A very small frozen rivulet on the face of a bolder (it was not much more than a trickle actually). The sun was bright and warm enough for it to begin to melt ever so slightly. (One of the very few photos I took this past less than brilliant winter.)

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"The whole world is, to me, very much 'alive' - all the little growing things, even the rocks. I can't look at a swell bit of grass and earth, for instance, without feeling the essential life - the things going on - within them." Ansel Adams, photographer and environmentalist, 1902 - 1984

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Thank you for visiting. Comments and/or faves are truly appreciated.

Animations consist of individual frames - at a rate of 20 frames per second our eyes can't distinguish between the individual frames (images) but perceive motion.

The "action scene" I made consists of some 1,100 frames. You don't have to make each individual frame yourself though.

For instance, you can define the location (in 3D - on X, Y and Z axis) of an object at a certain frame, for instance frame 470. Then move the object to a different location (defined in X,Y,Z coordinates) for frame 1100. And then tell Blender how to get from the first to the last location and at what speed. Blender will then generate all the frames in between.

The above is a screen capture of the Blender workspace.

Top left you can see the (solid view) epilogue of the action scene after the spaceship drops out of warp. This epilogue starts at frame 470 (where the scene also switches to camera 3).

There are various ways to animate an object. For this epilogue I wanted the ship to move on a curved trajectory. So I first added a curve (the thin black line) that I manipulated to nicely bend around the moon.

Then I added a physical constraint to the spaceship, indicating that this spaceship has to follow the curve, starting from frame 470. And it has to arrive at the end of the curve at frame 1,000.

Then you can define at what speed the ship moves along the curve. This can be done in the Graph Editor (bottom half of the above screen capture). You can, for instance, make it move at a steady speed with linear interpolation or at viriable speeds with a Bezier curve interpolation (like in the above example).

You can manipulate this "speed" curve - you can stretch it, skew it, subdivide it, make it go up and down to get variable speeds or make the object pause for a while before resuming its course etc at any point along its trajectory.

As show in the lightblue curve in the Graph Editor, the ship comes in fast (when it drops out of warp) and then slows down (curve becomes flatter) as it approaches the moon and takes a turn to hide behind it and then comes to a standstill (curve flatlines).

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;

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

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

That's probably what this little Anole Lizard was thinking since it was perfectly camouflaged on this fence post. One of those hiding in plain sight instances.

Almost missed at Dauset Trails Nature Center.

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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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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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.

Back-lighting was sort of problematic in this instance, the result was overall sufficient

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

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.

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

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My GETTY IMAGES work

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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.

Thanks!

© 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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Follow me on FACEBOOK

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WEBSITE .......: www.jeansurprenant.com

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BUY or LICENCE IT HERE

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My GETTY IMAGES work

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

Original Image

4 months and 12 days ago I met a lovely and generous lady named Rose. For the first instance I thought she would be the most show-off person ever, since she were very luxury and recognized. But after some time chatting with her I noticed the opposite, people know her due to honesty, loyalty & many others. I know we spent some hours having fun and making fun of each other, taking pictures however I honestly loved each second & milliseconds. Thank you so much for been this lovely and kind lady to everyone. Still, the main purpose of why am I writing is to thank you for opening and changing my way of thinking regarding to the Friendship World. We all know and may have a lot of friends, the main problem is that many cannot recognise the real ones. And she, made me do it! Got from a list of 4k to 58, quite a reasonable number...

Now, you may be thinking what is the relation of that with this piece of art. Here it is, people may look sometimes and create an image of something, but the same image can be changed according to each individual perspective. If you take a look on the Original Image, it was something totally clean, summer, an image that brought happiness for many, while the other, the final one is totally the opposite within a shadowy version. That can be the same in the Friendship scene, people may say bad things about you at your back but a few will be truly, thanks Rose.

PS: Happy Birth Day!

All of the items, unless the shark were drawn from scratch or edited over a version of an image.Hope you all enjoy this transformation...

Since I became a Christian, I’ve always said that ‘God is my Lord’, but have had multiple instances of not really letting him be Lord of my Life. I often want to be in control. I’ve have a long history of doing too much, and then being really fried. I often want control to feel safe, but when I’m in control I often mess things up…… on the other hand, any time I’ve trusted Jesus (at least that I can remember) it’s as always worked out well, and I’ve grown closer to Him.

I’ve been pondering Matthew 11:28-30. It’s always been a verse that infuriated me because it seemed to be a lie. I always felt exhausted. But looking back, I never did my part in this verse. I never took HIS yoke upon me instead of MY yoke: my control. So, I never found his rest

my hope for today is to stop throughout the day and pray for Jesus’ instructions. To let his voice trump my plans, because I need his rest.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

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.

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!

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. :)

All that glistens IS gold!

Wikipedia: Igreja de Santa Clara is a Catholic church located in the parish of Sé in Porto, Portugal.

The construction of the church began in 1416 alongside the Santa Clara Convent for use by nuns of the Order of Poor Clares. The nuns settled in the church in 1427, which was eventually completed in 1457. The building has been modified several times since then; for instance, in 1707–1715 new bedrooms were constructed, in 1729 the chapel was expanded, and in 1931 the fountain in the yard was demolished. The interior of the church is covered in gold and polychrome. Since 1910, it has been classified as a National Monument. It is also classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO as of 1996.

Photo of Icicle Creek captured via Minolta MD Zoom Rokkor-X 24-50mm F/4 lens. On the Snow Lakes Trail and on the way to the Core Enchantments. Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Stuart Mountain Range. Central Cascades Range. Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Chelan County, Washington. Late October 2017.

Exposure Time: 1/100 sec. * ISO Speed: ISO-200 * Aperture: F/5.6 * Bracketing: None * Color Temperature: 9000 K * Plug-In: Vibrant Fall Minimal - Lou & Marks

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.

As every intelligent person knows, Pop Art accounts for three distinct periods.

1. Starving Time. The interesting and fruitful period when a young but already genial artist makes his or her first paintings - the gratest masterpieces of all time. Everything is good but no money to buy some food.

2. Soup Era. This is when a young but already genial artist sells his first piece of great art, or robs a bank (I'm not sure which event has a greater mathematical probability), or just borrows some bucks from a mediocre and worthless person and buys some cans of soup. Of course, the artist documents such a great and rare event (of having canned soup). Many hungry artists follows the father-founder of Pop Art and document their food, drinks, whatever eatable, and personal effects too.

3. After The Lunch. A sated, full-bellied artist doesn't need soup cans for the time being, so he entertains himself right after the lunch, for instance, the way this photo shows. Finally the artist becomes, out of the blue, famous. He has a lot of social commitments now, so he has no free time to make good art. But he is rich now, and that is the Happy End of the story. I wonder if this photo can repeat the success of the artist? What do you think? Feel free to express your opinion in comments.

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.

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.

Around local midnight time on April 8, 2015, astronauts aboard the International Space Station took this photograph of Paris, often referred to as the “City of Light.”

The pattern of the street grid dominates at night, providing a completely different set of visual features from those visible during the day. For instance, the winding Seine River is a main visual cue by day, but here the thin black line of the river is hard to detect until you focus on the strong meanders and the street lights on both banks.

The brightest boulevard in the dense network of streets is the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, the historical axis of the city, as designed in the 17th century. Every year on Bastille Day (July 14), the largest military parade in Europe processes down the Champs Élysées, reviewed by the President of the Republic. This grand avenue joins the royal Palace of the Tuileries—whose gardens appear as a dark rectangle on the river—to the star-like meeting place of eleven major boulevards at the Arc de Triomphe.

The many forested parks of Paris stand out as black polygons—such as the Bois de Boulogne and Vincennes. Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports are distinguished by their very bright lights next to the dark areas of runways and surrounding open land. Paris’s great ring road, the Boulevard Périphérique, encloses the city center.

Astronaut photograph ISS043-E-93480 was acquired on April 8, 2015, with a Nikon D4 digital camera using a 400 millimeter lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center.

For information and annotated images, click here.

_____________________________________________

These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights, click here.

For instance Google Maps does not acknowledge that the summer cottage area in Kivinokka actually has street names. The long main road in front here continuing to the far left is called Puistotie (Park road) and the one leading further back is Tammitie (Oak road). Other streets to be found are Pihlajatie, Kuusitie, Rajatie and Supipolku.

Hermit monks lived on Meteora since 9th century AD and monasteries (abbeys) were built since 14th c. So, it is hardly a surprise that one can repeatedly see The Cross in many instances there, either on rock formations or on churches' rooftops. In Greek Orthodox Church, the holy symbol is extremely and excessively important; so much so, that there will be an entire series of shots on the subject.

This is a shot of two metallic Crosses on Meteora: one Cross on the rock formation “Aghiá” or “Great Saint” (its “Laemós” part) high up at a 1,562 ft (476 m) altitude and another on the rock formation “Mikrē Aghiá” or “Little Saint” at a lower, 1,174 ft (358 m) altitude. Radiation was applied to the shot in order to pictorially represent the spiritual protection and guidance offered by each Cross. Both Crosses were placed by the late Yiánnēs Daliánēs (nicknamed Stauro-Yiánnēs, from the Greek word for the Cross).

Meteora is the name of the group comprising many impressive and lofty rock formations: The height of the sandstone megaliths ranges between 1,000-2,067 ft (300-630 m). The rock masses were formed 60 million years ago, are geologically unique and listed in UNESCO world heritage sites.

The Cross has ever been important for Christians of all denominations, for instance the motto for the Duke of Buckingham: FIDEI COTICULA CRUX (The Cross Is The Touchstone of Faith).

An old hut with a new roof,

What could possibly change? —

In some instances, everything.

Summer skies remembered - in this instance a surreal sky that was in fact frightening - it was spitting lightning - but I had to run out and make this shot! The long aeolian piano was an installation left by a dance troupe at the Convent Country Inn in Val Marie, Saskatchewan, in 2004, following a performance in Grasslands National Park. Long wires were attached to its back and linked to a nearby pole, so that the wind would vibrate them and the sound would resonate through the piano itself. Very unusual. After several winters the piano finally crumbled to pieces, but the "vibes" remain.

Photographed in Val Marie, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission © 2006 James R. Page - all rights reserved.

In this instance, also known as a pilot light. Found on the amplifier in my Kalart-Victor 70-25 16mm projector.

Recently I made a couple of photo book, using pictures taken during our stay in Valparaiso. I used this photo as the cover on one of them.

Unfortunately, the hand of man is present in this shot. However, some of the nature competitions have relaxed that stipulation for entries into some nature competitions.

From what we saw, it's evident that this is part of the birds' daily routine when the fishermen are cleaning fish.

Whilst I'm at it, the roof was sloping so this photo is straight!

I think, most of all, I love the differences in their feather patterns. The colours are so different from those seen on our local pelicans and that drew me to them in the first instance.

Photo captured via Minolta MD Rokkor-X 85mm F/1.7 lens. Spokane Indian Reservation. Selkirk Mountains Range. Okanogan-Colville Xeric Valleys and Foothills section within the Northern Rockies Region. Inland Northwest. Stevens County, Washington. Late October 2020.

Exposure Time: 0.8 sec. * ISO Speed: ISO-100 * Aperture: F/8 * Bracketing: None * Color Temperature: 5812 K * Plug-In: Fall In Mood 04 * Filter: Hoya HMC CIR-PL (⌀55mm) * Elevation: 2,520 feet above sea-level

Validation is a wonderful thing. In fact, I would argue that all of us need validation in the things that we do. It’s a vital part of what keeps us going. If you’ve ever received a compliment on one of your photographs, or even something like an award, then you know the sense of pride and accomplishment that comes with it—and the renewed vigor with which you go out to create new, even better photographs than the ones that earned you those accolades in the first place.

All of this is a natural, normal phenomenon that is quite healthy and perhaps even vital to keep us going. But there is a dark side to validation, too. There are times, I think, when the need for validation is so extremely deep that it just goes too far.

It is, I think, imperative that we all occasionally take a moment for self-reflection into this matter. I have seen instances in which the drive for validation was so overwhelming that it ultimately not only soured an individual’s taste for their passion, but even led to estrangement among former friends all sharing that same passion.

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And so when I speak of this idea that we need to sometimes introspect on our own need for validation, what I would say is this: The first thing we must do is we must search within ourselves and learn why it is that we feel driven to create photographs. This means digging deep into our own psyches to ferret out the true reasons for doing it.

Truth be told, there can be so many reasons to get into photography. The need to be recognized for a talent can be one of them, but perhaps you also feel compelled to learn about the subjects you are photographing. Maybe you have a scientific interest in photography and painting with light. Perhaps there is just something about manipulating color, light, or geometry that appeals to you and leaves you feeling satisfied on a deep level.

Any number of these things can be reasons, or you could have reasons of your own—and in fact, you could find that there is not one singular reason to create, but a variety of them. I suspect that variety is the answer for most people. Photography is art, science, and constant learning all wrapped into one, which means it will scratch a great many of our itches at once.

As I’ve said, you will probably also find that the need for validation is one of the reasons why you create photographs. This is where things get tricky because, on the surface, there is absolutely nothing wrong with pursuing validation and recognition for your efforts. Of course those of us who are passionate about our art will want to show it to people. We’re excited for what we’ve created, we hope others will like it, too, and when they do, that validates us and our excitement.

If we put the need for validation on a spectrum, then this is the healthy end of the spectrum. Now, what lies at the unhealthy end of the spectrum?

On the unhealthy side, things start to distort. Here, you will find validation is king. All other things come secondary to that need. Creating photographs is no longer about a passion for colors or geometry. It’s no longer about learning about your subject material. It’s no longer focused on a person’s fascination for the science behind the art.

In a nutshell, when the need for validation takes over and becomes an unhealthy thing, the victim’s photography is no longer about producing a quality, meaningful product. Rather, it becomes a mass-produced thing in which the victim seeks to create as many “good” photographs as rapidly as they can so that once the buzz dies down from their last project, they have something to show to get that buzz going again.

And this is where the validation turns into a vicious cycle—or perhaps more accurately, a downward spiral into not only bitterness, but also the opposite of the intended goal, which is the lack of validation.

You see, when this goes far enough, people will excitedly throw their mass-produced work out into the world—perhaps on social media or elsewhere. Except, this work was produced only with validation in mind, which leads to work that carries no real meaning or interest for most people. Thus, the work gains no attention, and the artist remains unvalidated. But the need to get that validation is so great that after the work flops, they hastily toss something new out, hoping it will capture what the previous work did not.

It’s a sad cycle—and worse, the people trapped in it are often so focused on this need to get that validation that they stop listening to their peers. It’s almost like an addiction. The goal is to get the fix, and everything else is drowned out by this need. While the world may be telling someone stuck in this cycle to slow down, to put meaning and personal growth ahead of the praise, they just can’t. And I’m sure you can see where this would create conflict, not only of the internal kind, but among groups of peers, too. So what is the lesson here? It’s that all things are best when in balance. Of course, we all want validation—and we all need and deserve it, too. But when validation becomes the primary objective, it can become a dangerous beast.

Now go and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation through your lens.

Learn more: WillMoneymaker.com

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a British breed of toy dog of spaniel type. Four colours are recognised: Blenheim (chestnut and white), tricolour (black/white/tan), black and tan, and ruby; the coat is smooth and silky.[2] The lifespan is usually between eight and twelve years.[1]

The Cavalier King Charles changed dramatically in the late seventeenth century, when it was inter-bred with flat-nosed breeds. Until the 1920s, it shared the same history as the smaller King Charles Spaniel. Breeders attempted to recreate what they considered to be the original configuration – a dog resembling Charles II's spaniel of the English Civil War period, when supporters of the king were known as Cavaliers.[3][4]

History

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel; lesser stop; skull not inclined to be domed with spot in centre of skull on the Blenheim. A white blaze between the eyes is standard of the Tricolour variety.

Correct Ruby Cavalier King Charles Spaniel; uniform chestnut colour, with no white markings; ears and slippers are often slightly lighter but dark chestnut colour should predominate

During the early part of the 18th century, John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, kept red and white King Charles type spaniels for hunting. The duke recorded that they were able to keep up with a trotting horse. His estate was named Blenheim in honour of his victory at the Battle of Blenheim. Because of this influence, the red and white variety of the King Charles Spaniel and thus the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel became known as the Blenheim.[5]

Attempts were made to recreate the original Cavalier King Charles Spaniel as early as the turn of the 20th century, using the now extinct Toy Trawler Spaniels. These attempts were documented by Judith Blunt-Lytton, 16th Baroness Wentworth, in the book "Toy Dogs and Their Ancestors Including the History And Management of Toy Spaniels, Pekingese, Japanese and Pomeranians" published under the name of the "Hon. Mrs Neville Lytton" in 1911.[6]

Divergence from King Charles Spaniel

In 1926, the American Roswell Eldridge offered a dog show class prize of 25 pounds of sterling silver each as a prize for the best male and females of "Blenheim Spaniels of the old type, as shown in pictures of Charles II of England's time, long face, no stop, flat skull, not inclined to be domed, with spot in centre of skull."[7] The breeders of the era were appalled, although several entered what they considered to be sub-par Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in the competition. Eldridge died before seeing his plan come to fruition, but several breeders believed in what he said and in 1928 the first Cavalier club was formed.[7] The first standard was created, based on a dog named "Ann's Son" owned by Mostyn Walker,[8] and the Kennel Club recognised the variety as "King Charles Spaniels, Cavalier type".[7]

The Second World War caused a drastic setback to the emerging breed, with the vast majority of breeding stock destroyed because of wartime hardship and food shortages. For instance, in the Ttiweh Cavalier Kennel, the population of 60 dogs dropped to three during the 1940s.[9] Following the war, few dogs survived as the new beginning from which all present-day Cavaliers descend. And in 1945,[10] the Kennel Club first recognised the breed in its own right as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.[7]

The first recorded Cavalier living in the United States was brought from the United Kingdom in 1956 by W. Lyon Brown who, together with Elizabeth Spalding and other enthusiasts, founded the Cavalier King Charles Club USA that continues to the present day. In 1994, the American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club was created by a group of breeders to apply for recognition by the American Kennel Club. It was recognised by the American Kennel Club in 1995,[2] and the ACKCSC became the parent club for Cavaliers.[11] Since 2000, it has grown in popularity in the United States and ranks as the 15th most popular pure-breed in the United States.[12]

Description

"The purebred Black and Tan uniform."

A purebred Black and Tan uniform.

Historically the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was a lap dog and is small for a spaniel, with fully grown adults comparable in size to adolescents of other larger spaniel breeds. The tail is usually not docked,[13] and the Cavalier should have a silky coat of moderate length. Standards state that it should be free from curl, although a slight wave is allowed. Feathering can grow on their ears, feet, legs and tail in adulthood. Standards require this be kept long, with the feathering on the feet a particularly important aspect of the breed's features.[13]

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the English Toy Spaniel can often be confused with each other. In the United Kingdom, the English Toy Spaniel is called the King Charles Spaniel, while in the United States, one of the colours of the Toy Spaniel is known as King Charles. The two breeds share similar history and only diverged from each other about 100 years ago.[citation needed] There are several major differences between the two breeds, with the primary difference being size. While the Cavalier weighs on average between 13 and 18 pounds (5.9 and 8.2 kg), the King Charles is smaller at 9 to 15 pounds (4.1 to 6.8 kg). In addition, their facial features, while similar, are different; the Cavalier's ears are set higher and its skull is flat, while the King Charles's skull is domed. Finally, the muzzle length of the Cavalier tends to be longer than that of its King Charles cousin.[7][14]

Colour

"Two dogs with long ears sit on a wooden platform overlooking the sea. They are mostly white, but have black ears and black and brown markings on their faces. Their fur is ruffled by the breeze."

Tricolour Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Blenheim variety, with chestnut brown markings on a white background on its back, patches over eyes and all brown ears

The breed has four recognized colours. Cavaliers that have rich chestnut markings on a pearly white background are known as Blenheim in honor of Blenheim Palace, where John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough raised for assistance in hunting the predecessors to the Cavalier breed in this particular colour. In some Blenheim dogs there is a chestnut spot in the middle of the forehead: this is called the "Blenheim" spot.[15] The Blenheim spot is also known as the mark of the "Duchess Thumb Print", based on the legend that Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough while awaiting news of her husband's safe return from the Battle of Blenheim, pressed the head of an expecting dam with her thumb, resulting in five puppies bearing the lucky mark after news that the battle had been won.[16]

Black and Tan are dogs with black bodies with tan highlights, particularly eyebrows, cheeks, legs and beneath the tail.[17] Black and Tan is referred to as "King Charles" in the King Charles Spaniel.[7] Wikipedia

What are the odds for an Osprey to catch two fish in one dive? And for that matter two different coloured fish? Read on. I was hooked into Osprey photography when I first saw them in a local pond back in 2013. Since then, every summer I spend good amount of hours over the week-ends scouting various storm water ponds for a chance to see the spectacle. It is quite challenging as one doesn't know where it is going to dive or which direction it is going to fly. The statistics that I have collected over the years seems to indicate that the Ospreys have been successful in catching a fish from these ponds in 70% of their dives with less than 5% of those with a pair of fish. In case anybody wondering, the Osprey eventually let one drop - not sure why. In those instances where they got two fish, I have never seen them carrying both fish beyond the boundary of the pond, they always seem to let one drop. Markham, Ontario.

Right this way.

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Yeah sure, its an easy shot but it sure does make me feel the calm of the instance.

Physical geography

By its geographical position (east-northeast to west-southwest orientation) and lithological diversity, the Algarve stands out as a unique stratigraphic and morpho-tectonic region.[16] A peripheral Carboniferous unit of the Variscan orogeny, it constitutes the Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary layers, deposited onto two totally distinct superimposed basins.[16] Between the Middle-Upper Triassic to Hettangian, sediments evolved from continental (fluvial red sandstone) to shallow marine over the entire region, which included instances of evaporates, tholeiite fissural magmas, lava flows, volcanic ash and pyroclasts.Wikipedia

If you are going on one of the little boats to explore, bag a front seat to experience everything without distraction...but mind your head!

Thanks for visiting....

There is something unique about Hong Kong, it’s how busy it gets with all the buses and the trams. I find it very different than Singapore for instance. Maybe because the CBD in Hong Kong is bigger and more packed, I don’t know. But if you walk in Central on Hong Kong Island, I’m sure you will know what I mean.

Sea gulls are such bad landers. At first i thought it was one of a instance but then saw that almost all had a weird way of landing. Was able to get above sequence from one of the brave gull.

Camera Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi

Exposure 0.001 sec (1/800)

Aperture f/7.1

Focal Length 300 mm

ISO Speed 200

Exposure Bias -1 EV

Lens EF 70-300