Be My Love in the Rain

My wonder in the sunlight

My silence in a world screaming aloud

My conscience when others run amok

My sanity in the madness.

 

Another work of short poetry or prose to complement the image captured one morning in Black Canyon of The Gunnison National Park while walking the Rim Rock Trail. This had been the first point I’d stopped the day prior upon entering this national park at Tomichi Point. To say that it was amazing, might be a little bit of an understatement! So I was walking along the Rim Rock Trail from the visitor center to this point and took a few minutes to once again soak in the view. I decided to angle my Nikon SLR camera slightly downward and capture more of the sweeping view looking down into the canyon and then across to a far distant horizon. I also felt that minimizing the negative space of the blue skies above would also help in the composition of this vista-like view. Nearby would be in focus, while the sunlight and haze would create more of a "dreamy like" look to the more distant portions of this national park setting and canyon.

 

I later worked with control points in DxO PhotoLab 3 and then made some adjustments to bring out the contrast, saturation and brightness I wanted for the final image.

Had this eerie sense of floating through a cemetery this morning in the final moments before waking. A common theme lately is low altitude levitation (as opposed to full-fledged high level flight that I experienced when I was younger). It's as if my subconscious has become more cautious with age (mirroring a similar change in my conscious mind). The reasoning seems to still allow the fantasy of self flight, but the low altitude minimizes the risk of serious injury if I suddenly plummet into the ground (which never happens yet the risk, or at least fear, remains). In the dream, there's nothing at all unusual about a feat that, in real life, would literally defy the law of gravity. I either lift off the ground, or take a running jump that leads to absurdly long hang time before my feet touch back down. In this morning's iteration, I wound my way through the gravestones, observing them as I went, with little more direction than a leaf blowing in the wind. Yet it all felt perfectly controlled. The crossover between dream and wakeful thought was a place called Skeleton Hill. No such place exists in my real life (though I so wish it did). So my subconscious conjured it up for me. I just love when dreams mesh with conscious thought like this. And that the dream state created a name for this ethereal place. Dreams like Skeleton Hill are not the norm. Just as often I have an anxiety dream (well short of a nightmare but still unpleasant). These have taken many forms over the years. The anxiety morphs into whatever is mostly like to bother me in real life at any particular time. It's never really a big thing such that the anxiety is usually way out of proportion to the event. Doesn't matter, it's all just a dream. A recurrent format is the inability to photograph something that I desperately want or need to. The reasons vary. Maybe I can't locate my camera. Or the batteries are dead. Or I can't work the settings. Whatever. I generally awake still trying to sort out the malfunction with a sense of desperation. The urgency soon dissipates as I realize it was all in my mind. This is simply an updated version of a dream from my school days which involved me wandering the school hallways unable to locate my classroom. At least there's some balance. I can take some anxiety knowing some night soon I'll return to Skeleton Hill.

I was so captivated by the shapes, lines, and textures of these trees that I didn't think to try to I.D. them. They were growing from a steep hillside, so I switched to a short telephoto and stepped back, to minimize that feeling of looking up, and to ensure sufficient depth of field. The colour palette here was limited to browns and greys; hence the black and white conversion. In fact, I was thinking b&w while setting up the shot (which isn't always the case).

 

Photographed at Pine Cree Regional Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2020 James R. Page - all rights reserved.

ॐڿڰۣ-ღ

 

Peace and love is an alibi

Kiss and hug, give a smile for the public eye

There’s a lot about me they wanna minimize

Looking for me? That makes both you and I, tell ‘em

I can’t see

 

OK OK OK

Say whatever (wah wah wah wah wah)

Say whatever (ratatata ratatouille)

Say whatever (wah wah wah wah wah)

I’m Calvin Klein, Turning Red, CK Louis

 

I’m pissing on your PC, cancel me or diss me

PC people piss me off

I’m pissing on your PC, this isn’t fucking Disney

Pissing on your peace and love

 

None of this is about you, Honey.

A setting looking to the southeast while taking in views across eroded formations and mountainside of Castolon Peak in Big Bend National Park. There were two reasons why I angled my Nikon SLR camera slightly downward. One was to bring out more of a prominence to the peak itself, but also to minimize the sun being in the image with any lens artifacts.

A family of trumpeter swans flies over Wintergreen Lake on an overcast day in November. Converted to a canvas texture to minimize the effects from a fast shutter speed and a high iso against a darker backdrop.

What I’d call a medium wide angle view (50mm) and image captured looking to the southeast from a side porch viewing area in the North Face Lodge area while staying a few days in Denali National Park & Preserve. My thinking with this image was to angle my Nikon SLR camera slightly downward, capturing more of a sweeping view across the autumn colors that were starting to come out across the tundra in this part of the national park. I would have a little bit of blue skies above but wanted to minimize that as I felt it was more of a negative space. I was though able to capture the full breath of the mountain peaks to my front with Mount Brooks on the image left leading all the way to Denali on the image right. I did some initial post-processing work making adjustments to contrast, brightness and saturation while playing around as I learned how to work with DxO PhotoLab 3 that I’d recently purchased after moving away from Capture NX2.

A setting looking to the west while taking in views of a pod of California brown pelicans in flight at Tolowa Dunes State Park. My thinking in composing this image was to zoom in with the focal length to include only this one portion of the birds. The rest was the matter of attempting to line up the ocean and overcast skies to kind of sort of blend in as a backdrop and minimize that while focusing on the birds.

Can nature be non photogenic or is it just a photographer's concept of perfection that is the problem? There are obvious things to like about this natural scene. Fluffy clouds in a blue sky, colorful rocks, geology, water reflecting the landscape and sky. But there are distractions, or at least things that I find distracting. The scrubby tree on the far side of the pool and the pile of old roots and dead grass in the lower left corner; although, I do like the reflection of that scrubby tree in the little pond. There was nowhere to stand to completely exclude the clutter and still get a good image with the pool reflections. I cropped this image a little in an effort to minimize the clutter and keep as much of the more pleasing portions of the scene as possible. It was also not the best time of the day for landscape photography; but realizing that I might never be here again, I did the best that I could to capture the natural beauty in the landscape.

A view at Polychrome Overlook looking across a...very large glacial valley to the southeast and distant snowcapped peaks of the Alaska Range. Using the highpoint overlook I had and wanting to minimize the more negative space in the hazy skies above, I angled my Nikon SLR camera slightly downward to bring out more of the sweeping view of this valley that by map estimates was well over 5 miles. The mountain peaks would then tower above in the upper part of the image, creating even more of a sense of scale to this national park setting. I did some initial post-processing work making adjustments to contrast, brightness and saturation while playing around as I learned how to work with DxO PhotoLab 3 that I’d recently purchased after moving away from Capture NX2.

Wherever One Is Going! While walking around the sand dune formations in the Pump Jack Picnic area of Monahans Sandhills State Park with a view looking to the east. What I wanted to capture with this image was a look across and up the sand dune formations with the ripples of sand and foot prints from another person recently walked. The sun would be high up in the skies with its warm sunlight and casting shadows in other places. The one thing I did have to keep in mind, other than metering the image properly to not below any highlights, was also to minimize the artifacts across the lens from the sunlight. I was able to minimize that and then work with Photoshop to heal those out. I later worked with control points in DxO PhotoLab 6 and then made some adjustments to bring out the contrast, saturation and brightness I wanted for the final image.

At an overlook while hiking along the Lassen Peak Trail with a view to the north-northwest while taking in a view up this mountainside to the main peak area (and destination of the hike I was on). This is in Lassen Volcanic National Park. While I did want to minimize the blue skies which I kind of felt were more of a negative space, I did like the color contrast it provided, compared to the earth-tones in the lower portion of the image

Just about the most photographed site in England, Stonehenge in Wiltshire. And on a bank holiday weekend it was pretty popular. I actually took this with a view to minimizing the people in it. I shot it low down in the first place and I started removing the people that remained from left to right with the intention of cropping off the biggest crowd on the right hand edge. But actually, they lend some scale and are part of the story so some lucky people get to stay!

www.facebook.com/CarolynEatonPhotography

The annual event of "Kieler Woche" regularly means longer trains on the unelectrified lines to Kiel. And some of them are even loco hauled instead of the usual Lint DMUs. DB 218 470 (RE 21628 to Kiel) and 218 330 (RE 21633 to Lübeck) meet at the minimized station of Eutin, that was opened 150 years and a couple of weeks earlier.

Decades ago, this has been a quite known view, but semaphores and signal boxes are gone and the tall trees now are hiding the wind mill.

The first locos of class 218 appeared on this line in the 1970s, when new at Flensburg depot, and have since been used here, albeit there are now only two trains on weekdays left. Except during the Kieler Woche.

 

Don't trust the station clocks, that haven't worked for months. It's 19.30.

Stanisławów

 

It was my first night outdoors with the Milky Way. I was so fascinated that in the darkness I didn't notice the power line wires.

 

Now I know that good visibility of details of the Rho Ophiuchi is a necessary element of the Milky Way - for me it is an indicator of the quality of the "nightscape images" composition. The combination of blurred clouds with Rho Opiuchi at a strong point gives dynamics to the composition . At that time, the photo was taken intuitively.

 

Further implications for the most favorable focal lengths are obvious. In my opinion, the fast 17mm f/1.8 MFT (35mm FF) prime is the best option for showing the details of the Milky Way without losing its enormity. As the viewing angle increases, the amount of detail will decrease - for me, the focal length of 10mm f2.0 MFT (20mm FF) is beyond the reasonable focal length (with the lens distortion minimized).

 

All this can be further improved by extending the exposure time using an astrotracker, which will minimize noise and enable the creation of mosaics (panoramas with high detail of the Milky Way) and with illumination of the foreground (painting with light with the subject on the ground surface) and its composition.

Photographed while hiking Sunday River Whitecap, a somewhat remote peak in northwestern Maine. It is a very long hike via the Grafton Loop Trail, but many hikers choose to get to the summit via an "unofficial" route that includes an unpaved logging road, a bootleg trail, and finally the Grafton Loop Trail, for a total round trip distance of about 6.5 miles and about 2100' of climbing.

 

Much of the plant life in the "alpine zone" has adapted to cold temperatures and high winds by growing low to the ground. Some of the vegetation that retains its leaves year round has also evolved a waxy coating on the leaves, to help prevent desiccation. That waxy coating causes a lot of reflections, which I tried to minimize in this shot by using a circular polarizing filter.

 

Old Speck, the fifth highest peak in Maine at 4,170', can be seen on the upper right.

 

Both Old Speck and Sunday River Whitecap (3,335') are in the Mahoosuc Range. The Mahoosuc Range is a northern extension of the White Mountains, and straddles the border between New Hampshire and Maine. Substantial parts of the range are publicly owned as parts of the National Park Service Appalachian Trail corridor and Grafton Notch State Park in Maine. The range is a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains.

  

Here is a shot of my new camera, the Leica Q2. Last week I was inspired to sell my entire Fujifilm gear (3 bodies and 6 lenses) and other non-Fujifilm lenses to finance the purchase of the Q2, a full-frame, fixed lens camera. I admit that I had cold feet a few times prior to my purchase, but I am very happy with my decision. It is very liberating minimizing my camera collection and no longer having to agonize over which camera body/lens combo to bring with me when I go out shooting. See previous post of the first shot taken with this camera.

Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikk%C5%8D_T%C5%8Dsh%C5%8D-g%C5%AB:

 

Nikkō Tōshō-gū (日光東照宮) is a Tōshō-gū Shinto shrine located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.

 

Together with Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji, it forms the Shrines and Temples of Nikkō UNESCO World Heritage Site, with 42 structures of the shrine included in the nomination. Five of them are designated as National Treasures of Japan, and three more as Important Cultural Properties.

 

Tōshō-gū is dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. It was initially built in 1617, during the Edo period, while Ieyasu's son Hidetada was shōgun. It was enlarged during the time of the third shōgun, Iemitsu. Ieyasu is enshrined there, where his remains are also entombed. This shrine was built by Tokugawa retainer Tōdō Takatora.

 

During the Edo period, the Tokugawa shogunate carried out stately processions from Edo to the Nikkō Tōshō-gū along the Nikkō Kaidō. The shrine's annual spring and autumn festivals reenact these occasions, and are known as "processions of a thousand warriors". Cedar trees line the roadway, termed the Cedar Avenue of Nikkō.

 

Five structures at Nikkō Tōshō-gū are categorized as National Treasures of Japan, and three more as Important Cultural Properties. Additionally, two swords in the possession of the shrine are National Treasures, and many other objects are Important Cultural Properties. Famous buildings at the Tōshō-gū include the richly decorated Yōmeimon (陽明門), a gate that is also known as "higurashi-no-mon". The latter name means that one could look at it until sundown, and not tire of seeing it. Carvings in deep relief, painted in rich colors, decorate the surface of the structure. The next gate is the karamon decorated with white ornaments. Located nearby is a woodcarving of a sleepy cat, "Nemuri-neko", attributed to Hidari Jingorō.

 

The stable of the shrine's sacred horses bears a carving of the three wise monkeys, who hear, speak and see no evil, a traditional symbol in Japanese culture that is derived from a quote in the Analects.

 

The original five-storey pagoda was donated by a daimyō in 1650, but it was burned down during a fire, and was rebuilt in 1818. Each storey represents an element–earth, water, fire, wind and aether (or void)–in ascending order. Inside the pagoda, a central shinbashira pillar hangs from chains[3] to minimize damage from earthquakes.

 

Hundreds of stone steps lead through the cryptomeria forest up to the grave of Ieyasu. A torii at the top bears calligraphy attributed to Emperor Go-Mizunoo. A bronze urn contains the remains of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

 

In 2008, Yuri Kawasaki became the first female Shinto priest ever to serve at Nikkō Tōshō-gū.

This image was actually quite challenging to produce. Since I was shooting straight into the sun, I had to blend together multiple exposures to minimize over-exposed highlights and under-exposed shadows. While it didn't come out perfectly I think what I made out of this shot is pretty cool. This is Iceland's famous Ice Beach.

 

From the photoblog at www.shutterrunner.com.

 

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ShutterRunner

 

Friend me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ShutterRunner

With this image, I decided to use a taller growth of some trees on the far shore of Indigo Lake to…how shall I say, capture that image that seemed have a balance of the real world with trees and a grassy meadow (while minimizing overcast skies above) and compliment that with a mirrored reflection on the still waters of indigo Lake.

A selfie of me shooting time-lapses and tracked Milky Way images at the 76 Ranch Corral site at Grasslands National Park, August 27, 2019. Taken for use as a book cover. High cloud and a dark aircraft contrail drifting through added the star glows and the dark streak. Jupiter, at right, and Saturn, at left, flank the Milky Way. Altair is the bright star at top.

 

This is a stack of 10 x 30-second exposures for the ground to smooth noise and one exposure for the sky and for me, to minimize trailing and movement. All with the Sony a7III at ISO 6400 and Venus Optics 15mm lens at f/2. LENR on. Orton Glow effect added with Luminar Flex.

The Sun Rises in the Morning

It’s time to start the day a new

As I stretched this weary body,

I gave thanks for being alive

Ravens soared an acrobatic display

Sunlight danced across the Arizona desert

In a short while I would be heading west

To see something grand, a canyon of the Colorado

Another park to find

And adventures awaits.

 

Another work of short poetry or prose to complement the image captured one morning from the motel I was staying in Holbrook, AZ, just outside of Petrified Forest National Park. I'd seen ravens flying about a few minutes earlier as I started loading my rental car for the next stop on that vacation trip. With the sunlight seemingly dancing across the high Arizona desert, I was mesmerized by both the birds flying and the sunlight coming from the east. Therefore, my thinking in composing this image was to capture both. Metering the image was a little more involved as as I knew there would be a high dynamic range, given the bright sunlight as well as the more shadowed areas nearby. I exposed for the highlights, knowing I could later pull the shadowed areas out in post production. One thing I did want to minimize was the lens flare coming across any image capture. What did remain, I was able to heal out using Photoshop. I then made some adjustments to contrast, saturation, and brightness using DxO PhotoLab 4.

While Prague is one of the most awesome cities for photography in Europe, it’s also one of the busiest. In episode 10 of Moments in Time, we learn the best times to navigate the crowded streets and towers while minimizing the amount of people in our frame. As a bonus, Erik Johansson gives us a full demonstration of how he creates his beautiful and surrealistic pieces of art.

 

View the entire episode here: youtu.be/RnK8QeuXam0

 

The Moments In Time Flickr Community

 

Connect with us and keep the discussion going by joining our new Moments in Time Community on Flickr. Share photos, help to suggest new places for us to go, and enjoy exclusive bonus episodes. We’d love for you to join the community, introduce yourself and say hello!

 

Follow this link to join: bit.ly/2WJGAFO

  

This image was captured on a cool late autumn afternoon, with a nice overcast day. The kind of day that all us photographers wait for to capture our outdoor photographs. The day where clouds become our natural diffusers, and shadows are minimized. If you go out on those days and take photos you'll notice an instant improvement in your images. Better color, no harsh shadows, a crisp image with no air turbulence (especially if you're using a telephoto lens). I'd bet my money that most people blame a telephoto lens for being soft rather than blame conditions such as atmospheric heat waves. It makes a huge difference. I took this image while in my truck. I find that even the difference in temperature inside the truck and the outside environment can cause issues with camera's focus accuracy. I usually keep the windows open to climatize the environment which greatly improves focus accuracy, especially when photographing flying birds. It gets worse when temperatures are below freezing, so keep that in mind if you're like me and like using your vehicle as a blind. It can get uncomfortable in below freezing temperatures.... no one said wildlife photography was easy..... but well worth it I'd say.....

 

Thanks for looking and I appreciate all the kind comments.

 

Canon 7d ii + 100-400 ii @ 400mm, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 1000

 

(C) Moe Ali Photography

 

www.moealiphotography.com

 

It's hard to beat a late afternoon setting with a view like this! Here I was standing on the banks of the Merced River looking to the west with Yosemite Valley and the mountain peaks…wow! And yes, my Nikon SLR camera was ready :-)

 

For the image, I wanted to focus on that "wow" feeling anyone would have taking in a setting like this. Most of the day, I been slightly angling my camera downward in order to capture more of the foreground and not have as much "negative" blue space above. I decided to not follow that trend for this setting and keep the horizon more level, minimizing that river flowing by me, albeit with a slight amount for kind of a frame. I could then crop the some of the blue skies above and have more of that panoramic feeling for the final image.

I captured this image as a way to bide my time and work on metering this setting with the sun shining overhead. With some post-production work in Capture NX2, I was able to bring out those more shadowed areas out with an accurate color and minimize any color casts. Then I had that person who just didn't seem to want to move...for minutes! I decided to include this image as he had his back to me and also gave an important perspective for size standing under this famous arch.

A view looking to the northwest across the canyon and gorge with blue skies above while walking the Warner Point Nature Trail and then at a vantage overlook in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. This wound up being a difficult image to capture as I was more or less looking into the sun. I worked different angles to minimize that by angling my Nikon SLR camera slightly downward. That allowed me to create a more sweeping view across this national park landscape and definitely bring out more of the grand view present. I initially used Nikon ViewNXi to export a TIFF image with minimal processing of only a landscape setting and white balance. I then worked with DxO PhotoLab 3 to finish up post-processing by making adjustments to saturation, brightness and contrast.

The waning moon, seen through a TS Optics TSAPO65Q quadruplet (=there are four lenses in the tube) apochromatic (=chromatic aberration is minimized (=no nasty colour fringes)) refracting (=it uses glass, not mirrors) telescope, focal length 420 mm, aperture 65 mm.

 

Camera: Canon EOS600D, ISO 100, 1/125s

The F-117 Nighthawk, a groundbreaking stealth aircraft, played a pivotal role during the Gulf War. Introduced in 1981, it featured a faceted design to minimize radar cross-section. Powered by twin engines, it achieved subsonic speeds and had a range of 930 miles. The F-117 boasted precision-guided weaponry, enhancing its strategic impact.

FATAL FASHION features their New Original " Outfit 261 - Mary"

 

Outfit includes Top, Sleeves, Shorts, Sneakers, Necklace, Earrings

 

Fits - Altamura, eBODY Curvy, Freya, Hourglass,

Kupra Bimbo-Low-Original, Legacy & Legacy Perky,

Maitreya & Maitreya Petite, Tonic Curvy-Fine-Minimizer

 

FATAL FASHION FLICKR

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WILD BRANCH BREWING CO. - Photo Location

  

For Details, check out my Blog here.

 

Although 1932 was not a banner year for fine automobile sales, Packard’s new and expanded model lineup was one of the most stylish in the company’s storied history. The Ninth Series models were introduced early to the public on June 17, 1931, and most notably were longer, lower, faster, and more refined than ever before.

 

The lengthened chassis was redesigned, based on a new “double-drop” frame. The standard 320 cubic inch eight-cylinder engine produced a stout 110 horsepower, and was modified with a redesigned intake manifold and cooling fan, along with a compression increase to 6.0:1. Noise was reduced as well, thanks to a redesigned air cleaner; and vibration was minimized with a jointed, rubber-mounted driveshaft as well as new rubber engine mounts. While a four-speed all-synchromesh transmission was initially fitted, it was replaced mid-year by a three-speed gearbox. Chassis lubrication remained via the Bijur system, but the 40 lubrication points were now all oiled automatically. An innovative adjustable shock absorber system known as “Ride Control” allowed the driver a choice of three settings to tune-in the desired ride quality. This system was controlled by a plunger near the driver’s left knee, which controlled the amount of oil that was supplied to the shock absorbers.

 

For 1932, one of the most attractive in the Series 902 was Body No. 509, the Coupe Roadster. With its snug fitting top and roll-up windows, it was really no longer a roadster, but actually a convertible coupe. A new top design allowed it to be folded flat into the body, a so called disappearing top, which when down provided the Coupe Roadster with a flowing, graceful, sporty appearance. All the Packard Coupe Roadster models were fitted with a rumble seat. With a list price ranging from $2,650 to $2,850, wire wheels were standard, but dual sidemounts were an option.

 

320 cubic inch inline 8 cylinder, 110 horsepower, 3-speed manual transmission, 4-wheel mechanical drum brakes, wheelbase: 136.5 inches.

 

Source: www.packardphaeton.com/1932-packard-902-standard-eight-co...

 

Original purchase price: $1,795

1932 average annual income: $1,141

I really like the way the artist, Susan Helton minimized the four windows.

 

Along the tracks in Shoshone, Idaho.

This wall was part of a now abandoned railroad across the Cascade Mountains. In order to level the tracks and minimize the grade, a huge wall was built along the hillside, with the tracks laid across the top. The Cascades railroad was opened in 1893, and was quite an engineering feat, with switchbacks built so that the train would first go in one direction, get to the end of the track that way, and be switched to the next stretch of track headed the other direction, until it reached its destination at the top of the tracks. I put the link to the Wikipedia article at the bottom, so you can peruse and marvel at your leisure. I hit this particular trail late in the day, so didn’t do the 7 plus mile loop, which I hope to do this year when the snow melts a bit more.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevens_Pass_Historic_District

New hairstyle 'Mood' is now available at Magika. Have a look at the image for a list of included features. If you're a 'Magika Hair' group member you can enjoy a discount on this style until Monday.

 

You can also join the social media giveaway for a chance to win a free copy/refund of the new hair. Just follow the steps on www.magika.se/giveaway

 

Magika also has a new logo and the HUD has been redesigned. The new HUD is a bit smaller, cleaner, and can be minimized by clicking the M. All the hairstyles in the latest collection has been updated with the new HUD, and you can claim a free update via the Redelivery at the mainstore.

 

Shop links at magika.se/shop

  

THE GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED

Thank you so much to everyone who participated!

If your name is listed below you've won and have been contacted:

DelaRosa Glimmer, Lacrymosed Resident, Miyonee Resident, Natsumi Latour, Darling Amethyst, MelodyAnne Wellesley, bunnytakeda, Experssensus resident, Mellie Secretspy, and Faith Harbrough.

thousends of water drops with mirrored/minimized M&Ms

 

setup:

-glass plate with water drops

-M&Ms placed under the glass plate

-remote flash, flashes on the M&Ms

-camera placed over the glass plate

->adjust distance plate-camera, M&Ms-plate, camera focus to get best results

Selene création present:

Myla

5 individual colors or 15 colors in the fatpack Sizes : Tonic fine, curvy, minimizer - Star Mesh - Maitreya - eBody curvy, classic - Belleza Isis, Freya, Venus - Altamura - Legacy - SLink Hourglass - Signature Alice In the shop : maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lempicka/87/233/22

This is an older version of the prior image and they were the common variety in October for this area. The image was created with a 40 image stack so the noise was minimized.

 

Thanks for Explore! Also, I really want to thank all of you that have and are supporting my images with Faves and comments! ~ Thanks!, Gracias!, Merci!

Cowboys herd longhorn cattle down the streets of the Fort Worth Stockyards past spectators during a catlle drive. The drives are held twice daily to celebrate the history Fort Worth. Between 1866 and 1890, drovers trailed more than four million head of cattle through Fort Worth. The city soon became known as “Cowtown.”

When the railroad arrived in 1876, Fort Worth became a major shipping point for livestock, so the city built the Union Stockyards, two and a half miles north of the Tarrant County Courthouse, in 1887.

But the Union Stockyards Company lacked the funds to buy enough cattle to attract local ranchers, so President Mike C. Hurley invited wealthy Boston capitalist Greenleif Simpson to Fort Worth in hopes he would invest. A lucky fluke won Simpson over as an investor. He arrived and found the pens full of cattle, so he decided Fort Worth represented a good market, and made plans to invest. Little did he know, the pens didn’t normally hold that much cattle. He’d simply arrived on the heels of heavy rains and a railroad strike.

On April 27, 1893, Simpson bought the Union Stockyards for $133,333.33 and changed the name to the Fort Worth Stockyards Company. in order to spread his risk, Simpson invited other investors to join him, including his Boston neighbor, Louville V. Niles, whose primary business was meatpacking. They soon realized that instead of sending the cattle off to other markets to be processed, they’d be much better off building meat packing plants nearby in order to minimize further shipping and feed cost. The investors began working to attract major packers to Fort Worth, and by about 1900, they had persuaded both Armour & Co. and Swift & Co. to build plants near the Stockyards.

 

The Stockyards are now a National Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

A view looking to the southeast while on a bus ride into Denali National Park & Preserve. I can't recall if the bus stopped at this point, but I did brace myself and use a focal point such that I would minimize any of the movement experienced. I discovered many years ago on a train ride to not include things nearby while moving as they tended to have a blur or drift that would sometimes distract from the image. Here I found a point up this mountainside and used a quick enough shutter speed to minimize that effect. I did some initial post-processing work making adjustments to contrast, brightness and saturation while playing around as I learned how to work with DxO PhotoLab 3 and then used the ClearView tool to reduce some of the haze present.

Bitterly cold today -6C

3rd Moorhen standing on one foot to minimize heat loss.

Images taken just before dusk in our garden.

   

Another one fo those roadside pullouts along the Wildlife Loop Road in Custer State Park with a view looking to the South. What I liked about this view was how I could look down and across the rolling hillsides to take in the view that seemed to stretch on and on. By angling my Nikon SLR camera slightly downward, I felt I was better able to capture that view across this varied landscape, as well as minimizing the overcast skies above. After some initial work with color, contrast and saturation, I added a Pro Contrast CEP filter in Capture NX2 which helped to work with the more muted colors from the overcast skies that afternoon.

111 Water Saving Tips

 

#1. There are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you.

 

#2. When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.

 

#3. Evaporative coolers require a seasonal maintenance checkup. For more efficient cooling, check your evaporative cooler annually.

 

#4. Check your sprinkler system frequently and adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.

 

#5. Run your washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full and you could save 1000 gallons a month.

 

#6. Avoid planting turf in areas that are hard to water such as steep inclines and isolated strips along sidewalks and driveways.

 

#7. Install covers on pools and spas and check for leaks around your pumps.

 

#8. Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost instead and save gallons every time.

 

#9. Plant during the spring or fall when the watering requirements are lower.

 

#10. Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks, so that every drop goes down you not the drain.

 

#11. Check your water meter and bill to track your water usage.

 

#12. Minimize evaporation by watering during the early morning hours, when temperatures are cooler and winds are lighter.

 

#13. Wash your produce in the sink or a pan that is partially filled with water instead of running water from the tap.

 

#14. Use a layer of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and save hundreds of gallons of water a year.

 

#15. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk and save 80 gallons of water every time.

 

#16. If your shower can fill a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, then replace it with a water-efficient showerhead.

 

#17. Collect the water you use for rinsing produce and reuse it to water houseplants.

 

#18. Divide your watering cycle into shorter periods to reduce runoff and allow for better absorption every time you water.

 

#19. We're more likely to notice leaky faucets indoors, but don't forget to check outdoor faucets, pipes, and hoses for leaks.

 

#20. Periodically check your pool for leaks if you have an automatic refilling device.

 

#21. Only water your lawn when needed. You can tell this by simply walking across your lawn. If you leave footprints, it's time to water.

 

#22. When you shop for a new appliance, consider one offering cycle and load size adjustments. They are more water and energy-efficient than older appliances.

 

#23. Time your shower to keep it under 5 minutes. You'll save up to 1000 gallons a month.

 

#24. Install low-volume toilets.

 

#25. Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. Longer grass shades root systems and holds soil moisture better than a closely clipped lawn.

 

#26. When you clean your fish tank, use the water you've drained on your plants. The water is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, providing you with a free and effective fertilizer.

 

#27. Use the sprinkler for larger areas of grass. Water small patches by hand to avoid waste.

 

#28. Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl, you have a leak. It's easy to fix, and you can save more than 600 gallons a month.

 

#29. Plug the bathtub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.

 

#30. Use porous materials for walkways and patios to keep water in your yard and prevent wasteful runoff.

 

#31. Direct downspouts and other runoff towards shrubs and trees, or collect and use for your garden.

 

#32. Designate one glass for your drinking water each day. This will cut down on the number of times you run your dishwasher.

 

#33. Water your summer lawns once every three days and your winter lawn once every five days.

 

#34. Install a rain shut-off device on your automatic sprinklers to eliminate unnecessary watering.

 

#35. Don't use running water to thaw food.

 

#36. Choose a water-efficient drip irrigation system for trees, shrubs and flowers. Watering at the roots is very effective, be careful not to over water.

 

#37. Grab a wrench and fix that leaky faucet. It's simple, inexpensive, and can save 140 gallons a week.

 

#38. Reduce the amount of grass in your yard by planting shrubs, and ground cover with rock and granite mulching.

 

#39. When doing laundry, match the water level to the size of the load.

 

#40. Teach your children to turn the faucets off tightly after each use.

 

#41. Remember to check your sprinkler system valves periodically for leaks and keep the heads in good shape.

 

#42. Before you lather up, install a low-flow showerhead. They're inexpensive, easy to install, and can save your family more than 500 gallons a week.

 

#43. Soak your pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.

 

#44. Don't water your lawn on windy days. After all, sidewalks and driveways don't need water.

 

#45. Water your plants deeply but less frequently to create healthier and stronger landscapes.

 

#46. Make sure you know where your master water shut-off valve is located. This could save gallons of water and damage to your home if a pipe were to burst.

 

#47. When watering grass on steep slopes, use a soaker hose to prevent wasteful runoff.

 

#48. Group plants with the same watering needs together to get the most out of your watering time.

 

#49. Remember to weed your lawn and garden regularly. Weeds compete with other plants for nutrients, light, and water.

 

#50. While fertilizers promote plant growth, they also increase water consumption. Apply the minimum amount of fertilizer needed.

 

#51. Avoid installing ornamental water features and fountains that spray water into the air. Trickling or cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation.

 

#52. Use a commercial car wash that recycles water.

 

#53. Don't buy recreational water toys that require a constant flow of water.

 

#54. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth and save 4 gallons a minute. That's 200 gallons a week for a family of four.

 

#55. Buy a rain gauge to track how much rain or irrigation your yard receives. Check with your local water agency to see how much rain is needed to skip an irrigation cycle.

 

#56. Encourage your school system and local government to help develop and promote a water conservation ethic among children and adults.

 

#57. Teach your family how to shut off your automatic watering systems. Turn sprinklers off if the system is malfunctioning or when a storm is approaching.

 

#58. Set a kitchen timer when watering your lawn or garden with a hose.

 

#59. Make sure your toilet flapper doesn't stick open after flushing.

 

#60. Make sure there are aerators on all of your faucets.

 

#61. Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low water use plant for year-round landscape color and save up to 550 gallons each year.

 

#62. Install an instant water heater on your kitchen sink so you don't have to let the water run while it heats up. This will also reduce heating costs for your household.

 

#63. Use a grease pencil to mark the water level of your pool at the skimmer. Check the mark 24 hours later. Your pool should lose no more than 1/4 inch each day.

 

#64. Cut back on rinsing if your dishwasher is new. Newer models clean more thoroughly than older ones.

 

#65. Use a screwdriver as a soil probe to test soil moisture. If it goes in easily, don't water. Proper lawn watering can save thousands of gallons of water annually.

  

#66. Avoid overseeding your lawn with winter grass. Once established, ryegrass needs water every three to five days, whereas dormant Bermuda grass needs water only once a month.

  

#67. Do one thing each day that will save water. Even if savings are small, every drop counts.

  

#68. When the kids want to cool off, use the sprinkler in an area where your lawn needs it the most.

  

#69. Make sure your swimming pools, fountains, and ponds are equipped with recirculating pumps.

  

#70. Bathe your young children together.

  

#71. Landscape with Xeriscape trees, plants and groundcovers. Call your local conservation office for more information about these water thrifty plants.

  

#72. Winterize outdoor spigots when temps dip to 20 degrees F to prevent pipes from bursting or freezing.

  

#73. Insulate hot water pipes so you don't have to run as much water to get hot water to the faucet.

  

#74. Wash your car on the grass. This will water your lawn at the same time.

 

#75. Drop that tissue in the trash instead of flushing it and save gallons every time.

 

#76. If you have an evaporative cooler, direct the water drain to a flowerbed, tree, or your lawn.

 

#77. Make suggestions to your employer to save water (and dollars) at work.

 

#78. Support projects that use reclaimed wastewater for irrigation and other uses.

 

#79. Use a hose nozzle and turn off the water while you wash your car and save more than 100 gallons.

 

#80. Encourage your friends and neighbors to be part of a water-conscious community.

 

#81. If your toilet was installed prior to 1980, place a toilet dam or bottle filled with water in your toilet tank to cut down on the amount of water used for each flush. Be sure these devices do not interfere with operating parts.

 

#82. Install water softening systems only when necessary. Save water and salt by running the minimum number of regenerations necessary to maintain water softness.

  

#83. Wash clothes only when you have a full load and save up to 600 gallons each month.

  

#84. Leave lower branches on trees and shrubs and allow leaf litter to accumulate on top of the soil. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation.

  

#85. Pick-up the phone and report significant water losses from broken pipes, open hydrants and errant sprinklers to the property owner or your water management district.

  

#86. Bermuda grasses are dormant (brown) in the winter and will only require water once every three to four weeks or less if it rains.

 

#87. Start a compost pile. Using compost when you plant adds water-holding organic matter to the soil.

 

#88. Use sprinklers that throw big drops of water close to the ground. Smaller drops of water and mist often evaporate before they hit the ground.

 

#89. Listen for dripping faucets and toilets that flush themselves. Fixing a leak can save 500 gallons each month.

 

#90. More plants die from over-watering than from under-watering. Be sure only to water plants when necessary.

 

#91. Cook food in as little water as possible. This will also retain more of the nutrients.

 

#92. Adjust your watering schedule to the season. Water your summer lawn every third day and your winter lawn every fifth day.

 

#93. Turn the water off while you shampoo and condition your hair and you can save more than 50 gallons a week.

 

#94. Bathe your pets outdoors in an area in need of water.

 

#95. Choose new water-saving appliances, like washing machines that save up to 20 gallons per load.

 

#96. Water only as rapidly as the soil can absorb the water.

 

#97. Aerate your lawn. Punch holes in your lawn about six inches apart so water will reach the roots rather than run off the surface.

 

#98. Select the proper size pans for cooking. Large pans require more cooking water than may be necessary.

 

#99. Place an empty tuna can on your lawn to catch and measure the water output of your sprinklers. For lawn watering advice, contact your local conservation office.

 

#100. Turn off the water while you shave and you can save more than 100 gallons a week.

 

#101. When you give your pet fresh water, don't throw the old water down the drain. Use it to water your trees or shrubs.

 

#102. If you accidentally drop ice cubes when filling your glass from the freezer, don't throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.

 

#103. To save water and time, consider washing your face or brushing your teeth while in the shower.

 

#104. While staying in a hotel or even at home, consider reusing your towels.

 

#105. When backwashing your pool, consider using the water on your

landscaping.

 

#106. For hanging baskets, planters and pots, place ice cubes under the moss or dirt to give your plants a cool drink of water and help eliminate water overflow.

 

#107. Throw trimmings and peelings from fruits and vegetables into your yard compost to prevent from using the garbage disposal.

 

#108. When you have ice left in your cup from a take-out restaurant, don't throw it in the trash, dump it on a plant.

 

#109. Have your plumber re-route your gray water to trees and gardens rather than letting it run into the sewer line. Check with your city codes, and if it isn't allowed in your area, start a movement to get that changed.

 

#110. Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Use this water to flush toilets or water plants.

 

#111. When you are washing your hands, don't let the water run while you lather.

 

Also called Caldwell 34 or NGC 6960, the Western Veil Nebula contains the very bright star, 52 Cygni. The expanding shock waves of the nebula are thought to be very thin and we observe only the edges giving it the appearance of fine filaments.

 

Televue NP-101is

Takahashi EM-200 mount.

SBIG STF-8300M

Baader HO Filters

 

This image was shot just outside the city center of New Orleans in Bortle 7 skies using narrowband techniques.

 

H 19x600s

O 25x600s

 

Pixinsight:

BPP / LN / Reg / Integration

DBE / HOO Combination

HOO Luminance: DC / MMT Noise Reduction

 

Photoshop:

Color Efex Pro - Detail Enhancer

Star Mask / Minimize

Curves

This is part of my pandemic project. The project was created to minimize the number of people that I would come into contact with and to help keep my sanity. The location is a local university. From what I can tell the vast majority of classes are being held online leaving the campus empty with the exception of a few nursing students and an occasional group of Frisbee golf players.

 

The project started when my wife and I used the campus to walk the dog in the evening. I began to notice the architecture and interesting light fixtures. I started to return and photograph and soon had a project.

 

The project is to examine the lights and architecture of the empty Campus at night.

 

canon 6D

LensBaby (Original)

This image was taken recently whilst exploring at night Priddy in Somerset.

 

This was the second visit to Priddy this year and with the moon not being present I would have the best chance of capturing the Milky Way. Light pollution and aircraft would still be an issue but nothing I can do about that.

 

I decided to try a new composition. This was in attempt to minimize the light pollution on the horizon, headlights from the passing traffic and the red mast. Probably failed at all three as the mast was still visible as too was the light pollution. The headlights from vehicles only becoming an issue from oncoming vehicles as they headed down the hill.

 

Apart from the issues (which I believe help to better you), I enjoyed the time being able to capture the Milky Way and experience Priddy at night. Even got to hear a load Tawney Owl.

 

There are two versions of this image which I can't decided which one so I'll probably upload both at some point. This is down to me experimenting with settings during post processing.

  

Pontsteiger, Houthavens Amsterdam, NL - arons en gelauff architecten

The building is located at the end of a 200 metre dam that projects into the water of the river IJ. The unusual form was designed with apartment dwellers’ preferences in mind: residential demand is highest either at the top of high rises (penthouse views) or at the base to connect to the liveliness at city level. In the Pontsteiger design concept the part in between is simply minimized. The large building consists of a six floor low rise block that wraps around a plaza on the waterfront. Two slender 60 metre towers at the open end of this block frame the river view. The towers carry a bridge spanning 48 metres rising to a height of 90 metres above the city. The result is an iconic building that foreshadows Amsterdam’s growth of high rise buildings around the river IJ.

 

While walking around the Tuff Canyon Overlook with a view looking to the northeast and up a dried up canyon. My thinking in composing this was to use that canyon and the cliff walls as a leading line into the image. Far off in the distance were the Chisos Mountains in this part of Big Bend National Park. I decided to angle my Nikon SLR camera slightly downward and create more of a sweeping view across this setting and also to minimize any flattening of the more distant mountains and peaks.

When reading about places to visit in South and then North Dakota, I came across this Custer State Park with its Needles Highway and the Wildlife Loop Road...amazing views! Then there was this one famous location called Sylvan Lake with the surrounding evergreens and backdrop of hilltops and granite. So after spending some time at the Crazy Horse Memorial, I headed out South Dakota Hwy 87, and there it was! Walking around the lake area, I was able to find this point with a straw-like field. I then composed an image looking across it with a slightly closed exposure to the granite hilltops off in the distance. I angled my SLR camera slightly downward to minimize the more overcast skies above.