At first I didn't like this photograph. I took it last autumn on the Bruderholz before the sun rose. It was extremely hard to find a proper composition because the Bruderholz isn't ”photo friendly” at all. Power lines, ugly fields and farmhouses, paved paths, cars, people (yes, there were some around that early in the morning), flat and boring landscape brought me to despair. Luckily, I found this tree which I could use, without any ”man-made stuff” in the frame. Switzerland can be a pain in the butt, it's so crammed full of fields, cow pastures, roads, houses, villages, people, power lines (they're everywhere! I hate them!), gondola cableways, ski lifts, and other ugly man-made stuff, you really have to look long and hard for a ”nature only” composition. You won't find any vast unspoilt landscapes here like say in the UK or the US. It's frustrating! Sorry for the ranting, but I had to get this off my back.

I guess the reason I didn't like this image was the more or less ”forced” composition. I would have prefered to show more of the landscape but, as mentioned above, this wasn't an option.

www.ArsSilentium.com

A bit of a passive aggressive rant...

DO NOT INVITE ME TO JOIN YOUR GROUP if you are never going to allow any of my pictures in it. I do not have the ego to handle this.. You invite me, I tend to think it means you have looked at my stuff and found something interesting.. otherwise, why invite me in the first place?

So when I go through the group and see things that I can't for the life of me understand why they were chosen and mine is not... I take it much, much too hard.. and yes, I admit.. personally..

rant over (oh and it especially hurts when it is a street group and their pool is full of "hipshot" walkbys that have no story or interest whatsoever...)

Shinjuku Skyscraper District

OM-2n with Zuiko 50mm f/1.4 and Reala100

rante una furiosa mareggiata a Cala Gonone, in Sardegna, nel cuore del ciclone Harvey, le onde si schiantano violente contro il molo, sollevando spruzzi maestosi di schiuma tra nubi plumbee e graffiti colorati sul muro. L’atmosfera è carica di potenza selvaggia del mare.

....neurotic psychotic shortsighted politicians. All I want is the truth, just gimme some truth".

Corbett Place, Shoreditch.

Mile End

Benched in Fort Worth. May 2012.

It's not very often that I have a rant... But now's the time, and this one is about the oddities of Explore... And this isn't a "serious" rant either by any means... lol... but it's something I sure do find extremely peculiar... So my shot of yesterday... achieved 64 comments in 19 hours with 49 faves and it was only posted in 3 groups, and it never made explore... Not even a sniff.... So I compared it to some of my contacts who DID hit explore, and this is the result..

Mine...NOT Explored

64 comments / 49 faves / 3 groups / 19 hours

Others IN Explore...

18 comments / 9 faves / 11 groups / 10 hours

38 comments / 27 faves / 5 groups / 14 hours

76 comments / 22 faves / 5 groups / 25 hours

25 comments / 9 faves / 5 groups / 17 hours

8 comments / 3 faves / 4 groups / 48 hours

28 comments / 10 faves / 10 groups / 10 hours

62 comments / 22 faves / 7 groups / 28 hours

33 comments / 21 faves / 8 groups / 21 hours

66 comments / 53 faves / 2 groups / 28 hours

44 comments / 23 faves / 3 groups / 16 hours

66 comments / 52 faves / 2 groups / 17 hours

And the last 5 were rated between 35 - 100... with a couple of front pages too..

I think I've figured the secret though... I need to..

1) Shoot a (semi) naked woman, preferably in knee length socks.

2) Have plenty of bokeh

3) Have her standing in front of an awesome sunset / sunrise with oodles of clouds

4) Maybe holding a kitten

5) With a flower in its teeth...

And finally...

HDR it...

Any volunteers !?!?!...

I'll supply the kitten... but you'll need to bring your own flower... ;))

found paper on panel

8.5x11

2003

Okay, not really ;-P But, I've been in this community for about 3 years, so I've seen a lot of stuff happen. I've wanted to do this for a while, but haven't got around to it. So....I'm going to post my top 5 annoyances/observations. This list is meant to be somewhat humorous, but also contain a grain of truth.

Number 5 - Collab Fever

So, I know he's a troll and all that but why must he always ask if someone does commissions instead of complementing the figure first. Secondly, why is he still here? Rant over. :3

detroit, mi

theshizzleblog.wordpress.com/2017/01/11/run-from-the-rant...

A TOMSTONE

to my grandfather

Its not death, no, that stabs my heart

But your willingnes to face whatever happens.

I didn't know you reignet so hight above dust and bitterness

Chiril Anwar Oct. 1942

The dishwasher gave up. As they do. Ordered a new machine. As one does. With "free" installation, and removal of the old one. But the delivery guys refused to install the new machine as there was a big water leak under the machine. They told me that I had to move the socket before they would come back. And that I needed a qualified electrician for that job. That was in October. Been doing the dishing by hand ever since. This very cool dome appeared this evening while I was doing the dishing-up. Could be some sort of sign I guess. And as this will be my only photo for the day it will be my 59th photo in the 100 Days Of Darkness project

I am not one for graffiti and even less pleased if the graffiti is off patch. I guess this raises a couple of questions.

Why do idiots have to daub their allegiance to football teams, their latest conquest or political persuasion on other peoples property?

Secondly, and this is as much of a bug bear to me, but why do people follow football teams that are located in distant parts of the country. The term Glory Hunters springs to mind. Before anyone pipes up with the odd exception I do understand that some people move around and therefore remain faithful to their chosen teams. Such followers are relatively few and far between. I am a big believer in people following their local sports clubs.

Sorry for the rant, but on both accounts this scrawling is out of order and out of line with my beliefs.

As for the rail related information, 66541 is seen passing Oakenshaw with a Southampton to Leeds freightliner.

Preaching to passing traffic in the pouring rain, Camden High Street.

I'm going to get myself f*cking knifed one of these days. I am, apparently, going to hell for taking this.

To the idiot/s who broke into the outgoing mailbox at my workplace.

All bank accounts have been closed so you won't get any further trying to cash your badly forged checks from the checks I mailed. If you want money do what the rest of us do GO WORK FOR IT!

A quick Flickr rant. Today the powers that be at Flickr have declared to encourage more use of the site, that if anyone wants more than 1,000 images on their site, they will have to pay £50 a year for PRO. This is because the popularity of the site is losing out to other and they feel a charge for regular users will generate more use. Personally I believe it will discourage use and am considering not paying the PRO licence. I wonder which 4,500 images of mine they will delete.

The seven deadly Flickr sins!

***RANT ALERT!!!***

The list:

3x 400D's

3x 40D's some gripped

2x 5D's one gripped

1x 5D Mk II

1x 300D gripped

2x T90's

1x F80 (and 24mm f/2.8)

1x Diana

1x Mamiya C330 (and standard lens)

1 x light meter, Sekonic I think

2x Cyber Sync receivers

1x Cyber Sync transmitter

1x Orbis

2x 580 EX's

9x 580 EX II's

3x Pocket Wizards

1x 12mm ext. tube

1x 25mm ext. tube

1x 1.4x TC

2x 24-70 f/2.8 L's

1x 24-105 L IS

3x 70-200 f/2.8 L IS's

1x 70-200 f/4 L IS

1x 300 f/4 L

1x 200 f/2.8 L

1x 50mm f/1.4

1x Sigma HSM 50mm f/1.4

1x Sigma 24 f/1.8

1x 17-55 f/2.8 IS

3x 55-250 IS

1x 100 macro

1x 50mm f/1.8

1x 17-40 L

(and a load of bits...)

And to think that lot was about two-thirds of what was meant to turn up. There were five other bodies, about eight more L lenses including a 500mm f/4 and towards another ten 580 EX II's due there. By my reckoning, at 'buy-me-new' current prices (in NZ) that's about $84,000 in attendance, with about another $32,000 that nearly showed up for their picture.

So at first glance, you see a shit load of posh camera stuff on the table right? Tools bought by photographers to aid their quest for better pictures. You all lust, we all lust after the latest toys, 5D2's or D700's, the Xpan or an 85mm 1.2, wanting more all the time. We all do it.

And it's with that mentality I get a lot of people coming to the photos I take and not actually seeing the picture, not realising what's going off and why, no bothering, not opening their fucking eyes, and assuming, and expecting whatever photo it may be is a pure product of the equipment used. Granted a lot of the time, you can't take a photo so well unless you've got 'X' piece of kit, but it really isn't, REALLY isn't what makes the photo.

The thought process, the photographer, and the quest for furthering your images is what makes photos. Expensive camera gear does not.

I'll repeat that for those hard of hearing, expensive camera gear does NOT make the photos.

You do.

I am fucking tired of forever being labeled and hassled about this. I get gear nerds whacking off over the latest and greatest all the time, through work, through my photos and through here. Genuinely if you can't see the point of this, and why masturbating over the latest gear isn't on, then you need your head looking at. I spoke to one guy this week with a 5D2 and about five L lenses, a $1200 tripod and a fuck load of fancy lights, all bought to improve his pictures, and yet he's not left his back garden with it yet, and got past shooting whatever mundane shit's there in auto mode. I mean, Jesus H Christ! :-(

So, if you collect pictures of lenses from the internet and stash them away like a replacement for porn, get out more.

If you ask what f/ stop or shutter speed was used every single time you see a photo, and have been shooting for longer than three months, either buy a nice tutorial book or get out more.

If you sit and have conversations with yourself and other (fat American) people on the internet arguing the finer points of noise control in cameras you'll never own or use, get out more.

If you feel the need to wear your Nikon, Canon, Zeiss or whatever logos with pride wherever you go, you either need to leave home because you're 43 and still live with mum, or need to find a girlfriend.

If you think Ken Rockwell makes sense, pick a new hobby.

If you think the forums on dpreview.com are a treasure trove of well-balanced and educated information, please leave the planet.

If you decided to order your new 5D and then cancel the order at the last minute to buy a ****ing Sony because some people took photos of fairy lights over Xmas and found some black dots, seriously, get your head read.

If you think lower and lower noise makes better cameras, step back from the plate for a second, and ask how many genius photographers on this website actually add it all back in? (Answer = lots)

If you think owning a Nikon or a Canon makes you better than your opposite camp owning enemy, get out more. Take anger management classes, see a shrink, then get out some more again.

If you think these rants are illogical and piss you off, take a look at them again and see how many apply to you. I am right.

Seriously,

If you think that cameras and all that expensive shit at the top make the photo, sort your act out.

(Here endeth the rant, and the photo that's taken three years to set up!)

Six Flags said I was not allowed in their park with an I SHOOT RAW shirt because it was inappropriate. Yet I found these items in their park, two shirts they sell and one ad.

Hear the rant here froknowsphoto.com/rawtalk-89/

A random beer rant, while drinking on the beer patio at ...

Three Taverns Brewery

Decatur, Georgia, USA.

21 September 2019.

▶ Not to call out 3 Taverns because the malpractice is industry-wide, but, Lordy, how I detest murky beers. I drink with all five of my senses and that includes eyesight. (And, yes, I listen to my beer à la Fred Eckhardt).

***************

▶ Photo by Yours For Good Fermentables.com.

▶ For a larger image, type 'L' (without the quotation marks).

— Follow on Twitter: @Cizauskas.

— Follow on Facebook: YoursForGoodFermentables.

— Follow on Instagram: @tcizauskas.

▶ Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10 II.

▶ Commercial use requires explicit permission, as per Creative Commons.

A number of years back, I posted a rant on the subject of what makes me continue to shoot year after year - see: ( www.flickr.com/photos/earl_reinink/8340161975/stats/ ). In my rather vociferous discourse, I concluded that it was the search for the “ultimate image” that kept me going. Truth be told (and should you divulge this to my psycho-therapist you’ll be hearing from my lawyer), it is an obsession.

So what constitutes a perfect image - composition, artistic merit, lighting, subject, impact? The fact is, its all of those and more. I’ve listened to talent-challenge photo-artist wanabee’s who claim that the image only needs to speak to them. Bunk – use your camera equipment for a boat anchor – go find a new hobby. Or take my workshop: for the low cost of $99.95, I will help throw your equipment overboard. Spend a few hundred dollars, the workshop focuses on attitude adjustment. Give me the big bucks in cold hard cash, I’ll be your friend, take you to the birds. But I digress…

So, I’ve posted two images of a Belted Kingfisher with a Redfin Shiner. The first image was taken when I rolled up in my Ram (yup it’s a big ass, gas guzzling, eco unfriendly beast doing its best to contribute to global warming – if don’t like it, go ride your tricycle.. sorry, just went off on a tangent..). As I was saying, when I rolled up in the Ram (and yes, I’m lazing – I do the bulk of my shooting from the Ram – why walk when you can drive… darn, doing it again). So, rolled up in the Ram, camera out the window and ready, saw the bird on the perch I put out for that express purpose (for all you tree-huggers, it was a dead branch), banged of a bunch of shots because I though the birdie would go. The light was low and weak, fortunately the bird was lazier than shit because he had the fish, fishie wasn't going anywhere, and he wasn’t hungry yet.

So, I sat for an hour with the Hubble pointed out the window (and yup – took a few dozen shots of the same pose), had my morning coffee, listened to the news, plucked a couple nose hairs, all the while waiting for the bird to do something. Usually, they beat the crap out of the fish, toss it in the air a few times… but it just sat. The sun came up – lighting got really nice! So, I wait for another half hour, scratched myself a few times, counted weeds in the ditch, thought about Angelina for a while….

Then some dickweed in a transport truck laid on his horn at me (sure, I was parked on the road – figured that the dumbass had a steering wheel, so he could go around me). Dickweed honked again - the birdies crest came up, birdie crapped and took off. Was it what I was expecting? Nope, but after an hour of waiting I got a better image!!

Is it in the “ultimate image” bracket yet? Not sure –I’ll have to take the Ram out again and see if I can do better…

rante una furiosa mareggiata a Cala Gonone, in Sardegna, nel cuore del ciclone Harry, le onde si schiantano violente contro il molo, sollevando spruzzi maestosi di schiuma tra nubi plumbee e graffiti colorati sul muro. L’atmosfera è carica di potenza selvaggia del mare.

In an almost incredible move, TfW decided to do some training today, the multitude of hi-viz jackets inside enjoying a jolly from Canton to Holyhead and back.

The return 5J49 run...

No. Hang on a minute. 5J49? What the...?

Back in the day (I know, I know, hear me out), the headcode system was nice and simplistic. First digit was train designation, 1 for express passenger, 2 stopping passenger, you know the score. The letter indicated destination, then an individual two-digit train identifier.

The letters used E,M,O,S and V for the destination region for inter-regionals, then there was a host of local letters for within region trains. For example 1E63 was the daily Poole-Newcastle train, destination Eastern region, 1D83 from Euston would be going to Chester or the North Wales coast, 1D83 from the Cross would be heading for Lincoln/Cleethorpes/Hull.

Ok, so far?

Then along came privatisation and blah blah blah.... And since that time, the system has become ridiculously blurry. Stupidly blurry.

The Skegness HST from Nottingham last year, an inter-regional from the Midland to the Eastern which should have been 1E03 ran as 1S03. With its Grantham call, it technically could have been next to another 1S03, an inter-regional from King's Cross to Scotland. A juicer only Azuma heading for Allington Junction would have been interesting.

Trains from Holyhead to Cardiff still carry the traditional 1Vxx designation, inter-regional to the Western. But in the reverse direction they are now 1Wxx instead of 1Mxx, inter-regional to the Midland. Where the hell is W? Even the Western didn't use W, it was V!

So we come to 5J49, pictured above. It's in North Wales, carrying a xJxx code. That's not inter-regional, so it's a regional code. And, on this side of the Midland, a J takes you to Shrewsbury or the Cambrian.

And Cardiff, apparently.

If I'd been the Bobby at Dorrington or Craven Arms I'd have stopped the train and told the driver he'd overshot...

67010 leads a TfW mk4 set with DVT 82229 past the lake at Rhyl on 27 January 2021.

scribbles on the back of the calendar

Whistleblower

Benched by P. and Straight Up Bench in Calgary, AB.

Why why why,?

It was just flags blowing in the wind with pointless messages

Oh well, time to move on

Rejected by no one important at AWAKE - ART FOR A CAUSE.

Whistle Blower

Benched by P in Calgary, AB.

Dubai Marina, UAE

New World

instagram

scribbles on A3 paper

rant

c. 1990