I'm struggling to comprehend the seeming speed with which life has transitioned from manageable to the unimaginable. The preoccupation is rightly with the coronavirus itself. But ultimately the psychological aspect of longterm stress and anxiety might prove equally disabling. Each day brings an increased awareness that this is going to be a long term situation with effects that will surely outlast the virus itself. I'm clinging to daily routines in an effort to maintain mental health. But it's deeper than that. I need to feel a sense of self worth; a need to exist. There has to be more to a day than watching endless news coverage. It's important to be dialed into events, but I fear the hypnotic effect of ongoing news feeds. Balance is key right now. It will be a process of discovery for many of us as routines change, perhaps radically, as we find out how exactly we will fit into the new model. It will be a process.

We're on the verge of the vernal equinox; the first day of Spring in the northern hemisphere is Thursday. Normally a time of year filled with hope and optimism. Likely to go all but unnoticed this year. I was scrolling through an old email queue yesterday looking for a past communication. There I stumbled upon threads from exactly one year ago. They were filled with discussion of problems and issues with jobs that seemed paramount at the time, but utterly trivial now. How I wished those sorts of problems were the worst thing in life now.

The other day I noticed a very challenging astrological makeup for this week starting tomorrow, March 18. An astounding six planets will cluster in the sign of Capricorn. The indication is one of a tipping point being crossed. Perhaps a big disclosure is in the offing. The tension will remain strong through early next week. Stay safe.

One of my Flickr friends just suggested we make this COVID-19 crisis a bit more manageable by challenging all of us to make some uplifting, but not over the top photos of life during this virus. We can challenge ourselves to find the beauty of images from things at home. Since there is enough suffering out there, let's not do photos of sickness or hoarding or death (we all know this is real too, but need to pay attention to mental health too). OK, the challenge is on. We look forward to seeing how you make the shift to creating new photos at home. I'm suggesting we limit photos to one a day, so find your best. Thanks. And stay well and stay safe everyone.

I think this is a Red Shouldered Hawk based on my field guide. Some nearby ravens were making noise that probably translates to, "There goes the neighborhood." They wanted to keep the raptor away from their youngsters, of course. The raptor was habituated to people and let me walk up and shoot a few frames. It was actively hunting for something like a vole or other rodent. My goal was to capture this without making it fly away. When you look at those brown eyes, you wonder what's going on in that hawk brain. In part, I suspect it was hungry.

It's a brutal life for animals in the wild. If you're a hawk, and you have degraded eyesight due to aging, you starve. If your hearing goes bad, you starve. Eyesight and hearing, for raptors, is survival. You and I complain about the cost of a new eyeglass prescription. Many human eye problems are manageable.

It was a sunny winter day and in the mid-70s (77°F/25°C) in Rancho Mirage when I shot this. This was the backup camera with the kit lens so image quality isn't up to the photos I take using the well-worn, Japanese-made glass lenses.

Wrong species? Wrong spelling? Your corrections are welcomed.

I attend the greatest of all churches. I put a capital ‘n’ on ‘Nature’ and call it my church.

— Frank Lloyd Wright

Journalism grade image.

Source: 1,700x900 16-bit TIF file.

Please do not copy this image for any purpose.

That was a special accasion, because photos / panos to turn out that contrasty and colorful at this distance (~35km) is rare; the air needs to be absolutely crystal clear.

It was the end of March and the days before brought fresh snow in the mountains, which is not uncommon this time of the year. It was very cold and windy, therefore everything was clear and pristine in the afternoon sun. So I went for an unhurried hike with my beloved NIKKOR 180mm.

This panorama stems from a rather ridiculous original, consisting of 16 individual telephoto images leading to a whopping resolution of 73264 x 3850px (282MP).

The size is manageable, but the dimensions (the width!) make it unusable, but ..obviously, I HAD to do it! Why I did it in landscape and not portrait orientation is beyond my recollection though; would have resulted in a better ratio..

Anyway, this panoramic crop (of the monster described above) features 13247 x 3466px (~46MP) and is sort of the best part (where the sun hit), done with this setup:

Nikon D7200 (APS-C crop sensor / DX)

NIKKOR*ED 180mm f/2.8 AI-S prime

(therefore 270mm full frame equivalent)

ISO100, 180mm, f/8, 1/640sec (-0.7EV)

tripod, no panorama head, remote

a rather sudden urge to have a walk up to this waterfall in the lake district todayon arrival i started to climb up this and realized that because of how wet it has been and the flow of water, it wasnt a very good idea at all. getting up was slippy but manageable but getting down was downright dangerous. im just glad that when i did finally slip i was only a couple of feet off the floor with a mossy branch to keep my balance.

lesson learned.

I almost missed this little guy hiding in the branches today; I actually snapped a shot of the same location a few minutes prior to this without a clue that there was a cute little hare hidden out!

I'm glad I decided to revisit this spot and ended up catching a very subtle bit of movement in the corner of my eye.

Nice to see that not only were the people out and enjoying the milder (and snowier) weather, but the animals were out as well!

Finally, something a little more manageable!

Hope everyone has had a good day.

Click "L" for a larger view.

The trail around the Ubehebe Crater are long and provide spectacular 360° views. Once you climb the rather steep hill, the trail becomes a reasonably easy hike. It does narrow down to only a foot wide at some places, but still manageable.

Above and below were images shot from about a quarter of a mile apart.

Death Valley National Park, California

D401 7R308973

Another bike ride, setting out as early as we could. This climb can be brutal, but manageable on an e-bike.

I enjoyed the gentle purple colour of the clover against the field behind.

UP OSJWU working its way through Byers Canyon near Hot Sulphur Springs, CO. The sun had already dropped below the mountaintops but a shot was still manageable.

Gral Guido

Después de la Independencia, Juan Manuel de Rosas, prominente hacendado, decidió impulsar la colonización y el poblamiento de la cuenca del Salado, y encomendó a su topógrafo, el agrimensor Senillosa, el relevamiento de la zona, con el objeto de fundar nuevos pueblos. Por decreto del 25 de diciembre de 1839, y tras la Revolución de los Libres del Sur, el gobernador Rodas decidió dividir el territorio al sur del Salado en nuevos partidos, más manejables, y nació entre ellos, el “partido del Vecino”, separado del partido de Tandil, sobre tierras de Don Cornelio Pizarro, quien fue su primera autoridad. No obstante, la riqueza de sus tierras, el partido careció de cabecera y de urbanización durante varias décadas, hasta que empezó el tendido del ferrocarril del Sur, hacia 1860. En 1887, se inaugura la estación Velázquez del ramal Dolores-Ayacucho, alrededor de la cual se empiezan a asentar trabajadores del ferrocarril y pobladores rurales de partido, y así en 1888 se funda el primer poblado del partido. En 1890, ante elcrecimiento experimentado por la población, los vecinos peticionan la autonomía municipal, la cual les es concedida en febrero de 1891. Ese mismo año, se impone al pueblo y a la estación ferroviaria el nombre de General Guido, en recuerdo del militar, político y diplomáticoTomas Guido, amigo y colaborador del general San Martin.

TRASLATOR

Gral Guido

After Independence, Juan Manuel de Rosas, a prominent landowner, decided to promote the colonization and settlement of the Salado basin, and entrusted his surveyor, the surveyor Senillosa, the survey of the area, in order to found new towns. By decree of December 25, 1839, and after the Revolution of the Free South, Governor Rhodes decided to divide the territory south of the Salado into new parties, more manageable, and was born among them, the "party of the Neighbor", separated of the party of Tandil, on lands of Don Cornelio Pizarro, who was his first authority. However, the wealth of their lands, the party lacked head and urbanization for several decades, until the laying of the Southern Railway began, around 1860. In 1887, the Velázquez station of the Dolores-Ayacucho branch was inaugurated, around which began to settle railroad workers and rural people of the party, and so in 1888 the first town of the party was founded. In 1890, before the growth experienced by the population, the neighbors petition for municipal autonomy, which is granted to them in February 1891. That same year, the name of General Guido is imposed on the town and the railway station, in memory of the military, political and diplomaticTomas Guido, friend and collaborator of General San Martin.

Korstian Division, Duke Forest.

With widespread park closures due to Covid-19, I'm grateful that Duke Forest remains open. Its wider roadways, which are the main walking and cycling routes through the Forest, make “social distancing” manageable.

590nm IR-converted Pentax K-5

Lensbaby Velvet 56/1.6

Iridient Developer

Herb Robert

I've decided that the little herb robert growing next to my pond is a "British Wild Flower" not a weed and therefore I don't need to get rid of it and have something to photograph.

I was experimenting yesterday afternoon. I don't have a dedicated macro lens so I've beed using Raynox macro attachments and extension tubes, both of whih have their advantages and disadvantages. This shot was actually taken with both, I used a short extension tube and the lower diopter Raynox (DCR 150). I actually think it worked very well, the combination gave me a longer focal distance than the extension tubes but the magnification was good and the DoF was actualy quite manageable.

More experimentation required!

An album of all my Wildflower pics:-

www.flickr.com/photos/101295317@N06/sets/72157651178973833

I live on a flower farm and collaborate with my daughter on various art projects. We also just sell flowers and try to keep them going all year. My favorite flowers, however, are the ones that just pop up in the fields - the wildflowers.

I'll be on a posting vacation after today because I am going to be very busy for a few weeks. I don't have many friends here because I try to keep it small and manageable. I will peek in when I get bored and sprinkle some of those pink stars around.

The above flowers are some we gathered for bouquets just recently. And the poem below is just because I love writing rhymes. xoxo

Remembering Spring ~ by me

My favorite season

Has got to be spring.

I’m totally in love.

Yep. It’s more than a fling.

I love all the colors

Of fields in full bloom.

They lift up my spirits

And wipe away gloom.

The sounds of the birds,

As they chirp merrily,

And cool morning breezes

Fill me up with energy.

Now that it’s summer,

Here come the waves of heat.

I’ll still have my memories

Of spring, it was so sweet.

The South Downs Way and Wayfarer's Walk are iconic trails that offer a glimpse into England's rich history and stunning landscapes. The shared track between Lomer Farm and the so-called Wind Farm, despite its name, is a stretch of 1,140 meters that promises an immersive experience into the countryside. Lomer Farm itself is steeped in history, being the site of a deserted medieval village, which now serves as grazing land with visible earthworks and a pond remaining as silent witnesses to the past. The absence of wind turbines at Wind Farm adds a twist to the journey, making it a unique feature of the trail. This section of the walk is a testament to the ever-changing uses of land over time, from historical settlements to modern-day recreational paths. The trails not only connect landscapes but also the stories and legacies of the regions they traverse.

The South Downs Way is a remarkable 160-kilometre trail stretching from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in East Sussex, offering an immersive experience through the picturesque South Downs National Park. This historic path, which has been traveled for over 8,000 years, is not only a haven for hikers but also a journey through England's rich history, with sites like the medieval village of Lomer, which was deserted during the plague. The trail is a blend of stunning landscapes, wildlife, and panoramic views, making it a perfect setting for a variety of outdoor activities, from walking to bird watching, and even camping. Whether you're looking for a challenging adventure or a peaceful stroll through nature, the South Downs Way provides an opportunity to connect with the countryside and its heritage.

The Wayfarer's Walk is a captivating 113-Kilometre trail that traverses the picturesque Hampshire countryside, offering walkers a diverse experience from the high chalk downs at Inkpen to the serene Emsworth Harbour. This long-distance route is steeped in natural beauty and historical significance, guiding adventurers through vibrant chalk-stream valleys, peaceful villages, and bustling market towns. Each section of the walk presents a unique day out, whether you're seeking exhilarating views from the downland, encounters with wildlife, or a tranquil seaside picnic. The trail is well-marked and divided into manageable sections, making it an accessible adventure for walkers of varying abilities.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Downs_Way

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayfarer%27s_Walk

The best shot manageable with the overgrown trees and shadow from them... 66150 is seen powering away from Rainford with 6E16 0720 Wilton Efw Terminal - Knowsley Freight Terminal.

Here's a view taken last April when we climbed the northernmost mountain in the UK, Ben Hope. It really was a wonderfully wild and remote place to be. Given how far north we were and the horrendous forecast that was due the following day we chose to climb this hill in the morning and then drive to climb Ben Klibeck in the afternoon. Of course there is just a single road that links these two mountains and would you believe it the single track road was blockeddue to the result of a lorry stuck in a ditch. Thankfully the recovery efforts had started a couple of hours earlier so we were able to continue on our way for a late but manageable start to our second climb of the day.

Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus), Swan Reach, Victoria, Australia. On a morning walk while away for Christmas, one adult Grey Butcherbird was on this fence post with two of its young. This image was taken at ~5:40 am using very low shutter speeds to try and keep the ISO manageable.

This shot took place in a bit of a hurry. My family and I went to see the new Highwalk in Rotenburg a. d. Fulda. I scouted the location for some nice photos as the weather was excellent: a bit of some snow with rime and lots of fog. For quite a while, I didn't find any good compositions and right after packing up, I witnessed this beautiful view. So, I re-assembled the view camera and got to work. I didn't have much time left until the Highwalk closed, so I had to hurry a bit.

The ground glass kept fogging up, as did my glasses. That's why the image is just a tad bit out of focus, very annoying but manageable. My tripod head failed to lock at first and to add insult to injury, a nut dropped from my camera before making the exposure, further instabilizing the plane of focus. All very classic ;)

In the darkroom, I decided to crop the shot a little around the bottom. I did some dodging and burning to elevate the contrast a little but preserve detail. The paper has storage damage on the right side, it's not too bad, though.

When looking carefully, you can see the end of the Highwalk bridge in the left side of the shot. It's faintly visible through the fog!

Intrepid 4x5 Mk5 + Schneider-Kreuznach Super Angulon 90mm f8 + Kodak T-MAX 100

Printed on (ancient) Tetenal Work RC 310 using Rollei RPN Eco in 1+9.

Film developed in Adox Rodinal (1+50; 12:00) at 20 °C

Expiry date: 1999-02

Exposure index: 64

Print scanned on a Heidelberg/Linotype-Hell Saphir Ultra II using Vuescan.

Mexborough and Swinton No2 (7002WU) a Weymann bodied Leyland Atlantean dating from 1961, is pictured undergoing repairs in the depot yard on a damp day in the 1960s. Mexborough and Swinton had 10 of these early Leyland Atlanteans, numbered 2 -11 (7001WU-7011WU) in their fleet.

Early Leyland PDR1 Atlanteans featured these huge one-piece bonnets, which were replaced by more manageable three piece units on later models.

I survived the first day of a voyage to Hoth and refuse to go back outside, so what better thing to do than upload a picture!

This was taken during our January 2013 Marathon Weekend trip. It is my favorite view in all of MK whenever we close down the park. Just a classic composition and my first attempt at HDR (critiques are always appreciated!).

Also, I have decided that my photography resolution for 2014 is to post more pictures to flickr than 2013! I have accomplished 33% of my resolution with this post, so I think it is manageable. But my actual resolution is to post 50 photos this year. I am starting to really enjoy photography and am excited to learn and grow throughout the year.

March 2018 at a Glance: my usual monthly bookmark that divides up the seamless flow of the Flickr photostream into manageable chunks.

March has proved to be full of unexpected twists and turns.Spring still hasn't come to this corner of Scotland. I judge it by the plum tree by our gate. Last year it was in full bloom by March 18th - this year there is not a single little plum blossom yet. A few dwarf daffodils are our only spot of colour. So the garden still slumbers, and sleet, hail and snow are regular visitors, along with the host of small birds we attempt to feed and keep alive through this very long and hard winter.

And the second twist in the plans for the month was the sudden collapse of much of our home network of Windows XP computers and laptops. As the central image shows - more time was spent with basic guides to Windows 10 and Office 365 than on photography and photographic books! As we start a new month we have two new tower units and one laptop in action - though no printer and no real network yet. And there are new programs to learn, and other vital ones still lacking Win10 versions. At the start of March we never expected any of this. So I feel like an early April Fools prank has already been played on me ;o)

a Happy Easter holiday to all my Flickr friends, along with a wonderful start to the new month ;o)

At a glance: At a Glance

Re-edited 28 Dec 2020.

Another vertical shot to frame in the intensely coloured foliage with the Edo period bell tower as backdrop.

The profuse and intense colors make autumn in Kyoto truly special and this spot is as intense as it gets!

Heavily backlit shot, fear not the backlight!

Hopefully Autumn can herald a return to some normalcy even if the experts expressed caution.

Fundamentally unless the situation improves, how many will need new gear except the “mis-influencer” shills when most of us can’t even get to travel far?

This shot was taken with the FE 16-35mm f2.8 GM, a truly great lens in my opinion that totally deserved the GM designation with great color, micro-contrast and smooth OOF rendering and thanks to the shorter flange-back distance, it is also significantly lighter than DSLR versions. Personally I have little to no impetus to get any f1.8 Prime within this range as the GM zoom is already so good.

The to be released FE 12-24mm f2.8 GM will be interesting, if its weight is manageable, I’ll definitely be getting rid of my FE 12-24mm f4.0 G which while very sharp (way over-rated attribute), the color output from this lens is just not good. Even then, there will be absolutely no rush whatsoever as it’ll be a Buyer’s market for the next few years when it comes to camera gear!

1. The first bone in my body that I broke was my left pinky-toe.

2. I have 4 scars on my left leg that look like a claw print. No clue where they're came from, but they're creepy as fuck.

3. I only have 1 pair of skinny jeans, and those are them.

4. I go to school every weekday and am still undecided as to where i wanna transfer when I move out of the Bay Area.

5. I listen to all kinds of music. Anything, i'll listen to it. Besides like... screamo music. I mean come on, you can't understand them. And if you say you can, you're full of shit, since you prolly just look at the lyrics.

6. My laptop is a piece of shit.

7. I'm addicted to Crystal Lite.

8. I say I love you quite a bit, but there are really only a few people i actually mean it with, and they know who they are.

9. When i get close to someone, i'll always be there for them, and do whatever it takes to keep them happy.

10. I have chronic "nice-guy" syndrome. I was the reason the friend circle was invented, but i finally think i'm out of it.

11. I love California, but i secretly wanna get the hell out of here and move back to Oregon where life is actually manageable.

12. As much as my computer blows, I'm kinda addicted to SL and other Computer games.

13. My favorite color is a dark red, Almost Crimson red. Not sure why, but i like it most. Easy to look at.

14. I honestly don't know what to put here, so i'm just going to type one word and end it with a period. Spork.

15. I drive a car that some may refer to as the "Anti-Poon Mobile." I guess a 1989 Pontiac Grand-Am isn't the best to pick up chicks in. Good thing i'm not looking. ;)

16. I like turtlez!

Several days into the wilderness along the High Sierra Trail is Precipice Lake. It's located at a high altitude (above the tree line) and just before Kaweah Pass, so most people are exhausted and walk right past this lake without stopping to appreciate it. I camped here and was the only person around. I was awestruck at the sheer walls which rose directly out of the emerald waters.

In order to have a manageable pack weight (still 48 lbs at the start!), I left behind my pro camera gear and only carried a Canon M5 mirrorless camera. I was quite impressed with it. All the lenses in the system are excellent, but I primarily used the 22mm f/2 pancake (which was used for this shot) and the Rokinon 12mm f/2. Both of these lenses are tiny and sharp even to the corners.

She's certainly getting bigger... and heavier. Transporting her to South By Southwest this weekend will be interesting, but at least I had the presence of forethought enough to design her to split into four manageable chunks. When complete, I also plan to make the tops of the towers removable, which I hope I can store inside the nave.

This is all I'm going to do before the show this weekend, except for adding the door roof peaks. I'll probably add them using the original design, and when I get back I'll look into the possibility of doing something different.

I usually don’t go out on cloudy days but out of frustration I did. We’re scheduled for another WEEK of rain and clouds.

I decided to visit an eagles nest about 35 minutes from me. When I arrived I was happy to see at least one eagle sitting low in the nest. A moment later it flew out and down low around the nest. I can only assume it was trying to grab a quick bite. It failed and returned to the nest. About 5 minutes later the second eagle returned. They switched positions and the original eagle took off for a break. It’s safe to assume they have at least one egg at this point,

I was surprised the pictures came out decent (I feel) considering I was approx. 75yards away. The reach on the lens with the 1.4x extender is approx. 1792mm. It was completely overcast. I feel that what little light there was must have been reflecting off the lake ( nest is right off it) helping to keep the iso at a manageable level.

This pic was approx 100yards away.

🔸◾️ S U R G E ◾️🔸

📍 Godrevy 🌊☀️🌊

When I arrived at Godrevy for a shoot after work one evening, I thought my luck was out!... The area was busier than I'd ever seen here before, and the sunlight was way too harsh.

I decided to wait it out - hoping that as the light dropped, the tones would balance out a little to become more manageable. And it worked! Plus, for a short time, I enjoyed a clear view towards the lighthouse.

I picked my spot, attached my filters & cable release... and waited. I set a slow shutter to capture the movement of the water. The sea was pretty calm for the north coast, but every-so-often a bigger wave would surge in and I'd rattle off a few shots.

In Lightroom, I added a bit of atmosphere radiating from the setting sun which complimented the lens flare - so I chose not to remove it.

"All things come to those who wait"

Canon 6D MkII | 24-105mm lens at 28mm | ƒ/11 | 1/2 sec | ISO 100 | Tripod | ND hard grad filter | Lightroom & Photoshop | Taken at Godrevy on 24-08-2021

🔥🔥 my "2022 CORNWALL CALENDAR" is now available to pre-order! Take a look on my website - www.hocking-photography.co.uk 🔥🔥

Copyright Andrew Hocking 2021

www.hocking-photography.co.uk

**Contact me or head over to my website for prints**

There are lots of these lovely little birds all around Alcudia, probably because there are lots of mosquitoes and other flying insects for them to eat. In the evening there would be a shift change and the bats would take over the job of keeping the mozzie numbers manageable.

Trying to work, live & shoot, sometimes in that order sometimes not. Have too many pictures to go through to be manageable. I will try to post up in the coming days. Miss you all & wish you the best!!

Bryan Adams - Summer of 69

-----------------------------

Look "cooler" big on black

View on black

View large on black

------------------------------

The slogan of the Eastern Idaho State Fair seemed like an appropriate title for this image of what was voted the fair's most fun ride.

In retrospect, I should of opened up the aperture from f6.3 to f3.2 or even f2.8 to get a higher shutter speed and avoid some of the motion blurring. I think I was so concerned about how the D800 would do at ISO 6400 that I forgot everything else. In the end my fears were unfounded. While there was some noise, it was certainly manageable.

Camera Nikon D800

Exposure 0.008 sec (1/125)

Aperture f/6.3

Focal Length 14 mm

ISO Speed 6400

Exposure Bias 0 EV

View the entire Low Light Photography Set

View the entire - Night Photography set.

View my - Most Interesting according to Flickr

Winifred after the hair wash - rollers out.

The hair is very soft and manageable. I used human products.

Nexxus shampoo and Miss Clairol color conditioner from color box - blue tube to use after you dye your hair. (Not available for resale, only as a part of the coloring product.)

It does wonders!

The Slide

Unnamed stream

High Rock Hideaways

Hocking County

Last month my wife and I took a much needed vacation with our pup Maggie to Ohio's Hocking Hills region. We stayed at a cabin at High Rock Hideaways located not far from Ash Cave. A recent post I had seen in the Hocking Hills group intrigued me when I saw that the property boasted 9 waterfalls on their own trails. Booked. Our first day there Maggie and did some exploring on the trails so I could get a feel for the area but some light drizzle had me thinking we better return and it was a good idea. Within 15 minutes of arriving to the cabin it was raining. The next afternoon I headed out to explore these waterfalls more closely. The first falls I visited was called The Slide. Arriving at the top, it was a steep cascade waterfall that dropped at least 40 foot into a mini slot canyon. While standing there I noticed an undocumented arch in the cliff opposite the falls. Going to take a closer look at the arch I discovered a manageable scramble downstream from the falls. The scramble took me past two more waterfalls which were not really worth shooting. Once in the gorge I had to do some creek crossings and then a short scramble up the base of the falls which was a short dog leg to the main drop. Wow! I couldn't believe my eyes! Hands down one of the regions prettiest waterfalls and was the icing on the cake of a great trip with my wife and pup!

Ohio

Spearfish Falls was actually one of the most popular tourist stops in the northern Black Hills around the beginning of the 19th century when a Burlington Railroad line took passengers directly over it, parts of which can still be found on the trail today. The trail to this 47 ft waterfall starts at the parking lot for the Latchstring Restaurant and is roughly 3/4 in length. Note that while the path to the left is easy, the one to the right of the restaurant is more difficult but does include a sweet traverse over an old metal walking bridge. Interestingly enough, in 1917, this waterfall was actually turned off for awhile as water was diverted from Spearfish Creek to a nearby hydroelectric plant that helped power operations at Homestake Gold Mine until November 17, 2003. For this reason, Spearfish Falls is one of the lesser-known waterfalls that often gets passed by even today.

Source: www.blackhillsbadlands.com/places/spearfish-falls

If you don’t have much time to hike while you are visiting Spearfish Canyon, I would encourage you to put this one high on your list. The trail is rated as moderate. The total hike is 1.5 miles. I love hiking this any time of year. The trail is pretty easy to find. The path is right behind the Latchstring Inn. The trail has been reworked recently. It is no longer a loop trail, the only access point is just north of the restaurant. The path is nice and wide and should be manageable by most people that can walk moderate inclines. Just take your time and soak in the beauty of the canyon floor. The waterfall is so beautiful, you’ll want to hangout and enjoy it for awhile. This is just one of the waterfalls of Spearfish Canyon worth visiting. There is plenty of hiking in the area. Just on the other side of the road is Roughlock Falls Nature Trail. While I like hiking this area all year long, it is definitely one of my favorite fall hikes in the Black Hills. And, if you are staying in Spearfish, be sure to checkout the Lookout Mountain Hiking trails if you want a longer hike.

Source: enjoyingsouthdakota.com/spearfish-canyon/spearfish-falls-...

Railways of Great Britain

This start of another one of my collections although I have posted a few in the past

I have taken quite a few images over the years of Old Steam, Diesel and Electric engines and after sorting out probably 3,000 plus, I’ve now got it down to a more manageable number.

I’m starting with English Engines. Some of these images could be 25 years old. Many were transferred from negatives via a scanner so the quality will not be as good I would like. I have put them all through Photoshop to get rid of the most glaring issues

Apologies to those enthusiasts if I don’t get the right engine with the right Railway, they were taken a long time ago, some of them have moved on and my memory is not as good as it was.

Happy viewing.

This was one of my favourite Restored Railways to go to, simply because of the great variety of engines.

I had a conversation with a friend recently where the topic of failure came up. In specific, he was reflecting on the failure of his photography business and how that led to him avoiding photography for several years after his business went under. That brief conversation has been kicking around in my head ever since, particularly the power that the idea of failure has over us. We struggle with this concept in so many different ways, related to photography and otherwise. All of us have a fear of failure on some level or another and it influences our behavior and choices. To keep the scope of this manageable, I'll keep it revolving around photography. A good example is the idea of "bad pictures". We try to avoid making bad pictures, right? Why? What exactly is wrong with a bad picture? Well, it is a little failure on our part and enough of those strung together... so we follow trusted formulas, trends and cliches to make photos, that while not original, are at least better guaranteed of "success" both in our own eyes and those of others. It is fear of failure that makes it so hard for many photographers to share their work with their peers. What if it is not received positively? What does that say about me? It was fear of failure that led my friend to giving up photography after the perceived failure of his photo business. And I am sure there are many other ways we can list that this fear insinuates itself into our photographic lives.

I don't think I have all the answers on this. On some levels I am as much a victim of this fear as others. But I also feel like in some ways I have learned to inoculate myself against this fear as well, at least in photography. A big part of the way I did that was redefining what "success" and "failure" meant to me. It is a simple and tricky thing to do. But if you take a moment to consider that the rules of failure that we play by are rules that we have the power to dictate then it is simply a matter of changing those rules. I sometimes tangentially lecture on this to classes when I talk about the whole idea of "bad pictures". I encourage my students to not think of bad pictures as bad just because they didn't turn out like you wanted or expected, but rather to see them as learning opportunities with each picture you make teaching you something new and making you a slightly better photographer in the process. In that sense, no picture is a bad picture and every picture makes you more experienced and competent, even if that growth is incremental. That is changing the definition of both success and failure and by doing so eliminating to some degree the fear of failure via bad pictures at least.

I do think it is worth considering what you define as success and how wise a definition you are following. Is the success you are chasing financial? creative? social popularity? It is not that these are wrong answers per se, but they might be, or at least they might be wrong for you in that particular circumstance or moment. And if you are tripping up against that struggle with perceived failure, try changing you how perceive success and failure.

I don't know if this image embodies fear as much as it does disappointment (which is a lower version of fear I suppose). This was one of those photos that I liked the idea and execution but problems with the film itself manifested causing the speckling and mottling across the image. I scanned it anyway and left it for months in my To Edit folder, just sitting there. Then one night recently I was looking at it again and didn't see the failure I had seen before. That allowed me to see a success I had not seen before. And so I present this image with these thoughts today.

Hasselblad Flexbody

Rollei Retro 80S

This wheelchair, at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial, is a replica of one Roosevelt personally designed and used. Taking parts from a commercial wheelchair and the seat from an ordinary kitchen chair, he constructed a wheelchair that was more versatile and manageable.

Unfortunately, Flickr is not the best medium to produce any sort of serial ideas. Most people are looking for single images and never read the descriptions. Many people simply post their photos without so much as a title or any thought for context. Fair enough then, I am a fish out of water. By now you must have realised I am on about something much more than producing a "good shot".

But for those who do care about these things, and are not rushing to fave the next image that takes your fancy, let me share a few ideas from Susan Sontag about what photography can mean for us. I don't agree with all her conclusions in the book, but that said, "On Photography" (1971) and Roland Barthes' "Camera Lucida" (1980) still remain the best introductions to the meaning of photography in our modern age.

"In a world ruled by photographic images, all borders ('framing') seem arbitrary. Anything can be separated, can be made discontinuous from anything else, all that is necessary is to frame the subject differently. Photography reinforces a nominalist view of social reality as consisting of small units of an apparently infinite number - as the number of photographs that could be taken of anything is unlimited. Through photographs, the world becomes a series of unrelated, freestanding particles; and history, past and present, a set of anecdotes...The camera makes reality atomic, manageable and opaque. It is a view of the world which denies interconnectedness, continuity, but which confers on each moment the character of a mystery. Any photograph has multiple meanings..." (p.22-23).

Now this is where Sontag gets very interesting!

"The ultimate wisdom of the photographic image is to say: 'There is the surface. Now think - or rather feel, intuit - what is beyond it, what the reality must be like if it looks this way.' Photographs, which cannot themselves explain anything, are inexhaustible invitations to deduction, speculation, and fantasy." (p.23).

The problem most viewers of photographs have is that we have been so trained to think LITERALLY (this is a picture of graffiti), that we fail to make the necessary connections with deeper aspects of meaning.

- Why did I photograph this in fading light?

- Why has the building been abandoned?

- Is it beautiful?

- What was the graffitist trying to do?

The questions are endless.

But I've visited this sort of thinking before in discussing the Phenomenology of Photography.

www.flickr.com/photos/luminosity7/52536790756/in/datepost...

www.flickr.com/photos/luminosity7/52534433756/in/datepost...

The camera can be many things, but we often forget it can be a philosophical weapon to make us THINK.

Don't Hold Me Back

Just a suggestion to some men out there

Of on a side note. I ran a slide show of my favorites (vob – really nice) and suggest you all do as well (yours and maybe mine if you care – I will of yours). First, most of them are your photographs. Secondly, I was amazed at the collected talent and completely inspiring work I have selected as my favorites. You should be proud of the works you have produced. They are incredible. Many more could have been added, but I plan on being on Flickr for a long, long time and want my favorites to be manageable 10 years from now. I am so impressed and want to thank you for sharing your work and for being a friend, contact, critic, mentor, and inspiration to me. Thanks.

A long way from hauling East Coast commuters to and from Hoboken Terminal in New Jersey, San Luis & Rio Grande GP40PH–2s 4136, 4142, and 4138 make their way eastbound up the west slope of La Veta Pass in southern Colorado. Here near Mortimer, the 0.90 percent grade is easily manageable, but will grow to a tougher 2.5 percent near the summit at Fir, about 13 miles ahead.

The railroad on this side of La Veta Pass — between Russell and Alamosa, to be precise — was originally built as narrow gauge in 1878 by Denver & Rio Grande. The railroad then converted this stretch to standard gauge in 1899.

A slice of my life in Night City (Cyberpunk 2077).

I'm playing on PC with a decent computer, so the glitches are pretty manageable. The game itself is fantastic: well-acted, high-stakes dialogue in a vibrant, living world. It makes me want to get chipped with some preem chrome.

Morning sun working its way through the leaves and snow of trees and ninebark. A beautiful morning after a manageable snow fall.

Gral Guido

Después de la Independencia, Juan Manuel de Rosas, prominente hacendado, decidió impulsar la colonización y el poblamiento de la cuenca del Salado, y encomendó a su topógrafo, el agrimensor Senillosa, el relevamiento de la zona, con el objeto de fundar nuevos pueblos. Por decreto del 25 de diciembre de 1839, y tras la Revolución de los Libres del Sur, el gobernador Rodas decidió dividir el territorio al sur del Salado en nuevos partidos, más manejables, y nació entre ellos, el “partido del Vecino”, separado del partido de Tandil, sobre tierras de Don Cornelio Pizarro, quien fue su primera autoridad. No obstante, la riqueza de sus tierras, el partido careció de cabecera y de urbanización durante varias décadas, hasta que empezó el tendido del ferrocarril del Sur, hacia 1860. En 1887, se inaugura la estación Velázquez del ramal Dolores-Ayacucho, alrededor de la cual se empiezan a asentar trabajadores del ferrocarril y pobladores rurales de partido, y así en 1888 se funda el primer poblado del partido. En 1890, ante elcrecimiento experimentado por la población, los vecinos peticionan la autonomía municipal, la cual les es concedida en febrero de 1891. Ese mismo año, se impone al pueblo y a la estación ferroviaria el nombre de General Guido, en recuerdo del militar, político y diplomáticoTomas Guido, amigo y colaborador del general San Martin.

TRASLATOR

Gral Guido

After Independence, Juan Manuel de Rosas, a prominent landowner, decided to promote the colonization and settlement of the Salado basin, and entrusted his surveyor, the surveyor Senillosa, the survey of the area, in order to found new towns. By decree of December 25, 1839, and after the Revolution of the Free South, Governor Rhodes decided to divide the territory south of the Salado into new parties, more manageable, and was born among them, the "party of the Neighbor", separated of the party of Tandil, on lands of Don Cornelio Pizarro, who was his first authority. However, the wealth of their lands, the party lacked head and urbanization for several decades, until the laying of the Southern Railway began, around 1860. In 1887, the Velázquez station of the Dolores-Ayacucho branch was inaugurated, around which began to settle railroad workers and rural people of the party, and so in 1888 the first town of the party was founded. In 1890, before the growth experienced by the population, the neighbors petition for municipal autonomy, which is granted to them in February 1891. That same year, the name of General Guido is imposed on the town and the railway station, in memory of the military, political and diplomaticTomas Guido, friend and collaborator of General San Martin.

So many birds, so little time -- but here's just one found at Estero Lanno Grande State Park. Found a manageable way to use my 600mm 22-pound lens, using a small cart. It has a stiff manual focus, but I'm getting used to it.

Railways of Great Britain

This start of another one of my collections although I have posted a few in the past

I have taken quite a few images over the years of Old Steam, Diesel and Electric engines and after sorting out probably 3,000 plus, I’ve now got it down to a more manageable number.

I’m starting with English Engines. Some of these images could be 25 years old. Many were transferred from negatives via a scanner so the quality will not be as good I would like. I have put them all through Photoshop to get rid of the most glaring issues

Apologies to those enthusiasts if I don’t get the right engine with the right Railway, they were taken a long time ago, some of them have moved on and my memory is not as good as it was.

Happy viewing.

I usually don’t go out on cloudy days but out of frustration I did. We’re scheduled for another WEEK of rain and clouds.

I decided to visit an eagles nest about 35 minutes from me. When I arrived I was happy to see at least one eagle sitting low in the nest. A moment later it flew out and down low around the nest. I can only assume it was trying to grab a quick bite. It failed and returned to the nest. About 5 minutes later the second eagle returned. They switched positions and the original eagle took off for a break. It’s safe to assume they have at least one egg at this point,

I was surprised the pictures came out decent (I feel) considering I was approx. 75yards away. The reach on the lens with the 1.4x extender is approx. 1792mm. It was completely overcast. I feel that what little light there was must have been reflecting off the lake ( nest is right off it) helping to keep the iso at a manageable level.

Sage, from my garden, as the bush needed pruning. It's thrived, and had gotten leggy and unwieldy.

To make these into solid bundles, I pruned away the leggy bits, and cut what was mostly stem away from the leaf clusters, but kept the leaf clusters attached to their own bits of stem, to make assemblage easier. The woody parts went into the centre, for stability, and the more delicate leaves and slightly drier parts went around those. The bigger more sturdy leaf clusters were wrapped around the outside. I tied the bundles with linen twine--as it'll still smell pleasant as it burns, unlike wool--with a few knots down the length to keep it together as the smoulder gets up the stick. I left the cut leaves to wilt for a couple days to make them a little more manageable, but these finished bundles will have to dry for a couple weeks, until the sage is a little more leathery. They ought to be just a little green still when you burn them, otherwise they won't smoke so well, but mostly-dry is best.

33/365

See, this is my opinion: we all start out knowing magic. We are born able to sing to birds and read the clouds and see clearly the glittering mica in long stretches of grey cement.

But then we get the magic educated right out of our souls. We get it schooled out, spanked out, washed out, and combed out. We get put on the straight and narrow and told to be responsible. Told to act our age. Told to grow up, for God’s sake.

But when a song stirs a memory, when motes of dust turning in a shaft of light takes your attention from the world, when you listen to a train passing on a track at night in the distance and wonder where it might be going, you step beyond who you are and where you are. For the briefest of instants, you have stepped into the magic realm.

That’s what I believe.

The truth of life is that every year we get farther away from the essence that is born within us. We get shouldered with burdens, some of them good, some of them not so good. Things happen to us. We get swept up into reality, into work, into money. Loved ones leave us, sometimes they die. People lose their way, for one reason or another. It’s not hard to do. Life itself can seem to be doing its best to take that memory of magic away from us. You don’t know it’s happening until one day you feel you’ve lost something but you’re not sure what it is. It’s like smiling at a pretty girl and she calls you “sir.” It just happens.

These memories of magic are important to me. They make up a large part of who I’m going to be when my journey winds down. I need the memory of magic if I am ever going to conjure magic again. I need to know and remember, and I want to tell you.

- Robert McCammon

This was really fun to take. I took it last night after yesterday's wedding, Adam and I stopped off in a wheat field to shoot a few extra portraits. I've wanted to experiment more with night shooting and artificial light, and the concept of fireflies is something I've been looking into the last few days. I'll post the behind the scenes on facebook, later.

Magically, I'm definitely getting there. I'm still struggling a little with wanting to be here rather than there, but I'm confident I'll get there. Going to keep throwing myself into strange fields at night until I am!

On the drive home I had a little cry again, the grief is now a little more balanced and manageable. When it comes, I know it will pass, so feeling it is less frightening. I asked myself why I got myself into this mess, and I replied what I'd said to other people who had asked me throughout this year - because he is like no other person I've ever met. Because some people deserve to be stories, retold, over and over. Because he is magic personified. I'd rather have it only for a short time and never again, than never at all.

And nicely, it all still stands :-)

Trying to add the backlog in manageable numbers :)

I planned this shot with the sun rising at the end of the alley, perhaps with fog and with some autumn colour. None of that was to be. The morning was cloudy after a night of rain. That was good for enriching the colours and keeping the contrast manageable. But the result was flat, and the composition was unsatisfying, with the colour distracting from the forms.

So after a lot of back-and-forth, and a night sleeping on it, I've chosen to go with a pseudo-infrared conversion. This makes the most of the trees and foliage but tones down the red leaves on the forest floor.

UPDATE: About a month after I took this shot a storm felled the two large trees on the right-hand side, as well as many other trees in the background.