View allAll Photos Tagged translucent
My entry to the
December Assignment at Camera Labs.
Shot with the new AF-S 35/1.4G.
See my review at Camera Labs.
New exclusive translucent paper tinyurl.com/px8v5zy / Size from 24x24 cm to extra large 70x70 cm - Skull tinyurl.com/2esfmfx by Tominaga Kazuhiro folded by Eyal tinyurl.com/2esfmfx
Highdown Gardens near Worthing, West Sussex.
From Wikipedia -
Lonicera maackii (Amur Honeysuckle or Bush Honeysuckle) is a species of honeysuckle in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to temperate Asia in northern and western China (south to Yunnan), Mongolia, Japan (central and northern Honshū, rare), Korea, and southeastern Russia (Primorsky Krai).
The common name Amur Honeysuckle comes from the Amur River which is the world's eighth longest river. This river forms the border between the Russian Far East and Manchuria in China. L. maackii is native to the area surrounding this river. The species name maackii is derived from Richard Maack, a 19th century Russian naturalist.
It is listed as an endangered species in Japan. It has escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in New Zealand and the eastern United States; in the forests of the latter, it has become an important invasive species.
It is a deciduous large shrub growing to 6 m tall with stems up to 10 centimeters diameter. The leaves are oppositely arranged, 5–9 cm long and 2–4 cm broad, with an entire margin, and with at least some rough hairs on them. The flowers are produced in pairs, commonly with several pairs grouped together in clusters; they are 2 cm long, two-lipped, white later turning yellow or light orange in color; flowering is from mid spring to early summer.
The fruit is a bright red to black semi-translucent berry 2–6 mm diameter containing numerous small seeds; they ripen in autumn, and are eaten by birds, which disperse the seeds in their droppings. It is fast growing and favours shady habitats such as the forest understory, neglected urban areas, and fence rows. It can form extremely dense thickets.
It is grown as an ornamental plant for its attractive flowers, and also as a hedge. A number of cultivars have been selected for garden use, including 'Erubescens' with pink flowers, and 'Rem Red' with erect habit.
The flowers are sometimes used by children, who remove the blossom by hand, and pull off the bottom to suck out the sweet nectar in the center. The red berries are mildly poisonous to humans and should not be eaten.
As an invasive species
Spread of this plant is illegal or controlled in some areas of the United States due to its well documented invasive character. It is listed as a "invasive, banned" species in Connecticut, "prohibited" in Massachusetts, and a "Class B noxious weed" in Vermont. It is also officially listed as an invasive species by government agencies in Wisconsin and Tennessee.
This plant is adaptable and successful in a wide range of conditions. In the United States, Amur honeysuckle was once planted to control erosion, and as hedges. It spread quickly as birds eat the fruit and disperse the seeds, and was soon naturalized. Notably, in deciduous forest understories of the eastern United States it forms dense growths with thick canopies that shade out native shrubs, young trees, and wild flowers. Uncontrolled, these growths create a near monoculture of Amur Honeysuckle. This species poses a serious threat not only to the diversity of the ecosystems which they invade but also to forest regeneration itself.
Digging through all our dolly clothes, I simply must clean more out, but remembered this dress by Shepuppy and thought it would look good on her, It does ;D
What is better than to make photo + video while working.. and meanwhile testing different Sony cameras?
To shoot Hooverphonic's mini-concert & signing session @ Mediamarkt Wilrijk i had the opportunity to test the Sony RX10 mark IV. An awesome & ultrafast hybrid beast.
Hooverphonic are Alex Callier, Raymond Geerts & Luka Cruysberghs.
"Looking For Stars" is the new album they came to present to the public.
I finished my sister's birthday present! :)
I made her a vintage handkerchief dress to match her eyelids. I also handpainted 3 of her eye chips. This was my first attempt at a semi open mouth, it was fun! ♥
Wonderful colorful, translucent and lightweight polymer clay earrings. Ideal for your Summer outfits.
Tutorial on how to make them is available in my Etsy shop: artstudiokatherine.etsy.com in English and German. :)
Some background:
The VF-1 was developed by Stonewell/Bellcom/Shinnakasu for the U.N. Spacy by using alien Overtechnology obtained from the SDF-1 Macross alien spaceship. Its production was preceded by an aerodynamic proving version of its airframe, the VF-X. Unlike all later VF vehicles, the VF-X was strictly a jet aircraft, built to demonstrate that a jet fighter with the features necessary to convert to Battroid mode was aerodynamically feasible. After the VF-X's testing was finished, an advanced concept atmospheric-only prototype, the VF-0 Phoenix, was flight-tested from 2005 to 2007 and briefly served as an active-duty fighter from 2007 to the VF-1's rollout in late 2008, while the bugs were being worked out of the full-up VF-1 prototype (VF-X-1).
The space-capable VF-1's combat debut was on February 7, 2009, during the Battle of South Ataria Island - the first battle of Space War I - and remained the mainstay fighter of the U.N. Spacy for the entire conflict. Introduced in 2008, the VF-1 would be out of frontline service just five years later, though.
The VF-1 proved to be an extremely capable craft, successfully combating a variety of Zentraedi mecha even in most sorties which saw UN Spacy forces significantly outnumbered. The versatility of the Valkyrie design enabled the variable fighter to act as both large-scale infantry and as air/space superiority fighter. The signature skills of U.N. Spacy ace pilot Maximilian Jenius exemplified the effectiveness of the variable systems as he near-constantly transformed the Valkyrie in battle to seize advantages of each mode as combat conditions changed from moment to moment.
The basic VF-1 was deployed in four minor variants (designated A, D, J, and S) and its success was increased by continued development of various enhancements including the GBP-1S "Armored" Valkyrie, FAST Pack "Super" Valkyrie and the additional RÖ-X2 heavy cannon pack weapon system for the VF-1S for additional firepower.
The FAST Pack system was designed to enhance the VF-1 Valkyrie variable fighter, and the initial V1.0 came in the form of conformal pallets that could be attached to the fighter’s leg flanks for additional fuel – primarily for Long Range Interdiction tasks in atmospheric environment. Later FAST Packs were designed for space operations.
After the end of Space War I, the VF-1 continued to be manufactured both in the Sol system and throughout the UNG space colonies. Although the VF-1 would be replaced in 2020 as the primary Variable Fighter of the U.N. Spacy by the more capable, but also much bigger, VF-4 Lightning III, a long service record and continued production after the war proved the lasting worth of the design.
The versatile aircraft also underwent constant upgrade programs. For instance, about a third of all VF-1 Valkyries were upgraded with Infrared Search and Track (IRST) systems from 2016 onwards, placed in a streamlined fairing on the upper side of the nose, just in front of the cockpit. This system allowed for long-range search and track modes, freeing the pilot from the need to give away his position with active radar emissions, and it could also be used for target illumination and guiding precision weapons.
Many Valkyries also received improved radar warning systems, with receivers, depending on the systems, mounted on the wing-tips, on the fins and/or on the LERXs. Improved ECR measures were also mounted on some machines, typically in conformal fairings on the flanks of the legs/engine pods.
After joining the global U.N. Spacy union, Germany adopted the VF-1 in late 2008, it replaced the Eurofighter Typhoon interceptors as well as Tornado IDS and ECR fighter bombers. An initial delivery of 120 aircraft was completed until 2011, partially delayed by the outbreak of Space War One in 2009. This initial batch included 85 VF-1A single seaters, fourteen VF-1J fighters for commanders and staff leaders, and twenty VF-1D two-seaters for conversion training over Germany (even though initial Valkyrie training took place at Ataria Island). These machines were erratically registered under the tactical codes 26+01 to 26+99. Additionally, there was a single VF-1S (27+00) as a personal mount for the General der Luftwaffe.
The German single-seaters were delivered as multi-role fighters that could operate as interceptors/air superiority fighters as well as attack aircraft. Beyond the standard equipment they also carried a passive IRST sensor in front of the cockpit that allowed target acquisition without emitting radar impulses, a LRMTS (Laser Rangefinder and Marked Target Sensor) under the nose, a Weapon Delivery and Navigation System (WDNS) and an extended suite of radar warning sensors and ECM jammers.
After Space War I, attritions were replaced with a second batch of VF-1 single seaters in 2015, called VF-1L (for “Luftwaffe”). These machines had updated avionics and, among modifications, a laser target designator in a small external pod under the cockpit. About forty VF-1 survivors from the first batch were upgraded to this standard, too, and the VF-1Ls were registered under the codes 27+01 – 90.
The VF-1 was without doubt the most recognizable variable fighter of Space War I and was seen as a vibrant symbol of the U.N. Spacy even into the first year of the New Era 0001 in 2013. At the end of 2015 the final rollout of the VF-1 was celebrated at a special ceremony, commemorating this most famous of variable fighters. The VF-1 Valkryie was built from 2006 to 2013 with a total production of 5,459 VF-1 variable fighters with several variants (VF-1A = 5,093, VF-1D = 85, VF-1J = 49, VF-1S = 30, VF-1G = 12, VE-1 = 122, VT-1 = 68)
However, the fighter remained active in many second line units and continued to show its worthiness years later, e. g. through Milia Jenius who would use her old VF-1 fighter in defense of the colonization fleet - 35 years after the type's service introduction!
General characteristics:
All-environment variable fighter and tactical combat Battroid,
used by U.N. Spacy, U.N. Navy, U.N. Space Air Force
Accommodation:
Pilot only in Marty & Beck Mk-7 zero/zero ejection seat
Dimensions:
Fighter Mode:
Length 14.23 meters
Wingspan 14.78 meters (at 20° minimum sweep)
Height 3.84 meters
Battroid Mode:
Height 12.68 meters
Width 7.3 meters
Length 4.0 meters
Empty weight: 13.25 metric tons;
Standard T-O mass: 18.5 metric tons;
MTOW: 37.0 metric tons
Power Plant:
2x Shinnakasu Heavy Industry/P&W/Roice FF-2001 thermonuclear reaction turbine engines, output 650 MW each, rated at 11,500 kg in standard or in overboost (225.63 kN x 2)
4x Shinnakasu Heavy Industry NBS-1 high-thrust vernier thrusters (1 x counter reverse vernier thruster nozzle mounted on the side of each leg nacelle/air intake, 1 x wing thruster roll control system on each wingtip);
18x P&W LHP04 low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles
Performance:
Battroid Mode: maximum walking speed 160 km/h
Fighter Mode: at 10,000 m Mach 2.71; at 30,000+ m Mach 3.87
g limit: in space +7
Thrust-to-weight ratio: empty 3.47; standard T-O 2.49; maximum T-O 1.24
Design Features:
3-mode variable transformation; variable geometry wing; vertical take-off and landing; control-configurable vehicle; single-axis thrust vectoring; three "magic hand" manipulators for maintenance use; retractable canopy shield for Battroid mode and atmospheric reentry; option of GBP-1S system, atmospheric-escape booster, or FAST Pack system
Transformation:
Standard time from Fighter to Battroid (automated): under 5 sec.
Min. time from Fighter to Battroid (manual): 0.9 sec.
Armament:
2x internal Mauler RÖV-20 anti-aircraft laser cannon, firing 6,000 pulses per minute
1x Howard GU-11 55 mm three-barrel Gatling gun pod with 200 RPG, fired at 1,200 rds/min
4x underwing hard points for a wide variety of ordnance, including
12x AMM-1 hybrid guided multipurpose missiles (3/point), or
12x MK-82 LDGB conventional bombs (3/point), or
6x RMS-1 large anti-ship reaction missiles (2/outboard point, 1/inboard point), or
4x UUM-7 micro-missile pods (1/point) each carrying 15 x Bifors HMM-01 micro-missiles,
or a combination of above load-outs
The kit and its assembly:
This fictional VF-1 is more or less “only” a camouflage experiment, spawned by a recent discussion about the German Luftwaffe’s so-called “Norm ‘81” paint scheme that was carried by the F-4Fs during the Eighties and the early Nineties. It is one of the most complex standardized paint scheme I am aware of, consisting of no less than six basic shades of grey and applied in two different patterns (early variant with angled/splinter camouflage, later this was changed into more organic shapes).
I have built a fictional post-GDR MiG-21 with the Norm ’81 scheme some years ago, but had always been curious how a Macross VF-1 would look with it, or how it could be adapted to the F-14esque airframe?
Concerning the model, it’s another vintage ARII VF-1, in this case a VF-1J, built OOB and with the landing gear down and an open canopy. However, I added some small details like the sensors in front of the cockpit, RHAWS sensors and bulges for ECM equipment on the lower legs (all canonical). The ordnance was subtly changed, with just two AMM-1 missiles on each outer pylon plus small ECM pods on the lo hardpoint (procured from an 1:144 Tornado). The inner stations were modified to hold quadruple starters for (fictional) air-to-ground missiles, left over from a Zvezda 1:72 Ka-58 helicopter and probably depicting Soviet/Russian 9M119 “Svir” laser-guided anti-tank missiles, or at least something similar. At the model’s 1:100 scale they are large enough to represent domestic alternatives to AGM-65 Maverick missiles – suitable against Zentraedi pods and other large ground targets. The ventral GU-11 pod was modified to hold a scratched wire display for in-flight pictures. Some blade antennae were added as a standard measure to improve the simple kit’s look. The cockpit was taken OOB, I just added a pilot figure for the scenic shots and the thick canopy was later mounted on a small lift arm in open position.
Painting and markings:
This was quite a challenge: adapting the Norm’ 81 scheme to the swing-wing Valkyrie, with its folded legs and the twin tail as well as lacking the Phantom’s spine and bulged air intakes, was not easy, and I went for the most straightforward solution and simplified things on the VF-1’s short spine.
The Norm ‘81’s “official” colors are all RAL tones, and I decided to use these for an authentic lokk, namely:
RAL 7009 Grüngrau: Revell 67 (acrylic)
RAL 7012 Basaltgrau: Revell 77 (acrylic)
RAL 7039 Quarzgrau: Xtracolor X259 (enamel)
RAL 7037 Staubgrau: Xtracolor X258 (enamel)
RAL 7030 Steingrau: Revell 75 (enamel)
RAL 7035 Lichtgrau: Humbrol 196 (enamel)
This basically plan worked and left me with a very murky aircraft: Norm ’81 turned out to be a kind of all-propose camouflage that works well against both sky and ground, at least in the typical German climate, and especially good at medium to low altitude. RAL 7030, 7037 and 7039 appear like gradually darker shades of the basically same brownish grey hue, framed with darker contrast areas that appear either greenish or bluish.
However, the Xtracolor enamels turned out to be total sh!t: they lacked pigments in the glossy and translucent base and therefore ANY opacity, esp. on any edge, at least when you use a brush like me. Not certain if using an airbrush improves this? The result were uneven and rather thick areas of paint, not what I had hoped for. And the Revell 75 just did what I hate about the company's enamels: drying up prematurely with a gooey consistency, leaving visible streaks.
After a black ink wash, very light post-shading was added. I should have from the start tried to stick to the acrylics and also mix the Xtracolor tones from Revell acrylics, a stunt that turned during the weathering process (trying to hide the many blemishes) out to be quite feasible. RAL 7037 was mixed from Revell 47 plus 89 in a ~1:1 ratio, and RAL 7039 from Revell 47, 77 and 87 with a touch of 09. Nevertheless, the paint finish turned out sub-optimal, but some shading and weathering saved most of the mess – even I am not satisfied with the outcome, the model looks more weathered than intended (even though most operational German F-4Fs with this paint scheme looked quite shaggy and worn, making the different shades of grey almost undiscernible).
After some consideration I gave this German VF-1 full-color (yet small) "Kite" roundels, together with a German tactical code. German flags and a vintage JaboG 32 squadron badge decorate the fin - a plausible move, because there are British Valkyries in source books that carry RAF fin flashes. Stencils and other markings came from VF-1 OOB sheets.
Finally, after some typical highlights with clear paint over a silver base were added, and the small VF-1 was sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish.
A spontaneous interim project, with interesting results. The adapted Norm ’81 scheme works well on the VF-1, and it even is a contemporary design from the era when the original TV series was conceived and aired. With the authentic tones I’d call it quite ugly – even though I was amazed during the photo session how well the different shades of grey (four from above!) blend into each other and break up the aircraft’s outlines. If there were no red-and-white roundels or the orange pilot in the cockpit (chosen intentionally for some color contrast), the camouflage would be very effective! Not perfect, but another special member in my growing VF-1 model fleet. ^^
28.2.2008: slice of cherry tomato sitting on a plastic folder sitting on top of my desk lamp and the super-macro setting on my pocket camera.
Really high-tech photography.
Sarawak, Borneo.
One of my favourite finds during my time in Borneo was this species, the immaculate little Feihyla kajau!
Essentially Borneo's very own glassfrog; these tiny, translucent treefrogs are insanely agile compared to any other species I've ever encountered. Males clamber and bounce around swiftly on the upper and underside of leaves, calling over a slow-flowing streams or pools of water. Once a female arrives, they'll do their bit and a few large, clear eggs eggs will be deposited on the underside of the leaf, which will develop and fall into the water below.
I put a lot of effort into finding this species, at a few locations, and was unsuccessful for the most part. However, I was successful in the end! One night whilst walking I recognised their call and followed it until I found a small group of males calling on a palm overhanging a tiny ephemeral stream after a rainy afternoon.
In the foreground, a Roman cast translucent purple rippenschale drinking bowl with spiraling white glass decoration combed around the ribs. The bowl has a slightly flaring rim.
In the background, a Roman cast blue rippenschale drinking bowl with ribbed decoration around the body. Traces of white glass trails are visible across the ribs and once decorated the areas in between the ribs, as indicated by faint areas of iridescence. Bands of white glass decorate the area just below the slightly flared lip. The bottom of the vessel has a spiraling trail of white glass.
Both bowls, Roman, made in the Eastern Mediterranean, second half of 1st century BCE.
Getty Villa Museum (purple bowl: 2004.20; blue bowl: 2003.226)
A layer of translucent blue (Again, testors enamel) gives the surface an iridescent quality. Id recommend tossing the nozzles these cans come with and buying nice ones at an art supply store. They spit paint everywhere and it can ruin a nice basecoat
This paint job changes color drastically in every photo with each different camera...
HDR shots of a Nikon D3X shooting HDR landscapes, shot with a Sony A77 (Alpha 77) with SLT translucent mirror technology, using the Sony's in-camera HDR set to + & - 3 EV.
Scenic Malibu landscapes! In the canyons & on the ocean!
High Dynamic Range (HDR) photorgaphy rocks in nature! It lets you capture the details found in the blacks and highlights of a scene, better matching the natural dynamic range of the human eye.
In the Malibu Canyons!
Using the Vanguard Alta Pro 264AT Alluminum Tripod with SBH-100 Ball Head. It's a highly-configurable rig which allows you to get low, unique angles!
Attached to the Nikon D3X is the wonderfully awesome Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor Wide Angle Zoom Lens
Attached to the Sony A77 is the Sony 16-50mm f/2.8 Standard Zoom Lens
Astor Place, New York City. These were taken on a trip to New York that Gary, Anne and I took a month ago.
This particular building reflection caught my eye because it was so clear and because the left edge/corner of the newer building was sharp and shallow enough so that we could see through it. Also, it was dusk so there were lights on in the older building.
Thee's something about seeing the inside of a monolithic glass box from the outside that has an appeal for me. Sort of like finding out how airplanes are honeycomb structures covered with a thin skin of aluminum (or whatever material their skins are made of). Lastly, this large face of the building was facing due west, perfect for picking up the sky and fading light.
The WU Executive Academy is located in the EA building at the west entrance of Campus WU, right next to the entrance of the Messe Wien exhibition grounds and the U2 subway station Messe-Prater. The building was designed by Spanish architects NO.MAD Arquitectos, Madrid.
The EA building is a compact sevenstory tower based on a mono-material design principle. The outer façade is made of glass and aluminum. Different degrees of transparency, from opaque to completely translucent, reflect the sky and the surrounding greenery, integrating the building perfectly into its environment. The upper levels offer spectacular views of Vienna's city center and the nearby Prater Park. The pattern of the windows appears random, but actually follows a specific algorithm.
The building is divided into three functional areas: Four levels house openplan offices, and the upper levels serve as teaching and self-study areas for WU Executive Academy students. The ground floor includes a multi-purpose event venue that can be partitioned with flexible dividers and adapted to suit all kinds of events. The EA building also features a café with spacious outdoor seating on the ground floor and
a restaurant and bar on the roof level. Both the café and the restaurant are open to the public.
The overall mono-material concept based on aluminum and glass is carried over into the interior of the EA building. Floors, wall paneling, and lighting elements throughout the building reflect this uniform design. Contrasting accents provided by additional materials, colors, and design elements highlight only a few selected areas.
The core of the building houses the elevators and utility installations and forms a constant central element with a reflecting surface around which all other rooms are grouped. Untreated, seamless surfaces such as polished concrete floors and raw cement walls characterize the interior, while carpets and curtains provide warm accents in the office, teaching, lounge, and waiting areas. Heavy curtains are used for noise reduction.Die WU Executive Academy ist im Kopfgebäude EA am westlichen Eingang des Campus untergebracht, direkt beim Eingang der Messe Wien und an der U-Bahnstation Messe. Das spanische Architekturbüro NO.MAD Arquitectos, Madrid zeichnet für den Entwurf verantwortlich.
Das Gebäude ist als siebengeschoßiger kompakter Turm ausgebildet und folgt dem Gestaltungsprinzip der Monomaterialität. Die Außenfassade ist aus Glas und Aluminium errichtet und ist in Abstufungen von opak bis transparent lichtdurchlässig. Himmel und Natur spiegeln sich darin und integrieren das Gebäude perfekt in die Umwelt. Von den oberen Geschoßen bietet sich ein spektakulärer Ausblick auf die Wiener Innenstadt und den nahe gelegenen Prater. Die Anordnung der Fenster scheint willkürlich, folgt jedoch einem bestimmten Algorithmus.
Funktional ist das Gebäude in drei Bereiche gegliedert: Vier Geschoße werden als Bürofläche mit Arbeitsplätzen im Open Space genutzt. Die obersten Geschoße stehen den Studierenden der WU Executive Academy als Lehr- und Selbststudienbereich zur Verfügung.
Im Erdgeschoß befindet sich eine multifunktionale Veranstaltungsfläche, die durch flexible Abtrennungs-systeme für Events unterschiedlichster Art genutzt werden kann. Das Gebäude beherbergt weiters zwei Gastronomiebetriebe, ein Café mit großzügiger Terrasse im Erdgeschoß und ein Restaurant mit Bar im Dachgeschoß. Beide Betriebe sind öffentlich zugänglich.
Im Innenausbau kommt ebenfalls ein Minimum an Materialen zum Einsatz, das Konzept der Mono- materialität Alu/Glas wird fortgesetzt: Fußboden, Wandbekleidungen und Beleuchtungskörper ziehen sich einheitlich durch das Gebäude und werden nur in wenigen Zonen durch zusätzliche Materialen, Farben und Elemente kontrastiert.
Der Gebäudekern mit den Aufzügen und Gebäudeinfrastruktur dient als verspiegelte Konstante, um die sich die anderen Räume anordnen. Rohe, fugenlos verlegte Materialen wie polierter Estrich und Sichtbeton dominieren, warme Akzente werden durch Teppiche und Vorhänge in den Büros, Unterrichts-, Lounge- und Wartebereichen gesetzt. Schwere Vorhänge werden als Schallschutz genutzt.