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Highest position 18 december 2008 On Explore # 76.
~Dream You~
De wereld is vol roerloze objecten die op een artiest wachten om tot dromen te ontluiken.
~Henri-Floris Jespers~
Highest Explore Position #360 ~ On January 29th 2009.
Alpaca - Colchester Zoo, Colchester, Essex, England - Monday 26th January 2009.
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Anybody who watched Zoo days on Channel 5, here in the UK yesterday, will have seen this lil guy getting a hair cut..:O))
They are used to being in a cold climate, but a Hmmmmm, "HOT" summer in Colchester, makes them uncomfortable, so they are grateful for the close shave...They look a lot different naked..lol
The Cheetahs in the Zoo were happy about the hair cut though, because they got to play with the cuttings....The progamme is on again in an hour for anybody who's interested..:O))
Anyhoo West Ham are playing live on Sky Sports 2 again this evening, at Home to Hull City...it's a real 6 pointer as we are only 8 points off, of going down..all prayers gratefully received...lol..:O)))
I hope everybody is having a great Hump Day Wednesday..:O))
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ~ The Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in superficial appearance.
Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of Ecuador, southern Peru, northern Bolivia, and northern Chile at an altitude of 3,500 m (11,483 ft) to 5,000 m (16,404 ft) meters above sea-level, throughout the year.[citation needed] Alpacas are considerably smaller than llamas, and unlike llamas, alpacas are not used as beasts of burden but are valued only for their fiber. Alpaca fiber is used for making knitted and woven items, much as sheep's wool is. These items include blankets, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, a wide variety of textiles and ponchos in South America, and sweaters, socks, coats and bedding in other parts of the world. The fiber comes in more than 52 natural colors as classified in Peru, 12 as classified in Australia and 16 as classified in the United States. Alpacas and llamas differ in that alpacas have straight ears and llamas have banana-shaped ears. Aside from these differences, llamas are on average 1-2 feet taller and proportionally bigger than alpacas.
In the textile industry, "alpaca" primarily refers to the hair of Peruvian alpacas, but more broadly it refers to a style of fabric originally made from alpaca hair but now often made from similar fibers, such as mohair, Icelandic sheep wool, or even high-quality English wool. In trade, distinctions are made between alpacas and the several styles of mohair and luster.
Behavior ~ Alpacas are social herd animals that live in family groups consisting of a territorial alpha male, females and their young. They are gentle, elegant, inquisitive, intelligent and observant. As they are a prey animal, they are cautious and nervous if they feel threatened. They like having their own space and may not like an unfamiliar alpaca or human getting close, especially from behind. They warn the herd about intruders by making sharp, noisy inhalations that sound like a high pitch burro bray. The herd may attack smaller predators with their front feet, and can spit and kick. Due to the soft pads on their feet, the impact of a kick is not as dangerous as that of a hoofed animal, yet it still can give quite a bruise, and the pointed nails can inflict cuts.
Spitting ~ Not all alpacas spit, but all are capable of doing so. "Spit" is somewhat euphemistic; occasionally the projectile contains only air and a little saliva but alpacas commonly bring up acidic stomach contents (generally a green grassy mix) and project it onto their chosen target. Spitting is mostly reserved for other alpacas, but an alpaca will occasionally spit at humans that, for example, take away food.
For alpacas, spitting results in what is called "sour mouth." Sour mouth is characterized by a loose-hanging lower lip and a gaping mouth. This is caused by the stomach acids and unpleasant taste of the contents as they pass out of the mouth.
Some alpacas will spit when looked at, others will never spit—their personalities are very individualized and there is no hard and fast rule in terms of social behavior, although there is often a group leader, and a group trailer/runt that is picked on by others.
Physical contact ~ Once they know their owners and feel confident around them, alpacas may allow their backs and necks to be touched. They do not like being grabbed. Once socialized well, some alpacas tolerate being stroked or petted anywhere on their bodies, although many do not like their feet, lower legs, and especially their abdomen touched or handled. If an owner needs to catch an alpaca, the neck offers a good handle—holding the neck firmly between the arms is the best way to restrain the animal. Holding the neck from the rear with the animal's head under one's arm is also very effective.
Hygiene ~ To help alpacas control their internal parasites they have a communal dung pile, where they do not graze. Generally, males have much tidier, and fewer dung piles than females who tend to stand in a line and all go at once. One female approaches the dung pile and begins to urinate and/or defecate, and the rest of the herd often follows.
Because of their preference for using a dung pile, some alpacas have been successfully house-trained.
This is a sight never to be seen again. Patrouille Suisse F-5E Tiger II No 3 piloted by Captain Michael 'Püpi' Duft, with the position of Left Wing, is seen here landing after its last display at Internationale Luft-und Raumfahrtausstellung (ILA) Berlin 2016. This aircraft crashed just a week later at Leeuwarden after colliding with J-8088, the first such accident in the team's 52 year history. The pilot safely ejected and the team will resume its display schedule with an extra F-5 borrowed from the air force. 1/125th second panning shot.
Categories:
Northrop - F-5 Tiger - Swiss Air Force - ILA 2016
Collections:
One of the many Glaciated rocks that can be found laying around the Cumbrian valleys .
This was one that can be found along the Honister pass .
I do find it fascinating to think that ice has moved these rocks , some are massive !
This one was prob six or seven feet hight and must easily weigh a tun or three :)
Mamiya 645 Super
Sekor 45mm Lens
Kodak Ektar 100 film
cokin Nd4 grad
Epson V500 Scanner
Please Press L ....
Wow! Highest Position Explore #8 December 21,2011 Thank You!
www.davidrironsjrphotography.com
Well hello again everyone! Sorry I have been absent for a long time, and even a worse Flickr contact! I started a new job back in October and have been very busy since then. Also, we have been dealing with a foggy inversion for most of December, so I just have not had a chance to get out and shoot much.
After two stunning sunrises last week, that I had to miss because I was working, I was not about to miss Saturday's sunset! So I headed out to Discovery Park and parked where I should not have parked, however, when I went back to my car, there were five other people that had the same idea!
All I can say is that I was so happy to be out shooting again! I had so much fun taking different angles of the lighthouse, some great some...uh...not so great! Anyways, it was great fun. I would like to dedicate this image to my friend Patti www.flickr.com/photos/photopatthomas/ whom has kept up the pressure for me to post something these past two months! Here is looking your way Patti!
As it is looking good later today and I am off, I need to get out and shoot some Christmas scenes! Our local NBC affiliate is using my picture of the Mukilteo Lighthouse at Christmas www.flickr.com/photos/fresnatic/5267813297/ to promote their Holiday Photo Contest on their website: www.king5.com/your-news/133974233.html?contest=learn Pretty cool!
I also donated some photos to the Fred Meyer in Issaquah to help raise money for "Relay for Life," and about 7 have already sold! All of the proceeds go to the "Relay for Life," a worthy cause. I also have about 8 photos for sale at a new art gallery located in Fall City, Washington. The art gallery is called "Quirks of Art" and is located right on the main street across from the Snoqualmie River!
As I have said, I have been busy in my hiatus from Flickr and here is another reason! I shot some photos for Fabri Fine Jewelry located in Bellevue Square Mall earlier this fall for their new Facebook Page, which you can view here: www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.305213632840343.90468.1...
This is a combination of three exposures (-2,0,+2) merged and tonemapped in Photomatix. I used the "De-ghosting" tool to prevent artifacts from being created from the merging process, right where the bright yellows of the sunset occur on the horizon. I did a little perspective crop and dodging and burning in Photoshop. I ran through the new Topaz Adjust 5 to regain details. I pulled back the greens and overall saturation in Lightroom, as well as added the slight vignette.
As always, thank you so much for your views, comments, faves and support. I will be around a little more to look at your photostreams. Please be patient as it takes me some time to catch up! Again, I am happy to be back posting and to be out shooting!
Please do not use my images on blogs or websites without my permission. The images you see here on this site are available for licensing, so please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you.
Bet this doesn’t make much sense- right?
So the saga - we are three people needing the use of one car. The owner of said car (me) is short and getting shorter every year. The other principal driver is short-ish but not that short. The other thing you need to know is that my beloved Honda Fit is older, is a stick shift and I adore it
So when the other principal driver uses said vehicle, she adjusts the seat and mirrors to work for her. She does try to return things back but sometimes she’s *way* off - the seat back so far I can’t reach the clutch without a stretching exercise that would please my physical therapist’s heart. And sometimes the seat is so far forward that you’d have to be a munchkin or a five year old to even get into the car.
In an effort to be helpful and solution-based, I took a trusty silver Sharpie marker out and marked where I thought the optimal seating position might be for me. Although it’s not perfect, it seems to be about right. Of course I plumb forgot to tell the other principal driver that I’d created this helpful mark, but I finally did think to send her a text showing it yesterday.
So does anybody know of a reliable good used not too old Toyota Corolla for sale that’s been well-maintained, is an automatic, has got low-ish mileage and has been carefully driven by, say, a little old lady only to church/temple/mosque on Sundays/Saturdays or bingo or shopping? We’re in the market!!
Pultney Street - from the bus. This looked like a start of a race. Silver Efex Pro: Kodak 100 Tmax Pro and red filter
One Year Ago Today
Pennsy Position Light Farewell Tour - Part 4
The last stop and furthest west signal we'd visit was this one, Automatic 2752 sitting just east of the famed stone bridge over the Conemaugh River and just west of Johnstown's ex PRR and current Amtrak station.
We'd had a bit of a debate about where this shot was and how to access it amongst our group of seven photographers since neither John Kittredge nor the other guys had ever shot there. So that made this extra cool as it was as new and as much of a treat for them as all the rest were for me.
As it turned out we'd spend a couple hours here shooting trains on this bridge ranging from full brilliant sun to a torrential downpour.
I'll share some of those trains later but here is just one for now that gives a good look at the position lights. This six pack of all ex Conrail SD80MACs surprised us westbound on track 3 just as we were about to leave due to the rain. Glad I got a shot of these 5000 hp unique to CR units on home rails because I knew them when they were new and blue running on the B&A.
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Saturday May 25, 2019
I positioned my tripod on top of the groyne for this ultra-wide shot of the expanse of revealed rock pools.
Is it because of what happened in 1989 that the tian'an men square is full of security forces? Or maybe just a way to show that the people here has no reason to feel in danger? I would better consider the first option but I guess the official reason won't match with my guess...
This is China~~
Highest position in Explore: #289 on Tuesday, May 5, 2009
guarda qua:
www.google.it/imgres?imgurl=http://lh4.ggpht.com/e03Fr589...
I wanted to capture something different to the usual bluebell carpet/green woodland shots. I tried a few things out and I really like how this one worked. I've seen wildlife photographers do this sort of thing by getting down low and using a heavily out of focus foreground. I like the contrast in colours here and the simplicity of it.
June 12, 2014.
Coordenadas de Torreón: 25°32′40″N 103°26′30″O
Altitud Media: 1120 msnm
CÁMARA MONTADA EN TRIPIÉ, NO SE UTILIZÓ TELESCOPIO, NO SE MODIFICARON LOS COLORES, INTERPUSE UNA PLACA RADIOGRAFICA COMO FILTRO.
Zoom digital 125 X (3000 mm equivalente) [535mm focal length]. Exif data de additional info solamente lee hasta el máximo del zoom óptico, no lee zoom digital.
It's a pity Flickr gave us this unpractical format. Among other anoyances we can´t add notes to the picture. For example in this, the clasifying code of sunspots.
Explored! Highest Position: #42
It's about time I welcomed you to one of the most fascinating places that we explored while traveling over the past 15 months, it's the World Heritage Site of Český Krumlov. Which is in the South Bohemian region of Czech Republic. This is St. Vitus church. This church dates back to the early 15th century and has Gothic and Pseudogothic styles.
We loved exploring this town that is almost completely surrounded by a river bend in the Vltava. Above the city there sits a breathtaking castle, which has views to die for.
I'll be posting a photograph of the city from up above in the next few days. Enjoy this one and please see this one Large!
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postprocessing:
reinforced sharper
using PhotoFiltre software
CROP
Highest position: #373 on Saturday, February 21, 2015
mode=history
Highest position: #342 on Saturday, February 21, 2015 (best position Saturday night)
The externel flash [Canon Speedlite 430EX II ] helps in exact focussing with its infrared method.
There was some wind.
Exif data
Artist eagle1effi
Canon Exposure Mode Program AE
Tele-macro
Camera <b<Canon PowerShot SX60 HS
Exposure 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture f/5.0
Focal Length 17.5 mm aka 96 mm
ISO Speed 100
Tele-macro
Focus Distance Upper 1.15 m
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Herbe de la pampa
L'adjectif spécifique selloana lui a été donné en 1818 par le naturaliste Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859), en hommage au botaniste et naturaliste allemand Friedrich Sellow qui étudia la flore d'Amérique du Sud, en particulier celle du Brésil.
Cortaderia selloana, commonly known as pampas-grass,
is a flowering plant native to southern South America, including the pampas after which it is named.
Der Begriff "Ziergras" stammt nicht aus der Botanik.
hier: Pampasgras aka Cortaderia Selloana
... after the German botanist and naturalist Friedrich Sellow.
...
The feathery flower head plumes, when dried, are widely used in flower arrangements and other ornamental displays.
Das Amerikanische Pampasgras (Cortaderia selloana) oder Silber-Pampasgras
ist eine Pflanzenart aus der Familie der Süßgräser (Poaceae).
Das Schneiden der meisten Ziergräser sollte im Frühjahr vorgenommen werden und nicht im Herbst, weil ansonsten Wasser in die Halme gelangen und zu Fäulnis führen kann. Das spätere Zurückschneiden im Frühjahr schützt die Pflanzen außerdem vor Kälte und hilft ihnen zu überwintern.
Wegen der auffallenden Farben und imposanten Wuchs-Formen ihrer Blätter, Blüten oder Halme auch im Herbst und Winter sind Ziergräser (englisch: ornamental grass) ein beliebtes Gestaltungselement in der Gartenkunst und künstlerischen Gartengestaltung.
Ziergras-Arten eignen sich als Solitär-Pflanzen, als Sichtschutz für den Stauden- und Steingarten oder auch zur Verbindung verschiedener Pflanzenarten wie Blumen und Sträucher.
Auch als Kübelpflanzen für den Balkon, die Terrasse oder den Wintergarten sind Ziergräser beliebt.
Thursday 10th May 2018, saw the first day of operation of Route X99, which is a special shuttle service to transport the arriving cruise passengers at Hawes Pier, South Queensferry to Edinburgh City Centre.
Service X99 or being called CruiseLink is scheduled to operate on 26 days between the 10th May and 7th September. There are also timetables A - I with different start and finish times depending on the ships docking times.
Lothian MA468 arriving and reversing into position at Hawes pier, South Queensferry. 10th May 2018.
SN/NC: Cocos nucifera, Arecaceae Family
Misterious palms appearing from nothing! Due to the positioning of the camera of course. This is a Pacific Gray sand beach, a volcanic area in El Salvador, Jiquilisco Bay. Corral de Mulas Beach is a hidden gem nestled within the stunning Jiquilisco Bay, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve known for its rich biodiversity and pristine natural beauty. This tranquil beach offers a serene escape with its soft golden sands, calm turquoise waters, and lush mangrove forests. It's a paradise for nature lovers, birdwatchers, and those seeking peace away from crowded tourist spots. The bay is also a critical habitat for endangered sea turtles, making it a unique destination for eco-tourism. Whether you're kayaking through the mangroves, relaxing under the shade of coconut palms, or exploring the vibrant marine life, Corral de Mulas Beach promises an unforgettable connection with nature.
A Praia Corral de Mulas é uma joia escondida aninhada na deslumbrante Baía de Jiquilisco, uma Reserva da Biosfera da UNESCO conhecida por sua rica biodiversidade e beleza natural imaculada. Esta praia tranquila oferece um refúgio sereno com suas areias douradas e macias, águas calmas azul-turquesa e florestas de mangue exuberantes. É um paraíso para os amantes da natureza, observadores de pássaros e aqueles que buscam paz longe de pontos turísticos lotados. A baía também é um habitat crítico para tartarugas marinhas ameaçadas de extinção, tornando-a um destino único para o ecoturismo. Quer você esteja andando de caiaque pelos manguezais, relaxando sob a sombra de coqueiros ou explorando a vibrante vida marinha, a Praia Corral de Mulas promete uma conexão inesquecível com a natureza.
La playa Corral de Mulas es una joya escondida enclavada en la impresionante bahía de Jiquilisco, una reserva de la biosfera de la UNESCO conocida por su rica biodiversidad y su belleza natural prístina. Esta tranquila playa ofrece un escape sereno con sus suaves arenas doradas, tranquilas aguas turquesas y frondosos bosques de manglares. Es un paraíso para los amantes de la naturaleza, los observadores de aves y aquellos que buscan la paz lejos de los lugares turísticos abarrotados. La bahía también es un hábitat crítico para las tortugas marinas en peligro de extinción, lo que la convierte en un destino único para el ecoturismo. Ya sea que esté navegando en kayak por los manglares, relajándose bajo la sombra de las palmeras de coco o explorando la vibrante vida marina, la playa Corral de Mulas promete una conexión inolvidable con la naturaleza.
La plage de Corral de Mulas est un joyau caché niché dans la magnifique baie de Jiquilisco, une réserve de biosphère de l'UNESCO connue pour sa riche biodiversité et sa beauté naturelle immaculée. Cette plage tranquille offre une évasion sereine avec son sable doré et doux, ses eaux turquoise calmes et ses forêts de mangroves luxuriantes. C'est un paradis pour les amoureux de la nature, les ornithologues amateurs et ceux qui recherchent la paix loin des lieux touristiques bondés. La baie est également un habitat essentiel pour les tortues marines en voie de disparition, ce qui en fait une destination unique pour l'écotourisme. Que vous fassiez du kayak dans les mangroves, que vous vous détendiez à l'ombre des cocotiers ou que vous exploriez la vie marine animée, la plage de Corral de Mulas promet une connexion inoubliable avec la nature.
Corral de Mulas Beach is een verborgen pareltje in de prachtige Jiquilisco Bay, een UNESCO biosfeerreservaat dat bekend staat om zijn rijke biodiversiteit en ongerepte natuurlijke schoonheid. Dit rustige strand biedt een serene ontsnapping met zijn zachte gouden zand, kalme turquoise wateren en weelderige mangrovebossen. Het is een paradijs voor natuurliefhebbers, vogelaars en mensen die rust zoeken, weg van drukke toeristische plekken. De baai is ook een belangrijk leefgebied voor bedreigde zeeschildpadden, waardoor het een unieke bestemming is voor ecotoerisme. Of u nu kajakt door de mangroves, ontspant in de schaduw van kokospalmen of het levendige zeeleven verkent, Corral de Mulas Beach belooft een onvergetelijke verbinding met de natuur.
La spiaggia di Corral de Mulas è una gemma nascosta incastonata nella splendida baia di Jiquilisco, una riserva della biosfera dell'UNESCO nota per la sua ricca biodiversità e la sua incontaminata bellezza naturale. Questa spiaggia tranquilla offre una fuga serena con le sue morbide sabbie dorate, le calme acque turchesi e le rigogliose foreste di mangrovie. È un paradiso per gli amanti della natura, gli osservatori di uccelli e coloro che cercano pace lontano dai luoghi turistici affollati. La baia è anche un habitat fondamentale per le tartarughe marine in via di estinzione, il che la rende una destinazione unica per l'ecoturismo. Che tu stia facendo kayak tra le mangrovie, rilassandoti all'ombra delle palme da cocco o esplorando la vivace vita marina, la spiaggia di Corral de Mulas promette un indimenticabile legame con la natura.
Der Strand Corral de Mulas ist ein verstecktes Juwel in der atemberaubenden Bucht von Jiquilisco, einem UNESCO-Biosphärenreservat, das für seine reiche Artenvielfalt und unberührte Naturschönheit bekannt ist. Dieser ruhige Strand bietet mit seinem weichen goldenen Sand, dem ruhigen türkisfarbenen Wasser und den üppigen Mangrovenwäldern einen ruhigen Rückzugsort. Es ist ein Paradies für Naturliebhaber, Vogelbeobachter und alle, die Ruhe abseits überfüllter Touristenattraktionen suchen. Die Bucht ist auch ein wichtiger Lebensraum für gefährdete Meeresschildkröten, was sie zu einem einzigartigen Ziel für Ökotourismus macht. Ob Sie mit dem Kajak durch die Mangroven fahren, im Schatten der Kokospalmen entspannen oder das lebendige Meeresleben erkunden, der Strand Corral de Mulas verspricht eine unvergessliche Verbindung mit der Natur.
شاطئ كورال دي مولاس هو جوهرة مخفية تقع داخل خليج جيكيليسكو المذهل، وهو محمية المحيط الحيوي لليونسكو والمعروفة بتنوعها البيولوجي الغني وجمالها الطبيعي البكر. يوفر هذا الشاطئ الهادئ ملاذًا هادئًا برماله الذهبية الناعمة ومياهه الفيروزية الهادئة وغابات المانغروف الخصبة. إنه جنة لمحبي الطبيعة ومراقبي الطيور وأولئك الذين يبحثون عن السلام بعيدًا عن الأماكن السياحية المزدحمة. يعد الخليج أيضًا موطنًا مهمًا للسلاحف البحرية المهددة بالانقراض، مما يجعله وجهة فريدة للسياحة البيئية. سواء كنت تمارس رياضة التجديف بالكاياك عبر غابات المانغروف أو تسترخي تحت ظلال أشجار جوز الهند أو تستكشف الحياة البحرية النابضة بالحياة، فإن شاطئ كورال دي مولاس يعدك باتصال لا يُنسى بالطبيعة.
コラル デ ムラス ビーチは、豊かな生物多様性と手つかずの自然美で知られるユネスコ生物圏保護区の美しいヒキリスコ湾にひっそりと佇む隠れた宝石です。この静かなビーチは、柔らかい金色の砂、穏やかなターコイズブルーの海、緑豊かなマングローブ林があり、静かな隠れ家です。自然愛好家、バードウォッチャー、混雑した観光地から離れて静けさを求める人にとっては楽園です。この湾は絶滅危惧種のウミガメの重要な生息地でもあり、エコツーリズムのユニークな目的地となっています。マングローブ林でカヤックを漕いだり、ココヤシの木陰でリラックスしたり、活気に満ちた海洋生物を探索したり、コラル デ ムラス ビーチでは、忘れられない自然とのつながりを体験できます。
Perfect, perfect
You're too good to be true ...
But I get tired of runnin'
Fuck it, now I'm runnin' with you, with you
A collage utilizing both H-alpha and CaK imaging of our Sun. Subframe positions is "artistic" and does not represent correct orientation compared to Sun - all images are however taken by me excluding the Apollo era (free) picture of Earth showing approximate scale. Pictures taken in southern Finland during summers of 2016 and 2017 as I haven't had time to image at all lately.
See www.flickr.com/photos/130947324@N08/46483974944/ for labels.
Recorded with BW ASI178mm camera, colors added in post production. H-alpha images colored to red and yellow and they are partially inverted to pop out surface details, protuberances and filaments. CaK is colored to blue to mimic imaging bandwidth for CaK.
H-alpha: 656.28 nm (deep red in reality) hydrogen line. Tunable wavelength. Exposure times around 2 ms.
CaK: About 8 nm wide bandpass at the Calcium II K-Line centered around 395 nm (ultraviolet). Exposure time of about 0.8 ms.
Prefilter: Baader D-ERF (with H-alpha), Baader AstroSolar film (with CaK)
Scope: TS Express 80/480 mm FPL53 APO
Filter: Daystar Quark or Baader CaK
Camera: ASI 178mm with 0.5x reducer
DIY Arduino based focuser motor control
Mount: Celestron AVX (equatorial mount), StarAdventurer
Software: FireCapture, SharpCap, Autostakkert!, ImPPG and Photoshop CC.
Typically stacked a best few percents of 5000 images to create each of the separate photos. Full disk H-alpha sun is a composite of several sub images. I roughly estimated that I collected about 180 000 frames and 775 GB of uncompressed AVI video as raw material. Final stacked image number should be close to 4000 in that composite.
Explored! Highest Position: #33
This is my 50th photograph to make Explore! Thanks so much everyone! : )
Hello everyone!
This is officially my 100th photograph posted on Flickr and my first post of 2009.
What better city to take you to than to my favourite city in all of Europe, the Venice of the North, Bruges. I thought long and hard about it over the last few months and after flipping between Amsterdam and Bruges I've come to the final decision that this is it, my #1. I love it, It's such a magical city and I'm beyond thankful that I had the opportunity to not only visit once, but twice.
I have hundreds upon hundreds of photographs of this place and here's the first of many I'm sure. The reason I posted this photo is because it's one of our favourite spots throughout the entire city. That's the amazing Belfry of Bruges on the right. On this visit I woke up twice very early in the morning to walk around and watch the sunlight and the city come alive. It was moments I'll remember forever.
Thanks to all my friends for all your support with my previous 99 photographs!
I appreciate the view and comments/critiques and faves are always welcome.
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Buddhism has existed in Cambodia since at least the 5th century CE, with some sources placing its origin as early as the 3rd century BC. Theravada Buddhism has been the Cambodian state religion since the 13th century CE (excepting the Khmer Rouge period), and is currently estimated to be the faith of 95% of the population.
Between the ages of seven and nineteen, but most commonly between the ages of eleven and nineteen, a boy may become a temple servant and go on to serve a time as a novice monk. Having a son chosen for such a position is a great honor for the parents, and earns the individual son much merit.
Camera Model: PENTAX K20D; ; Focal length: 250.00 mm; Aperture: 6.3; Exposure time: 1/15 s; ISO: 400
All rights reserved - Copyright © Lucie Debelkova - www.luciedebelkova.com
All images are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without expressed, written permission of the photographer.
I am a freelance photographer specializing in uncommon cat photography. I am in San Francisco. I am available to take pics of you and/or your cat!
----Patrick has a bed on my desk so he can help me with Flickr and various computer diversions. Otherwise he'll nag me to come in bed. Really. He says my bed time is 9.30 pm. Memories of the womb. He's too tall for the bed. Best way to show of his pink pads.---
Patrick passed away in 2009 and was my favorite!
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EXPLORED!!! Highest position: 51 on Sunday, January 3, 2010
This is, of course, my last upload for this year.
Time to draw some conclusions...
I'm gonna be pretty wordy here, I really want to share with you my impressions of the moment; my 'occasional' followers can skip this section and go to my usual shooting details and description!
First of all, 2009 has been, without a doubt, the explosion of my SERIOUS love for visual arts.
I realized I need a stronger knowledge about art and photography. I'm trying to read as much as I can, to broaden my culture. I made a commitment to stop caring that much about gear and spending useless time on photographic forums, serious books provide far more valuable informations.
I'm also trying to learn more and more from the Masters, having increased their 'number', too.
I'm a lot more into subtleties than before, I spend much more time thinking the shot than actually wonder around shooting.
As for my personal life, 2009 made me really stronger. I fully recovered from an important love story which ended.
This recovery made me realize how much strong I am and how much I can give to other people.
Then I fell in love again, and when I look back it's easy to see that those moments of deep pain are now so distant and far, and things are going much better than before.
Those deep changes in life are useful: they let you realize your point of view can dramatically change, much faster than you can imagine.
Now, some 2010 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS!!! (random order)
1) More stability with work. I want to get a full time occupation and sign an official contract;
2) No laziness: I have to keep up the good work with my body I started last May - June;
3a) No intellectual laziness: Stop wasting time on the Internet (Flickr is NOT wasting time; useless forums, facebook etc.. are);
3b) No intellectual laziness: Read more (Novels, Art books, essays, etc);
4) Attend more art exhibitions;
5) Buy a full-frame camera (is it a resolution?!?);
6) Travel a lot;
Last but not least:
I really want to thank you, my dear Flickr friends. When I write this I really mean it; without you I wouldn't be here;
your constant feedback, comments, faves, notes, helped me immensely.
Many of your artworks truly inspired me, made me struggle to get better and better and open my eyes in many directions.
THANK YOU!!!!
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Una piccola eccezione per la fine del 2009... la descrizione in italiano!!!
Mi scuso con tutti i miei contatti e con i visitatori occasionali per le mancate traduzioni passate;
come ho scritto anche nel profilo la traduzione completa diventerebbe impegnativa;
Questo è il mio ultimo upload per il 2009, ed a corredo voglio inserire alcune riflessioni.
Il 2009 è stato certamente l'anno che ha segnato l'inizio del mio interesse dilagante per le arti visive.
Mi sono reso conto di quanto debba approfondire la mia conoscenza relativa sia alla storia dell'arte in generale che, più nello specifico, alla fotografia.
Mi sto applicando per leggere moltissimo, cercando di evitare di sprecare tempo girovagando in Internet senza una meta.
Cerco di trarre ispirazione dai Maestri, che, con il passare del tempo, stanno aumentando decisamente in numero!
Passando ad aspetti più personali, il 2009 mi ha reso senza dubbio più forte; mi sono completamente ripreso dalla fine di una storia molto importante, e ciò mi ha fatto intendere quanto forte sia davvero e quanto abbia da dare agli altri.
Ora, quando guardo indietro, è facile rendermi conto di come quei momenti di sofferenza siano lontani e quanto adesso le cose funzionino meglio di prima.
Certi cambiamenti radicali nella vita sono senza dubbio utili: permettono infatti di renderti conto di come il tuo punto di vista, i tuoi riferimenti possano mutare in un battito di ciglia.
Ed ora, qualche buon proposito per il 2010!!! (Ordine casuale)
1) Più stabilità lavorativa. Voglio un impiego a tempo pieno;
2) No alla pigrizia: Voglio continuare l'ottimo lavoro con il mio fisico iniziato prima dell'estate;
3a) No alla pigrizia intellettuale: Non sprecare tempo su Internet;
3b) No alla pigrizia intellettuale: Leggere di più;
4) Visitare più mostre;
5) Acquistare una full-frame;
6) Viaggiare molto.
Ultimo, ma non meno impoartante:
Voglio ringrazionare di cuore tutti voi, miei amici di Flickr. Senza di voi non sarei qui; i vostri commenti, le critiche, le preferite, mi hanno aiutato moltissimo.
I vostri lavori mi hanno ispirato, fornendomi motivazione per migliorarmi e mi hanno aperto gli occhi in molto nuove direzioni: GRAZIE!!!
Details
- CANON 400d, EF-S 10-22 @ 10mm, f/10, 1/50s, ISO 100.
- Tripod
The shot
Shot not far from where I live.
The Processing
Photoshop:
- Created 5 Overlay layers to adjust light
- Multiplied the sky and added a gradient mask
- Added a Level layer to improve contrast
- Created a Color-Balance adjustment layer to warm things up
- Improved microcontrast with Unsharp Mask
- Resized
- Sharpened (SS + More Accurate, rocks only)
- Framing and signature.
Take a look at it, LARGE on Black :
@ You all
Comments, faves and critiques are always welcomed!
It is time to wish you, your families and your loved ones the best 2010 you could ever imagine.
Luca
Our two cats like to cuddle up with my sandals, when they're off my feet. It's a cat thing, apparently.
I observed our curious one of the two feline companions in our home, Smokey, as she circled round the footware, pawing away at them and settling into a comfortable spot, sprawled across them on the floor. It was a perfect setting for a portrait.
I grabbed my camera, lay down on the floor, and contented myself with a long wait until the right combination of elements would eventually arrive in front of my lens. In the meanwhile, I had to put up with our two furry friends, licking my hair, my arm, rubbing up against me, and all manner of greetings and signs of affection while they got used to my new and unfamiliar position on the floor.
Eventually, they settled down and went back to my sandals, finding them more fun than me.
First Sissy, then Smokey, both took turns with my footwear. This image was towards the end of my patience. I'm glad I took the time.
The contrast and light is perfect for a portrait. It was worth both the kitty attention, and the wait.
What do a canyon called massacre, a graffiti tunnel, and I, all have in common? Madleigh Twisted!!
This shoot was amazing. Not only did I get to work with beautiful and extremely talented Madleigh Twisted of IFL Models fame, but I had the opportunity to work with the creative minds behind two incredible guys who started came to the middle of nowhere, California didn't find the scene they were looking for so they created one.
IFL is Inner Family Legacy, a multi function model agency, clothing line and Hip Hop group from the mean streets of Hemet. They have incredible models, sic clothes and beats that do not quit with the rhyme style to match. And as if that wasn't enough they are some of the nicest, down to earth, hardworking, driven and talented group of people I have had the pleasure to work with.
This is just the beginning, I am going to start posting the photographs I did with Madleigh, then some of the clothing and fashion. I hope you enjoy this set as much as I enjoyed shooting it.
Madleigh Twisted can be found at : www.facebook.com/madleightwisted and www.modelmayhem.com/1862433
Information on IFL Models, clothing and hip hop can be discovered at : www.facebook.com/iflmodels; www.facebook.com/innerfamilylegacy; and
Explore #264 : Highest position 347
Image Details
Camera........: Canon 60D
Lens..............: Sigma 10mm fisheye
Aperture........: f/10
Focal length.: 10mm
ISO Speed....: 100
Exposures.....: -2,0 (13,3.2) and a 30s exposure of the departing train to blend in the lights, see below.
Resolution....: 5184x3456
Photoshop
° Blended the 30s exposure of the departing train into the 2shot HDR to get the lights of the train like this.
° Shadows and highlights.
° Desaturation of the lights outside the station and the ground under the trains ( too greenish ).
° Brightness with luminosity mask.
° Manual didging of the highlights on the train.
° High pass sharpening ( see below ).
About
Saturday I spent some quality time with my 12 - Soon 13 - year old daughter Caitlin.
We travelled by train to the station of Liège Guillemins (Luik), this futuristic train station
was designed by the famous Spanish architect Calatrava and it is a photographers dream, anywhere you look you wish to take another shot. Due to it's attractiveness to the camera, this station has quickly become a magnet for photographers, we didn't count the number of photographers we encounters but there sure were a lot.
While I was using my new 60D I let Caitlin use my 'old' 400D, photography is new for her but I'm sensing some talent there ;)
° My photoshop tutorial on Layers, Masks, Selections & Channels.
° Channel mixer tutorial to remove lens flare spots.
Usage
All my images are copyrighted.
If you intend to use any of my pictures, for any usage, you need to contact me first.
Thank you.
You
All tips, tricks & criticism are highly appreciated.
Thanks everyone for my 264 explore entries !!!!
Chapter 7
The Daring Kind
She must have been able to read the discomfort in his eyes, assuming her actions had left her lover speechless.
She appeared happy to accept that for an answer and backed away, still smiling smugly, towards the staircase.
The diamond dangling from the coronet was still flashing its Morse code-like flickers, tapping the message to him that signalled, come get me!
Happily, she tapped his cheek, then turned and disappeared back around the corner with a swish of her gown, trilled affectionately to ‘Gaston” as she did…
“A most welcome home darling Gaston!”
He then heard her say merrily from her hiding spot...
“You have till the count of 25 luv , so get a move on”.
He stood there, jaw opened wide beneath his mask, his eyes had watched as her gown had wispily whipped around the corner behind her, whilst listening as she was giggling quite excitedly to herself at her cleverness!
He just didn't know what to think.
So of course, He obediently followed her directions.
“Bloody “ell” he muttered, thinking, had he just had fallen into a cat thief’s wildest dream!
He opened the door to the green satin wrapped damsel’s bedroom, and pulling out his torch, lit its pencil-thin beam.
Wishing only now that only the real Gaston didn’t decide to show his mug and spoil all the fun!
Once Inside, the torchlight quickly found her oak jewel case on the mantel of an old stained oaken dresser.
The high case matched the dresser and drawers below it perfectly, and it appeared that it was all uniquely Chippendale!
It sat across from a matching four-poster, with a sea blue satin coverlet and matching silken sheets.
“Nice of her to point out where her jewels are kept!” He thanked the clueless girl!
He swiftly went over and began opening the many drawers of the jewellery case, or jewellery coffin as some would churlishly call it!
The thin light of his torch lit up a sinfully copious display of jewels, note quite as valuable as the ones discovered in the master bedroom, but it was a damn close race all the same!
He happily began pulling out the drawers and sliding the prettily flickering contents into an already bulging case.
Rudely discarding the empty drawers unceremoniously upon the floor.
The lady he hoped, would appreciate the dedicated “realism “that this’ Gaston’ of her’s was going to put into her play, and he was just the person to make it realistic!
He reckoned this with a rather nefarious smile spreading upon the bearded face, covered by its thin black mask.
At that precise moment, he heard the door creak slowly open….
She was coming in quietly, and soon the lady proved her mettle to be quite the actress!
He heard her gasp behind him as he continued on his work!
“ No, not my jewels, Do anything to me but don’t take my family jewels!”
He turned around to face the damsel, holding the pearl filled final drawer in his thin black-gloved hand.
She stood there with her left hand to her mouth, while her right ringed gloved fingers played with her necklace. The diamonds flickered quite as she held it up!
She then teased, delighted at his captured attention! …
“You want these, do you not Mister Burglar, I can see it in your eyes!”
Looking upon her, he tipped the drawer full of pearls into the black bag, then dropping it empty onto the pile strewn about at his feet.
Then he eagerly, purposefully, moved towards her, lustfully eyeing the pretty victim’s savoury jewels.
She shivered as if she read his mind, that he would take her jewels and flee into the night with them.
But she was not ready to have him do that, so she commanded him in a softly brisk tone…
“Not yet!”
Putting up a nicely ringed finger to indicate he should come no further!
Surprisingly to himself, for he had no real reason to listen, he obediently stopped in his tracks to await her next command.
As it turned out, he was soon very glad he had done so!
Then he eagerly, purposefully, moved towards her, lustfully eyeing the pretty victim’s savoury jewels.
She shivered as if she read his mind, that he would take her jewels and flee into the night with them.
But she was not ready to have him do that, so she commanded him in a softly brisk tone…
“Not yet!”
Putting up a nicely ringed finger to indicate he should come no further!
Surprisingly to himself, for he had no real reason to listen, he obediently stopped in his tracks to await her next command.
As it turned out, he was soon very glad he had done so!
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Chapter 8
One must be Methodical
Dropping her hand, she questioned him…
“What have you forgotten to do, my dear thief?”
He stood still, hoping she would just obligingly tell him what to do next.
She happily did so...
“My closet! Gaston your always forgetting any good burglar worth his salt checks a damsel’s closet for brooches and such left on by ladies far too lazy to remove them from one's party frocks. I swear Gaston You would make a horrible burglar in real life. You would positively starve if it were not for being directed by someone like me!”
She chortled at her wit.
He just smiled, thanking her inwardly for being ever so much a big help to her poor Darling ‘Gaston’!
He turned to his right and headed straight to the closet, curious as to what he was expected to find inside?
Opening the door, a long floor length mirror was revealed, allowing one to see into the interior of the bedroom behind him.
Including the reflection of his most helpful victim as she stood there in all her jewelled and tight-fitting emerald satin attired glory!
She keenly watching his progress with an eager interest, as he stole a look at her reflection, muttering happily to himself…
“Best get this over with quickly, then attend to the lady and her finery!”
He turned to look back inside, and was met with a designer like an assortment of colourful dresses, gowns, and other fancy attire!
A quite nice, if not downright beguiling, display of soft velvets, slinky silks, sleek satins, frilled lace, and shiny leather.
He quickly began his task at hand, letting his thinly gloved fingers feel through the wonderfully sleek fabrics for anything hard and metallic.
On one velvet number he felt something like a necklace around its top, he pulled it out, but disappointedly it was a rhinestone collared frock.
He tossed it onto the bed and resumed his search as she could be heard softly giggling behind him...
“Nope, nothing on that one, but don’t quit just yet!
He stole a glance at her from the mirror, then he turned back into working the closet.
The glance revealed that his ‘mentor’ was watching him eagerly, her whole being quivering in anticipation head down to spiky heeled foot!
He fingered a satiny white ruffled blouse, he decided he had better keep tabs on this one, still not sure what exactly her game was all on about?
He muttered to himself…
“They were her jewels after all, weren’t they? Indeed, rather valuable for mere playthings!”
There had to be something inside here!
He thought as he let drop the satin blouse and plunged his gloved hands inside again and felt around.
This time he was rewarded by feeling a slight prick of something solid and sharp.
He pulled out a luxuriously long black satin number and saw it had two ruby clips attached to its bodice.
He held it up to the mirror so she could see.
she clapped gleefully, watching him pull free the ruby clips from the evening gown and casually flipped them into his bag on the floor.
“Well done Gaston!”
He looked up at her, as the slinky black gown was indifferently added to the growing pile on her bed.
He could see by her reflection that she was excitedly eating it up.
Then she suddenly resumed back into her character of being the hapless victim.
And began to miserably plead…
“Please mister burglar don't take everything of mine! I am sure there is nothing more inside!”
He smiled, wondering how she would react when she eventually found out that indeed, she was a hapless victim of her game!?
Turning his attention once again to her closet he moved aside the hangers, revealing a set of shelves set in the back that contained a nice selection of sensible shoes, wedged pumps, glossy spiked heels and designer style purses.
One purse caught his ever-appraising eyes, a small gold clutch with what looked like (and probably was) a diamonded clasp!
He pulled it out and tossed the expensive bugger into the bag.
“Oui , Good eye Gaston! It's almost like you were a real thief.”
She gurgled this, shivering in delight, as her earrings and necklace flickered along with her figure, like uncontrollable wildfires.
He watched the enticing show from her reflection in the handy door length mirror.
Then he turned back to the closet.
For, as he was moving the dresses over to look into the shelves, his eye had caught sight of a black leather jacket with a belt studded by what must have been a thousand rhinestones.
He now pulled it out and searched its pockets, mainly to tease her a bit further, for he imagined that “Gaston” would do such a thing!
So, he was utterly surprised when his gloved fingertips felt something cold and a bit weighty in a side pocket!
He slipped it out and found he was holding a solid gold cigarette case, which he added to the ever-growing collection in his bag!
His “Mentor” trilled as he did so, exclaiming with happy surprise...
“I had wondered where that had gotten off to luv! The matching lighter should be there too!”
He reached back in, and there it was, as well as a small ivory and ebony gold ringed cigarette holder.
Both of which quickly joined their companion in the now bulging bag.
He then pulled off the shimmery belt.
Even with rhinestones, it was worth a pretty penny he reasoned.
As started to pitch it into the case, he heard the Lady helpfully exclaim in the background, a good idea she said excitedly.
“Save that for when you tie me up to take my jewels!”
Shaking his head, why not? he tossed the belt to the helpful lass’s feet…
Thinking he was quite finished with the closet as he held the leather jacket, he for no rhyme or reason, took the time to hang it back up rather than adding it to the pile on the bed.
But It was as he did so that something, a most decidedly not rhinestone something, flashed in the dim lights in the gap that had been made where the leather jacket had hung!
He eagerly reached in and pulled out a lovely long brown, silky soft, liquidly appearing gown.
Holding it up triumphantly, he looked down at the dazzling sparkles of a magnificent gem-encrusted brooch that was suspended from the gown’s wide centre waistline.
“Good show Gaston!”
She exclaimed in the background.
His eyes left the brooch and looked into the mirror at her.
She was clapping, rings and bracelets, earrings and Coronet, the whole lot, erupting into a million pinpricks of fire as she did so!
He felt his manhood rising precariously as he looked her over, feeling the effect, even from this distance, her primitively carnal arousal!
She eagerly continued, spilling her emotions into her words!
“Mon Mari, I was going to tease you later if you were to ‘ave missed that one, and I was sure you were going to!”
“Tsk!” he said to himself. wonder what the teasing part would have entailed!
At the same time his mind was picturing this, he automatically, without taking his eyes off the mirror, pulled off the brooch and nonchalantly pocketing the breathtakingly pretty jewel before throwing the scintillatingly downy soft feeling soft gown onto the shiny pile already laying strewn about the bed.
It flashed through his mind that the fancy dresses strewn about could have been the striplings from that many jewel encrusted maidens, like this one, and what a delightful haul that would have been to carry out!
Savouring those thoughts, he turned once again to focus his attention, on the rather all too helpful Miss, his eyes traveling unabashedly up and down her figure.
Time was a-wasting!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Chapter 9
Wasting Time?
He eagerly started to move towards her...
“Almost!”
She said with a giggle, her flashily ringed finger raised again, stopping him as he had started to move towards her as she admonished him…
“Not quite yet! You forgot the most important part of burgling a lady’s chamber! “
Again, he stood staring, not quite knowing what the devil this peculiarly eager to be robbed damsel in distress was going on about now!?
But quite recent experience told him it should be to his thieving benefit to take more precious time and hear her out!
So, he stood questioningly waited to hear what the most important part was?
Which she then, quite helpfully, spelled it all out to him…
“You didn't check the lingerie drawer, Gaston! Any real burglar would have done so!”
He observed her winking at him …
“Come along Gaston l, get into your role my darling…!”
He looked at her, smirking to himself…
“Indeed, lady, I will!”
Curiously He turned and looked down upon the drawer in the stand next to her bed.
“No silly, still in the drawer beneath my now pilfered jewel case!”
She was looking down mischievously at the Drawers set in the ancient oak antique Chippendale dresser.
He turned, hesitating…
Should dear Gaston know which one it was?
He decided to just start at the top and began opening them one by one and pray he did not invoke her to start having any doubts as to his true nature!
He went over and started to pull open the top drawer.
She could be heard giggling in the background…
“Moved it on you didn’t I from the last time!? “
Her most welcomed words relived a bit of his anxiety, the gig was still not up, she still hadn’t guessed that he was the real thing, and not some love lost Beau sadly burdened with the moniker of Gaston, of all things!
“Ahh, there you go my darling!”
She said as he opened the next…
The drawer was found to contain, as promised, piles of wispy thin satin and silks, in all colours of a shimmering rainbow! Curious as to what further riches he was meant to find, he greedily swirled the expensive lingerie about, soon finding a pile of glistening silver all carefully laid out on one side.
A silver brush comb and matching mirror, all studded with jewelled handles, and a pair of silver handcuffs!
He lifted the jewelled vanity pieces...
He had once drooled over a similar set discovered in a museum's case!
“Oops, she giggled, forgot those were there, just leave ‘em luv!”
But he continued to place them into the case at his feet and was surprised when she did not protest.
Instead, she said reasonably…
“But of course, they are jewelled, just be careful with ‘em please my darling?”
Buy then he was already curiously looking inside, lifting the handcuffs…
He heard his victim give out a hoarse moan behind him!
The handcuffs and keys he lifted and threw on the satin comforter of the bed, wondering how many times she and her Gaston had put them to use?
He picked up the now quite hefty leather pouch and looked over at his smirking victim.
“Come mister thief!”
She instructed lustfully …
“Finally time to do your worst!”
“With pleasure” he murmured to himself, studying most hypnotic swaying of her long jewelled earrings…
“To all my just gratification, Madam!”
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Chapter 10
Lusting Gratification
He came over from the fancy oak dresser and finally stood before her.
The lady’s head came up to his chin, her pretty face looking up with innocence, into his.
She was smiling most provocatively, one hand still holding the clasp of her cloak, the other resting upon the shimmery brooch pinned onto the cloak over her right breast.
He, for no real reason, found himself wondering if the broach’s placement meant she was left-handed.
“Okay mister burglar, take me broach, I see your eye’ in it!”
For the first time, but not the last, he almost felt sorry for the show that poor Gaston was missing out on, but glad deep down that he, on the other hand, was not!
He reached down and pried her fingers from the brooch, and as he unpinned the precious jewel, she pushed against him so his fingers brushed against a rather perked, notably heaving breast.
Obligingly he allowed his fingers free reign to fondle her tits!
With a deep sigh, she listlessly allowed both her hands to fall to her sides as she leaned into him, her eyes turned upward gazing lustfully at him with her imploring hazel green eyes.
Huskily she murmured…
“That’s it, not too quickly now…”
He unsteadily managed to unfasten the broach, his fingers a bit encumbered by the game she was playing with her body as she leaned in against him.
Pulling it off, his fingers brushing her soft figure, he let the broach plop into the pouch at his feet…
He then reached up and undid the jewelled clasp of her long green satin cape, exposing is silvery lining… and finally revealing the playful lady’s gown as it lay in full glory down along her enticingly Horney diminutive figure!
As well as revealing her remaining ornaments, in all their exquisite glimmering glory!
Tongue-tied in awe; he watched the cape slither down from her arms.
She looked up into his face, lustful eyes sparkling with delight at his unbridled rapture at seeing her...
Though not for a second realizing quite what it was about her that had captured his total drooling interest!
“Cat ‘ave your tongue there laddie?”
She purred, her hazel eyes opening doe wide, offering no quarter as to their needful meaning.
He just let his eyes travel up and down the now fully exposed figure, quickly taking it all in.
He thought with satisfaction …
“The only thing that had more shine than those doe-like eyes were the diamonds that fell ever so dripping, ever so invitingly, from alluring points along down her scintillating figure!”
Her green satin gown was fitted to show off every delightful curve of her figure.
The bodice was not decorated by rhinestones or anything else that would have taken away one’s eyes from the jewels the wearer was sporting.
Those jewels consisted of a brooch equally as magnificent as the one he had plucked from the brown satin gown found hanging in her closet.
Besides, now could be viewed her long wide necklace dripping down to just above her visibly heaving breasts. The fine piece was set with blazing diamonds, smaller round ones surrounding a steady stream of larger egg-shaped ones that matched the one that hung from her forehead.
She smiled at his amazement.
“Gaston, you almost act as you have never seen these before!”
She scolded, while playfully lifted the necklace, letting it flow charmingly through her emerald green satin gloved fingers.
“Or are you really getting into robbing me, you naughty man!”
She let her other hand playfully pat the side of his mask.
For a second, he thought she was going to pull it up to kiss him, thus spoiling the game.
So, he quickly grabbed her by the wrists under the pretense of studying her rings and bracelets, thus successfully diverting her mind away from the thought.
“Ahh mister burglar, you want my pretties, I can tell, do you desire them more them Moi? One can imagine that you do! Quickly now, put yonder chair to use and ensure sure your victim cannot slip away whilst you wrestle the jewels from her very body!”
Liking this game more and more, he quickly fetched over the chair she was indicating.
Happy to oblige, it would make things far easier at the end he thought to himself with a dash of relief!
The chair was another sturdy Chippendale, Victorian-era straight-backed. Its' position, reflection in the closet door he had left open, would allow them both to watch from all angles. Dear Romeo ‘Gaston’ could not have planned it better!
He sat it down behind her and she started to sit.
He grabbed her by the wrists, keeping her upright. He looked into her wide-open eyes, yet she was the one smirking like the cat eyeing the canary in its cage!
“Good Lord he thought wryly. What did you get yourself into mate?”
she asked him sweetly, honey dripping with each syllable.
“What do you have in mind for your victim?”
He briskly turned her around and began to unzip her gown, feeling its slick material, quite luscious even under the thin gloves he wore.
“Good show Gaston!
she chirped in approval…
“Make your victim feel vulnerable!”
She kicked off the gown and it fell in a pile on the carpet, with the brooch on top, sparkling like a lighthouse on top of an Irish island of shimmering green. She was looking up at him, clad only in a scant mint coloured silken slip that hung delightfully tight against her now quite overly perked figure.
She stooped down giving him a purposely good view of her ‘fin arrière’, tightly outlined by her silken thin slip. She reached down and retrieved her cape, covering the cold oak back of the high-backed chair with it and slipped onto it, too fast for him to react.
“Damn! He had planned to nick that pretty cape with its expensively wrought clasp as well!”
“But he reasoned, all is fair in love, games, and theft!”
He went over and undid the satin sash of her green gown, eyeing the brooch, but not taking it...
“Not yet my pretty!”
He said to himself with promise, as he slipped the sash off.
He turned back around, again she was still smirking like the cat that had now caught the canary, though this time it looked like she had bloody thing in her mouth. He looked down at her gloved hands, the bracelets were there, but judging by her now bare fingers, it was not a canary she had sucked into her mouth.
Without letting on to her mischievous game, he went behind her and she quite helpfully placed her gloved hands behind the chair, her fingers beckoning, trying to get him to notice her missing rings. But he had other ideas for that part of her game…
And it did not involve Gaston snogging ‘er to get at em!
He employed the sash by tying her waist to the chair.
He could feel her shiver deliciously from her head to toe, squirming playfully in the chair.
Then in her throes of passion, she almost slipped off the chair, made slicker by the cape upon which she perched, sitting in an equally slippery slip, and he had to catch her and pull her back, feeling her shiver pleasurably as he held her.
Her dangling earrings were flickering like mad throughout the show, beckoning quite invitingly in his face as he was kneeling, causing him to shiver in much the same manner as her.
He then rose and going to the bed picked up the set of the handcuffs. Going back, he held her eyes steady with his, as she tried to come across as if she was imploring him not to do it, the rings hidden in her mouth preventing her to speak out!
As he approached, she kicked off both of her emerald rhinestones covered spiked heels, playfully missing him.
He smiled at her mischievously, going around and handcuffing her wrists together as she squirmed!
Then he came back around, and bent down in front of her, his hand reaching back and snatching up the rhinestone belt from her leather jacket.
He reached down, and taking an ankle in turn, strapped them both securely together!
She was not going anywhere without dragging the chair with her!
He had kept the keys on the bed, she could reach there to undo herself, but he was planning to be long gone before she would manage to accomplished that feat!
She was now ready, bound up the way she was, to be mercilessly stripped of the rest of her jewels!
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Chapter 11
The Subtle Touch
He went down behind her and she arched back in an attempt to watch what he was up to!
He looked over at their figures image in the mirror, her coronet, necklace, and earrings vividly sparkling in the reflection, like fire on a distant mountain he thought drooling with anticipation…….
He methodically decided to start with her Bracelets….
Holding her left wrist with his left hand, he let his right-hand travel up her squirming figure till he reaches her breast. Cupping it he began to with a slipping motion, massage it through her thin satiny slip.
She curled her figure against her bindings, closed her eyes, and began to whimper and moan lustily, opening her mouth just enough to keep her rings hidden inside!
As his right hand subtly pleaded her breasts, his left hand travelled down to a cuffed diamond bracelet. He began rubbing it up and down her gloved wrist in sync with his right hand, eventually worked it open and slipped it off from around her wrist, tossing it neatly into his pouch.
He repeated the performance on her right wrist as she continued moaning in total satisfaction.
If she noticed her twin bracelets were being removed in the process of having her breasts massaged, she did not appear to care.
Then, playing along with the lady’s game, he fruitlessly felt for her rings, hearing her muffled giggles above him as she squirmed.
“Mmmm,” she said, through gritted teeth not being able to open her mouth due to her rings.
He could see that what she was unable to voice, it was readable in her expression, reflected from the handy mirror!
Then he moved his hands, grasping her by the silken sides of her slip, and began to tickle her mercilessly, she started to uncontrollably giggle, then stated to sputter, finally letting loose with a gasping laugh!
This sent the three sparkling rings she had been holding inside her mouth, spinning out and plopping onto the green silk of her lap, where they slithered down between her knees!
“Dirty Play, Gaston!”
She admonished, snapping her legs closed to hide the rings, tears in her eyes as she laughed out her words…
“That wasn’t how… !
He hushed up her words by quickly plunging his gloved fingers down inside her slip, grasping and kneading her breasts in unison
Her whole being tingling with the exquisite pleasure, made her forget entirely how she had wanted him to play the game with her rings!
But he was now entirely in control of the situation, and she felt her whole figure limply wilt under his command!
He left his right hand inserted down her slip to carry on with the task, subtly extracting his left to then run fingers through her long blonde, luxurious feeling hair, pulling it back behind her head, where it hung down in a gold coloured silken mass!
Figuring if he did, she would lean right back to look up at him!
Which is exactly what she did, playing right into his trick!
Her eyes, though, were still tightly shut, as her focus went off to some erotic location, as she was reeling in the vivid pleasures of her game.
Her green satin gloved fingers tried to adjust her bonds so she could reach back out behind her, and he knew for what and responded appropriately by rising so she could reach her objective.
Then it became his turn to be the one moaning softly through gritted teeth…
He silently thought, while groaning inwardly…
“Easy on the family jewels there, missy!”
“Oh, My Darling Gaston!”
she responded, apparently, hopefully, waiting for a response.
He gave her one, though not verbally…
He leaned against the backside of the chair, getting as close to her as he could!
She began to grope quite furiously and he thought of a monkey he had seen once in the city zoo doing one such number on a banana.
He was also finding it increasingly difficult to keep his mind on the task at hand.
So, he pulled away from her grasp a little, allowing her fingers the barest of touch!
He then gently pulled back her blonde hair, and quickly started caressing her now sweating earlobes, taking advantage of where this lady’s reeling mind was otherwise occupied!
Slowly, carefully stroking up and off, he pulled out the gold hooks attached to her sparkling earrings from each pierced ear.
Freeing both of her lovely long earrings in turn and letting them drop, glimmering into his leather pouch!
He kept on caressing, deeply thrusting his right hand in and along her breasts for several minutes taking precious time with the task as to keep her mind away from what he was accomplishing from behind her trussed up back.
Meanwhile, his left hand moved up into a new position.
Her entire being was squirming, so enraptured and enthralled, that she never even felt him picking up the ends of the thin coronet: lifting oh so carefully, each end of shiny gold braided ends that were woven into her hair, and began gently lifting out each one free!
As he pulled it delicately away, she did not even miss the egg-shaped diamond as it stopped brushing against her sweat glistened brow!
Once he had freed the shimmering piece, he eagerly lifted to admire it!
She broke his trance by purring, opening her eyes as he quickly hid the jewelled coronet!
“Well, my Gaston! I can feel you desire me again, my darling! It has been quite a long time for you also!”
But though she may have felt that something growing between her captor’s legs, she had no inkling that he had been busy lifting her pricey jewelled headpiece!
Nor did she now hear it being dropped in the pouch at her foot!
So, oblivious that her earrings and coronet were gone, the bound, satin slip clad lady, quite seductively began murmuring these words as her fingers continued their gentle free play between his legs.
“You want me don’t you luv!”
She asked this seductively, wistfully as her eyes opened wide and looking up into his, catching him hovering over her, his eyes from the slits in his hood, looking down upon her.
He had stopped fondling her breasts with his right hand and placing that hand on her shoulder was looking down upon her with lust-filled eyes!
But she was entirely misreading the object of his also lustful gaze…
She again closed her eyes with a heavy sigh!
As his eyes went to what he now really wanted from her!
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Chapter 12
The Fondling Theft
He smiled as he looked down upon her throat, watching the diamond and emerald necklace moving up and down in conjunction with her heavy breathing!
For the small fortune in diamonds, dribbling nicely down as her throat was arching back in her ecstasy, was sending a rippling cascading fire of colour from its’ gemstones!
This was, for the most part, the blame for a stiffly obvious condition of his John Thomas!
“Kiss me, Gaston!”
The enraptured miss cried out yearningly at that point.
In her bliss, his victim moved open her knees ever so slightly, uncovering several small glittering objects!
The rings! He had almost forgotten all about them!
Seizing the moment, his hand had delved down, then up in between her legs!
He pried open wider her legs, finding no resistance atoll.
He then obliged her sweet fantasy
As her thoughts of being kissed vanished into the aire in a fit of convulsive ecstasy.
She screeched, her whole figure thrashing against her bindings as the intensity of sparking feeling erupted from the sensitive area he had invaded!
He reached into her lap, his fingers plunging in against her silken slip, scooping the rings inside, inserting two fingers, pushing inside a portion of her slip with the bundle of 3 rings, deep up within her vagina!
Her whole being exploded into enveloping, exquisitely painful jolts of pleasure as her long waiting orgasm took full effect.
He had ardently moved against her and he felt her fingers curling around his manhood, he pulled away quickly before she could cause him some pain from a reflecting grasp!
“Gaston,!” she screamed her eyes closed shut tight in pulsating ecstasy!
He had begun groping about inside her vagina, searching inside the slip he had pushed up for the rings that were laying somewhere there, unseen!
He soon found and scooped out each glittery ring one by one, pushing them deeply up and into her pulsating “Labia Majora”, before pulling them from the now damp silk and tossing them each neatly into his bag.
As he pulled out the last ring, along with her now wet portion of slip, she said, her voice hoarse with expectations,
“Sure you found everything mister burglar Gaston?”
He reached down and randomly pulled up her hairpiece from the top of the glistening pile in his pouch and dropped it down between her legs.
She opened her eyes, looking down
“When did that fall off?”
Forgetting her hands were bound, she had tried to feel up for her hair…
Like she had done with her rings, she firmly clamped her legs tightly over the jewel, extinguishing its flicker as it laid there shimmering brightly!
“Not part of the game, luv… I borrowed that from Lilly, silly! “
She giggles at her rhyme, light-headed from the lingering effects of her prickling arousal and orgasm!
He smirked, thinking!
Hmmm, where is this Lilly, and is she another one wondering about, wearing the good ‘ice’ this evening? But, back to the job at hand!
He bent down and tried to open her knees…
She resisted, struggling against her bindings as she tried to work her hands-free to stop him!
He hoped she was still playing her game, and not having second thoughts about it.
It could make things rather unpleasant!
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Chapter 13
Pleasant Reflections
But apparently, the gig was not up yet!
For an old memory had been invoked back to her conscious mind.
With this thought, she said lustily, her dry throat cracking her words…
“Ah yes, you are right my dear Gaston! Recreating that time in the film we were watching, when a thief lifted some jewels from those ladies at a party, after promising them he was reformed!”
“Yes Gaston, you remembered that game..!”
she said with a sultry gasp, before uttering one last word.
“Except …”
He froze not sure if he should follow-through, not wishing to upset any apple carts of fantasy she was expecting.
Then she went on….
“I should have told you that the Tiara was out of bounds, of course, you wouldn’t ‘ave known it was mine, being absent for so many years…!”
He looked down at her and saw that she was again watching him with some queries.
Was she having some doubts as to what game was being played?
he was curiously wondering?
He removed his hands from her leg!
She sighed happily!
“Thank you, you are a gentleman as well as a thief! Dear sir!”
He then reached up and lifted her necklace, fingering its beckoning lure.
She said nothing...
So apparently, this beauty was still in play!
it was time for the coupe de grace!
He eagerly contemplated as he eyed the magnificent necklace, the last and best piece of his victim's worn jewels.
He again grasped her breasts, fondling them through the silken slip with his right hand.
Whilst his left travelled up her slick backside, reaching the back of her throat, and her necklaces’ jewelled clasp!
Using two gloved fingers, he neatly popped open the clasp and watched as the two ends fell open and hung down over her shoulders.
Curious as to what reaction she would give,
She did not disappoint
She quivered and moaned, then, began choking out the words in quite in a seductive, huskily hoarse-voiced manner.
“Gaston, Mon Mari!”
Her eyes were glazed over, reflected in the mirror, wide open with crazed excitement!
Suddenly an epiphany of an idea enters his head
letting one ned of the necklace noticeably drag up and over her shoulder, he released his hold, with a cascading fiery slither, it fell inside between her heaving breasts.
His right hand still fondling those breasts, he felt the necklace and worked it past so it slipped further down, landing in her lap!
Her diamonded necklace had joined its jewelled mate, the forbidden fruit, the jewelled coronet!
He then did the job properly, feeling along with the outside first, then reaching inside and giving great attention to all of her sweet spots.
Finally reaching the bottom, he again located her clit and began to manipulate it!
“Oh good, lord !”
she exclaimed, pleasurably leaning forward as much as her bindings would allow
As he fondled and groped, going all out to give her already intensely aroused figure as much over stimulation as possible!
Said figure, which had been ratcheting impulsively during the entire performance, now shot straight rigid as his fingers began once again searching the area between her legs!
She let out a piercing squeal as he hit home several times.
And as she closed her eyes tightly with each plunge of his right hands’ fingers finding their mark contorting her figure into exquisite convulsions, he took the opportunity to reach in with his free left hand and grabbed the now unprotected jewels from her lap!
As he pulled her jewels free, she slumped back into the chair, her whole being exhausted from her ecstatic struggles!
He slipped the shimmering strings of diamonds, necklace, and coronet, down on top of their pilfered, glittering mates…
Quite a haul he thought as He looked at her body, eyes clamped shut, still grasping to control her pinnacle reached desires!
She never even noticed that her borrowed headpiece had also been scooped up along with her necklace as he had quickly, unobtrusively also taken it to be deposited inside his bag
He went over to the piled green gown laying on the floor.
Lifting it he carried it over to his victim.
Holding it up he watches as the dazzling brooch was reflected in her, now open, slightly glazed over, doe wide eyes.
He slipped off the jewel, mindlessly pocketing it with the other, as he laid the gown reverently out over her lap.
Her only reaction was to close her eyes and groan happily.
“Okay Gaston you win, she murmured huskily, now untie me!”
“This Gaston did win!
He thought smirking to himself as claimed the now weighty pouch from the floor!
He began to stroll briskly towards the bedroom door exit, preparing himself for when she would realize the truth and start her desperate pleading.
It didn’t take long he heard her exclaim from behind his back before reaching the door…
“Hey, Gaston ! Where do you think you are going, lad?!”
“I said game over, no didn’t I ?!
She must have been looking down, for she began to bleat on like an annoying lost lamb…
“And you give me back that Tiara, it is not supposed to have been part of the game!”
He spoke aloud for the first time, lecturing…
“It is more of a Coronet than a Tiara my sweet!”
The burglar boldly closed the door behind him, distinguishing any further comment from the now indignantly squealing young, distressed Damsel.
He retraced his steps out to the second-floor sitting room’s balcony.
Then made his exiting the way he had come.
Climbing from the ancient wrought iron fire stairs conveniently located down off the second-floor balcony!
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