a big fan of HDR (High Dynamic Range) photographs, but I gave an HDR photograph first place in a competition not so long ago. Personally, subjectively, I didn't like the photograph much, but as an example of its kind, it was superlative.

I think that from time to time, judges have to step aside from their biases and judge the photograph as an example of its kind. Perhaps the judge looking at my photo should have assessed it on the basis that the entrant chose to submit a grainy black and white print: was this a good or bad example of its kind?

So, what's different when I'm critiquing a photograph that I think could be improved? For instance, I find a white sky incredibly distracting, so I suggest that the photographer could have found a different camera angle, crop the image, or somehow darken down the sky to improve it. What's the difference between this advice and suggesting that a photograph would be better if it wasn't a grainy black and white?

Context.

In the first situation, the judge seemed to acknowledge that the underlying technique was good, it was the final finish he didn't like. He didn't say the finish was over done or poorly handled, just that it wasn't necessary. So perhaps he didn't judge what had been presented, rather he judged what hadn't been presented.

In the second situation, the base photograph with the bright sky was not communicating correctly and a different approach was required. (In my opinion, I know.)

The difference is subtle and it's not always possible for a judge to know if an entrant is investigating a genre of photography or just doesn't know any better. That's the problem with judges – and for judges. Often we just don't know.

So while a part of me doesn't like judging, on the other hand it's something I greatly enjoy. I love being exposed to different styles of work and new ideas. It is incredibly inspirational and so are photo competitions. Of course, you probably don't expect me to say anything different. Our inaugural International Landscape Photographer of the Year Award has had around 2000 entries, but if you missed out, we'll be announcing our annual Better Photography Photograph of the Year Award later this month!

So, the problem with judges is what?

Visit www.betterphotography.com to decide which works the best? The photo with or the one without stars?

The magnificient temple complex is one of the finest monuments built by the Hoysalas and is regarded as the most exquisite shrine of the South. Its construction was initiated in 1117 A.D., at the instance of King Vishnuvardhana and was completed by his son Narasimha I and grandson, Veera Ballala II. According to historical records, it took about 103 Years to complete this profusely sculpted masterpiece of Hoysala architecture. The temple is said to be built to commemorate the victory of Hoysalas over the Cholas in the great battle of Talakkad. Some also believe that it was constructed when Vishnuvardhana adopted Vaishnavism under the influence of the great Guru Sri Ramanujacharya. The ornamental temple was built in chloritic Schist, a light green soapstone, ideal for carving which acquires granite like harness after getting exposed to the atmosphere.

TEMPLE COMPLEX:

The huge temple complex enclosed by a high wall has a large paved courtyard with a main temple surrounded by subsidiary shrines, colonnades and other structures. There are two gateways, but only the main eastern gateway is crowned by a gopuram, which was built in 1397, by gunda, a general of Vijayanagara King Harihara II, after the original Mahadwara was burnt down by Ganga Salaer, a officer of Tughalaks during the invasion and seize of the shrine. The Vijayanagara kings alos considered the presiding deity as their Kuldevta of patron courtyard is dedicated to Lord Vijayanarayan or Keshava, one of the twenty four forms of Lord Vishnu. The presiding deity is popularly known as Chenna Keshava or the 'handsome' Keshava. The Chenna Keshava temple facing Channigraya. Some other important temples here are of Narasimha, Anjeaneya etc. The courtyard has an idol of Praying Garuda sthambha or pillar erected during the Vijayanagara era and a Deepa sthamba built by the Hoysalas.

TEMPLE PLAN:

The temple is built in charecteristic stellate plan of the Hoysalas and looks like a carved casket made of wood and polished to perfection. It is larger in size as compared with other Hoysalas temples and is about 443 ft. long and 396 ft broad. The main temple set on a raised platform (Jagati) is 178 ft. long from east to west and 156 ft broad from North to South. The platform is also star shaped,similar to the temple built upon it. It is an example of ekakuta vimana or single shrine design. The temple comprises of a garbha griha (Sanctum sanctorium), a large sukhanasi (vestibule) connecting the navaranga mandapa (pillared hall) and garbha griha. The navaranga mandapa noted for its lathe turned pillars and capital was originally an open one, with only parapets. Later on , the space between parapet and the roof was covered by beautiful filigreed panels or pierced window screens depicting puranic themes and geometrical designs, while the base of the temple is decorated with eight levels of horizontal friezes.The unusual Vimana (tower) of the sanctum, made of brick and mortar was supported by wood work and plated with gold glided copper sheets. Unfortunately, the crumbling vimana had to be dismantled in 1879, to protect the main sanctum. The tower was built in bhumija style and not in the regular star shape. The curvelinear outline with a central verticle band and four coulmns of miniature nagar nikharas per side makes it a type of nagara (North India) tower. This type towers can be seen on the miniature shrines.