Not a visually stimulating sunrise this morning but still some ok tones and colour just before the sun peeked over the horizon.

Was great to be back out there.

MM Beach - Port Kembla

Nesta foto temos uma galáxia, nomeada pelo catálogo de objetos celestes New General Catalog como NGC 4945. Visualmente ela fica na constelação do Centauro, perto do Cruzeiro do Sul, e é visível com telescópio sob um céu de campo. Sua distância é de algo como 12 ou 13 milhões de anos-luz de nós (para comparação, o Sol está a pouco mais de 8 minutos-luz). Mas na foto há outras galáxias, como uma próxima da borda superior, catalogada como NGC 4976. Há pelo menos outras três, bem menores, na foto.

In this photo we have a galaxy, the NGC 4945 according to the New General Catalog of celestial objetcs. Visually it lies in the constellation Centaurus, near the Southern Cross, and it is seen with a telescope under dark skies. Its distance is something like 12 or 13 million light-years (for comparison, our Sun lies at slightly more than 8 light-minutes). But there are other galaxies in the photo, such as a galaxy near the upper border, catalogued as NGC 4976. There are at least three other smaller galaxies.

A table full of traditional Dutch food, meticulously arranged to be visually appealing and inviting. The scene is set in a rustic, cozy kitchen with warm, natural lighting filtering through a window. On the table, a variety of dishes are presented, including a platter of various cheeses like Gouda and Edam, a bowl of erwtensoep (split pea soup), a generous serving of stamppot (mashed potatoes with vegetables) garnished with a rookworst (smoked sausage), and a basket of freshly baked bread. Also present are herring with onions, bitterballen (fried meatballs) with mustard, and a sweet section featuring stroopwafels and poffertjes (mini pancakes) dusted with powdered sugar. The table is adorned with simple, elegant crockery and cutlery, and a small vase with tulips adds a touch of color. The overall atmosphere is one of comfort, warmth, and delicious home-cooked food.

Visually busy alley-facing sides of some buildings in Adelaide, encountered during a poodlewalk.

Probably my favourite movie ever. Visually beautiful and full of atmosphere, this was my biggest inspiration for the Dark Isle Saga along side Rareware's Donkey Kong Country trilogy on the Snes. So i'd be lying if I said I hadn't been planning to do this for a while now and have one scene complete and another nearly finished.

I'm looking at 8 mocs for this and maybe a few extra's. So far I have planned the following scenes:

The Windmill

Van Tassle's Manor House

The Tree Of The Dead

The Witches Cave in the woods

Large complete Sleepy Hollow Village

They are the more bigger mocs and obviously the complete village is gonna be huge and probably something I will take to shows this year. Ive been wanting to build another village for ages now, so will really be going all out on that one. I have managed to get some plans of the original village design to work from, so should be lots of fun!

Hopefully going to post the first moc next month BUT they wont be in order as they appear in the movie. Mainly because I need that new Lego pumpkin head for a few scenes and its not out yet.

So if there's any other fans of this movie among you, rest assured I shall do my best to do it justice.

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

The OV-10 Bronco was initially conceived in the early 1960s through an informal collaboration between W. H. Beckett and Colonel K. P. Rice, U.S. Marine Corps, who met at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California, and who also happened to live near each other. The original concept was for a rugged, simple, close air support aircraft integrated with forward ground operations. At the time, the U.S. Army was still experimenting with armed helicopters, and the U.S. Air Force was not interested in close air support.

The concept aircraft was to operate from expedient forward air bases using roads as runways. Speed was to be from very slow to medium subsonic, with much longer loiter times than a pure jet. Efficient turboprop engines would give better performance than piston engines. Weapons were to be mounted on the centerline to get efficient aiming. The inventors favored strafing weapons such as self-loading recoilless rifles, which could deliver aimed explosive shells with less recoil than cannons, and a lower per-round weight than rockets. The airframe was to be designed to avoid the back blast.

The MV-10Hs are expected to provide support for these ground units in the form of all-weather reconnaissance and observation, close air support and also forward air control duties for supporting ground units. Precision ground strikes and protection from enemy helicopters and low-flying aircraft were other, secondary missions for the modernized Broncos, which are expected to serve well into the 2040s. Exports or conversions of foreign OV-10s to the Black Pony standard are not planned, though.

General characteristics:

Crew: 2

Length: 42 ft 2½ in (12,88 m) incl. pitot

Wingspan: 45 ft 10½ in(14 m) incl. tip sails

Height: 15 ft 2 in (4.62 m)

Wing area: 290.95 sq ft (27.03 m²)

Airfoil: NACA 64A315

Empty weight: 9,090 lb (4,127 kg)

Gross weight: 13,068 lb (5,931 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 17,318 lb (7,862 kg)

Powerplant:

2× General Electric CT7-9D turboprop engines, 1,305 kW (1,750 hp) each,

driving 8-bladed Hamilton Standard 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) diameter constant-speed,

fully feathering, reversible contra-rotating propellers with metal hub and composite blades

Performance:

Maximum speed: 390 mph (340 kn, 625 km/h)

Combat range: 198 nmi (228 mi, 367 km)

Ferry range: 1,200 nmi (1,400 mi, 2,200 km) with auxiliary fuel

Maximum loiter time: 5.5 h with auxiliary fuel

Service ceiling: 32.750 ft (10,000 m)

13,500 ft (4.210 m) on one engine

Rate of climb: 17.400 ft/min (48 m/s) at sea level

Take-off run: 480 ft (150 m)

740 ft (227 m) to 50 ft (15 m)

1,870 ft (570 m) to 50 ft (15 m) at MTOW

Landing run: 490 ft (150 m)

785 ft (240 m) at MTOW

1,015 ft (310 m) from 50 ft (15 m)

Armament:

1x M197 3-barreled 20 mm Gatling cannon in a chin turret with 750 rounds ammo capacity

7x hardpoints for a total load of 5.000 lb (2,270 kg)

2x wingtip launch rails for AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs

The kit and its assembly:

This fictional Bronco update/conversion was simply spawned by the idea: could it be possible to replace the original cockpit section with one from an AH-1 Cobra, for a kind of gunship version?

The basis is the Academy OV-10D kit, mated with the cockpit section from a Fujimi AH-1S TOW Cobra (Revell re-boxing, though), chosen because of its “boxy” cockpit section with flat glass panels – I think that it conveys the idea of an armored cockpit section best. Combining these parts was not easy, though, even though the plan sound simple. Initially, the Bronco’s twin booms, wings and stabilizer were built separately, because this made PSR on these sections easier than trying the same on a completed airframe. One of the initial challenges: the different engines. I wanted something uprated, and a different look, and I had a pair of (excellent!) 1:144 resin engines from the Russian company Kompakt Zip for a Tu-95 bomber at hand, which come together with movable(!) eight-blade contraprops that were an almost perfect size match for the original three-blade props. Biggest problem: the Tu-95 nacelles have a perfectly circular diameter, while the OV-10’s booms are square and rectangular. Combining these parts and shapes was already a messy PST affair, but it worked out quite well – even though the result rather reminds of some Chinese upgrade measure (anyone know the Tu-4 copies with turboprops? This here looks similar!). But while not pretty, I think that the beafier look works well and adds to the idea of a “revived” aircraft. And you can hardly beat the menacing look of contraprops on anything...

The exotic, so-called “tip sails” on the wings, mounted on short booms, are a detail borrowed from the Shijiazhuang Y-5B-100, an updated Chinese variant/copy of the Antonov An-2 biplane transporter. The booms are simple pieces of sprue from the Bronco kit, the winglets were cut from 0.5mm styrene sheet.

For the cockpit donor, the AH-1’s front section was roughly built, including the engine section (which is a separate module, so that the basic kit can be sold with different engine sections), and then the helicopter hull was cut and trimmed down to match the original Bronco pod and to fit under the wing. This became more complicated than expected, because a) the AH-1 cockpit and the nose are considerably shorter than the OV-10s, b) the AH-1 fuselage is markedly taller than the Bronco’s and c) the engine section, which would end up in the area of the wing, features major recesses, making the surface very uneven – calling for massive PSR to even this out. PSR was also necessary to hide the openings for the Fujimi AH-1’s stub wings. Other issues: the front landing gear (and its well) had to be added, as well as the OV-10 wing stubs. Furthermore, the new cockpit pod’s rear section needed an aerodynamical end/fairing, but I found a leftover Academy OV-10 section from a build/kitbashing many moons ago. Perfect match!

All these challenges could be tackled, even though the AH-1 cockpit looks surprisingly stout and massive on the Bronco’s airframe - the result looks stockier than expected, but it works well for the "Gunship" theme. Lots of PSR went into the new central fuselage section, though, even before it was mated with the OV-10 wing and the rest of the model.

Once cockpit and wing were finally mated, the seams had to disappear under even more PSR and a spinal extension of the canopy had to be sculpted across the upper wing surface, which would meld with the pod’s tail in a (more or less) harmonious shape. Not an easy task, and the fairing was eventually sculpted with 2C putty, plus even more PSR… Looks quite homogenous, though.

After this massive body work, other hardware challenges appeared like small distractions. The landing gear was another major issue because the deeper AH-1 section lowered the ground clearance, also because of the chin turret. To counter this, I raised the OV-10’s main landing gear by ~2mm – not much, but it was enough to create a credible stance, together with the front landing gear transplant under the cockpit, which received an internal console to match the main landing gear’s length. Due to the chin turret and the shorter nose, the front wheel retracts backwards now. But this looks quite plausible, thanks to the additional space under the cockpit tub, which also made a belt feed for the gun’s ammunition supply believable.

To enhance the menacing look I gave the model a fixed refueling boom, made from 1mm steel wire and a receptor adapter sculpted with white glue. The latter stuff was also used add some antenna fairings around the hull. Some antennae, chaff dispensers and an IR decoy were taken from the Academy kit.

The ordnance came from various sources. The Sidewinders under the wing tips were taken from an Italeri F-16C/D kit, they look better than the missiles from the Academy Bronco kit. Their launch rails came from an Italeri Bae Hawk 200. The quadruple Hellfire launchers on the underwing hardpoints were left over from an Italeri AH-1W, and they are a perfect load for this aircraft and its role. The LAU-10 and -19 missile pods on the stub wings were taken from the OV-10 kit.

Painting and markings:

Finding a suitable and somewhat interesting – but still plausible – paint scheme was not easy. Taking the A-10 as benchmark, an overall light grey livery (with focus on low contrast against the sky as protection against ground fire) would have been a likely choice – and in fact the last operational American OV-10s were painted in this fashion. But in order to provide a different look I used the contemporary USAF V-22Bs and Special Operations MC-130s as benchmark, which typically carry a darker paint scheme consisting of FS 36118 (suitably “Gunship Gray” :D) from above, FS 36375 underneath, with a low, wavy waterline, plus low-viz markings. Not spectacular, but plausible – and very similar to the late r/w Colombian OV-10s.

The cockpit tub became Dark Gull Grey (FS 36231, Humbrol 140) and the landing gear white (Revell 301).

The model received an overall black ink washing and some post-panel-shading, to liven up the dull all-grey livery. The decals were gathered from various sources, and I settled for black USAF low-viz markings. The “stars and bars” come from a late USAF F-4, the “IP” tail code was tailored from F-16 markings and the shark mouth was taken from an Academy AH-64. Most stencils came from another Academy OV-10 sheet and some other sources.

Decals were also used to create the trim on the propeller blades and markings on the ordnance.

Finally, the model was sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish (Italeri) and some exhaust soot stains were added with graphite along the tail boom flanks.

A successful transplantation – but is this still a modified Bronco or already a kitbashing? The result looks quite plausible and menacing, even though the TOW Cobra front section appears relatively massive. But thanks to the bigger engines and extended wing tips the proportions still work. The large low-pressure tires look a bit goofy under the aircraft, but they are original. The grey livery works IMHO well, too – a more colorful or garish scheme would certainly have distracted from the modified technical basis.

Visually inspired by the techniques of scratching or rubbing initiated by the Surrealists (such as Max Ernst), the "Fibergraphy" is a technique to transcribe volumes with the same tool (the laser) across great distances.

Mixed with several LP techniques, the result is a confusion of distances and volumes; a reinterpretation of the space bringing these on a single plane blurring the perception of existing visual cues.

////

S'inspirant visuellement des techniques de grattage ou de frottage initiés par les surréalistes (tel que Max Ernst), la "Fibergraphy" est une technique consistant à retranscrire des volumes avec un même outil (le laser) au travers de grandes distances.

Mélangé à plusieurs techniques de LP, il en résulte une confusion des distances et des volumes ; une réinterpretation de l'espace ramenant ces derniers sur un seul et même plan brouillant ainsi la perception des repères visuels existants.

Laser :: Glints_Artwork

Light :: Glints_Artwork

Photo :: Glints_Artwork

Team Dazler®

PC filter combined with motion blur. Originally a bowl of venison :))

I suppose a major redevelopment such as the one around Kings Cross station is always going to be a compromise; visually it is very exciting, with the bold colours and sweeping curves of this new roof. But it is over at the side of the station, which reduces its impact; the interior at the front of the station is now little more than a corridor, because the front covered area has been removed, but this in turn means that the double arched frontage can be seen better from what is now an open-air piazza. 15-A020697.ORF. Many thanks for views, comments and favourites.

If you take a wonder through my stream you will see that I LOVE colour, so I thought this Hans Hofmann quote was perfect for the ODC theme "The whole world as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color".

This was another one I took yesterday for the quoted theme, but I was unsure of the composition of it when I transferred it to Lightroom, something just did not look right to me, but I did love the colour and the quote, hence I have decided to post it anyway.

I hope you are all having a fantastic Thursday x

Sadly not a patch on previous times I've been. Visually less of everything across the board. It's clear reenactors, stall holders, vintage vehicles etc., have given it a miss in advance.

The event organisers [Pike and Shot] say 80% of the groups let them down. Cant blame the groups for the mass exodus. You're the organisers, they have supported this event for over 10 years. The fault is on your doorstep.

I was watching and listening to the fella firing up the Rolls Royce engine. He was furious to put it mildly (as seen in my video). He received a call to start it earlier than scheduled. He had to! He did with reluctance and was subsequently drowning out the singers nearby. When he challenged the staff about it they were not so sympathetic. Awful for him. To his credit he apologised to the small crowd of what happened that he was instructed to start the engine early. So for me, this was a live example of the organisers causing unrest as the event unfolded.

Having been to several 1940s events this year, this was the bottom of the pile. When I spoke with quite a few visitors and stall holders etc., they were expecting so much more, as in the past.

Singer: Miss Trixie Holiday

The other singer, not in this video, was Ricky Hunter. Decided not to include him in my video because he spent way too much time looking at his phone, playlist, drinking water, while singing, rather than entertain the crowd. He was a last minute guest singer anyway. He had not been invited for over 5 years.

Entrance fee was £10! (reduced to £4 very late on into the second day). No concessions. No signposting to the event. No map or itinerary. Limited parking. A bare bones event. Purely the fault of the organisers and Rufford Abbey Estate collectively.

Without Prejudice.

via New Hotel Travel ift.tt/20uS9bB Helsinki: A Visually Stunning and Culturally Stimulating Destination

The funeral of Puang M.T Allorerung

With its vibrant tribal culture and stunning scenery the facinating region of Tana Toraja is rightly a mecca for travellers. Visually its allure is immediate, with villages of elaborately painted houses with boat-shaped roofs, and towering terraces of emerald green rice paddies, all of which is overseen by a protective necklace of jagged jungle-clad hills.

Culturally the Toraja, most of whom were animists until the early 20th century, are preoccupied with death. Though ancient ways are inevitably changing as this once-isolated region becomes better connected to the rest of the nation, profound (and very bloody) funeral ceremonies remain a vital part of Torajan tradition. Buffalo and pigs are sacrificed; there is a slew of traditional dances, and lashings of food and drink. High-class Toraja dead are entombed in cave graves or hanging graves in the steep cliffs, which are guarded over by tau tau (life-sized wooden effigies) carved in their image; you’ll find these eerie yet beautiful cliff cemeteries scattered throughout the region.

The biggest funerals are usually held in the dry-season months of July and August, at which time tourism numbers soar, but there are funerals year-round. Famous for their hospitality, the Torajans are a hospitable bunch and visitors are usually more than welcome to attend these ceremonies; however, a guide is near-essential to make the most of the experience.

The Grand Canyon is known for its visually overwhelming size and its intricate and colorful landscape. Geologically, it is significant because of the thick sequence of ancient rocks that are well preserved and exposed in the walls of the canyon. These rock layers record much of the early geologic history of the North American continent.

Nearly two billion years of Earth's geological history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. While some aspects about the history of incision of the canyon are debated by geologists, several recent studies support the hypothesis that the Colorado River established its course through the area about 5 to 6 million years ago. Since that time, the Colorado River has driven the down-cutting of the tributaries and retreat of the cliffs, simultaneously deepening and widening the canyon.

For thousands of years, the area has been continuously inhabited by Native Americans, who built settlements within the canyon and its many caves. The Pueblo people considered the Grand Canyon a holy site, and made pilgrimages to it. The first European known to have viewed the Grand Canyon was García López de Cárdenas from Spain, who arrived in 1540.

U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt visited the Grand Canyon in 1903. An avid outdoorsman and staunch conservationist, Roosevelt established the Grand Canyon Game Preserve on November 28, 1906. Livestock grazing was reduced, but predators such as mountain lions, eagles, and wolves were eradicated. Roosevelt along with other members of his conservation group, the Boone and Crockett Club helped form the National Parks Association, which in turn lobbied for the Antiquities Act of 1906 which gave Roosevelt the power to create national monuments. Once the act was passed, Roosevelt immediately added adjacent national forest lands and redesignated the preserve a U.S. National Monument on January 11,1908. Opponents such as land and mining claim holders blocked efforts to reclassify the monument as a U.S. National Park for 11 years. Grand Canyon National Park was finally established as the 17th U.S. National Park by an Act of Congress signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson on February 26, 1919.

The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,093 feet or 1,857 meters).(wiki) Arizona, USA

Sadly not a patch on previous times I've been. Visually less of everything across the board. It's clear reenactors, stall holders, vintage vehicles etc., have given it a miss in advance.

The event organisers [Pike and Shot] say 80% of the groups let them down. Cant blame the groups for the mass exodus. You're the organisers, they have supported this event for over 10 years. The fault is on your doorstep.

I was watching and listening to the fella firing up the Rolls Royce engine. He was furious to put it mildly (as seen in my video). He received a call to start it earlier than scheduled. He had to! He did with reluctance and was subsequently drowning out the singers nearby. When he challenged the staff about it they were not so sympathetic. Awful for him. To his credit he apologised to the small crowd of what happened that he was instructed to start the engine early. So for me, this was a live example of the organisers causing unrest as the event unfolded.

Having been to several 1940s events this year, this was the bottom of the pile. When I spoke with quite a few visitors and stall holders etc., they were expecting so much more, as in the past.

Singer: Miss Trixie Holiday

The other singer, not in this video, was Ricky Hunter. Decided not to include him in my video because he spent way too much time looking at his phone, playlist, drinking water, while singing, rather than entertain the crowd. He was a last minute guest singer anyway. He had not been invited for over 5 years.

Entrance fee was £10! (reduced to £4 very late on into the second day). No concessions. No signposting to the event. No map or itinerary. Limited parking. A bare bones event. Purely the fault of the organisers and Rufford Abbey Estate collectively.

Without Prejudice.

The July 2018 Wrightbus Streetlite WF with Factory Built bodywork snapped in the Coastlands carpark in Paraparaumu on Tuesday, 24 July 2018.

Operator - Uzabus

Depot - Kapiti

Fleet Number - 9010

Registration – LMQ674 (first NZ rego 10 July 2018)

Chassis Type - Wrightbus Streetlite WF

Chassis No. - SA9DSRXXN18141010

Body Manufacturer - Wrightbus

Body Date - 2018

Seating Codes - B29DW

Livery - Metlink

A REVIEW OF WRIGHTBUS FROM AUSTRALASIAN BUS AND COACH

By Paul Aldridge

Wrightbus may not be a brand on everybody’s lips in Australasia just yet, but with its innovative and tidy-looking StreetLite midibus packing a big micro-hybrid punch it soon just might be. We took one for quick spin and came away well impressed. Visually the Streetlite is distinctive from front to back.

It takes a few moments to fathom what great exports Northern Ireland has produced, but once the penny drops it’s a quality list of who’s who. There’s F1 ace Eddie ‘Irv the Swerve’ Irvine; pro golfer Rory McIlroy – who once formed a sporting power couple with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki; and who could forget the legendary Manchester United footballing icon George Best – who famously quipped, "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars – the rest I just squandered."

With reputations for doing things that stand out like that, it’s no doubt Northern Ireland’s Wrightbus has high expectations to meet. And it does so with oodles of class and style.

In terms of buses, Wrightbus is best known for that updated version of the London Routemaster double-deck – or so-called ‘Boris Bus’ – but with units like its micro-hybrid Streetlite midibus on the market here now it’s well placed to make its equally indelible mark.

Recently, we were handed the keys to test drive a Streetlite WF 8.8m (Wheel Forward) and good impressions were instant. Visually the Streetlite is distinctive. The large, round-based front window goes extremely low. This definitely is a positive for driver visibility and gives the bus a modern, open appearance that makes this bus easily recognisable as a Wrightbus.

The internals echo the front round window shape with a curved roofline and rear window.

Overall internally, the curved roofline gives the appearance of more headroom and tall occupants should feel right at home here.

The Streetlite 8.8m as tested had a seating capacity of 33 and a maximum standing capacity of 39 passengers and is a wheel-forward model. What’s that, you may ask?

This allows for a flatter floor area that offers more flexibility with seating options. This option is great particularly in the smaller buses, as passenger capacity and comfort can be maximised.

One safety feature that we hadn’t seen before was the emergency exit door placed halfway back on the driver’s side. This could be used for front or side collisions if they impacted on the normal exits, or if quick evacuation of passengers was needed. It’s a feature you’d hope to never use, but would certainly be welcomed in emergency situations.

A comfort feature that was impressive is the padded backrest that is placed for use by wheelchair users. The area has a safety bar that can be placed in securely by the driver for extra protection and passenger stability. This padded backrest would be both a good comfort feature, as the back of the chair is placed against it. It would give passengers somewhere to rest their head and this would give extra protection in case of collision or harsh braking. Often wheelchair provisions are adequate and safe, but comfort isn’t a consideration.

LOOKS TO THRILL

Externally, the placement of the headlamps outside the impact zone, the one-piece bumper and top-mount wipers are all design features part of the Wrightbus ethos to achieve low lifetime operational costs. Nice one!

Driver daily checks are made simpler with the addition of service accessibility doors while the fuel tank access is height improved with a raised, simple-to-reach access point. Drivers that fuel up will understand why this feature is beneficial for what can often be an uncomfortable job. The driver’s area is what you would expect from a route bus – basic but comfortable and spacious enough for long legs.

We got the chance to have a substantial drive through suburban areas, just as this bus would be expected to do on routes.

The Daimler OM906LA Euro 6 engine is quite powerful for a four-cylinder at 208hp. Although unloaded, uphill there was plenty of torque and it was quiet zippy, so you could feel that the capacity was certainly there to have plenty of power when fully loaded. The Voith gearbox changes were seamless and smooth, no complaints here. Suburban Melbourne has many narrow laneways and so maneuvering was easy, the Streetlite certainly passing the suburban driving test with aplomb.

Overall, the Streetlite was definitely as expected and does not disappoint.

LOCAL INPUT?

While we do like to see Australian-made components or features on a bus or coach and local knowledge and craftsmanship utilised, this British-built bus certainly is impressive by what it brings to our industry. When you drive some buses or coaches it is what you see that is impressive, but with the Streetlite the small details behind the economy of this vehicle show that Wrightbus thinks way beyond just the visual. Yes, it is an every-day route bus, it’s not built to be luxurious and impressive, but the impact of features to lifetime running costs and economy would certainly help operators looking at a vehicle in this class make a smart financial long-term choice.

WHO BRINGS IT IN?

Patico Automotive was founded in 2006. Originally named Irizar Oceania, it was founded with the distribution rights for its very first imported product, the luxury Spanish coach brand made in Brazil called Irizar.

Managing director of Patico Automotive Tony Fairweather said: "We introduced the first of these coaches in 2008 and from that initial product we have grown the business into a range of other luxury and niche-type bus products. When we started to take on other brands we had the name change to Patico."

Part of Patico’s philosophy is to represent high-quality, proven products that can be aimed at a mid-market price point. Fairweather said, "Our intention is to be able to introduce products to the Australian market that bring advanced safety features, total cost of ownership-type models. We like to bring styling and options not available on other Australian buses to the market; we are a niche importer and distributer – we like to offer a point of difference to operators."

GETTING IT WRIGHT

Wrightbus, explains Fairweather, is primarily a UK company founded in Northern Ireland by Robert Wright in 1946. It’s a 100 per cent family-owned business with a very unique culture for a business of its size. Initially locally produced, it now has major manufacturing facilities in south-east Asia, so it is building lots of double-deckers for Hong Kong and Singapore.

Eventually it will supply product out of its Malaysian facility to Australia and New Zealand, though it still has a big plant in Ireland.

"As well as their product being progressive and market leading, they are a very ethical and moral company. They invest a lot back into the local communities; uniquely they have a church on site, which is their church and one of the Wrights is the minister of the church – a very unique business for modern times and they aren’t just in business to make money. They want to make a difference to the world through their products and profits.

"We focus on the specific criteria of safety features and total cost of ownership. For the Wrightbus products, they are world leaders in this category.

"The UK manufacturers in both route bus and city bus arguably are, too – they all make integrated CBU products that focus on lowering costs of manufacturing and have low operational costs for the life of vehicle. So the total cost of ownership, life of products, cost for the UK models are – arguably on a per passenger transfer basis – significantly cheaper than the standard models used in Australia," Fairweather explained.

"What these products offer operators is size flexibility. The CBU products (Completely Built Up) mean you can build at eight-, nine-, or 10-metre and … can adapt your fleet to suit your route requirements opposed to a ‘one product fits all’.

"To use an analogy, you don’t see Qantas running 747s between Sydney to Melbourne, they have smaller, more-economical planes to do these routes. Arguably, operators globally need that flexibility in terms of fleet, and UK manufacturers offer that flexibility," he continued.

TECHNOLOGY VERSUS COSTS

Fairweather explains why Wrightbus fills the price gap for operators while current technologies are developing.

"In particular they have a proprietary driveline technology that is extremely unique. They have recognised that electrics and hydrogen, of which they do produce technologies, are still currently expensive and when you look at the total cost of ownership model they have developed micro-hybrid technology, which is still using the highly efficient diesel engine (Euro 6 Daimler).

"They have taken it to a form of electrification, which is not a battery-style electrification; it is an ancillary electrification, which means that by fitting extra alternators the electricity is being generated by the diesel engine."

He continued: "They have also electrified key components that are typically operated off the diesel engine – to me one of the most impressive examples is the power-steering pump. In a rear-engines bus, like we are driving today, you fundamentally have the power steering being powered from down the back by the diesel engine and the hydraulics having to run all that distance and back again.

"On a typical diesel engine it’s using diesel fuel to run the engine to be able to run the hydraulics, where as in the case of an electrification process the power steering is actually electrified and operated [from] the alternator and only being used when power steering is needed when you turn a corner.

"Subsequently, it’s using a lot less energy – in this case of the diesel engine, diesel fuel for operation."

"Wrightbus are getting with their proprietary micro-hybrid technology an extra 18 per cent fuel efficiency over the standard diesel engine," Fairweather said.

"Another benefit is it’s not substantially more expensive to fit this technology in comparison to a full hybrid.

"In terms of total cost of ownership of a bus, at the moment the micro hybrid is world class. It’s cheaper than electric. We do have electric trucks and I believe that electric is the future in buses, but it is still a few years away for the economics of it to stack up. That’s why we have chosen Wrightbus," said Fairweather.

This makes understandable financial sense, as with all new technologies they often are not initially cost effective, but time and volume of sales usually change that.

GREEN MACHINE

When he was asked about the green technologies being used by Wrightbus, Fairweather explained: "Of all the manufacturers in green technologies, they [Wrightbus] have options in everything, and I mean everything. They have two different types of hybrid – parallel and series, they have electric and hydrogen options – alternative fuels are their thing! But they and the operators keep coming back to the micro hybrid at the moment for lifetime costs of ownership, it’s what stacks up. They are developing all these other technologies and as they transition – and it will, 100 per cent electric will become viable – they have it ready, proven and tested.

"They have a big order going into Scotland at the moment for electrics, but they are fully government subsidised so financially they stack up."

This interim technology is adopted because the Streetlite model we are test driving would currently be close to double the purchase cost if fully electric.

PREMISES AND SUPPORT

"For smaller volume orders they are fully built in Northern Ireland, but for larger orders they will be fulfilled by the Malaysian facilities.

"All Australian orders are currently from Ireland. Malaysia is their other primary manufacturing facility and in future this will have the added cost savings of duty-free arrangements we have here with Malaysia," Fairweather explained.

"Ordering time is four-five months from initial order – that can be from one to 30, even up to 50 units all have the same order time".

Asked whether the Streetlite had any Australian made componentry or features he said, "It comes fundamentally ready to roll, just small components like CCTV cameras can be added, but Wrightbus do offer many variations and optional extras so they come ready to operate.

"The intention with Wrightbus is to deploy in volume. Where we deploy volume we will have mobile technicians established. We have this same commitment in New Zealand; there currently are 14 going into Wellington and we will have a mobile technician there. We have one in Auckland as well," said Fairweather.

Specs:

DISTRIBUTOR: Patico Automotive

MAKE: Wrightbus

MODEL: Streetlite WF 8.8m

ENGINE: Daimler four-cylinder OM934 Euro 6

POWER: 208hp/155kW

TRANSMISSION: Voith 824.6 four-speed fully automatic

Ready for the concert

Never seen this before at subset a rainbow catches this chimney.

This self-portrait through a window feels layered both visually and emotionally, capturing a blend of reflections and textures that reveal more than a simple snapshot could. The Rolleiflex's distinctive square format frames the scene beautifully, with every element thoughtfully placed within the composition. There’s a quiet dialogue between the person and their surroundings, as if each layer of reflection adds another story or memory. Forced to 1600, Kentmere 400 introduces an intensified grain structure that harmonizes with the slightly worn textures of the building behind, lending the image a timeless, almost melancholic atmosphere.

The reflection itself feels like a ghostly double exposure, allowing glimpses of what’s inside and outside, while subtle distortions blur the boundary between the real and the reflected. The brightness of the lines, possibly window frames or fixtures, cuts across the portrait, fragmenting it and adding an abstract quality, as if each band of light is a chapter in the subject’s journey. The details—like the roof tiles, the street sign, and the chairs—serve as grounding elements, situating this dreamlike portrait in an ordinary world that feels surreal through the medium of film.

There's an undeniable introspective quality here, reminiscent of Lee Friedlander's self-portraits, where reflections and obscurations convey a sense of presence and absence simultaneously. The camera around your neck and the Rolleiflex's own presence in the shot anchor the work as both an exploration of identity and a homage to the craft of analog photography. The overall effect is hauntingly beautiful, evoking the feeling of watching someone reflect on their past in a way that only film can truly capture.

---

Rolleiflex 2.8GX, Kentmere 400 forced to 1600.

Epson Perfection V850 with Vuescan, SmartConvert and Lightroom.

---

Follow me on X

Follow me on Instagram

The visually intriguing bend of 'The Emery' apartments in 'SoWa' (South Waterfront) breaks up the rigidity of right planes of its surrounding neighbors.

Visually Inspired Behavior

“The primary cause of disorder in ourselves is the seeking of reality promised by another.”

― Krishnamurti

We teach our students content that makes sense but we do not teach skills in how to prepare for situations that do not make sense. Society works hard to present normality as that without disorder. That is to you know where you are; what you are expected to do; and that the flowers you pass every day are the same flowers. However, we do not teach students, to see different flowers on each passing and that the river is not the same. If one in every five adults experience mental illness why is it that schooling is predominately about 'promised' normality and not preparing for the disorder 'of the promise'. One in every four individuals will suffer from a mental health condition in their lives. Schooling for anxiety, depression, attention deficit disorder, post-traumatic stress, psychosis, and schizophrenia is required. Society could do well by flipping the school. Every student has a story to tell. School as a check-in rather than a check-out.

Are our students simply learning how to follow the path set by our teachers to prepare them for the path set by employers? Is it possible that schooling could be about enabling students to carve a new path that is not set by curriculum and teachers? Where students learn through trial and error and learn how to deal with success and failure? Where it is about making harmony within the wilderness? Where students are not learning about conventions but schools are learning about authentic self-expression as students create their own meaning?

As a tourist, I usually follow a designated tourist path, designed by the cultural perceptions of tourist authorities and like-minded tourists, and I take photos of the same artifact as taken by other tourists over and over again. Even though we pride ourselves on our capitalist freedoms and individualism we chose culturally similar destinations. Even when the pursuit of attaining personal goals is the backbone of capitalist democracies our behaviors are so much the same. Our systems sell us individualism but our perceptions are constructed on the best practices to succeed. Schools covertly teach individualism within their governing systems. That is, understanding individuality in regards to societal opportunity. The outcome is that capitalist society invests in the merit of acquisition. To access acquisitional power meritocratic individualism is gained via quantification, test-scoring, and qualifications. Whilst teachers work towards virtues such as developing intellectual abilities and moral values, the systematization of education is merit to consume.

A highly individualized society works against encouraging community development where collectives discuss problems, seek solutions, and disperse choice. Those in power and are the minority of people that form the top levels of the hierarchy contain the resources and provide the decision-making pathways that the majority travel. Schools formalize the process through 'soft' prison-like rules and regulations and via manipulation of choice. Those in power know that community voice is not best for a the economic freedoms of an individualist based capitalist democracy. Those in power know where the best tourist sites are and where to get the best selfie at the most photogenic location.

I am not writing about coercion and authoritarianism, I am writing about the freedom to acquire what is available. In the big picture, I am writing about designing pathways to secure corporation profitability or as William Sumner wrote in 1881 supporting the "...competition of man with man in the effort to win a limited supply." If individualism is the basis of civilization and capitalist civilization requires profit, herding is an absolute necessity. The herd becomes the resource.

Populations are herded through the promise of gaining individual freedom. The wilderness is clear-felled to make orderly sense.

Choice options are enabled by individual proximity to wealth.

Continuation of knowledge based on inter-generational understandings of societal power.

Similarity - herds are formed and based on the fear that if you operate outside of the system you are vulnerable.

Closure and satisfaction are guaranteed as unknown reckless risk-taking has been removed.

Visual psychological boundaries have been set into place by authorities to guide user behavior and expectations. What is perceived is governed by a consistent belief that there is a promised reality. What isn't understood and prepared for, is when ourselves our wilderness is once again experienced, and the external promise is seen as the disorder.

Read more: www.jjfbbennett.com/2020/07/visually-inspired-behavior.html

One-off sponsorship: www.paypal.me/bennettJJFB

4th January is World Braille Day. Braille is a system of writing that enables blind and visually impaired people to read and write. I learned Braille 10 years ago and I've been using it regularly ever since. It's a fantastic system that makes reading and writing a uniquely tactile experience that enriches your life in a way that nothing else can. Next time you hold a box of medicine with a Braille label on it in your hand or walk by a tactile sign, feel the Braille under your fingertips and you'll feel something magical! I think that sometimes, we just depend too much on our eyes and on the visual. Exploring the world through our other senses (touch and hearing) therefore offers a whole new level of experiencing the world.

Keep the comments clean! No banners, awards or invitations, please!

I wanted to travel to Morocco by boat in order to experiment visually the continent change from Europa to Africa. Only on land travelling make the passenger really feel the distance and the cultural evolution all along the way. Since I had previously visited Sevilla, Malaga was for me an obvious starting point for a short Morocco trip. Then I would go to gibraltar, Tarifa and take the boat for Tangier, my first Morocco city. The trip lasted 3 weeks until I reach south of Atlas Mountain Range, just before the desert.

The conclusion of my travel is that I could not recognize any Moroccan people anymore since I could realize that from north to south, and depending of the mountain side landscape, geography and people are totally different.

Visually a descendent of the SP1 Striker, but sized more like the Galactic Peacekeeper.

I'm still not totally sure about that cagelike take on the prisoner transport pod, but it mostly works.

And I actually managed semi-retractable undercarriage.

Sadly not a patch on previous times I've been. Visually less of everything across the board. It's clear reenactors, stall holders, vintage vehicles etc., have given it a miss in advance.

The event organisers [Pike and Shot] say 80% of the groups let them down. Cant blame the groups for the mass exodus. You're the organisers, they have supported this event for over 10 years. The fault is on your doorstep.

I was watching and listening to the fella firing up the Rolls Royce engine. He was furious to put it mildly (as seen in my video). He received a call to start it earlier than scheduled. He had to! He did with reluctance and was subsequently drowning out the singers nearby. When he challenged the staff about it they were not so sympathetic. Awful for him. To his credit he apologised to the small crowd of what happened that he was instructed to start the engine early. So for me, this was a live example of the organisers causing unrest as the event unfolded.

Having been to several 1940s events this year, this was the bottom of the pile. When I spoke with quite a few visitors and stall holders etc., they were expecting so much more, as in the past.

Singer: Miss Trixie Holiday

The other singer, not in this video, was Ricky Hunter. Decided not to include him in my video because he spent way too much time looking at his phone, playlist, drinking water, while singing, rather than entertain the crowd. He was a last minute guest singer anyway. He had not been invited for over 5 years.

Entrance fee was £10! (reduced to £4 very late on into the second day). No concessions. No signposting to the event. No map or itinerary. Limited parking. A bare bones event. Purely the fault of the organisers and Rufford Abbey Estate collectively.

Without Prejudice.

A blind man relaxes in the changing room of Unión Nacional de Ciegos del Perú, a social club for the visually impaired in Lima, Peru. Unión Nacional de Ciegos del Perú, one of the first societies for disabled in Latin America, was established in 1931 to provide a daily service for blind and partially sighted people from the capital city. The range of activities includes reading books in a large Braille library, playing chess or using a computer adapted for visually impaired individuals. As the majority of the blind does not have a regular job, the UNCP club offers them an opportunity to learn and lately, to provide massages to the club visitors and thus generate some income. © Jan Sochor Photography

Gomphrena globosa, commonly known as globe amaranth, is an edible plant from the family Amaranthaceae. The round-shaped flower inflorescences are a visually dominant feature and cultivars have been propagated to exhibit shades of magenta, purple, red, orange, white, pink, and lilac. Within the flowerheads, the true flowers are small and inconspicuous.

Gomphrena globosa is native to Central America including regions Panama, and Guatemala, but is now grown globally. As a tropical annual plant, G. globosa blooms continuously throughout summer and early fall. It is very heat tolerant and fairly drought resistant, but grows best in full sun and regular moisture. The plant fixes carbon through the C4 pathway. At maturity, the flowerheads are approximately 4 centimetres (1.6 in) long and the plant grows up to 24 inches (61 cm) in height.

Gomphrena globosa is an outcrossing species that is pollinated by butterflies, bees, and other insects. Floral volatiles likely play a significant role in the reproductive success of the plant by promoting the attraction of pollinators.

Uses

In Hawaii, it is commonly used in long-lasting leis since it retains its shape and color after drying.

In Nepal, the flower is known commonly as makhamali ful and is used to make a garland during Bhai Tika, last day of Tihar festival. The garland is put around the brother's neck by their sister for protection. The slow withering character of the flower symbolizes a long life for the brother. The flower was included in the gift sent to Britain by Jung Bahadur Rana in 1855. This flower is known as Rakta Mallika in Sanskrit.

This plant is common in landscape design and cutting gardens for its vivid colors and color retention.

The edible plant G. globosa has been used in herbal medicine.

The flowers of G. globosa are rich in betacyanins which have a wide range of applications as additives and supplements in the food industry, cosmetics, and livestock feed. Stable between pH 3 and 7, the betacyanins in globe amaranth are well suited to be used as natural food dye and have a red-violet color.

Chemical properties

Phytochemicals

At least twenty-seven phytochemicals have been detected in G. globosa including six phenolic acid derivatives and fifteen specific flavonoids. The most abundant phenolic compounds present are flavonoids. A major phenol was found to be kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside based on chromatographic and mass spectrometry techniques. Gomphrenol derivatives also contribute to phenolic content. Other flavanols include quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin derivatives.

Betacyanins

The major betacyanins identified in globe amaranth are gomphrenin, isogomphrenin II, and isogomphrenin III. These compounds are stored in vacuoles in the plant.

Volatiles

Cultivars of G. globosa vary in the identity of floral volatiles but the volatile compounds of nonanal, decanal, geranyl acetone, and 4,8,12-tetradecatrienal, 5,9,13-trimethyl, were commonly detected by chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The cultivar ‘Fireworks’ has a high abundance of volatile esters such as geranyl propionate, geranyl isovalerate, benzyl isovalerate, and benzyl tiglate. The floral volatile emission of this cultivar of G. globosa was found to exhibit a diurnal pattern independent of light. Emission of floral volatiles can be regulated by phytohormone and defense signaling molecules. Experimentally, the ethylene inhibitor silver thiosulphate increased volatile emission of molecules derived from the terpenoid pathway. Defense signaling molecules can have temporal effects on floral volatile emission such as increased emission after four hours and reduced emission of volatiles after 24 hours in time studies analyzed with chromatography-mass spectrometry.

I found this visually impaired man playing guitar in the Historic Center of Quito, Ecuador.

Unknown but visually dramatic growth on the bark of a fallen cherry tree, seen in early October, in coastal northeastern Massachusetts. This may be a jelly fungus, possibly Exidia recisa, which is said to grow on willows or oaks.

If you know more, please consider leaving a comment!

Tomorrow is 15th October, which is White Cane Safety Day. "The mission of White Cane Day is to educate the world about blindness and how the blind and visually impaired can live and work independently while giving back to their communities, to celebrate the abilities and successes achieved by blind people in a sighted world and to honor the many contributions being made by the blind and visually impaired. " (www.whitecaneday.org)

When you lose your sight, white cane becomes a big part of your life. It offers you independence and enables you to travel safely. While it looks simple, the white cane is actually quite a sophisticated tool. Firstly, it enables you to feel what's in front of you when you walk. Secondly, it alerts you to a change in the ground surface with sound (the tip of the cane makes different sounds when you drag it across different kinds of surfaces). Thirdly, it lets the people around you know that you're blind or partially sighted.

However, instead of embracing the chance of independence and safety offered by the white cane, many blind or visually impaired people feel embarrassed and refuse to use it. They prefer to rely on other people's help to get around. That is so unnecessary. White cane is a wonderful tool that gives you back some of the independence you had before losing sight.

And, finally, here's some information on my new white cane that you can see on the photo. I got it a few days ago and it's great! It's a folding cane, it folds into 4 parts (three parts are white and one is red). The handle is made of black rubber, which offers a very good and solid grip. The cane has a marshmallow tip, which spins around, offering good tactile and audio information about the ground surface. The tip is made of a sturdy material, which doesn't wear out easily, but can easily be replaced when it does. The cane itself is made of aluminum, which means that it is sturdy and light. A tough elastic connects the cane parts inside the cane. This means that I just have to grab the handle and let the rest of the cane "drop down" and the elastic makes the parts "jump" together and connect instantly so that the cane can be used immediately.

So, to sum things up:

If you suffer from sight loss or blindness, don't hesitate to talk to your doctor about the possibility of getting a white cane! You might have to go through a mobility training to learn to use the white cane correctly first, but after that you will be able to move around independently and safely. And that's the most important thing!

Keep the comments clean! No banners, awards or invitations, please!

Visually inspired by the techniques of scratching or rubbing initiated by the Surrealists (such as Max Ernst), the "Fibergraphy" is a technique to transcribe volumes with the same tool (the laser) across great distances.

Mixed with several LP techniques, the result is a confusion of distances and volumes; a reinterpretation of the space bringing these on a single plane blurring the perception of existing visual cues.

////

S'inspirant visuellement des techniques de grattage ou de frottage initiés par les surréalistes (tel que Max Ernst), la "Fibergraphy" est une technique consistant à retranscrire des volumes avec un même outil (le laser) au travers de grandes distances.

Mélangé à plusieurs techniques de LP, il en résulte une confusion des distances et des volumes ; une réinterpretation de l'espace ramenant ces derniers sur un seul et même plan brouillant ainsi la perception des repères visuels existants.

Laser :: Glints_Artwork

Light :: Glints_Artwork

Photo :: Glints_Artwork

Team Dazler®

We recently visited the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. In addition to the amazing battleship there are many military airplanes on display. I was absolutely fascinated with the SR-71 Blackbird. Visually and operationally, this is an extraordinary aircraft! I was inspired to honor it by creating a series of photo-art pieces. In these pictures, the photos of the SR-71 were taken by me; either of the airplane on display at the park or a model airplane which I bought. The aerial shots of the earth were downloaded from NASA's website.

Interesting info about this beautiful bird:

The SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft flew missions at speeds beyond 2,000 mph and could survey the ground from 80,000 feet!! This extreme height allowed the aircraft to avoid interceptor fighter jets or missiles. The SR-71 is covered with a special black paint to absorb radar and camouflage the bird against dark skies, which inspired the Air Force to give it the official "Blackbird" name. To withstand the friction-generated heat at Mach 3+, the frame is made of titanium composite and the tires have been impregnated with aluminum and are filled with nitrogen. In the 1960s when this plane was built, computerized equipment was non-existent, thus the cockpit and flight systems were all analog.

A total of 3,551 mission sorties were flown to spy on military installations, troop movements and nuclear silos during the cold war.

The use of satellites for space surveillance and the growing danger of more effective air defense caused the Air Force to end SR-71 operations in 1990. On it's last flight it set a speed record by flying from Los Angeles to Washington DC in 1 hour, 4 minutes, 20 seconds!

Sadly not a patch on previous times I've been. Visually less of everything across the board. It's clear reenactors, stall holders, vintage vehicles etc., have given it a miss in advance.

The event organisers [Pike and Shot] say 80% of the groups let them down. Cant blame the groups for the mass exodus. You're the organisers, they have supported this event for over 10 years. The fault is on your doorstep.

I was watching and listening to the fella firing up the Rolls Royce engine. He was furious to put it mildly (as seen in my video). He received a call to start it earlier than scheduled. He had to! He did with reluctance and was subsequently drowning out the singers nearby. When he challenged the staff about it they were not so sympathetic. Awful for him. To his credit he apologised to the small crowd of what happened that he was instructed to start the engine early. So for me, this was a live example of the organisers causing unrest as the event unfolded.

Having been to several 1940s events this year, this was the bottom of the pile. When I spoke with quite a few visitors and stall holders etc., they were expecting so much more, as in the past.

Singer: Miss Trixie Holiday

The other singer, not in this video, was Ricky Hunter. Decided not to include him in my video because he spent way too much time looking at his phone, playlist, drinking water, while singing, rather than entertain the crowd. He was a last minute guest singer anyway. He had not been invited for over 5 years.

Entrance fee was £10! (reduced to £4 very late on into the second day). No concessions. No signposting to the event. No map or itinerary. Limited parking. A bare bones event. Purely the fault of the organisers and Rufford Abbey Estate collectively.

Without Prejudice.

Visually, the Cutlass most resembles the F/A-137D Longsword interceptor, used by the West Terrastralian Air Force (WTAF). Unlike its Air Force counterpart however, the Cutlass features folding wings, strengthened landing gear and an arrester hook. These modifications come at a cost, however; the Cutlass was forced to sacrifice one of is weapon hardpoints to save weight. Nevertheless, those that fly it have only praise to direct towards their mount.

The Sunday evening, double headed Tesco express with 68004 "Rapid" and 68020 "Reliance" passes the old Rylands Crossing on the approaches to Wigan North Western.

Vegetation clearance has made this location somewhat suitable for the odd southbound afternoon / early evening shot.

The spot is also known as Rylands Sidings and Whitley Crossing. The whole area has a fascinating history and pretty much all of it is long gone. Smoke and Steam at Whitley

The location was once an actual foot crossing and this top notch photo visually explains why the foot crossing was replaced with an overbridge: Rylands / Whitley Crossing

4M48 14:43 Mossend Euroterminal to Daventry Drs (Tesco)

10/07/2016

The information counter and the eatery are like floating at this perspective.

I'd never intended to post these photos. 'Always wanted the Zeppelin print to just stand on it's own as a mysterious little pinhole "gem".

However,

Nine months ago while I was in the hospital undergoing chemotherapy and my stem cell transplant, 3 stooges set out to diss and debunk the Zeppelin image as not a pinhole image but, photoshopped (ugh). So, now in my defense (like, I should even have to...)

The location: Denver Public Works Building. I was attracted to this building from it's original construction. With it's German industrial look and saluting stormtroopers sculpture on the bridge, it seemed only right to have some form of airship in the image. I'd originally thought of an Albatros DIII (german biplane) or an Me-262 (german jet) but always fancied dirigibles.

The Zeppelin: LZ 129 Hindenburg 1:720 scale (about 13 inches or 33cm long) Revell 04802

The Boom (to suspend the zeppelin): Made of wood strips, angle aluminum, hardware, monofilament and mounted on a tripod.

The Camera: Polaroid pinhole conversion. 35mm focal length with 9mm rise. I converted this camera specifically for this project. Can be seen here.

Film: Polaroid Type 665 positive/negative.

Other notes: I had to pack everything in on my bike as the location was accessible by bike path only.

Total time and expense to final neg.: I'd rather not think about it.

....................................................................................................

Back to the stooges: kevinolson44, Airships and SouthWestDreams. You can read their comments here or at the Zeppelin image.

By the way, not one of them have a single pinhole image in their photostream.

kevinolson44 says:

The last Zeppelin that looked like this was destroyed in 1940. Please explain how you managed to photograph it in 2006.

Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

Stefan G. Pro User says:

Very adequate way to capture a Zeppelin!

Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

kevinolson44 says:

Doesn't anyone want to know how he shot this in 2006? Zeppelins like this no longer exist and have not existed in this form in 69 years! Also judging by the size of the "Zeppelin" in the shot it appears to be over the river. Where's the reflection in the water? Come on people, this is obviously Photoshop'd.

Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

Gary M Pro User says:

Looks like many of the blimps that fly over the NYC/NJ area to me. Just looks like a fabulous pinhole camera image to me.

Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

rustman Pro User says:

8^)

Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

Airships Pro User says:

Sorry to spoil anyone's fun, but this is not a pinhole photograph taken in 2006, or any photograph taken in 2006.

The airship in this image looks nothing at all like a modern blimp. According to the shape of its hull, its size, and the location and design of its control gondola and engine cars, if this is a real airship at all (as opposed to a model or a computer generated image) it can only be one of two airships ever built, either the LZ-129 Hindenburg, or its near sister, the LZ-130 Graf Zeppelin II (and in either case, with the swastika flags digitally removed from the vertical stabilzers). The Hindenburg crashed in 1937, and the LZ-130 was dismantled in 1940.

It is still a very cool image, and I like it a lot, but it was made with Photoshop, not an oatmeal box.

Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

Gary M Pro User says:

www.modern-airships.info/en/home.html The blimp is moving since it is a pinhole camera image. Probally a several second exposure. I see several ships posted that look similar in the link i posted. I hope the photographer chimes in on the discussion. I see nothing fake.

Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

Airships Pro User says:

@ Gary:

This photo is almost certainly a fake.

Unless the photographer somehow came across a very large,

historically accurate, and flyable remote-control model (and I believe

I would be aware of any such model in existence), this is not a

pinhole photograph, but a digitally (or otherwise artificially)

contrived creation, using a photograph of the LZ-129 Hindenburg or its near sister ship, LZ-130. The zeppelin in this image can be no other ship.

Take a look for yourself.

Enlarge the photo. (Click "All Sizes").

And here is a photograph, and a drawing, of Hindenburg for comparison:

www.airships.net/wp-content/uploads/lz129-pro file.jpg

www.airships.net/wp-content/uploads/hindenb-f light051web.jpg

LZ-129

Now, look slightly to the left of the control car in the "pinhole photo." On both sides of the hull; you will see the "ledge" that was the promenade area on "A Deck" of the Hindenburg.

www.airships.net/wp-content/uploads/passenger s-arriving-1...

www.airships.net/hindenburg/interiors

Next, look a little father aft; you will see the four engine cars of the Hindenburg, two on either side of the hull.

www.airships.net/hindenburg/design-tec hnology)

Compare the engine cars in the "pinhole photo" to the engine cars in the photo and drawing of Hindenburg.

You said that you see blimps which look similar in the link you posted, but no modern airship (and none of the airships depicted in the link you posted) have external engine cars, nor could they structurally support them.

Now, look at the whole hull; you will see lines running the length of the hull, from bow to stern, which were the longitudinal girders of Hindenburg's internal duralumin frame.

FInally, look at the stern, at the shape of the fins, and also compare the size of the fins to the overall size of the hull, to get a sense of the length of the ship; Hindenburg was four times longer than the largest modern blimp.

The zeppelin in the "pinhole photo" is either the LZ-129 (destroyed in 1937) or the LZ-130 (dismantled in 1940); it can be no other airship.

I still think this is a great image, and my congratulations to its creator; he has a great artistic sense, and some great technical skills.

But it's not a pinhole photo.

Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

Henry [6*3=?] Pro User says:

A fake ? So what ? It's a wonderful picture *a*n*y*w*a*y

Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

Airships Pro User says:

@ Henry... as I said at the end of my post. :-)

Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

kevinolson44 says:

@ Airships

Thanks for making this clear that the photo was a Photoshop creation. It annoys me that so many people bought into this fake. Does anyone really believe that there's a giant Zeppelin flying around in Colorado or Nebraska? And with no visible name anywhere to be seen? Wouldn't the presence of this draw a crowd? The bridge is completely deserted. Check any photos of actual Zeppelins and there are people crowding the rooftops to get a look. Wake up everyone!

Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

guruveee says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Pinholers, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

Posted 7 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

B.l.u.e.S.k.y. Pro User says:

fantastic... real or unreal...=))))

Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

bob merco Pro User says:

Fuck em czak. this is one of your best. !!!

Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

lepoSs says:

well the so long and never ending debate about photography = reality...

I really appreciate your picture from any way you did it.

It's poetic, futuristic (yes!), so well processed and even... neo-post-avantgardist ;-)

Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

sixtåriis Pro User says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called je ne regrette rien (by invitation), and we'd love to have this added to the group!

Posted 3 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

SouthWestDreams Pro User says:

masterful! I can't imagine this scene looking better expressed any other way

Posted 2 months ago. ( permalink | delete )

skellum Pro User says:

damn, very cool, such a sharp image with apinhole

Posted 4 weeks ago. ( permalink | delete )

D.Ingraham Pro User says:

Had to revisit this one. One of your more epic shots.

Posted 4 weeks ago. ( permalink | delete )

D.Ingraham Pro User says:

Had to revisit this one. a real masterpiece.

Posted 4 weeks ago. ( permalink | delete )

kevinolson44 says:

If a photographer claims to have photographed something, pinhole camera or otherwise, and it turns out to be a Photoshop creation, he should say so. Since these airships don't exist it goes without saying that this is a Photoshop creation.

Posted 2 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

SouthWestDreams Pro User says:

Sad lie. I am revising my post from a masterful photo to a masterful CREATION. You need not have deceived and lied to enhance the image.

Posted 2 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

Shinjuku, Tokyo, is a dynamic district that perfectly encapsulates the essence of modern Japan. This image showcases the vibrant energy of Shinjuku, a place where tradition meets innovation. The towering buildings, adorned with a plethora of colorful advertisements and neon lights, create a visually stimulating environment that is both captivating and overwhelming. The architecture in Shinjuku is a testament to Japan's rapid modernization, with sleek skyscrapers standing alongside older, more traditional structures. This juxtaposition highlights the district's historical significance and its role as a hub of contemporary culture.

Shinjuku is not just a commercial center; it is also steeped in history. The area has been a significant part of Tokyo since the Edo period, serving as a post town on the Koshu Kaido, one of the five routes of the Edo period. Today, Shinjuku Station is one of the busiest railway stations in the world, a testament to the district's enduring importance. The streets are lined with a variety of shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues, offering something for everyone. From high-end department stores to quirky boutiques, Shinjuku is a shopper's paradise. Food enthusiasts can indulge in a wide range of culinary delights, from traditional Japanese cuisine to international fare. The district is also home to numerous entertainment options, including theaters, karaoke bars, and nightclubs.

Shinjuku's unique blend of history, culture, and modernity makes it a must-visit destination for anyone exploring Tokyo. Whether you're interested in shopping, dining, or simply soaking in the urban atmosphere, Shinjuku offers an unparalleled experience that captures the essence of modern Japan.

Maybe slightly visually confusing at first, this fisheye shot of the Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London includes in the foreground a mirror used by visitors to look at the ceiling without straining their necks.

During this years #Photo24London event I made a quick trip out to Greenwich on the Sunday morning before hot-footing it back to the Covent Garden finish line.

Click here for more of my photos from the Nikon / Advanced Photographer Magazine event : www.flickr.com/photos/darrellg/sets/72157655092530841

My Website : Twtter : Facebook

Nicki Minaj is arguably the most visually exciting act on Lil Wayne’s I Am Still Music Tour. With an outrageous wig, a screaming constume, and fantastically bright lights, I have to say that it may be well worth photographing this show just for Minaj’s stage antics. Which, I should say, are considerable.

Hit the post on www.ishootshows.com for the full image set and shooting notes:

Photos: Nicki Minaj, I Am Still Music Tour

Connect:

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

Prints

Twitter

Facebook

www.ishootshows.com

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

I have always been interested in visual things and consider myself a visually orientated person. As a kid I draw a lot and later on my path led me into graphics design, which I learned without formal education (I'm sure that's actually a pretty common in these days, but I highly respect those who have had some sort of formal education to it, because they learn their craft in a broader cultural and societal perspectives). I’ve played with painting, 3D-modelling and so on. Naturally one would think that I would have gone into photography pretty early. I was, but there were more than one false start before I got seriously started with it which was pretty late. Most of my false starts were related to using real film and analog cameras, but there were other reasons too.

I still have couple of rolls of film in our fridge from the old days. Color films plus B&W stuff, which I don’t have much use for. Now when I look back I can recognize three different reasons why I didn't get it started with photography. First reason was the film. Being a youngster of digital age I didn't glue at all with analog cameras which seniors where trying to introduce me into. Film just didn't fit in into paradigm of digital which I had learned working with computers, software, files etc. And most of the early digital cameras I tried were compromised. With them I only learned what I cannot do, like try to take pictures indoors without built in flash. Photography felt pretty difficult and full of 'physical problems' which were non-existent in digital world. Second reason was that I never had many photography friends that I could share my experiences and enthusiasm. My interest in photography was hibernating until one of my close friends bought a pretty serious DSLR-camera. Together we learned to do panoramas, HDR-pictures and all sort of other experiments which guided me back into photography, but this time through a backdoor called post processing. Finally the third reason why I didn't start photography earlier was that I didn't recognize my need to photograph and capture life in its uniqueness. Only after Aura was born I realized that life was very much worth of photographing it.

I can live with the first two reasons, but the third is something I find myself sometimes regretting. In some ways we are just stories which we are able to tell of ourselves. There isn’t a lot of pictures of me and my life when I was younger. If I only had started earlier I would have all sort of photographs of my life – a different and larger repertoire which to use for telling a story of myself.

Year of the Alpha – 365 Days of Sony Alpha Photography: www.yearofthealpha.com

Day 13

Visually not great. But she wasn't really up to anything this morning.

She is now at the Vet's on an IV drip. Awaiting results from her blood tests tomorrow morning.

Sigma 17-70, k-01

This early arriving Hummer is one of several males that are fighting over control of the nectar feeder just below. They now compete with breath-taking high-speed aerial sky dives to impress the feeding females and get their attention (for breeding... although this year's young are already flying and they limit themselves to a single hatch). This flight action is both visually and audibly impressive!

IMG_5665; Broad-tailed Hummingbird

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

The OV-10 Bronco was initially conceived in the early 1960s through an informal collaboration between W. H. Beckett and Colonel K. P. Rice, U.S. Marine Corps, who met at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California, and who also happened to live near each other. The original concept was for a rugged, simple, close air support aircraft integrated with forward ground operations. At the time, the U.S. Army was still experimenting with armed helicopters, and the U.S. Air Force was not interested in close air support.

The concept aircraft was to operate from expedient forward air bases using roads as runways. Speed was to be from very slow to medium subsonic, with much longer loiter times than a pure jet. Efficient turboprop engines would give better performance than piston engines. Weapons were to be mounted on the centerline to get efficient aiming. The inventors favored strafing weapons such as self-loading recoilless rifles, which could deliver aimed explosive shells with less recoil than cannons, and a lower per-round weight than rockets. The airframe was to be designed to avoid the back blast.

The MV-10Hs are expected to provide support for these ground units in the form of all-weather reconnaissance and observation, close air support and also forward air control duties for supporting ground units. Precision ground strikes and protection from enemy helicopters and low-flying aircraft were other, secondary missions for the modernized Broncos, which are expected to serve well into the 2040s. Exports or conversions of foreign OV-10s to the Black Pony standard are not planned, though.

General characteristics:

Crew: 2

Length: 42 ft 2½ in (12,88 m) incl. pitot

Wingspan: 45 ft 10½ in(14 m) incl. tip sails

Height: 15 ft 2 in (4.62 m)

Wing area: 290.95 sq ft (27.03 m²)

Airfoil: NACA 64A315

Empty weight: 9,090 lb (4,127 kg)

Gross weight: 13,068 lb (5,931 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 17,318 lb (7,862 kg)

Powerplant:

2× General Electric CT7-9D turboprop engines, 1,305 kW (1,750 hp) each,

driving 8-bladed Hamilton Standard 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) diameter constant-speed,

fully feathering, reversible contra-rotating propellers with metal hub and composite blades

Performance:

Maximum speed: 390 mph (340 kn, 625 km/h)

Combat range: 198 nmi (228 mi, 367 km)

Ferry range: 1,200 nmi (1,400 mi, 2,200 km) with auxiliary fuel

Maximum loiter time: 5.5 h with auxiliary fuel

Service ceiling: 32.750 ft (10,000 m)

13,500 ft (4.210 m) on one engine

Rate of climb: 17.400 ft/min (48 m/s) at sea level

Take-off run: 480 ft (150 m)

740 ft (227 m) to 50 ft (15 m)

1,870 ft (570 m) to 50 ft (15 m) at MTOW

Landing run: 490 ft (150 m)

785 ft (240 m) at MTOW

1,015 ft (310 m) from 50 ft (15 m)

Armament:

1x M197 3-barreled 20 mm Gatling cannon in a chin turret with 750 rounds ammo capacity

7x hardpoints for a total load of 5.000 lb (2,270 kg)

2x wingtip launch rails for AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs

The kit and its assembly:

This fictional Bronco update/conversion was simply spawned by the idea: could it be possible to replace the original cockpit section with one from an AH-1 Cobra, for a kind of gunship version?

The basis is the Academy OV-10D kit, mated with the cockpit section from a Fujimi AH-1S TOW Cobra (Revell re-boxing, though), chosen because of its “boxy” cockpit section with flat glass panels – I think that it conveys the idea of an armored cockpit section best. Combining these parts was not easy, though, even though the plan sound simple. Initially, the Bronco’s twin booms, wings and stabilizer were built separately, because this made PSR on these sections easier than trying the same on a completed airframe. One of the initial challenges: the different engines. I wanted something uprated, and a different look, and I had a pair of (excellent!) 1:144 resin engines from the Russian company Kompakt Zip for a Tu-95 bomber at hand, which come together with movable(!) eight-blade contraprops that were an almost perfect size match for the original three-blade props. Biggest problem: the Tu-95 nacelles have a perfectly circular diameter, while the OV-10’s booms are square and rectangular. Combining these parts and shapes was already a messy PST affair, but it worked out quite well – even though the result rather reminds of some Chinese upgrade measure (anyone know the Tu-4 copies with turboprops? This here looks similar!). But while not pretty, I think that the beafier look works well and adds to the idea of a “revived” aircraft. And you can hardly beat the menacing look of contraprops on anything...

The exotic, so-called “tip sails” on the wings, mounted on short booms, are a detail borrowed from the Shijiazhuang Y-5B-100, an updated Chinese variant/copy of the Antonov An-2 biplane transporter. The booms are simple pieces of sprue from the Bronco kit, the winglets were cut from 0.5mm styrene sheet.

For the cockpit donor, the AH-1’s front section was roughly built, including the engine section (which is a separate module, so that the basic kit can be sold with different engine sections), and then the helicopter hull was cut and trimmed down to match the original Bronco pod and to fit under the wing. This became more complicated than expected, because a) the AH-1 cockpit and the nose are considerably shorter than the OV-10s, b) the AH-1 fuselage is markedly taller than the Bronco’s and c) the engine section, which would end up in the area of the wing, features major recesses, making the surface very uneven – calling for massive PSR to even this out. PSR was also necessary to hide the openings for the Fujimi AH-1’s stub wings. Other issues: the front landing gear (and its well) had to be added, as well as the OV-10 wing stubs. Furthermore, the new cockpit pod’s rear section needed an aerodynamical end/fairing, but I found a leftover Academy OV-10 section from a build/kitbashing many moons ago. Perfect match!

All these challenges could be tackled, even though the AH-1 cockpit looks surprisingly stout and massive on the Bronco’s airframe - the result looks stockier than expected, but it works well for the "Gunship" theme. Lots of PSR went into the new central fuselage section, though, even before it was mated with the OV-10 wing and the rest of the model.

Once cockpit and wing were finally mated, the seams had to disappear under even more PSR and a spinal extension of the canopy had to be sculpted across the upper wing surface, which would meld with the pod’s tail in a (more or less) harmonious shape. Not an easy task, and the fairing was eventually sculpted with 2C putty, plus even more PSR… Looks quite homogenous, though.

After this massive body work, other hardware challenges appeared like small distractions. The landing gear was another major issue because the deeper AH-1 section lowered the ground clearance, also because of the chin turret. To counter this, I raised the OV-10’s main landing gear by ~2mm – not much, but it was enough to create a credible stance, together with the front landing gear transplant under the cockpit, which received an internal console to match the main landing gear’s length. Due to the chin turret and the shorter nose, the front wheel retracts backwards now. But this looks quite plausible, thanks to the additional space under the cockpit tub, which also made a belt feed for the gun’s ammunition supply believable.

To enhance the menacing look I gave the model a fixed refueling boom, made from 1mm steel wire and a receptor adapter sculpted with white glue. The latter stuff was also used add some antenna fairings around the hull. Some antennae, chaff dispensers and an IR decoy were taken from the Academy kit.

The ordnance came from various sources. The Sidewinders under the wing tips were taken from an Italeri F-16C/D kit, they look better than the missiles from the Academy Bronco kit. Their launch rails came from an Italeri Bae Hawk 200. The quadruple Hellfire launchers on the underwing hardpoints were left over from an Italeri AH-1W, and they are a perfect load for this aircraft and its role. The LAU-10 and -19 missile pods on the stub wings were taken from the OV-10 kit.

Painting and markings:

Finding a suitable and somewhat interesting – but still plausible – paint scheme was not easy. Taking the A-10 as benchmark, an overall light grey livery (with focus on low contrast against the sky as protection against ground fire) would have been a likely choice – and in fact the last operational American OV-10s were painted in this fashion. But in order to provide a different look I used the contemporary USAF V-22Bs and Special Operations MC-130s as benchmark, which typically carry a darker paint scheme consisting of FS 36118 (suitably “Gunship Gray” :D) from above, FS 36375 underneath, with a low, wavy waterline, plus low-viz markings. Not spectacular, but plausible – and very similar to the late r/w Colombian OV-10s.

The cockpit tub became Dark Gull Grey (FS 36231, Humbrol 140) and the landing gear white (Revell 301).

The model received an overall black ink washing and some post-panel-shading, to liven up the dull all-grey livery. The decals were gathered from various sources, and I settled for black USAF low-viz markings. The “stars and bars” come from a late USAF F-4, the “IP” tail code was tailored from F-16 markings and the shark mouth was taken from an Academy AH-64. Most stencils came from another Academy OV-10 sheet and some other sources.

Decals were also used to create the trim on the propeller blades and markings on the ordnance.

Finally, the model was sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish (Italeri) and some exhaust soot stains were added with graphite along the tail boom flanks.

A successful transplantation – but is this still a modified Bronco or already a kitbashing? The result looks quite plausible and menacing, even though the TOW Cobra front section appears relatively massive. But thanks to the bigger engines and extended wing tips the proportions still work. The large low-pressure tires look a bit goofy under the aircraft, but they are original. The grey livery works IMHO well, too – a more colorful or garish scheme would certainly have distracted from the modified technical basis.

Sadly not a patch on previous times I've been. Visually less of everything across the board. It's clear reenactors, stall holders, vintage vehicles etc., have given it a miss in advance.

The event organisers [Pike and Shot] say 80% of the groups let them down. Cant blame the groups for the mass exodus. You're the organisers, they have supported this event for over 10 years. The fault is on your doorstep.

I was watching and listening to the fella firing up the Rolls Royce engine. He was furious to put it mildly (as seen in my video). He received a call to start it earlier than scheduled. He had to! He did with reluctance and was subsequently drowning out the singers nearby. When he challenged the staff about it they were not so sympathetic. Awful for him. To his credit he apologised to the small crowd of what happened that he was instructed to start the engine early. So for me, this was a live example of the organisers causing unrest as the event unfolded.

Having been to several 1940s events this year, this was the bottom of the pile. When I spoke with quite a few visitors and stall holders etc., they were expecting so much more, as in the past.

Singer: Miss Trixie Holiday

The other singer, not in this video, was Ricky Hunter. Decided not to include him in my video because he spent way too much time looking at his phone, playlist, drinking water, while singing, rather than entertain the crowd. He was a last minute guest singer anyway. He had not been invited for over 5 years.

Entrance fee was £10! (reduced to £4 very late on into the second day). No concessions. No signposting to the event. No map or itinerary. Limited parking. A bare bones event. Purely the fault of the organisers and Rufford Abbey Estate collectively.

Without Prejudice.

~Hans Hofmann

3:33 am visually observed as well

Sadly not a patch on previous times I've been. Visually less of everything across the board. It's clear reenactors, stall holders, vintage vehicles etc., have given it a miss in advance.

The event organisers [Pike and Shot] say 80% of the groups let them down. Cant blame the groups for the mass exodus. You're the organisers, they have supported this event for over 10 years. The fault is on your doorstep.

I was watching and listening to the fella firing up the Rolls Royce engine. He was furious to put it mildly (as seen in my video). He received a call to start it earlier than scheduled. He had to! He did with reluctance and was subsequently drowning out the singers nearby. When he challenged the staff about it they were not so sympathetic. Awful for him. To his credit he apologised to the small crowd of what happened that he was instructed to start the engine early. So for me, this was a live example of the organisers causing unrest as the event unfolded.

Having been to several 1940s events this year, this was the bottom of the pile. When I spoke with quite a few visitors and stall holders etc., they were expecting so much more, as in the past.

Singer: Miss Trixie Holiday

The other singer, not in this video, was Ricky Hunter. Decided not to include him in my video because he spent way too much time looking at his phone, playlist, drinking water, while singing, rather than entertain the crowd. He was a last minute guest singer anyway. He had not been invited for over 5 years.

Entrance fee was £10! (reduced to £4 very late on into the second day). No concessions. No signposting to the event. No map or itinerary. Limited parking. A bare bones event. Purely the fault of the organisers and Rufford Abbey Estate collectively.

Without Prejudice.

YouTube:

Rufford Abbey At War. Nottingham. Sept 2019

youtu.be/ZV5DaUL_XAA