orchestration photos on Flickr

140 26

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XNewbMQEzo

I am also delighted (and very excited) to introduce this particular Light Painting and the back story that goes with it. I created this LP back in December 2014 and the story behind it will bring a smile to my face for some time to come.

Back in September of last year someone (thanks Ollie!) suggested that I submit some of my photography work to The Telegraph / Nikon for the 'I am Different' ad campaign that was being launched by the UK arm of Nikon. Weeks passed and I heard nothing back, and so I naturally assumed that my work had not made the cut.

However, after another couple of weeks I got an email saying that my work had really impressed them and that they were very keen to work with me on the project idea that I submitted! I cannot describe both the excitement and the nerves that I felt at that point, as I learned that a 6-person camera crew would be flown over to Guernsey to film me making my work. In fact, I still can't quite believe that this all happened!

After many hours spent planning the logistical side of things that go hand-in-hand when hosting a camera crew at the start of winter on a small island that is regularly battered by high winds and rain (esp in December!), the actual film shoot went really well I am relieved to say. What an experience! I have to express such thanks to the film crew and in particular Steph who orchestrated the whole shoot. And I thought I was busy!

The finished short-film can now be viewed at either of the below links. I hope you enjoy it:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XNewbMQEzo

www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/technology/photography-tips/

I really hope this incredible coverage helps to spread the word about Light Painting in general. It truly is such a magical & creative process.

If anyone out there wants to learn more about Light Painting and Long Exposure photography, then please feel free to check out my Ebook here:

www.davidgilliver.com/photography/e-book-launch-day-final...

Thanks,

David

San Francisco City Hall by Melinda Young Stuart

29 10

The lights at City Hall are orchestrated with intent. Unfortunately, I do not easily discover what this handsome blue commemorates on the evening of November 30, 2018.

sfgov.org/cityhall/lighting

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_City_Hall

Dunsyre Church Tower South Lanarkshire Scotland 4 of 9 Orchestrated Overtowering Offerings by PHH Sykes

12

This path here in quietude looks like a forgotten secret route. Time has marked the comings and goings from Dunsyre Parish Church to the Old Manse. The sections of each new development can be seen as additional construction blocks with each new section clearly showing differing building technique and fashion in construction changing just as the gravestones show how masons could convey trends and patterns in memorial traditions still evident here in the graveyard where the path between the symbolic stones leads on to the Old Manse.

The beautiful Dunsyre Church in South Lanarkshire Scotland is an amazing place to find and to enjoy. The grave makers are old and full of symbolism. The stones and trees hold lichens that attest to the clean air in this tranquil idyll near Biggar and 24 miles from Edinburgh.

phhsykes@gmail.com

Dunsyre Parish Church

canmore.org.uk/site/48840/dunsyre-parish-church

Photographs and research notes relating to graveyard monuments in Dunsyre Churchyard, Lanarkshire.

canmore.org.uk/collection/2222283

Dunsyre Church

canmore.org.uk/site/48839/dunsyre-church

Dunsyre Manse

canmore.org.uk/site/48853/dunsyre-manse

Dunsyre Castle

canmore.org.uk/site/48815/dunsyre-castle

Dunsyre Hill

canmore.org.uk/site/48824/dunsyre-hill

L1050796 by Sura Ark

16

Layaku (Durbar Square)

Bhaktapur Durbar Square is a conglomeration of pagoda and shikhara-style temples, mostly dedicated to Hindu gods and goddesses grouped around a 55-window palace of brick and wood. The square is one of the most charming architectural showpieces of the valley as it highlights the ancient arts of Nepal. The golden effigies of the kings perched on the top of stone monoliths, the guardian deities looking out from their sanctuaries, the wood carvings in every place — struts, lintels, uprights, tympanums, gateways and windows — all seem to form a well-orchestrated symphony.

The royal palace was originally situated at Dattaraya square and was only later moved to the Durbar square location. The square in Bhaktapur was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1934 and hence appears more spacious than the ones at Kathmandu and Patan.

Dunsyre Church Tower South Lanarkshire Scotland 2 of 9 Orchestrated Overtowering Offerings by PHH Sykes

13

This path here in quietude looks like a forgotten secret route. Time has marked the comings and goings from Dunsyre Parish Church to the Old Manse. The sections of each new development can be seen as additional construction blocks with each new section clearly showing differing building technique and fashion in construction changing just as the gravestones show how masons could convey trends and patterns in memorial traditions still evident here in the graveyard where the path between the symbolic stones leads on to the Old Manse.

The beautiful Dunsyre Church in South Lanarkshire Scotland is an amazing place to find and to enjoy. The grave makers are old and full of symbolism. The stones and trees hold lichens that attest to the clean air in this tranquil idyll near Biggar and 24 miles from Edinburgh.

phhsykes@gmail.com

Dunsyre Parish Church

canmore.org.uk/site/48840/dunsyre-parish-church

Photographs and research notes relating to graveyard monuments in Dunsyre Churchyard, Lanarkshire.

canmore.org.uk/collection/2222283

Dunsyre Church

canmore.org.uk/site/48839/dunsyre-church

Dunsyre Manse

canmore.org.uk/site/48853/dunsyre-manse

Dunsyre Castle

canmore.org.uk/site/48815/dunsyre-castle

Dunsyre Hill

canmore.org.uk/site/48824/dunsyre-hill

Wind and Wave by Tom

19 2

The transient beauty of the coast is intricately intertwined with the captivating patterns that emerge in the sand, crafted by the relentless forces of wind and wave. These natural sculptors shape the shoreline, leaving behind ephemeral masterpieces.

As the tides ebb and flow, they orchestrate a delicate dance with the sand. With each advancing wave, the water gently caresses the shore, carrying particles of sand along its journey. As the wave recedes, it relinquishes its cargo, depositing the grains in a meticulous arrangement. This cyclical process, repeated countless times, creates intricate patterns that stretch along the coastline.

The patterns left behind by the retreating tide mimic the ebb and flow of life itself. Swirling ripples, reminiscent of a miniature desert landscape, emerge as the water recedes, their graceful curves and undulating lines transforming the beach into a living work of art. The patterns are at once orderly and chaotic, with intricate geometrical formations intermingling with whimsical curves and asymmetrical shapes.

The wind, a silent artist in its own right, adds its touch to the sculpting process. As it sweeps across the coast, it whispers secrets to the sand, coaxing it to dance in its invisible embrace. The wind's gentle touch lifts fine particles from the beach, carrying them aloft in an intricate ballet. It sculpts the sand into delicate ripples, resembling the soft undulations of fabric.

The interplay between the wind and the tide results in an ever-changing landscape. The patterns shift and evolve, shaped by the combined forces of these elemental sculptors. Ripples become miniature mountains, rising and falling in a transient topography that mirrors the larger contours of the surrounding coast. Each gust of wind and every advancing or receding wave leaves its mark, etching new patterns and erasing old ones, in an eternal cycle of creation and destruction.

These ephemeral patterns serve as a reminder of the impermanence of existence and the transient nature of beauty, as each passing moment alters the landscape, erasing what once was and creating something new. The sands become a canvas for the symphony of time, a tangible reflection of the ever-changing nature of our lives.

The beauty of these fleeting patterns lies not only in their visual allure but also in the emotions they evoke. They inspire a sense of wonder and awe, inviting us to pause and appreciate the intricate designs that nature creates with such effortless grace. The patterns speak of the interconnectedness of all things, the harmonious interplay between the elements, and the constant flux that defines our existence.

In these patterns of nature, we find a profound lesson: that life, like the shifting sands, is ever-changing, and that true beauty lies not in permanence but in the appreciation of the fleeting moments that grace our journey.

AE51 VFW by DarrenT857

28

Twenty-five brand new Enviro 400 MMC vehicles will enter traffic at Folkestone and Hastings on the Wave group of routes on Monday 5th December prompting a carefully orchestrated cascade the same weekend will allow the withdrawal of the some twenty older Dennis Tridents which are still in the fleet.

One such vehicle likely to bite the dust is Stagecoach South East 18292 AE51 VFW which is seen here on Roman Way, Park Farm whilst working route B2. Tuesday 29th November 2016.

Having spent the summer on-loan to Eastbourne for use on the ELAC Language School contract it has now returned to its home at Ashford for what is likely to be the final few months of its working career.

Dennis Trident - Plaxton President (Ex-Cavalier, Huntingdon & District & Stagecoach in Cambridge)

Dans l'intimité de la Nature : accouplement d'escargots. #2/ In the intimacy of nature: snail mating. #2 by Jacques-Alexis REAL

12

Dans un petit coin d'humus, deux petits escargots (+/- 5mm) se livraient à un curieux rituel orchestré par la Nature. Une danse étrange : en un glissement rotatif synchronisé, leurs deux corps entremêlés s'échangeaient leur capital génétique dans le but de permettre la continuité de l'espèce. Le plus étrange, c'est que les deux se fécondent et les deux porteront les œufs, fruit de leur union.

…...........................

In a small corner of humus, two little snails (+/- 5mm) were engaged in a curious ritual orchestrated by Nature. A strange dance: in a synchronized rotating slide, their two bodies interwoven exchanged their genetic capital in order to allow the continuity of the species. The strangest thing is that both of them fertilize each other and they will bear the eggs, fruit of their union.

The crypt of frescoes, Aquileia (Friuli Venezia Giulia) Italy, June_2020_065 by Tiberio Frascari

72 7

Built probably by the start of the 9th century and converted into its present form in the 11th, the crypt under the basilica’s high altar is divided into a nave and two aisles by the six columns supporting the cross vaults. The walls and ceiling are completely covered by a majestic fresco cycle, which is likely to be from the late 12th century. The main themes are scenes from the Passion (lunettes), figures of saints (vault corbels), the story of Saints Hermagoras and Fortunatus (top of the walls), and a draped design (foot of the walls). The individual subjects unite perfectly into a complete, beautifully orchestrated work, which cannot fail to impress.

1960 Chevrolet Corvette by A.Davey

30 2

The Beach Barons Car Club’s 39th Annual Rod Run to the End of the World® car show is being held on September 9th and 10th, 2023.

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

ROD RUN TO THE END OF THE WORLD

AMAZING… the amount of fun you can have when you run to the end of the world!

We are a car club that makes our community better and it all starts with our annual Rod Run to the End of the World!

History of the Rod Run

The first few years, the event was held in the ball field across from the Ocean Park School. Later, to incorporate the growing number of spectators and participants; the show was held at the old Klipsan airport on the retired grass airstrip. In 1991 over 700 cars were shown.

Once again, the Beach Barons™ were faced with finding yet another location when the owners of the airport indicated they would rather not use the land for the Rod Run. In 1993 the event was held for the first time on property leased by the Beach Barons™, and the event swelled from 1140 cars in 1992, to 1200 classic cars and thousands of spectators coming to the Peninsula. The Rod Run to the End of the World was the World™ now recognized throughout the Northwest, and in 1994 the event drew over 1300 entries and 6,000 to 8,000 spectators.

During this era, the cities of Ilwaco and Long Beach held street dances to help entertain the growing crowds. There was also a 20-mile long cruise, the length of the Peninsula where spectators could enjoy the great cars. After seven years of successful shows at their leased property, the club moved the event to its newly acquired property on Sandridge Road that was purchased from the Wilson family. The first show at the new Wilson field location was held in 2000.

On October 27, 2001, The Beach Barons™ gathered at the clubhouse and enjoyed a party to celebrate the burning of the mortgage papers for a payoff of the twenty-seven acres. Much dedicated participation, hard work, and a tremendous amount of team effort went into acquiring and preparing the land for future shows.

The Rod Run is now a successful event created for every classic car enthusiast regardless of age. The Beach Barons™ take a lot of pride in the planning and presentation of a show which offers tourists a well-orchestrated and exciting event, one they will look forward to coming back and enjoying each year. In turn, the car club gives an enormous amount of support and recognition in the area, while promoting tourism on the Peninsula and neighboring cities. The Rod Run is a family favorite and is noted for its emphasis on safety, entertainment, community spirit, and plenty of activities for everyone.

If you’re interested in cars, having fun, and want to be part of making our community an even better place to live, click on the Membership link above and learn how you can become a Beach Baron!

beachbarons.com/about-beach-baron-car-club/

View from a warped mind by Darryl Bond

20 5

One of the last Uyghur drivers in Sandaoling watches on with bemusement, becoming the center of attention for a steady trickle of westerners and growing stream of Chinese photographers hoping to catch the Last Great Steam Show on Earth.

The JS passing by at left) is all that's left of the old worker's train that used to run out to XiBoliZhan, as employees now ride in the cab down to the loader in the pit. Upon its return to the surface, the loco is now moving up to back onto a rake of coal wagons that it will run with for the rest of the day.

Mike Ma orchestrates proceedings in the doorway.

Gardenia in texture by Nancy Violeta Velez ~ Photographic Art

38 219

268/365 Work with textures

♪ Beethoven ♫

White Gardenia Night

by Rebecca Wiles

Gardenias saturate the night,
clothed in their array of lovely white.
Their fragrance permeates the nose,
and far outshines the perfect rose.

White Gardenias take me there,
while I sit upon my chair.
And listen to the crickets play,
in their orchestrative way.

I feel blessed to be,
alone in my revery,
on a White Gardenia night!

(...)

“A Tunnel Without a Mountain” by Frederick Manfred Simon

29 3

Drifting downgrade from Hanson, the SD40-2 and SD40-T-for-Tunnel-2 easily slip into Hartline with the 26-car empty HM16, past the quiet old Dormaier clan homestead under an unfriendly eastern Washington sky on a mid-January afternoon last year. In a bit, the conductor will orchestrate the spotting of empties on the two stub tracks that butt up against the homestead property line while the locals hole up in town at Kenice’s Cafe slinging scuttlebutt and sipping soup. A light frosting of snow dresses the fall-harvested fields. She’ll be the leader collecting loads on the way back to Four Lakes from Coulee City a few more miles beyond here. No, there are no tunnels around here nor heavy mountains grades for that former Cotton Belt Tunnel Motor to push through or climb, but she was a reliable and a damned good puller even after nearly freezing to death, literally. Froze up solid from having been shut down in sub freezing temperature without dumping her water. But we brought her back from the brink to run again. She was always a welcome sight to see in the consist and damn sad to see her leave us and our tunnelless CW Sub. (©16Jan19)

♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤

#sonymirrorless #pnwphotographer #pnwwonderland #easternwashington #frozen #wheat #murica #scuttlebutt #mountains #tunnel #harvest #railwayphotography #railway

Saida Sea Castle, Lebanon by Michael Lloyd

50 4

From Wikipedia: The Siege of Tyre was orchestrated by Alexander the Great in 332 BC during his campaigns against the Persians. The Macedonian army was unable to capture the city, which was a strategic coastal base on the Mediterranean Sea, through conventional means because it was on an island and had walls right up to the sea. Alexander responded to this problem by first blockading and besieging Tyre for seven months, and then by building a causeway that allowed him to breach the fortifications.

It is said that Alexander was so enraged at the Tyrians' defence of their city and the loss of his men that he destroyed half the city. According to Arrian, 8,000 Tyrian civilians were massacred after the city fell. Alexander granted pardon to all who had sought sanctuary (safety in the temple), including Azemilcus and his family, as well as many nobles. 30,000 residents and foreigners, mainly women and children, were sold into slavery.

housework - Somewhere in sl 514 ("Moving Islands" [Rafts] collective project, LEA20 (29, 19, 46)) by wuwaichun (sometimes on - sometimes off)

56 43

Scene found at „Moving Islands“, arranged by Eupalinos Ugain.

This picture is based on a part of the collaboration project „Moving Islands“ orchestrated by Eupalinos Ugain on LEA20

The Sim shows a "Cosmogony of Rafts and other improbable floating beings". All is spectacular, all is moving. Absolutely worth a visit

link to the destination

See more at the LEA-Blog

_________________________________________________________________

Moving Islands

Participating Artists:

● Alpha Auer - www.flickr.com/photos/alpha_auer/

● Artistide Despres - artist-id.blogspot.com/

● Aston Leisen - www.flickr.com/photos/aston_leisen/

● CapCat Ragu - www.flickr.com/photos/capcatragu/

● Cica Ghost - www.flickr.com/photos/64860898@N05/

● Cutea Benelli - www.flickr.com/photos/grimbros/

● Derek Michelson

● Eupalinos Ugajin - eupalinosugajin.wordpress.com/

● Haveit Neox - accalpha.blogspot.com/

● Kake Broek - www.flickr.com/photos/13539895@N06/

● Kikas Babenco - www.flickr.com/photos/kikas_babenco/

● Livio Korobase - www.flickr.com/photos/liviokorobase/

● Maclane Mills - www.flickr.com/photos/absence/

● Marmaduke Arado - www.flickr.com/photos/28090997@N03/

● Maya Paris

● Meilo Minotaur - www.flickr.com/photos/meilominotaur/

● Merlino Mayo - www.flickr.com/photos/merlinomayo/

● Oberon Onmura - www.flickr.com/photos/oberon_onmura/

● Ole Etzel - www.flickr.com/photos/boned/

● Pallina60 Loon - www.flickr.com/photos/pallina60loon/

● Scottius Polke - srolfe.com/

● Simotron Aquila - www.flickr.com/photos/simotron/

● Takio Ra

●Uan Ceriaptrix - www.flickr.com/photos/uanguz/

_________________________________________________________________

More pictures from the LEA-ART-project, see my set "LEA - Linden Endowment for the Arts" - Follow this link

(More information about the LEA project on the LEA-Website - follow this link)

_________________________________________________________________

The "Somewhere in sl" picture series (or "The Adventures of WuWai in Second Life") is my guide and bookmark folder to wonderful, artful, curious or in other way remarkably sims of second life with travel guide WuWai Chun.

(More pictures of WuWai's adventures: Follow this link)

You can find some of the pictures in world at my homeland

_________________________________________________________________

An Orchestrated Symphony of Waterfalls by Derrick Nguyen

23 27

I can sit here, watch this and listen to this piece from Vivaldi all day!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2wBXUEz_sQ

Have a peaceful Sunday my friends!

Looks better in Large. Hit F11 and then the "L" key or click on

the photo for a close up view!

Copy Rights Reserved!

605_06_03_2005_crop_clean_2 by Glen Perry

28 1

Greenwich Junction. June 3, 2005

Unfortunately fifteen years later, every movement of the BKRR has the propensity to become a Facebook orchestrated 'EVENT'.

bottle in courtyard8 by Karen Baker

2 26

new camera- so taking lotsa pics for the coffee table book.... sorry for bottle overkill

Bottle for rent- Garden Genie required: Full room and board provided.

Duties: light weeding, ensuring red flowers all year round, filling of birdbaths, rain dances, worm feeding, birdsong orchestrating, rainbow creating...and other necessities..

Materials:

Bottle from the dump (Thanks Jim and Jill :) 82cms tall including stopper- Lemon ruski bottle. Plastic flowers, stained glass, irridescent glass, vitreous tile, glass gems, winkelman porcelain tile, glass tile, mexican smalti blobs, mirror, ball chain, tempered glass, millefiori, glass ladybirds and bees. Midnight grout.

Ornamentation @londonlights by London Lights

41 22

Sleek lines, polished highlights and red accents. The BMW in the background is quite stylish too. An unholy trinity of commercial, automotive and street photography in an interesting fusion blend. Just so we're clear, I photographed what was there and did not orchestrate two badly matched subjects.

Thank you for any and all views, faves, invites to groups, comments and constructive critique. I’m not keen on: invitations to post 1 award 3; copy and paste comments (you know who you are); or links to your work. If you like my images there is a good chance I will like yours and I tend to reciprocate views as a matter of courtesy and personal interest. All my images are my own original work, under my copyright, with all rights reserved. This means asking the owner's permission, and obtaining it, before using the image for ANY purpose.

Copyright infringement is theft.

The Sorrow of Corrupt Mankind by x ming

13 1

christian music " The Sorrow of Corrupt Mankind" God's Revelation of Corrupt Mankind in the Last Days

Introduction

Walking through the ages with God, who's known that God rules all things, the fate of all living beings, orchestrating, guiding everything? This has eluded human minds not because God's ways are vague or His plan hasn't been realized. For man's heart and spirit are far from God. Even as they follow God, though they may not see, they are still in service to Satan. No one seeks out God's footsteps or His appearance. None desire His care and watch of them. But they're willing to depend on the evil one to adapt to this world and its creeds. And man's heart and spirit fall into Satan's hands, and become the food on which it feeds. They become the food on which it feeds⋯⋯

recommenda to you: praise and worship music

The Dalai Lama by Christopher Michel

23 2

In 2012, I had the rare privilege of serving as the Dalai Lama’s official photographer during his visit to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. From the moment he arrived at Boston Logan Airport, the week unfolded as an improbable blend of spiritual retreat and high-level diplomacy. The motorcade waited on the tarmac, engines idling. The leadership of the Tibetan government in exile stood assembled in quiet anticipation. Nearby, agents from the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service scanned the perimeter with a watchfulness honed by years of protocol and practice. Then His Holiness stepped off the plane, smiling as if he were arriving at a family reunion rather than a geopolitical moment.

I had been invited by my friend and host for the week, the Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi, president and CEO of the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at MIT. Tenzin lives at the intersection of tradition and innovation. A monk with the mind of a systems thinker, he had orchestrated a remarkable week of dialogues and encounters. Scientists, philosophers, entrepreneurs, artists, and spiritual leaders had been invited to take part in something that felt more like a human experiment than a conference.

After the tarmac greetings, the Dalai Lama was driven to the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, where he would prepare for a whirlwind of meetings, blessings, and talks. I had photographed public figures before, politicians, astronauts, Nobel laureates...but nothing prepared me for the duality of this assignment. It was deeply peaceful and spiritual. And it was also a bit like traveling with a rock star. There were motorcades and packed auditoriums, rooms full of admirers and elaborate security logistics. But inside all that machinery, the Dalai Lama moved with disarming simplicity.

He was fully present. Always. He looked everyone in the eye. He laughed often, sometimes with a hint of mischief, and had a way of making each interaction feel like the most important thing happening in the world. And maybe, for that moment, it was.

He greeted Sting and James Taylor with the same warmth and curiosity he offered to the hotel housekeeping staff. He didn’t play favorites. His kindness wasn’t performative. It was his baseline setting. He often reached out and held people’s hands—not out of obligation, but as a kind of offering. A small moment of shared humanity. I watched people light up, tear up, fall into silence. His touch was light, but it landed deep.

Photographing him was one of the most unusual creative experiences of my life. The energy around him could be chaotic, but he wasn’t. There were long stretches of stillness, small windows of time where nothing needed to happen. And then a sudden rush into a room filled with thousands. I often lowered my camera just to stand in it. To witness the quiet magnitude of someone who had made peace his life’s work, and actually lived it.

I remember one morning, just before a private session, he was sitting alone in a small conference room, sipping tea. He began humming softly to himself. When he noticed me, he smiled and nodded. I raised the camera slightly. Another nod.

It’s always risky to meet your heroes. But he didn’t disappoint. He disarmed the myth, and left something better in its place. Something real.

'Thundering Steel in the Karoo' by James Attwell

19 4

In the midst of an unusually stormy day in the Karoo, just a stone's throw away from the banks of the Vaal River, Class 25NC No. 3437 charges forward with its formidable freight consist, ascending the steep bank departing from Broadwaters. It's an unforgettable sight, as the locomotive embarks on its inland journey toward Salt Lake and Belmont.

This historic moment was captured during an unforgettable Farrail tour, masterfully orchestrated by the exceptional team at New Cape Central Railway. Our heartfelt gratitude goes to Steamnet2000 for their invaluable support, making this extraordinary experience possible!

Broadwaters, Douglas

June 2023

I orchestrate my mornings to the tune of coffee. by Anjie

25 26

~Harry Mahtar.

I've been so neglectful.....apologies Flickr Friends...life is extremely busy. My little (and big) ones give me very few moments to hold my camera let alone process or browse Flickr these days. But I've been pointed in the direction of Flickr for the iPhone & am hoping I might get a chance to peep in now & then on the fly! :))

So a belated Merry Christmas & Happy New Years to you all!!

xoxo

NGC1566 The Spanish Dancer by Sean Liang

15

NGC 1566, sometimes known as the Spanish Dancer, is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the southern constellation of Dorado. Its delicate arms swirl gracefully around its core like a cosmic ballet. In this celestial dance, untold numbers of stars, gas, and dust perform a cosmic waltz, orchestrated by the invisible hand of gravity.

At the heart of NGC 1566 lies a supermassive black hole, weighing in at roughly 10 million solar masses. Much like the fabled sea monsters of Earth's oceans, this cosmic leviathan devours any celestial material that strays too close to its gravitational maw. Yet, paradoxically, this very same dark heart fuels the luminous brilliance of NGC 1566's core, a region known as an active galactic nucleus.

The light from NGC 1566 has travelled across the vast expanses of space for 40 million years before gracing our eyes. As we gaze upon its celestial beauty, we are also peering back through time, witnessing an era when our planet was still in its prehistoric infancy. In this sense, we are both explorers of the universe and time travellers, embarking on a cosmic odyssey with each new celestial discovery.

(The original data was acquired from Telescope Live, which I processed using Pixinsight and Photoshop).

Ayen, The Reflections of Nature by Hawkflight Exserion

22

“Ayen is an anomaly of nature. While Masters of Jungle have made their occasional appearances, Ayen seems to breathe in their very nature, feeling for the life she holds power over. Some say that she is actually made of plant life rather than the biomechanical makeup of other Toa.

As she is not one of the six main races of Matoran, Ayen settled first with the Ko-Matoran, and then with Le-Matoran, when she left Talis. She possessed some affinity for plant life even before becoming a Toa, so the jungles of Le-Erkelon are a fitting home for her. As Toa, she rose to become the deputy of the Toa Vihagu, and in many cases the strategic orchestrator of the team when Zerkah’s lack of planning became problematic.

Ayen has two distinct personalities which she alters between fairly regularly. Ordinarily, she is one of the most caring and nurturing individuals one can meet, and often playful and adventurous. But when pushed into a negative situation or after a traumatic event, she grows hostile and aloof - sometimes venomous. One can take note of her form by analyzing the vines on her back - a vibrant green when light, a sickly black when dark.

Notably, Ayen is the only Toa Vihagu who is regularly unarmed. Her life-based abilities, including orchestrating the actions of plantlife and accelerating biological repair, require no tools. In her darker form, the only form in which she is seen fighting offensively, she often uses a pair of whips formed from dead vines.”

Ya' ever feel, the odd person out? by westernthunderer

15 29

The were a lot of seagulls around the other week when we went Whimbrel hunting at Nudgee Beach. They moved about a bit, flocking here and there but in the end congregated in one particular spot, in the middle of which, orchestrating operations was one very lonely Egret. Didn't seem to bother it, just hung around probably giving orders! Zoom in, you might see something I missed.

Container cranes at the Port of Brisbane in the background.

FROG Fast Rope Training by Andrew

20

Members from the Fleet Reconnaissance & Operations Group (FROG) conducted fast rope training at their dedicated facility.

The Fleet Reconnaissance and Operations Group (FROG) is the Royal Victorian Navy’s Special Operations Capable Unit. It includes the Royal Victorian Navy’s Maritime Action Teams and the Royal Victorian Marines’ Commando Raider Company. In addition to reconnaissance, the unit specialize in direct action with a maritime component. Examples are the seizures and occupation of gas/oil platforms (GOPLAT) and the Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) of ships during Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO), as well as orchestrating close air support, a vital skill exercised in DA missions. Commando Raiders forward observe from static positions and spider holes for artillery and naval gunfire support, or ordnance and payload delivery.

Note: The story, all names, characters, and incidents are fictitious.