View allAll Photos Tagged lean
I leaned on the cinder block wall, sat my camera in front of my face and snapped this photo.
Looking up is always important!
Northern Wisconsin Lupine that I saw for the first time this year, for my friend Nick, who posted Lupine for all of us. Thanks Nick for being such a wonderful Flickr friend!
Many, many thanks to my brother-in-law who came and fixed my computer! I had over 350 Trojan viruses and many others. D'oh!!
Posting a series of shots after talking to some of the guys as they landed on the beach, knowing I had been shooting. I'm hoping they'll find these. Merci for a very entertaining and exhilarating couple of hours!
La Plage du Ponteil - Antibes, France
So just call on me brother, when you need a hand,
We all need somebody to lean on,
I just might have a problem that you'd understand,
We all need somebody to lean on.
Lean on me, when you're not strong,
And I'll be your friend,
I'll help you carry on,
For it won't be long, till I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on.
Bill Withers
Royal Jordanian Air Force No.3 Squadron's C-130H Hercules '347' took on a distinct lean as she taxied out to depart Fairford after RIAT 2017
IMG_2869
For me this shot is an attempt to come up with something slightly more unique than my conventional way of photographing long exposure waterfalls. I’ve been to this location, in the wonderfully named and spectacularly beautiful “Valley of Desolation”, many times over the years, but this time I wanted to change my approach in order to overcome the slight dissatisfaction from my previous efforts here. which have been either compositionally challenging, (there is an irritating holly bush at the top of this waterfall, that is hard to make work compositionally), or standing in the obvious place does give you good foreground interest, but makes it impossible to take more than one shot, as not surprisingly at the bottom of a waterfall the spray is a nightmare...Interestingly as a friend and I walked up the valley towards the waterfall, my apprehension became further compounded as I was also struggling with my own perceptions of what a waterfall offered in the way of subject originality and desperately wanted to find a new approach.
Now I tentatively make the following comment in the apprehension that it may sound a little arrogant and I honestly do not intend it to offend anybody, but as subjects I feel waterfalls are bordering on the fringes of cliché. Now this obviously doesn’t mean that they are, on the contrary I’ve seen many wonderfully emotive and powerful images of waterfalls that have taken my breath away, but maybe this abundance of quality in itself is part of the problem, as I seem to have become numb to obvious positive elements... It’s kind of like when you over play a favourite song, the track doesn't change, but your perception of it does with over listening. So as Wayne and I walked up the valley to the waterfall I was subconsciously struggling with my very own perception and felt a need to challenge and change it.
Now digressing a little to strengthen my position and to attempt to elevate your growing distaste to my slight arrogance, I sometimes feel the same way about images made at ‘famous’ photographic locations such as , Antelope Canyon, or Bamburgh Castle, or indeed subjects such as sunsets or long exposure coastal shots, (man I do sound like a hypocrite here). There still remains an oversaturated, (excuse the obvious play on words) ever so slightly putrid aftertaste from seeing too many. As I said before, this doesn’t mean that any of the shots are poor pieces of work, or indeed are not well composed and considered, but like the music analogy, you can only listen to a pop music for so long and at some point you end up wanting Nick Cave or PJ Harvey as your taste develops. Funny I have never become tired of ‘Guns and Roses, Appetite for Destruction’, anyway enough of that...
I think for a large part the oversaturation from photography magazines, personal blogs, social networking sites and massive influx of affordable good quality digital cameras, has produced thousands of images that only 20 years ago would have stood out and shone. Now the competition to be unique, to be fresh and dynamic is much harder especially if you choose a subject or location that have been done many times before, which I’m at paints to reveal I frequently do. I can’t help myself, I just love those locations.
This is why I must keep reminding myself to ‘try’ and avoid the obvious compositions in such subjects or places, as most importantly, there is a greater potential for personal development opportunities when the lean pickings of a location or subject are worked around and eventually found. But with heightened potential comes heightened vulnerability, as the images you make in those locations risk being perceived falling between the cliché and pretentiousness. Don’t worry I’m not advocating becoming a incongruent fine artist that takes shots of dog feces and pretentiously pins some social commentary to it in the hope that others will buy into the junkstaposition of meaninglessness, I’m just trying to challenge my assumptions to stimulate and develop my own vision, within my preferred subjects.
Anyway back to the photograph, this time I clambered up a slippery muddy slope, to the more or less inaccessible side of the waterfall and lodged myself into the thick of the ‘Lord Of The Rings’ type undergrowth. With my tripod firmly wedged in, saving me from slipping down into the pool of icy water and one side of my body wet with a mixture of mud and soggy leaves, I composed this shot with an attempt to gain as much depth and movement I could from the hanging windblown vegetation.
Funny as unpleasant as it is, I don’t feel like I’ve been working hard enough unless I come back with muddy or wet trousers, is this just me?
My dear daughter leans on this sea stack at Rialto beach providing some perspective on the height of it. I also presented a similar shot in black and white.
While hiking in Washington I noticed what appeared to be the result of past storms. Many branches and debris were cleared from the trail to allow for passage. This particular tree that fell over was left alone. As you can see, instead of falling all the way to the ground it's fall was stopped by an adjacent tree which has been holding it up now for who knows how long. After that a much smaller tree then fell on it. Talking about the weight one must bear...
Sometimes things don't go the way we think they should, people make decisions that we know are not for the best, they disappoint us and hurt us and we have to find strength to face what comes, often with tears and great sorrow. Sometimes we swallow hard and smile when we are dying inside. We want to say so much - to find a way to wake them up - but our words fall on deaf ears. They are oblivious to the damage they cause as they blithely trample people under their selfishness and yes, their silliness too.
That is when you need someone you can lean on. So lean on me.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28-29
Thank you for your comments and faves – they are greatly appreciated!
Select photos from my Flickr stream are available for purchase as prints or personal download at [www.winterfirephotographicarts.com].
I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to shoot the last great Alco show in the west. Back in May of 2012 I went on an epic week long tour of the west with three friends centered around chasing the 3751's journey to and from the Grand Canyon. But, of course, we railfanned much of the BNSF transcon and the Phoenix Sub as well. While in Holbrook we were extremely lucky to run into the once weekly "Blue Looper" coal train heading to the Cataylst Mill. The last of these trains would run four months later and the mill would be demolished and the coal hoppers scrapped. The railroad would be cast into bankruptcy and almost me the torch as well...but tenacity and a bit of a miracle has kept it alive albeit leaner serving one big farm that gets inbound feed and making money storing cars and operating a contract shop. Trains big enough to require six running Alcos, though are a thing of the past
But on this day all was right with the world as a brace of six 4-motor MLWs lug the heavy coal train around a sharp curve and out of the BNSF interchange yard.
Holbrook, Arizona
Thursday May 17, 2012
Two Gerbera (South African sunflowers)
Shot with the Sony NEX-6 using the E30mm F3.5 macro lens
My Gerbera, Daisy set: Gerbera & Daisies
XJ Restoration Ltd
"Usual Blurb" © by Wil Wardle. Please do not use this or any of my images without my permission.
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Wonderfully restored Everett Railroad 2-6-0 Mogul leans into the curve. Built by Alco Cooke Works in 1920.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkaexjc-1os
Hmm... hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm
Hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm
Hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm
Sometimes in our lives
We all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's always tomorrow
Lean on me
When you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on...
For it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need somebody to lean on
Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill
Those of your needs that you won't let show
You just call on me brother when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you'll understand
We all need somebody to lean on
Lean on me
When you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on...
For it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need somebody to lean on
You just call on me brother
When you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you'll understand
We all need somebody to lean on
If there is a load you have to bear
That you can't carry
I'm right up the road
I'll share your load
If you just call me
Call me
If you need a friend
(Call me)
Call me (call me)
If you need a friend
(Call me)
If you ever need a friend
(Call me)
Call me
(Call me) Call me
(Call me) Call me
(Call me) Call me
(Call me)
If you need a friend
(Call me)
Call me
(Call me) Call me
(Call me) Call me
(Call me) Call me
(Call me)