View allAll Photos Tagged temerity,
Larvae of the Pale Tussock Moth.
_DSC2909-1
ISO 1000 1/160th @ f/11
The natural beauty of this caterpillar warrants it a place in my gallery, but what brought it to my attention was that it had the temerity to drop down the neck of my shirt whilst I was gardening ! I believe the identification to be correct , but I am no moth expert. If anyone can confirm / deny or identify I should be grateful. It was 3cm long and the spines were pale blue.
Sponsored by:
• Fantasy Faire Event (23/04 - 10/05): FOE. Faunus
Featuring:
• FOE – Uriel's Casque
• FOE – High Temerity Halberd
• FOE – Corsair Texture Pack
• FOE – Egoist Fluted Armor
• Faunus – Idunn gown
Picture taken @ Canny Valley by ::Static::
Full credits after Story
----------------------------------------------------------
The war banners had fallen months ago, swallowed by mud and rain in a faraway land forgotten by Gods.
Men who once shouted his name were now names carved into stone, and the steel he carried had grown heavy.
Heavier than it had ever been.
As he arrived, no trumpets were waiting for him. No heralds. No cheering crowd.
Only her.
She was standing there, dressed in autumn's crimson, as if the trees had lent her its last withered leaves.
Tiny lights nestled in the folds of her gown like scattered petals of light.
She had always loved impossible things, and him being back felt like that… impossible.
He stopped before her but could not speak.
There were too many ghosts trapped in his throat.
It felt like moment stopped for a second.
As he was standing there there, she looked at him.
First the dried blood on his halberd.
Then the dents in his armor.
Finaly, his face under the helm
She understood.
No words were needed.
After a moment, she reached for the hand still holding the weapon.
“You came back”, she said.
It was not triumph.
Not accusation.
Only truth.
“I did”, he answered, though it sounded less like victory than surrender.
She stepped closer then, close enough that even the cold iron of him could feel her warmth.
In the fading light of that moment, no kingdom mattered.
No battle remained.
Only them.
He turned toward the road and spoke: “Time to go home.”
Together they walked on.
There was only the long road behind them.
The past was written.
And the life still waiting ahead.
----------------------------------------------------------
🏰 Fantasy Faire (23/04 - 10/05)
🏢 FOE
★ Uriel's Casque
• Toggleable Mane and Helmet Holds
• Pristine and Tarnished versions
• Comes with textura HUD
• PBR Textures (Fallback included)
★ High Temerity Halberd
• Three sizes: Small. Medium. Large
• Animated with 8 Custom Holds, 6 Battle poses
• Comes with Texture HUD
• PBR Textures (Fallback included)
• Includes Blood & Wrap Options
★ Corsair Texture Pack
• Texture Pack for Egoist Fluted Armor
• PBR Texutres (Fallback included)
• 11 Textures. Hundreds of Combinations
★ Egoist Fluted Armor
• Rigs: Legacy Male. Legacy Female. eBody Reborn. Belleza Jake
• Has option to add Plume to Helmet
• Helmet ON and Helmet Holds (Left and Right) options
• Click to toggle Helmet Visor Up and Down
• Customizable Chest Overlay
• Comes with Texture HUD
• PBR Textures (Fallback Included)
Available @ FOE Stand
🏢 ☾ ✩ Faunus ✩ ☽
★ Idunn gown
• Rigged bodies: Kupra. Maitreya + Petite. LaraX + PetiteX. Legacy + Bombshell. Legacy Perky. Reborn + Waifu
• Avaiable in 9 colors
Available @ Faunus Stand
Bassetts Liquorice Allsorts
Who would have thought that these cheap and frankly horrible liquorice allsorts sweets (candies) would be translucent when a little light is pushed into them from behind. I think the person who had the temerity to name these things liquorice should be put before a judge and jury and asked to put up a defence for this crime against proper liquorice! (Please don't sue me Bassets .)
Shot for the Macro Mondays theme of 'Candy'.
Olympus EM1Markii, Pentax 50mm f/2.8 Macro lens.
While Snugs is very patient of my relationship with the interloper, curmudgeon Lu, here she was showing her non impressed face that Lu had the temerity to enter the house looking for her treats. I don’t allow Lu to stay in the house despite her many attempts but on the occasions of these slips, Snugs doesn’t really react but stays at a distance and keeps a close eye on, the often frantic proceedings, where I am trying to usher Lu out and where she is growling and hissing at my attempts. But when I bring the treats outside to the bowl, Lu retreats and settles down with a purr, growl and munching.
So happy Caturday from a wonderful gentle, patient girl, Snugs and myself, the wayward owner 😊💕☘️
Black head and neck with a white chinstrap. Brown body, varies in shades geographically. Typically in large flocks, pairs or family groups. Grazes on land and up-ends in the water to reach submerged aquatic vegetation. Listen for loud ‘honk.’ (eBird)
-----------------
Canada Geese are fierce defenders of their families and are big enough to do damage to intruders. This mother was defending her nest from birders who had the temerity to approach just a little too closely!
Shirley's Bay, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. May 2011.
Photos and contest are protected by copyright, Gio F. Copyright © 2015 - All rights reserved For any use need my written permission
Pensavo e intravvedevo,
tornando sulla strada con l’auto, e percorrendo piccoli tratti, cose di ogni giorno per qualcuno di voi, il recarsi a fare compere necessarie, con una lista di cose d’acquistare.
E se dellle volte non si fa caso a ciò che passa davanti, oggi guardavo scorrere i paesaggi e sentivo un po’ il richiamo della natura.
Dovendo scegliere fra la strada più breve, ma cementificata e costruita, ho scelto il passaggio fra piccoli paesi e campi, e come il solito coi limiti di velocità.
Nel finesettimana, non è male viaggiare piano e dare uno sguardo fuori.
Ho scelto di spegnere l’aria condizionata ed abbassare il finestrino, si susseguono,campi di mais con piantine verdi, appezzamenti biondi di grano, qualche gradino di viti ancora acerbe, fiori che vogliono farsi strada dai cancelli, in fondo alberi distanti che osservano stupefatti i colori diversi che accompagnano il volgersi della nascita dei nuovi girasoli.
Ho lasciato alle spalle parte della terra che aveva mio padre, , vi è nato del grano, prima che venga mietuto l’ho voluto riprendere.
Mi fa pensare all’esistenza, c’è una poesia è di emily dickinson, la ricordo per letteratura inglese, parla dell’esistenza è un’insegnamento magnifico:
Di emily dickinson :
Each life converges to some centre
Expressed or still;
Exists in every human nature
A goal,
Admitted scarcely to itself, it may be,
Too fair
For credibility's temerity
To do.
Adored with caution, as a brittle heaven,
To reach
Were hopeless as the rainbow's raiment
To touch,
Yet persevered toward, surer for the distance;
How high
Unto the saints' slow diligence
The sky!
Ungained, it may be, by a life's low venture,
But then,
Eternity enables the endeavoring
Again.
Molto bella e per tutti.
In sostanza dice che ogni esistenza ha un proprio motivo di esistere, parla di vite, di cieli, di arcobaleni, di eternità.
Di unicità di ogni singolo essere, ed è vero, quel che non si può fare lo si completerà.
Questa poesia è la vita. Ad ognuno il proprio ruolo diceva questa scrittrice. L’ho sempre amata.
E’ una di quelle scrittrici che parlava della natura, come se diventasse lei stessa agente all’interno di essa.
Parlavo ad una persona di questo tempo fa, Qui in queste pagine.
Dedico a lei questo senza bisogno di dire, tu comprendi un puntino!.
Non importa se leggerai, se non verrai…
Importa rileggere la poesia e so per certo che tu questo ogni tanto lo fai.
Io la posto ora anche per ricordare…E per dire che la natura tutta la amo, comprese le creature.
Gio
The legend of this castle says that Charles VIII rewarded a certain Lafon, commoner by birth, for his bravery and temerity during the Italian military campaigns by making him a knight.
The king granted him also the privilege of building towers and machicolation, a right then reserved to the nobility.
The knight of Lafon also chose a star for his coat-of-arms, The Castle is in the beautiful village of Autoire , Lot , France
Snowflakes in the air, blowing in the faces of those with the temerity to be outdoors and dusting the ground, but the ocean doesn't notice. A nice view, in good weather and bad. Happy Bench Monday!
Fantasy Faire 2026 is already in full swing
Apr 23 - May 10
Jump in to the Faire at Fairelands Junction maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fairelands%20Junction/144/...
Shopping Guide : fantasyfairesl.wordpress.com/shopping-guide-2026/
FOE has released 2 new items for the Faire!
High Temerity Halberd
- a fantastic and brutal two handed weapon with poses and multiple textures
Tarnished Texture Pack for the Warrior From The Stars Armor
- level up the amazing Warrior From The Stars Armor with a tarnished look in multiple textures/colours for each piece of the armor.
Pick them up at the Ben Tom Roi land during the Faire
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ben%20Tom%20Roi/188/160/62
Both will be available at FOE mainstore after the event
FOE Linktree linktr.ee/_foe
Also at the event from Stelio - Third Eye Mask CORRUPT Version
and from outside the event...
From Utopia at The Men's Department
Apr 5 - 30
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/TMD/125/169/22
LEON 2.0 EvoX Skin
- 2K
- Brows/no brows
- Made for Velour body skins
- Includes shape for Eon
After the event you can pick up LEON 2.0 from
Utopia Mainstore maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hashira/207/97/4
From Opulein at The Fifty Event
Apr 25 - May 20
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Fifty/94/96/777
"Marrie" Hairstyle
- Includes 2K EvoX Hairbase with unrigged bun with accesory
- 5 Colour Packs
- Tintable version included in B&W pack
- Mod/copy
After the event you can pick up Marrie at
Opulein Mainstore maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Opulein/138/118/21
Other stuff:-
duckie - strangled evox NS Tint (new)
LELUTKA - KRIS 4.0
FOE - Warrior From the Stars Armor (Legacy Male)
MESHBODY - Legacy (m) Athletic (1.7.1)
PICASSO - HOMME Skin for Legacy (FIT/WINTER) Picasso Neck
Dreadmorne - Demonoid Eyes - Inverse Vibrant [Purple] - [Cat]
As noted by JJ Audubon: "The Black-poll Warbler is a gentle bird, by no means afraid of man, although it pursues some of its smaller enemies with considerable courage. The sight of a Canadian Jay excites it greatly, as that marauder often sucks its eggs, or swallows its young. In a few instances I have seen the Jay confounded by the temerity of its puny assailant.
The occurrence of this species so far north in the breeding season, and the curious diversity of its habits in different parts of the vast extent of country which it traverses, are to me quite surprising..". Birds of America.
The Spotted Sandpiper was nonplussed by the intimidation of the Common Merganser (as seen in the previous image www.flickr.com/photos/luminouscompositions/54481501925/in... ), since it had spotted a food item and wasn’t going to let some bluster interfere with procuring the necessities. {And indeed, the larger duck seems uncertain how to take the temerity of its smaller neighbour.} Once the sandpiper had swallowed down its tidbit, it proceeded on its way. This tableau took place at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Photo 2/2
The Blue Jay.
No brigadier throughout the year
So civic as the jay.
A neighbor and a warrior too,
With shrill felicity
Pursuing winds that censure us
A February day,
The brother of the universe
Was never blown away.
The snow and he are intimate;
I 've often seen them play
When heaven looked upon us all
With such severity,
I felt apology were due
To an insulted sky,
Whose pompous frown was nutriment
To their temerity.
The pillow of this daring head
Is pungent evergreens;
His larder -- terse and militant --
Unknown, refreshing things;
His character a tonic,
His future a dispute;
Unfair an immortality
That leaves this neighbor out.
-Emily Dickinson
Forest Lawn Cemetery, Burnaby, BC.
A shot from back in my Rebel days (Canon Rebel that is). I'm still screwing around with old photos in Lightroom while I try to find the temerity to get into Photoshop. Am I the only one who finds PS completely intimidating? It's as if the shear power of the program keeps me away from discovering all it can possibly do for me.
Highlighting new items from GENUS, that work with GENUS MorphTOON. The PIXIE HAZE tears, animated Eyeshine and PIXIES SKIN (in fun tones). Currently this is at Dubai and after at the Mainstore (you can get the MORPHtoon parts at the Mainstore.)
GENUS - PIXIE HAZE - Tears - 2K BOM - Tintable
GENUS - PIXIE HAZE - Eye shine - animated
GENUS - Skin - PIXIE - Lavender - Brows - 2K BOM
At the Mainstore
GENUS MORPHtoon - LipMorph Bubblegum, NoseMorph Snuggle, Head Base BJD Doll Triangle and EyeMorph Oni
New at Fantasy Faire from FOE, the High Temerity Halberd and Tarnished Texture Pack for the Warrior From The Stars Armor. After Fantasy Fair get it at the Mainstore.
FOE x High Temerity Halberd (S)
FOE x the Warrior From The Stars Armor Armor (eBody Reborn)
Random Matter - Eudora - Moth Halo
REBORN by eBODY v2.0
*LODE* Head Accessory - Violets [original]
+ Fairy Wings (size S) Bento + {Aii & Ego}
bonbon - kairo hair - (fit)
More wabi-sabi, this was a lovely white petalled tulip from my wife's front garden that had the temerity to lose its petals, but the leaves remained. I set up the stem upside down, so the top end is the healed spot where it was snipped to drink from a vase of water. As usual, I'm interested the way the forms move around the frame, and the color and texture.
The result of a multi-image focus stack, this image should reward pretty close examination. Maximum viewing size on your computer can be found by opening the image in a separate window, making that window maximum size, typing the letter "L" on the keyboard, and then clicking the cursor as long as a '+' appears in it, typically twice.
If you find this image to your liking, you can find more wabi-sabi - and an account of my understanding of the meaning of that term - in my wabi-sabi album, and more tulips in my Tulips album.
BTW, I've taken to putting a white rim around these images on black because, on my iPhone flickr app, it is otherwise difficult to discern the image's edges. I made it tiny because, while large mats look lovely on my desktop monitor, they make it hard for my tired old eyes to view an image on my iPhone's small screen.
"When I pronounce the word Future,
the first syllable already belongs to the past.
When I pronounce the word Silence,
I destroy it.
When I pronounce the word Nothing,
I make something no non-being can hold."
~ Wisława Anna Szymborska (‘The Three Oddest Words’)
'Nothing', according to the poet and literature Nobel laureate, Wisława Szymborska, is something no non-being can hold. If the double negative in that last sentence gave you a pause, no blame nah be yours. It’s something, that ‘Nothing’! If you allow me, I have gathered three ways to interpret the whims of that last line.
One… the word ‘Nothing’ has a meaning and therefore is not really nothing.
Two… canceling out the double negative, the line reads: ‘Nothing’ can be held by a ‘being’. A being who breathes, feels, suffers, and cries. A being can hold ‘Nothing’ in his existence, heartbeat, or emotion. Occasionally, ‘Nothing’ is everything one can hold. It’s not easy to not hold something while holding the entirety of its mighty weight. ‘Nothing’ is then the being. The being is then ‘Nothing’.
Three… with the temerity of a snail that wants to travel the world… I interpreted that last line as the photograph above. In layers, ‘Nothing’ is everything, which no non-being can hold.
His tail slightly fanned in agitation at several American Goldfinches that had the temerity to be using HIS feeder. He scared them off pretty quick and had a good snack.
Far from the usual wisdom of my photos of Venice, here is a colorful fantasy that will allow me to support this gray and rainy day :-) Excuse my temerity!
Have a good end of week!
Loin de la sagesse habituelle de mes photos de Venise, voici une petite fantaisie colorée qui me permettra de supporter cette journée grise et pluvieuse :-) Pardonnez mon coup de folie!
Bon week-end à tous!
Lontano dalla consueta saggezza delle mie foto di Venezia, ecco una fantasia colorata che mi permetterà di sostenere questa giornata grigia e piovosa :-) Perdona il mio ardire!
Buon fine di settimana!
It is the Distinguished Company at the Bijou Planks!
Today we see John Paul Jones. John Paul Jones was a Revolutionary War hero known as the father of the U.S. Navy. Born in Scotland in 1747, Jones came to America as a merchant sailor. When the American Revolution broke out, Jones sided with the colonists and joined the Continental Navy, with his greatest victory coming from his against-all-odds defeat of the British warship Serapis in 1779.
In his early command, Jones sailed from the Delaware River in February 1776 aboard Alfred on the Continental Navy's maiden cruise. It was aboard this vessel that Jones took the honor of hoisting the first U.S. ensign−the Grand Union Flag−over a naval vessel.
With great skill and temerity, Jones began attacking British ships off the American coastline and expanded his operations from there. He captained the USS Providence, sailing to Nova Scotia and capturing British vessels.
Soon after, he took command of Ranger and set course to France, where his vessel was saluted by the French Admiral La Motte Piquet — the first American vessel ever to be recognized by a foreign power.
In 1779 Jones would go down in history as one of the greatest naval commanders of the Revolutionary War. En route to raid British shipping, Jones’ warship, Bon Homme Richard (named after Benjamin Franklin), came head to head with the more powerful English warship HMS Serapis off the North Sea.
After three hours of relentless gun fire between the two vessels, Jones slammed Bon Homme into Serapis, strategically tying them together. When the British asked if Jones was ready to surrender, he famously responded: “I have not yet begun to fight!”
After Jones and his crew continued their attack on Serapis, causing severe damage, it was the British who ultimately surrendered. Jones’ surprise victory against the better-equipped British naval ship had turned him into an international hero.
John Paul Jones. A distinguished individual!
__________________________
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
National Historical Society
John Paul Jones
Fine Pewter
1980
We all know that the highest compliment one artist can give to another is "I wish I had done that." I find myself saying that a lot when I look at the work of Larry Tuckman.
The piece he is holding is one that he recently displayed at an art show. I had seen it online before, but I absolutely fell in love with it when I saw the print. I told Larry I would NEVER hang another photographers work in my place, but in this case, I would gladly make an exception.
When he came in to work today, he had the picture printed and framed. I wouldn't have the temerity to show the whole piece (in my mind, that reeks of plagiarism), but I felt I had to pay some kind of homage to someone whose work I truly respect.
Dennis PAX V with Dennis bodywork at Holywell Cross Chesterfield Derbyshire September 1995. New in 1968 to Llandudno Urban District Council later Aberconwy.
It comes as a reminder of those heady days of a mini bus war during the mid-90s, when upstart Peakbus had the temerity to 'poke the bear' that was Chesterfield Transport. With an eclectic mix of buses and coaches the battle lines were drawn, no less than with this bus, one of two originally supplied to Llandudno UDC to serve the town and the Great Orme. Am led to believe that it still exists in the hands of a preservationist. Built long before the advent of low-floor, as one climbed into its step entrance, you felt a great achievement upon reaching your seat. The battle was short but not sweet, although it certainly provided much entertainment for the enthusiast.
The main feature of the Photo is the war memorial situated in the middle of North Bridge, and is in commemoration to the soldiers of the King's Own Scottish Borderers killed in campaigns between 1878 and 1902.
Then reading the photo from left to right
The “Gothic Tower” (circa 1792) siting behind the circular “Dugald Stewart Monument” (1831) was the location of the original Edinburgh City Observatory. The Observatory is now in the building with the appearance of a “Greek temple” called the Playfair Building, after its designer William Playfair.
The Obelisk in the fore ground, was erected in 1844 by The Friends of Parliamentary Reform, to the men that were martyred in 1793 and 1794 when they were transported to Australia, for having the temerity to ask for the vote for ordinary working men.
To the far right top is the “Nelson Monument” which sits on the highest point of “Calton Hill”, On top of the tower is a time ball, a large ball which was raised and lowered to mark the time. It was installed in 1853 to act as a time signal to the ships in Edinburgh's port of Leith, and to ships at the anchorage in the Firth of Forth.It is raised just before 1pm, and at precisely 1pm, is dropped from atop the mast and signals the firing of “The One O’Clock Gun” from Edinburgh Castle.
The Turreted building on bottom right is the Governor’s House (1817) and is all that remains of “Calton Jail”, once the largest prison in Scotland, until recently it was used as offices for Scottish Government.
324/365 Work with textures
The Blue Jay
by Emily Dickinson
No brigadier throughout the year
So civic as the jay.
A neighbor and a warrior too,
With shrill felicity
Pursuing winds that censure us
A February day,
The brother of the universe
Was never blown away.
The snow and he are intimate;
I 've often seen them play
When heaven looked upon us all
With such severity,
I felt apology were due
To an insulted sky,
Whose pompous frown was nutriment
To their temerity.
The pillow of this daring head
Is pungent evergreens;
His larder -- terse and militant --
Unknown, refreshing things;
His character a tonic,
His future a dispute;
Unfair an immortality
That leaves this neighbor out.
..........................................................................................................................................................................
Once again my friend Suman has allowed me to work with his beautiful and amazing photos, I'm so grateful and I really found inspiration to work with them.
This is the work that I've been doing so far: Suman's Birds
Textured background by: 'Playingwithbrushes' Thanks a lot Renee!!
.../
As noted by JJ Audubon: "The Black-poll Warbler is a gentle bird, by no means afraid of man, although it pursues some of its smaller enemies with considerable courage. The sight of a Canadian Jay excites it greatly, as that marauder often sucks its eggs, or swallows its young. In a few instances I have seen the Jay confounded by the temerity of its puny assailant.
The occurrence of this species so far north in the breeding season, and the curious diversity of its habits in different parts of the vast extent of country which it traverses, are to me quite surprising..". Birds of America.
(Sturnella neglecta) near Eagles Nest Ranch, Sidley Mtn Rd, Bridesville, BC.
This series, longer than it needs to be, is my response to jerry Herzig from Lethbridge, AB, who had the temerity to chide me some weeks ago because my Meadowlark images failed to display the V on the bird's upper breast and throat.... Hope you like 'em my friend!
This gray wolf is another radio-collared member of Yellowstone's wild Wapiti Lake pack. Like its mates, it too had been feeding on the bison carcass for several days, so it had plenty of energy to spare. Here it is burning off a little of that energy chasing coyotes that had the temerity to show up and feed on the by-now quite diminished carcass. It was a great demonstration of how "fast-twitch" a wolf can be. The coyotes took off, likewise at top speed, not wanting to tangle with a fellow canid three times their size. The wolves made a show of it but did not pursue the 'yotes, which had scattered across the road from the carcass and proceeded to yip and howl for another 5 minutes. One of them screamed so awfully I thought a wolf had it in its jaws, but it was just being a drama queen and it and its pack-mates would live to return to the carcass for refills later that day.
This Sparrowhawk has been on the prowl for last two days, making multiple visits to my garden. Here it is perched on the back of my pickup truck and was last seen chasing a Blue Tit down my lane, after the Blue tit had the temerity to appear in the hedge just above where this photo was taken.
The Blue Tit returned several minutes later with it's mate so all is well! ... I hope!
This is an oldie that I have kept back until today. The day after I shot this the socials were awash with aurora shots. Some fantastic landscapes that were well composed with beautiful skies. There was also the plethora of novice shots from people who do not know how to set their ISO, shutter speed and white balance and gave us the Kermit in a blender shots. There are those who, to demonstrate their creativity, move all the sliders to the right. In a week when the Royal family are getting slagged off for having the temerity of publishing an edited family shot, I am not moralising. I have both got the settings wrong and oversaturated images in the past......present.......future!!!
I have cropped this image in post but have left a touch of the moon clipping the top edge above the stones. The point being this was a very bright night and thus the Northern Lights were not showing as a deep green. When friends tell me that they are heading north on holiday, to catch the Aurora, my first, tentative question, is where in its cycle is the moon going to be? So, if you are planning to go on holiday to catch the lights my top tip is to aim to go when the moon is at its smallest in the sky.You can never guarantee seeing the Aurora, but if they do show, you will have a better chance of catching a great show.But, I'm no expert.
Thinking I was being smart, I popped along to these standing stones to get a different foreground, to find a couple of well known local pro's had got there before me!
Dennis PAX V with Dennis bodywork at Holywell Cross Chesterfield Derbyshire September 1995. New in 1968 to Llandudno Urban District Council later Aberconwy.
It comes as a reminder of those heady days of a mini bus war during the mid-90s, when upstart Peakbus had the temerity to 'poke the bear' that was Chesterfield Transport. With an eclectic mix of buses and coaches the battle lines were drawn, no less than with this bus, one of two originally supplied to Llandudno UDC to serve the town and the Great Orme. Am led to believe that it still exists in the hands of a preservationist. Built long before the advent of low-floor, as one climbed into its step entrance, you felt a great achievement upon reaching your seat. The battle was short but not sweet, although it certainly provided much entertainment for the enthusiast.
# 175~365 Work with textures
The Blue Jay
by Emily Dickinson
No brigadier throughout the year
So civic as the jay.
A neighbor and a warrior too,
With shrill felicity
Pursuing winds that censure us
A February day,
The brother of the universe
Was never blown away.
The snow and he are intimate;
I 've often seen them play
When heaven looked upon us all
With such severity,
I felt apology were due
To an insulted sky,
Whose pompous frown was nutriment
To their temerity.
The pillow of this daring head
Is pungent evergreens;
His larder -- terse and militant --
Unknown, refreshing things;
His character a tonic,
His future a dispute;
Unfair an immortality
That leaves this neighbor out.
~~♥~~
Once again my friend Suman has allowed me to work with his beautiful and amazing photos, I'm so grateful and I really found inspiration to work with it.
Textured background by: 'Playingwithbrushes' Thanks a lot Renee !
I also used two textures: SkeletalMess ~SomeWould2
and Shadowhouse Creation (Aged-Frame-Backside)
Thank you very much Jerry !
..
A lily (arum lily of some sort?) from the Ninfarium at Aberglasney www.aberglasney.org/index.php?page=ninfarium
A tunnel leading to St James' Cemetery from Liverpool Cathedral, in Liverpool, Merseyside.
It is about 8 feet wide and 12 feet high and follows a downward slope from just to the left of the main Cathedral entrance. While it has been called a natural arch it contains chisel marks on the walls and roof point to the fact that at some point the need was felt to widen it. It is possible that the tunnel used to extended further than today.
In 1832 it was written:
Lighted by only one opening to the surface of the ground, rendering the subterranean passage sufficiently sombre and frightful to inspire the legendry muse with many a rich fireside tale of fairies, sprites and hobgoblins, which, according to the chronicles of those gone by times, performed their nightly vigils on, or near this spot, to the great terror of every schoolboy and nursery-maid who had the temerity to venture through this darksome way.
Today, tombstones line the sides of this tunnel. Visitors are recommended to pay close attention to the walls, where the names of long dead stonemasons have carved their names.
Information Source
Photo by Bill Tricomi
Every so often, a photographer captures an image that transcends his normal routine. Such is the case with this very special photo of my friend and belly dancer Arielle Juliette. There is a long story to be told here. If that reading taxes your patience too much, or if you simply wish to enjoy the beauty of this image without all the verbiage, that's okay. I ask only this: please keep all comments respectful, in tone with the story to follow. Also, please refrain from making the obvious, cheap shot comments about "topless belly dancing". This photo is ABOUT the dance, but is not Of the dance. For the record, Arielle does NOT dance topless! :-)
With that out of the way, I now take a page from the book of my flickr friend Garry Wilmore, who not only beautifully captures the motion of ballroom dance with his camera, but with his gift for words, often adds another dimension to his images with the "telling of the tale", as it were. I don't often take the time to do that with my photos, but this photo demands no less. As if to make up for past failings, this is going to take some time!
Those who have followed my photographic journey on flickr over the past few years are well aware that I specialize in photographing local belly dancers here in Madison, Wisconsin. Over that period of time, Arielle Juliette has become a particularly favorite model for both performance and studio shoots. Two main reasons for this are 1) she is exceptionally easy to photograph, as she loves being in front of the camera and the camera loves her right back; and 2) she has gone out of her way to act as my "practice dummy" on numerous occasions when I needed a live subject to test out my new found skills as a developing studio photographer. For that I owe her more thanks and gratitude than words can express.
Arielle has a couple of tattoos. This is not unusual these days, as it has become something of a fashion for young ladies to acquire such decoration. (Disclaimer: I ask for forgiveness in advance for my temerity in assuming I know anything about women. Let it be made abundantly clear, I am in no way an expert on such matters. To this day women remain a profoundly intriguing, beguiling mystery.) These tattoos often find an apparently favorite "home" toward the bottom of the spine at the sacral region just above the gluts. Tattoos are definitely common among my dancer friends. Mona, Ayperi, Nalingee, Mahela all have tattoos, Mahela being the only one lacking the lower back tat.
I became used to photographing Arielle and her tattoos, both
front and back, during her many appearances at the Med Hookah Lounge and Cafe, so I was rather complacent when Arielle would say that her back tattoo had significant meaning to her as a dancer. I had heard the story of "Life" and "Dance" many times already. It was only in late November of 2009, when Arielle wrote a lengthy note on Facebook, that I finally fully understood the symbolism behind her tattoo and the significant role that belly dance plays in her life.
I let Arielle tell the story in her own words...
Why must I dance? Why did I choose this life over any other?
When I was a child, I had always loved to dance, and it did not matter to what. The radio, the TV, whatever was playing a jingle, I was moving to it. My parents, surmising that this was an activity I enjoyed, tried enrolling me in several dance classes when I was 7. I tried ballet, hip hop and jazz, all of which I promptly quit, claiming "I don't want to do all this across the floor stuff. I want to dance!"
By the time I was 12, I believed that having quit formal dance training so young meant that I had effectively ended any dance career I might have had. I buried the dream, but the passion for dance lived on. I wanted it terribly, but would not allow myself even to fantasize. I still felt the burning desire to further my natural skill, so I started watching hip hop music videos religiously every day. I would fast forward, rewind, and rewatch rewatch rewatch. After I had seen the video enough times, I would try the moves I had watched so closely. The going was slow, but there was no deadline to meet and my craving was satiated, at least momentarily. The real satiety came during mixers, which are the dances my middle and high schools held. I loved mixers; I lived for them. I was too shy to really let loose, at least during my early teen years, but still I was known to "bust a move" on the dance floor.
And so my early dance years continued, and between watching music videos and practicing in my home and at the school events, I grew to be a good dancer by general standards. Although I had long since given up the dream of being a professional dancer, still the desire lingered on as displayed by a letter I wrote to myself when I was 15. Tom Harden, my teacher for Talented and Gifted English students, made everyone in the class write letters to themselves that he would then send to us 5 years later. My letter was completely unremarkable. I made mention of wanting to be a professional dancer or singer, but that since I lacked training I knew it to be an idle wish. I had no real ambition towards any other career, although it was clear that I could do anything that I wanted. And so it was true; I graduated with honors, I received a 32 on my ACT. With determination I could have gone anywhere and done anything. But I had no passion for school, and no passion for any of the careers I could have potentially had.
That is, I had no passion for any of my potential careers until I started bellydancing. When I was 16, my mom went to see a show that included a bellydance troupe named the Blue Lotus Tribe. She came back raving about how amazing the dancers were and how much I would like it... Little did I know how much that one show would change my life. I then embarked on a mission to find a bellydance teacher in Madison, and eventually I ended up emailing the Blue Lotus Tribe. They responded with several names, and I emailed every single one of them. At this point, fate must have intervened as Mona N'wal was the only one to answer my email, and how grateful I am that it was in to her lap I fell. On September 4th, 2004, 3 weeks before my 17th birthday, my mother and I went to our first bellydance class. I loved it from the very first- there was so much crossover between hip hop and bellydance, it came naturally to me, although I struggled to take the street out of my dance style. One class a week was not enough; soon we were attending two or three classes a week, repeating the ones we had already taken and moving on to the higher levels when we could.
In 2006, after two years of intensive study, I knew that this was what I wanted to do. I was not going to let my late start prevent me from being a professional dancer. I was so certain, in fact, that I got the tattoo on my back that is now my logo- a blue lotus in honor of the Blue Lotus Tribe, and the words "Dance" and "Life" in Arabic, because my life is dance. So why must I dance? Why must this be my career? I spent so many years dreaming, wishing, that I could dance professionally. I wanted it so bad, the longing that comes when you believe your longing will remain unsatisfied. There was nothing I wanted to be known as more than a dancer, so when I finally got my chance, I ran with it. And now, there is nothing that pleases me more than to be known or to introduce myself as "Arielle the Bellydancer". This is for what I waited my whole life, which is part of the reason why I kept my given name rather than choosing a stage name as most other dancers do. This is what I was born to do. The person that I am when I perform is Arielle at her most real; I am not putting up a facade or pretending to be someone else. Totally unselfconscious, I let the music move me to my soul, and hope that the movement it produces moves others to their souls as well.
When I was 15, I was in a bad accident on a ski hill, resulting in a fractured skull and an epidural hematoma- in layman's terms, I burst a blood vessel in my head that required an emergency craniotomy. I easily could have and, as I found out later, should have died, but my life was spared. I literally walked away with only a mild auditory processing disorder and an extremely keen sense of smell. Afterwards, many people said that I must be here to do something special, that my life was meaningful in some way. I know now that dance is the reason for which I was spared. I am here to touch lives.
Some people reading this may question how bellydance could touch someone's life; indeed, I have asked myself the same question in my times of doubt, wondering how I could possibly touch the world as a dance instructor. But then, I remember the person that I was before I found Middle Eastern Dance..... I suffered from severe depression, often turning to self-mutilation to stop the pain, and I was so full of self-loathing I could barely stand to see my own reflection. After many years of sexual abuse, I had disconnected from my body; it had not been my own for a long while. Discovering bellydance was about more than learning how to move to music in a new way; it was about reclaiming what I had lost. For the first time since I was 5 years old, my body is my own again. I found myself through this dance, and pulled myself from the darkest depths to become the person I am today. I do not like to think what would have become of me had I not started dancing.
To return to my original question again, why must this be my career? It is in my soul to dance; it is written in my destiny. Dance is the only thing that moves me entirely, the only thing which can occupy my brain to exclusion. It is the only thing I have wanted for my entire life. I must be the best, the biggest name in bellydance, the biggest legend that ever was, because I must reach the largest audience possible. I need to bring Middle Eastern dance to as many people as I can that have ever felt how I felt; if it can save me, it can save others as well. And in the end, if I reach only one person, only touch one life, then all the sweat, blood and tears that I have put in to my profession will be well worth it.
But I trust in myself, and I trust in the universe, that I will do more than that.
I was absolutely dumbfounded. i knew that Arielle had had a "troubled" past, but I never realized what that actually meant until I read her 'Very personal story of why I dance". Once I read it, I had a mission I was driven to accomplish. I told Arielle that some day I wanted her in my studio. I wanted her back and tattoo, with nothing else getting in the way, in front of my camera. Somehow I was going to visually capture and tell her story with a single image. We talked, we planned, we talked some more.
Finally, on Sunday, Jan 17, 2010, with Phaedra on hand as artistic director - this photo owes much to her creative, artistic eye for detail - we put it all together.
It's a seemingly simple portrait - Arielle's inner core, her back and tattoo, surrounded by the draping of the belly dancer's veil. That simplicity is very misleading.
Arielle saw the image and said how happy she was that it turned out as it did, because "when I was posing I was thinking 'please universe help me become a star' or drawing in the energy of the universe, and I wanted my pose to read that thought or energy. I think it's safe to say that was accomplished. I like it even more because there's so much emotional charge to so simple of a picture."
I smiled at that, telling her I had a similar impression but with a somewhat opposite interpretation. "While you say you were reaching out to the universe for inspiration, drawing in its energy, I saw something very different. You are presenting - revealing - yourself to the universe, arms open in welcome, hiding nothing, all inviting. You are saying, 'I am Arielle, unveiled. THIS is who and what I am. Come DANCE with me!' "
The Blue Lotus is the key to her new life. The words "Dance" and "Life" are joined together in that new life. For Arielle, to live is to dance; to dance is to live. This is the ICONIC Arielle.
You gotta keep a close eye on little Hector in particular, when you have the temerity to wear nylons in his presence. But even Mittens has his mischievous moments. 😜💖
It has always been a fascination for me to see these boatmen at see in the Wouri , Douala; Cameroon. The dexterity and temerity that they show with their boats are only matched by the incredible fear and mysticism that most in Cameroon attribute to deep sea in general. But make no mistake, these guys are at work too and Douala is lucky to have an endless supply of fresh fish and other ocean delicacies.
Stop me, stop me stop me. Stop me if feel that you've seen this pic before, as this is the original photo I attempted to recreate in charcoal. This is the real Filey Brigg, a long narrow peninsula at the end of Filey bay in North Yorkshire and home to the legend of the Parkin and the Dragon. A legend which some of you had the temerity to question the veracity of. Have faith please dear followers.
If any of you actually read my ramblings you will be all too familiar with some of my nonsense; clearly my family are too. Watching the Pilot whales on Blue Planet this evening, I happened to remark to my kids 'Oh, I made a Whale at work today'. The statement, not without truth I add, was greeted very nonchalantly with a couple of raised eyebrows from Will and Ed and a 'cool' from Emily. I should point out that making whales is not really part of my job description!
The music choice today is courtesy of Lindsey. Following her lovely post yesterday www.flickr.com/photos/lindsey1611/38493916082/in/contacts/ , Cut Out Shapes naturally sprang to mind. This track will you will either love or hate; I'd be interested to know which, but I do think they were a great band, one of the many which I sadly never got to see. Anyway give it 4 minutes and 37 seconds of your life if you can manage that long.
On some Saturday after the first lock down I heard some loud music around the corner, so I had to investigate. I found a bunch of kids looking like they watch a lot of Manga - pardon, Anime - with a big loudspeaker at the feet of the Gutenberg statue. The loudspeaker plays a piece of K-Pop (or J-Pop, I'm ways out of my area of expertise here!), a groups of kids dances a more or less complex choreography to it, the music stops, applause, the next piece starts, some other kids jump in the middle, sometimes dazzled by their own temerity, sometimes in a very coordinated way... and the show goes on and on. The pieces are short enough to be over before you've got time to be too embarrassed, and the dare-or-dare setup tickles the teenage mind, I guess. I am pretty sure someone here will know more about that type of events. I've seen it a few more times (the picture here was last summer). Let's see whether it will repeat when spring comes.
Asahi Optical Co. Pentax ME Super and SMC Pentax 50mm f/1.7, Agfa APX 100 in Rodinal 1+50 for 11 min @ 20°C and digitalized using kit zoom and extension tubes.
Thank you everyone for your visits, faves and comments, they are always appreciated :)
Not exactly the weather I wanted; the day before it was glorious sunshine, no clouds and perfect clarity. Today, however, was stolidly overcast, gloomy and pissing down.
Walking from Tate Modern to The Shard meant I was as wet as an otter's pocket. So, if you then add to that crowds of people, most of which were selfie-ing or not looking out of the glass but at their Facebook apps on their phones, shooting through panes of glass covered in raindrops, having an argument with the staff and being threatened with removal by security*, I guess I should be grateful I got this.
*I had the temerity to use a Gorillapod sans ball head and legs curled, which raised my camera around four inches off the floor so I could go for longer exposures with the lens pointed downward. Should have had a full-size one like the ones I saw two people using without any intervention whatsoever. Tsk.