# A picture is worth 10,000 words.....



## jpmorgan49

Hi all,
My hobby is digital photography. I must have 30,000 pictures on my computer that I have taken. I bet at least 100 are good.  I thought it would be a good idea to have a place to post our pictures. I know all you "Kindlers" out there are talented. I thought that this would be a good place to post that occasional picture that you really liked. It could be your pet, your wonderful garden, that beautiful snow (northern laititudes only) or anything else you find interesting. If possible I'd like to have the pictures be taken by you or a family member. This is not a place to show all your pictures just those special ones. I hope there isn't another thread like this because I couldn't find it. Instructions to insert a picture can be found at this URL:

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,211.0.html

I'll start by showing a few pictures I took yesterday. The flowers are justing starting to come up north so I took a few shots. Have fun and I'm looking forward to seeing your talent.
jp


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## Anju 

I have no talent, but if I do take a good picture I'll do my best to post it, I love to take pictures


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## jpmorgan49

you don't need talent, just keep taking pictures....
jp


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## Vegas_Asian

I love digital. I can take hundreds of photos and only print/upload the best. I will have to look around my camera (my parents don't know I bought a camera for myself.)


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## Kathy

I love taking pictures and every once in a while I snap one that I like. Here are a couple.

This was taken from our boat. It is under one of the bridges in the Intracoastal canal. We are becoming overrun with the Iguanas here.









This was taken at Sea World. My grandsons wanted to feed the birds and I went with them and was able to snap a picture of this bird close up.


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## Neversleepsawink;)

Beautiful pictures


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## jpmorgan49

Very nice Kathy & Trekker!!!!
jp


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## Jeff

Noisy Neighbor​


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## jpmorgan49

Rivet.... nice neighbor. 
jp


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## Dori

I have messed this thread up twice and removed my posts. I am going to try one more time. I have been using flickr but just found my old picasa account and will try to learn to use it soon.










This is a self timed photo. This tomato grew over the fence and 6 ft wide before the summer was over I had picked over 2000 cherry tomatoes off of it.


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## kim

Dori, it's great to see a picture of you.  You are even cuter than the kittens a few posts up


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## kim

A friend at her swim meet. The picture is a couple years old but I still like it.


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## KBoards Admin

Dori said:


> I have messed this thread up twice and removed my posts. I am going to try one more time. I have been using flickr but just found my old picasa account and will try to learn to use it soon.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a self timed photo. This tomato grew over the fence and 6 ft wide before the summer was over I had picked over 2000 cherry tomatoes off of it.


Dori, that makes me want to take my shoes off and walk in the grass.


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## KBoards Admin

Kathy said:


> I love taking pictures and every once in a while I snap one that I like. Here are a couple.
> ...
> This was taken at Sea World. My grandsons wanted to feed the birds and I went with them and was able to snap a picture of this bird close up.


I love how the colors of the bird leap out at you, with the background being almost B&W. This is worthy of framing.


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## Linda Cannon-Mott

Some great photos here! I love cherry tomatoes Dori!


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## kguthrie

Kathy said:


> I love taking pictures and every once in a while I snap one that I like. Here are a couple.
> 
> This was taken from our boat. It is under one of the bridges in the Intracoastal canal. We are becoming overrun with the Iguanas here.


I like the Iguana. A freind of mine had several while I was growing up. They are very interesting creatures.


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## Jeff

Water Hyacinth
​


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## jpmorgan49

I knew you Kindlers were talented.  Great shots so far.  I enjoy seeing what people feel are interesting shots. Keep them coming....
jp


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## Kind

Some great pictures here!!


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## jpmorgan49

Our family is BIG Disney Fans, we've been to Disney World many, many times. Recently we've been visiting the week after Thanksgiving. The weather is cooler, crowds are down and all the Christmas decorations are up. Here are a few pix from last December.
jp


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## marianneg

jpmorgan49 said:


> Our family is BIG Disney Fans, we've been to Disney World many, many times. Recently we've been visiting the week after Thanksgiving. The weather is cooler, crowds are down and all the Christmas decorations are up. Here are a few pix from last December.
> jp


That's neat, jp. I went to WDW one Halloween, and that was a lot of fun. I went to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, and there was a special parade, and I got to ride the Jungle Cruise at night!


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## klrodrigues

Beautiful Pics everyone.  Thanks for posting!


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## CegAbq

This dove and its mate have built a nest on the lattice-shade over our backyard patio - there are 2 eggs - we discovered them on Easter Sunday appropriately.


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## jpmorgan49

Very nice bird picture!  I've noticed it takes a long time to load the pix, actually I didn't see your until I hit the reply...  Go figure.
jp


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## CegAbq

jpmorgan49 said:


> Very nice bird picture! I've noticed it takes a long time to load the pix, actually I didn't see your until I hit the reply... Go figure.
> jp


Thanks, JP.

And here's another - VERY WEIRD - pic: my son has gotten a mohawk haircut twice in his life. He did it for the 2nd time this past December just before we took the family skiing! (Go figure). So then he asked - 'mom can you make me a hat to wear over my mohawk? Now mind you, I looked high and low and could not find a pattern anywhere! So I put on my creativity cap and came up with something that worked somewhat. lol


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## Kathy

Love the hat. All of the pictures are wonderful. Here is one that I took at the 2003 World Series. My husband's 2 brothers came to our house for the home games here. We were able to go to all 3 home games. Great memories. I printed this picture and framed it with the 3 tickets for the games we attended.


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## CegAbq

jpmorgan49 said:


> Our family is BIG Disney Fans, we've been to Disney World many, many times. Recently we've been visiting the week after Thanksgiving. The weather is cooler, crowds are down and all the Christmas decorations are up. Here are a few pix from last December.
> jp


JP - these pics are great. I've never in my life been to a Disney place. My sister & brother-in-law are nuts about Disney stuff and spent their 24th wedding anniversary there, plus I think 3 other Disney arranged/sponsored cruises!

Maybe one of these days I'll get to go. (After the 3 kids in college are out & we've paid off the 2nd mortgage taken out to pay for college <LOL>


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## Sailor

*Mr. Lincoln Roses in my Backyard after the Rain*​






Taken Ap 08, 2009 with my cell phone.

-Sailor


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## Tippy

CegAbq, love the hat.  It is perfect.  You are very creative.  Thanks for sharing.


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## intinst

Taken 4/10/09 on the Ouachita Hiking trail here in AR


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## egh34

Just got a new digital...once I figure out how to take pics, then I can figure out how to upload them here, and then I get to show off some fun stuff...soon, maybe.


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## KBoards Admin

sailor said:


> *Mr. Lincoln Roses in my Backyard after the Rain*​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Taken Ap 08, 2009 with my cell phone.
> 
> -Sailor


That's a great shot, especially for a cell phone pic..!


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## Kristus412

This is a picture I got of two cute as anything golden retriever puppies.


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## Cowgirl

I took this picture today at the Phoenix Botanical Gardens - This is one of the exhibits by Dale Chihuly. He has about 30 amazing pieces on display...If you live in Arizona you must see it. It will be there through May 31


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## CegAbq

sailor said:


> Taken Ap 08, 2009 with my cell phone.
> 
> -Sailor[/color]


Wow Sailor - what type cell phone? This is a great pic.


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## CegAbq

Kristus412 said:


> This is a picture I got of two cute as anything golden retriever puppies.


I have 2 goldens myself, mom & son - this pic takes me back to our litter of 8. Thanks for sharing; they are sooooo cute.


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## CegAbq

Cowgirl said:


> I took this picture today at the Phoenix Botanical Gardens - This is one of the exhibits by Dale Chihuly. He has about 30 amazing pieces on display...If you live in Arizona you must see it. It will be there through May 31


Awesome Cowgirl; wish I could be in Phoenix for this (but only for this-otherwise way too hot! <lol>


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## Kristus412

CegAbq said:


> I have 2 goldens myself, mom & son - this pic takes me back to our litter of 8. Thanks for sharing; they are sooooo cute.


These are my mom's dog's puppies she had four and is keeping one, the one on the bottom of this picture actually Sadie, Ruby is on top. The rest she sold.


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## Cowgirl

CegAbq said:


> Awesome Cowgirl; wish I could be in Phoenix for this (but only for this-otherwise way too hot! <lol>


It's not too hot this time of Year...the weather is amazing right now. Come Summer I'll be heading up North for the weekends anyway.


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## Sailor

CegAbq said:


> Wow Sailor - what type cell phone? This is a great pic.


Harvey and CegAbq,

This is just my little year old Blackberry Curve that the zoom broke so I can only take 1x pictures on.

I really need to get a real camera some day.

Thank you, and Harvey both, for your kind words,

-sailor


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## Tippy

Cowgirl said:


> I took this picture today at the Phoenix Botanical Gardens - This is one of the exhibits by Dale Chihuly. He has about 30 amazing pieces on display...If you live in Arizona you must see it. It will be there through May 31


Cowgirl, beautiful photo. I've read a little about Dale C. He makes this out of glass, right? The photo is amazing. Would love to see it. Thanks for sharing.


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## jpmorgan49

Great pictures!!


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## Cowgirl

Tippy said:


> Cowgirl, beautiful photo. I've read a little about Dale C. He makes this out of glass, right? The photo is amazing. Would love to see it. Thanks for sharing.


Yes...It is all hand blown glass. I believe he also did the ceiling at the Bellagio or Venetian hotel in Las Vegas.


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## Dori

Great Pics everyone.  This is a fun thread.  I have a new digital camera that I should start using.  I have only taken a couple of practice shots so far.  I might even put my shoes on and try to take another self photo.


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## katbird1

Finally, it only took me 2 hrs. to figure out how to do this:


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## kim

Katbird - your bird in flight, by the feeder is great


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## jpmorgan49

Great bird shots Katbird!!!
jp


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## katbird1

Thanks, I think the goldfinches look so comical.

Kathy


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## dollcrazy

Great pics everyone. I am really enjoying seeing another side to all of you.

Here is a pic I took today of clematis flower that bloomed on my mailbox.


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## Linda Cannon-Mott

Love the pics everyone!! I have GOT to learn to add photos. Katbird when I read it took you 2 hours I shudder...I have no patience.    Love the birds!


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## Kathy

Cowgirl said:


> Yes...It is all hand blown glass. I believe he also did the ceiling at the Bellagio or Venetian hotel in Las Vegas.


I'll be in Phoenix for work next week. How late do they stay open at the Botanical Gardens? I would really love to see the displays.


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## Reyn

I took this pic of a seagull in Panama City, FL in October 2008. He stole the cookie my son dropped.


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## katbird1

oh Reyn, that is the kind of shot I like to get.  Very nice.

Linda, don't worry about it taking you 2 hrs., I just seem to always make things harder than they really are.

Kathy


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## Cowgirl

Kathy said:


> I'll be in Phoenix for work next week. How late do they stay open at the Botanical Gardens? I would really love to see the displays.


Their hours are 8 to 8. Pay the extra $3 to go into the butterfly exhibit. I would go early if you can as it's supposed to be in the high 90's next week.


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## PJ

sailor said:


> *Mr. Lincoln Roses in my Backyard after the Rain*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Taken Ap 08, 2009 with my cell phone.
> 
> -Sailor


How pretty - at my house I'm just now thinking about taking the covers of my roses. I don't think we will have more snow


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## Tippy

Katbird1 -- great photos thanks for sharing.


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## kdawna

I just love this thread! Wow.... keep sending them.
Kdawna


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## Jeff

Thank you for starting this thread, JP. I hope you don't mind repetitive posts here. As you can tell, photography is one of my passions as well.

This photo was taken with a 35 mm camera on Kodachrome slide film then scanned so it has lost a bit of its crispness in the process. The subject is the ruin of Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico.








The pile of rubble at the center rear, behind the kiva, was a massive slab of stone that the natives feared might fall on them. Appealing to their gods by leaving offerings at the base must have worked because it didn't fall until well after the pueblo had been abandoned. What happened to the inhabitants of Chaco Canyon and who they really were is still something of a mystery. To the local Navajos, they are known as the _Anasazi_ meaning _enemy ancestors_ but the term Anasazi has become more widely interpreted to mean _those who came first_.


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## katbird1

Very interesting photo and story behind it, Jeff.

Kathy


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## Anju 

katbird1 said:


> Very interesting photo and story behind it, Jeff.
> 
> Kathy


Kathy - tog et more about Chaco Canyon you need to read Jeff's books The Treasure of La Manchie, highly recommended


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## katbird1

Thank you, Dona, I've just sent myself a sample.

Kathy


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## jpmorgan49

Great shot Jeff!  I thought this may be a popular thread because people like to show their photos and they also enjoy viewing others.  We are on big Happy Family.....
jp


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## jpmorgan49

Here is a picture I took a few days ago. Flowers are just peeking up in the Midwest. I like this shot because it shows the "new" flowers just starting to grow and the "Old" brown leaf from last year in the background.
jp


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## mwvickers

Just a thought.  Should this be in the photo gallery section of Kindleboards?


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## Sailor

Lots of beautiful pictures everyone. Here is another from my little Blackberry Cell Phone taken Apr 4, 2009:

*Artichoke Field in Castroville, California*​


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## jpmorgan49

mwvickers said:


> Just a thought. Should this be in the photo gallery section of Kindleboards?


It appears that it is now......
jp


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## mwvickers

jpmorgan49 said:


> It appears that it is now......
> jp


LOL

Usually there is a notice when it is moved.


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## jpmorgan49

I know, I don't think I started it in "Photo Gallery" but it makes sense.  I didn't see the "Move" either.  Maybe you did it magically... 
jp


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## mwvickers

jpmorgan49 said:


> I know, I don't think I started it in "Photo Gallery" but it makes sense. I didn't see the "Move" either. Maybe you did it magically...
> jp


I knew those years at Hogwarts would pay off. LOL


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## Forster

I like picture threads. 

Mountain lake in SW Montana:










Same spot 180 degree turn:










A kindle screen I made of it:


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## Sailor

Forster said:


> I like picture threads.


Forester,

I like your avatar! I did that same thing except with a penny once. 

Beautiful pictures.

-sailor


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## Forster

Couple of wildflower ones.

Indian Paint Brushes:










Don't know what kind of flowers these were, pretty yellow ones.


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## katbird1

jp - beautiful "wildflower (?)" shot.  Do you know what they are?  What lens did you use for this?

Forster - I like your lake/mountains and your flowers.  

Sailor - glad to see an artichoke field, don't think we have these in Ga.!  And about the electrical plug, my daughter just used her finger.  

Kathy


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## jpmorgan49

katbird1 said:


> jp - beautiful "wildflower (?)" shot. Do you know what they are? What lens did you use for this?
> 
> Forster - I like your lake/mountains and your flowers.
> 
> Sailor - glad to see an artichoke field, don't think we have these in Ga.! And about the electrical plug, my daughter just used her finger.
> 
> Kathy


Kathy,
I checked with my wife and she wasn't sure what the flowers were but they are Wild. I have several patches in yard and they'll be gone by summer. I shoot with a Nikon D80 and an 18-200mm VR lens. It's a Great Lens...
jp


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## jpmorgan49

Nice shots Forster and Sailor.  When I worked I visited Billings several times but Billings is right BEFORE Montana gets beautiful.  I did take a trip to Red Lodge and it was beautiful.
jp


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## Jeff

Forster said:


> Don't know what kind of flowers these were, pretty yellow ones.


Maybe buttercups of some kind? Potentilla xxxx.


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## Sailor

katbird1 said:


> Sailor - glad to see an artichoke field, don't think we have these in Ga.! And about the electrical plug, my daughter just used her finger.


Artichokes need the cool, moist coastal air to do well here in California.

And, did your daughter have a black layer of fine soot on her skin, like I had on mine, when she was done electrocuting herself? Hahaha

-sailor


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## katbird1

She most definitely did!

She never did it again, how 'bout you?  

Kathy


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## Sailor

katbird1 said:


> She never did it again, how 'bout you?


No, I never did it again, once was a memorable experience. I was a toddler and still remember that shock! Copper from a penny is a great conductor of electricity!

-sailor


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## Dori

Wonderful photos all.  I had never seen an artichoke growing.


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## katbird1

To continue my bird theme:









Hannah and Emily









Hannah

My color is a bit off (but I'm certainly not off-color )

Kathy


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## jpmorgan49

Beautiful Birds!!!!
jp


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## katbird1

Thanks, JP, and they are telling me it is breakfast time right now.  

Kathy


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## jpmorgan49

Here's an early Hyacinth that I caught blooming...
jp


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## katbird1

Beautiful color.  I love hyacinths, the little harbingers.


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## Tippy

The photos are great!  I have never seen an artichoke field -- that is very interesting.  Forester. love the photos of Montana.  I especially love the photo of the Indian Paintbrushes.  I love wildflowers.  The parrots are beautiful and of course the hyacinth. . . lovely.  Thanks for sharing and brightening my day


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## kim

Northern Minnesota, Lake Superior is in the background.


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## jpmorgan49

Beautiful picture Kim. I went to school at Northern Michigan University so I saw a lot of Lake Superior.  It's such a beautiful Lake...
jp


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## katbird1

Kim, that's a beautiful shot.  

Tippy, I'm with you, I love looking at everyone's photos.  Makes me want to get outside with my camera.  I did break down and clean my lenses yesterday.

Kathy


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## Forster

Really, really nice picture Kim.


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## Sailor

Dori said:


> Wonderful photos all. I had never seen an artichoke growing.


Dori,

Even though it is a plain picture, I thought that not a lot of people would have seen an artichoke plant.

Wow, what beautiful Macaw's and Cockatoo!

Gorgeous flowers JP

and lovely scenery Kim.

Everyone is so talented and catch some magnificent photos.

-sailor


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## Forster

Took these cloud pictures last fall at dusk, photos from same spot going left to right.


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## jpmorgan49

Excellent cloud shots Forster, I'm a sucker for clouds, seascapes and landscapes.
jp


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## RangerXenos

I love looking at the photos! Here are a few of my favorite shots:










I took this on a whalewatch off of Gloucester, MA a couple of years back.










One of my favorite shots from Yellowstone from a trip in 2007.










And finally, a pair of Eastern Bluebirds that tried to nest in our 3/4 dead mountain ash last Spring. (Some other bird dumped the eggs out, I was so upset, we've been trying to get bluebirds to nest somewhere in the yard for years.)


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## kim

RangerXenos - I love all three of your pictures, the Bluebirds look great.


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## jpmorgan49

Excellent photos RangerXenos!! The whale and birds are very nice but the Yellowstone picture is gorgeous.
jp


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## Forster

RangerXenos said:


> One of my favorite shots from Yellowstone from a trip in 2007.


I thought that looked like my part of the country. Very nice pic.


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## RangerXenos

Forster said:


> I thought that looked like my part of the country. Very nice pic.


Thanks! We loved Yellowstone, I would love to go back again and spend more time in the park. 3 days wasn't nearly enough, but we had other areas we wanted to get to so 3 days it was!

Do you live in Wyoming? It's beautiful country out there, but boy, there are areas where there is a whole lot of NOTHING for miles and miles (and miles!). I thought Arizona had a lot of empty areas, but Wyoming has it beat.


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## Forster

RangerXenos said:


> Thanks! We loved Yellowstone, I would love to go back again and spend more time in the park. 3 days wasn't nearly enough, but we had other areas we wanted to get to so 3 days it was!
> 
> Do you live in Wyoming? It's beautiful country out there, but boy, there are areas where there is a whole lot of NOTHING for miles and miles (and miles!). I thought Arizona had a lot of empty areas, but Wyoming has it beat.


Live in SW Montana. Lots of mountains where I live. Eastern Montana has a lot of wide open empty areas as well but I do enjoy them also.


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## Sailor

*Kayakers In Monterey Bay*​


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## kim

The kayak picture kind of makes me chuckle.  It looks like they are all going after the poor guy in the middle.


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## mwvickers

kim said:


> The kayak picture kind of makes me chuckle. It looks like they are all going after the poor guy in the middle.


All except for the straggler on the left. LOL


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## Sailor

kim said:


> The kayak picture kind of makes me chuckle. It looks like they are all going after the poor guy in the middle.


You could be right, here is another picture taken of them after they knocked him in the water...Hahaha
-sailor


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## Forster

Monterey Bay is a beautiful area. I took these pictures on the drive around the coast while there several years ago.

The pictures have been kindlized, the originals are at home on my computer and I haven't uploaded them to my photobucket yet.


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## Sailor

Forster said:


> Monterey Bay is a beautiful area. I took these pictures on the drive around the coast while there several years ago.


Forster,

I love the area and get to it almost every weekend when I can. I know that exact area you are showing in your pictures. You take some really nice photos.

I still haven't learned to put new screensavers on Kindle-1 yet, I am afraid I might crash it like I do my computer. 

-sailor


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## RangerXenos

Forster said:


> Live in SW Montana. Lots of mountains where I live. Eastern Montana has a lot of wide open empty areas as well but I do enjoy them also.


We made into a little section of Montana during our trip. I love the mountains, but the wide open spaces were a little disconcerting to me, I need to see at least some hills!


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## Forster

sailor

If I had the money (I never will   )and I could get used to living around a lot of people (questionable), the Santa Barbara-Carmel-Monterey area is where I would choose to have a second home.  Wonderful weather, beautiful coastlines.....


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## Sailor

*Seals in Monterey Bay, CA*​


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## Sailor

Forster said:


> sailor
> 
> If I had the money (I never will  )and I could get used to living around a lot of people (questionable), the Santa Barbara-Carmel-Monterey area is where I would choose to have a second home. Wonderful weather, beautiful coastlines.....


Forster,

I live 1 1/2 hours drive from Monterey so I can be around the crowds if I want the coast, or stay home in my tiny town with nothing to do. With the housing costs dropping, you may be able to afford a coastal home yet! I do have a few choice homes to buy that I have looked at in Monterey/Carmel area if I were to win the lottery, but then I would probably move out of this state to one with less crazy laws.

-sailor


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## kim

The seals...  How do they get up on the railing?  Is there something on the far side of the picture that I don't see.


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## Sailor

kim said:


> The seals... How do they get up on the railing? Is there something on the far side of the picture that I don't see.


I have no idea how those little stinkers got up there; they do climb rocks but I can't imagine how they got up on the rail. That was how I found them, nothing around to even look like they had any help getting up. They are fascinating in their ability to climb rocks so it could be they are able to climb a short fence as well. Amazing they can balance on that small rail too!

-sailor


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## BrassMan

Wow, great thread, and stupendous pictures! Here's an assortment of my favs.


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## Jeff

Very nice, everyone. Al, where was your sagebrush photo taken?


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## jpmorgan49

Excellent pictures everyone...
jp


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## katbird1

Oh my, there have been some wonderful photos since Sunday night!

Kathy


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## BrassMan

Jeff said:


> Very nice, everyone. Al, where was your sagebrush photo taken?


I don't think that's sagebrush, though I admit I don't have much experience with sagebrush. Down here it's called cenizo, from 'ceniza,' ash, because the leaves are grayish. It's a native plant, reported to bloom BEFORE a rain. Ours bloomed last week (though that picture was taken in '05), and Saturday we got a half inch of rain. But to answer your question, that's in the patio, or just outside it, in front of the house.


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## Jeff

Forster said:


> Monterey Bay is a beautiful area. I took these pictures on the drive around the coast while there several years ago.


Have you ever seen *One Eyed Jacks* with Marlon Brando? There's a scene near the end where the bad guys shoot Brando's Mexican partner and push his corpse into the surf. It looks like it may have been filmed in this same spot.


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## Forster

Jeff said:


> Have you ever seen *One Eyed Jacks* with Marlon Brando? There's a scene near the end where the bad guys shoot Brando's Mexican partner and push his corpse into the surf. It looks like it may have been filmed in this same spot.


No I haven't seen that movie, but now I'm going to have to, lol.


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## Jeff

BrassMan said:


> I don't think that's sagebrush, though I admit I don't have much experience with sagebrush. Down here it's called cenizo, from 'ceniza,' ash, because the leaves are grayish.
> 
> But to answer your question, that's in the patio, or just outside it, in front of the house.


Crush a leaf between your fingers, sniff it and if it doesn't smell like sage I'm wrong.

Great picture anyway. Thanks for sharing it with us.


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## Forster

BrassMan said:


> I don't think that's sagebrush, though I admit I don't have much experience with sagebrush. Down here it's called cenizo, from 'ceniza,' ash, because the leaves are grayish. It's a native plant, reported to bloom BEFORE a rain. Ours bloomed last week (though that picture was taken in '05), and Saturday we got a half inch of rain. But to answer your question, that's in the patio, or just outside it, in front of the house.


Here's some sagebrush, right in front of an old beaverslide.

Hmm, I'm not sure if that came out appropriately or not, lol. Anyway here's the picture.


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## BrassMan

Jeff said:


> Crush a leaf between your fingers, sniff it and if it doesn't smell like sage I'm wrong.
> 
> Great picture anyway. Thanks for sharing it with us.


Did it. It smells leafy, but not sagey, not spicy. And la wife says it's not related.

Hang on. Here's what it smells like: *_smell_*.

Gotcha!


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## Tippy

What great photos -- thanks for sharing them.  You bring joy through your photos.


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## BrassMan

Here's a closer shot. That looks like a finger in the background, but it's not. The bee is small, the size of the metal ferrule on a pencil.


----------



## Jeff

Purple Sage, Cenizo

Scrophulariaceae Leucophyllum frutescens
​
http://www.nativesoftexas.com/cenizo.html


----------



## katbird1

Brassman, the detail and clarity of your bee shot is enviable.

Kathy


----------



## BrassMan

OK, Jeff, sage it is...'cept ain't nothin' scrophulous about it!

Thanks katbird1. Someone else said it: shoot fifteen, keep one. That's the beauty of digital cameras. This was just a little pocket camera, too.


----------



## kim

Sorry Brassman, But I have to admit, I'm not too fond of those last two pics


----------



## pomlover2586

OOOOO Heck no!!!!!! I wouldn't even attempt yo shoot those last 2 pics unless it was once that spider was squashed under my shoe!


----------



## BrassMan

kim said:


> Sorry Brassman, But I have to admit, I'm not too fond of those last two pics


Yeah, I know. Sorry. Feel any better about this one?


----------



## jpmorgan49

Whoooooooooo..... 
Great animal shots. I guess I better start uploading a few.
jp


----------



## Jeff

The other end of the owl spectrum.










Dwarf Owl










Almost camouflaged.​


----------



## Forster

Owls are some of the coolest looking birds out there.  I'm enjoying the pics of them.


----------



## BrassMan

Looks like a hawk in an owl suit....

Here's another local fella:


----------



## Sailor

I loved the owls and the lizard thing, really great shots.

-sailor <trying to find my way to the good morning thread>


----------



## BrassMan

Another drop-in visitor:


----------



## katbird1

uh oh, where is that hydrogen peroxide, water and Dawn dish detergent when you need it?  (We've had many skunk encounters)

Kathy


----------



## Forster

katbird1 said:


> uh oh, where is that hydrogen peroxide, water and Dawn dish detergent when you need it? (We've had many skunk encounters)
> 
> Kathy


They do kind of freak you out when you run across them. One of the buggers got into our garage a few years back. It was night and we pulled into the garage, the headlights lit up this big tail running around our garage. We were like what? Oh crap........lol

They dig up our lawn at night quite often too, looking for grubs.


----------



## kim

What is that lizard thing?  It's certainly not something I see around Minnesota.

(now, the skunk I'm familiar with   )


----------



## katbird1

They dig up our lawn at night quite often too, looking for grubs.


Ewwww, you ought to see our backyard - our beagle is the grubber around here.  I shall refrain from the rest of that story...............

Kathy


----------



## Forster

More wildlife pics, a young Mule deer buck, didn't see me right away.


----------



## Forster

BTW in case you are wondering why the grass is so burnt looking, a forest fire had swept through the area a few months before I took the deer pics. Here is a little more wide open shot and you can see the new grass coming in.


----------



## BrassMan

kim said:


> What is that lizard thing? It's certainly not something I see around Minnesota.
> 
> (now, the skunk I'm familiar with  )


Great pics, all!

The lizard thing is a horned toad, aka (in all innocence) horny toad, now rather rare down here, apparently thanks to fire ants. They're just little peaceful lizards, with fake horns and other stuff, like tiny dinosaurs. Rumor is they squirt blood out their eyes when pressed. They're dearly beloved by all good Texans.

I didn't know skunks would dig up a yard. (Our dog did not get sprayed, by the way.) We have armadillos to dig up yards, and wild hogs.

Here's another passing visitor, a heron or crane. Don't really know the difference.


----------



## Forster

BrassMan said:


> I didn't know skunks would dig up a yard. (Our dog did not get sprayed, by the way.) We have armadillos to dig up yards, and wild hogs.


I don't know if I would call it exactly digging up as there are no big holes. They leave little divots everywhere, I swear hundreds at times. It almost looks as if your yard has been aerated. The first time I saw it I was perplexed until I called the county extension office to ask what might have done that to my yard. They told me matter of factly, skunks. I was like oh, no wonder the dogs were going nuts and barking in the middle of the night.


----------



## BrassMan

Here's what does it for us:










There's no defeating the little varmints, so we try to think of it as a free soil aeration service. Of course, armadillos won't stink you up big league....


----------



## chynared21

Cowgirl said:


> Yes...It is all hand blown glass. I believe he also did the ceiling at the Bellagio or Venetian hotel in Las Vegas.


*He also has a piece at Mohegan Sun...I don't know if you can see it in the commercials that feature the "waterfall" bar. It's different shades of blue with white *


----------



## PJ

BrassMan said:


> Here's another passing visitor, a heron or crane. Don't really know the difference.


That would be a lovely picture of a Great White Heron (a white phase of the Great Blue Heron). Herons fly with their necks bent as in your picture while cranes fly with their necks straight out in front of them.


----------



## Forster

PJ said:


> That would be a lovely picture of a Great White Heron (a white phase of the Great Blue Heron). Herons fly with their necks bent as in your picture while cranes fly with their necks straight out in front of them.


Never knew that about their necks, learn something new everyday. We have scads of Sandhill Cranes in my neck of the woods, but no Herons, at least not that I'm aware of.


----------



## B-Kay 1325

We have horny toads in Arizona also, my daughter when she was little could go out in our front yard and catch them all the time, I personally didn't see too many but she would take a shoe box out there and come back in a while later with 10-12 of them, all different sizes.  I could never figure out how she saw them, some of them were about quarter size and others the size of my hand.  I love the animal pictures (except the spider, ick) the big owl, the deer and the heron are beautiful.  All of the pictures in this thread have been great fun to look at.  I think I'll start at the beginning and look at all of them again.


----------



## BrassMan

This thread is for pictures, right? Ten thousand word pictures. Lately, we've been on a fauna kick, but why not flora? Flora's cool.

Here's one of a series of Texas wildflowers I shot (these are indian pinks), which a local artist turned into a painting:



















And here's a prickly pear:










And a red oak leaf:


----------



## chynared21

*








This is a toilet seat pinned up to a wall in the haunted jail in Jim Thorpe, PA. I just found it so odd that I had to snap a picture of it...kind of the same reason why I bought Flush for my daughter. It was only for the picture of the toilet seat and not the content of the story *


----------



## kim

My daughter did competitive dance for years (she's the second from the left). Sometimes the pictures aren't "good", they're more funny looking.


----------



## Tippy

Brassman, the first thought I had when I saw the dancer is that it was a flower.  Interesting photo.  Love the colors and movement.  Also loved the wildlife except for the spider and well. . .  owls kinda bother me, but good photos.

Kim, love the photo of the dancers.  Your daughter is very beautiful.


----------



## chynared21

*







The gallows in the haunted jail...







An "open" tattoo shop that apparently wasn't open when we knocked on the door. The funky color is what caught my eye 







Back to the jail...a sign that explained the hand print on the wall. Unfortunately people aren't allowed into the cell any longer. It's a pretty big hand print.







For some of the newer folks...I travel with a group of girlfriends (one from Atlanta and a pair of sisters from the Toronto area) to see Air Supply concerts, though I've cut down on my trips  Anyhow, Jim Thorpe is a quaint town with fun shops. We bought mood rings for $2. We had so much fun playing with them for a week. My hand is the one with the bright polish  It was fun taking this picture because one of the sisters told our hands to smile for the picture...lol.*


----------



## chynared21

*







When I go away with my girlfriends, I travel with a cow...I know it's strange but it's me  It was fun returning to the room to see how housekeeping would place my cow on the bed. You should have seen what they did when I had two cows...nevermind, I'll just post the picture 







Honestly...housekeeping did this 







The martini bar at Mohegan Sun in CT. It's a mini planetarium and so pretty.







One of the most comfortable chairs in the martini bar...I felt like I was sitting in a Dr. Seuss chair *


----------



## Linda Cannon-Mott

kim said:


> My daughter did competitive dance for years (she's the second from the left). Sometimes the pictures aren't "good", they're more funny looking.


Great photo and a beautiful daughter Kim!


----------



## BrassMan

Gotta ask. What is competitive dance?


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great photo's all, very unique!!!
jp


----------



## kim

BrassMan said:


> Gotta ask. What is competitive dance?


What is it.... It's exorbitantly expensive!

Kids take dance class (jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical, modern, etc) at some dance studio. They learn some choreography and apply music, now they have a specific dance with a specific song. Now they can take that dance routine to a competition where they can compete against other routines and are judged on things like technique, choreography, etc. It's a big deal for some girls (and a lot of moms who want to live through their daughters) because they can be on stage, be the center of attention, and wear sparkly stuff.


----------



## BrassMan

I get the picture. It's somewhere between show jumping and piano lessons.

Thanks!


----------



## Forster

kim said:


> What is it.... It's exorbitantly expensive!


LOL.

I don't know how you got that indoor action shot to come out so good, beautiful girls btw.

Sadly this is what my typical indoor photo shoot looks like. 



















The governor's dog.










Politics aside, I couldn't pass up the chance to see two presidential candidates give speeches as they normally never come to our state during a campaign (unless it's for a quick wave at the airport while the plane is being refueled).


----------



## kim

Another dance picture. It's not my kid this time, it's someone on her team.












Forster said:


> I don't know how you got that indoor action shot to come out so good, beautiful girls btw.


It's not easy, the ballrooms/auditoriums are dimly lit, the only light is on stage, and it gets even harder when the background is dark. It's the magic of a fast lens.

I like the governor's dog on stage


----------



## BrassMan

Man, I'm jealous of your fast lens. Instead, I make a slow lens work for me.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Here are 3 butterfly pictures I took when they had the butterfly tent at the zoo.
jp


----------



## BrassMan

Beautiful!

This is so cool. All these great pictures keep reminding me of others. I don't have any mule deer or presidential candidates, but I do have some butterflies. Neat way to share!


----------



## Jeff

Great butterfly shots.

How about a moth?


----------



## BrassMan

Gorgeous moth! This one isn't as purty, but he's maybe five inches wide:


----------



## jpmorgan49

Very nice butterflies and moths!!
jp


----------



## BrassMan

I gotta stop. Someone, tell me to stop posting, already!

This one was taken by a friend:










And here is your humble servant, a former student, and dos pitones de india.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Okay BrassMan here goes...

Alaska Cruise May 2008. Train ride up to White Pass in Skagway Alaska. Skagway River:









Same Cruise, Juneau Alaska Mendenhall Glacier:


----------



## BrassMan

You got me, man. Beautiful!

The only "cruises" I've had (being a desert rat) were on this tub:










Are you there, Dreamer?


----------



## jpmorgan49

Haa Haa, you got me there BrassMan. Yours was a little more important than mine. I have two more pictures to share from the Alaska Cruise.

Tracy Arm Fjord:









Iceberg, in perspective:


----------



## BrassMan

Oh, jeez, is that refreshing right now.

Here's where we used to go camping. (It's about 50 miles west of Las Cruces, one of the locales in my books.)


----------



## jpmorgan49

Now that looks REMOTE!!!!
jp


----------



## RangerXenos

Love all the butterfly photos, so here's a couple from me:

This was taken at a butterfly conservatory (I think in CO)










And this one at an outdoor wedding


----------



## RangerXenos

JPMorgan, I love the Alaska photos.

We did a cruisetour back in 2003, and it was the trip of a lifetime.  I'm still trying to talk my husband into going back, it was just such a pricey vacation!


----------



## BrassMan

jpmorgan49 said:


> Now that looks REMOTE!!!!
> jp


Quite remote. Whenever we went camping we always took twice as much water as we thought we'd need, and we made sure to tell at least two different people where we'd be and when we were getting back. Twice, I think, we had breakdowns and had to be rescued. There's not a lot of margin of error out there--probably like Alaska, in its own way.

I just posted a satellite map of the area in our Book Klub, since much of the book is set there, or near there. It's at http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,6991.new.html#new. The area in the photo above is west of Santa Teresa, in those dark areas (which are "craters" left when wind hollowed out lava flows that had gone around sand hills that later blew away).


----------



## egh34

OK, my attempt at pictures in my yard, and then posting here...


----------



## egh34

OK, tried, failed miserably...


----------



## egh34

Last attempt before seeking help...







[/URL][/IMG]


----------



## Ann in Arlington

egh, I am in no way an expert, but I think the pictures have to be on a photo-sharing site and you link to them. so if you're just trying to upload a picture from your computer that's why it doesn't work. This topic:

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,211.0.html

at the top of this board gives the steps. . . .

Good luck,

Ann


----------



## egh34

Thanks Ann, no, I have followed the steps explained in phot galleries, I just can't seem to find the URL? I have them on Flickr...


----------



## egh34

Trying...again, so sorry...


----------



## egh34

How did you do that?


----------



## cat616

egh34 said:


> Trying...again, so sorry...





Jeff said:


> Let's see if I can explain it.
> 
> You were posting this web page inside
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> [IMG][/IMG]
> 
> tags:
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/3474409622/
> 
> I went to the page, right clicked on the picture, copied the picture URL and pasted that in here.


You need to "copy the image address" then paste that between the img thingys. On some computers you right click on others you may control click. Find out how to "copy the image address" on your computer and then you should be good to go.


----------



## egh34

Trying...


----------



## egh34




----------



## egh34

YIPPEEE for me!!! Thanks to all for your help...Verena, I finally reread that post again (for the 4th time) and figured out where it says about internet explorer and using properties to find the URL.

THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!


----------



## JetJammer

egh34 said:


> YIPPEEE for me!!! Thanks to all for your help...Verena, I finally reread that post again (for the 4th time) and figured out where it says about internet explorer and using properties to find the URL.
> 
> THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!


LOL gratz 

And it's a beautiful picture!


----------



## intinst

Congratulations and I like the picture as well


----------



## egh34

I originally took some pictures out in the garden this morning, and was attempting to add those...they are:







and







Hope you like, it took me about an hour and a little help from my friends here to get this accomplished!!


----------



## jpmorgan49

Beautiful picture...
jp


----------



## kim

egh - So glad you figured it out.  Your pictures are great


----------



## Kathy

One of my favorite pictures was taken by cousin in 2003. It isn't that good, but has special meaning to me. This was taken in September. My mother had just died in July. Every year my mother's sisters and some of my cousins would go to Colorado the first week of September. She had 7 sisters and 4 brothers and anyone that was able would meet up. They found this sign and had to take a picture of it. My mother's name was Nellie and it seemed she was smiling down at them and letting them know how much she loved them.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great remembrance...


----------



## Tippy

Thanks for sharing.  Neat picture, wonderful memory.  Blessings.


----------



## Neversleepsawink;)

Kathy said:


> One of my favorite pictures was taken by cousin in 2003. It isn't that good, but has special meaning to me. This was taken in September. My mother had just died in July. Every year my mother's sisters and some of my cousins would go to Colorado the first week of September. She had 7 sisters and 4 brothers and anyone that was able would meet up. They found this sign and had to take a picture of it. My mother's name was Nellie and it seemed she was smiling down at them and letting them know how much she loved them.


Thats absolutely beautiful, picture and story. Thanks for sharing


----------



## Vegas_Asian

It snowed a couple times in Las Vegas last nov-dec. The morning following one of those 'rare' snow falls, I decided to go pick up some fresh Coffee cake and nice hot latte after the one morning class was cancelled. I wasn't expected home for a couple of hours and had my camera with me, so I took advantage of the alone time. So I went up to the base of the moutain, parked in the parking lot of my old high school (great view of the city and the mountains), and sat on the hood of my car to chill (the emergency blanket from the truch came in handy). On my way back home, I stopped in the middle of the street (snow day for the schools minus the colleges) and snapped this:


----------



## KBoards Admin

Vegas, is that a stitched panorama shot? Or do you have a panorama-format camera?  (Or just cropped to those dimensions?)

Great shot.


----------



## Vegas_Asian

Actually I use my 7.2 mega pixel Kodak camera zoomed a little bit...then I cut out the school and the empty field of desert-ness. After the editting that was the end result above. 

panorama shots have never come out for me....I just tried it on my camera and it worked for the first time

My camera...red, like always


----------



## Dori

Great shot.  Thanks for sharing.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great landscape shot....
jp


----------



## KBoards Admin

I went for a short hike with my daughters this evening, and the trail was *really* muddy even though it hasn't rained for a couple of days here. My dog ran through all the puddles, but me and my girls were able to leap over most of them. I'm pleased with how this panning shot turned out:


----------



## Kathy

That is a great action shot Harvey. Looks like she was having fun.


----------



## Cowgirl

Harvey...that shot wasn't taken with the Helmet-Cam!  Great Shot


----------



## Dori

Wow,  great shot!  Next time get the doggie rolling in the mud for us.


----------



## KBoards Admin

Here's Raney:
























She's worn out! For now.


----------



## frojazz

Three of my favorite things:
-a puppy
-mud
-hiking

What great pics!  I am jealous of the gorgeous scenery.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great shots Harvey!  Cute kids and dog....
jp


----------



## Susan in VA

What a cute snuggly-looking dog!


----------



## chynared21

*Great shots Harvey!*


----------



## jpmorgan49

A couple of tulip shots before they died....
jp


----------



## Cowgirl

I love tulips....my favorite flower!  Your pictures are beautiful.


----------



## KBoards Admin

The light shining through those tulips is really cool. Great shots!


----------



## KBoards Admin

Speaking of flowers, I find the bleeding hearts that come out this time of year to be fascinating in their delicateness and their intricacy. Took this today while catching a breath from my honey-do activities.


----------



## Kathy

Harvey said:


> Speaking of flowers, I find the bleeding hearts that come out this time of year to be fascinating in their delicateness and their intricacy. Took this today while catching a breath from my honey-do activities.


I have never seen these. How beautiful.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great Shot Harvey!!
Can anyone guess what this is??


----------



## suicidepact

Picture of Tokyo while in a moving van. I had just picked up a point and shoot from the Akihabara district because my D50 wasn't working. No photoshopping done.


----------



## NogDog

jpmorgan49 said:


> Great Shot Harvey!!
> Can anyone guess what this is??


Looks a lot like a chrome-plated steelpan (a.k.a. steel drum) lying on its side somewhere with a lot of people around.


----------



## KBoards Admin

jpmorgan49 said:


> Great Shot Harvey!!
> Can anyone guess what this is??


Is it the bell of a tuba?


----------



## suicidepact

jpmorgan49 said:


> Great Shot Harvey!!
> Can anyone guess what this is??


Is it a part of "The Bean" by Anish Kapoor in Chicago?


----------



## jpmorgan49

Good guesses but Suicidepact is correct!! It was a beutiful day yesterday So we took a trip downtown to show my son-in-law Millenium Park.... The shot was taken as you walk through the Bean and look straight up in the center. You can see the new Trump tower, it's the silver building next to the "lipstick" building....
jp


----------



## geoffthomas

Wow. Fab shots folks.
We have some truly creative members.


----------



## NogDog

Possibly the easiest photo I ever shot: just pulled off into an overlook stop on the road through Rocky Mountain National Park (CO), pointed the camera between the trees, and shot. 










More photos from that series


----------



## BrassMan

Here's a foggy morning in our back yard, a few years ago when we had a rainy spring.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great landscape shots guys!!
jp


----------



## jpmorgan49

I know I have displayed a lot of flower pictures lately, but they're all popping up and so beautiful and such photo opportunity... Here's an Iris in my back yard...


----------



## BrassMan

LOVE the flowers!

Here's a landscape dd#2 shot:


----------



## jpmorgan49

Excellent canyon shot! I love the low light reflections..
jp


----------



## BrassMan

Here's a "Grand Canyon," if you're a flea:


----------



## jpmorgan49

Ha Ha Ha!!!  That's a good one, now if we just had a very tiny camera.....
jp


----------



## Dori

Wonderful photography everyone.  This thread is so much fun.


----------



## RangerXenos

We went to the new Yankee Stadium yesterday, here's a few shots. Beautiful ballpark, but it's not Yankee Stadium to me! The old stadium looks so lonely next door, and they're starting to take it down. It's so sad... I think eventually the new park will feel like home, but it's just weird right now!

The new stadium from our seats, which were AMAZING. (I won them from Turkey Hill Ice Cream)










Andy Pettite










A view from the big screen of the new and old stadiums next to each other. I'm still trying to figure out what the guy on the top is doing...


----------



## KBoards Admin

RangerXenos said:


>


Wonderful shot. Looks like you had a perfect day for baseball, too.

What type of camera do you have? This was nicely zoomed in. I thought at first you might have taken it off the big screen, but on inspection I don't think so.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great Baseball Shots!!!!
jp


----------



## NogDog

RangerXenos said:


> We went to the new Yankee Stadium yesterday, here's a few shots. Beautiful ballpark, but it's not Yankee Stadium to me! The old stadium looks so lonely next door, and they're starting to take it down. It's so sad... I think eventually the new park will feel like home, but it's just weird right now!
> 
> The new stadium from our seats, which were AMAZING. (I won them from Turkey Hill Ice Cream)...


The Phillies seemed to like the stadium, too -- at least 2 out of 3, anyway.  

PS: Nice photos!


----------



## RangerXenos

Harvey said:


> Wonderful shot. Looks like you had a perfect day for baseball, too.
> 
> What type of camera do you have? This was nicely zoomed in. I thought at first you might have taken it off the big screen, but on inspection I don't think so.


Nope, the only one taken off the big screen was of the two stadiums, it was such a cool shot of the stadiums side by side I took a picture. (I don't think I'll ever be flying overhead with a blimp to get that shot, LOL!)

After owning a Canon Powershot and before that an Olympus digital camera, I bought a Panasonic Lumix last year and absolutely love it. The 18x zoom comes in handy with nature shots (though I need a tripod unless it's a really sunny day.)


----------



## RangerXenos

NogDog said:


> The Phillies seemed to like the stadium, too -- at least 2 out of 3, anyway.
> 
> PS: Nice photos!


Yeah, but they were all good games. The balls are *flying* out of the new Stadium at an alarming rate this year -- we found that the new park is a lot windier than the old one, it was a beautiful day on Saturday, it shouldn't have been that windy inside the park.


----------



## NogDog

RangerXenos said:


> Yeah, but they were all good games. The balls are *flying* out of the new Stadium at an alarming rate this year -- we found that the new park is a lot windier than the old one, it was a beautiful day on Saturday, it shouldn't have been that windy inside the park.


Yeah, all three were well-played games that could have gone either way. Maybe they'll play again in October.


----------



## kim

I spent another day shooting dance... 
(not my kid, it's a friend)


----------



## Tippy

Fabulous Photos!  Harvey, love your dog and the bleeding heart.  They are so delicate and beautiful -- lovely this year.  Brassman -- Wow!  Was that a yucca plant of some description?  The leaves and blooms are similar to yuccas, but that was Huge.  Love the Grand Canyons -- beautiful and funny.  Kim, the dance photos are great.  I really enjoy them.  JPMorgan -- tulip photos are great and I LOVE the bean!

Thank you everyone for sharing -- your photos always brighten my day!


----------



## BrassMan

Tippy said:


> Brassman -- Wow! Was that a yucca plant of some description? The leaves and blooms are similar to yuccas, but that was Huge. Love the Grand Canyons -- beautiful and funny.


Yes, that was a yucca, or more precisely, a clump of yuccas, all blooming at once (early spring, normally). For huge, try the maguey, aka the century plant. This one was in the process of sending up a single bloom that ended up being 30 feet tall. I measured it. At this point, it's about 10 feet.


----------



## Tippy

We have a lot of yuccas in this part of the country, but I don't believe they get that large.  The blooms are beautiful.  In the old days, we called them soapweeds.  

The century plant is amazing.  Does the shoot or bloom continue to look like your photo?  I realize it was much taller.  More specifically is there a flower or bloom?


----------



## BrassMan

Tippy said:


> We have a lot of yuccas in this part of the country, but I don't believe they get that large. The blooms are beautiful. In the old days, we called them soapweeds.
> 
> The century plant is amazing. Does the shoot or bloom continue to look like your photo? I realize it was much taller. More specifically is there a flower or bloom?


I got lucky and found the photos. These'll show you the scale of each better.




























Each little florette of the maguey bloom blossomed into hundreds of tiny maguey cactus, which fell off and took root. I'm still fighting them. We cut off the dried stalk and made a Christmas tree out of it.


----------



## BrassMan

This is more than anyone wanted to know, but it was the first time I'd ever seen one of these things bloom where I could watch it over time. The whole process took, well, about nine months. Here are the florettes blooming, if that's the right term. This thing could be in a science fiction movie. Wasn't there a movie about animated plants from outer space called triffids??


----------



## BrassMan

I didn't show the thing in full bloom. Don't worry, everyone. I'm tired and I'm going to bed.

This thing is ONE flower, and once it blooms, the plant dies. This plant was roughly 22 years old, so the "century plant" name is not quite right. This is the same cactus they make tequila from. They stop it from blooming and boil the burl, where the roots meet the leaves. It gets worse from there, or better, depending on your tastes.


----------



## MonaSW

Great pictures, I'm always amazed how tall those century plants get.


----------



## egh34

Wow, how fun! Ya learn something new everyday! I love this board. Great pictures. (But kinda scary)


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great Shots!!!!


----------



## kim

Brassman - Thanks for all the pictures.  Being from Up North, I don't know anything about the yucca or century plant.  This was very interesting and cool pictures.


----------



## Kathy

All the pictures are great.


----------



## BrassMan

kim said:


> Brassman - Thanks for all the pictures. Being from Up North, I don't know anything about the yucca or century plant. This was very interesting and cool pictures.


You're welcome. I kinda liked the dancers, myself....


----------



## Jeff




----------



## BrassMan

Yuccas! Gotta love 'em! They hold still while you shoot them!


----------



## RangerXenos

Holy Moly, what are you feeding those yuccas?  Are you all in warmer climates?  Ours certainly don't look like these in CT!


----------



## BrassMan

RangerXenos said:


> Holy Moly, what are you feeding those yuccas? Are you all in warmer climates? Ours certainly don't look like these in CT!


Yes: warmer than CT, and wetter, barely, than their native desert (defined as an area where the evaporation rate exceeds the average annual rainfall). We don't feed them anything. We don't dare!


----------



## jpmorgan49

Here's a couple more pictures from my brief trip to downtown Chicago.
Below is a shot looking North over the Chicago River.









This is a shot of Willis Tower (AKA Sears Tower, what you talkin' bout Willis)









This another shot of the Willis Tower looking straight up....


----------



## BrassMan

Super pictures. By coincidence, I rewatched The Fugitive today, which has some great aerial night shots of Chicago. (I bicycled 28 miles while so doing, for an average of 12 mpg+.)  Great city.  More!


----------



## jpmorgan49

Ah, another bicyclist! Several years ago I did the Late Night ride in Chicago.  It's about 20,000  bicyclists ride around downtown Chicago between 1:00am and 7:00am.  It was GREAT. It ended at Buckingham Fountain at Dawn...
jp


----------



## BrassMan

I can only dream of such a ride. In case you were wondering how I watched movie while riding, I moved my street bike to a stand in my office! Done 1700+ miles so far this year. So far I've not risked reading my Kindle--afraid I'd drop it. I might rethink that, though. It'd be great on a bike ride....


----------



## jpmorgan49

Ahh, for a minute there I thought you were Crazy (or Crazier).  Stationary biking is better than no biking at all.  Illinois has really gone crazy with Bike Paths and several are close to my home.  Keep on Biking!!!
jp


----------



## Dori

Great shots.  You are making me yearn to see my favorite town once again.  I was born in Chicago and had relatives all of my growing up years so I was there often.  I still have a sis in the far western burbs but I have not been downtown for years.  Thank you so much for the windy city photos.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Thanks Dori.  I'll try and get to the city over the summer and get more shots for you.  You wouldn't believe how it's changed since you were downtown.
jp


----------



## KBoards Admin

This is a walk that my wife and I like to take - Whatcom Falls Park which is about a mile from our home. From here, there are trails that connect through various parts of town, mostly on old railroad beds.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Breathtaking scenery Harvey.  You are very fortunate to have such natural beauty so close to home.
jp


----------



## NogDog

Dori said:


> Great shots. You are making me yearn to see my favorite town once again. I was born in Chicago and had relatives all of my growing up years so I was there often. I still have a sis in the far western burbs but I have not been downtown for years. Thank you so much for the windy city photos.


I was born in Elmhurst and lived there until age 8. My brother and his family live in Chicago, and my younger sister lives and works just north of the city. My dad's family comes from Chicago, and I still have a few aunts, uncles and cousins in the area. Of all the really big cities I've ever visited, it's still my favorite to visit or live in. The only thing I don't like about it is that it only has two seasons: winter and road construction. 

I still cheer for the Cubs, as long as they're not playing the Phillies.


----------



## Dori

I still cheer for the cubbies period.  Looking forward to more photos of Chicago jp.  (getting back on thread.  Yay me.)


----------



## RamTheHammer

A bit late to this thread. I too am an amature photog. Here are some examples of my work:




























Hope you like them.


----------



## Tippy

JP - fabulous shots of Chicago.  Ram -- all I can say is wow!  Great photos!

Brassman, thank you for the photos of the Century Plant and its blooms.  I really enjoyed that.  That is a monster plant.  It probably did come from outer space. . .  I had no idea they grew so tall.  The yuccas are terrific!  Although I wonder what a couple of gallons of Miracle Grow every two weeks would do for them.  The yucca blooms are absolutely beautiful.  I don't know if yours bloom like that every year.  

Our plants are much smaller, and as a rule don't bloom so profusely.  Having said that, there are years. . .  Ranches are dependent on grass.  Yuccas can take over rough pastures, thus decreasing the amount of grass available.  Cows love to eat their blooms.  

I was also quite taken with the photo of your family and their instruments.  What is the instrument your son was holding?  

Thanks for all the photos.  I just love this thread.


----------



## NogDog

Tippy said:


> ...I was also quite taken with the photo of your family and their instruments. What is the instrument your son was holding?...


I believe that is a theorbo (a member of the lute family).


----------



## Dori

Ram,  better late than never,  great photos.  Happy that you shared them.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Beautiful nature shots Ram!!!
jp


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Ram,
I love those!


----------



## RamTheHammer

Thank you all for your kind words.


----------



## Dori

I am trying to get the hang of using Picasa. All of my previous photos have been uploaded using Flickr.

This shot of me was taken at New Smyrna Beach, Fl. The critter was among many that washed up on the beach that summer.

Edited to practice image width


----------



## jpmorgan49

Wow, that's Gigantic!  Nice shot Dori...
jp


----------



## Jeff

This guy's not quite as big as Dori's, but almost.


----------



## Dori

Jeff, yours is a much better photo and is alive.  Great shot.


----------



## Tippy

Love the tortoise photos.  Thanks.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Okay, a couple more flower pictures from my wife's garden.
jp


----------



## Dori

Love the Siberian Iris and Poppies.  How do you take such great photos of the flowers with the foliage not in focus.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Dori said:


> Love the Siberian Iris and Poppies. How do you take such great photos of the flowers with the foliage not in focus.


It's not that difficult if you have an SLR camera. You just shoot at a lower f-stop, which gives you a narrow depth of field. In everyday language you shoot at f5.6 or lower and it blurs the background and foreground. You'll notice in some of the pictures even an outer petal is blurred. This is difficult to impossible to do with a simple point and shoot camera because of the way they are made. If your point and shoot has a 10x zoom or higher, shoot the flower fully zoomed and it may blur the background.
jp


----------



## CegAbq

A magnolia at night - in front of my house (although not quite as magnificent as jp's):


----------



## Dori

Magnolias simply gorgeous.


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Ok, just posted to the Father's Day thread, and had to learn how to insert pictures. I did this:










So proud of myself for learning how to do what y'all have been doing all along!


----------



## jpmorgan49

Beautiful Magnolias CegAbq! Carol, glad to see you never get to old to learn.   No, I'm not implying that you're old by any means.
jp


----------



## RamTheHammer

Carol Hanrahan said:


> So proud of myself for learning how to do what y'all have been doing all along!


Congrts on your first picture post! Hope to see more.

Richard


----------



## NogDog

Here's the reward for the thunderstorms and power outage I went through today. Unfortunately, by the time I put some shoes on, grabbed the camera, put the memory card in, and ran outside, I'd missed the best of it (the entire western sky was an amazing glowing orange-gold).


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

RamTheHammer said:


> Congrts on your first picture post! Hope to see more.
> 
> Richard


Hey Ram!
Yes, I can be taught.....
Now if I just don't forget...... hahaha


----------



## Vegas_Asian

Trip to SanFran over a year and a half ago resulted in this pic of a church in ChinaTown. came out better than I thought its one of the few times my cellphone camera agreed with me.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Scary sky shot NogDog and Vegas, That's a great shot, hard to believe it was from a cellphone.
jp


----------



## BrassMan

Sorry to be late getting back to you. I doped off for a while (writing, actually).



Tippy said:


> I was also quite taken with the photo of your family and their instruments. What is the instrument your son was holding?
> 
> Thanks for all the photos. I just love this thread.


Correct: that's a theorbo, sort of a bass lute. Terrific sound, too. I posted a sample of what it sounds like. I call it the Distant Cousin theme song. You can hear it here, down near the bottom of the page: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,6991.msg148708/topicseen.html#msg148708

Also: that's not my son. He was one of a visiting early music trio, and they wanted their picture made out in those flowers. Odd note: there was a good breeze at the time, and it "played" their instruments, making an eerie, otherworldly sound. It was delightful.


----------



## kevindorsey

Some great shots.  Keep 'em coming.  

(Makes me want to get a new camera  )


----------



## BrassMan

kevindorsey said:


> Some great shots. Keep 'em coming.
> 
> (Makes me want to get a new camera )


OK, then. Here's one from my old camera. Not worth 10,000 words, but maybe 10. What is this?


----------



## Jeff

BrassMan said:


> What is this?


A closeup of a hot air balloon?


----------



## KCFoggin

Very, very nice.  Loads of color!


----------



## KCFoggin

Okay, I too am a wild bird/nature photographer so I'm gonna post a photo. Presently my yard is loaded with Dragonflies as I have a small, very slow moving creek bordering the edge of my backyard. This would be a Great Blue Skimmer.


----------



## BrassMan

Great dragonfly! Hard to shoot. I can't get 'em to sit down.

Jeff: excellent guess, but no, it isn't a balloon.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great Dragonfly and Balloon shots!! Al, yours is..... yellowish. 
jp


----------



## NogDog

BrassMan said:


> OK, then. Here's one from my old camera. Not worth 10,000 words, but maybe 10. What is this?


Reminds me of an abstract painting I saw at the Toledo (OH) Museum of Art many years ago, except it was orange and less interesting.


----------



## BrassMan

NogDog said:


> Reminds me of an abstract painting I saw at the Toledo (OH) Museum of Art many years ago, except it was orange and less interesting.





> yellowish


The yellowish abstraction was what struck me too--that's why I shot it.


----------



## CegAbq

Jeff said:


> A closeup of a hot air balloon?


Oooh - Jeff - were you at the Albuquerque Balloon Festival one year? Beautiful shot.


----------



## frojazz

BrassMan said:


> OK, then. Here's one from my old camera. Not worth 10,000 words, but maybe 10. What is this?


It looks like a candle to me...


----------



## Tippy

Lampshade?

Great dragonfly -- Wow -- all those balloons in one place!


----------



## geoffthomas

sunset reflecting in your widescreen?


----------



## Jeff

CegAbq said:


> Oooh - Jeff - were you at the Albuquerque Balloon Festival one year? Beautiful shot.


I have hundreds of pictures from the very first Fiesta until we moved to Texas. Somewhere there's a shot of the first or second night flight with the sky full of glowing balloons. I'll try to find that and post it.


----------



## BrassMan

Jeff said:


> I have hundreds of pictures from the very first Fiesta until we moved to Texas. Somewhere there's a shot of the first or second night flight with the sky full of glowing balloons. I'll try to find that and post it.


Please do. I bet it'll be stunning.

OK, for those who wondered, here's the answer to the puzzle above. Congrats to Frojazz!



Spoiler


----------



## BrassMan

This one's been fooled with. What is it?


----------



## Sailor

^ ^ ^ Looking into a can of paint, semi-gloss maybe?

Sailor


----------



## BrassMan

sailor said:


> ^ ^ ^ Looking into a can of paint, semi-gloss maybe?
> 
> Sailor


Excellent guess!

But...no.


----------



## Sailor

Brassman,

A cup of coffee with creamer that was just stirred?

Sailor


----------



## BrassMan

> A cup of coffee with creamer that was just stirred?





> A hubcap?


Nice! Imaginative! Sorry, though....


----------



## Dori

Getting ready for the "Ride of a Lifetime".


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

BrassMan said:


> This one's been fooled with. What is it?


Piano keys?


----------



## Cindy416

I took this a couple of years ago on Memorial Day. My sister and I planted a peony bush at Mom and Dad's gravesite. I love using this as wallpaper on my computers.


----------



## Jeff

In honor of Flag Day:


----------



## jpmorgan49

Beautiful Peony Cindy! Happy Flag Day to all, thanks for the reminder Jeff.  
jp


----------



## BrassMan

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Piano keys?


Bingo.










Here's one it wouldn't be fair to ask about. I shot it in an art exhibit: a closeup of a glass sculpture.


----------



## BrassMan

Lovely peony, Cindy. Trade you a cactus flower.


----------



## Cindy416

It's a trade, jazzman. Beautiful cactus flowers!


----------



## Jeff




----------



## BrassMan

Gorgeous zinnias! I love zinnias. Trade you some cenizo petals....


----------



## Cindy416

Good heavens, Brass Man. Sorry I got your name wrong! (I'll be more careful next time.)


----------



## BrassMan

Cindy416 said:


> Good heavens, Brass Man. Sorry I got your name wrong! (I'll be more careful next time.)


Hey, no problemo. I'll take JAZZman. I'll take TECHNOman. I'll take DCman. But not GRASSman, or...well, you know.


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

I love the dragnonfly, zinnias, and the peony.  I have to buy peonies as cut flowers here, cuz they won't grow without a hard freeze, and I love them so....
Ok, I'll try to post my irises...... if I can remember how.


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

From my garden:










I wish it was bigger. Hhow do I make it bigger?


----------



## Jeff

Carol Hanrahan said:


> I wish it was bigger. Hhow do I make it bigger?





Code:


[IMG]

 or any width you want.


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Thanks, Jeff! 

Wait, where do you put that little piece of code?  the "IMg width one?"


----------



## kim

Carol Hanrahan said:


> From my garden:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wish it was bigger. Hhow do I make it bigger?


Try Miracle Grow


----------



## Jeff

Carol Hanrahan said:


> Thanks, Jeff!
> 
> Wait, where do you put that little piece of code? the "IMg width one?"


Sorry, Carol, I missed your question until now. Quote my post and you'll see where I put it.

This is my grandson, Alexander, smiling at a crocodile:










This is the crock smiling back:


----------



## jpmorgan49

Nice alligator shot...
jp


----------



## kim

Eiffel Tower, taken last week...


----------



## CegAbq

Ooooh - love these new pics - they are wonderful.


----------



## Jeff

kim said:


> Eiffel Tower, taken last week...


Let's play picture poker. I'll see your Eiffel Tower and raise you a Tokyo Tower:


----------



## BrassMan

Well, shoot. I can't equal those. All I got is the Casa Past tower.

I'll fold. The pot is yours.


----------



## Jeff

BrassMan said:


> Well, shoot. I can't equal those. All I got is the Casa Past tower.
> 
> I'll fold. The pot is yours.


Oh you win hands down. Great place.


----------



## BrassMan

Jeff said:


> Oh you win hands down. Great place.


Maybe for peacefulness but not for spectacular. When I was a kid, a hundred years ago, my folks took me up in the crown of the Statue of Liberty. I don't know if you'd call that a tower, but it was pretty dang cool.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Cool Tower shots!!!!  Didn't even know Tokyo had a tower....
jp


----------



## Cindy416

JP, do you have a Picasa account? There's a photo there (in the public ones) by someone named Vincent, and it's entitled "Alsace." It reminds me a lot of our "Stand Alone" skin, although it's actually a reflection of trees in water. I was going to post it here, but didn't know for sure about the intellectual property rights. If you think it would be ok, I'd love to post it.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Cindy416 said:


> JP, do you have a Picasa account? There's a photo there (in the public ones) by someone named Vincent, and it's entitled "Alsace." It reminds me a lot of our "Stand Alone" skin, although it's actually a reflection of trees in water. I was going to post it here, but didn't know for sure about the intellectual property rights. If you think it would be ok, I'd love to post it.


Sorry no Picasa account. I have Flickr and Webshots (see my signature). You may be able to just post the picture through a link and credit the account holder. I know I'd be flattered if it was mine. 
jp


----------



## Cindy416

Here's the photo. All that I can find is that it's by Vincent, and it's described as "Alsace." I love it!


----------



## Dori

Love your avatar JP.  How did you get that photo on your Kindle.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Dori said:


> Love your avatar JP. How did you get that photo on your Kindle.


Being a amateur digital photographer I have Photoshop. I took a picture of me and I took a picture of my Kindle and basically put them together. It's really not that difficult and it makes a neat avatar, a color picture on a Kindle. I even left the Amazon Kindle words at the top of the Kindle. I could put your face on your Kindle!!!  
jp


----------



## jpmorgan49

Cindy416 said:


> Here's the photo. All that I can find is that it's by Vincent, and it's described as "Alsace." I love it!


Wow, that is a very beautiful, serene picture. It would make a good Skin......
jp


----------



## Cindy416

JP, that was the first thing that occurred to me when I saw the photo. I assume it reminds you a lot of Stand Alone. To me, it creates that same feeling of serenity. (That's the same feeling that I have when I get to see the ocean (very infrequently), which, by the way, is entirely too far away from the boondocks where I live.)


----------



## jpmorgan49

I have hundreds of sunset shots from when I traveled to LA every month for business, ahh those were the good old days, but I'm retired now.

This is a shot from the Redondo Beach Pier:









This is from Hermosa Beach, the Lone Surfer:









I really miss Southern California.....


----------



## Dori

Beautiful photo Cindy.  Is that really just a Rorschach (sp)  inkblot?


Thanks for the methodology jp.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Cindy416 said:


> JP, that was the first thing that occurred to me when I saw the photo. I assume it reminds you a lot of Stand Alone. To me, it creates that same feeling of serenity. (That's the same feeling that I have when I get to see the ocean (very infrequently), which, by the way, is entirely too far away from the boondocks where I live.)


It is like stand alone, maybe better!! It is very relaxing...
jp


----------



## kim

Jeff said:


> ...Tokyo Tower:


Hey, Jeff, When did you take that Tokyo picture? Based on the cars, I'm guessing 30 some years ago (or maybe they just look like station wagons because I'm using a little laptop)? I was just wondering if the area looks that same today.


----------



## Cindy416

Dori, it could be a Rorschach, for sure!

JP, those photos are beautiful! I'd feel as if I had died and gone to heaven were I able to look at scenery like that on a daily basis. I can understand why you miss southern CA. 

(I'd like to go to Monterey Bay or somewhere equally beautiful, but I don't think I'd be able to make myself leave.)


----------



## Cindy416

By the way, JP, I went to your Flickr and Webshot links, and you have some spectacular photos there! I have to admit that I'm a bit partial toward the ocean and zoo ones (especially of what I consider to be one of the most beautiful animals on the planet, the tiger).  I read on one of your pages that your idea of a dream trip would be an African safari with your camera. That's high on my list, as well, but I'm not holding my breath. If you accomplish that dream, I do hope you'll post lots of photographs.


----------



## Jeansaint

Cindy416 said:


> Here's the photo. All that I can find is that it's by Vincent, and it's described as "Alsace." I love it!


Makes me think of a Salvador Dali paintiing. Great photo


----------



## jpmorgan49

Cindy416 said:


> By the way, JP, I went to your Flickr and Webshot links, and you have some spectacular photos there! I have to admit that I'm a bit partial toward the ocean and zoo ones (especially of what I consider to be one of the most beautiful animals on the planet, the tiger). I read on one of your pages that your idea of a dream trip would be an African safari with your camera. That's high on my list, as well, but I'm not holding my breath. If you accomplish that dream, I do hope you'll post lots of photographs.


I live about 30 minutes from Brookfield Zoo outside of Chicago. I am a Member and try to visit the Zoo several times a year. I too am in love with the Tiger. The Tigers are usually sleeping but I have caught them on several occasions when they were active. I have one of my Tiger shots blown up to 11 x 14 and framed over my bed. It's one of my favorite shots. This is it here:


----------



## Jeff

kim said:


> Hey, Jeff, When did you take that Tokyo picture? Based on the cars, I'm guessing 30 some years ago (or maybe they just look like station wagons because I'm using a little laptop)? I was just wondering if the area looks that same today.


I haven't been to Japan in at least 20 years.


----------



## Cindy416

jpmorgan49 said:


> I live about 30 minutes from Brookfield Zoo outside of Chicago. I am a Member and try to visit the Zoo several times a year. I too am in love with the Tiger. The Tigers are usually sleeping but I have caught them on several occasions when they were active. I have one of my Tiger shots blown up to 11 x 14 and framed over my bed. It's one of my favorite shots. This is it here:


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

*Here's a few from my China journey:*









*Lung-hua Temple - Shanghai*









*Yang-shuo on the Li River near Gui-lin*









*The Great Wall in Winter at Ba-da-ling, north of Bei-jing*









*The Li River - South of Gui-lin*









*The Grand Promenade at the Summer Palace - Bei-jing*









*The Hall of Harmonious Peace - The Forbidden City - Bei-jing*

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## geoffthomas

Fab pics Ed.

Just sayin.....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Geofthomas:

Some day I get to scan the other 500 pictures.   But a few at a time for flavor. You haven't lived until you've had a snowball fight with Argentinian tourists at a Bei-jing bell temple. (bei-jing in a snow storm is like living on a wedding cake).

Ed Patterson


----------



## geoffthomas

Never been to China.
Been to Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Thailand (a lot).
But never been to China.
Sounds like fun.

I need to get my old pics scanned so I have them in digital form.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Nice pics Ed......
jp


----------



## Jeff

Here are a couple from Taiwan:


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Nice. Never got to T'ai-wan.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Cindy416

Jeff and Ed, nice pics. I've never been in that part of the world, but I find it fascinating. (I'd love to see the Great Wall. Also would love to see the Taj Mahal, although it's not in the area where your pictures were taken.)  Egypt and the Holy Land would also be on my list, although a photo safari in Kenya would probably top my list of places that I'd love to visit and photograph.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I could live in Gui-lin, which is , to me, the most beautiful spot on the planet; however, if I live long enough to return, I'm heading to Tibet.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dori

Jeff your Taiwan nature photo is so relaxing.  Would make a great thing to view and meditate.


----------



## kdawna

Jean Saint, I love that picture

Kdawna


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Here's one of my favorite pictures from the first time I went to Mexico on a Mission trip. We were building a house (basic 2x4 frame with plywood walls and tin roof) and one morning we came back and found this block house built by the children of the family we were building for. Their construction was more elaborate than our own!









To top it off, that evening when we were back in Texas we saw a news report about kids lined up overnight to get the latest X-Box. If only they could have appreciated those as much as these children enjoyed scraps of wood.


----------



## kim

Elmore Hammes said:


> Here's one of my favorite pictures from the first time I went to Mexico on a Mission trip. We were building a house (basic 2x4 frame with plywood walls and tin roof) and one morning we came back and found this block house built by the children of the family we were building for. Their construction was more elaborate than our own!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To top it off, that evening when we were back in Texas we saw a news report about kids lined up overnight to get the latest X-Box. If only they could have appreciated those as much as these children enjoyed scraps of wood.


Elmore, great picture and great story, thanks for sharing!


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Elmore Hammes said:


> Here's one of my favorite pictures from the first time I went to Mexico on a Mission trip. We were building a house (basic 2x4 frame with plywood walls and tin roof) and one morning we came back and found this block house built by the children of the family we were building for. Their construction was more elaborate than our own!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To top it off, that evening when we were back in Texas we saw a news report about kids lined up overnight to get the latest X-Box. If only they could have appreciated those as much as these children enjoyed scraps of wood.


I love that story! My kids would never let us get rid of their wooden blocks. Still out in the garage somewhere.....


----------



## CegAbq

Carol Hanrahan said:


> I love that story! My kids would never let us get rid of their wooden blocks. Still out in the garage somewhere.....


Ditto.


----------



## sherylb

This is a test to see if I can do this right. The picture was taken at Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park just last weekend. ONP is literally right out my back door but the drive up to the Ridge is about 21 miles going from sea level to about 5200 feet. Spectacular views of the Olympic Mountains to the South and if you hike on some of the trails (which are ski runs in the winter) you can also see the Strait of Juan De Fuca and Canada to the North.


----------



## Dori

WOW!  Beeeeuuutiful.


----------



## sherylb

Thanks Dori! Here is another one I thought was great.


----------



## KBoards Admin

We love Hurricane Ridge! Last summer my girls and I drove to Hurricane Ridge, then hiked down from there to Moose Lake, where we camped for 3 days. Great country. Thanks for the great pix, Sheryl.


----------



## Dori

Wonderful photos.  Look like postcards.  Thanks for posting.

I love this thread.


----------



## Cindy416

Wow, this thread keeps expanding with even MORE gorgeous photos. Keep 'em coming!


----------



## jpmorgan49

When I was in California on business, I happened to be strolling on Hermosa Beach and they were filming Steven Kings 1408. John Cusack was there and he was talking to a few fans. John was really a great guy and talked to us for a long time, he seems to be a real "normal" guy...


----------



## Cindy416

jpmorgan49 said:


> When I was in California on business, I happened to be strolling on Hermosa Beach and they were filming Steven Kings 1408. John Cusack was there and he was talking to a few fans. John was really a great guy and talked to us for a long time, he seems to be a real "normal" guy...


That's great, JP. I've heard that about him, so it's good to hear it directly from someone. He caught my attention in the movie, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."

I'd think being able to be classified as "normal" would be quite an achievement, especially in Hollywood. (I'm not sure I'd be given that label even in the midwest! )


----------



## sherylb

I love John Cusack! I think hubby has every one of his movies. Does he talk in person like he does in the movies?


----------



## KCFoggin

Find the butterfly


----------



## BrassMan

Found the butterfly. Nice!

Can you find the cicada? The dang things are driving us crazy in the evenings--people who call us can hear them over the phone.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Cool Butterfly and Cicada!!!!
jp


----------



## BrassMan

How 'bout something cool, JP? I'm about to stand out in the afternoon sun and grill something over a fire. Please!

I'll take a waterfall, a river, a glacier, a glass of something...anything!


----------



## sherylb

BrassMan you asked for it! This is from a road trip my hubby and I took in Nova Scotia in February 2000. Picture is from Cape Breton. I have never been so cold in my life!!


----------



## BrassMan

Nice! I gotta go check and see if my fire is ready. It was 102º out there earlier. I'll keep that picture up and check it again when I come inside.

(Wouldn't care to live there, but still....)

Thanks!


----------



## sherylb

This is for the Lighthouse lovers out there.
Peggy's Cove Lighthouse, Nova Scotia. February 2000. Hubby took the picture.
It was so cold I thought my eyeballs would freeze and drop out of my skull!


----------



## Cindy416

I love lighthouses, and that one is very interesting. The part about your eyeballs freezing and falling out of your head doesn't sound very appealing, though.


----------



## intinst

sherylb said:


> This is for the Lighthouse lovers out there.
> Peggy's Cove Lighthouse, Nova Scotia. February 2000. Hubby took the picture.
> It was so cold I thought my eyeballs would freeze and drop out of my skull!


Wow, what a great light house picture! it would make a great screensaver. Do you mind if I make one of it?


----------



## sherylb

intinst said:


> Wow, what a great light house picture! it would make a great screensaver. Do you mind if I make one of it?


Not at all, go right ahead!


----------



## intinst

Thank you!


----------



## CegAbq

Beautiful job Instint.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

sherylb said:


> This is for the Lighthouse lovers out there.
> Peggy's Cove Lighthouse, Nova Scotia. February 2000. Hubby took the picture.
> It was so cold I thought my eyeballs would freeze and drop out of my skull!


That's postcard-deserving - very nice!


----------



## kim

intinst said:


> Thank you!


That turned out very nice.
Great teamwork!


----------



## frojazz

I've always wanted to go to Nova Scotia.  Now I've got even more motivation!  What great pics.

And I'll bite: how cold was it?  (I think eyeballs freeze at about -70oC...)   I'm guessing from the Cape Breton pic that it was windy.


----------



## sherylb

Great job on the screensaver!
Hubby decided for vacation that year we would go to Nova Scotia in February. I think it was one of the coldest in a while for them. 
Don't know the temp of each place we visited but on the whole it averaged around 0. The wind was a huge factor every where we went so we had to really bundle up and factoring in the wind chill it was of course much colder.
That vacation was spectacular and I would recommend it to anyone. Of course the locals thought we were nuts, but we were treated like royalty. We flew into Halifax and went to Lunenburg where it promptly started snowing and didn't stop for a few days. Then we did various road trips around the area and moved on to Wolfsville. After staying in that area a couple of days we then went up to Cape Breton. Being from a pretty temperate climate in the Pacific Northwest, this was the first time I had ever seen the ocean freeze. There was so much frozen water it was mind boggling. First time I had ever seen wind ice boats too on the frozen Sydney harbor. The scenery was so beautiful! We spent about 2 weeks touring around and loved every minute of it.  There were some places that it was just too cold and windy for me to get out of the rig to take pictures so I let hubby do the honors on those occasions.


----------



## geoffthomas

I love lighthouses - here is the Cape May Lighthouse.


----------



## geoffthomas

Here are the gingerbread houses from cape may.


----------



## BrassMan

Are those what they call "painted ladies?" I've always wondered....


----------



## Jeff

Old houses are great. Here are a few from Little Rock.


----------



## kim

Jeff said:


> Old houses are great. Here are a few from Little Rock.


I love the architecture of this one


----------



## jpmorgan49

BEAUTIFUL!!!!
jp


----------



## BrassMan

Loved the ice-cold pics. Here's one from the desert, on July 1: a bromeliad.


----------



## geoffthomas

BrassMan said:


> Are those what they call "painted ladies?" I've always wondered....


Well actually the painted ladies refers to houses in Charleston, SC that are painted bright, different colors.
But some people now refer to any Victorian/Edwardian style house with fancy scrollwork and "bright" colors as painted ladies.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Beautiful Cactus Flower!!!
jp


----------



## BrassMan

"Houses" got me thinking. Here's the courthouse and a couple houses in Gonzales, Texas.


----------



## jpmorgan49

While I was visiting California I discovered this house on the "Strand" on the beach at Hermosa Beach. It's a beautiful house and estimated value is 8 Million Dollars.....
jp


----------



## geoffthomas

While not one of the painted ladies, here is a nice house in Charleston, SC.

Down on the waterfront, actually.


----------



## geoffthomas

And from the Magnolia Plantation, one of the frequently visited plantations in Charleston, SC.


----------



## BrassMan

I read somewhere that Charleston was the scene of a performance of an opera by Mozart, when Mozart was still alive!


I hope that's true.


----------



## Jeff




----------



## Cindy416

Jeff said:


> Old houses are great. Here are a few from Little Rock.


Beautiful homes in Little Rock, Jeff. I have some cousins (surname: Harpool) who live there. Guess I need to pay them a visit to see the lovely old homes. It's been a long, long, long, LONG time since I visited there, and I wasn't really interested in the architecture at the time.


----------



## Cindy416

Wow, JP. I think that house on the "Strand" at Hermosa Beach is just waiting for me to come up with 8 mil. I can hear it calling my name!


----------



## MeganW

BrassMan said:


> "Houses" got me thinking. Here's the courthouse and a couple houses in Gonzales, Texas.


Wow, that courthouse is very similar in structure to the one in Sulphur Springs, TX:









I was there for work awhile back, and we ate lunch right off the square by the courthouse. It's a really cool building.


----------



## BrassMan

There are books about Texas courthouses. Having a splashy one used to be a county's main mark of distinction. I've never seen the one in Sulphur Springs, but the one in Gonzales is one of my all-time favorite buildings. The inside is as cool and quirky as the outside. Here are a few more shots. It was recently renovated and is in current use, all credit to the good citizens of Gonzales County.


----------



## Cindy416

Wow, BrassMan, thanks for the additional photos of the courthouse. What an interesting building! It looks as if it could easily take center stage in an episode of "Ghost Hunters."


----------



## BrassMan

Cindy416 said:


> Wow, BrassMan, thanks for the additional photos of the courthouse. What an interesting building! It looks as if it could easily take center stage in an episode of "Ghost Hunters."


Inside and out, it was like a giant doll house--just precious, in the best sense. The ceilings were low, as if people were shorter in those days. (Probably it's because of the a/c ductwork installed in the ceilings.) It was cool and quiet and almost deserted (much county business is conducted in nearby more modern, but less interesting, buildings). I took a lot of photos but if I'd been a more scholarly student I'd have noted the architectural style (Art Deco?), the name of the architect, the other things he'd done, and so forth.

Here are some more shots. I'm sorry if I'm running this into the ground. That's what you get when you encourage me, Cindy416. I'll quit now.


----------



## BrassMan

OK, I had a request by pm for a few more. I swear I did. Here are a couple more Texas courthouses, including our comparatively unimpressive one in Bee County. Now, I really do quit.


----------



## Cindy416

Great pics, BrassMan. I love the Spanish influence on the buildings.


----------



## KBoards Admin

I love flying into SeaTac, and every now and then I'll fly by Rainier on a clear day. This was last week, coming back from a trip to OKC.

That is Mount Adams behind it on the left, and the truncated dome of Mount St Helens behind it on the right.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Beautiful Harvey!!!


----------



## geoffthomas

One of my favorite places is Savanah Georgia.


----------



## kevindorsey

geoffthomas said:


> And from the Magnolia Plantation, one of the frequently visited plantations in Charleston, SC.


Love to take a boat ride through that.


----------



## egh34

No offense intended, but I thought I would get back to cute! Here is our latest:
Tess!


----------



## jpmorgan49

Cute Puppy!!!!
jp


----------



## CegAbq

Wow - this last bunch of pics - all from July - are truly fabulous. Thanks everyone.


----------



## Cindy416

Great photos, you all!  Harvey, I LOVE the mountains. 

egh, what an adorable puppy! Yellow labs (or labs of any color) are my favorite dogs in the world. How adorable is yours??!


----------



## NogDog

A few photos from my recent family reunion cruise. Unfortunately the weather was mainly overcast, so no stereotypical travel poster photos of Florida or the Bahamas. 

The cruise ships are *big*:









No idea what the flags mean, but thought it looked kind of cool:









Night-time at Nassau harbor:









Returning to the Port of Miami:









No cruise cabin is complete without your Kindle:


----------



## Vicki

geoffthomas said:


> One of my favorite places is Savanah Georgia.


Geoff

When I used to visit my MIL in Savannah she always took us down a place called "Victory Way" or something like that. I remember that between the trees and the flowers it was just gorgeous, at least in May when we normally went. Does that sound right to you??


----------



## Anju 

Great cruise pictures, great puppy (cute) pictures, great courthouse pictures, gret mountain pictures - great pictures period!

Thanks to all of you talented folks for sharing.


----------



## BrassMan

Holy moly!

I took a cruise once.


----------



## Cindy416

I'd say you did, BrassMan.


----------



## NogDog

BrassMan said:


> ...I took a cruise once


LST?

Where and when?

(Just curious)


----------



## BrassMan

> LST?
> 
> Where and when?


Oh, San Francisco. Mazatlan. Resort places like that. 1969, 70.


----------



## NogDog

Just in case anyone else is curious what I was asking about: USS Wexford County (LST 116


----------



## BrassMan

NogDog said:


> Just in case anyone else is curious what I was asking about: USS Exford County (LST 116


That's the Wexford County, LST-1168. A county in Michigan, apparently. Were you in the gator Navy?


----------



## NogDog

BrassMan said:


> That's the Wexford County, LST-1168. A county in Michigan, apparently. Were you in the gator Navy?


Just a bit of a military history buff, plus I had a job in the late '80s into the '90s that brought me into contact with a lot of current and former USN personnel (the Enhanced Naval Warfare Gaming System).


----------



## BrassMan

That LST was a game, all right. Biggest ship in the Navy with a flat bottom, shallow draft (6' forward), and diesel propulsion. Riding the swells to the Golden Gate bridge, we took 45º rolls. The office chair in my stateroom tumbled the length of it, back and forth. One guy's cigar smoke (on the open bridge) was going alternately straight up and straight down. 

Highly seaworthy, though--a tough ship.


----------



## Anju 

Queen of the night
only lasts one night, no odor, not sticky, very delicate looking and purdy









It is from a cactus and once it blooms that particular flat leaf dies, but the plant keeps on living.


----------



## BrassMan

That queen of the night looks a lot like our night-blooming cirrus. I wonder if it's the same. I'll have to search for a picture of it...but tomorrow, I hope.


----------



## BrassMan

BrassMan said:


> That queen of the night looks a lot like our night-blooming cirrus. I wonder if it's the same. I'll have to search for a picture of it...but tomorrow, I hope.


Queen of the night? Night-blooming cirrus? Same flower? A rose by any other name?










Just for the color of it, here's a fall shot at Washington on the Brazos state park (once the capital of Texas):


----------



## jpmorgan49

Nice shots BrassMan....
jp


----------



## Cindy416

Beautiful, BrassMan. You just reminded me why I LOVE the fall so much!


----------



## BrassMan

Cindy416 said:


> Beautiful, BrassMan. You just reminded me why I LOVE the fall so much!


Me too. Here's one more, a little larger, the better to feast one's eyes:


----------



## Anju 

Queen of the night and Night blooming cirrus are too much alike to be different flowers, besides the flat "red" cactus leave was a giveaway!

I do miss autumn - a lot, but not the hot weather prior to it


----------



## jpmorgan49

Here are a couple of pictures I took of the leaves last fall.
jp


----------



## BrassMan

Beautiful, JP. For fall foliage, I have to either go elsewhere or live vicariously. More!


----------



## Cindy416

Great foliage shots, JP.


----------



## Anju 

Thanks JP absolutely beautiful!


----------



## geoffthomas

Not up to the standard of jp and brassman with their beautiful pics of foilage, here is another lighthouse I have visited. This one is Tybee Island Light Station. Ordered by General James Oglethorpe, Governor of the 13th colony, in 1732, the Tybee Island Light Station has been guiding mariners safe entrance into the Savannah River for over 270 years.


----------



## BrassMan

I love lighthouses, but living in a semi-desert, I don't see many. Here's the only one I have, a scan from a slide taken in 1969. I think it's the Point Loma lighthouse in San Diego.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Cool Lighthouses Brassman and Geoffthomas!! I have a picture of a lighthouse at Cape Canaveral.  It was moved so it's not even close to the water, which makes it look a little weird.  Now if only I can find the picture........
jp


----------



## jpmorgan49

I can't believe I found them. I have two of the Lighthouse at Cape Canaveral (that was moved inland). The third picture is a shot of the Mars II rocket waiting for take off.
jp


----------



## GreenThumb

These two are from our vacation to Wallow Lake, Oregon last weekend:

My, the deer are friendly in these here parts....










I think my daughter fed this chipmunk a bit too much chipmunk-chow....


----------



## NogDog

GreenThumb said:


> These two are from our vacation to Wallow Lake, Oregon last weekend:
> 
> My, the deer are friendly in these here parts....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think my daughter fed this chipmunk a bit too much chipmunk-chow....


I take it deer ticks and rabies were not a concern for you?


----------



## GreenThumb

NogDog said:


> I take it deer ticks and rabies were not a concern for you?


Well, the deer didn't actually come inside, and it's very rare for small rodents like chipmunks to carry rabies. I'm sorry. I thought they were smile-worthy pics.


----------



## BrassMan

GreenThumb said:


> Well, the deer didn't actually come inside, and it's very rare for small rodents like chipmunks to carry rabies. I'm sorry. I thought they were smile-worthy pics.


I smiled. Nice pictures! Thanks!


----------



## intinst

GreenThumb said:


> Well, the deer didn't actually come inside, and it's very rare for small rodents like chipmunks to carry rabies. I'm sorry. I thought they were smile-worthy pics.


I too smiled, enjoyed, and thank you!


----------



## BrassMan

This might not be worth 10,000 words, but maybe a couple. Anyone know what you're looking at?


----------



## NogDog

GreenThumb said:


> Well, the deer didn't actually come inside, and it's very rare for small rodents like chipmunks to carry rabies. I'm sorry. I thought they were smile-worthy pics.


Didn't mean to demean the pics in any way: they were great. It was just something that popped into my mind, largely due to Lyme disease being a real problem here in New Jersey, mostly propagated by deer ticks. And of course you normally don't get ticks directly from deer, but they are part of the whole environmental cycle that supports those ticks.

But I digress (and disgust). Keep sharing the photos and don't let me be a party pooper.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

BrassMan said:


> This might not be worth 10,000 words, but maybe a couple. Anyone know what you're looking at?


Looks like the Gay pride linen I have on my bed. And no wonder I don't sleep. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## BrassMan

Well, in our house it's a zarape, woven somewhere in Mexico, possibly by a relative of that famous French painter Roy G. Biv.


----------



## telracs

My goal is to set foot on every continent before I die. Here's a few of my most vivid memories so far.

Amsterdam reflection....









Ayre's Rock Australia









Elephant Parade, Kruger Park South Africa









Black and White Western Wall 








New York Public Library Lion


----------



## egh34

Quite a goal, nice pics!! Good luck.


----------



## telracs

egh34 said:


> Quite a goal, nice pics!! Good luck.


Thanks. This year is South America. Machu Pichu here I come.


----------



## Cindy416

Nice pics, Scarlet. Would love to see more photos of your travels. (I'd especially like to go to Krueger National Park!) My sister travelled a great deal, and loved Machu Picchu. Have a wonderful time (and lots of batteries for your camera).


----------



## jpmorgan49

Excellent Pics!! 
jp


----------



## NogDog

scarlet said:


> Thanks. This year is South America. Machu Pichu here I come.


How's your aerobic conditioning? The air is mighty thin up there.


----------



## BrassMan

This caused me a few words. Not 10,000 though.


----------



## Sofie

Brassman,
Please tell me you are not in there with the snake. That is my worst nightmare!


----------



## Cindy416

BrassMan said:


> This caused me a few words. Not 10,000 though.


OMG, BrassMan. That is one of my worst nightmares, too. I would have been way too far away to photograph that thing! (My brother is a herpetologist, and he scared me too many times during my formative years.)


----------



## BrassMan

Well, yes, I was in there. Had to be, to take the picture. But I originally opened the driver's door, discovered the stowaway, and went to the other side for the shot. Always have a camera with you! 

Besides, it's an indigo snake, harmless to humans.


----------



## telracs

One word Brassman- EEK!

And I know about the thin air in Machu Picchu, I'm planning on taking it very slow when I'm up there.


----------



## intinst

BrassMan said:


> This caused me a few words. Not 10,000 though.


My question is how did it get in there?


----------



## BrassMan

intinst said:


> My question is how did it get in there?


We'd had a flooding rain the day before. Water flowed across the carport. I'm guessing Mr. Snake was looking for a dry spot and slithered up into a wheel well, thence to the driver's door, and then inside. It took me a half hour to encourage him (or her) to leave, but there was no way I was going to town with that wrapped around the clutch pedal.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Ok, that's one good reason to live in Illinois.  
jp


----------



## egh34

BrassMan said:


> Besides, it's an indigo snake, harmless to humans.


But it is a snake!


----------



## BrassMan

egh34 said:


> But it is a snake!


That's what Cecily thinks, too. This is a different one from the one in my truck (or at least I think it's different) that burrowed back in a cactus garden near the house. We named him/her Roger. I haven't seen Roger this season, so maybe he/she moved on. Lovely beast, though, don't you think? It's hell on mice and rats.


----------



## Aravis60

BrassMan said:


> This caused me a few words. Not 10,000 though.


I wouldn't have time for words _or_ pictures. I'd have been inside calling my dad and probably changing my clothes (if you catch my drift)!!


----------



## BrassMan

Aravis60 said:


> I wouldn't have time for words _or_ pictures. I'd have been inside calling my dad and probably changing my clothes (if you catch my drift)!!


The problem is I IS the daddy! I'd have needed to change too, if it had been a rattlesnake. Gotta know your snakes. For example:


----------



## kim

BrassMan said:


>


HOLY CR*P! I think I would have had a heart attack.



BrassMan said:


> I haven't seen Roger this season, so maybe he/she moved on.


MAYBE he moved on? If I saw that in my yard, I'd be the one moving.


----------



## F1Wild

Cowgirl said:


> I took this picture today at the Phoenix Botanical Gardens - This is one of the exhibits by Dale Chihuly. He has about 30 amazing pieces on display...If you live in Arizona you must see it. It will be there through May 31


Just got to this thread. Chihuly is one of my all-time favorites and I love all glass art!


----------



## Cowgirl

F1...Did you get to the Desert Botanical Gardens to see it.  I went twice.  The second time he was there signing books.  I took pictures of all his work there.  If I get a chance I'llpost another one.  This one was my favorite.


----------



## BrassMan

I love glass. You got me started again! Our tiny college has a glass program. Chihuly was going to appear here, but he got the flu or something and didn't make it. I'd love to see more pictures of Chihuly's work.

I got your glass (raw glass for the furnace):










Here's something my wife made for our front door:










Here are some entries in a glass exhibit the college had:


----------



## BrassMan

Here's one more that my wife made. It's near the front door, and three feet high.
Don't get me started!


----------



## Cowgirl

For the Chilhuly fans...Here is another one of my favorite structures from the Phoenix botanical garden exhibit....


----------



## Cowgirl

And just for fun...here is another one I liked.


----------



## BrassMan

Beautiful. Glass is such a great medium. Hard to work with, though. I was given the chance to blow some glass. I produced a blob of something that fell off the end of the pipe and broke. I nearly got molten glass in my shoe. 

Chihuly has a terrific website that's easy enough to find. It's not surprising that he has a whole army of assistants. Tough guy to work for, I hear.

More pics, please!


----------



## Cowgirl

I could see that he would be tough to work for.  During his book signing, after you purchased the book they told you you couldn't speak with him or ask him to add your name to make it personal. He never looked up or thanked anybody.  I was very disappointed and  thought  why not just sign your name to the books and sell them in the bookstore.  
But he is talented!!!!


----------



## BrassMan

Cowgirl said:


> I could see that he would be tough to work for. During his book signing, after you purchased the book they told you you couldn't speak with him or ask him to add your name to make it personal. He never looked up or thanksed anybody. I was very disappointed and thought why not just sign your name to the books and sell them in the bookstore.
> But he is talented!!!!


He certainly is. But he's reportedly an onery cuss, too, which your anecdote tends to support. Some of his assistants supposedly suggest ideas to him, which he then claims as his own. There might even have been lawsuits over it, not sure if I remember that right, though. But there's no denying, he does stuff with glass that no one else has been able to.

Glass is really weird stuff. In my books, I had my "alien's" space ship made out of glass, and that isn't too farfetched. Scientists have never been able to line up glass molecules in non-random fashion, but they keep trying, with great hopes. I assumed someone was able to, and the result was pretty cool. Fiction though, unfortunately.


----------



## Cowgirl

OK ...one more Chihuly. I wish I were a better photographer. I'm not sure my pictures do his work justice. He called this one "The Moon "


----------



## BrassMan

Thanks, Cowgirl. Those are lovely pictures. I've always liked his chandeliers too, but those wouldn't have been in an outdoor garden. I've only seen them in magazines and on his website.


----------



## Cowgirl

Brassman...they actually did have some chandeliers in an outdodor setting.  I'll have to load a few of them to photobucket so I can post here.


----------



## Anju 

Cowgirl said:


> For the Chilhuly fans...Here is another one of my favorite structures from the Phoenix botanical garden exhibit....


hmmm me thinks that this would be a hairdo of a kreelan warrior first thing in the morning


----------



## Anju 

Al - is there anything you don't love?  You have such eclectic interests you are absolutely fascinating!


----------



## Cowgirl

Here is one of his chandelier styles...Not as big as some of his work. The blue one I already posted was also in the chandelier style. They were a lot larger than these pictures appear.


----------



## BrassMan

I hadn't seen that style. The ones I remember covered the ceilings of several lobbies about the size of a basketball court. They looked like glass clouds, seen from below, in all colors.

Dona--that's a misconception. I don't like lima beans or okra.    I do, however, enjoy fascinating people.


----------



## Anju 

He musta had some pretty wild nightmares - some of those chandeliers remind me of something you would see in Star Trek or Star Wars or Alien or ?


----------



## BrassMan

Anju No. 469 said:


> He musta had some pretty wild nightmares - some of those chandeliers remind me of something you would see in Star Trek or Star Wars or Alien or ?


That's a thought. My flash vision was of a certain previous Vice President, half tanked, wandering into this exhibition with a shotgun....


----------



## Anju 

SNORT - glad I don't have anything liquid here -


----------



## F1Wild

Cowgirl said:


> F1...Did you get to the Desert Botanical Gardens to see it. I went twice. The second time he was there signing books. I took pictures of all his work there. If I get a chance I'llpost another one. This one was my favorite.


I did and I was in heaven! When we lived in Vegas I used to go to the Bellagio just to stare at his grand entrance art!


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great glass shots all.  Such beautiful artwork.....
jp


----------



## Dori

Absolutely gorgeous glass shots.  Glad I didn't miss them.


----------



## frojazz

BrassMan said:


> I love glass. You got me started again! Our tiny college has a glass program. Chihuly was going to appear here, but he got the flu or something and didn't make it. I'd love to see more pictures of Chihuly's work.
> 
> Here are some entries in a glass exhibit the college had:


All these pictures are really awesome, but that glass violin! Wow.


----------



## BrassMan

I like the violin too. That exhibit was an eye-opener for me. It was an entirely different way of treating glass from Chihuly. Somehow these new artists treat glass like plastic or clay, only clay you can see through. One picture I can't find is of a solid block of glass with layers of color fading one to another, like a block of four-flavored Jello. I have no idea how that was done.

Here are a couple pictures of our college's glass-blowing set-up (a beginner and an instructor), and another one or two from the exhibit.


----------



## Cindy416

Wow! The glass photos are awesome. (I especially like the violin.)

I've always wanted to learn to blow glass. In fact, in high school chemistry back in the dark ages, I remember sealing the end of my glass tubing over a flame, and then heating the tubing a bit farther up the tube. I tried to blow into the tube to make a bulbous area. If I remember correctly, I didn't get far before my boring old chemistry teacher said that I had too much time on my hands. Of course, I had already completed the assignment, and DID have too much time on my hands. My glassblowing was nipped in the bud at a young age. I'd love to find a glassblowing class near here, but the boondocks isn't exactly the glassblowing capital of the country.  (I want to learn to weld, too, and some day my hubby will have to take the time to teach me. I think I'd be a great welder!)


----------



## kim

BrassMan said:


>


I'm not trying to be a critic, just curious...
Are the bubbles because the person needs a little more practice or are they intended to be part of the artistic design?

(I had always thought bubbles were a flaw)

with or without bubbles, I think they are pretty cool


----------



## BrassMan

Blowing glass is a pretty high skill, and we won't talk about art. I asked a student to blow me a wine glass, and the clunky thing she produced (which embarrassed her) I kept as a souvenir of her. I told her it would always remind me of the IDEA of a wine glass. Yet you can get them in Mexico fairly cheaply.

Welding is much more practical. It's like the world's best glue gun. Our whole house is welded together, walls and slab and all. It's going NOplace. Keep after your husband. Basic welding isn't hard. You can learn it in a couple hours...plus a little practice, of course.


----------



## BrassMan

kim said:


> I'm not trying to be a critic, just curious...
> Are the bubbles because the person needs a little more practice or are they intended to be part of the artistic design?
> 
> (I had always thought bubbles were a flaw)
> 
> with or without bubbles, I think they are pretty cool


Bubbles would be a flaw in a wine glass, but in a block of "art," I'd think they were planned--and hard to put there as well, don't you reckon?


----------



## kim

BrassMan said:


> Welding is much more practical. It's like the world's best glue gun. Our whole house is welded together, walls and slab and all. It's going NOplace. *Keep after your husband*. Basic welding isn't hard. You can learn it in a couple hours...plus a little practice, of course.


about the part I bolded...

WHAT!?! 
Don't you know that a girl with power tools can do anything!


----------



## BrassMan

kim said:


> Don't you know that a girl with power tools can do anything!


I do know that, yes. I know it well! More power tools to you, ma'am!


----------



## Cindy416

kim said:


> about the part I bolded...
> 
> WHAT!?!
> Don't you know that a girl with power tools can do anything!


Absolutely! I'm a firm believer in the fact that I can learn to do anything, assuming I'm physically capable of doing whatever it is. I am extremely patient, love detail-oriented things, and am always up for a challenge. There's no doubt in my mind that I can learn to weld relatively quickly, well, and will love it! I am fairly certain that I could learn to do glassblowing, too, and would have no problem with the patience that's required to learn to do it. (I'm not saying that I'd produce great works of art, but I'm sure I could learn the rudimentary skills needed to begin to develop my ability. I'm certain that it's much more difficult than it looks, but, as I said, I love a new challenge. Keeps the mind young.)


----------



## busy91

I'm a hobbist too. I love taking pics. On my flickr I have over 5,200 pictures on there alone. Sometimes they're great, sometimes they aren't so great. Practice makes perfect, here are some of the more 'perfect ones.


----------



## KCFoggin

Three very colorful and unusual shots.  Nice captured.


----------



## telracs

Here's a bouquet of flowers for you all....












































if you want more, let me know...


----------



## CegAbq

Beautiful, scarlet!


----------



## BrassMan

Lovely, lovely pictures, and flowers. Talented folk here on the Boards!

Here's something for Betsy the Quilter, as well as other quilters/sewers, and for just anybody: arpilleras. Arpilleras are textile sculptures, really. Here are some photos from an art exhibit our college had, of some arpilleras from a women's cooperative in Ecuador, I believe it was. Note: they don't photograph well. They are three-dimensional. The human figures and other images are separate creations, sewed onto a background. Framing one requires a box, actually. The lord only knows how much work is involved in each.

First, some of the artists, and then some examples. I trust these will be self-explanatory (a math classroom, a pharmacy, a bakery, a flood, etc.), except possibly for the last one, which represents the circle of life (whose center, let us note, is the home).


----------



## CegAbq

Nice brassman - in my high school fibre arts class (way way back when) we learned a bit about a similar technique; these are truly CREATIONS. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## BrassMan

Kim:


> Don't you know that a girl with power tools can do anything!


Cindy416:


> I'm a firm believer in the fact that I can learn to do anything


Here's a girl (my wife) who learned. She's tying rebar in a form to make part of a cement wall. I was the one who welded the rebars together to make a house, but the girl was the one who plastered the whole thing. (These slides are 30 years old.)




























Cindy416, I learned to weld by fooling around. Here's an early plant stand I made, and a flower (actually brazed, not welded, using brass as solder). They were fun and great beginning projects.


----------



## Cindy416

I'm impressed, BrassMan. I think I'll start driving my hubby nuts (or more so) about teaching me to weld as soon as he gets back from his Canadian fishing trip.


----------



## CegAbq

BrassMan said:


> Here's a girl (my wife) who learned. She's tying rebar in a form to make part of a cement wall. I was the one who welded the rebars together to make a house, but the girl was the one who plastered the whole thing. (These slides are 30 years old.)


Very impressive - and I'm really glad you mentioned that the slides are 30 years old. I was feeling very OLD because I can no longer contemplate sitting cross-legged on concrete and being able to do anything, even reading.


----------



## BrassMan

CegAbq said:


> Very impressive - and I'm really glad you mentioned that the slides are 30 years old. I was feeling very OLD because I can no longer contemplate sitting cross-legged on concrete and being able to do anything, even reading.


Me either. Building a cement house is the main reason my back is in the shape it is. But my wife can still do that! (We're way less tolerant of the heat than we were back then, too.)


----------



## frojazz

scarlet said:


> Here's a bouquet of flowers for you all....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> if you want more, let me know...


More, more! Love the ladybug.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

BrassMan said:


> Lovely, lovely pictures, and flowers. Talented folk here on the Boards!
> 
> Here's something for Betsy the Quilter, as well as other quilters/sewers, and for just anybody: arpilleras. Arpilleras are textile sculptures, really. Here are some photos from an art exhibit our college had, of some arpilleras from a women's cooperative in Ecuador, I believe it was. Note: they don't photograph well. They are three-dimensional. The human figures and other images are separate creations, sewed onto a background. Framing one requires a box, actually. The lord only knows how much work is involved in each.


Wow, Al, these are fantastic! Thanks for sharing these! I'm going to keep coming back and studying them!

Betsy


----------



## CegAbq

Luv the flowers everyone.


----------



## BrassMan

CegAbq said:


> Luv the flowers everyone.


Me too. I'm feeling the need of some color this morning.


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Here's a picture of Half Dome that I climbed last month.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Carol Hanrahan said:


> Here's a picture of Half Dome that I climbed last month.


How high is that? It certainly looks impressive!


----------



## Anju 

Carol - that you did WHAT??


----------



## telracs

Half Dome stands at the elevation of 8,842 feet. It is made up from a type of granite, plutonic rock. Yosemite National Park's Half Dome's missing half is presumed to have fallen off when the Ice Age glaciers passed through.
Yosemite National Park-Half Dome, the hike is approximately 17 miles round trip. The hike to Half Dome can take anywhere from 10-12 hours. Cables are put up in late May and taken down in October. The elevation will increase by 4,800', from Yosemite's Valley Floor, (almost one mile).

I think this is what she did....


----------



## telracs

Some animal pictures (from Kruger National Park in South Africa)
Kudu​






Impala​






Giraffe​






Giraffe crossing the road​






Warthog​






Lion (major zoom, I was not that close)​


----------



## Cindy416

scarlet said:


> Some animal pictures (from Kruger National Park in South Africa)
> Kudu​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Impala​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Giraffe​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Giraffe crossing the road​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Warthog​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lion (major zoom, I was not that close)​


Scarlet, I'm glad you weren't THAT close on the photo.

Kudus to you on your wildlife photos.  (Sorry. I couldn't resist.)


----------



## BrassMan

Those are not gnus!


----------



## Cindy416

BrassMan said:


> Those are not gnus!


Are you lion to me?


----------



## frojazz

Cindy416 said:


> Are you lion to me?


BrassMan can't lie; it's impala-ble! (Ok, that one was a stretch...)


----------



## BrassMan

Cindy416 said:


> Are you lion to me?


Oh, NOOOO!










Is that YOU, paw?


----------



## telracs

If you don't stop with the puns, no more pictures will be posted!

but, funny story-- the first time we saw the Impalas, we freaked, it was so cool!  But by the second day, after realizing they were EVERYWHERE, we started calling them "Chevys".


----------



## Cindy416

frojazz said:


> BrassMan can't lie; it's impala-ble! (Ok, that one was a stretch...)


You can be caught lion, but don't be a cheetah, whatever you do! (This is only going to degenerate even further as we go along! What fun!)


----------



## Cindy416

scarlet said:


> If you don't stop with the puns, no more pictures will be posted!
> 
> but, funny story-- the first time we saw the Impalas, we freaked, it was so cool! But by the second day, after realizing they were EVERYWHERE, we started calling them "Chevys".


Ok, Scarlet. I was going to apologize for starting in with the puns until I read your "Chevy" story. Now, I'll only make a half-apology! (I know that some consider puns to be the lowest form of humor, but I've always loved them. That probably explains a lot about me, but my late, wonderful sister, my daughters, and I always spouted puns simultaneously, which is where I came up with the word, "telepathetic.")

Anyway, I'll cease and desist until someone else comes along with a pun, then I'll fight the urge to reply. Can't make any promises, though.


----------



## BrassMan

Enough already! This is driving me batty!


----------



## telracs

Cindy416 said:


> Ok, Scarlet. I was going to apologize for starting in with the puns until I read your "Chevy" story. Now, I'll only make a half-apology! (I know that some consider puns to be the lowest form of humor, but I've always loved them. That probably explains a lot about me, but my late, wonderful sister, my daughters, and I always spouted puns simultaneously, which is where I came up with the word, "telepathetic.")
> 
> Anyway, I'll cease and desist until someone else comes along with a pun, then I'll fight the urge to reply. Can't make any promises, though.


Actually, it would take a lot more then puns to make me stop, I love posting my pictures. However, I can only do them from home, so I do have to desist until tonight...


----------



## Cindy416

scarlet said:


> Actually, it would take a lot more then puns to make me stop, I love posting my pictures. However, I can only do them from home, so I do have to desist until tonight...


I'm glad to hear that we can't scare you away easily.

By the way, good one, BrassMan! (I promised to cease and desist for awhile, and that's the only reason that I have no retort, BrassMan.)


----------



## Anju 

I am majorly impressed that Carol did that climb!  WOO WOO for her!


----------



## telracs

me playing with my photo effects on some broadway marquee photos.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great shots all!!  Just wait until I get back from Germany.... 
jp


----------



## telracs

jpmorgan49 said:


> Great shots all!! Just wait until I get back from Germany....
> jp


Have a GREAT time!


----------



## BrassMan

jpmorgan49 said:


> Great shots all!! Just wait until I get back from Germany....
> jp


Shoot some food! You CAN have your jaeger schnitzel and eat it too!


----------



## BrassMan

Photo effects are fun. Here's an as-yet unpublished shot of the model for the heroine of the Distant Cousin stories. Perhaps on a future cover....










And if any KindleBoarders in Texas would like to come visit me, I can get you a room at the Luxury Inn. You can't beat their clean ooms and low rats!


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

scarlet said:


> Half Dome stands at the elevation of 8,842 feet. It is made up from a type of granite, plutonic rock. Yosemite National Park's Half Dome's missing half is presumed to have fallen off when the Ice Age glaciers passed through.
> Yosemite National Park-Half Dome, the hike is approximately 17 miles round trip. The hike to Half Dome can take anywhere from 10-12 hours. Cables are put up in late May and taken down in October. The elevation will increase by 4,800', from Yosemite's Valley Floor, (almost one mile).
> 
> I think this is what she did....


We did that climb! Going up those cables - pulling yourself up those cables - for the last part of it is pretty unnerving. You can't see where the cables end as they curve up around the top. Every 8 or 9 steps, there is a 2x4 board that you can stand upright on and catch your breath. My son was ahead of me, urging me on. I kept telling myself that I could make it to the next 2x4, then the next one, etc., and that is how I made it up that rock!


----------



## telracs

Carol Hanrahan said:


> We did that climb! Going up those cables - pulling yourself up those cables - for the last part of it is pretty unnerving. You can't see where the cables end as they curve up around the top. Every 8 or 9 steps, there is a 2x4 board that you can stand upright on and catch your breath. My son was ahead of me, urging me on. I kept telling myself that I could make it to the next 2x4, then the next one, etc., and that is how I made it up that rock!


Good for you! I'm lousy at climbing, I think I would have been screaming the whole way up. And cursing the whole way down!


----------



## Dori

BrassMan that was a fairly short drive,  right?


----------



## BrassMan

Dori said:


> BrassMan that was a fairly short drive, right?


Depends on where you're coming from. It's only 30 miles from me, though.


----------



## telracs

Have a rose for today....


----------



## skanter

One of my favorites - appropriate here, as it looks like it could be the cover for a gothic mystery novel. Actually taken from my apartment window in NYC:


----------



## Cowgirl

Skanter...that is a very cool picture!


----------



## skanter

Cowgirl said:


> Skanter...that is a very cool picture!


Thanks!


----------



## geoffthomas

I am sure that it is just an "ordinary" street scene, with weather thrown in.
But it really is "artsy".
Love it.
And it has a bit of a gothic look to it.
All in all, quite nice.

Just sayin......


----------



## skanter

geoffthomas said:


> I am sure that it is just an "ordinary" street scene, with weather thrown in.
> But it really is "artsy".
> Love it.
> And it has a bit of a gothic look to it.
> All in all, quite nice.
> 
> Just sayin......


It's the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel in NYC on a very snowy night. I had to Photoshop out a lot of unwanted things, like harsh lights and billboards. Somehow it loos like the 1930's or 40's.

Glad you liked it!


----------



## dragonfly

To me my cats and reading just seem to go together.


----------



## Susan in VA

Such a thoughtful-looking cat.


----------



## BrassMan

We have a cat who actually likes to read. (Haven't tried him on the Kindle yet.) Look at WHAT he's reading.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Cats need owls. Hoot Hoot

Ed Patterson


----------



## F1Wild

BrassMan said:


> We have a cat who actually likes to read. (Haven't tried him on the Kindle yet.) Look at WHAT he's reading.


I wish mine would sit still long enough to do this...only a year old and sewing his "wreck the house" oats.


----------



## NogDog

My sister just emailed me this photo of one of her cats. I think she's saying, "I'll do all the laptoppin' around here, Baba Looey."


----------



## sjc

Dori:  I'm one of those who HATES the highway and anything more than 10 minutes away from home (for me) is a major chore.  As you will recall...(fears and phobias thread)...I despise the highway.  I miss you Dori...come pop in on the infinity thread...lots of laughs.


----------



## telracs

I was cleaning up my iPhoto library and found this one.... Too bad I didn't find it a couple of months ago.









and these are just some random buildings down near battery park taken while i was doing the MS walk.

















same shot in greyscale...


----------



## jpmorgan49

I'll be posting a few Germany pictures over the next few days. These three are of the Glockenspiel at Marienplatz, Munich. This building was beautiful, I have many pictures of it. 

























This was taken from high atop St. Peters Church, which we had to walk up to the top.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Here are two from Dachau. The first is the main entrance a close up of the Gate. The translation on the gate says "Work will set you free", ya right. The second was the main building where processing and other things happened. This was a very depressing place, just thinking of what took place over several years.


----------



## CegAbq

jp - I covered that same ground back in 1986; your pics are bringing back memories - both pleasant & somber. Dachau was definitely sobering & memorable.


----------



## mlewis78

I visited the High Line in Chelsea/West Village last Friday afternoon for first time and took 90 pictures. The High Line is a park on an elevated rail line that was once used for freight trains. Its website: http://www.thehighline.org/
Here are a few photos:





































The view of the Empire State is from the High Line. More of these pictures in Picasa can be viewed here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/marti.lewis/TheHighLineInChelsea#

Lots of great pics of this are in The High Line's website (URL at top of this post).


----------



## telracs

Very nice!  I've got to get up there at some point!


----------



## mlewis78

dragonfly said:


> To me my cats and reading just seem to go together.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Didn't see this cat until just now. I love it!


----------



## BrassMan

The Highline is way cool--a literal slice of nature in a giant city. Lovely pictures.

For something completely different, my wife took these in Peru last month. (She was doing a bit of research for me, for one thing.) As an extra bit of news, she finally has her very own Kindle! We're Kindle twins! She's going to join the Boards once the semester is over.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

BrassMan said:


>


Very nice - I especially like this one with the way the clouds/mist are 'wrapping' around the city!


----------



## CegAbq

mlewis78 said:


> I visited the High Line in Chelsea/West Village last Friday afternoon for first time and took 90 pictures. The High Line is a park on an elevated rail line that was once used for freight trains. Its website: http://www.thehighline.org/


Nice Marti - I'll be visiting my son in Hoboken next year & have put this on my list of places to visit!

(I'd love to put all these other places on my list too, but they are a bit harder to reach)


----------



## F1Wild

jpmorgan49 said:


> I'll be posting a few Germany pictures over the next few days. These three are of the Glockenspiel at Marienplatz, Munich. This building was beautiful, I have many pictures of it.
> 
> This was taken from high atop St. Peters Church, which we had to walk up to the top.


Thanks for these pics - my hubby's aunt lives in Munich and we visited her lots when we lived in the UK...hope we go back soon!


----------



## telracs

CegAbq said:


> Nice Marti - I'll be visiting my son in Hoboken next year & have put this on my list of places to visit!
> 
> (I'd love to put all these other places on my list too, but they are a bit harder to reach)


Make sure you let us New Yorkers know when you're coming!


----------



## jpmorgan49

These two are taken at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich. The second picture is of me with a small beer.


----------



## telracs

"small" beer indeed!


----------



## CegAbq

jpmorgan49 said:


> me with a small beer.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Here are two pictures taken from a town called Oberammergau in Germany. Oberammergau is best known for two things, the Passion Play they perform every 10 years (coming up in 2010), and wood carvings. The first picture is a shot of the Passion Play pavilion, the second was taken at a house I walked by, it may be my favorite photo from Germany.
jp


----------



## Aravis60

JP, I'm loving your posts and pics! Like the others who replied, I went to Germany (in 1997) and visited the Marienplatz, Dachau, and Oberammergau too.


----------



## MarthaT

Great pics!


----------



## jpmorgan49

The last few pictures from me. The first two pictures are Neuschawnstein Castle. This Castle is a very Famous Castle. If it looks familiar it was the model for Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Walt Disney World. This Castle was never finished because of Kind Ludwig's death. The third and forth picture are of Hohenschwangau Castle. This is a "Summer" Castle and located at the base of Neuschawnstein Castle. The Castle is still owned by the Ludwig descendants.


----------



## Aravis60

Beautiful Neuschwanstein pictures!


----------



## telracs

Aravis60 said:


> Beautiful Neuschwanstein pictures!


I agree!


----------



## telracs

Some shots from my June trip to Boston for work..

Still life of luggage









Boston Station ceiling


----------



## jpmorgan49

Ha Ha...  Very COOL!!!  
jp


----------



## Anju 

Great pictures jp - thank you for sharing.  The beer looked good but the food looked even better  

Al - the Peruvian pictures are the best I have ever seen - hope her "research" was just as good


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> The Highline is way cool--a literal slice of nature in a giant city. Lovely pictures.
> 
> For something completely different, my wife took these in Peru last month. (She was doing a bit of research for me, for one thing.) As an extra bit of news, she finally has her very own Kindle! We're Kindle twins! She's going to join the Boards once the semester is over.


So, I guess I won't have to post MY Machu Picchu picture when I get back!


----------



## geoffthomas

Scarlet,
Yes you will.
We need the references so we can triangulate (just writing stuff to justify my request for pics).

Just sayin....


----------



## telracs

geoffthomas said:


> Scarlet,
> Yes you will.
> We need the references so we can triangulate (just writing stuff to justify my request for pics).
> 
> Just sayin....


thanks geoff! Actually, I'm trying to avoid the typical tourist pictures and find some slightly different vantages... I want to get closer to the big mountain and take pictures of THAT. Or take a picture pointing back towards where the standard shots are!


----------



## BrassMan

scarlet said:


> thanks geoff! Actually, I'm trying to avoid the typical tourist pictures and find some slightly different vantages...


My wife did a little of that. Here's one of those durn condors, for instance. Big rascal! And a shot showing why the Incan walls have withstood hundreds of years of earthquakes--they're pegged together! And last, a scene similar to one that figures in Distant Cousin: Regeneration.


----------



## telracs

I want to take a picture looking up at all the tourists taking pictures looking down!


----------



## CegAbq

BrassMan said:


> Here's one of those durn condors, for instance. Big rascal!


Wow, are they "tame"?


----------



## BrassMan

CegAbq said:


> Wow, are they "tame"?


I asked her. Not exactly. They're rescue birds, in an aviary until they're strong enough to be released. She said they're quite used to people (obviously).


----------



## 911jason

scarlet said:


> So, I guess I won't have to post MY Machu Picchu picture when I get back!


Oh yes you do missy!!! I've got my own photo album of Machu Picchu pictures I took 20 years ago, that doesn't stop me from looking at everyone else's! Peru is *such* a beautiful place..


----------



## telracs

911jason said:


> Oh yes you do missy!!! I've got my own photo album of Machu Picchu pictures I took 20 years ago, that doesn't stop me from looking at everyone else's! Peru is *such* a beautiful place..


don't worry, i'm sure i will take the typical picture... i'll need it for my photobook!


----------



## BrassMan

Tomorrow I'll post some pics of Peru that figure in Distant Cousin: Regeneration. Let the record show: my wife went down there AFTER I wrote it. (I did tweak it a little after she brought the pictures back.)

This will be the thread, if anyone wants to look for it then: http://www.kboards.com/index.php?topic=14226.new;topicseen#new.


----------



## Anju 

scarlet - I'm with you on taking not quite so ordinary pictures, so yours will be fascinating.  I'll probably never ever get to Peru and love to visit virtually with "friends".  Looking forward to your pictures - be safe!


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great pictures all!!!!
jp


----------



## angelad

Jealous.  I need a vacation!


----------



## RangerXenos

mlewis78 said:


> I visited the High Line in Chelsea/West Village last Friday afternoon for first time and took 90 pictures. The High Line is a park on an elevated rail line that was once used for freight trains. Its website: http://www.thehighline.org/
> Here are a few photos:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The view of the Empire State is from the High Line. More of these pictures in Picasa can be viewed here:
> 
> http://picasaweb.google.com/marti.lewis/TheHighLineInChelsea#
> 
> Lots of great pics of this are in The High Line's website (URL at top of this post).


Wow, this looks beautiful! I was just reading about this garden in the paper recently.


----------



## BrassMan

For something completely different from NYC, here's a shot my wife took in Peru in August. In the back of her mind was a scene she'd read in Distant Cousin: Regeneration. She actually got quite close to it. This is an ancient Inca pathway through the mountains, from Cusco to Machu Picchu. It's fairly accurate, right down to the bridge (which none of her party was willing to cross). I've put more shots of this scarifying trail on Ana Darcy's blog (address in the signature line below).


----------



## Jeff

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta​


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Very nice - I still get that happy "little-kid" feeling when I look up and see a hot air balloon in the sky.


----------



## Anju 

Elmore Hammes said:


> Very nice - I still get that happy "little-kid" feeling when I look up and see a hot air balloon in the sky.


Oh yes, jumping up and down and waving - just like I do when I see a train engine


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great shots all!!!!
jp


----------



## 911jason

Anju No. 469 said:


> Oh yes, jumping up and down and waving - just like I do when I see a train engine


I can see why you would jump up & down when you see a train! 






The baby was OK by the way...


----------



## Cindy416

The story about the baby falling on the tracks, yet coming out basically unscathed, is absolutely amazing. I'd say that baby had a guardian angel or two that day. (Too bad he/she isn't old enough to buy a lottery ticket.)


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

I want to know what brand stroller that was so I can recommend it to every new mother I know...

Betsy


----------



## Cindy416

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I want to know what brand stroller that was so I can recommend it to every new mother I know...
> 
> Betsy


No kidding!


----------



## suicidepact

What safety restraint saved the baby?


----------



## 911jason

I haven't heard any details about the stroller or which feature saved the baby. On the news report I saw, they just mentioned that the train's operator saw the stroller about to fall and was able to apply the brakes early. They also said the baby and stroller were dragged about 130 feet under the train and the baby ended up with some scrapes and bruises. When I watched the video, all I focused on was the horrified reactions of every one of the onlookers. I'm sure they just *knew* that baby was gone!


----------



## sherylb

Finally got out to take some more pictures. Went out last weekend to see if the colors had come up in the trees yet and it turned out to be a beautiful day. Trees were not great but the water was sure pretty!


----------



## sherylb

Then went back out today to see if the trees had good color and yipee!!


----------



## mlewis78

Sherylb, those are beautiful, vivid and sharp photos.


----------



## RangerXenos

Thought I'd share a couple of Autumn photos. Believe it or not, these were taken a week apart here in CT. We had 3 inches of snow on Friday, which melted quickly, thank God! It's too early for this! The first one was printed in my local paper on Sunday! (sorry, I can't figure out how to make these smaller!)


----------



## BrassMan

Thank goodness they're not smaller! Lush, stunning photos!


----------



## Athenagwis

Wow!! Awesome pictures everyone!!

May I add a few of my own? My dream is to take pictures more professionally, but as of now I am stuck with a point and click as I cannot afford a DSLR. But it's not the size of your camera right? It's how you use it?? (At least that's what I tell myself!! )

Anyway, I only have a few uploaded now, but maybe I'll put up some more later!! Fun thread!

My family does Revolutionary War reenacting, so these are just a few of my shots.





































Thanks!!
Rachel


----------



## 911jason

Rachel, those photos are great! You have a great eye for composition!


----------



## CegAbq

Rachel - love the pics; are you an Outlander fan?


----------



## RangerXenos

These are great!

I am always amazed at the number of people that ask me what kind of camera I have, because their photos never come out as nice, LOL! The camera is only a tool, you have to use it right!



Athenagwis said:


> Wow!! Awesome pictures everyone!!
> 
> May I add a few of my own? My dream is to take pictures more professionally, but as of now I am stuck with a point and click as I cannot afford a DSLR. But it's not the size of your camera right? It's how you use it?? (At least that's what I tell myself!! )
> 
> Anyway, I only have a few uploaded now, but maybe I'll put up some more later!! Fun thread!
> 
> My family does Revolutionary War reenacting, so these are just a few of my shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> Thanks!!
> Rachel


----------



## Athenagwis

CegAbq said:


> Rachel - love the pics; are you an Outlander fan?


OF COURSE!!  Can't wait to read the new book as I am sure it goes into RevWar more (no spoilers please I am re-reading the whole series before I get to it, and it's pure torture to wait to get to the new one!!) 

Thanks for the compliments everyone! I like my little camera because it's easy to tuck in my purse or pocket and have at a moment's notice!!  I will try and get a few more up soon! 

Rachel


----------



## Athenagwis

Oh here's another one I took, my son lined up all his superheroes on his windowsill, and I wanted to take a picture of it. This is a true lesson in how composition is everything in a picture. The first one is how I first took the shot, which of course is so blah and uninteresting, and I think the second shot is so interesting that it is one of my favorites of all time!!!

These are both SOOC, I did no editing on them yet.

Boring Angle:









Interesting angle:









I try really hard to get interesting perspectives in my pictures, it can really make or break a composition.

Cheers!
Rachel


----------



## 911jason

I like how the green lantern looks like he's watching something out the window! Fantastic shot!


----------



## RavenclawPrefect

Since I got most of my kids school picture back this week, I decided to make a screen saver out of them. Here is my latest screen saver, featuring the kids still living at home. They range in age from almost 17 down to 4. Since it is nearly impossible to get a decent group shot, I will probably do something similar to this to send out with our Christmas cards this year (but in color)


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Athenagwis said:


> I try really hard to get interesting perspectives in my pictures, it can really make or break a composition.


It is indeed not what [camera] you have, it's how you use it! Excellent photos. Don't put down your camera, I have a columnist friend who has had many pictures from his point-and-shoot published in the paper to accompany his column.

Betsy


----------



## jpmorgan49

Betsy the Quilter said:


> It is indeed not what [camera] you have, it's how you use it! Excellent photos. Don't put down your camera, I have a columnist friend who has had many pictures from his point-and-shoot published in the paper to accompany his column.
> 
> Betsy


That's a good point Betsy. I'll show someone a few of my better photos and the first thing they ask is "What kind of camera do you have". It's like asking a Chef what kind of pots and pans they use. The talent is BEHIND the equipment..  
jp


----------



## mlewis78

People have often said to me "your camera takes good pictures."  What about me?


----------



## Athenagwis

jpmorgan49 said:


> That's a good point Betsy. I'll show someone a few of my better photos and the first thing they ask is "What kind of camera do you have". It's like asking a Chef what kind of pots and pans they use. The talent is BEHIND the equipment..
> jp


I totally agree, the second pic I took there couldn't have even been taken with a DSLR because I sat the camera right on the window sill and the bulk of an DSLR would not have fit. I really want to work on knowing how to take my camera off automatic because I think I could get some even better shots by doing that. I get the idea, but when it comes to using it in the field I just can't wrap my mind around it!! LOL

Rachel


----------



## BrassMan

Here are some very simple shots, taken with a camera the size of a deck of playing cards. Anyone could take these, once he or she saw the shot.


----------



## CegAbq

Brassman - very very nice

Athenagwis - great eye-level shot


----------



## BrassMan

I've always liked the unspectacular, semi-abstract shots that work on color or texture. They're all around us, really. The camera is almost irrelevant.


----------



## 911jason

That last one with smoke is cool!


----------



## BrassMan

911jason said:


> That last one with smoke is cool!


Different smoke this time, plus a rain lily (the size of a quarter; note the spider) and a rose. All very simple, all with a pocket camera.


----------



## 911jason

Awesome! Good stuff brassman!


----------



## Jeff

BrassMan said:


> Here are some very simple shots, taken with a camera the size of a deck of playing cards. Anyone could take these, once he or she saw the shot.


Anyone with your gifted eye, could take these, Al. The rest of us don't see them.


----------



## BrassMan

Jeff said:


> Anyone with your gifted eye, could take these, Al. The rest of us don't see them.


Well, I doubt that, Jeff. Lots of people have the eye. The truth is, I get a lot of the pictures I do simply because I usually have my shirt pocket camera in my shirt pocket. THat's why I bought it in the first place.

I've heard people say, "Oh, someone should take a picture of that," or "Dang! I left my (three pound, super-excellent, cantaloupe-sized) camera (at home) (in the car) (in the office)." I get the pictures people miss simply because I generally have the camera handy.

Example: Texas, like most states, I'm sure, has horsepower limits for vehicles on the public streets. Yet our town makes at least one exception for a couple which takes a novel approach to getting around. I saw them under way while I was at a traffic light. Camera in the pocket! Picture in less than ten seconds:


----------



## Jeff

BrassMan said:


> Well, I doubt that, Jeff. Lots of people have the eye. The truth is, I get a lot of the pictures I do simply because I usually have my shirt pocket camera in my shirt pocket.


Well, rather than argue with you, let me just say thank you for sharing. I've enjoyed your photos as much as I have your books.


----------



## BrassMan

Jeff said:


> Well, rather than argue with you, let me just say thank you for sharing. I've enjoyed your photos as much as I have your books.


That's very kind of you! Thanks! And just for the newer KBoarders, I not only enjoyed your two Treasure of La Malinche books, I reviewed them at PODBRAM. Great entertainment. I should dig out the link. Wait...hold on...here it is:
http://podbram.blogspot.com/2009/06/treasure-of-la-malinche.html. Terrific fun, folks!


----------



## Anju 

Al - you are an artist and can see things the rest of us don't.  I have my camera with me all the time, and take lots and lots of pictures, but just can't remember how to go through some of the fancier ways to use it.  I always loved my Brownie and took wonderful pictures with it - but alas along with older things -


----------



## Anju 

Jeff you are an artist as well, just more with words - don't worry about cameras your word pictures are priceless!  just get back to work    (and Al is a tad younger LOL LOL LOL)


----------



## BrassMan

Well, I've never taken my camera into all the modes the manual offers. Except for turning the flash and the close up settings off and on, I just leave it on automatic.

As for "Al being a tad younger," I wouldn't be too sure about that. I handed my camera to a colleague to snap this picture of me the month I retired, back in '03, wearing a hat I had made with a famous quote from the boxer Roberto Duran (which you need to be a certain age to even remember):


----------



## Aravis60

Here are a few fall pics I took last weekend:


----------



## Anju 

BrassMan said:


> Well, I've never taken my camera into all the modes the manual offers. Except for turning the flash and the close up settings off and on, I just leave it on automatic.
> 
> As for "Al being a tad younger," I wouldn't be too sure about that. I handed my camera to a colleague to snap this picture of me the month I retired, back in '03, wearing a hat I had made with a famous quote from the boxer Roberto Duran (which you need to be a certain age to even remember):


cute picture - BUT I know how old Jeff is, and I know how old I am, and from your picture you are still a "tad" younger


----------



## BrassMan

Anju No. 469 said:


> cute picture - BUT I know how old Jeff is, and I know how old I am, and from your picture you are still a "tad" younger


All right: I'll concede. I'll accept that as a warm fuzzy. Some days I need it. Thanks!


----------



## RangerXenos

Brassman, thanks for sharing, great shots as always!  I also like to look at the little details and shots that most people would walk right past.  I love patterns and textures.

I keep saying I'm going to get one of those little pocket digital cameras, as mine can't simply be put into a pocket.  You're right, I miss many shots simply because I don't have my camera with me.


----------



## BrassMan

RangerXenos said:


> Brassman, thanks for sharing, great shots as always! I also like to look at the little details and shots that most people would walk right past. I love patterns and textures.


I love digital photography just because you can take a dozen shots to get one and not be out the cost of film and development (not to mention cropping, etc.) Most of these wacky pictures are useless...until they're needed. For example, I did the photos for a book of poetry by Barry Yelton, _On the Wings of Gentle Power _ (Strider Nolan Media), due out in a month or so. Two of the ones below made the cut. (No Kindle edition, I'm afraid--too many photos.)


----------



## Scheherazade

Here's a picture I've always been pretty proud of that I took a few years ago... I really need a camera so I can get into photography again! I photoshopped it a bit to make it keener.


----------



## Scheherazade

Another photoshop job... I accidentally took this oddly angled shot of my keyboard while hooking my camera up to the USB or something. The lighting was pretty much how it's shown in the picture so I added the sky and such since it reminded me so much of a landscape... The plane has always stood out a little more than I liked. I may need to go in and play with it now that I have more experience with the program.


----------



## Scheherazade

A slow shutter photograph of DaVinci's Cradle at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. It was such a pain getting this shot right. People look at you weird carrying a tripod around a theme park in plain clothes.










I didn't take the picture, but this is what it looks like normally for those who are curious.


----------



## Scheherazade

Kind of a simple shot but I've seen worse for sale on those stock sites! This lock is on a cellar door on a colonial house in Williamsburg.


----------



## Scheherazade

My first attempt at taking shots during a live show with the lights down and such. This was another tough one to get... I got maybe 3 good shots out of 200. The second one is a pre-show thing done outside. It was a wonderful Cirque de Solei style show called Imaginique that ran at Busch Gardens years ago... Second image is obviously photoshopped, just me playing with color. I had to remove some people from the lower right hand corner and the background eating at the tables as well.


----------



## Scheherazade

Can you tell that I just ran across these after years of thinking they were lost and I'm kinda excited about finally sharing? >< This is the last post, I promise! For now anyway. Obligatory Russian Stacking Doll shots.


----------



## BrassMan

My favorite is the lock: you can feel it, even smell it. Excellent!


----------



## sherylb

Scheherazade said:


> A slow shutter photograph of DaVinci's Cradle at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. It was such a pain getting this shot right. People look at you weird carrying a tripod around a theme park in plain clothes.


Fantastic picture!!


----------



## Scheherazade

Thanks guys   And I do have to admit, despite saying it was just a lock in the post I think the lock is one of my favorite shots too ><


----------



## jpmorgan49

Wow, Fantastic shots all, very professional!!!
jp


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

*From the Imagination and Graphic Artistry of K.A. M'Lady & P.M. Dittman*







Edward C. Patterson


----------



## CegAbq

Scheherazade said:


> Can you tell that I just ran across these after years of thinking they were lost and I'm kinda excited about finally sharing? >< This is the last post, I promise! For now anyway. Obligatory Russian Stacking Doll shots.


This is my favorite!!


----------



## BrassMan

I like that one too. "Matrushka dolls?" It's hard to take a good digital closeup, at least with my little camera. Here's one of a $2 kid toy, a hand-held fan.










And here's a perfectly ordinary snapshot, but from a disorienting perspective:










And here's one of a dancer onstage, without a flash. Like Sheherezade, this is the best of two or three dozen duds:


----------



## Scheherazade

I really like the tree.  It took me a couple looks to realize it was shot in a puddle on the sidewalk and not through some sort of skylight.  Disorienting is right!  And yeah, stage shots are really difficult.  I haven't really had a chance to try since the Imaginique one and capturing one with a lot of motion is even harder.  They were -relatively- still in mine.


----------



## BrassMan

The tree was easy--I just turned the picture upside down! 

I have a friend who had a coin shop. He had pictures of some of the coins on a website. They were excellent. I asked him about that--he said it was a royal pain to get the lighting, the color, the focus, everthing right. 

I know when I do it, if it turns out it's largely due to luck. Those matrushka dolls were flat perfect.


----------



## Scheherazade

BrassMan said:


> I know when I do it, if it turns out it's largely due to luck. Those matrushka dolls were flat perfect.


Thanks >< That was me setting up a "studio" in my living room with black sheets and a table lamp and my camera on a tripod in the middle of the night hoping I didn't wake anyone up. I wish I still had the original because it was much bigger. I think it's gone to the ether, but I may need to see if it's lingering on a memory stick somewhere.


----------



## telracs

Pinnacle Rock, Bartholome Island, Galapagos, Ecuador



More images to follow...


----------



## BrassMan

Wow! Clearly, evidence of a long-ago extraterrestrial visit....


----------



## Cindy416

Great photos, everyone. I think this is one of my favorite threads on any board! I always look forward to seeing what you all put up. Sometime, I'll post some of my photos, but until then, I'll just enjoy your creativity!


----------



## RavenclawPrefect

On Da Vinci's Cradle..that thing goes much faster than you would think!  We took our girl scout troop there in May and that was one of the first rides we went on.  Very cool shot!


----------



## Cindy416

BrassMan said:


> Wow! Clearly, evidence of a long-ago extraterrestrial visit....


No surprise at all, BrassMan, that you'd think along the lines of extraterrestrial visits.


----------



## Scheherazade

ravenclawprefect said:


> On Da Vinci's Cradle..that thing goes much faster than you would think! We took our girl scout troop there in May and that was one of the first rides we went on. Very cool shot!


DaVinci's Cradle was one of the rides at Busch Gardens that scared me to death as a kid... though I guess a lot did in retrospect. It makes this really loud noise like an angry elephant, and I just hated it... along with the Battering Ram in the same area. I used to be terrified of The Catapult too because it was indoors and my mom would ride it and leave me with my grandmother who would tell me it was a grown folks ride, so just the sense of the unknown scared me with that one. When I finally did ride it I loved it and it made me so sad when they stuck it outside. Of course, I was also really scared on the monorail that took you to the brewery and the sky ride and all of the rollercoasters... I just wasn't a brave child by any means.


----------



## scott_audio

I'm enjoying this thread - I love taking pictures but have to assume that I am talentless, because few of them turn out well.

A mantis









A moon shot taken with a point and shoot at full digital zoom and no tripod









Sky - I love clouds


----------



## scott_audio

Scheherazade said:


> Kind of a simple shot but I've seen worse for sale on those stock sites! This lock is on a cellar door on a colonial house in Williamsburg.
> ...


This is among my favorite, makes me reach for my keys


----------



## BrassMan

That moon shot is incredible--point and shoot camera? No tripod?? C'mon, really?


----------



## scott_audio

thanks, yup, fujifilm s8100, auto settings, full digital zoom, continuous shooting, got lucky with one in pretty good focus


----------



## BrassMan

scott_audio said:


> thanks, yup, fujifilm s8100, auto settings, full digital zoom, continuous shooting, got lucky with one in pretty good focus


Aha! That explains it! That's a great example of the difference between digital and non-digital cameras. I've never taken a decent picture of the moon with my little digital, tripod or no tripod. The lens is just too small, and the pixels just aren't there. Still, that's a fantastic shot.


----------



## BrassMan

OK, I don't do planets, but I do fiddle with closeups. You like clouds? I like clouds too--anyone can shoot them, but few do (as far as I know).


----------



## RavenclawPrefect

There were taken with an iPhone so the quality is not great. We were out on the sand dunes at Kitty Hawk, NC this summer when they were taken.










What is interesting about this picture is that it was taken by my husband, standing right by me on his iPhone..no filters or anything. It was taken at about 2 pm, full sunlight and the only shot he took that day to turn out this way.


----------



## NogDog

The land- and cloudscapes reminded me of this photo I took a few years ago in Rocky Mountain National Park. It was simply a case of being in the right place at the right time and pointing the camera.










PS: Here's another photo from the same drive through the park, this one at about 10,000 feet altitude (in late June):


----------



## scott_audio

BrassMan said:


> OK, I don't do planets, but I do fiddle with closeups. You like clouds? I like clouds too--anyone can shoot them, but few do (as far as I know).


All of them are good, but that spider is awesome


----------



## BrassMan

A lot of folks don't like spiders (I don't exactly love them), so I didn't post this one, but since you mentioned it, I will now. This (and that bee, above) are about the best I can do with my tiny camera, and both are due partly to cropping and enlarging once on the computer. Fun, though--and inexpensive.


----------



## Anju 

They" say that professional photographers take thousands of pictures to get one good one - I keep hoping    I have a couple I have taken in the past few days I need to post - when I find my round tuit


----------



## telracs

Clouds over Machu Picchu
























Me at Machu Picchu


----------



## Jeff

I know that several members are involved in Military reenactments. Does anyone have a picture that might be suitable for the cover of an historical novel set during the War of 1812? I would, of course, agree to pay for its use.


----------



## Scheherazade

<shudder> Wonderful pictures, but gah spiders! They're good though, but gah spiders! Here's a few more of my shots, not the best but still fun I think...

I tried the whole "shoot from a different angle" thing with mixed results here. But it works with the cloud posts we've had too! I want to say this is the courthouse or carriage house in Williamsburg.










I added a little wave effect with photoshop to this one. People always assume that's a real fish but it's actually made out of wood. The brush strokes on the tail give it away.










Close up shot of the watch...










I really liked this one because of the motion I accidentally managed to capture while keeping his head in focus. I'll take credit for it of course!










And me experimenting with motion again and putting my camera in harm's way. This is the splash zone of Escape from Pompeii at Busch Gardens. I might want to edit out that arm at the lower right, but it was fun catching the kid jumping. And yes, that's all water or you'd see the ride behind them.


----------



## scott_audio

scarlet said:


> Clouds over Machu Picchu...Me at Machu Picchu


beautiful rugged country, scarlet


----------



## telracs

scott_audio said:


> beautiful rugged country, scarlet


thank you, sir....

links to my new photobucket albums below. be aware that there are ALOT of pictures in them.

http://s943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/southamericatrip/galapagos%20islands/

http://s943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/southamericatrip/machu%20picchu/

http://s943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/southamericatrip/ballestas%20islands/

(in the spirit of full disclosure, the ballestas islands pictures were not taken by me, but by jennie and lisa. i left my camera on the bus that morning.


----------



## scott_audio

I'll post a couple more, just for kicks, but after seeing all the excellent photos here, I don't think I could ever come close to being a photographer, but I enjoy trying


----------



## telracs

scott_audio said:


> I'll post a couple more, just for kicks, but after seeing all the excellent photos here, I don't think I could ever come close to being a photographer, but I enjoy trying


You have a camera, you take photographs, therefore you are a photographer. Don't think otherwise.


----------



## BrassMan

Great shots all! I love this thread! The chocolate could go on the food photo thread--whatever happened to that? Chocolate--yummm.

Jeff: I have some shots of reenactors, but they're at the Fannin Massacre, at Goliad (Texas, for everyone else). Probably not that close to the War of 1812....

Here are two happy accidents (happy for me, at least). From a few feet away, these fellows were invisible.


----------



## Jeff

BrassMan said:


> Jeff: I have some shots of reenactors, but they're at the Fannin Massacre, at Goliad (Texas, for everyone else). Probably not that close to the War of 1812....


Al,

Actually the first half of the book is set in what's now Texas and New Mexico just after the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase. Your pictures might be just right. As I've stated before, I really admire your eye for composition. If you'd like to discuss it, my email address is [email protected].

Edited to add: The Fannin Massacre, at Goliad took place in January, 1836 and a very young Sam Houston was a hero at The Battle of Horseshoe Bend in Andrew Jackson's army during the War of 1812.


----------



## BrassMan

Jeff said:


> Al,
> 
> Actually the first half of the book is set in what's now Texas and New Mexico just after the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase. Your pictures might be just right. As I've stated before, I really admire your eye for composition. If you'd like to discuss it, my email address is [email protected].
> 
> Edited to add: The Fannin Massacre, at Goliad took place in January, 1836 and a very young Sam Houston was a hero at The Battle of Horseshoe Bend in Andrew Jackson's army during the War of 1812.


OK; I'll be in touch later today--I'll send you a contact sheet or two (digital, that is). Gotta get in a bike ride first....


----------



## telracs

Some more lizards from the Galapagos.


----------



## Jeff

On the subject of lizards. This is a scan of a 35 mm slide that I took of a mountain boomer at Chaco Canyon about 30 years ago. The lizard get's its name from the explosive sound they make when alarmed.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Here's a picture my daughter just sent to my phone. It's of her Pomapoo Ari, dressed for Halloween..
jp


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A picture can be 10,000 words










Ed Patterson


----------



## RavenclawPrefect

Not a fantastic shot really but I have to show off my pumpkin decorating skills.


----------



## BrassMan

Neat pumpkin! Your skills are considerable!

Here's a shot of a distant cousin (honest!) who was here trick or treating with her brood:


----------



## CegAbq

ravenclawprefect said:


> Not a fantastic shot really but I have to show off my pumpkin decorating skills.


I'm impressed. I was going to try something creative this year but then had to go out of town unexpectedly (currently I'm in Providence RI) (right, they all say that! )


----------



## Anju 

love the pumpkin - what talent!

ok I found my round tuit -

clouds? you want clouds? ok, the first couple are of Mt. Garcia across the lake, the view I have while leading my t'ai chi group (they have their backs to it LOL) from a gated community club house

















then there are the orchids in my back yard

















how about another spider/ a capulina - will make you very very sick, and you may not possibly live through a bite, depending on where the bite gets you, looks very much like a black widow









different mountain and different clouds









this is my sweetheart Creamita









this is the "monster" Domi (he's a sweetie too, sorta)









I do have some others, but those will go in the food thread, after siesta y'all


----------



## scott_audio

I love this thread... so many awesome pictures...  I love them all, but 
I'll comment on a few,

Brassman, absolutely incredible lizardy pics, you really do have an eye 
for it (not that I'd know good if it smacked me in the face) but I do
know your pictures always seem to be 'alive', thanks for sharing

scarlet I glanced through your albums, incredible, thanks

NogDog - that must have been some trip through those mountains, I'd love 
to see some more

jpmorgan - I love the puppy, what kind is it?

I could comment positively on every pic, but no time  Thanks for
sharing all


----------



## scott_audio

Anju No. 469 said:


> ...
> 
> how about another spider/ a capulina - will make you very very sick, and you may not possibly live through a bite, depending on where the bite gets you, looks very much like a black widow
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have a whole garage full of black widows if you'd like them to take pictures of - I counted 8 this morning, and tons of egg sacs or whatever they're called *shiver*


----------



## BrassMan

And I thought WE had nasty spiders! The brown recluse is common around here. A public school teacher died from the bite of one several years ago. I've learned to put on gloves when I sort through stacks of old lumber. Forget the photos! I mash 'em!


----------



## 911jason

BrassMan said:


> Here's a shot of a distant cousin (honest!) who was here trick or treating with her brood:


Hopefully this is a cropped photo, otherwise your cousin might wonder why you were shooting pictures of her chest!


----------



## BrassMan

911jason said:


> Hopefully this is a cropped photo, otherwise your cousin might wonder why you were shooting pictures of her chest!


It is, of course. I didn't ask her permission to post her photo. All I needed for our purposes here was the shirt. It was a pretty unusual situation. Hers were the first trick-or-treaters we'd had in 20 years, way out here in the sticks. She has four little boys, by the way. To say they're a handful is an understatement, and makes the shirt even funnier.


----------



## Anju 

I spray the spiders, in fact this one was probably dead, wouldn't get that close to a live on on purpose!  DH stomps 'em.  I do try to be environmentally friendly, but do draw the line occasionally


----------



## RavenclawPrefect

My husband snapped this picture a few hours ago from inside our family room. The hawk was sitting on our fence eating a chipmunk. I was not able to see them since my 16 yr old went out the back door to look...hawk took off with his meal. I have no idea what kind of hawk it is.


----------



## Jeff

ravenclawprefect said:


> My husband snapped this picture a few hours ago from inside our family room. The hawk was sitting on our fence eating a chipmunk. I was not able to see them since my 16 yr old went out the back door to look...hawk took off with his meal. I have no idea what kind of hawk it is.


Great picture. Thanks for posting it. It may be a coopers hawk.


----------



## telracs

Galapagos Hawk.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Ok, pictures with pricey cameras? Below are three pictures I took at the BEARS Game yesterday. The first one is of the field from our seat, nose bleed section. The second one is of me, and the third is a blown-up section of a photo of Walter Payton's wife and daughter. Oh, these were taken with my Samsung Impression Cell Phone.   
jp


----------



## CegAbq

jpmorgan49 said:


> Oh, these were taken with my Samsung Impression Cell Phone.
> jp


Very impressive!


----------



## BrassMan

Impressive indeed--a man after me own heart, photograpically speaking...not counting the ball game, wherein are 5X as many people in the town eight miles from me. Brrrr!


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Hey JP!
My husband has that same sweatshirt!  He's a Bears fan too.  Cubs fan.... well, he's from there, what can I say?


----------



## 911jason

JP - that's the same phone i've got. Have you tried the panoramic function yet? It's really cool!!! Here's a panorama I took at Dodger Stadium (also from the nosebleeds!).


----------



## Susan in VA

Love that panorama function!  Other than the impressive pics, how is that cell phone in other respects?  Mine's been having "issues", will need to be replaced fairly soon, and I might as well start shopping around.  I'm on Verizon, and apart from the camera don't want anything overly fancy, just a PHONE.  

(Since this is off-topic...  if anyone has more than a few words to say about this phone, pro or con, feel free to PM me.)


----------



## BrassMan

I don't know why, but I'm really impressed by those stadium pictures. On some earlier page in this thread, someone posted some stunning pictures of a major league baseball game--no cell phone camera, I'm sure.

My wife just got back from a weekend visit to an elderly aunt, and snapped these pictures on the San Antonio--San Diego hop, from slightly beyond El Paso...because she knew they were venues in the Distant Cousin books. Gracias, esposita! Today's our 41st. anniversary--the Day of the Dead! Bad luck, some friends say, but we're still rocking along.

I'll spare you the descriptions of what you are seeing, but if you're interested, a point-by-point commentary can be found on the only blog that I know of that is maintained by an extraterrestrial. (See the link in my signature line.)


----------



## BrassMan

ravenclawprefect said:


> My husband snapped this picture a few hours ago from inside our family room. The hawk was sitting on our fence eating a chipmunk. I was not able to see them since my 16 yr old went out the back door to look...hawk took off with his meal. I have no idea what kind of hawk it is.


I asked a friend who's a licensed master falconer and ornithologist. He said "...if the bird was in chipmunk territory, it could be (probably is) a Goshawk and not a Coopers. They are very similar. However, Goshawks don't occur south of the northern Pan Handle [of Texas]. I should have asked you where the photo was taken...Coopers are common here [in south Texas]."

So, ravenclawprefect, which type of bird it is may depend on where you are.


----------



## BrassMan

By the way, here's the bird my friend is currently working with:


----------



## scott_audio

BrassMan said:


> By the way, here's the bird my friend is currently working with:


that's an awesome picture, thanks...

Off topic: What camera? Can you, and anyone else who wants to, suggest a good beginner digital slr, $1000 or less ?


----------



## telracs

scott_audio said:


> that's an awesome picture, thanks...
> 
> Off topic: What camera? Can you, and anyone else who wants to, suggest a good beginner digital slr, $1000 or less ?


I've got a Nikon CoolPix S550. And you can get a decent digital for under $400 dollars.


----------



## BrassMan

scott_audio said:


> that's an awesome picture, thanks...
> 
> Off topic: What camera? Can you, and anyone else who wants to, suggest a good beginner digital slr, $1000 or less ?


Sure, gladly. Understand, your choice of camera depends on what you want to do with it. I'm sure many members of this board can name some wonderful cameras that will take stupendous pictures at a price that will not push your $1000 ceiling too hard, and these cameras would enable you to do nearly professional quality work, if that is your desire.

In my case, I like a small, highly portable, not-too-expensive camera that I won't be distraught to accidentally drop under the wheels of a bus, or to lose or have stolen. My wife and I have different models of the Canon PowerShot, of which there are many models. I think mine might have cost around $250 and my wife's, a later model, arounf $150. Those shots from the airplane above were taken by her. Follow the link in my signature line to those same pictures on Ana Darcy's blog, right click on them and open them in a new tab, and see them full size. She set her camera to take medium size photos, and I reduced these to 1280 x 800 pixels, I think, or maybe the next size smaller. They're quite good for what they are. I did not take the picture of the falcon, but I could have--the picture would have been as good (and that one is reduced considerably too).

Other considerations: I like cameras that accept store-bought, rechargable batteries, like AAs. My camera takes four; my wife's takes two. We carry spare batteries and/or a battery charger on a trip. She took hundreds of pictures over several days at Machu Picchu on the same batteries. (Some of those are on this thread too, as well as at the blog below). I also have a tiny Nikon that has a proprietary battery that I think is failing. Bad news! I shall have to order an expensive replacement and then sweat installing it. Not good!

I also like cameras that have commonly-used media chips. Both our Canons have SD chips, larger ones than the supplied ones, that I bought reasonably priced from Amazon. I also bought a $10 card reader, so I can put each chip in the reader, stick it in a USB port on my computer, and download them very easily. We can carry spare chips on our travels, if we like.

There are oodles of excellent, reasonably priced digital cameras out there. Why don't you go to a library and look up a recent issue of Consumer Reports on the subject? They test them exhaustively and report on them clearly and fairly. They had a cover article on them in July 2009.


----------



## jpmorgan49

In response to the above question, I love my Impression.  Data Plan is only $15 a month, it's got some neat apps, an OK camera, and most important it works well for making calls..

I have taken a few panorama but I keep forgetting I have the capabilities.  I've taken several in the past and it really does work very well...
jp


----------



## scott_audio

BrassMan said:


> Sure, gladly. Understand, your choice of camera depends on what you want to do with it. I'm sure many members of this board can name some wonderful cameras that will take stupendous pictures at a price that will not push your $1000 ceiling too hard, and these cameras would enable you to do nearly professional quality work, if that is your desire.


this is the camera I have, Fujifilm s8100fd


It has good reviews, and I bought for all the features that you mentioned (e.g. batteries, SD cards, reported good macro and large lens) but I think the pictures are horrible. The quality just isn't even close to being good, certainly not as crisp and lifelike as yours and others on the thread, so I'm shopping for a new toy. I never take pictures of anything important, but I love birds and bugs and it's relaxing to snap a few shots and try to get a good image. It's probably just as much my error, not knowing anything about photography. Maybe that's where I'll start - buy a photography book for my DX.

Thanks,
Scott


----------



## scott_audio

just messing around, these link to large(r) files









This would be my favorite if it wasn't for my dusty markers


----------



## BrassMan

My wife's camera is a Canon PowerShot A590. Mine is an A620. Most likely, Canon has moved on from those models--they seem to have dozens, more all the time. It's not worth posting pictures of them. They're embarrassingly modest looking.

Here are three shots from her camera taken from a plane (obviously) of San Diego. I reduced the blazes out of these. The full-size shots have excellent detail. (In her picture of Machu Picchu from a nearby peak, you could see the whole ruin but also tiny people standing around. It's back above a couple pages.) She uses the default settings nearly all the time, as do I. I dare not upload her 700 MB original, but I'll add a crop of downtown SD to show the detail (again, from a moving airplane).

For 95% of my photoediting I use a small, handy, free program from Irfanview.com. Other than resizing, I hightened the contrast of the two smaller ones a little to reduce the ground haze, and sharpened the focus of the crop of downtown. That's all. For layering and more elaborate tasks, I use a larger, purchased, more ornery software.

I'm not selling Canons! I've seen lovely shots from Kodak cameras and others. I repeat: Consumer Reports is a good starting place.


----------



## scott_audio

BrassMan said:


> ...Consumer Reports is a good starting place.


That's where I'll start my search, thanks. Awesome aerial pics


----------



## patinagle

I have an Olympus Stylus 850 SW.  Great point and shoot digital camera.  Waterproof, which I never thought I'd care about, until it fell into the mud on a very wet evening.  It was fine. 

Between $300 - $400 at Costco.


----------



## BrassMan

Here's what can happen when you always have a camera with you. This is Alexander the Grate [sic], and yes, he has his own high chair at the dinner table. These are "meta-pictures," if you like. Maybe the second is a "fractal picture."


----------



## jpmorgan49

Cute Kitty pictures!  
jp


----------



## Susan in VA

BrassMan said:


> Here's what can happen when you always have a camera with you. This is Alexander the Grate [sic], and yes, he has his own high chair at the dinner table. These are "meta-pictures," if you like. Maybe the second is a "fractal picture."


These remind me of
http://www.infinitecat.com/infinite/cat1.html
(not sure if I had posted that link before)


----------



## judybird

Here is Dixie Girl:


----------



## jpmorgan49

Cute!!!!


----------



## Jeff

I know, I know. Everybody thinks their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are cute but I couldn't resist sharing this:


----------



## CegAbq

Jeff said:


> I know, I know. Everybody thinks their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are cute but I couldn't resist sharing this:


Very cute


----------



## Anju 

Since I don't have children, grand children or great grand children I LOVE to see pictures of others!
Thanks Jeff for sharing.


----------



## BrassMan

Good looking kids, Jeff!

Count me in on the grandkids:


----------



## Jeff

BrassMan said:


> Good looking kids, Jeff!
> 
> Count me in on the grandkids:


You're a rich man, Al. There are two million dollar smiles.


----------



## 911jason

OK OK OK... I'll post too!

Our youngest, Tyler, about a year ago...










The middle kiddo's about 5 years ago or so...










...and then there's Jack.


----------



## CegAbq

911jason said:


> ...and then there's Jack.


My favorite! (I'm a dog lover)


----------



## Aravis60

Cute pictures, jason!


----------



## telracs

I can't find my camera.


----------



## cagnes

Beautiful Children & grandchildren!

I'm still waiting on grandkids, so I'll just share a few pics from Audubon Zoo.


----------



## kevindorsey

I love animals on this planet, they are so beatiful.


----------



## BrassMan

Glorious photos!


----------



## Sandpiper

Christine, love the photos of the giraffe (the eyelashes!) and flamingos in particular.  Beautiful!


----------



## cagnes

Thanks! The flamingos are beautiful, but they sure do smell!


----------



## 911jason

Cagnes, those are truly great pictures! Thanks for sharing!!!


----------



## jpmorgan49

Fantastic Photos everyone!!!!


----------



## Anju 

What can I say? WOW Fantastic Terrific

THANKS for sharing - specially the to be movie star with the sunglasses


----------



## F1Wild

Awesome pictures, everyone!  I really need to work on my photography skills and this thread is a sure-fire inspiration!


----------



## telracs

the view from the back of the Newark Airport Airtrain


----------



## 911jason

I love the angle on that Scarlet... at first glance, I thought I was looking up through a window at a skyscraper of some sort!


----------



## telracs

Yeah, it's one of those weird angles that I'm fond of that occasionally drives people crazy.


----------



## Jen

I just discovered this thread and have spent the last hour looking at everyone's pictures!  This is great!!  
I've been trying to get into digital photography and actually JUST bought a Canon T1i 500D 15MP camera with 18-55 zoom kit (probably will buy a new lense for myself for Christmas!), and have been experimenting and reading the book to try to figure the thing out.  Hopefully soon I'll take some good pictures and post them here!!


----------



## Anju 

Looking forward to seeing your work Jen - I love pictures!


----------



## TammyC

Ohhhh I wanna play!! My hubby and I are both hobby photographers. Love taking pics everywhere we go. Heres a few from our recent shot to the Smoky Mountains. Awesome pics here btw!!!




























Hope you like them!!


----------



## BrassMan

Lovely! It would appear that fall is really headed our way....


----------



## telracs

TammyC said:


> Ohhhh I wanna play!! My hubby and I are both hobby photographers. Love taking pics everywhere we go. Heres a few from our recent shot to the Smoky Mountains. Awesome pics here btw!!!
> 
> Hope you like them!!


Welcome Tammy! It's always nice to have more pictures and players and your pictures are wonderful.

Oh, and Brassman, fall is already here.

I have to upload some stuff to my photobucket account, and I'll post new pictures after I fulfill my duties as The Hooded Claw's henchperson.


----------



## BrassMan

scarlet said:


> Oh, and Brassman, fall is already here.


Your here! Not my here!


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> Your here! Not my here!


It's almost winter at my here.....And this conversation is bordering on the surreal.


----------



## TammyC

Thanks for the comments, Glad you liked them!!


----------



## telracs

TammyC said:


> Thanks for the comments, Glad you liked them!!


We want more!


----------



## TammyC

Here's a few other random shots!


----------



## BrassMan

NOW you're talking! Great pics! How 'bout another couple?


----------



## telracs

how about some funky gargoyles?


----------



## BrassMan

Excellent. I bet I'm 1000 miles from the nearest gargoyle. Where are those?


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> Excellent. I bet I'm 1000 miles from the nearest gargoyle. Where are those?


Quito, Ecuador. The Basilica there has a bunch of gargoyles, starting with the traditional ones, then South American animal ones (the puma, monkey, anteater), then Galapagos ones (the tortoise and iguanas). I like the iguana one the best.


----------



## telracs

Peruvian Butterfly


----------



## egh34

One of my favorites of my sister's dock:









a thunderhead on the way home from Colorado:









a thunderhead over my house:


----------



## BrassMan

Gorgeous. I wish that middle one were bigger, say 640 x 480. Lambent!


----------



## Jeff

BrassMan said:


> I bet I'm 1000 miles from the nearest gargoyle.


Don't bet. There are several buildings along the San Antonio River Walk decorated with gargoyles. I remember taking photos of some but can't find any right now.


----------



## telracs

http://www.texasescapes.com/Texas_architecture/TexasGargoyles.htm


----------



## NogDog

BrassMan said:


> Excellent. I bet I'm 1000 miles from the nearest gargoyle. Where are those?


I don't know how far you are from DC, but the National Cathedral has a lot of gargoyles.


----------



## telracs

NogDog said:


> I don't know how far you are from DC, but the National Cathedral has a lot of gargoyles.


He's in Texas...


----------



## BrassMan

OK, yes, I am in Texas, and less than 1000 miles from San Antonio. Let me rephrase that: I might as well be 1000 miles from any gargoyles. Not counting the one who teaches at a certain nearby educational institution. That one is in Distant Cousin: Regeneration....


----------



## BrassMan

Having no gargoyles within sight, I'll contribute a sunrise and a sunset.

Note to Jen, scarlet, and others: there's also a thread here for pictures of food. It's hard to visit if you're hungry....


----------



## telracs

Brassman-

I've been thinking of you for the last 15 minutes listening to my OOBCR of Lone Star Love (aka the Merry Wives of Windsor, Texas).  And I know the food thread, I've posted there.  And am planning on taking sushi pictures tomorrow to post there!


----------



## R. M. Reed

Oregon coast










New York harbor


----------



## BrassMan

Everyone's pictures reminds me of pictures of my own. I don't have any quite that magnificent, but here's one of the Huasteca Mountains outside of Monterrey, Mexico:


----------



## telracs

Since I liked Brassman's orange ones, here are some orange of mine...









Canberra, Australia









Ferry between Kangaroo Island and Port Jervis, Australia









Klopenheim, South Africa









Kruger National Park, South Africa


----------



## BrassMan

Isn't that cool! The same sun that sets over Canberra rises over me!


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> Isn't that cool! The same sun that sets over Canberra rises over me!


That's gorgeous! Mind if I download that for my computer?


----------



## BrassMan

Be my guest! Unless you'd rather have this one--same sun as in Indonesia, by the way.


----------



## telracs

And the same sun setting over Jerusalem (lousy resolution, sorry)


----------



## Anju 

keep it up guys!  love 'em


----------



## Jeff

How about a New Mexico sunset?


----------



## telracs

Nice, Jeff!


----------



## telracs

I have no more sun pictures, so how about some machu pichhu?


----------



## Jeff

scarlet said:


> I have no more sun pictures, so how about some machu pichhu?


You don't happen to have any of Chapultepec Castle, do you?

Edited to add: I know Machu Picchu is in Peru but I thought I remembered you posting some picture from Mexico.


----------



## BrassMan

I have a soft spot for New Mexico...but no sunset shots of my own. Here's one from south Texas (the road to our place). This'll about do it for me tonight. It's been fun!


----------



## Jeff

BrassMan said:


> I have a soft spot for New Mexico...but no sunset shots of my own. Here's one from south Texas (the road to our place).


We get some pretty sunsets in central Texas occasionally but nothing that matches New Mexico. This is from Placitas looking over Albuquerque (I think).


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> You don't happen to have any of Chapultepec Castle, do you?
> 
> Edited to add: I know Machu Picchu is in Peru but I thought I remembered you posting some picture from Mexico.


Nope, I've never been to Mexico.

Anju, you're in Mexico, right, you have any of pictures for Jeff?


----------



## telracs

I thought I'd posted these, but since I didn't find them in a quick reread of the thread, I'm posting again









Finch Bay hotel in shadow/sunset under moon










Sunset in the Galapagos


----------



## Jeff

scarlet said:


> Nope, I've never been to Mexico.
> 
> Anju, you're in Mexico, right, you have any of pictures for Jeff?


It wouldn't be Anju. She's never even been to the islands in her own lake.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> It wouldn't be Anju. She's never even been to the islands in her own lake.


Hey, not everyone is a traveling fool like me.


----------



## mlewis78

scarlet said:


> Brassman-
> 
> I've been thinking of you for the last 15 minutes listening to my OOBCR of Lone Star Love (aka the Merry Wives of Windsor, Texas). And I know the food thread, I've posted there. And am planning on taking sushi pictures tomorrow to post there!


Scarlet, did you see Lone Star Love at the theater? I went the day after Christmas (2004, I think). My nephew worked on that. His uncle by marriage (no relation to me) was the director, John Haber. My memory is a little fuzzy about this, but didn't they serve food (chili or hot dogs) during the intermission? That was one of the things my nephew did. I have the soundtrack CD too. What is OOBCR?


----------



## telracs

mlewis78 said:


> Scarlet, did you see Lone Star Love at the theater? I went the day after Christmas (2004, I think). My nephew worked on that. His uncle by marriage (no relation to me) was the director, John Haber. My memory is a little fuzzy about this, but didn't they serve food (chili or hot dogs) during the intermission? That was one of the things my nephew did. I have the soundtrack CD too. What is OOBCR?


Yup, we saw it during its off-Broadway run. Actually, I think I saw it twice. And yes, they served chili AND hot dogs and cookies and lemonade during the intermission (a take off on the whole "Throw Down in Windsor" song). What's your nephew's name? Oh, and OOBCR= Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording. Sorry for the theater-geek speak.


----------



## scott_audio

Jeff said:


> We get some pretty sunsets in central Texas occasionally but nothing that matches New Mexico. This is from Placitas looking over Albuquerque (I think).


that's an awesome pic, thanks for sharing


----------



## telracs

Sunset at Ayers Rock (Uluru)


----------



## Jeff

scarlet said:


> Sunset at Ayers Rock (Uluru)


Is that where the dingo ate the baby?


----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs




----------



## scott_audio

This took a few times to capture - It is amazing how not straight that arrow is when it is in flight - I'd love to have a high speed camera to grab about a 1000 frames per second


----------



## scott_audio

more bugs


----------



## scott_audio

a moon shot and yesterday's fortified breakfast (sort of like getting the triple Whopper and a diet coke)


----------



## scott_audio

Recent trip to Alpine Lake Resort in Terra Alta, WV... beautiful course

This is #1


----------



## BTackitt

scott_audio said:


> yesterday's fortified breakfast (sort of like getting the triple Whopper and a diet coke)


Is that a moon pie with vitamins stuck in it? HAHHAHAH


----------



## scott_audio

BTackitt said:


> Is that a moon pie with vitamins stuck in it? HAHHAHAH


Little Debbie (R) Cherry Cordial


----------



## cagnes

Great pics! Here are a few flowers.... and weeds.


----------



## scott_audio

cagnes said:


>


very nice!, i especially like this one


----------



## Jen

Jeff said:


> Is that where the dingo ate the baby?


 

No one responded to you Jeff.....but I thought it was funny!!


----------



## Jeff

Jen said:


> No one responded to you Jeff.....but I thought it was funny!!


I don't think anyone else "got it".


----------



## telracs

Um, I got Jeff's joke and I posted the dingo.  Sorry, no babies to eat.


----------



## NogDog

scarlet said:


>


That's one of Noggin's "distant cousins". (The Nogginator is part Australian Cattle Dog, which purportedly has some Dingo blood.)


----------



## Jeff

For those of you who are lost:



scarlet said:


> Sunset at Ayers Rock (Uluru)


Azaria Chantel Loren Chamberlain was a nine-week-old Australian baby who disappeared on the night of 17 August 1980 on a camping trip to Ayers Rock (Uluru) with her family.


----------



## Cindy416

BrassMan said:


> Everyone's pictures reminds me of pictures of my own. I don't have any quite that magnificent, but here's one of the Huasteca Mountains outside of Monterrey, Mexico:


BrassMan, thanks for the 'blast from the past' with the photo of the Huasteca Mountains. Having spent two summers in Monterrey, that photo brings back lots of memories!


----------



## R. M. Reed

There's a funny scene in "Tropic Thunder" in which Robert Downey Jr., playing a white Australian actor playing a black American, gets upset when someone jokes about the dingo eating the baby. He stays in character but still tells off the other person for making fun of a tragedy.


----------



## Jeff

R. Reed said:


> There's a funny scene in "Tropic Thunder" in which Robert Downey Jr., playing a white Australian actor playing a black American, gets upset when someone jokes about the dingo eating the baby. He stays in character but still tells off the other person for making fun of a tragedy.


There was a high profile trial and an enormous debate at the time between those who believed that the baby was killed by her mother and those who believed it was killed by a dingo.

John Bryson's 1985 book _Evil Angels_ was made into a movie called *A Cry in the Dark* which starred Meryl Streep and Sam Neill. Much of the joking has been focussed on the paraphrased use of "the dingo ate my baby" with nothing whatever to do with the tragedy.


----------



## telracs

I decided to take my camera with me when I went into Manhattan yesterday. For those familiar with the NYC subway, these shots were taken at the 42nd Street Station, near the Grand Central Shuttle platform.










































And just so you know, I almost got arrested because of these photos. This lovely overly officious transit worker walked up to me, and without so much as "excuse me," tells me that this is not a tourist area. Well, duh, what does that have to do with anything, you might ask? Well, according to her "it looks bad when people take pictures of the tunnel." So, I tell her that I see people taking pictures all the time, and her response is that she tells them not to all the time and she will call the cops. I decided to let her have her petty power trip (since I'd gotten most of the shots I wanted), and went off to my musical.


----------



## The Hooded Claw

Hi Scarlet!  When I saw your photos, I was thinking--I've heard that the Transit authority cops and staff are really aggressive about picture taking in big-city subways.  The theory is that you are doing reconnaissance for terrorists.  If they knew of your affiliation with the Evil Henchperson's Guild, I'm sure they'd have arrested you on the spot!


----------



## The Hooded Claw

I'm an avid photographer of insects and similar small creepy-crawlies. When I visited Hawaii a few years ago, my fondest desire was to get photographs of a unique carnivorous caterpillar that is found there. It's not a gag about the carnivorous caterpillars, see this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eupithecia

and






I did some rather hopeless poking around on my own, but didn't have any optimism till a park naturalist told me a specific spot to look for them. This was in a very rural wooded area. He suggested the easiest way to find them was to check barbed wire fences lining the road--They tend to perch on the barbed wire fence "standing up" similar to the one in the video, and the irregularity this creates in the pattern of barbs attracts the eye. Finally, he suggested my best chance was at night. So I headed out to this rural area. There was little road traffic, but there were houses not too far away, so people did drive by occasionally. I was shining a flashlight on the fence, and got some nice pictures of spiders and the like, but no caterpillars. One family stopped and asked me if I needed help, and I smiled and assured them I was fine, without explaining what I was doing. I suspect that they called the police, because not much later I got to deal with the Hawaiian version of Barney Fife....He pulled up behind my car, turned on his cherry, and I knew I was in for it. When he asked me what I was doing, I should have just explained that I was photographing insects, he might have accepted that. Unfortunately, I felt compelled to explain that I was looking for caterpillars. Anxious to prove that he was no country rube, he challenged me on why would vegetarian caterpillars would be crawling over barbed wire, so I had to tell him about carnivorous caterpillars. He _DEFINITELY_ thought I was lying to him, either because I was actually up to no good, or because I was making fun of him (I really think he felt that I was trying to embarass or put one over on him). I got out a notebook of nature shots I often carry around with lots of insect shots, and showed him an "Insects of Hawaii" type guide that explained about the carnivorous caterpillars, and he finally settled for looking at my driver's license and rental car agreement before driving off. I've wondered if he kept his mouth shut about his experience, or had to rush off and tell his fellow officers about the craziest tourist ever....


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great Shots All!! Keep them coming.
jp


----------



## telracs

More sunset shots....

These are Paracas, Peru




























and playing with special effects


----------



## telracs

one more beach shot....


----------



## darkmannn

If only I could be on the beach taking that picture. Cold here in US midwest.


----------



## Cindy416

darkmannn said:


> If only I could be on the beach taking that picture. Cold here in US midwest.


I feel the same way, darkmann. I'm in the midwest, too, and am freezing. Getting ready to heat up the kitchen with some serious baking, though, so that might help.


----------



## telracs

Actually, the beach is outside of Paracas, Peru. It's grey and gloomy here in NYC today, and I'm looking at it and remembering how nice it was there.


----------



## egh34

Although I, too, am dreaming of the beach, I need it cold to know its Thanksgiving! Without that cold crisp air, I have a hard time thinking Christmmas is just around the corner. Not in the mood to shop for presents in 65 or 70 balmy degrees. Thank goodness it is about 45 here, and windy,, and cloudy. Typical midwestern fall day!


----------



## Jeff




----------



## telracs

Jeff, 

Japan or China?


----------



## Jeff

scarlet said:


> Japan or China?


kamakura, Japan.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> kamakura, Japan.


Very nice.


----------



## Anju 

Wish my pictures would come out this nicely - but I am enjoying all of y'alls pictures - keep 'em coming!


----------



## telracs

Anju No. 469 said:


> Wish my pictures would come out this nicely - but I am enjoying all of y'alls pictures - keep 'em coming!


the trick is to take LOTS of pictures then only post the good ones.


----------



## Jeff

Anju No. 469 said:


> Wish my pictures would come out this nicely


What are you talking about? Your pictures are great, just too small.


----------



## Susan in VA

Jeff, that picture is beautiful  -- and I'm ashamed to admit that I have no idea what it is.  Religious/spiritual significance?  Art?


----------



## telracs

Susan in VA said:


> Jeff, that picture is beautiful -- and I'm ashamed to admit that I have no idea what it is. Religious/spiritual significance? Art?


It's a "tori" gate.

definition by wikianswer.com-- As far as the 187th infantry is concerned, the tori is a traditional Japanese gate of good fortune, and has been adopted as a symbol by the 187th reflecting their actions in the Pacific theatre during WWII. Rakkasan is also associated with the 187th, and roughly translates (Japanese) to "falling down umbrella", related to the Airborne infantry's use of parachutes.


----------



## Nathan

Wow! Great pic Jeff


----------



## Susan in VA

A gate of good fortune....  ok...  so did they build it in the middle of the river intentionally, or was that section dry land at the time it was built?


----------



## telracs

Susan in VA said:


> A gate of good fortune.... ok... so did they build it in the middle of the river intentionally, or was that section dry land at the time it was built?


No it's intentionally in the water, there are a number of them in lakes and things.


----------



## Jeff

A tori is used to mark the entrances to temples or other places of religious significance.


----------



## Jeff

This is what I was looking for:


----------



## Susan in VA

From that last picture, I'm guessing that the intent was to mark the temple entrances for the benefit of people arriving by boat?


----------



## Jeff

Susan in VA said:


> From that last picture, I'm guessing that the intent was to mark the temple entrances for the benefit of people arriving by boat?


I don't really know. It's the same tori from the other side of the lake. I can't remember the significance of it there in the water. It's been a very long time since I was there.

Japanese religion is mixed between Buddhism and Shintoism and very confusing to gaijin like me. I think we have some Japanese members; perhaps someone might be willing to help us out.


----------



## B-Kay 1325

Jeff, that last picture is amazing.  Simply beautiful.


----------



## Jeff

B-Kay 1325 said:


> Jeff, that last picture is amazing. Simply beautiful.


It is a beautiful, almost magical place. I think that may have been a slide that I bought in Tokyo so I don't want to take credit for it. When I scanned all my slides, so many years ago, I thought I'd always remember everything about them. I was wrong.

A bit off topic: I paid almost $3,000 for that 35 mm transparency scanner twenty odd years ago but the one I bought last year for $150 is just as good. My digital photos however have never been as vivid as the old Kodachrome slides. Can you hear Paul Simon?


----------



## telracs

tortoise preserve









red weed









iguana









lonesome george


----------



## jpmorgan49

Someone sent this to me for Thanksgiving, I think it's cute. HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL!!!!!
jp


----------



## Anju 

Jeff - I wanted to ask you if that was Mt. Fuji in the background puffing, but since you  bought this slide you probably don't know.  Oh well


----------



## telracs

Anju No. 469 said:


> Jeff - I wanted to ask you if that was Mt. Fuji in the background puffing, but since you bought this slide you probably don't know. Oh well


Anju, I'm pretty sure it is Fuji. Unfortunately, my Japan pictures are not in my computer, but it looks a lot like my shots from one of the lakes around the mountain.


----------



## Jeff

Anju No. 469 said:


> Jeff - I wanted to ask you if that was Mt. Fuji in the background puffing, but since you bought this slide you probably don't know. Oh well


That is indeed Fuji-San but those are clouds.

I've been at that spot and have taken many photos but can't remember if that particular picture was taken by me.


----------



## telracs

I want a piece of pecan pie!


----------



## CegAbq

Jeff said:


>


This is an absolutely amazing photo!


----------



## BoomerSoonerOKU

Love this thread! Photography is one of my main hobbies as well (aside from reading). Here are a few of my favorite recent shots:










Tropical Hibiscus










Overlooking Albuquerque from Sandia Peak










Fall in Woodward Park (Tulsa, OK)


----------



## 911jason

BoomerSoonerOKU said:


> Love this thread! Photography is one of my main hobbies as well (aside from reading). Here are a few of my favorite recent shots:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tropical Hibiscus


Wow, what incredible colors!!! By any chance do you have a larger version of this image? I'd love to use it as wallpaper for my wife's computer, I'd need 1280x800 or larger if you don't mind sharing! =)


----------



## Nathan

BoomerSoonerOKU said:


> Overlooking Albuquerque from Sandia Peak


Fantastic


----------



## BrassMan

Such gorgeous pictures.... I love the way a picture on the monitor emits colors rather than reflecting them. Luminous!


----------



## Elmore Hammes

This is at the site of one of the new homes we built on our recent Mission trip to Mexico. The father of the recipient family is holding one of his daughters. The new home is in the background.


----------



## BoomerSoonerOKU

911jason said:


> Wow, what incredible colors!!! By any chance do you have a larger version of this image? I'd love to use it as wallpaper for my wife's computer, I'd need 1280x800 or larger if you don't mind sharing! =)


Sure thing, Jason. I've uploaded the original in jpeg format (3454 x 2302) here: http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/179/3921748634590ecbfc2fo.jpg Enjoy!


----------



## scott_audio

BoomerSoonerOKU said:


> Overlooking Albuquerque from Sandia Peak


That's a fantastic shot BoomerSoonerOKU, beautiful


----------



## scott_audio

A few shots from a cruise, late '99 ... R.C. through the Panama Canal... Started in Mexico and ended up in Puerto Rico. I can't remember where most of these were taken, but I like when the sun is behind the clouds and shining on the water


----------



## CegAbq

BoomerSoonerOKU said:


> Overlooking Albuquerque from Sandia Peak


Hi BoomerSoonerOKU - wonderful shot; I live in the foothills on the west side of the Sandias. Are you in Albuquerque?


----------



## BoomerSoonerOKU

CegAbq said:


> Hi BoomerSoonerOKU - wonderful shot; I live in the foothills on the west side of the Sandias. Are you in Albuquerque?


Thank you, Ceg. No, actually I reside in Tulsa, OK. The little lady and I visited a friend who was in Albuquerque for the year going through a program at Kirtland AFB for her work in the nuclear weapons program with Honeywell. It was a wonderful trip. The weather there was quite nice even in August. I really enjoyed Sante Fe and the wilderness areas surrounding Albuquerque. Sandia Peak was a special treat for me as I love the mountains. Unfortunately I still don't have a nice wide angle lens for landscape shots like this so I was reduced to using the 18 - 55mm kit lens that came with my Canon.

I loved photographing the older Cathedrals and the architecture in your area as well. Some of the photos I've processed from that trip are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjalberding/sets/72157621723321771/ Hopefully I can back to area soon for some more shots, and maybe some skiing this time!


----------



## BoomerSoonerOKU

BrassMan said:


> Such gorgeous pictures.... I love the way a picture on the monitor emits colors rather than reflecting them. Luminous!


I love how the tones on the window frame match her skirt! Excellent framing.


----------



## telracs

Some Peruvian and Ecuadorian flowers...

Thanks to Scott_Audio for helping me figure out how to make clickable thumbnails (just click on the tiny images for bigger ones)

    

and back to playing with effects...


----------



## 911jason

BoomerSoonerOKU said:


> Sure thing, Jason. I've uploaded the original in jpeg format (3454 x 2302) here: http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/179/3921748634590ecbfc2fo.jpg Enjoy!


Awesome! Thanks so much! Can't wait to get home and put it on my wife's computer, that should earn me some easy brownie points for the day! =)


----------



## BrassMan

Rediscovered some animal shots:


----------



## telracs

Attack of the koi!


----------



## BrassMan

How cold was it in south Texas?

This cold:


----------



## Jeff

Please tell me that the cat doesn't start to smolder in the next picture.


----------



## BrassMan

Jeff said:


> Please tell me that the cat doesn't start to smolder in the next picture.


He was there over an hour. I never smelled scorched fur.

The cats love Christmas. Here's from Wednesday:


----------



## CegAbq

BrassMan said:


>


Oh Ed!!!! I adore zebra pics - this is WONDERFUL.


----------



## telracs

Well, they're not great, but here are some more zebras. Kruger National Park, South Africa, 2006 (click on thumbnail for larger image).
    

and one of my favorite kudu shots


----------



## telracs

And in honor of our growing Australian community...

 Sunset over Sydney (slightly blurry)

 Adelaide

 Melbourne train station

 Alice Springs

 Canberra


----------



## mlewis78

Brassman,

I love that shot of the cat with the manger scene.  Cat looks like a giant next to the small figures.


----------



## CegAbq

scarlet said:


> Well, they're not great, but here are some more zebras. Kruger National Park, South Africa, 2006


Thanks, scarlet. How long were you there? I was soooo... fortunate to be able to live in Durban So.Africa for a year (1997) and our whole time there was very special - especially the time spent in the game parks.


----------



## BrassMan

CegAbq said:


> Oh Ed!!!! I adore zebra pics - this is WONDERFUL.


Well, I'm not Ed, but I'll risk the patience of non-zebra lovers to provide you a few more. I like 'em too.


----------



## BrassMan

mlewis78 said:


> Brassman,
> 
> I love that shot of the cat with the manger scene. Cat looks like a giant next to the small figures.


He was very sweet--curled up and went to sleep there; only knocked over one wise man. Note the other cats gathered around.

Our cats love Christmas.


----------



## CegAbq

BrassMan said:


> Well, I'm not Ed, but I'll risk the patience of non-zebra lovers to provide you a few more. I like 'em too.


Duh! Sorry, BrassMan - but they are still gorgeous pics. Thanks so much.


----------



## telracs

CegAbq said:


> Thanks, scarlet. How long were you there? I was soooo... fortunate to be able to live in Durban So.Africa for a year (1997) and our whole time there was very special - especially the time spent in the game parks.


October 22 to November 4 2006. Capetown to Arniston to Knysna to Port Elizabeth to Durban to Zululand to Swaziland to Kruger to Johannesburg

 
Durban


----------



## CegAbq

scarlet said:


> October 22 to November 4 2006. Capetown to Arniston to Knysna to Port Elizabeth to Durban to Zululand to Swaziland to Kruger to Johannesburg
> 
> 
> Durban


Is that second photo located at the University of Natal-Durban? Looks very familiar.


----------



## telracs

CegAbq said:


> Is that second photo located at the University of Natal-Durban? Looks very familiar.


No, it's a picture of the park across from the hotel I stayed at there in Durban.


----------



## Laurie

Cobbie said:


> This photo is not for clarity. It's just for showing how things can be at my house.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now I've got to go out and get a taunting, squawking squirrel out of a tree so I can get my squeaking, barking dog back into the house on this cold wet day.


That's so funny - I thought we were the only ones with that problem!! We have a squirrel that kept coming over to our butternut tree everytime we let our two chihuahuas out. It would follow them, from above, everywhere they went and taunt them with that squawking noise. And of course they would bark at it like crazy - which the neighbors didn't appreciate. It was ridiculous!! It got so bad that we had to start shooting towards it (not at it) with one of those air-soft guns that shoots little plastic pellets and that would scare it away. Finally got it to stop coming around teasing the dogs, but it wasn't easy!! They're persistant little buggers.


----------



## B-Kay 1325

Cobbie, your squirrel story was very funny.  My little dog, Murphy, actually stands in the corner of my yard and barks at the birds on the telephone wires above his head.  There are times I could swear that they are sitting there to just taunt him and he looks for them whenever he goes outside.  Sometimes it looks like the movie "The Birds" out there. LOL


----------



## drenee

scott_audio said:
 

> Recent trip to Alpine Lake Resort in Terra Alta, WV... beautiful course
> 
> This is #1


My mom and my sister and my aunt all vacation at Alpine every year. Next year they're going to Canaan.
deb


----------



## F1Wild

OK, I'll play - although I'm certainly not a photographer. Can anyone guess where this is?


----------



## Anju 

Don't believe it's anywhere in Mexico


----------



## BrassMan

It's not West Texas. Not South Texas. Not Kansas. Not the Persian Gulf states. Not New Mexico. Not Oklahoma. 

I could go on....


----------



## Susan in VA

F1Wild said:


> OK, I'll play - although I'm certainly not a photographer. Can anyone guess where this is?


Can we narrow it down to somewhere in southern Europe? It reminds me of places in the Italian part of Switzerland, but not _quite_.


----------



## BrassMan

Yeah, could be. But how about a fjord, showing the fantasy pad of some nutcase (like me), who's imported an onion domed thingie, or a mosque-thingie, that doesn't really belong there? Shoot, speaking of nutcases, could be Lake Tahoe!


----------



## Susan in VA

Hmmm... with that manicured shoreline?


----------



## Nathan

Eastern Europe or the Baltic States...who knows...some old Russian Orthodox churches in Canada and Alaska too


----------



## Jeff

F1Wild said:


> Can anyone guess where this is?


Yalta?


----------



## BrassMan

Yeah, sure, a manicured shoreline. Remember: this could be a nutcase. I know nutcases! I is one! I'm the guy who added an Italian style tower to a Mediterranean Spanish style (South Texas) house. Manicuring a shoreline is child's play to a serious nutcase.

C'mon, F1 Wild! Fess up, dang it!


----------



## BrassMan

While we're waiting for F1Wild to cough up the answer, I'll show you a nutcase. Daughter #2, who's a professor of Italian, sent me this shot of a village in Cinque Terra. See the house on the right, with a tower?










So I cut out that tower and pasted it on a picture of our house. I liked it!










So, although my wife and I had built the house and we were older now, I hired a builder to add a tower like that to our house. Here it is.










Onion domes? It is to laugh! Piece of cake!


----------



## Susan in VA

That's quite a mix.  The top floor of that tower looks like a perfect spot to sit and write, with a great view of the surrounding countryside.


----------



## BrassMan

'Tis. Or to read, eat breakfast, or watch some cowboys round up a few head of cattle.










Still waiting, F1Wild....


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> 'Tis. Or to read, eat breakfast, or watch some cowboys round up a few head of cattle.


Invisible Cattle?


----------



## BrassMan

scarlet said:


> Invisible Cattle?


All right, all right. They were hiding. Cows! Like, these cows:










Or these cows, same pasture, different day:


----------



## telracs

Thanks!


----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> BrassMan, that tower is a great addition! Wonderful views.


Thank you! I shall take that as the exoneration of a nutcase! Here's what it looks like from the road--the same front pasture that the cows were in in the other photos:


----------



## Nathan

BrassMan said:


> Thank you! I shall take that as the exoneration of a nutcase! Here's what it looks like from the road--the same front pasture that the cows were in in the other photos:


BrassMan is Branch Davidian?


----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> Wow! Now that I'm on my computer instead of my iPhone I can see the photos much better. Your area is what Texas should look like. I'm in Dallas and the only time I get to see views like that is at our place in E. Texas. Your tower would fit right in with some of the McMansions around here, only yours fits in with the landscape much better.
> 
> Exoneration complete.


Thanks. If it's a McMansion, then it's an owner-built McMansion (that took 12 years to build). I do miss the mountains of west Texas, though. Unlike the Branch Davidians, we did try to fit nicely into our environment--no metal buildings, no buried school buses!


----------



## F1Wild

Sorry for the delay. It's actually taken of the 12th century chapel of St. Bartholomew at the tip of Lake Konigsee, Berchtesgaden - in the German Bavarian Alps near Hitler's Kehlsteinhaus ("Eagle's Nest"). The chapel can only be reached by boat (non-motor).


----------



## telracs

Time for some more South American pictures. These are clouds over Lake Titicaca (click on image for larger view-- yeah, yeah, I know you know that, but I feel compelled to say it). The black smudge you might notice in some of them is a fire on the Bolivian side of the lake.

        

Uros Islands natives (and tourists in native dress).

   

and no, they didn't let me keep the cool hat.

well, it's 2:30 am here, so I'm off to bed. hopefully I'll upload and post more pictures tomorrow night.


----------



## Sendie

Love your pictures, Scarlet.  I would love to go to South America some day.


----------



## Dork Knight

Hello All,

Some very nice pictures posted here, so I thought I would join in and make this my first post with images taken along the coast in my area (Wales):


----------



## Susan in VA

Oooh, that first one is great!!  What kind of house is that, does some lucky person live there??


----------



## Dork Knight

Thank You Susan,

That is a boathouse in the first image, not doubt it would be lovely to stay in the summer as it's a fantastic location.


----------



## tedmcardle

Holy cow, those Wales photos are fantastic.


----------



## BrassMan

Smashing photos, Dork Knight. Could you say they in any general way reflect the Welsh character?


----------



## F1Wild

Dork Knight said:


> Hello All,
> Some very nice pictures posted here, so I thought I would join in and make this my first post with images taken along the coast in my area (Wales):


Awesome pics, DK!! The first one reminds me of the Carrick-a-rede Bridge on NI's N. Antrim Coast and the others similar to Giant's Causeway & Lancashire's Grange-Over-Sands!


----------



## Susan in VA

DK, if you don't mind I'd like to put that boathouse picture on my computer as wallpaper.  Would that be OK?  (I realize you'd never know...  but I feel that I should ask.)

(Er...  I'm assuming you took it yourself, but you didn't actually say...)


----------



## telracs

Susan in VA said:


> DK, if you don't mind I'd like to put that boathouse picture on my computer as wallpaper. Would that be OK? (I realize you'd never know... but I feel that I should ask.)
> 
> (Er... I'm assuming you took it yourself, but you didn't actually say...)


Yes, you should always ask.
DK, those photos are gorgeous, welcome to our little picture gallery.


----------



## Dork Knight

Thank you all.

BrassMan ~ If anyone has spent time around the coasts of Wales (or in fact the UK), then yes, some of the images do reflect a lot of Welsh character - That being said, no doubt people think of the hills, mountains, valleys, mines and rain when they first think of Wales.

But we have a wonderful coast, I believe we often overlook what's on our doorstep when thinking of locations further afield.

F1Wild ~ Looking at the first image no wonder you were reminded of Carrick-a-Rede Bridge and after a quick google, wow, what a rope bridge that location has.

Susan ~ Yes, they are my images and feel free to use the image as your wallpaper if you so wish - Below is a link which will take you to higher resolution images if you wish to use a decent quality one for your wallpaper;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdturvey/sets/72157612369108082/


----------



## Anju 

WOW DK - what wonderful pictures!

When you get an opportunity, would you go over to the Introduction and Welcome Thread and tell us a little about you and also so others can add their welcomes.


----------



## Nathan

Dork Knight said:


> Hello All,
> 
> Some very nice pictures posted here, so I thought I would join in and make this my first post with images taken along the coast in my area (Wales):


wow...this shot is amazing


----------



## F1Wild

Dork Knight said:


> Thank you all.
> 
> F1Wild ~ Looking at the first image no wonder you were reminded of Carrick-a-Rede Bridge and after a quick google, wow, what a rope bridge that location has.
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdturvey/sets/72157612369108082/


Yes, you always take friends to the bridge BEFORE you do a tour & sampling at Bushmills!!

Breathtaking photos!


----------



## F1Wild

Any guesses as to this location?


----------



## Susan in VA

Dork Knight said:


> Susan ~ Yes, they are my images and feel free to use the image as your wallpaper if you so wish - Below is a link which will take you to higher resolution images if you wish to use a decent quality one for your wallpaper;
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdturvey/sets/72157612369108082/


Thank you!!


----------



## jpmorgan49

Such beautiful shots!!!  keep them coming.
jp


----------



## Shamar

F1Wild said:


> Any guesses as to this location?


Reminds me of hiking in Pikes National Forrest in the winter....good dayz


----------



## F1Wild

Shamar said:


> Reminds me of hiking in Pikes National Forrest in the winter....good dayz


Nope it was at The Kehlsteinhaus (AKA the Eagle's Nest), which was built by the Nazis in the mountains near Berchtesgaden (Bavarian Alps, Germany) as an official 50th birthday present for Adolf Hitler. The fog seemed fitting.


----------



## Anju 

I have no idea what kind of plant this is, probably some kind of century plant, was not there on Friday and Monday here it was


----------



## Jeff

Anju No. 469 said:


> I have no idea what kind of plant this is, probably some kind of century plant, was not there on Friday and Monday here it was


Feed me Seymour!


----------



## kevindorsey

I would have guessed mount Ararat


----------



## F1Wild

Anju No. 469 said:


> I have no idea what kind of plant this is, probably some kind of century plant, was not there on Friday and Monday here it was


Looks like a member of the Cleistocactus family, to me.
http://cactiguide.com/cactus/?genus=Cleistocactus


----------



## telracs

Times Square. If you look closely, you can see the ball that will be dropped in 10 days...


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Hee hee hee... This is the image I created to go with a humorous article I wrote for the Christmas edition of The Daily Fortnight, a UK-based satiric e-zine similar to The Onion:










Here's a link to the article, entitled "Rudolph Arrested for Flying Under the Influence":
http://www.dailyfortnight.com/world/900-rudolph-in-drunk-tank

Merry Christmas!
Elmore


----------



## patinagle

Happy winter!


----------



## intinst

Just a picture we took of our son Jason while in New York. He's not married, ladies.


----------



## telracs

Nice looking boy.  But of course, I feel sorry for the lion whose head you cut off.


----------



## intinst

Wife took the picture, guess she was more interested in her son then the lion. She also took several others with the whole lion. I just picked this one to post.


----------



## telracs

intinst said:


> Wife took the picture, guess she was more interested in her son then the lion. She also took several others with the whole lion. I just picked this one to post.


You know me, I'm picky. And I shouldn't call him a boy, he's a very handsome man. You and the wife did nice work.


----------



## intinst

I see!


----------



## BrassMan

I know there's a pet thread, but this is really a weather picture--it's COLD here! Might freeze tonight! Just ask Alexander the Grate if it isn't cold:


----------



## F1Wild

Must be in sheer heaven!


----------



## Susan in VA

I'd much rather have that dusting than the ice-laden mess that's on my deck!


----------



## Cindy416

My younger daughter sees this out her office window every day, and I can't believe that I was unaware of this building. (It's the KC Public Library.)


----------



## Cindy416

I ran across this photo while looking for the Kansas City Public Library. If you're a Longaberger afficianado, you'll probably love this.


----------



## geoffthomas

Cindy,
The pictures of those buildings almost defy belief.
I wonder how many other "real" buildings either have purposeful facias or are constructed like objects?

I have seen several that were small structures, like an upside-down ice-cream cone for an icecream stand.

Just wonderin...


----------



## Cindy416

geoffthomas said:


> Cindy,
> The pictures of those buildings almost defy belief.
> I wonder how many other "real" buildings either have purposeful facias or are constructed like objects?
> 
> I have seen several that were small structures, like an upside-down ice-cream cone for an icecream stand.
> 
> Just wonderin...


I don't know, Geoff, but I plan on doing a bit of research. Some of the KC Library photos were at a website about weird architecture, and that's where I found the Longaberger one. Will have to keep looking. The ice cream cone photo that you described was taken in the city/town near here where I do most of my shopping.

I'll share if I find any more interested one. LOVE the library ones! I have to go there sometime just to see it for myself.


----------



## F1Wild

Cindy416 said:


> My younger daughter sees this out her office window every day, and I can't believe that I was unaware of this building. (It's the KC Public Library.)


This is so awesome!!!!!


----------



## Cindy416

Isn't it  The architect must be a booklover.  I can't wait to see it in person.


----------



## egh34

I live 15 minutes away from this, and have never seen it. Maybe after all the cold and snow we are having this week, I will go in search of the library and see if I can get some pics! Not sure of I can do any better than what has been posted already, but it will be a fun field trip!!


----------



## Cindy416

egh34 said:


> I live 15 minutes away from this, and have never seen it. Maybe after all the cold and snow we are having this week, I will go in search of the library and see if I can get some pics! Not sure of I can do any better than what has been posted already, but it will be a fun field trip!!


My daughters don't live too far from there (one in Olathe and the other in Overland Park). I am definitely going to visit the library when the weather warms up. We did discover that anyone who's a Kansas or Missouri resident can get a library card from there. Since e-books are available for 3-week checkout (I think), I joined. Haven't activated my card yet, but will do that soon.


----------



## 911jason

Cindy416 said:


> My younger daughter sees this out her office window every day, and I can't believe that I was unaware of this building. (It's the KC Public Library.)


Actually, it's not the KC Library, it's the KC Library's Parking Garage... Still amazing though! I started a thread on it back in October when I stumbled across the same pictures...

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,14635.0.html

Here's a pic someone posted in that thread of the actual library.


----------



## Cindy416

Thanks for the clarification, Jason. I'll have to tell my daughter, although she is probably aware of it since she went to a wedding reception in the library a few months ago. Since the photos came up when we Googled "Kansas City Public Library," I guess I jumped to conclusions.


----------



## MeganW

Mom, the next time you come to town on a Saturday or Sunday, we'll have to go check it out!


----------



## Cindy416

MeganW said:


> Mom, the next time you come to town on a Saturday or Sunday, we'll have to go check it out!


Sounds like a plan!


----------



## Aravis60

Cindy416 said:


> I ran across this photo while looking for the Kansas City Public Library. If you're a Longaberger afficianado, you'll probably love this.


I see this one just about every day.


----------



## lovesangelrn

Cindy416 said:


> I ran across this photo while looking for the Kansas City Public Library. If you're a Longaberger afficianado, you'll probably love this.


I live not to far from the big longaberger basket. It's actually an office building, lol...It's quite a site to see


----------



## Cindy416

I bet it is interesting.  I didn't realize that their building looked like that until I ran across the picture. It's pretty interesting, to say the least.


----------



## Anju 

what is a longaberger  

love the building


----------



## Jeff

Anju No. 469 said:


> what is a longaberger


http://ic.longaberger.com/ecommerce/control/category?gclid=CPOl3ZTwj58CFR5inAodSCOYKA


----------



## Anju 

OH, why am I not surprised  

Thanks Jeff


----------



## mcblanchfield

Dinosaur bone I found in the badlands in NW New Mexico last year.
Tibia from a theropod. That the 'knee' end of the tibia near my hiking pole.


----------



## F1Wild

Wicked cool!!!


----------



## hsuthard

I'm a newbie, but here's a thread I can contribute to finally!

Our dog, Harry (named after Harry Potter, of course):









Our Christmas picture this year:









And the view out my window:


----------



## Elmore Hammes

That view from your window looks like a painting - lovely!


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Elmore Hammes said:


> Hee hee hee... This is the image I created to go with a humorous article I wrote for the Christmas edition of The Daily Fortnight, a UK-based satiric e-zine similar to The Onion:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a link to the article, entitled "Rudolph Arrested for Flying Under the Influence":
> http://www.dailyfortnight.com/world/900-rudolph-in-drunk-tank
> 
> Merry Christmas!
> Elmore


I just read this! LOL! Great job, Elmore!


----------



## jpmorgan49

We're at the start of our first Big snowstorm of 2010. 4" so far with a possibility of 12", it's supposed to snow through Friday. I went out and shoveled my driveway for the first of many times in the next day or so. Just a couple of Snow Pix.... I'm the handsome guy with the snow shovel.


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

JP!  You need a bigger snow shovel! Hahahaha!
I'm heading that way in about 1 1/2 weeks.  Can you keep all that snow around for me?  It's 70 in So. Cal today!


----------



## summerteeth

Cindy416 said:


> My younger daughter sees this out her office window every day, and I can't believe that I was unaware of this building. (It's the KC Public Library.)


That is the coolest library... SO neat.


----------



## judybird

that is awesome!!!


----------



## telracs

more machu pichu pictures sent by one of my fellow tour folks. click on images for larger pictures.


----------



## telracs

here are some more galapagos island (specifically pinnacle rock) pictures.


----------



## Jeff

scarlet said:


> here are some more galapagos island (specifically pinnacle rock) pictures.


Good stuff, Scarlet. Thanks.


----------



## kevindorsey

scarlet said:


> more machu pichu pictures sent by one of my fellow tour folks. click on images for larger pictures.


Awesome pictures, and some amazing history behind those stones. And obviously not referring to the mainstream stuff.


----------



## cheerio

scarlet said:


> here are some more galapagos island (specifically pinnacle rock) pictures.


I love pics and there are great


----------



## loca

Some awesome shots guys, makes me want to get my luggage


----------



## telracs

The hike up the stairs on Bartholome Island for the views of pinnacle rock was really hard for me, but when I got there I was really happy I did it.

Here are some from the boat ride to Bartholome

  

sorry, these are the small versions, I have to upload the larger res files to my photobucket account, somehow I messed up when I did the original upload.


----------



## BrassMan

On a smaller, more local scale, here's this morning's sunrise in south Texas. I'd put it on the good morning thread, but I don't see a lot of pictures there.


----------



## Cindy416

BrassMan said:


> On a smaller, more local scale, here's this morning's sunrise in south Texas. I'd put it on the good morning thread, but I don't see a lot of pictures there.


Beautiful photo, Al! Thanks for sharing. All I see around here is tons of old snow and lots of new fog. ;-)


----------



## Someone Nameless

Birds on the balcony in the Blue Mountains outside Sydney Australia


----------



## BrassMan

Great birds! Them ain't Texas birds!

Cindy: what can I say? It was just one of those days (finally). Here's the sunset:


----------



## telracs

Some Nazca line photos (not taken by me) [I wouldn't go up in the little plane]


----------



## BrassMan

scarlet said:


> Some Nazca line photos (not taken by me) [I wouldn't go up in the little plane]


Blimey! Reminds me of http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,4593.msg97770/topicseen.html#msg97770, by George! (Scroll down to the second post.)


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> Blimey! Reminds me of http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,4593.msg97770/topicseen.html#msg97770, by George! (Scroll down to the second post.)


Please, everyone KNOWS that the Nazca line were made for extraterrestrial pilots. And here's the air traffic controller....


----------



## BrassMan

Surely that's that Dune monster thingie....


----------



## telracs

As usual, click on the thumbnails for larger pictures....

I may have posted some of these before, but these are links to the large size shots.



Time for some Galapagosian tortoises....
       

Lonesome George (and one of his girlfriends)

  

and an iguana


Finches
 

More tortoises...
   

Me and a tortoise


----------



## Susan in VA

Great pictures!


----------



## Cindy416

Love your sunset, too, Al!  You live in a beautiful part country.


----------



## BrassMan

Cindy416 said:


> Love your sunset, too, Al! You live in a beautiful part country.


Thank you! I often sit and look at it for hours.


----------



## Susan in VA

BrassMan said:


>


LOL! Pancho's a very patient dog.


----------



## Cindy416

BrassMan said:


> Thank you! I often sit and look at it for hours.


----------



## telracs

Sneaking in some Dead Sea photos here....

   

No, this is not a statue, it's a natural salt formation


----------



## Elmore Hammes

scarlet said:


> No, this is not a statue, it's a natural salt formation


That is incredible. Any close up shots of that one?


----------



## Susan in VA

Elmore Hammes said:


> That is incredible. Any close up shots of that one?


If you click on it and then zoom in, it looks like a person in a long cloak holding something, maybe holding a child.

Reminiscent of Lake Mono.... I wonder if it's the same type of formation.


----------



## loca

Cindy416 said:


>


LMAO, is that a golden retriever or a lab on the bottom? These dogs sure do lack tough character.


----------



## BrassMan

loca said:


> LMAO, is that a golden retriever or a lab on the bottom? These dogs sure do lack tough character.


Pancho was a sweetheart. You want tough, get an alligator!


----------



## telracs

Elmore Hammes said:


> That is incredible. Any close up shots of that one?


Sorry, no. My Isreal photos were pre-digital, and only low-res small scale images seem to exist.


----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> BrassMan, my five-year old grandaughter loved this picture. She thought it was so funny.


Great! I do too! I'll put some more pictures for her on the pet thread: 
http://www.kboards.com/index.php?topic=203.new;topicseen#new


----------



## JennaAnderson

BrassMan said:


> Great! I do too! I'll put some more pictures for her on the pet thread:
> http://www.kboards.com/index.php?topic=203.new;topicseen#new


This is so funny! Why does he keep doing that?


----------



## BrassMan

JennaAnderson said:


> This is so funny! Why does he keep doing that?


Well, she (Cecily is a she) generally only does that when the ground is cold. Or, occasionally, wet....










You might too, if your rear was bare (or short-haired) and you wanted to sit down.


----------



## CegAbq

BrassMan said:


> Pancho was a sweetheart. You want tough, get an alligator!


So true; my golden stands behind me when I answer the front door & peeks warily around from behind my legs.


----------



## egh34

I love the pictures of the dog sitting on the other dog!!! They are a riot, please post more!


----------



## BrassMan

egh34 said:


> I love the pictures of the dog sitting on the other dog!!! They are a riot, please post more!


Oh, OK. Here's a couple. There are more over on the pet thread. I told you: this wasn't a rare event.


----------



## NogDog

At first I thought that maybe the dog-sitting-on-dog thing was some sort of dominance thing. Looking at his face, though, I'm starting to think he has simply discovered that for him, happiness is a warm butt.


----------



## BrassMan

NogDog said:


> At first I thought that maybe the dog-sitting-on-dog thing was some sort of dominance thing. Looking at his face, though, I'm starting to think he has simply discovered that for him, happiness is a warm butt.


You're right. Except that that happiness applied to TWO dogs. Good ole Pancho. May he rest in peace.


----------



## telracs

any guesses what this is? click on it for a larger view. and keep it clean people, scarlet is a prude.


----------



## telracs

and this picture got me through a hectic week at work.



photobucket now has a collage feature! the original picture is in the middle of this collage with some color change playing on the sides.


----------



## 908tracy

scarlet said:


> any guesses what this is? click on it for a larger view. and keep it clean people, scarlet is a prude.


I will guess....a tortoise shell under water?


----------



## BrassMan

908tracy said:


> I will guess....a tortoise shell under water?


That's a good guess, but whatever it is, it's a neat photo. Good eye, Scarlet! Now, what is it?


----------



## Jeff

scarlet said:


> any guesses what this is?


The shower door in your room at the Holiday Inn?


----------



## Kathy

My daughter took these pictures of a hawk that decided to make her tree its home.


----------



## telracs

Galapagos yes. Tortoise, no.  It's just a picture of the shallow water of the beach at Bartolome Island.

But Jeff, LOVED your guess!


----------



## telracs

Some Galapagos bird pictures....

Frigate bird



mocking birds


blue footed boobies


finch


Andean gulls


hawk


Pelicans


I apologize if I've posted these before...


----------



## Brian8205

Hi all!
My name is Brian and I am a graphic design instructor and part-time photographer. I used to do weddings, but I stopped due to time issues. Here are a few of my photos and a link to my Flickr sets.
Sets: http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/


----------



## loca

Brian, your pictures look very good.  Would love to see more of your work


----------



## Laurie

loca said:


> Brian, your pictures look very good. Would love to see more of your work


Ditto. Awesome pictures.


----------



## telracs

if you're having a rocky day, look at these pretty ones...


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> Scarlet, I never thought I'd be talking about beautiful rocks but those are really pretty. Where are they?


Aquas Caliente, the town below Machu Pichu.


----------



## telracs

Uploaded a bunch of my flower pictures. Cherry blossoms anybody?



I love the dew drops on this one...


Purple and green=pretty.


----------



## Cobrastrike

In keeping with the flower theme, I snapped these in Bermuda. Other than the Hibiscus (sp?), I'm not sure what they are.


----------



## Cobrastrike

Airpower favs

Raptor just under the sound barrier









Eagle low level









Blue Angels - 4 aircraft formation









Snowbirds + F86 Golden Hawk - 10 aircraft formation


----------



## jpmorgan49

I just purchased a new lens for my Nikon, it's an 85mm Micro VR lens. My wife has an Amaryllis that bloomed so I took a few shots. These are the first shots with the lens. Hopefully there will be more pictures when I can get outside and the snow goes away....
jp


----------



## egh34

Very nice, JP!!!


----------



## sherylb

Nice pictures all! JP the Amaryllis is stunning. Isn't digital much more fun than film? You don't have to wait to have the pics developed to see if you have a great shot or not.

Went out yesterday for a picnic and snapped these pics.

Low Tide









Mt. Baker


----------



## jpmorgan49

Beautiful shots Sherylb!
jp


----------



## sherylb

Thanks jp! I was going through my picture library and found this one which I really like. This was shot a couple of years ago.

Sunset at work


----------



## telracs

Spring day on Lexington Ave....



Reflections in the buildings


Bloomingdale's window



Some fun effects


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> Scarlet, those are great! I miss Bloomies.


Thank you.... I've decided to carry the camera with me all the time now, so there should be more photos coming.

Sorry I didn't get more shots of Bloomindgales, but I didn't feel like crossing the street.


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> I was wondering if you had your camera with you all the time. The opportunities in NY would be endless.


Since most of my time is spent at work, I haven't been carrying the camera. But now that the weather is getting nicer, time to play tourist in my home town. Brought it with me today because I'm running out of flower pictures....


----------



## Cindy416

Great shot, everyone.  JP, I love your optimism about the snow going away. I'll keep your words in mind as I gaze out upon even MORE snow after the past weekend. 

Keep the photos coming, everyone. I'm planning to carry my camera with me at all times as soon as the temperatures decide to stay about sub-arctic.


----------



## cybergeezer

Lucky to be at the right place at the right time on Lake Windermere in the Lake District of England



and on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great Shots all!!!  
jp


----------



## jpmorgan49

Here's one I took yesterday with my new Macro Lens...
jp


----------



## cybergeezer

Dork Knight said:


> Hello All,
> 
> Some very nice pictures posted here, so I thought I would join in and make this my first post with images taken along the coast in my area (Wales):


The boathouse photo is gorgeous. We visited Wales a couple of years ago (wish we had scheduled more time there) but always have a very specific memory of the visit. We stayed not far from Tenby in a hotel near Manorbier Castle. We went over to see the castle just after sunset and imagining all the ghosts from the last few hundred years when we looked up into the sky and saw what looked to us as the ghostly figure in the photo below:


----------



## telracs

jpmorgan49 said:


> Here's one I took yesterday with my new Macro Lens...
> jp


flower pictures gratefully accepted in the flower a day thread....


----------



## Kathy

Took this last weekend while out on our boat.


----------



## Laurie

Kathy said:


> Took this last weekend while out on our boat.


Great picture. What is that? Don't think I've seen anything like it before.


----------



## telracs

Laurie said:


> Great picture. What is that? Don't think I've seen anything like it before.


I'm guessing it's a cormorant, like these (mine were taken in Peru)


----------



## telracs

finally uploaded my Quito photos...


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great photos Scarlet!
jp


----------



## BrassMan

Next to nothing:


----------



## Dana

Very cool, Brassman!


----------



## BrassMan

Dana said:


> Very cool, Brassman!


We were talking on another thread about the advantages of digital photography, one being that you can take chances basically for free--shoot blind, and so forth. That's an example. It was a tiki torch, at a picnic. Easy; the flash took care of everything. Sometimes, you surprise yourself!


----------



## jpmorgan49

Very nice Al!!!
jp


----------



## Kathy

Laurie said:


> Great picture. What is that? Don't think I've seen anything like it before.


It is a pelican. I live in Florida and we have a lot of them. This is a young one.


----------



## telracs

This is how I feel today... crabby. Does anyone else think the crab is standing there with his arms crossed looking


Spoiler



pissed off


 at the world?


----------



## Sometimes Lucy

I just "discovered" this thread! Awesome!!!


----------



## telracs

mrskb said:


> I just "discovered" this thread! Awesome!!!


Check out our Flower of the day and Spring Picture threads if you like nature pictures.


----------



## BrassMan

Right. This thread is for...for...10,000 word pictures? Here's one daughter #2 brought back from Italy. You can supply the 10,000 words if you wish.


----------



## BrassMan

Day lilies (slightly messed with--a friend wants this on material, for a dress), and some neon art:


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great pictures AL, keep them coming...  
jp


----------



## BrassMan

One more, of a lake in a Mexican waterpark, which begins to explain the reflection:


----------



## Cindy416

jpmorgan49 said:


> Here's one I took yesterday with my new Macro Lens...
> jp


Beautiful photo, as always, JP. I love macro shots.


----------



## telracs

another bizarre scarlet collage. bottom right corner is the orignal



Seagulls and inverted seagulls.



swans, geese, duck and seagulls


waiting sailboats


trees grow in brooklyn


tree patterns in the concrete


----------



## BrassMan

The cenizo is an odd, semi-desert bush. The leaves are grayish--hence the name. Cenizo is Spanish for "ash." They are said to be predictors of rain, because they seem to bloom BEFORE it rains. And then, of course, the blooms fall off.


----------



## BrassMan

Might as well include a shot of the cenizo itself, with blooms intact.


----------



## Cindy416

Scarlet, you seem to travel a lot. Do you do that with your job or are you just fortunate enough to have opportunities to see the world? Either way, of course, I love your photos. Thanks for sharing!


----------



## sherylb

I'm on vacation for a little while. Wanna guess where? (I know, too easy!)


----------



## BrassMan

sherylb said:


> I'm on vacation for a little while. Wanna guess where? (I know, too easy!)


Hmmm. The beach, maybe?

Might as well toss out one more shot of some cenizo blooms while I'm at it:


----------



## BrassMan

By the way, am I the only one who loves to mess with photos? We could have a thread for that, unless I'm the only one. I posted some day lilies that I fooled around with and no one objected. Are there a bunch of photo fiddlers here?

For example, these live oak trees. I love live oaks.


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> By the way, am I the only one who loves to mess with photos? We could have a thread for that, unless I'm the only one. I posted some day lilies that I fooled around with and no one objected. Are there a bunch of photo fiddlers here?


Did you not notice my inverted black and white seagulls or my multi-colored concrete?

Yeah, I think an "effects" photo thread would be nice.


----------



## Cindy416

sherylb said:


> I'm on vacation for a little while. Wanna guess where? (I know, too easy!)


I wat to be there!!!!!!!!!


----------



## telracs

sherylb said:


> I'm on vacation for a little while. Wanna guess where? (I know, too easy!)


seems too windy for my taste. and no, not too easy, could be California, Florida, Hawaii, Mexico...


----------



## sherylb

scarlet said:


> seems too windy for my taste. and no, not too easy, could be California, Florida, Hawaii, Mexico...


Jeez, didn't know California looked like this!
Anyway it is the windward side of the North Shore of Oahu. And yes it is currently VERY windy, a rather nasty weather system has brought record winds for a couple of days. But, hey, I'm on vacation and it's better than what I left in Seattle!


----------



## Susan in VA

I'm completely captivated by the coloring of that cenizo plant.  I've never seen one before.  Googling it tells me that it's hardy from zone 7b on up, and I'm in 7a...  maybe with a little sheltering...  and there's a place that sells them for about $ 6 by mail order...  BrassMan, do you know whether those would grow in large pots?  Then I could move one indoors in winter.


----------



## Jeff

Susan in VA said:


> I'm completely captivated by the coloring of that cenizo plant. I've never seen one before. Googling it tells me that it's hardy from zone 7b on up, and I'm in 7a... maybe with a little sheltering... and there's a place that sells them for about $ 6 by mail order... BrassMan, do you know whether those would grow in large pots? Then I could move one indoors in winter.


I'm not BrassMan; I'm the guy that argues with him and calls the plant Purple Sage. (Scrophulariaceae Leucophyllum frutescens). They will grow in pots and they also survive outdoors here where our winters are more severe than Al's. They also attract butterflies.

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LEFR3


----------



## BrassMan

Jeff is correct, and I am correct. If Jeff lived down here and called cenizo "purple sage," no one would know what he was talking about. Plant names are notoriously variable. In South Texas (don't know about Central Texas) cenizo is native; even the plants themselves vary one from another. See the pics below. One of ours has noticeably greener leaves than the other. They grow to make a good-size bush. I think they might survive Dallas weather. One of those freak cold fronts brought us 18º this past winter and the cenizo carried on nicely. In any case, it probably would grow in a pot, and could probably be trimmed in a modest bonsai-style with no problem. It's a tough plant.

So, what about this? Around here, if someone gives you a plant, you should never say "Thank you." You can say "What a lovely plant," or "We're gonna love having this," but don't say "Thanks." Bad luck! Anyone ever heard of that superstition?




























I'm sooo glad we can post here more than once a week!


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great shot Al and beautiful flowers.
jp


----------



## Susan in VA

Thanks, Jeff and Al...  I had discovered in my search that there are about a dozen names for this plant!  But checking the botanical name, there does seem to be just the one variety, so I guess everyone's talking about the same thing.  I'm ordering one today, and hoping they send me one that has more silvery leaves rather than green.


----------



## BrassMan

Susan in VA said:


> I'm ordering one today, and hoping they send me one that has more silvery leaves rather than green.


If not, dash down here some time. We'll dig one up for you, and have a proper snort as well. Cheers!


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> I'm sooo glad we can post here more than once a week!


Once a week? You referring to the flower a DAY thread, where you can post a flower a DAY. And Al, we gonna start a photo effects thread?


----------



## Susan in VA

BrassMan said:


> If not, dash down here some time. We'll dig one up for you, and have a proper snort as well. Cheers!


The last time I drove through Texas (in 2002), it was with non-functional air conditioning, in July. 

Someday I'll have an opportunity to take another cross-country road trip... and maybe I'll get to see some Kindleboarders along the way!


----------



## BrassMan

scarlet said:


> Al, we gonna start a photo effects thread?


Roger dodger. Done!

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,22255.new.html#new


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> Roger dodger. Done!
> 
> http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,22255.new.html#new


And I posted my Hitchokian birds there!


----------



## B-Kay 1325

That's funny, here in Tucson the only name I have ever heard it called is "Texas Ranger".  In fact I have one right outside my window at work, unfortunately it is not in bloom right now.  Brassman your photos are beautiful.  I love this thread, I view it daily even though I don't post to it often.  Keep them coming!!


----------



## corkyb

I adore this thread.  My hope is to someday participate.  That will require two things though:  Spring arriving in upstate NY (actually, it's 80 degrees here, but we went from 20 to 80 in about ten seconds) and my taking my SLR out of the box and learning to use it.  
PaULA NY


----------



## telracs

corkyb said:


> I adore this thread. My hope is to someday participate. That will require two things though: Spring arriving in upstate NY (actually, it's 80 degrees here, but we went from 20 to 80 in about ten seconds) and my taking my SLR out of the box and learning to use it.
> PaULA NY


No, it just requires you taking the camera out of the box and pointing it at something!


----------



## BrassMan

corkyb said:


> I adore this thread. My hope is to someday participate. That will require two things though: Spring arriving in upstate NY... and my taking my SLR out of the box and learning to use it.
> PaULA NY


You may need the second item, but this thread is for anything worth 10,000 words, not just spring! That's what I love about it!

Here's a statue!










Best, Al


----------



## telracs

And here's the Israeli version of that statue. It says Ahava which is Hebrew for Love. Taken at the Israel museum in Jerusalem.


----------



## cybergeezer

now that I have your attention...this photo was taken in Levens Village in the Lake District in England. The remarkable thing is what is not in the photo. This pastoral scene is located immediately next to a Jaguar dealership.


----------



## Cindy416

BrassMan said:


> So, what about this? Around here, if someone gives you a plant, you should never say "Thank you." You can say "What a lovely plant," or "We're gonna love having this," but don't say "Thanks." Bad luck! Anyone ever heard of that superstition?


Al, my mother always said that. I'd forgotten about it until you mentioned it. I seldom get plants given to me, so I guess I haven't had many opportunities to think about the sentiment.


----------



## BrassMan

> Al, my mother always said that. I'd forgotten about it until you mentioned it.


My mother in law, rest her soul, taught me that. I never thought to ask what would happen if you said "thanks." Maybe the plant would die? She also taught me the word "whomperjawed" (out of kilter). She was always busy, as she said "pounding sand down rat holes." But man, could she raise plants. So can her daughter. She's the ultimate source of most of the flower pictures I've been posting.

Speaking of posting, some keen-eyed Kindleboarder pointed out that this will be my thousandth post! Yikes! What happens now? How about drinks on me?

Bartender! Dude! Front and center! Hop to it, man!

I love this wacky place.


----------



## intinst

BrassMan said:


> Speaking of posting, some keen-eyed Kindleboarder pointed out that this will be my thousandth post! Yikes! What happens now? How about drinks on me?
> 
> Bartender! Dude! Front and center! Hop to it, man!
> 
> I love this wacky place.


Thanks for the libation and congratulations on making it to Shakespeare level !


----------



## Cat

BrassMan said:


> Speaking of posting, some keen-eyed Kindleboarder pointed out that this will be my thousandth post! Yikes! What happens now? How about drinks on me?
> 
> Bartender! Dude! Front and center! Hop to it, man!
> 
> I love this wacky place.


Congrats! @ 2.079 per day, that's not much talking, but you've accumulated a bunch of posts! Time certainly flies when you're having fun, eh? 
*Tosses confetti*
oops, just spit those pieces out. heh, sorry. er, woohoo?


----------



## BrassMan

Cat said:


> Congrats! @ 2.079 per day, that's not much talking


Gimme a break! So, what's this thread called? And what have I posted hundreds of, hey? Do the math!


----------



## intinst

BrassMan said:


> Gimme a break! So, what's this thread called? And what have I posted hundreds of, hey? Do the math!


And unlike most of mine, your quality makes up for quantity.


----------



## Susan in VA

BrassMan said:


>


Now that's a good one for a jigsaw puzzle.


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> Gimme a break! So, what's this thread called? And what have I posted hundreds of, hey? Do the math!


Yup, lots o' pictures. And how about a frozen lemonade (from Peru, yet!)


----------



## BrassMan

I'll take some of that lemonade, by golly. With a shot o' rum in it, just once. Yum!



intinst said:


> And unlike most of mine, your quality makes up for quantity.


Now, now. I've watched you flip your flipper at hundreds of new pinball-KindleBoarders and send them zooming all over this place. You're one of the reasons this works!


----------



## Sandpiper

These photos of the Matterhorn were all taken from the same location in Zermatt. The first was a different year than the others.


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> I'll take some of that lemonade, by golly. With a shot o' rum in it, just once. Yum!


Rum? I was thinking vodka....


----------



## Susan in VA

scarlet said:


> Rum? I was thinking vodka....


I thought you didn't drink...?


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

BrassMan said:


> My mother in law, rest her soul, taught me that. I never thought to ask what would happen if you said "thanks." Maybe the plant would die? She also taught me the word "whomperjawed" (out of kilter). She was always busy, as she said "pounding sand down rat holes." But man, could she raise plants. So can her daughter. She's the ultimate source of most of the flower pictures I've been posting.
> 
> Speaking of posting, some keen-eyed Kindleboarder pointed out that this will be my thousandth post! Yikes! What happens now? How about drinks on me?
> 
> Bartender! Dude! Front and center! Hop to it, man!
> 
> I love this wacky place.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BrassMan,
> First of all, Congrats on your 1000th post!
> Second of all, that is one awesome picture!
> Third, I'll have a strawberry daiquiri!  (Well, strawberries are in season here in So. Cal.....)


----------



## telracs

Susan in VA said:


> I thought you didn't drink...?


For Al, not me....


----------



## telracs

Scarlet at the equator


----------



## sherylb

Picture I took today of Byodo-in Temple, Kaneohe HI


----------



## NogDog

One of my two nieces in her Easter finery. (Don't ask me which one, they're identical twins.)


----------



## Susan in VA

Love the way the reflection in the window gives you another peek at her expression.


----------



## BrassMan

Speaking of expressions....


----------



## NogDog

BrassMan said:


> Speaking of expressions....


Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?

A: To prove to the possum it could be done.


----------



## Jeff

NogDog said:


> Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
> 
> A: To prove to the possum it could be done.


Epilogue or Afterword depending upon the wisdom of Gertie:

When crossing the road the possum was frightened by an oncoming car and laid down to play dead.


----------



## Laurie

NogDog said:


> Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
> 
> A: To prove to the possum it could be done.


Not sure if this link is going to work.... hoping for the best.


----------



## Jeff

^ Perfect!


----------



## BrassMan

Anything worth doing is worth doing right. Trust a cat.


----------



## telracs

I'm watching a PBS special about Charles Darwin and he's talking about the birds in the Galapagos and how he thought they were different kinds (wrens, finches, orioles, etc) but it turned out they were all finches....










And how all the mockingbirds he collected from different islands were different species, not just different varieties of one species...


----------



## angelad

Love this thread


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great Shots all!!!!!
jp


----------



## BrassMan

How 'bout a sunset?


----------



## jpmorgan49

Fantastic Sunset picture AL!!!
jp


----------



## telracs

I want to turn it upside down.


----------



## BrassMan

scarlet said:


> I want to turn it upside down.


You mean, like this one?


----------



## telracs

exactly.


----------



## telracs

Ecudorian mountains from airplane.


----------



## Jeff




----------



## jpmorgan49

Beautiful Purple field!!!!
jp


----------



## ValeriGail

Here are three of mine taken last month... Most of my pictures are of my kids, and the rest lately seem to be of the lake 

Ian, one of my twins.. I couldn't resist taking this picture!









Zachary, the other twin, on the airplane ride at Fiesta Texas in San Antonio









Katelyn, My youngest, wearing my glasses. 









The Lake!! Sunset on March 28, 2010.


----------



## Jeff

ValeriGail said:


> Most of my pictures are of my kids, and the rest lately seem to be of the lake


Great shots. We like kids and lakes here.


----------



## sherylb

ValeriGail said:


> Katelyn, My youngest, wearing my glasses.


That's my favorite! Great picture. I love the b&w with the colored glasses.


----------



## angelad

Love the lake sunset picture.


----------



## ValeriGail

Thanks!!

I love doing the black and white with a highlight of color... time consuming but so worth it (Wish I had photoshop cs4!!)

The lake picture.. we were on our way home from visiting out of town when we crossed the bridge and saw the gorgeous sunset over the lake.  My husband said "Man, too bad you don't have the camera! that would be an awesome picture"  And I said "I DO have the camera!"  so he pulled over at the marina and I walked around taking pictures trying to get a good one before it got too dark.  This was the best one of the bunch I took.  I LOVE lake pictures!


----------



## Tina C.

Jeff said:


>


 Those look like Texas Blue Bonnets !!!!!! We are just outside San Antonio, Blue Bonnets everywhere.


----------



## Jeff

Tina C. said:


> Those look like Texas Blue Bonnets !!!!!! We are just outside San Antonio, Blue Bonnets everywhere.


So where are your pictures?


----------



## sherylb

Took these on Friday, 4/9/10.
Kualoa Ranch, Oahu
http://www.kualoa.com/
It's a wonderful place. If you ever get a chance to visit, you won't regret it!

This is taken just outside the main building which houses the gift shop and cafe.









Taken from same place. I do not know what the flower name is though.


----------



## sherylb

This is for all the "Losties" out there.
I took these on Friday, 4/9/10 while on a Movie Set and Ranch Tour at the Kualoa Ranch, Oahu.
As most of you know, a large portion of the filming for Lost is done at various areas around Oahu with the Kualoa Ranch being just one of the film sites. We happened to take the tour on the very last day of filming and while we did not see any of the actors, we did see all the equipment trailers, the actors trailers, and the craft services area set up at the ranch. While we were out on one of the tours, we came upon where they were filming but only saw all the people not needed when they are actually filming and the security people. They were filming down through the trees where we could not see. Darn it! We were all hoping to catch a sight of our various favorite actors.  So here are some pics I did manage to take.

Hurley's Golf Course- Up at the top is a white sign that says "Lost". Where they golfed is up on the top, but we could not get out and actually stand there.









This is the bunker seen in the episode "The Tempest", season 4 episode 6. This is where the poison gas is found by Faraday. Our lovely tour guide Lilly is unlocking and opening the doors. A portion of this bunker is used as a museum and shows all the various movies, tv shows, etc that have been filmed around the Ranch.









This is what it looked like on TV









And last but not least, this is where the wrap party is going to be held after filming is done for the day. It is located up in the valley where it is very private and hard to get to if you are not invited! DH suggested we park on the highway and walk in, but it is about two miles over rugged terraine so I nixed that idea.


----------



## telracs

spent some time in Bryant Park today....

bocce balls...


































fountain


----------



## angelad

Excellent additions to the thread.


----------



## telracs

I'll see your lighthouse and bid two South African ones....



















and one Australian one...


----------



## BrassMan

Great kid shots, ValeriGail!

Here's one of our granddaughter, just turned two:


----------



## 911jason

Here's one I took of my daughter trying to drink our pool's waterfall...


----------



## BrassMan

Here's a shot from last weekend's visit to the Lancaster, PA area.


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> Here's a shot from last weekend's visit to the Lancaster, PA area.


NICE!


----------



## jpmorgan49

Midwest Spring Tulips....
jp


----------



## telracs

jpmorgan49 said:


>


Orange lillies! Pretty!


----------



## ValeriGail

Love all the new pictures!!
  
The set of lost is really cool!  I had to show my husband who is a lost fanatic (or so he thinks, haha)

Scarlet, I love your skyline and around town pictures, specially the one of the fountain.  there is just something about that that really speaks to me.. don't know what though.  Maybe the angle?  I don't know, just know I like it!

That bunny mask cracks me up!!  My daughter wanted to know who the cute little girl was on the computer.  She wants a bunny mask now! 

What a great shot to catch with the water fountain, 911 jason!! The detail of that pic is awesome!  Now my daughter wants a pool with a water fountain to go with her bunny mask!  hehe  

I love sunset pictures, specially over water!  I could sit and look at yours all day, Cobbie!!  

Gorgeous shot of the Amish buggie, Brassman! Totally stunning.  I want to visit that area some day.  It just seems so peaceful.


----------



## ValeriGail

Here are two that I took last march (2009) at the Fort Worth Zoo.

This is my daughter outside the white tiger exhibit. He really liked her, as you can see! 









This is actually two photos I photoshopped together. It was my first time using my new camera and was still learning the photo area, so I cut off the poor girl's head in one and the boy's back end in another. But... tonight I was going through the pics and decided to try to combine them in photoshop and I like the results, though I'm sure it could be better.


----------



## telracs

I have a habit of odd angles....


















edited to remove duplicate photo...


----------



## Susan in VA

scarlet said:


> I have a habit of odd angles....


Better lay off the booze, kid...


----------



## telracs

Susan in VA said:


> Better lay off the booze, kid...


don't drink. just look at the world from a variety of angles....


----------



## telracs




----------



## Susan in VA

Beautiful.  Where is it?


----------



## telracs

Tsitsikamma National Park, South Africa.


----------



## telracs

Australian Sunsets

Canberra


















Ferry from Kangaroo Island



























ayers rock


----------



## BrassMan

ValeriGail said:


> that bunny mask cracks me up!! My daughter wanted to know who the cute little girl was on the computer. She wants a bunny mask now!


For your daughter, here's my granddaughter again. I thought of posting this under the photo-effects thread, but the effect is electromagnetic, not photographic.


----------



## BrassMan

Might as well throw in another Amish country shot. The reflection in the mirror was a happy accident.


----------



## telracs

I have to apologize, I didn't realize how blurry those sunset photos were...


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> They could always be photo effects.


nope, sorry they're blurry.


----------



## Jo

This is not even close to as good as the pictures are on this thread but I was trying my new camera that I got for Christmas outside and took this one picture of our fountain and was so happy that I caught the water drops in mid air.


----------



## telracs

Jo said:


> This is not even close to as good as the pictures are on this thread but I was trying my new camera that I got for Christmas outside and took this one picture of our fountain and was so happy that I caught the water drops in mid air.


Very nice Jo! All photos happily appreciated here.


----------



## kory

North-West Forrest (when it is not raining  )


----------



## ValeriGail

Beautiful fountain pic Jo!! I remember when I first took my new camera to the pool last summer, (my husband was frustrated cause he knew it ment I would snap pictures instead of swim).. I was so ecstatic that I got pictures of the water coming off the kids heads! Arent the cameras these days awesome?!?!

As I drove up to my mother in laws house today, I saw that all her roses were gorgeously in bloom... and lucky me had brought my camera!!! So I decided to snap a few pictures (108!!.. I'll post a few in the flower thread later). But these pics where actually taken with my iphone... yes my iphone!! with an app called Hipstamatic. I read a blog post about it the other day, and while I was out today decided it would be cool to try it out on the kids and the roses... so, I downloaded and started snapping pics. I liked it so much that I started alternating between my DSLR and the iphone!! I LOVE the vintage feel it gives the pictures!!





































(couldn't resist adding the kids pics in!  )


----------



## ValeriGail

Kori, Those pictures are breathtaking!!!


----------



## Jeff




----------



## BrassMan

Such lovely pictures. Seeing the flower pictures on this and other threads, and waking to steady showers this morning, reminds me of what flowers need, especially wildflowers. This is an evening shower, not a morning shower, but the end result is the same.


----------



## Jo

Thanks everyone. Here are a few more. I was playing with the filters on the camera.





































Sized them down some.. thanks Cobbie


----------



## Jo

oh my. I think I need to work on my resizing of the pictures when I post. Those came out big.



> yes my iphone!! with an app called Hipstamatic


 I just checked the android market and they don't have that program. I am bummed  .. maybe they will get it.


----------



## Jeff

Cobbie said:


> Cruise, anyone?


----------



## NogDog

Cobbie said:


> Cruise, anyone?


----------



## Jo

NogDog said:


>


WOW those things are huge!


----------



## ValeriGail

Can you imagine trying to park one of those!!      

Awesome pictures!!!


----------



## BrassMan

Ignacio Zaragosa (aka Nacho) and Alexander the Grate, yesterday morning:


----------



## BrassMan

Cat tussle concluded:


----------



## kory

NogDog said:


>


----------



## jpmorgan49

My wife and I went to Brookfield Zoo yesterday, here's a few pictures... 
jp


----------



## telracs

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my...  Wait, where are the bears?


----------



## jpmorgan49

There is a new Bear exhibit opening on May 8.  They had already moved the bears to the new exhibit so we couldn't see them. .  Next time I have the BEARS....
jp


----------



## telracs

jpmorgan49 said:


> There is a new Bear exhibit opening on May 8. They had already moved the bears to the new exhibit so we couldn't see them. . Next time I have the BEARS....
> jp


Okay, thanks.


----------



## ValeriGail

Going with the animal theme.....

This was taken at the Natural Bridge Wildlife park in San Antonio Texas last month... I swear this zebra posed for me!!!


----------



## Jeff




----------



## BrassMan

Terrific photos! Love the animals!

Here's another animal, genus granddaughter:


----------



## telracs

BUBBLES!!!


----------



## telracs

I think I've posted some of these before, but since we're doing animals....


----------



## telracs




----------



## Laurie

scarlet said:


> Lions and tigers and bears, oh my... Wait, where are the bears?


----------



## Laurie




----------



## telracs

Laurie said:


>


that's not a bear...


----------



## Laurie

Some pictures from the Bronx Zoo


----------



## Laurie

scarlet said:


> that's not a bear...


Nope. That's in a different post. I was having problems getting my links to work... may have posted wrong before.


----------



## telracs

Laurie said:


> Nope. That's in a different post. I was having problems getting my links to work... may have posted wrong before.


Oh, yeah, he showed up... Sorry, should have warned you, I have a weird sense of humor.


----------



## corkyb

scarlet said:


> Lions and tigers and bears, oh my... Wait, where are the bears?


www.bear.org
This is a fantastic site. Follow Lily and Hope, her cub.


----------



## Susan in VA

OK, what's up with Sunday?? Nosy Inquiring minds...


----------



## telracs

Susan in VA said:


> OK, what's up with Sunday?? Nosy Inquiring minds...


Cobbie make a donation to my MS walk page, so I said I won't tease her until the walk was over.


----------



## Susan in VA

Ahhh....  Enjoy the peace and quiet, Cobbie.


----------



## telracs

You have 45 minutes.  I have to turn in early to get up early for the walk.


----------



## Susan in VA

Scarlet's the _mouse_??

Oh wait, there was some article about mice with green fur recently, wasn't there...


----------



## ValeriGail

We have Trade Days this weekend here in Livingston, tx... While walking around I snapped a few shots with my iphone.. LOVE these!!!



















This is a "Pocket ebook" that was on one of the junk tables at a booth. It was HEAVY.. heavier than a huge Hardback book. I was tempted to buy it just because, LOL. Was really funny cause I was carrying my kindle.. I should have taken a comparison pic! 









These are all again with that hipstamatic app for the iphone.. I am seriously having fun taking pics of all kinds of things with it. Got some pretty cool pics of very ordinary things! HAHA


----------



## telracs




----------



## intinst

Your playground is a lot different than mine, Scarlet.
Ouachita Trail, Ouachita National Forest, AR


----------



## ValeriGail

Really cool series of photos, scarlet!  Love seeing the city through your lens!


----------



## ValeriGail

Fish Fry anyone?

 one of the best things about moving to the same town as my inlaws!


----------



## 911jason

ValeriGail said:


> Fish Fry anyone?
> 
> one of the best things about moving to the same town as my inlaws!


Sure, how much do you charge for shipping?!


----------



## ValeriGail

Awesome, Cobbie!!


----------



## leslieray

Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread. I could spend hours looking at all of these awesome photos! Some make me laugh some make me want to travel more, etc.,,,,,,but all are worth admiring!

You are all very talented!


----------



## corkyb

Love that NY skyline!
Paula ny


----------



## BrassMan

Not NYC:


----------



## Jeff

Is NYC:


----------



## BrassMan

Isn't:


----------



## Jeff

Guess:


----------



## BrassMan

Jeff said:


> Guess:


Not NYC. McLennan County?


----------



## BrassMan

Guess:


----------



## Jeff




----------



## BrassMan

Close, shape wise. Not close, location wise. Go north, young man.


----------



## leslieray

Is this a duel guys??

Lovin it, keep em coming! 

They are all awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Jeff




----------



## BrassMan

leslieray said:


> Is this a duel guys??
> 
> Lovin it, keep em coming!
> 
> They are all awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


No duel! More like a puzzle. I'm astonished at Jeff's resourcefulness. That last one is dang close. How did you ever find it, Jeff? I'm not sure, but I don't think it's quite the same place. It could be from a different perspective, but then again, maybe not.

I'm ready to ID the thing, Jeff. Don't waste a day on this....


----------



## Susan in VA

leslieray said:


> Is this a duel guys??


The Shootout at the KB Corral....


----------



## BrassMan

Susan in VA said:


> The Shootout at the KB Corral....


I see it differently. The protagonists shake and head for the shade and a beer. 

It's Chief Mountain, in Glacier National Park (Montana).


----------



## Susan in VA

BrassMan said:


> I see it differently. The protagonists shake and head for the shade and a beer.


That does sound much more pleasant.


----------



## ValeriGail

Couldn't resist taking this pic! 
This kitten has now been named Cinderella! It may not be a glass slipper, but its close enough! HAHA


----------



## chrianna

cobbie, isn't that makapu'u point on the south shore of oahu? or its somewhere around there. --where barack obama scattered his mother's ashes and his grandmother's ashes.


----------



## BrassMan

ValeriGail said:


> Couldn't resist taking this pic!
> This kitten has now been named Cinderella! It may not be a glass slipper, but its close enough! HAHA


I hope you'll encourage baby Cinderella in math. Some cats just love math....


----------



## kory

Famous Arch in Mexico


----------



## Cindy416

As usual, your photos here are beautiful. Suppose we could start an ocean/beach thread? I have to live vicariously for the most part (thank heaven for books and the Kindle), and the ocean (especially waves rolling in and crashing against something) is my favorite thing in nature. (The things that are tied for second are too numerous to mention.) I don't have any ocean shots to offer, but I'd LOVE to see an entire thread devoted to anything related to the ocean.


----------



## BrassMan

Cindy416 said:


> As usual, your photos here are beautiful. Suppose we could start an ocean/beach thread? I have to live vicariously for the most part (thank heaven for books and the Kindle), and the ocean (especially waves rolling in and crashing against something) is my favorite thing in nature. (The things that are tied for second are too numerous to mention.) I don't have any ocean shots to offer, but I'd LOVE to see an entire thread devoted to anything related to the ocean.


Check with CaroleC, one of our newer members. She's a physical oceanographer. She oughta have pictures till the world looks flat.


----------



## chrianna

Cobbie said:


> Aruba Oahu Makapu'u Point Halona Blow Hole
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This was in Aruba but they look quite similar, don't they? We stayed on Maui and spent a day touring Oahu but I don't remember seeing this. We must have been on a different shore.


wow! freakishly similar! so close that i'm going to say that i won lol. the south shore of oahu is gorgeous. that's where hanauma bay is.


----------



## Cindy416

chrianna said:


> wow! freakishly similar! so close that i'm going to say that i won lol. the south shore of oahu is gorgeous. that's where hanauma bay is.


We took a tour around the island, and saw a kid sitting on a big piece of plywood that he had placed over the blow hole. When the waves came in, he was catapulted high in the air. I think the bus driver said that it's technically illegal for kids to do what the boy was doing, but no one stopped him. Apparently, they lose a couple of kids each year through this activity. It was quite a long time ago when we were there, but I can't imagine that the situation has changed much. That area is, indeed, absolutely breathtaking.


----------



## Laurie

From Bermuda. The color of the water was so beautiful - not like what we see in New Englad.



















(I don't know how to make these a little smaller  ) Edited to read "I do now!"


----------



## Laurie

On our cruise home from Bermuda we were treated to a beautiful Atlantic sunset


----------



## Jeff

Laurie said:


> (I don't know how to make these a little smaller )


Great pictures. To limit the size edit the code to include either height= or width=, in pixels:



Code:


[IMG]http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss343/lauri4tr/Bermuda%20-%20June%202008/DSC_0229.jpg[/IMG]













Code:


[IMG]http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss343/lauri4tr/Bermuda%20-%20June%202008/DSC_0244.jpg[/IMG]

Typically a width of 640 will work for most of our members.


----------



## ValeriGail

My daughter, Katelyn, dealing with our dog Jake laying in her dig spot the best way she could... by covering him with all the dirt! He loved every second of it!


----------



## Laurie

Jeff said:


> Great pictures. To limit the size edit the code to include either height= or width=, in pixels:
> 
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> [IMG]http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss343/lauri4tr/Bermuda%20-%20June%202008/DSC_0229.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> [IMG]http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss343/lauri4tr/Bermuda%20-%20June%202008/DSC_0244.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> Typically a width of 640 will work for most of our members.


Thank you!


----------



## alusism

nice pictures dude


----------



## Jo

ValeriGail said:


> My daughter, Katelyn, dealing with our dog Jake laying in her dig spot the best way she could... by covering him with all the dirt! He loved every second of it!


That is one big dog... but looks like a big old teddy bear. So cute.


----------



## ValeriGail

Jo said:


> That is one big dog... but looks like a big old teddy bear. So cute.


Yep he is huge!! But, he is the biggest baby on the planet. He's the best dog, except when you get in the way of his tail... then well, all's fair in love and tail wagging! HAHA


----------



## Jo

ValeriGail said:


> Yep he is huge!! But, he is the biggest baby on the planet. He's the best dog, except when you get in the way of his tail... then well, all's fair in love and tail wagging! HAHA


Ouch... I bet that would sting. What kind of dog is he?


----------



## ValeriGail

Jo said:


> Ouch... I bet that would sting. What kind of dog is he?


He's a Great Dane, weighing in at about 170 of mostly muscle. He runs runs runs the 10 acres plus that we are on.


----------



## corkyb

Cindy416 said:


> As usual, your photos here are beautiful. Suppose we could start an ocean/beach thread? I have to live vicariously for the most part (thank heaven for books and the Kindle), and the ocean (especially waves rolling in and crashing against something) is my favorite thing in nature. (The things that are tied for second are too numerous to mention.) I don't have any ocean shots to offer, but I'd LOVE to see an entire thread devoted to anything related to the ocean.


Me too. I'm 3, 3.5 hours from the ocean and I don't get there often enough.
Paula


----------



## corkyb

chrianna said:


> wow! freakishly similar! so close that i'm going to say that i won lol. the south shore of oahu is gorgeous. that's where hanauma bay is.


All shores on Oahu are gorgeous. Love the North Shore too. I yearn for the days of my yearly visits to Hawaii when my sister's husband was stationed there for seven years.
Y'all are making me yearn to see the ocean and my not so possible dream to retire near the ocean somewhere.
paula ny


----------



## Cindy416

corkyb said:


> Me too. I'm 3, 3.5 hours from the ocean and I don't get there often enough.
> Paula


I live smackdab in the middle of the U.S., so you can imagine how far away the ocean is for me. How I ended up 30 miles from my hometown still amazes  confounds me at times.


----------



## corkyb

I'm still in my hometown area too.  Right across the river actually.  I'd like to move when I retire, but not sure I will be able to afford it.  And as long as my mother is still around, I will be here as she has dementia and is starting to need more and more care.
Paula ny


----------



## Cindy416

I married a guy who had just graduated with an accounting degree, but who decided to take his veterinarian-father's offer to raise hogs and grow corn and soybeans. When we became engaged, he was going to become a CPA. Hmmmmm. I think I just figured out why I live where I do.


----------



## telracs

DC at night....




























accidental double exposure


----------



## loca

Cobbie said:


>


LOOKs beatiful


----------



## chrianna

argh, you got me! i didn't want to guess oahu for fear i would be wrong.  not the view from my house but i can drive down the street and look at a view like that.  my favorite thing to do is to take morning pics with my phone and post them on twitter to taunt my twitter friends with.


----------



## chrianna

consider yourself taunted.  although feel smug in knowing that i can't seem to take a pic without slanting the horizon . . . 

argh! i can't figure out how to insert pics here. here are the links anyway:

http://twitpic.com/1ix7ga

http://twitpic.com/1ix74l

shrug


----------



## BrassMan




----------



## Jeff




----------



## BrassMan




----------



## ValeriGail

BrassMan said:


>


Can almost reach out and pet it!!


----------



## BrassMan

ValeriGail said:


> Can almost reach out and pet it!!


Sure! Go ahead!


----------



## ValeriGail

Smile, the camera loves you!


----------



## telracs




----------



## corkyb

Cobbie said:


> It's the view from my house...NOT! Just wishful thinking.  It's Oahu.


I thought it looked familiar.
Paula ny


----------



## corkyb

chrianna said:


> consider yourself taunted.  although feel smug in knowing that i can't seem to take a pic without slanting the horizon . . .
> 
> argh! i can't figure out how to insert pics here. here are the links anyway:
> 
> Ok, I love pictures of Hawaii. They make me cry though as I want to go back there and chances are about nil I will. My sister lived on the north shore for several years. How do I follow you on twitter so I can continue to see your pictures?
> 
> http://twitpic.com/1ix7ga
> 
> http://twitpic.com/1ix74l
> 
> shrug


----------



## chrianna

corkyb, i'm @moanasaves on twitter. be forewarned: i let myself get political on twitter and i'm a bleeding heart liberal . . . who tweets hawaii pics several times a week


----------



## corkyb

oh I will thoroughtly enjoy your twitters then.......that's if I get back on.  I joined and never found many people I knew.
Paula ny


----------



## sherylb

Different perspective: North Shore Oahu from above.
Did a bucket list item and went on a glider plane ride. It was fabulous! 
Airstrip is Dillingham Airbase where the glider port is.


----------



## sherylb

This guy evidently lost the toss.
We were on the 6th floor and he was above us. He climbed up to trim the palm fronds that were broken so they would not fall on people. While we were on Oahu, we had the trade winds come and they did damage to a lot of the trees.


----------



## chrianna

sherylb, nice hawai'i pics! 20 yrs ago, i skydived (skydove?) out at dillingham back when you could choose to either jump the first time yourself or go tandem with the instructor.  now, i think the first few jumps have to be tandem.  

your profile pic was a bit disorienting to me. i use a plumeria one on twitter.  for a minute, i thought you were me! lol.

corkyb, are you back on twitter yet? no pressure, of course . . . i follow mostly HI tweeps and #p2 (progressives).


----------



## Jeff




----------



## leslieray

Jeff said:


>


Hey Jeff, this looks like a nice place to sit and read a book/Kindle! That blue sky is gorgeous! Thankfully it looks just like the weather here today too! Thanks for sharing!


----------



## Jeff

That's the new cover I built to replace the one that was ruined by the wind.


----------



## BrassMan

This visitor strolled through our back yard about an hour ago, using a "lane" I mowed through the drying wildflowers. We've heard turkeys gobbling around here for the last week, but this is the first we've seen this season.


----------



## leslieray

BrassMan said:


> This visitor strolled through our back yard about an hour ago, using a "lane" I mowed through the drying wildflowers. We've heard turkeys gobbling around here for the last week, but this is the first we've seen this season.


Looks like a happy camper! Just enjoying a beautiful day perhaps?


----------



## BrassMan

It was a beautiful morning, yes, but I reckon this bird was just looking for breakfast. Lotta bugs in our "yard."

Here's a shot of the same area the last summer we had rain, in 2007. More critters looking for lunch....


----------



## Susan in VA

Jeff said:


> That's the new cover I built to replace the one that was ruined by the wind.


Oh, that looks nice! I'm just catching up on this thread now. Are you going to let vines grow along it?


----------



## Jeff

Susan in VA said:


> Oh, that looks nice! I'm just catching up on this thread now. Are you going to let vines grow along it?


Oops. I posted that picture in answer to your question about covering your deck but then forgot to send you a PM to tell you about it.

No vines unless they're artificial - too many bugs and other objects falling from above. I've ordered a roll of banner-canvas to make a retractable sunscreen.


----------



## leslieray

Cobbie said:


>


Oh soooooo beautiful!!!!!


----------



## telracs




----------



## corkyb

Cobbie said:


> I knoooow! The view, not necessarily the photo...lol. It's St John. Thank you.


I thought it looked familiar. I was there many years ago. LOVED Trunk Bay.


----------



## Aravis60

BrassMan said:


> So, what about this? Around here, if someone gives you a plant, you should never say "Thank you." You can say "What a lovely plant," or "We're gonna love having this," but don't say "Thanks." Bad luck! Anyone ever heard of that superstition?


My mom taught me that when I was little (in Ohio).


----------



## BrassMan

Aravis60 said:


> My mom taught me that when I was little (in Ohio).


How very odd. I can understand how some agricultural superstitions came to be--the full moon, to name one--but I can't for the life of me think of any conceivable reason why thanking one for a plant could be thought of as being hazardous to the life of that plant.


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> Scarlet, that is breathtaking. Where is it?


Cape Point, South Africa



















sorry for the sidewise me....


----------



## geoffthomas

And I thought she was holding on so tight to avoid falling.


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> Ahhh...all better.


Thanks. Didn't have time to fix the photobucket....



geoffthomas said:


> And I thought she was holding on so tight to avoid falling.


No, I had to get really close so that other people weren't in the shot.


----------



## ValeriGail

Couldn't let this thread fall to the second page    so, gonna revive it with a little creepy crawly scariness!!

these are Daddy long legs, under a rock cropping in Weatherford Texas at the state park there. We were walking along, and noticed that the rock looked like it had fur. Upon closer investigation.... well.. you see. SPIDERS!! If you only knew just how hard it was for me to take this picture cause I was shaking like a leaf! I hate spiders and there were thousands of them.... AND they were BOUNCING!!!


----------



## William Meikle

Two favorites, taken on the same trip...


----------



## BrassMan

ValeriGail said:


> Couldn't let this thread fall to the second page    so, gonna revive it with a little creepy crawly scariness!!
> 
> these are Daddy long legs, under a rock cropping in Weatherford Texas at the state park there. We were walking along, and noticed that the rock looked like it had fur. Upon closer investigation.... well.. you see. SPIDERS!! If you only knew just how hard it was for me to take this picture cause I was shaking like a leaf! I hate spiders and there were thousands of them.... AND they were BOUNCING!!!


Well done, ma'am! I admire your daring! As one who has been chastised for posting pictures of snakes & spiders, I salute you!


----------



## egh34

Seriously? Spiders? There is NO way I could have never taken that picture! I would have run screaming for the hills. (They can smell fear, ya know) LOL!!


----------



## sherylb

egh34 said:


> Seriously? Spiders? There is NO way I could have never taken that picture! I would have run screaming for the hills. (They can smell fear, ya know) LOL!!


As I sit here fighting off imaginery creepy crawlers because my skin is crawling...I totally agree! I almost wrecked my car once when I looked down and saw a spider on my leg. 
No way could I have even gotten close enough to identify that mass! I salute you ValeriGail!


----------



## ValeriGail

It helped that my kids were cheering me on cause my husband didn't think I could do it!  And, that Zoom on a Camera can be your best friend!! LOL   I did get closer that I ever wanted to though.  Even though I am totally terrified of spiders, they intrigue me.  It is a very disturbing conundrum.  If it had been any other spider though, I wouldn't have taken the shot... but I know that the only way a daddy long leg can hurt me is by freaken me out!  They can't bite... but still, the thought of all those crawling on me about had me in.  When I got the shot, I moved as fast as I could to get away from that rock!  LOL  I took this picture almost 2 years ago, and I still remember those exact moments vividly.  

Then there was this time I petted a HUGE wolf spider with my toe as it rested under my computer desk.... yeah... um... I'll let you all imagine just how an arachnophob dealt with that! Lets just say there wasn't a picture that day.  And by the way, Wolf spiders bark.  They seriously do.  And believe it or not, they scare me more than a Tarantula.


----------



## BrassMan

OK, guys. You started this. I don't care for spiders either, but this jeweled garden spider is fairly attractive, at least as far as spiders go. Or so I think.


----------



## sem

Here we go again! Maybe we need a thread just for all the icky things that give folks the screaming meemies! (I guess that wouldn't be any fun - those folks would just ignore it). Maybe we could give the thread an innocuous name like  "free ______ here"?


----------



## BrassMan

sem said:


> Here we go again! Maybe we need a thread just for all the icky things that give folks the screaming meemies!


I thought that was the Book Bazaar....


----------



## intinst

BrassMan said:


> I thought that was the Book Bazaar....


Touche!


----------



## BrassMan

So how about taking a step back from icky? Back to just good old weird:


----------



## sherylb

BrassMan- While the spider is cool looking, I do prefer the pretty colors of the table (?). 
Just how big was that spider anyway?


----------



## BrassMan

sherylb said:


> BrassMan- While the spider is cool looking, I do prefer the pretty colors of the table (?).
> Just how big was that spider anyway?


I guess her body (I"m assuming) was almost 1.5" long. From front leg to back, maybe 3" or a little more. Those critters set up in our garden every summer. They usually pick sturdy anchor points and keep their webs a long time. I try not to bother them unless they obstruct a walkway. Hey, they eat bugs and I wish them well! They have a hard life. They're a lot more scared of us than we are of them (believe it or not).


----------



## BrassMan

There are several Amish families hereabouts in south Texas. The local Walmart has been so thoughtful as to provide them their own hitching post. This is why we all need at least one teensy camera.


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> There are several Amish families hereabouts in south Texas. The local Walmart has been so thoughtful as to provide them their own hitching post. This is why we all need at least one teensy camera.


Not enough to HAVE a teensy camera, one must also CARRY it!


----------



## Susan in VA

Jeff said:


> No vines unless they're artificial - too many bugs and other objects falling from above. I've ordered a roll of banner-canvas to make a retractable sunscreen.


  I'm glad I'm not the only person squeamish about bugs in my hair.


----------



## Susan in VA

I was PLANNING to go to bed after this thread. Thanks to ValeriGail, I'm now going to be up for quite a while longer. All those spiders... <shudder>


----------



## sherylb

Yeah, but the one BrassMan put up is so purty!


----------



## ValeriGail

Susan in VA said:


> I was PLANNING to go to bed after this thread. Thanks to ValeriGail, I'm now going to be up for quite a while longer. All those spiders... <shudder>


So sorry!

The one Brassman posted is perty.. we call those "Cowboy" spiders cause their webs generally have an x on them that look like braided lassos. I think they also sorta lasso their prey, too but I could be wrong. And they bounce their webs when you get close to them. If I see them, I leave them be. Probably the one spider that bothers me the least.

I need to get out and shoot some more pictures.. I think I'm tapped out on anything thats recent


----------



## BrassMan

Susan in VA said:


> I was PLANNING to go to bed after this thread. Thanks to ValeriGail, I'm now going to be up for quite a while longer. All those spiders... <shudder>


Now I'm feeling rotten, even though I didn't start it. Here's a picture meant to calm you down, Susan in VA. It really belongs in the photo effects thread, but I'll make an exception in your case. It's called Moonlight & Fog:


----------



## Susan in VA

That's pretty!  Is that a real picture that you took and then ran through a Magical Effects Machine?


----------



## BrassMan

Susan in VA said:


> That's pretty! Is that a real picture that you took and then ran through a Magical Effects Machine?


Well...I ran it through a computer, if that's what you mean. It began as a failed picture of the moon--too dark. So I started fiddling with the contrast, brightness, colors, and so on, and this version happened. As I recall, a filter was never a part of it.

So many things to go wrong!

Here's a shot I call "Pity the Poor Photographer:"


----------



## sherylb

The sky was so amazing!


----------



## sherylb

Cobbie said:


> Yes, the sky is indeed amazing. Where was that taken?


At a county park near where I live in Washington State on the Olympic Peninsula.


----------



## sherylb

Cobbie, what/where is the tower?


----------



## sherylb

Two more-same day, same place. We hardly ever get a sky like this. It was kind of a wierd weather day too. Couldn't make it's mind up what it wanted to do.

Looking towards Victoria, BC Canada (Vancouver Island). I love the huge rain cell in this one, but it was much more impressive in real life!









And looking roughly North towards the San Juan Islands


----------



## Guest

i agree these pics are really worth 10000 words


----------



## BrassMan

Let's see...no spiders, no snakes...how about this fellow?


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown, Cape Cod. The original photo had a telephone pole and wires and I'm trying to learn more about PS Elements so I "painted" over them.
> 
> Your sky shots are really beautiful.


Yeah, looking at it closely I can see some paint.


----------



## sherylb

Oooh, he's very handsome! 
What is he? Can't tell how big he is from the pic.


----------



## Susan in VA

Cobbie said:


> You....can....not.....


Yes she can. I see it too. But only because you pointed it out.


----------



## BrassMan

sherylb said:


> Oooh, he's very handsome!
> What is he? Can't tell how big he is from the pic.


You mean the lizard? He was about 8, 9 inches long. I almost didn't see him, against the bark of that live oak.

Anyone want a mystery? Can you tell what this is?


----------



## sherylb

Bats in a tree?


----------



## geoffthomas

Well it kinda looks like the moon behind a bush.
But I don't think so.
A house plant in front of a lamp?


----------



## BrassMan

geoffthomas said:


> Well it kinda looks like the moon behind a bush.


Attaboy! Remove the bush, and we have:


----------



## telracs




----------



## Laurie

I keep trying to get a picture of the male bird, but he's camera shy!! Always goes to the back side of the feeder and never stays for more than a second or two. I got some pretty good shots of the girls, though.


----------



## Laurie

Cobbie said:


> Laurie, you got some great pictures of the girls. Lovely pictures. I can tell you are definitely not using a point-and-shoot...lol.
> 
> Okay, my turn...what kind of camera are you using?


Took those using my daughter's Nikon D40X. I opened the window and screen in my kitchen and set the camera up on the counter with the zoom lens so it was ready to just click when the birds came. I just used the auto setting.


----------



## Laurie

Cobbie said:


> ^^^ Nice camera.


I know.... wish it was mine!! Oh well, at least I get to borrow it.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great Shots!!!


----------



## Daniel Arenson

I took this photo up by the lake last weekend:


----------



## Laurie

DArenson said:


> I took this photo up by the lake last weekend:


Very nice. Looks like someplace I'd like to be!


----------



## telracs

This is a photo of a photo. A few years ago, my sister were walking under the Verazano Bridge and saw this sign.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Laurie said:


> Very nice. Looks like someplace I'd like to be!


It's Rice Lake, Ontario. Beautiful place.


----------



## jpmorgan49

A few Spring Flower Pictures....
jp


----------



## Cindy416

Beautiful flowers, JP. Haven't seen you around for awhile. Nice to see your photos again.


----------



## jpmorgan49

I've been busy but I'm trying to be better at Kindleboards.... 
jp


----------



## Cindy416

My husband actually brought me these today for our 36th anniversary. He's not one to buy flowers very often, so I really appreciate them. Just thought I'd share.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Beautiful Flowers Cindy, he must really care... 
jp


----------



## Cindy416

Thanks, JP.  I'm sure he does, but he isn't one to do sappily romantic things. I'm a hopeless romantic (probably enough for both of us), so the flowers were a wonderful surprise. They really are pretty.


----------



## Cindy416

Cobbie said:


> Cindy, lovely flowers. Congratulations on your anniversary with your great husband.


Thanks, Cobbie. Your photo of Venice (I assume) is lovely!


----------



## telracs

had a bad day at work so I wanted to go to my happy place and decided to bring you all with me....


----------



## telracs

nope, another lousy day, so let's visit the land down under.


----------



## telracs

mountain climbing?


----------



## jpmorgan49

Back in 2007 before when I was still working I had a workshop in Galveston Texas. During our free time we toured a refurbished Tall ship called the Ellisa. Here are a couple of shots.
jp


----------



## jpmorgan49

It may not have been moored there permanently.  I think we were just lucky and caught here in port.
jp


----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs




----------



## jpmorgan49

I was digging through my old pictures and found my Niagara Falls Collection. The 2 pictures below were taken in September of 2004 with my first Digital SLR, my Nikon D70.
jp


----------



## patinagle

Here's what the bear did to my bird feeders the other night.


----------



## telracs

Sorry about your bird feeders pat!

Some red Australian pictures.


----------



## Aravis60

Cobbie said:


>


Where is this one? It's very pretty. It reminds me of Bavaria.


----------



## telracs

Aravis60 said:


> Where is this one? It's very pretty. It reminds me of Bavaria.


She said it was Switzerland when I asked her.


----------



## geoffthomas

Well it almost could be in Pennsylvania off of route 85 in the poconos.
I used to drive by little towns nestled in the rolling hills and dales when I drove from Frederick, MD to Scranton, PA.

Just sayin......


----------



## jpmorgan49

This the Hofbrauhouse in Munich Germany.
jp


----------



## geoffthomas

This is in Chagrin Fall, OH.










And yes, that is the Chagrin Falls that the town is named for.

Small town - what do you want?


----------



## jpmorgan49

Happy Fathers Day!!! Here is a Cookie Basket I received from my daughters.
jp


----------



## Aravis60

Cobbie said:


>


Isn't that the Lowendenkmal?


----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs

My friend Jamie laughs at my odd angles....



















and a very windswept me down under...


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> ^^^ I like your odd angles.


Thanks. Cute puppy.


----------



## telracs




----------



## prairiesky

A butterfly in the flowers on my backyard deck.


----------



## Jeff

prairiesky said:


> A butterfly in the flowers on my backyard deck.


Great shot.


----------



## lonestar




----------



## Laurie

lonestar said:


>


Wow! That's awesome...


----------



## telracs




----------



## lonestar

Laurie said:


> Wow! That's awesome...





Cobbie said:


> Double Wow!


Thank you so much. I caught this on the way to work one morning. It was glorious to watch.


----------



## Susan in VA

Just catching up on pics....  Cobbie, got any more of Lucerne?  One of my favorite towns.  The dying-lion monument always makes me sniffle, though.  I have a bunch of the old covered bridge with all the paintings in it somewhere ...  pre-digital camera...  eventually I'll find those and contribute some.


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> Scarlet, that's a great reflection. Love the door and chair.


Thanks. It's a resort in South Africa outside of J'burg. I'm trying to play with it to just have the reflection without the chair, but photobucket doesn't like me.


----------



## telracs

boats


----------



## Susan in VA

Cobbie said:


> A bridge for Susan.


thanks! 

did you walk across it?


----------



## Susan in VA

Cobbie said:


> You're welcome. It looks like I took one of the pictures from part of the bridge but I don't remember walking across it. We were doing a day trip by train from Zurich to Interlochen and back and had a quick stop there. I *do* remember the House of Mirrors where we laughed ourselves silly. Of course, we had been traveling for almost three weeks by then so.....


Somehow we missed the House of Mirrors every time! My mom and I took hiking vacations together for a number of years, and Lucerne was always our "base camp" -- we'd stay there for two days, then head out hiking for about a week, and end with another day or two in Lucerne. Many fond memories... our favorite restaurant in Lucerne was even where I told her she was going to be a grandma. 

I really have to go find those pictures! Although mine are probably pretty heavy on Lake Lucerne swans (we fed 'em a lot) and hiking trail signs.


----------



## telracs




----------



## ValeriGail

(taken with my hipstamatic app on my iphone)

Can't you hear that lake calling me to come out there and fish?? I swear it is taunting me! I'm sitting here right now, and it is across the street whispering my name, saying that the white bass are hungry. It knows I have a ton of stuff to do, that I have to pack my house and get everything in a storage shed so that I can live here, next to it and fish as often as possible... but its an impatient lake. Wants me out there in the morning.


----------



## kory

Pirates are in Seattle









Olympic National Park, WA


----------



## 911jason

Beautiful pics Kory! =)


----------



## roderpol

Wow, some really beautiful pictures here... it's great to see so many people enjoy photography. If I may, here are a few of my own...


----------



## roderpol

kory said:


>


Is this also Olympic National Park? It is incredible! I need to go there...


----------



## roderpol

BrassMan said:


> Here's a shot from last weekend's visit to the Lancaster, PA area.


Al, that is an awesome shot!


----------



## kory

roderpol said:


> Is this also Olympic National Park? It is incredible! I need to go there...


Yes, it is Lake Crescent.


----------



## jpmorgan49

I was walking around the back yard and saw this Beautiful Swallowtail butterfly. I ran inside and grabbed my camera, he was still there and posed several times.  
jp


----------



## Cindy416

jpmorgan49 said:


> I was walking around the back yard and saw this Beautiful Swallowtail butterfly. I ran inside and grabbed my camera, he was still there and posed several times.
> jp


Beautiful, J.P.! Nice of the swallowtail to hang around long enough to pose. 

Haven't seen much out of you around here lately. Good to see you again. (Maybe we've just been frequenting different threads.)


----------



## telracs

Ellis Island










Lady Liberty










Staten Island Ferry sign


----------



## mattbiernat

CegAbq said:


> Thanks, JP.
> 
> And here's another - VERY WEIRD - pic: my son has gotten a mohawk haircut twice in his life. He did it for the 2nd time this past December just before we took the family skiing! (Go figure). So then he asked - 'mom can you make me a hat to wear over my mohawk? Now mind you, I looked high and low and could not find a pattern anywhere! So I put on my creativity cap and came up with something that worked somewhat. lol


those eyeglasses will not protect him from a snow storm. if it really starts snowing his head will be cold too. besides that, it looks cool.
i personally put on a black mask, ski helmet and ski goggles and charge down 60mph.


----------



## telracs




----------



## BrassMan

I kinda feel like this, this morning, cobwebs included.


----------



## Jeff

BrassMan said:


> I kinda feel like this, this morning, cobwebs included.


Once you reach a certain age feeling prickly is the norm - but cobwebs are bad.


----------



## BrassMan

Jeff said:


> Once you reach a certain age feeling prickly is the norm - but cobwebs are bad.


Yeah, maybe. Funny how my computer is a part of me. If I could just get it fixed and back in place, I'd be a lot better. Right now I'm sorta like this:


----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> Know what you mean about your computer. I always feel out of sorts when mine is misbehaving.


I feel like slinking away....


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> I feel like slinking away....


what song is that from?


----------



## Jeff

Simon and Garfunkel - Slip slidin' away.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Simon and Garfunkel - Slip slidin' away.


Thanks


----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs




----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> Urban living...yes, this is a fox.


A very foxy fox indeed. Nicely shot!

Here's last night's sunset in south Texas:


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> Your sunset is gorgeous. Your new camera takes great photos. I must get a new one.


If you get a NEW camera, will you use it more than your OLD camera?


Spoiler



or better yet, more than your phone camera?


----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> Your sunset is gorgeous. Your new camera takes great photos. I must get a new one.


The main disadvantage is the thing is just too dang big to take everywhere I go. Here's two shots from yesterday, the first using regular wide angle, the second zoomed in and then enlarged on the monitor. If you could do this with your fox, think what you'd have!


----------



## Susan in VA

Cobbie said:


> <intake of breath> Oh, my goodness. That is incredible. Fabulous resolution. I didn't even _see_ the cats in the first shot. You really make a case for a larger MP camera.


Amazing! I didn't see them either. I _barely_ do once I know they're there. Great pics!


----------



## BrassMan

Before I rack it for the night, here's an earlier pair of shots from the century plant days. Again, the first is the wide angle, and the second, taken in exactly the same direction, is a with full zoom and enlarged on the monitor. The originals were 3600 pixels by whatever the short side was, and these reductions were saved at 85%, which costs a bit in resolution.


----------



## telracs

Cobbie doesn't need a new camera, she needs to use the one she has.  If she'd used her camera and not her phone, she would have been able to zoom in and then zoom in again on the saved image.


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> So true but we were two skittish females so excited to see this little fella about 12 feet away that the first thing we thought to use was the "camera" in my pocket.


Last time on my soapbox--- CARRY YOUR CAMERA WITH YOU!


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> LOL...spoken by the person who doesn't carry a cell phone and doesn't know how easy and convenient it is to have a camera phone in her pocket.
> 
> (Susan, Susan, where are you?)


my sister carries both a cell and a camera, so nice try, dear.


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> And where is _your_ cell?


I don't own one.


----------



## Susan in VA

Cobbie... I wish I could help here... but I'm the one with a phone that's over seven years old.... no iAnything.... no TV... a desk computer that won't run anything newer than ten years 'cause it hasn't been updated since Win98... and my stereo equipment dates from 1989. Sooooo.... anyone who can resist carrying a cell phone seems, well, _normal_ to me.



Spoiler



Did I just describe scarlet as normal?? Oh no. I know this is going to come back to haunt me...


----------



## telracs

Susan in VA said:


> Cobbie... I wish I could help here... but I'm the one with a phone that's over seven years old.... no iAnything.... no TV... a desk computer that won't run anything newer than ten years 'cause it hasn't been updated since Win98... and my stereo equipment dates from 1989. Sooooo.... anyone who can resist carrying a cell phone seems, well, _normal_ to me.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> Did I just describe scarlet as normal?? Oh no. I know this is going to come back to haunt me...


Your meds definitely need to be adjusted.


----------



## Susan in VA

Yeah, when I start perceiving you as normal....


----------



## telracs

okay back on topic


----------



## Susan in VA

See, Cobbie, scarlet may not be on meds, but she's behind a wire fence....


----------



## telracs

Susan in VA said:


> See, Cobbie, scarlet may not be on meds, but she's behind a wire fence....


who says i'm not on meds?


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> Ah-hah!!! The truth comes out.


no, i never confirmed or denied the medication rumor.


----------



## ValeriGail

I've been absent from this thread for too long!  I packed my camera's USB cord in a box somewhere sitting in storage, and I can't find it! Anyone know what size usb cord an Olympus e-420 uses?

anyway.. here is a pic I took with my iphone and the hipstamatic app. I totally lucked out with this shot. It was as if mr butterfly wanted his pic taken! He posed so well!


----------



## ValeriGail

Cobbie said:


> Scarlet, are you looking....ValeriGail....photo....iPHONE CAMERA?
> 
> ValeriGail, I know you're much better about using your _real_ camera than I am but Scarlet's after me to carry mine with me instead of relying on my iPhone. <whining>...but it's soooo easy.
> 
> Great shot, VG. I've got to find that combination. Just don't tell Scarlet.
> 
> Thie website has some information on your camera cable
> http://www.cellularfactory.com/camera/OLYMPUS/3/311193/


 thats why I posted it! Had to back ya up with an iphone pic! I use my iphone just as much as my "real" camera.. sometimes more so. It is just so darn easy to pull it out and snap a pic of just about anything.

The combo on that one is Helga Viking with black keys film, no flash. One of my favorite settings cause it still picks up just a bit of color.


----------



## telracs

Yes, I saw ValeriGail's very pretty photo.  And for the record, I have nothing against phone cameras, but when someone keeps moaning about their lack of experience with a camera they own and DON'T USE, I get on their case.

BTW, gorgeous butterfly.


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> Oh.....
> 
> On the other hand.....I use a tripod.....and Zoom.....and BSS.....and Macro.....and Continuous.....and....


sure, whatever you say.


----------



## Jeff

New Kindle owner.


----------



## telracs




----------



## R. Doug

Okay, y'all talked me into it. Here are three photographs I took on a recent cruise. Each was entered into the ship's photo contest. The three categories were people/animals, architecture, and landscapes. Two of the photos placed, a third and a first, and one did not place at all in its category. Anyone want to guess which took what and which didn't?


----------



## 911jason

R. Doug said:


> Anyone want to guess which took what and which didn't?





R. Doug said:


>


3rd in Architecture



R. Doug said:


>


1st in Landscapes (even though there's no land!)



R. Doug said:


>


Didn't place

So... how'd I do? Do I have a future in photographic judging?


----------



## Jeff

^^ What Cobbie said.


----------



## R. Doug

Picture number three—the two old women conversing—took third in People/Animals.

Picture number two—the shipboard sunset—took first in landscapes.

Picture number one—the sun glinting off the gold cross—did not even place.  Go figure.  That one was my favored to take anything.

Congratulations, Jason.  By picking and correctly placing one of the winners you came closest.  Cobbie and Jeff, nice try as I would have picked Picture one to place as well.


----------



## R. Doug

And one more. This one the wife liked so much I had it made into a 16x20-inch poster and framed it:


----------



## 911jason

Based on your avatar photo, I'm glad I didn't offend you with my picks! 

In case it's changed:


----------



## R. Doug

911jason said:


> Based on your avatar photo, I'm glad I didn't offend you with my picks!
> 
> In case it's changed:


I never shoot at critics, Jason . . . or anyone else for that matter.


----------



## BrassMan

How about a book as a sleep aid?

I was going to post this under "Books Recommended by our Members," but it isn't a Kindle edition. In fact, I don't think a Kindle edition would do the job of this hardback....

Proverbs 22:6


----------



## NogDog

Here's a photo my sister-in-law took while on vacation on the east coast of Lake Michigan. It reminds me of vacationing along there as a kid. The only difference when you're there compared to the ocean shore is that the water is not salty. You really want to think of it as the "Michigan Sea".


----------



## MeganW

Here are a few that I took the last time I was back at our farm (where my mom -- Cindy416 -- and dad live). The farm was having an amazing cloud day.

Our backyard:









Our backyard:









From the front of the house:









Across our gravel road:


----------



## MeganW

And here are tulip pics from last spring (I'm a little behind posting) from my aunt & uncle's old house. I love tulips...


----------



## lonestar

BrassMan said:


> How about a book as a sleep aid?
> 
> I was going to post this under "Books Recommended by our Members," but it isn't a Kindle edition. In fact, I don't think a Kindle edition would do the job of this hardback....
> 
> Proverbs 22:6


Must have been really sleepy.


----------



## R. Doug

Nice photos, Megan. And if it's tulips you like, here's some I saw in Istanbul in April:


----------



## MeganW

Thanks, R. Doug!  Those are lovely!


----------



## R. Doug

Thank you so much, Megan.


----------



## MeganW

R. Doug said:


> Thank you so much, Megan.


Not a problem!


----------



## Cindy416

Beautiful tulips, Megan and R. Doug. Megan, you are right about the clouds that day. I thought yesterday, as we were driving home and neared the Fillmore exit, that it really is pretty around here. I just hold it against the area that there isn't an ocean (or even a huge lake that looks and acts like an ocean) nearby.


----------



## MeganW

Cindy416 said:


> Beautiful tulips, Megan and R. Doug. Megan, you are right about the clouds that day. I thought yesterday, as we were driving home and neared the Fillmore exit, that it really is pretty around here. I just hold it against the area that there isn't an ocean (or even a huge lake that looks and acts like an ocean) nearby.


It's really pretty around home. I love coming home and walking around, enjoying how peaceful it is, and how pretty.


----------



## 911jason

The grass is always greener Cindy... I live in LA and boy am I envious of that beautiful sky! Great pics Megan! Thanks for sharing...

=)


----------



## MeganW

911jason said:


> The grass is always greener Cindy... I live in LA and boy am I envious of that beautiful sky! Great pics Megan! Thanks for sharing...
> 
> =)


No problem, Jason! I like to give my mom a little perspective once in awhile.  (Love ya, Mom!)


----------



## R. Doug

If anyone gets tired of hearing from me, please let me know and I'll stop posting for a while. Meanwhile, here's some photos of Santorini taken in late April:


----------



## telracs

R. Doug said:


> If anyone gets tired of hearing from me, please let me know and I'll stop posting for a while. Meanwhile, here's some photos of Santorini taken in late April:


R. Doug. The photos are great, but do you have slightly larger versions? These are too tiny to enjoy as they should be.


----------



## Susan in VA

Second that!  Those are beautiful.

Scarlet, how do you do that trick with the little pics that you can click on to make them larger?  Couldn't find it in a search.  I was going to PM you about it but maybe others in this thread would like to know too.

Jason, how long have you had those birds in your signature line??  I was just about to squash the little bugs on my screen when I realized what was going on...


----------



## telracs

when pulling from photobucket, you need to pull the "thumbnail" version....

Like this....



click on it for the big version.

If you don't see the thumbnail option in your album, click on share, then click on "get link code" and make sure the clickable thumbnail is checked.


----------



## Susan in VA

Great, thank you!


----------



## R. Doug

scarlet said:


> R. Doug. The photos are great, but do you have slightly larger versions? These are too tiny to enjoy as they should be.


Done. Take another look above.


----------



## telracs

R. Doug said:


> Done. Take another look above.


great, thanks.


----------



## R. Doug

Tulip photos above enlarged as well.


----------



## 911jason

Susan in VA said:


> Jason, how long have you had those birds in your signature line?? I was just about to squash the little bugs on my screen when I realized what was going on...


About 12 hours... I can't decide if I like them or if they're annoying. What do you think?


----------



## R. Doug

Twice now, as I've been scrolling down a page and your birds just crop up along the bottom, I had the sudden panic that there was a bed bug or two crawling along the bottom of my laptop screen.  Actually started to swat at the darned things.


----------



## Susan in VA

I keep swatting at them too.  

You could leave them there and see how many people complain... or you could start a poll...  or you could see how long it takes for the Google ads to feature Raid....


----------



## 911jason

Susan in VA said:


> I keep swatting at them too.
> 
> You could leave them there and see how many people complain... or you could start a poll... or you could see how long it takes for the Google ads to feature Raid....


I don't mind taking them off if you guys think they're annoying... I like the Raid ad comment Susan, it wouldn't surprise me one bit either!


----------



## Cindy416

911jason said:


> The grass is always greener Cindy... I live in LA and boy am I envious of that beautiful sky! Great pics Megan! Thanks for sharing...
> 
> =)


I'm sure you're right about that, Jason. I'd just love to live somewhere near the ocean so that I could watch the waves roll in, as well as listen to them. The combination of sight, sound, and even smell (most of the time) makes the ocean heaven on earth to me. I can only imagine how Megan's photos of the wide open spaces (and lots of sky and clouds) make you feel.


----------



## Valmore Daniels

I'm hardly a photographer, but I snapped this one my way to work one day:


----------



## Jeff

Valmore Daniels said:


> I'm hardly a photographer, but I snapped this one my way to work one day:


Great photo. Could be a great book cover too.


----------



## BrassMan

Valmore Daniels said:


> I'm hardly a photographer, but I snapped this one my way to work one day:


Nice! You missed an opportunity, though.
http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,258.msg428847/topicseen.html#msg428847 (#284)
Heheheh


----------



## R. Doug

911jason said:


> I don't mind taking them off if you guys think they're annoying... I like the Raid ad comment Susan, it wouldn't surprise me one bit either!


Please don't do that on my account. I was just remarking that the first couple of times I ran across it I thought I had a bug crawling along the bottom of my screen. Kinda funny, actually. Reminded me of an X-Files episode about killer cockroaches. In one shot, there was a cockroach scampering across the scene in such a way as to make it look as if one was on the screen of your television. Scared the bejeebers out of you at first.


----------



## geoffthomas

911jason said:


> I don't mind taking them off if you guys think they're annoying... I like the Raid ad comment Susan, it wouldn't surprise me one bit either!


I LIKE them.


----------



## lonestar

geoffthomas said:


> I LIKE them.


I like them too although they remind me of the way the buzzards fly around.


----------



## Cindy416

MeganW said:


> Here are a few that I took the last time I was back at our farm (where my mom, Cindy416, and dad live). The farm was having an amazing cloud day.
> 
> Our backyard:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Our backyard:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From the front of the house:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Across our gravel road:


Today is a gorgeous day here, but still not as pretty (as far as clouds are concerned) as the day on which you took these photos. Your grandma, who was very artistic, often commented about taking photos on days when the clouds were beautiful. (She would often say, "The clouds are beautiful. I should be taking pictures!") She'd have loved the photos that you took. Thanks for sharing them. I don't think I have a link to them, so am really glad to see them.


----------



## MeganW

Cindy416 said:


> Today is a gorgeous day here, but still not as pretty (as far as clouds are concerned) as the day on which you took these photos. Your grandma, who was very artistic, often commented about taking photos on days when the clouds were beautiful. (She would often say, "The clouds are beautiful. I should be taking pictures!") She'd have loved the photos that you took. Thanks for sharing them. I don't think I have a link to them, so am really glad to see them.


Awww... Thanks, Mom! You made me tear up a little! And on Grandma's birthday, it's really great to hear something like that. Love you!

And to the rest of the Kindle Boards, thanks for indulging us a little.


----------



## telracs




----------



## Susan in VA

Cobbie said:


> Everyone's photos are wonderful!
> 
> Jason, I like your birds. I changed my profile allowing me to see you bugs but missed them. Must have been something...lol.
> 
> Doug, keep 'em coming.


Cobbie, I think they were always birds... they're just so little that they _look_ like bugs on the screen... but I like them too.


----------



## R. Doug

Nice mountain scenery, Scarlett.  Polarizing filter?  And where was it taken?


----------



## telracs

R. Doug said:


> Nice mountain scenery, Scarlett. Polarizing filter? And where was it taken?


No, no filter. Otonequa Pass in South Africa.


----------



## R. Doug

Beautiful.  My wife has been after me for years to take her to South Africa.  I'll probably have to relent and pack bags in the next year or two.


----------



## R. Doug

By popular demand, here are a few more:


----------



## 911jason

Beautiful work!


----------



## R. Doug

Thank you.


----------



## terryr

NogDog said:


> Here's a photo my sister-in-law took while on vacation on the east coast of Lake Michigan. It reminds me of vacationing along there as a kid. The only difference when you're there compared to the ocean shore is that the water is not salty. You really want to think of it as the "Michigan Sea".


A wooden sloop, how beautiful! I love wooden boats as much as I love classic airplanes.


----------



## R. Doug

Thank you, Cobbie.  Glad you enjoyed them . . . and the pose of the girl.  Looks like she's really enjoying herself, doesn't it?


----------



## terryr

R. Doug said:


> By popular demand, here are a few more:


How'd you get this angle on this sailboat? Were you in an ultralight with a really good zoom lens? Inquiring minds...


----------



## R. Doug

I was standing on the deck of Holland America's MS Prinsendam during the Bucket Regatta in St. Barts this past April. I have a _lot_ of yacht shots I took that day.


----------



## Feste

I have a real interest in macro photography. For one, you never have to go far to find something interesting. These were all taken within a hundred feet of my front door and I live in town. It, at times, requires some physical flexibility. And the neighbors might find it odd that you are crawling on your belly in their garden.

I had to get really close for this shot(had to brush pollen off lens). Sometimes these guys get annoyed with you for doing that. Just saying.










We have a lot of these. They look very fierce but are pretty harmless. This is a male Cicada Killer.










You lookin at me?










This one cracks me up. I think he is ready to play fetch the ball no?










Now he looks happy


----------



## 911jason

Those are absolutely beautiful macro shots, thanks for sharing and I hope you continue to do so! Those would also make great Kindle screensavers if you could post links to larger versions.


----------



## BrassMan

I love a good macro shot! I've tried many times, but I seldom get a good one. Part of the reason is until recently I've been using cheapo pocket cameras. Here's an old one:


----------



## BrassMan

OK, OK, so maybe the cat's eye was a little bit yucky, but at least it's not likely to give anyone the fantods, like the macro spider I posted on the pet thread (I think it was) some time ago.

Here's another pocket camera macro that might be a bit more agreeable, an amyrillis:


----------



## R. Doug

According to an article in this month's Popular Photography, cheapo pocket cameras at times outshine DSLRs with dedicated macro lenses.  My ZS3 and ZS6 can focus down to an incredible three centimeters (barely over an inch).


----------



## BrassMan

R. Doug said:


> According to an article in this month's Popular Photography, cheapo pocket cameras at times outshine DSLRs with dedicated macro lenses. My ZS3 and ZS6 can focus down to an incredible three centimeters (barely over an inch).


What make is a ZS3/ZS6? I could look it up, but....

That cat eye photo was taken in 1996. No such thing then...but there was dumb luck, fortunately.

I love yours--got any more?


----------



## R. Doug

The Panasonic ZS series began with the ZS1 and ZS3 (the latter being a more expensive version with a larger, higher resolution LCD). These were superseded by the current ZS5/6/7 line (the ZS6 being sold by Costco only; it has the larger LCD of the ZS7 but lacks the AVHCD video capability). The lens is a remarkable 25mm-300mm (in 35mm equivalent) relatively fast f3.3-f4.9 Leica. And the newer line increases the effective focal length to 399mm using something called _Intelligent Zoom_ (iZoom) that acts almost like digital zoom without the associated sensor cropping and degradation in resolution (don't ask me how they do it, but they do; I checked the picture resolution using iZoom and it was the same 3,000x4,000 pixels as a photograph taken using pure optical zoom). Additionally, the new ZS line has true manual control which the ZS1/3 lacked.

I highly recommend this line of cameras. The photos I've posted were taken with it. By the way, in answer to your other question, I _kept_ 2,700 of the photos I took on that one voyage, so I have a lot more I could post.


----------



## BrassMan

I shall check them out, and thanks for the info! (I need another camera purchase like I need a bleeding ulcer.) 

BTW, I'm a big proponent of taking LOTS of photos, but only showing the best ones. 2700 is probably too many, but please feel free to put up at least a few more!


----------



## R. Doug

Those are just the ones I saved over the course of 54 days.  I must have culled out another 3,000 or so.  I don't like keeping garbage.


----------



## Feste

911jason said:


> Those are absolutely beautiful macro shots, thanks for sharing and I hope you continue to do so! Those would also make great Kindle screensavers if you could post links to larger versions.


Thanks! What size(s) do they need to be?


----------



## Feste

Yeah a lot of the consumer grade digital cameras are pretty good at macros these days. The one I used for these is a super zoom mid range (sony dsc-h9). Which suffers from all the problems with this range of camera, mostly an insane amount of megapixels on the tiny sensor leading to noise and over aggressive noise reduction. But it rocks for macros. At full wide I can focus as close as 2 cm and at full tele(458mm) at 3 feet. Telemacros are great for flowers and such as you can take full advantage of a really shallow depth of field like this shot










and this










I also take a lot of shots and pick and choose. Digital is great as there is no ongoing film cost, it's nothing for me to shoot a couple of hundred walking around the block though I usually have my cams set to bracket exposures so get 3 shots every shutter press. Back in my film days I was much more selective.


----------



## R. Doug

You're absolutely right about the pixel per square centimeter problem, which results in pixels far too small to handle anything much above ISO 200 (although the ZS series seems to work okay up to ISO 400, but certainly not above that)  That's when my full-frame EOS 5D comes in handy.

Different cameras for different applications.


----------



## terryr

Those macros are just gorgeous. I love the grasshopper, and the bee all covered with pollen. Also the daylily and the milkweed.

It's not exactly a macro shot, but here's a wee little thing (baby lovebirds barely a day old):









and not as clear but for a better size comparison:


----------



## 911jason

Feste said:


> Thanks! What size(s) do they need to be?


Preferably at least 824x1200 which is the DX resolution. The 6" Kindle is 600x800. If you post them here, I'd be happy to convert and crop them.


----------



## Belle2Be

I have a few to share!































































Sorry if they are too big! I'm not sure how to size them down but still have them big enough to use...


----------



## terryr

Belle2Be said:


> I have a few to share!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry if they are too big! I'm not sure how to size them down but still have them big enough to use...


You just put width=xxx in the img tag brackets, and it resizes accordingly. People can then right click or (apple/control click for Macs) and choose View Image (depending on browser) to view the full size image in its own window.

Okay, so now I need to know: is that an actual wild budgie and you live in Australia (since I thought nearly all wild ones were green/yellow), or one that's escaped and gone native somewhere else?  (Apple--in my avatar-- needs to know, he has this thing about budgies.)


----------



## R. Doug

NIIiiice, BelleToBe.


----------



## Belle2Be

T.M. Roy said:


> You just put width=xxx in the img tag brackets, and it resizes accordingly. People can then right click or (apple/control click for Macs) and choose View Image (depending on browser) to view the full size image in its own window.
> 
> Okay, so now I need to know: is that an actual wild budgie and you live in Australia (since I thought nearly all wild ones were green/yellow), or one that's escaped and gone native somewhere else?  (Apple--in my avatar-- needs to know, he has this thing about budgies.)


Lol is it bad I don't know what kind of bird that is? It's at the local aviary, all the colors in the background are even more birds, they land on you and stuff, real sweet birds! (I'm in New Jersey! US)


----------



## Belle2Be

Cobbie said:


> Belle2Be, beautiful pictures. Click on the "insert quote" of T.M.Roy's baby lovebird pictures and see exactly where he inserted "width=500". You can change that number and do the Preview until you get the size you want.


I looked but he doesn't have anything in the image coding?


----------



## terryr

Belle2Be said:


> Lol is it bad I don't know what kind of bird that is? It's at the local aviary, all the colors in the background are even more birds, they land on you and stuff, real sweet birds! (I'm in New Jersey! US)


It's a budgerigar, native to Australia, but long bred in captivity. Nicknamed "budgie", for short. Generically known in the US as a "parakeet" (although technically, "parakeet" covers quite a few different species of long tailed parrots, including Quakers(Monks, like my Apple in my avatar), Indian Ringnecks, Rosy Bourkes, and others). But enough of that... 

Here's what to do when you insert an image, to size it:
When you click on the image button it puts tags around your image's URL (web address.)
This looks like (img)http://www.mypictures.com/mypicture.jpg(/img) (Of course the img tag uses the [] brackets, but I am using parenthesis in this example.)
In the first tag (img) move your cursor into it, add a space, and type width=600 It will then look like this:
(img width=600)http://www.mypictures.com/mypicture.jpg(/img) 
Your photo scales to be six hundred pixels wide and correspondingly tall. 400 to 600 is a decent range for an in-post picture. Viewers can always right click on it to see it full size.

Hope that helps.


----------



## Belle2Be

T.M. Roy said:


> It's a budgerigar, native to Australia, but long bred in captivity. Nicknamed "budgie", for short. Generically known in the US as a "parakeet" (although technically, "parakeet" covers quite a few different species of long tailed parrots, including Quakers(Monks, like my Apple in my avatar), Indian Ringnecks, Rosy Bourkes, and others). But enough of that...
> 
> Here's what to do when you insert an image, to size it:
> When you click on the image button it puts tags around your image's URL (web address.)
> This looks like (img)http://www.mypictures.com/mypicture.jpg(/img) (Of course the img tag uses the [] brackets, but I am using parenthesis in this example.)
> In the first tag (img) move your cursor into it, add a space, and type width=600 It will then look like this:
> (img width=600)http://www.mypictures.com/mypicture.jpg(/img)
> Your photo scales to be six hundred pixels wide and correspondingly tall. 400 to 600 is a decent range for an in-post picture. Viewers can always right click on it to see it full size.
> 
> Hope that helps.


Ahh cool! I've always known it as a parakeet  
Thanks for the instructions, I put the width=600 everywhere but there LOL!


----------



## terryr

One of my greatest joys in the past was working with Grand Fork's EAA Chapter 380 and Chapter 1342 (from UND) on Young Eagle events. This is from a 2005 Young Eagles Fly-In at Crookston Airport in Minnesota. There's just something magic with kids and airplanes, but what struck me most about this image is that, aside from the pilot and owner of the T-28, all the kids in the line are GIRLs. YEAH. Girls know what they want.  I call this photo "Every Girl's Dream". (right click for bigger)


----------



## R. Doug

Despite having a career Air Force SAC pilot for a father, two tours of duty in the Air Force myself, and over thirty-four years in air traffic control before I retired last year, I still _love_ aircraft photos.


----------



## telracs

Since I'm dreaming of candy from the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne....(I apologize if I've posted any of these before)


----------



## BrassMan

Thanks for the recommendation, R. Doug! You were right about the Panasonic ZS7. I'm only beginning to get into it so far--it's amazing. Here's an early macro experiment.

Can anybody guess what this is?


----------



## terryr

Leather?


----------



## BrassMan

T.M. Roy said:


> Leather?


Nope.


----------



## cat616

Over ripe avocado?


----------



## BrassMan

cat616 said:


> Over ripe avocado?


Nope. (Blech!)


----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> BrassMan, do we get a hint?
> 
> ETA - Hubby just guessed leaf.


Nope. OK, hint: it's about 1/2 inch on each side, and it isn't flat.


----------



## Jeff

A crocheted button.


----------



## BrassMan

Here 'tis:


----------



## Cindy416

Should have guessed, Al!    Good one!


----------



## intinst

The tree limb or twig guess was pretty close.


----------



## telracs

scarlet in pink


----------



## BrassMan

Cindy416 said:


> Should have guessed, Al!  Good one!


There's no reasonable way you could have guessed. That's the end grain of briar wood, erica arborea. Some prize the end grain in pipes, me, for one. It's called "bird's eye" for obvious reasons. That little camera that R. Doug suggested took that at a range of about an inch. Thanks, R.!


----------



## Cindy416

BrassMan said:


> There's no reasonable way you could have guessed. That's the end grain of briar wood, erica arborea. Some prize the end grain in pipes, me, for one. It's called "bird's eye" for obvious reasons. That little camera that R. Doug suggested took that at a range of about an inch. Thanks, R.!


What I meant was that I've seen a photo or two of you with a pipe. I had an uncle with a collection of pipes, and a couple of them were similar to your photograph, in that they had very small "eyes." Once you revealed that it was briar wood, I thought it was a pipe. As I read on and saw the word "pipe," I wasn't surprised.


----------



## BrassMan

Is anyone else having trouble getting Photobucket to come up? It wouldn't for me, last night and this morning, and it's not sending the pictures posted above. Is it me or is it Photobucket?


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> Is anyone else having trouble getting Photobucket to come up? It wouldn't for me, last night and this morning, and it's not sending the pictures posted above. Is it me or is it Photobucket?


It's you. I've been in it already today.


----------



## BrassMan

scarlet said:


> It's you. I've been in it already today.


I don't think it's me. I tried two browsers and my wife's computer. It might be my provider.

Nuts. I guess I'll try another photo-stashing site. I wanna post a cat (but not on this thread).


----------



## geoffthomas

It is you, Al.
I can get into it from work, so that means there is no problemo.
I am logged in, with access to my albums.
Maybe you have maxed out your account?  Is that possible?
Or has something changed with regard to your browser?

Just sayin.....


----------



## BrassMan

geoffthomas said:


> It is you, Al.
> I can get into it from work, so that means there is no problemo.
> I am logged in, with access to my albums.
> Maybe you have maxed out your account? Is that possible?
> Or has something changed with regard to your browser?
> 
> Just sayin.....


I dunno. All other sites work fine. Even if I maxed Photobucket out, I should be able to get into it. I tried two different browsers and a completely different computer--no dice, all around. True, I was out mowing yesterday and when I came back the computer had rebooted unexpectedly, but everything else works fine. It's just that one site. I'll run CCleaner and maybe disk cleanup and defrag and see if that makes a difference. Thanks Geoff.


----------



## Jeff

Al, you still have permission and access to upload files to my web sites.


----------



## BrassMan

Jeff said:


> Al, you still have permission and access to upload files to my web sites.


Thanks, Jeff. I can't abuse your generosity. I have something like 500 pics at Photobucket. Here's what I'm going to try first: tonight, when I finish with this computer, I'm going to close everything and reset the System Restore point to the day before yesterday. I bet that'll fix it. If all else fails, well, I might be seeing you, brother!


----------



## jpmorgan49

The B-17 "Aluminum Overcast" was at a local college this weekend. There was a special day for veterans so I brought my 88 yo Dad. Dad flew 35 missions over Germany as a waist gunner in a B-17 during WWII. The best part of the day was that they gave the veterans a free ride on the Warbird, and I got a ride too. It was great for me and brought back many memories for my Dad.
jp


----------



## geoffthomas

jpmorgan49 said:


> The B-17 "Aluminum Overcast" was at a local college this weekend. There was a special day for veterans so I brought my 88 yo Dad. Dad flew 35 missions over Germany as a waist gunner in a B-17 during WWII. The best part of the day was that they gave the veterans a free ride on the Warbird, and I got a ride too. It was great for me and brought back many memories for my Dad.
> jp


Too cool, JP.
Great pics, by they way.

And please convey the thanks of all us "kids" who benefited from your father's (and all the other WW2 vets) efforts on behalf of Americal.

Just sayin......


----------



## Laurie

jpmorgan49 said:


> The B-17 "Aluminum Overcast" was at a local college this weekend. There was a special day for veterans so I brought my 88 yo Dad. Dad flew 35 missions over Germany as a waist gunner in a B-17 during WWII. The best part of the day was that they gave the veterans a free ride on the Warbird, and I got a ride too. It was great for me and brought back many memories for my Dad.
> jp


I just finished reading "My Private War: Liberated Body, Captive Mind: A World War II POW's Journey" by Norman Bussel. He was a B-17 crewman who was shot down over Germany in 1944 and spent the remainder of the war as a POW. It was a very moving story. I admire the brave men and woman who have fought such battles.


----------



## terryr

JPMorgan--love the pics. Love the Forts. I got to see _Aluminum Overcast_ a few times, but never went inside. It's great you and your Dad got to fly in her.


----------



## Cindy416

geoffthomas aka Bartholomew the Rough said:


> Too cool, JP.
> Great pics, by they way.
> 
> And please convey the thanks of all us "kids" who benefited from your father's (and all the other WW2 vets) efforts on behalf of Americal.
> 
> Just sayin......


Ditto.


----------



## BrassMan

It's time for the hummingbirds to head south. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, funnel through here to the coast where they fatten up before flying across the Gulf of Mexico--at least eight species. It's not unusual for houses along the coast to have ten or twenty feeders ready for them.

Here are some shots from the Welder Wildlife Refuge, where a few are caught, banded, and released. These folks are qualified to do what they're doing.


----------



## Cindy416

BrassMan said:


> It's time for the hummingbirds to head south. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, funnel through here to the coast where they fatten up before flying across the Gulf of Mexico--at least eight species. It's not unusual for houses along the coast to have ten or twenty feeders ready for them.
> 
> Here are some shots from the Welder Wildlife Refuge, where a few are caught, banded, and released. These folks are qualified to do what they're doing.


Great hummingbird photos! We have had a few around here this summer, but only one or two at a time. I remember being in Eager, AZ, in the mid-'90's, and the restaurant where we had breakfast one morning had lots of hummingbird feeders in place, and I've never seen so many hummingbirds in one place at once in my life. It was fantastic!


----------



## jpmorgan49

So Cute!!!!!
jp


----------



## Cindy416

jpmorgan49 said:


> So Cute!!!!!
> jp


Just saying "Hi!" to you, JP. Haven't seen you around much. LOVE the photo of you and your dad. What a memorable day for both of you.


----------



## telracs




----------



## Laurie

scarlet said:


>


That's ver pretty. Might even make a nice screensaver.


----------



## R. Doug

BrassMan said:


> Thanks for the recommendation, R. Doug! You were right about the Panasonic ZS7. I'm only beginning to get into it so far--it's amazing.


I'm so glad that you're pleased with your new ZS7, Brassman. Sorry I took so long to respond, but the wife and I just got back from two back-to-back cruises, including one to Alaska, this past evening. I hope to have some ZS6 photos of the trip posted soon.


----------



## terryr

In honor of Autumn, one of my favorite illustrations, called Autumn Trail (or Autumn Ride). No, it's not a photo. It's all hand done, drawn/painted directly into the computer. Only non hand things are use of the maple leaf and fern brushes.


----------



## telracs




----------



## terryr

One of my favorite pics from the 2006 _Thunder Over The Red River_ airshow at Grand Forks Air Force Base (a few months before I moved to Oregon.) My EAA chapter was lucky to be "an exhibit" and arranging for a flight of five civilian aircraft--three experimental or antique without any radios-- to fly into the Base was an experience for me, I'll tell you. So we were invited to the "pregame party" the night before and stationed right on the flightline and got to meet Thunderbird pilots, Tuskeegee Airmen, and all sorts of great people before and after the actual show. (can you tell that's a fond memory? Especially meeting some of the surviving Tuskeegee Airmen, I got all tongue tied and emotional and couldn't say anything.) ANYWAY... I didn't get to take many pictures since I was stuffing kids in and out of airplanes and then explaining how the controls worked, but I have this happy one to remind me of how I felt that entire weekend.


----------



## R. Doug

Alaska Cruise, September 2010:


----------



## BrassMan

Gorgeous!

Gotta know: what camera?


----------



## R. Doug

Panasonic ZS6.


----------



## BrassMan

R. Doug said:


> Panasonic ZS6.


Excellent. My Panasonic will do dang near anything I need (and thanks again for the recommendation). I also have a Canon Powershot SX20IS that's four times the size, but I can't think of a thing it'll do that the little one won't (other than the hot shoe). Do you have an opinion about that? Should I even keep it?


----------



## R. Doug

Oh, definitely keep it.  The larger sensor size means it should take less noisy pictures at higher ISO, and there are times when there simply is no replacement for an external flash mounted on a hot shoe.  Also, the SX120's aperture gives a slight advantage across its entire focal range even if that focal range is not as wide as the ZS's at the lower end.  If nothing else it should better the ZS in low-light conditions.


----------



## BrassMan

R. Doug said:


> Oh, definitely keep it.


I've noticed that sensor difference in fact. Good points! I'll keep it.

You da man!


----------



## telracs

Let me know when you guys start speaking English again...


----------



## telracs

for a person who barely uses her camera, you speak geek quite well.


----------



## terryr

scarlet said:


> for a person who barely uses her camera, you speak geek quite well.


My motto:


Spoiler



If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bullshit.



Great photos, R. Doug. Would make great book covers.


----------



## telracs

getting this back on topic....


----------



## mlewis78

Scarlet, that looks like you took it from either an elevated train or a rollercoaster (judging by the incline).


----------



## telracs

mlewis78 said:


> Scarlet, that looks like you took it from either an elevated train or a rollercoaster (judging by the incline).


Actually, it's a picture of an elevated train line, the N, as it comes out from the tunnel into Queens, taken from the 59th Bridge walkway.


----------



## R. Doug

Sorry, guys and gals, but he _did_ ask.

Glad y'all liked the photos.


----------



## terryr

R. Doug said:


> Sorry, guys and gals, but he _did_ ask.
> 
> Glad y'all liked the photos.


I adore details. Someone asks me how I create an image, and I write six pages about it. No sweat here. 

Taken on Sauvie Island (north of Portland OR) while on a Pick Your Own vegetable run two years ago.








I guess it could have gone to a Flower A Day... but there's more than "a flower" here.


----------



## Jeff

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta


----------



## Jeff




----------



## terryr

Awww!


----------



## telracs

He is such a cutie pie!


----------



## Susan in VA

scarlet said:


> He is such a cutie pie!


Just like Gramps.


----------



## William Meikle

Taken from an upstairs window in my house


----------



## Jeff




----------



## jpmorgan49

You gotta love the Fall in the Midwest. These shots were taken at the Joliet Area Community Hospice Home, in Joliet IL. I took them before one of my volunteer shifts.
jp


----------



## Jeff

jpmorgan49 said:


> You gotta love the Fall in the Midwest. These shots were taken at the Joliet Area Community Hospice Home, in Joliet IL. I took them before one of my volunteer shifts.
> jp


Great pictures. We don't get Autumn leaves in Central Texas. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## R. Doug

Beautiful Autumn photographs.  The wife and I will be in Boston on Thursday, so I'm hoping for similar scenes in my very near future.


----------



## BrassMan

R. Doug said:


> Beautiful Autumn photographs.


Lovely indeed. I hope there'll be more glorious fall pictures in this thread as the season progresses. South Texas has no fall foliage like that, but following a summer of tropical storms such as we've had there are fall highlights (even though fall is mostly a possibility for now). Fall flowers! Here are some gay feathers and golden asters:


----------



## William Meikle

Newfoundland in the Fall can be foggy...


----------



## Cindy416

jpmorgan49 said:


> You gotta love the Fall in the Midwest. These shots were taken at the Joliet Area Community Hospice Home, in Joliet IL. I took them before one of my volunteer shifts.
> jp


Great photos, jp. The trees around here (Midwest, too) are beautiful. It's by far my favorite time of the year visually. (I used to love winter, too, as I loved snow. Now that I'm middle-aged, the last thing I want to do is fall or have an accident.)


----------



## BrassMan

How about a mystery? Anyone know what this is?


----------



## Jeff

Peacock?


----------



## BrassMan

Jeff said:


> Peacock?


Whoa! Close enough! Let's hear it for the ornithologist!


----------



## Jeff

I missed the species badly.


----------



## BrassMan

Jeff said:


> I missed the species badly.


Not that far off. At least you didn't say it was a preacher's hair.

I tried for another self-portrait (remember the donkey's eye, several pages back?), but the best I could do was my camera's self-portrait.


----------



## Jeff

That's still pretty cool.


----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> Great shot! How far away were you from this subject for this picture?


It's a crop from the picture above; total distance maybe two feet.

Full disclosure: she had knocked herself silly against a window. I rushed out to get her before the cats did. (There were none around at the moment, fortunately.) I set her on the table, photographed her, and then put her up in an oak tree where, within half an hour, she recovered her senses (what few there were) and flew off. I could have got even closer, but as you can see from her little face, she didn't much like that big critter messing with her.


----------



## William Meikle

Cobbie said:


> Great picture! Is this Scotland? I loved the movie _Dear Frankie_. The scenery was beautiful.


Not Scotland, sorry. I am Scottish, but now I live in Newfoundland.


----------



## ladyk

I LOVE photography but I'll just choose one photo to show for now  Here's a pic of my son in a field. I like how it has a bit of a magical feel to it.


----------



## BrassMan

ladyk said:


> I LOVE photography but I'll just choose one photo to show for now  Here's a pic of my son in a field. I like how it has a bit of a magical feel to it.


Lovely. It's great when you can get the light to work for you like that.


----------



## BrassMan

Here's another shot where sunlight makes the photo.


----------



## telracs

did someone say Scotland?


----------



## Madeline

I thought this one was kinda funny. No Photoshopping or anything...this is literally how the pic turned out right out of the camera...

I knew my cat had the death stare down pat, but these lasers of destruction take it to a whole new level


----------



## A.Alan

CegAbq said:


> This dove and its mate have built a nest on the lattice-shade over our backyard patio - there are 2 eggs - we discovered them on Easter Sunday appropriately.


wow !!!
really nice capture, what perfect timing . . . 
just wondering about the specification of your camera ?


----------



## BrassMan

Madeline said:


> I thought this one was kinda funny. No Photoshopping or anything...this is literally how the pic turned out right out of the camera...
> 
> I knew my cat had the death stare down pat, but these lasers of destruction take it to a whole new level


Wacky! Looks like a star filter!

Here's a real death stare. April and I used to play "Gotcha:" we'd stalk each other around the house. She almost always won. This is one of her victories--if she had weighed 40 pounds, I'd have been a dead man.


----------



## telracs

Madeline said:


> I thought this one was kinda funny. No Photoshopping or anything...this is literally how the pic turned out right out of the camera...
> 
> I knew my cat had the death stare down pat, but these lasers of destruction take it to a whole new level


wow, death star cat!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The Pattersons gather around me and my Chinese erh-hu, which I'm going to learn to play even if it kills me:

















Edward C. Patterson


----------



## BrassMan

This thread is too quiescent!

What's this?


----------



## Jeff

Your Thanksgiving turkey?


----------



## geoffthomas

a close-up of vanilla fudge?


----------



## BrassMan

geoffthomas said:


> a close-up of vanilla fudge?


Close enough! You're good, Geoff!


----------



## Jeff

This is the Polar Express that I just finished for my great-grandson. Next project is either a bus or a semi for the youngest two grandsons.


----------



## BrassMan

Nifty train--if your great grandson has a supply of Fisher-Price people, there's no telling where they might go!

Here's a shot from Italy, Recanati area (halfway down the boot, on the Adriatic side):


----------



## Jeff

Cobbie said:


> Jeff, really nice train. What do you mean by "just finished"? Assembled? Carved?


One Christmas, a long, long time ago, we were very tight for cash so I made toys for our kids from scraps of wood that I scavenged from construction sites. They were such a hit that I've continued to do it every year. This year I only have three to make. One down, two to go.


----------



## 911jason

Very nice Jeff... and so much more special than a store-bought gift could ever be!


----------



## geoffthomas

Jeff,
It is good to know that one of us is talented (you).

Just sayin.....


----------



## BrassMan

How cold is it?

It's this cold:


----------



## Guest

so beautiful!


----------



## telracs

Reflections....


----------



## Sandpiper

A walk on the beach


----------



## terryr

I was feeling sad and out of sorts, and then found this picture that made me very happy remembering when and where I was when I took it. I wish that I celebrated the Winter Solstice this year the same way I did in 2005, when I took this picture while flying the "other broom" (Cessna 172) with a friend Winter Solstice Eve over eastern North Dakota.


----------



## telracs

terryr said:


> I was feeling sad and out of sorts, and then found this picture that made me very happy remembering when and where I was when I took it. I wish that I celebrated the Winter Solstice this year the same way I did in 2005, when I took this picture while flying the "other broom" (Cessna 172) with a friend Winter Solstice Eve over eastern North Dakota.


Terry, that is GORGEOUS!


----------



## Lambert

Here's some deer taking a break under our fruit trees.


----------



## BrassMan

The last sunset of 2010 in south Texas:


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> The last sunset of 2010 in south Texas:


Here's hoping the sunsets of 2011 are just as wonderful!


----------



## BoomerSoonerOKU

Waiting for baseball season:


20060807-IMG_0631 by Organic Machine, on Flickr


----------



## ValeriGail

My Daughter, sending the old year out in style!










The lake on a pretty afternoon 









both taken with my iphone


----------



## Lambert

Went to the balloon fest last summer:









Have a slide show here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/thinkhealthy/BallonFest02?authkey=Gv1sRgCL3F2c6_hreDVQ&feat=directlink

Lambert


----------



## 911jason

Great pics Valeri! I love the classic "look" you gave them...


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> Wonderful picts. Were these taken with your Hipstematic app? Have you tried the CamZoom app?


Phones are for taking calls. Cameras are for taking pictures!


----------



## ValeriGail

scarlet said:


> Phones are for taking calls. Cameras are for taking pictures!


I can take a call and a picture... at the same time! 

well, thats what the commercial says any way.. i haven't actually tried it. LOL

Both of the pictures were taken with the regular iphone camera and then run through Plastic Bullet app to add the "Effects". Plastic Bullet isn't as good as hipstamatic, but for some pictures it is awesome. I haven't heard of Camzoom.. checking that out now!


----------



## BrassMan

How cold is it??


----------



## Jeff

A two cat night?


----------



## BrassMan

Jeff said:


> A two cat night?


Durn right. I'm thinking about joining them....


----------



## R. Doug

Some vacation photography I took is posted on today's blog, for anyone interested (three previously posted here): http://rdougwicker.com/2011/01/14/take-twice-the-cash-and-pack-half-as-much/


----------



## JimC1946

Flying.


----------



## Lambert

Jim,

That's a cool shot of the plane engine and sun!

Lambert


----------



## JimC1946

Thanks, Lambert. We were flying from Grand Cayman to Miami on an emergency Cayman Air shuttle to escape the oncoming Hurricane Ivan in September 2004. Two days later, Ivan hit the Caymans, causing catastrophic damage.


----------



## R. Doug

Wow.  Old series Boeing 737-200 with the original Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbojets rather than the later CFM56 turbofan engines.

NIIIiiice!


----------



## JimC1946

Wow indeed. You know your airplanes!


----------



## Cindy416

JimC1946 said:


> Flying.


I agree. Awesome photo.


----------



## R. Doug

JimC1946 said:


> Wow indeed. You know your airplanes!


I'd better. I was an air traffic controller for over 34 years.


----------



## JimC1946

R. Doug said:


> I'd better. I was an air traffic controller for over 34 years.


My hat is off to you! That must have been one of the most stressful jobs in the world.


----------



## Cindy416

R. Doug said:


> I'd better. I was an air traffic controller for over 34 years.


Were you an air traffic controller on Sept. 11?


----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs




----------



## BrassMan

For all who are sick of winter, here's an early, early sign of spring: blooming huisache daisies in south Texas! Eventually that field will be solid with them. It's coming, folks!










And here's tonight's sunset. The windmill no longer works since Hurricane Claudia nearly beat it to death in 2005, but it still helps out a photograph taken to the west.


----------



## Cindy416

Lovely, Al. Thanks! I, for one, needed that.


----------



## R. Doug

Cindy416 said:


> Were you an air traffic controller on Sept. 11?


You betcha! That's a day I'll never forget.


----------



## R. Doug

Really nice reflection shots, Scarlett.  Al—love that sunset shot. Perfect placement on the windmill as well.  It's a winner.


----------



## Cindy416

R. Doug said:


> You betcha! That's a day I'll never forget.


My hat is off to you for having survived that day! Although I live in the midwest and the only traffic I control is elementary students, I will never forget that day, either. Kudos to you and your fellow air traffic controllers.


----------



## R. Doug

Cindy416 said:


> My hat is off to you for having survived that day! Although I live in the midwest and the only traffic I control is elementary students, I will never forget that day, either. Kudos to you and your fellow air traffic controllers.


Off Topic (My apologies, and my final word on this):

Many thanks, Cindy. Yeah, those of us working throughout the nation that day are pretty proud of our accomplishment. We landed over 4,000 aircraft on instrument flight plans, and Lord knows how many more on visual flight plans that went uncounted in the total numbers (probably twice as many more). And we did that without a single, solitary operational error (loss of required separation standards) anywhere in the nation.

Today, because of the policies of former FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey, there are no longer enough qualified controllers nationwide to duplicate that feat. The number of fully qualified controllers dropped last year to levels not seen since 1992, the average experience level of those remaining is much, much less, and operational errors are through the roof despite the agency reclassifying the vast majority of them just a few years ago as "proximity events" so as to artificially lower the number reported.

Heaven help us all if we ever suffer such an attack again, because next time there will probably be a lot of dead people just from controller errors. AMTRACK-The Official Airline of Retired Air Traffic Controllers Everywhere.


----------



## Cindy416

R. Doug said:


> Off Topic (My apologies, and my final word on this):
> 
> Many thanks, Cindy. Yeah, those of us working throughout the nation that day are pretty proud of our accomplishment. We landed over 4,000 aircraft on instrument flight plans, and Lord knows how many more on visual flight plans that went uncounted in the total numbers (probably twice as many more). And we did that without a single, solitary operational error (loss of required separation standards) anywhere in the nation.
> 
> Today, because of the policies of former FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey, there are no longer enough qualified controllers nationwide to duplicate that feat. The number of fully qualified controllers dropped last year to levels not seen since 1992, the average experience level of those remaining is much, much less, and operational errors are through the roof despite the agency reclassifying the vast majority of them just a few years ago as "proximity events" so as to artificially lower the number reported.
> 
> Heaven help us all if we ever suffer such an attack again, because next time there will probably be a lot of dead people just from controller errors. AMTRACK-The Official Airline of Retired Air Traffic Controllers Everywhere.


I apologize for getting us off topic. I should have sent you a private message. Thanks for the insight, though.


----------



## JimC1946

Here's another one for the aviators. This is a de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter turning onto final approach to the grass airstrip on Little Cayman Island. Little Cayman, located about 90 miles ENE from Grand Cayman, has been our favorite scuba diving and get-away-from-the-crowds place for many years. Unfortunately, because of health problems, I've retired from diving, but hopefully my wife and I will make a return trip or two to this little jewel of the Caribbean.


----------



## R. Doug

Jim, even better than Grand Cayman (at least for snorkeling; I don't scuba) is Ambergris Cay off Belize.  And the great thing about the barrier reef there is you can see everything of interest at snorkel depths.


----------



## JimC1946

Thanks, R. Doug. Belize is one of those places we always wanted to dive but never got around to.

Bonaire is also a pretty good place for snorkeling.


----------



## telracs

well, while we're doing plane photos.... flight from Quito to Guayaquil


----------



## R. Doug

That would be an Airbus 320, series 233, currently operated by Tame Airlines (Ecuador) since September 1, 2008.  Prior to that is was operated by TACA Airlines (El Salvador) starting on September 9, 2003.  That would make the aircraft just under seven years, five months old.

Just a guess, mind you.


----------



## JimC1946

R. Doug said:


> Just a guess, mind you.


Holy cow, you're good!


----------



## telracs

R. Doug said:


> That would be an Airbus 320, series 233, currently operated by Tame Airlines (Ecuador) since September 1, 2008. Prior to that is was operated by TACA Airlines (El Salvador) starting on September 9, 2003. That would make the aircraft just under seven years, five months old.
> 
> Just a guess, mind you.


----------



## telracs




----------



## R. Doug

JimC1946 said:


> Holy cow, you're good!


I also cheated. I recognized it was an Airbus 320 by the funky winglet on the end of the wing, but I ran the registration (it's showing on the wing), HC-CGW, to get the rest of the information. Before it was HC-CGW, it was N487TA (U.S. Registry), which was the registration it flew under with TACA.

There's a reason I write mysteries, you know.


----------



## telracs

bird in the columbus circle subway station


----------



## MartyS

Here's something from me with a bit of a story,

A foxy mom and her pups, taken from about 300 feet away.

















Spent about 20 minutes trying to sneak up on them, I was maneuvering around some big mounds of dirt in the woods right behind where those long distance shots were taken and mom popped up on top of one about 3 feet in front of me, we stared at each other for what seemed like minutes, then she moved off to the top of the next mound where I got this shot:








Then they all disappeared into the woods.


----------



## egh34

Very cool!


----------



## Kindle-lite

what a great shot!


----------



## JimC1946

Nice shot of the foxes. That was a great opportunity!


----------



## jpmorgan49

I'm back again, hopefully I'll be posting more. I have a few pictures from the Blizzard we had earlier in the month.
jp









This was my street in the afternoon after the storm, no plows yet...









This was looking at my garage after my neighbor kindly used his new snow blower to clean my driveway.









I made sure and kept plenty of foods for the birds.


----------



## R. Doug

Those are some really cool, er make that cold, snow shots, JP.  Just out of curiosity, how much exposure compensation did you use when you took those first two shots, or did you post-process them?


----------



## jpmorgan49

R. Doug said:


> Those are some really cool, er make that cold, snow shots, JP. Just out of curiosity, how much exposure compensation did you use when you took those first two shots, or did you post-process them?


The driveway shot took about 1 1/2 f-stops. The street shot was by the metter, the sky helped.
jp


----------



## JimC1946

I am so grateful that I have never seen that much snow in my life!


----------



## R. Doug

jpmorgan49 said:


> The driveway shot took about 1 1/2 f-stops. The street shot was by the metter, the sky helped.


So, too, I imagine, did the shadow areas near the center of the shot. Probably just enough down-toning there to bring the meter in line with what you needed.


----------



## JimC1946

Obviously, living in Atlanta, I don't see much snow, but when I do photograph a snowy scene, I bracket from about 0.5-1.5 stops over, then use Shadows/Highlights to balance the exposure a bit.


----------



## telracs

JimC1946 said:


> Obviously, living in Atlanta, I don't see much snow, but when I do photograph a snowy scene, I bracket from about 0.5-1.5 stops over, then use Shadows/Highlights to balance the exposure a bit.


maybe someday I'll be grown up enough to understand this stuff...


----------



## R. Doug

scarlet said:


> maybe someday I'll be grown up enough to understand this stuff...


Let your camera do most of the work for you, Scarlet. That's what those great little Scene Modes are for.


----------



## JimC1946

With Spring hopefully not too far away, here are some warm-weather images of mine.

Writing Spider









Ants herding citrus aphids. The ants keep the aphids corralled on the leaf, and they use a byproduct of the aphids.









Another spider


----------



## telracs

R. Doug said:


> Let your camera do most of the work for you, Scarlet. That's what those great little Scene Modes are for.


strangely enough, I don't feel the pictures come out all that great when I use the scene modes.


----------



## R. Doug

scarlet said:


> strangely enough, I don't feel the pictures come out all that great when I use the scene modes.


Uh, oh . . . . That's not good.


----------



## telracs

R. Doug said:


> Uh, oh . . . . That's not good.


sorry, sensei.


----------



## R. Doug

scarlet said:


> sorry, sensei.


Let me know if you decide to get another camera (although I'm loathe to recommend paying out bucks to replace one that is still in production and thus considered "current"). If you do, we'll talk about alternatives.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Great spider shots. really SCARRY!!!
jp


----------



## JimC1946

Thanks, JP. Here are some more. These were all shot with a Nikon D200 and a Nikon 105mm micro lens.


----------



## MartyS

Since we are looking forward to spring:

















Kind of cheating since the butterflies were hand raised for a biology lab (students follow the entire life cycle).

Here's a "wild" one:









When these guys come back you know winter is outta here:


----------



## JimC1946

Very nice nature photography, Marty.


----------



## Char1ie

I've really enjoyed looking at all the photos posted here, while I'm between books on my kindle. Here are a series I took of my grandson feeding a chipmunk on a camping trip.


----------



## Char1ie

Char1ie said:


> I've really enjoyed looking at all the photos posted here, while I'm between books on my kindle. Here are a series I took of my grandson feeding a chipmunk on a camping trip.


It was a new camera and I hadn't learned to keep my finger from in front of the lens.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Such wonderful pictures, we so many talented people here....
jp


----------



## Cindy416

Beautiful photos, everyone! Hi, JP. Good to see you again.


----------



## MartyS

Char1ie said:


> It was a new camera and I hadn't learned to keep my finger from in front of the lens.


I had to go back to see what you were talking about, concentrating on the chipmunk I ignored the stuff on the sides of the images. I guess I've gotten used to doing that from taking so many pictures of creatures in the woods or macros of bugs hiding inside stuff.


----------



## Char1ie

MartyS said:


> I had to go back to see what you were talking about, concentrating on the chipmunk I ignored the stuff on the sides of the images. I guess I've gotten used to doing that from taking so many pictures of creatures in the woods or macros of bugs hiding inside stuff.


I could have cropped out my fat finger, but I like the pictures so much that I actually forgot they were there. Jonathon and "Buddy" got to great friends. Believe it or not, I'm convinced that he remembered us when we came back the next year. The first year it took a little while for him to warm up to us, but on the return visit, he ran right up my leg and went right for the pocket where I kept the peanuts.


----------



## R. Doug

Pictures I took while flying on a Shuttle Training Mission.


----------



## JimC1946

R. Doug said:


> Pictures I took while flying on a Shuttle Training Mission.


That looked like fun!


----------



## R. Doug

JimC1946 said:


> That looked like fun!


Oh, it was. Nauseating, but fun. I also went on a training mission with astronaut Robert "Hoot" Gibson back in the late '80s or early '90s. Unfortunately, I haven't digitized those photographs yet. Need to find them and do that.


----------



## John Hamilton

A little mountain scenery to help us think of spring.


Beartooth Mountain Goat by johnchamilton, on Flickr


----------



## R. Doug

In the Shadow of an Active Volcano, with pictures.


----------



## R. Doug

Rio Day One, with pictures.


----------



## R. Doug

Rio Day Two-Carnival, with photos.


----------



## JimC1946

Cindy, your photos aren't showing, at least not for me.


----------



## R. Doug

Rio, Day Three: Churrascaria dining in Brazil, complete with photographs.


----------



## telracs

JimC1946 said:


> Cindy, your photos aren't showing, at least not for me.


nor me...


----------



## JimC1946

Doug, I'm enjoying your Rio images, especially the colorful Carnival shots.


----------



## Cindy416

Thanks for letting me know that my photos didn't show up. I fixed the message, and then got to thinking about the ground rules that J.P. set up when he started this thread. Since I didn't take the photo, I started another thread for it. I've seen thousands of geese at a time this month, but haven't taken a photo as good as my friend's daughter's.


----------



## R. Doug

JimC1946 said:


> Doug, I'm enjoying your Rio images, especially the colorful Carnival shots.


Thanks, Jim. Apparently you're not the only one. Yesterday's Carnival blog generated by far my most hits ever for a single day, and for the first three days of this week my blog has already had more hits than for any of the last three full weeks.

Apparently, people _love_ Rio.


----------



## R. Doug

Rio Day Four, the Star Princess, with pictures.


----------



## R. Doug

Today it's two blogs, with photographs:

Departing Rio by Sea

Salvador, Brazil


----------



## R. Doug

Here's the blogs posted since I last posted here:

Salvador

Fortaleza, it's No Recife

Trattoria Sabatini

Barbados and The World


----------



## Pamela

Oh My - So many beautiful pictures.  I should be writing, and spent at least an hour on this thread.  So many talented people at KindleBoard.

Thanks for the work interruption and also inspiration from some amazing pictures.


----------



## Cindy416

Cobbie said:


>


I love photos like this one. There's something very beautiful about the symmetry and colors.


----------



## R. Doug

Today I posted a travelogue and photographs of our tour yesterday of Antigua.

We're currently in St. Thomas, so expect a travelogue and photos of that on Wednesday's blog.


----------



## MrPLD

I'm not a pro-photo person, nor even really taking an active part in it on a non-pro basis, I've only got a little Fujifilm S5700. I do however like taking shots of small life around my home.

Both images are clickable for full-res (where you can see the limitations of the camera). I was just pleased that this fellow let me take the shots without running off.


----------



## JacksonDunes

MrPLD said:


> I'm not a pro-photo person, nor even really taking an active part in it on a non-pro basis, I've only got a little Fujifilm S5700. I do however like taking shots of small life around my home.
> 
> Both images are clickable for full-res (where you can see the limitations of the camera). I was just pleased that this fellow let me take the shots without running off.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I love these photos. We have lots of lizards where I live and I'm always amazed at how they'll just stand still and watch me but the minute I go for my camera they're off. Nice job of capturing these fellas.


----------



## R. Doug

A review of the Crown Grill aboard the Star Princess, with photographs.


----------



## Cindy416

Cobbie said:


> Thank you. I love photos of sunsets in general.


So do I. Sometimes I find them to be so beautiful that were I able to capture the colors on canvas, observers of the painting would think that the colors were figments of my imagination.


----------



## R. Doug

Today, photographs from a road trip we took in October 2006 of Monument Valley, Arches National Park, Telluride, Ghost Ranch, and Santa Fe.


----------



## rayhensley

Excellent pictures I'm seeing here!

I just got a Canon T2I. Hope to post some soon ^_^


----------



## R. Doug

Good choice on the Canon T2I, Ray. You should really love it.

Here's a brief travelogue and photographs of our road trip through the majestic Colorado Rockies. I used a Canon EOS 5D on that trip.


----------



## loonlover

Gorgeous, Cobbie.  Thanks.


----------



## R. Doug

That is one gorgeous bird.  Good exposure control and white balancing, too.


----------



## Carol (was Dara)

Wow, the white peacock looks awesome! I can't even tell if it's a photoshop trick or if it's a real albino bird. LOL


----------



## R. Doug

Pictures of a road trip we took through the Pacific Northwest.


----------



## telracs




----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> Happiness is encountering the unexpected....assuming it's a nice unexpected.


As for the unexpected, how about a self-portrait? You kind of have to look closely....


----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> Yes!!!! I can see you and is that your tower?


I had to think to remember where I was when I took that. Yes, that's it.

Somewhere on this thread, way back there, there's another self-portrait I took of me reflected in a burro's eye. That might be more appropriate. Wacky, huh?


----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> I remember the burro's picture. Wacky...I'm not so sure. Precise, would be the word I would use since getting the right angle sounds difficult. Not to mention, having the subject remain still for the shot. LOL


You give me way too much credit. Dumb luck is more like it. In fact, that shot probably owes more to R. Doug than anyone else. He recommended the camera that could provide that blowup.


----------



## R. Doug

BrassMan said:


> You give me way too much credit. Dumb luck is more like it. In fact, that shot probably owes more to R. Doug than anyone else. He recommended the camera that could provide that blowup.


Oh! We must be discussing one of the Panasonic ZS-series cameras. Great little travel zooms. I have the ZS3 and ZS6, and use both extensively. Seldom bring out my Canon 5D anymore unless I'm photographing my Realtor Wife's property listings, want total processing control with a raw image, or need the higher ISO sensitivity of a larger sensor.

By the way, don't upgrade to the newer ZS8/ZS10 offerings.  Panasonic tried to pack way too many pixels (14 megapixels) into their latest ZS cameras and wound up degrading the noise levels to where the resolution is actually worse than the previous cameras' 10 and 12 megapixel sensors. In fact, Camerlabs' review of the ZS10 shows that images start to show noise and patchiness even at ISO 100 in bright sunlight.

What a shame. They ruined it. And I would have loved to have gotten one just for the wider, longer, 16x Leica zoom. I did a blog about it called Don't Be a Casualty of the Great Megapixel War.


----------



## BrassMan

I was five or six feet from that cat. The camera did the rest. I get more shots from that ZS7, which I think is still available, than from my Canon SX20is, because I only take the latter out when I plan to shoot pictures, which I almost never do. You could kill a pig with that thing. The Panasonic fits in a shirt pocket or a tiny little case, so it goes where I go.

Thanks for the warning about the newer model...not that I'm looking any more.


----------



## BrassMan

Since we were on the subject, here's a burro and a cardinal, plus, if you look real hard, your humble servant:


----------



## drenfrow

I was in the delivery room with my best friend when she had her second baby Monday night. This is one of my favorite pictures--her white-knuckled grip as she squeezes the #!$* out of her husband's hand. Very expressive I think.


----------



## BrassMan

That's a great photo. Classic case of a camera, any camera, attached to a thinking brain. Nice!


----------



## R. Doug

Cobbie, PM me with what exactly you're looking for in a camera. Perhaps I can offer some suggestions for you. One thought I have-have you checked into the new lines of ILCs (Interchangeable Lens Cameras)? Some of them have as an accessory an LED viewfinder that attaches to the camera, and Sony's Alpha55 comes with one built in.


----------



## BrassMan

Humble Servant here. Cobbie, I forget what part of Texas you live in. PM me your approx. location and I'll see if me or my wife happens to be heading there any time soon. The odds are not good, Texas being 1000 miles north to south and also east to west, but hey, if I don't ask we'll never know. They're better than winning the lottery. I don't think mine smells like anything much, but it has a nice heft. You might like it!


----------



## hodad66




----------



## Someone Nameless

Hi!  I made my way to this thread because Cobbie told me about buying a new camera based on guidance she received here.  A week ago I just purchased the Canon Powershot SX30is after doing my own research and finding a deal I thought I couldn't pass up.

After reading here I'm rethinking my decision.  I am very much a point and shoot photographer and I'm afraid I don't have a very good eye or photographers brain.    I DO take a ton of pictures and love pictures.

I would appreciate some feedback if anyone has an opinion on my Canon.  It's not too late to take it back.


----------



## R. Doug

The Canon 30SX IS is a fine bridge camera with exceptional range even for a super-zoom (24mm-840mm equivalent zoom range). That's just wide enough on the wide side, and far more than you'll need under most conditions on the zoom side. It should give you a lot of enjoyment, and it takes very good pictures for its class of camera. DPReview rated the Canon 30SX IS even slightly better than Panasonic's FZ40 and the 30SX's image quality is *much* better than the high-end Panasonic FZ100. Indeed, the only reasons to favor the FZ40 would be if you wanted raw capability (read my two part series on why you most likely will not being an amateur-links to: Part I and Part II), and faster continuous shooting rate (only really necessary when shooting action photography). But with the Canon 30SX IS you gain an additional 240mm reach on the telephoto side with a lens that's pretty much comparable to the FZ40 in f-stop range.

If you're talking about swapping out cameras because of our praises for the Panasonic ZS series, don't. You're comparing apples (a travel zoom) to oranges (your super-zoom bridge camera). They're two totally different beasts with two very dissimilar applications. The ZS5/6/7 are small, pocket-size travel cameras with a zoom range of 25mm to 300mm. If you're learning photography and want to step up eventually to a DSLR, the SX30 is a great start on that path. The ZS won't teach you nearly as much about photography, nor will it expand your skills nearly as well. The ZS is the camera you want to take when you don't want to haul around a large, bulky camera such as a DSLR.


----------



## drenfrow

I have a Canon PowerShot S3 IS, which appears to be a similar, but older model of your camera.  I love it.  I took it on an African safari last year and got really great pictures.  The zoom (12X optical on mine) was great and the 48X digital took some amazing pictures of animals really far away.  I took video with it and those came out great too, the image stabilization was excellent.  This is not the camera I use on an everyday basis though, it is too bulky for that.  For everyday use, I have a Canon Powershot SD1200 IS, which is small enough to put in my pocket.  As R. Doug said, apples and oranges.


----------



## Someone Nameless

Thank you *R.Doug* and *drenfrow.* I'll probably keep the camera and I feel better about my decision. I happened to see it on sale at Best Buy and Office Depot for $149 but neither place had the camera in stock. A friend of ours is the manager of the local Office Depot and he said he could probably find me one at another store, so I told him to do it!

I also have two other cameras.....errrrrrr, I've been on the quest for a camera for a while. I have a Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS, (the version right before yours) and a Fuji Finepix F72 EXR. I need to decide which one and put one of these up for sale on ebay.

The Canon 30SX IS is larger than some, but I don't find it to be horrible. I haven't really used it a lot yet. It's nothing like taking an SLR camera around. Of course this is coming from a girl that has become accustomed to taking a Kindle and an iPad around too.


----------



## R. Doug

A road trip to Old Mesilla.


----------



## BrassMan

R. Doug said:


> A road trip to Old Mesilla.


Ooooh! Nice photos! That area's the home base of the characters in my books; it's beautiful.
There are more on Ana Darcy's blog. To save hunting through it:
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2009/11/photo-mesilla-valley.html (aerial shot of the whole valley)
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2009/09/pictures-mesilla-plaza-desert-west-of.html
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2009/09/pictures-mesilla-new-mexico-plaza.html
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2009/09/pictures-southern-new-mexico-part-1.html

I gotta get back there again....


----------



## BrassMan

Cindy416 said:


> Thanks for the reminder that I need to get back to New Mexico, Al. My brother lived in several places in NM and AZ, and I love it there. (Well, I can't say I like the thought of venomous snakes and scorpions, but aside from them, I LOVE the southwest.)


You said it. And there's the food! Mmmmm!
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2009/09/pictures-el-paso-new-mexican-food.html


----------



## BrassMan

Cindy416 said:


> There's DEFINITELY the food! (Having lived in Monterrey, Mexico, years ago, I grew accustomed to delicious Mexican food, but I'm a fan of Tex-Mex, as well.) I know I'd be happy living in your neck of the woods were it not for the snakes. I don't even like the snakes around where I live, and there aren't many venomous types around here. (If I ever see a venomous snake within 5 miles of my house, I'm moving. It's bad enough that we're beginning to have bobcats, mountain lions, and ferall hogs.) I'm not a fan of blacksnakes, blue racers (hate 'em!), bull snakes, etc., either.


My neck of the woods is unfortunately 750 miles away from Mesilla. Like everyone (except in Washington, D. C.; snakes can't compete there), we have snakes, but those are the least of our problems. We DO have TexMex food, but that's different from Mexican food in Mexico, and different from New Mexican Mexican food, way different. New Mexican food is the best, and as far as I know, does not export worth a flip. I dream about it. Gotta go back and git some!


----------



## Cindy416

BrassMan said:


> My neck of the woods is unfortunately 750 miles away from Mesilla. Like everyone (except in Washington, D. C.; snakes can't compete there), we have snakes, but those are the least of our problems. We DO have TexMex food, but that's different from Mexican food in Mexico, and different from New Mexican Mexican food, way different. New Mexican food is the best, and as far as I know, does not export worth a flip. I dream about it. Gotta go back and git some!


Some of the best food I've ever eaten was in New Mexico, without a doubt. One of my favorite foods in Mexico is something that has eluded me for years, and I wish my sister and I had figured out what it was before she passed away. (She had a Master's Degree in Spanish from the Tech. Institute in Monterrey, and had studied in both Spain and Mexico for her degree. She lived in Mexico and Spain during the summers for several years, and led a lot of tours in Mexico.) The food was either a pork or beef ragout of sorts, and the woman who cooked for us down there usually served it on rice. I can't remember the specifics of the dish enough to begin to recreate it, which surprises me because of my love of cooking and my ability to break down components in food. I also loved the , ceviche, tacos al carbon and the queso fundido. (Many other foods were delicious, too, of course.) Now I'm hungry.


----------



## BrassMan

Cindy416 said:


> Some of the best food I've ever eaten was in New Mexico, without a doubt. One of my favorite foods in Mexico is something that has eluded me for years, and I wish my sister and I had figured out what it was before she passed away. (She had a Master's Degree in Spanish from the Tech. Institute in Monterrey, and had studied in both Spain and Mexico for her degree. She lived in Mexico and Spain during the summers for several years, and led a lot of tours in Mexico.) The food was either a pork or beef ragout of sorts, and the woman who cooked for us down there usually served it on rice. I can't remember the specifics of the dish enough to begin to recreate it, which surprises me because of my love of cooking and my ability to break down components in food. I also loved the , ceviche, tacos al carbon and the queso fundido. (Many other foods were delicious, too, of course.) Now I'm hungry.


I just had lunch and this makes me hungry all over again. I'll never forget a dish I had at the Tularosa Cafe years ago: chunks of battered, deep-fried pork, covered in a scarlet red sauce. I swear the name of the dish had the word "adobo" in it, or "adobada," but that sounds Philippine to me. In Spanish, "adobada" means "marinated." The dish itself was, well, unforgettable, and heavenly.


----------



## telracs

Okay, getting this thread back on the PICTURE path....


----------



## Cindy416

Sorry, Scarlet.


----------



## telracs

it's okay, but 2 pages without pictures is a bit long....


----------



## Cindy416

I'm going to delete my posts, and that should help.


----------



## BrassMan

Oh, phooey. Let's chill a bit, folks. This should be fun.


----------



## geoffthomas

Just want you all to know that I have ordered a Panasonic Lumix DMC ZS7 from BH for $249.
After your recommendations, I went and read all of the reviews of this camera and similars that I could find.  Definitely a winner.  And BH has the best price for a New camera.

Just sayin.....


----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> geoff, mine came from B&H last week. It's nifty. I placed a second order for a case, a backuup battery and an 8GB memory card (thanks, BrassMan ). I agree....definitely a winner.


It started with R. Doug, to whom thanks. The last straw that sold me was the review by the guy who dropped his two stories and it survived. That's my kind of camera!

Obligatory photo. Pace.


----------



## R. Doug

Aw shucks, all.  Jus' glad I cud hep.


----------



## R. Doug

Getting back to the photographic theme of this thread, here's some pictures I took this week: From Shenandoah to the Outer Banks (several lighthouse photographs, as well).


----------



## hodad66

always been one of my favorite shots..... love the look on the faces


----------



## R. Doug

The British Aren't Coming-Colonial Williamsburg.


----------



## Someone Nameless

Cobbie said:


> geoff, mine came from B&H last week. It's nifty. I placed a second order for a case, a backuup battery and an 8GB memory card (thanks, BrassMan ). I agree....definitely a winner.


Thanks to Cobbie, BrassMan, and RDoug I returned the Canon that I bought a little over a week ago and I have ordered the Panasonic. I also used RDoug's link and ordered the two additional batteries and charger.

My camera has shipped. Now tell me everything I need to know.....or do I need to go back and read this entire thread? Sorry for the hijack but thank you for the recommendation. No obligatory pic because I'm waiting on camera.


----------



## BrassMan

Someone Nameless said:


> Thanks to Cobbie, BrassMan, and RDoug I returned the Canon that I bought a little over a week ago and I have ordered the Panasonic. I also used RDoug's link and ordered the two additional batteries and charger.
> 
> My camera has shipped. Now tell me everything I need to know.....or do I need to go back and read this entire thread? Sorry for the hijack but thank you for the recommendation. No obligatory pic because I'm waiting on camera.


Uh-oh! I'm starting to worry about my part in this. That Panasonic is perfect for my purposes, but it may not be for someone else.

R. Doug loves his big Canon, I think, but my big Canon is so blasted complicated I can hardly stand to fool with it. R. Doug probably plays his like a piano, but when I discovered it came without a printed manual I actually spent $10 and bought a plastic-covered cheat sheet to carry with it. It's two pages of tiny print (front and back), but even that doesn't cover all the tricks the camera can do. For example, there's a way to set the self-timer so the camera will wait until the photographer adds his or her noggin to the group before shooting. For Pete's sake!

As for other stuff you might want, I'll add that I got an 8 gig, high speed chip for my Panasonic which cuts approximately in half the time it takes for a photo to write to memory and be ready for the next photo, roughly to two seconds from maybe four. I take fairly large photos.

Just so we have a photo every so often, here's a sunrise. It should more properly go in the photo effects thread, but hey, a sunrise is a sunrise.


----------



## Someone Nameless

just because you mentioned sunrises....sunrise in my backyard...unedited and with a not so great camera.


----------



## hodad66




----------



## BrassMan




----------



## R. Doug

BrassMan said:


> Uh-oh! I'm starting to worry about my part in this. That Panasonic is perfect for my purposes, but it may not be for someone else.


Brassman, don't worry. We're comparing oranges to oranges, now. Someone Nameless and I had an eMail exchange and it turns out that the camera in question was a Canon SX130 rather than the SX30. So, it's now a question as to which travel zoom rather than a comparison between a travel zoom and a bridge camera. In a head-to-head comparison between the two cameras and Someone Else's intended usage, the Panasonic should be a much better fit.


----------



## R. Doug

Oh, and, Brassman, you're right.  I can play my EOS 5D like a fiddle.  But it took a lot of practice and the purchase of two books dedicated to that particular camera to get to that point.  I highly recommend going that route to get the most out of your DSLR.  You'll get a ton more pleasure out of it that way, and the learning can be really fun.


----------



## Someone Nameless

Someone Nameless slaps forehead!!!      Leaving out the 1 made a big difference.


----------



## BrassMan

By chance, tonight offered an opportunity for a Panasonic demo for Cobbie, Nameless, and anyone else interested. I was checking the place over before twilight when I heard our bull bellowing by the east fence. In the brush on the place to the east was the neighboring bull, similarly belligerent.

This is bad. Either one of those two could have gone through both fences like nothing (our driveway is in between), and either one could hurt the other permanently. I snapped these pictures and then got in the truck and went over there and convinced them to go back to their respective harems.

I'm sure the Canon or any SLR could do better than this, but for a shirt pocket camera I think it's pretty good. First is the wide angle, then a medium zoom, and then a full zoom, enlarged and cropped. The actual distance might have been 400 yards. The telephone pole on our property line makes a good reference point.


----------



## R. Doug

Today it's Busch Gardens Williamsburg-Europe on $64+ a Day!


----------



## Someone Nameless

BrassMan, that is a fantastic demo of the capabilities of the zoom lens!  Thank you.

RDoug, those photos are awesome.


----------



## R. Doug

Thank you for the compliments, Someone Nameless and Cobbie.

Today it's a little pictorial on Washington, D.C., including the Air & Space Museum.


----------



## BrassMan

From DD#2:


----------



## R. Doug

Venice, Brassman?


----------



## BrassMan

R. Doug said:


> Venice, Brassman?


Si. DD#2 has a good eye. Not sure if this is Venice or not (it's a castello, I know that much), but I love this one:


----------



## hodad66




----------



## R. Doug

Okay, Hodad66, THAT shot is a real winner.  Try submitting it to Popular Photography.

Can you give us the shot settings and the equipment used?


----------



## VegasWriter

My mother's hands. At 26 she began crocheting. At 76 she began her journey into crippling arthritis. At 96, when her fingers can barely move, she warms them, massages them, and uses them still to crochet.


----------



## BrassMan




----------



## Cindy416

This is one of the photos that I took in our local cemetery this afternoon. The VFW does a beautiful job of lining all of the drives with flags on Memorial Day weekend, and I love to be there on windy days.


----------



## Cindy416

Here's a different shot of the same flags.


----------



## BrassMan

Cindy416 said:


> This is one of the photos that I took in our local cemetery this afternoon. The VFW does a beautiful job of lining all of the drives with flags on Memorial Day weekend, and I love to be there on windy days.


Lovely.

Here's Fort Bliss military cemetery, with the Franklin mountains in the background. My dad lies there.










Here's an early morning shot of the college where I taught many years.


----------



## Someone Nameless

From my front porch today and in honor of my son currently serving in Afghanistan.


----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs

and look, we even have these strange fruit things....


----------



## hodad66




----------



## R. Doug

Nice one, Hodad66.


----------



## NogDog

BrassMan said:


> Lovely.
> 
> Here's Fort Bliss military cemetery, with the Franklin mountains in the background. My dad lies there.


Not my photo, but this is of the Beverly NJ National Cemetery, a couple miles from my home, where the Memorial Day parade we go to watch each year ends up. It started out in 1863 with just one acre of land, for Union casualties from the Civil War. It is now about 64 acres with nearly 50,000 interments. Makes me kind of sad just to think about it.


----------



## telracs

i bought a new case for my dx (thanks barbie!) and it arrived today. for some reason, my kindle in its new case wanted to hang out with a co-worker's motorcycle helmet....


----------



## hodad66




----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> Scarlet, funny picts! Can't blame your case. That's a good looking helmet.  Your case's not bad either.
> 
> Seriously, very nice. No skin? I know, baby steps.


one of my co-workers says it looks like Darth Vader is reading....

regarding the skin, i've never liked sticking things on to my electronics. especially since they live in their cases.


----------



## R. Doug

Pictures from a cruise we took last November-December: Gibraltar-What an Englishman Calls a Rock


----------



## R. Doug

Well, we're in Santa Fe today. From Wednesday afternoon to yesterday afternoon we were in Taos: Taos-From the Gorge to Gorging at Orlando's (lots of pictures included, of course)


----------



## lcook0825

Two feet of snow.


----------



## lcook0825

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a1d836b3127ccefd3669d9f209000000300AatmbZq3ctWYPbz4Q/cC


----------



## R. Doug

More pictures from last week's excursion into Northern New Mexico, but these pictures are of Santa Fe.


----------



## R. Doug

Pictures of our recent (last Friday) dining experience at one of our favorite Santa Fe restaurants: The Old House


----------



## BrassMan




----------



## geoffthomas

Nice pic, brassman.


----------



## BrassMan




----------



## R. Doug

Part I of some 4th of July Fireworks photographs (Part II on Friday).


----------



## drenfrow

I posted these in this thread with some backstory ( http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,74848.msg1197825.html#msg1197825 ), but thought I'd put the pics here also. I got to see the last shuttle launch today!   Very cloudy so the pics aren't great but it's the shuttle!


----------



## R. Doug

Cool, DRenfrow.


----------



## telracs




----------



## jpmorgan49

Just a house in a city known for it's beautiful carvings, Oberammergau, Germany


----------



## jpmorgan49

We have temperatures in the 90's predicted for the next several days, it made me think back to the Blizzard of 2011 (2-2-11)
jp


----------



## geoffthomas

Today that actually looks inviting.


----------



## R. Doug

A chilling reminder indeed.


----------



## BrassMan

Ninety-eight percent of Texas is in a severe drought at the moment. Here's our southeast pasture three years ago, terraces full of water and everything green. Below that is that pasture now. It was 104º there yesterday. The only green you see are the olive trees we've managed to keep alive, a native live oak at the right, and the native brush in the fence lines, which is worse than worthless. What you can't see are the cracks in the ground or the cattle that have been sold.


----------



## Cindy416

BrassMan said:


> Ninety-eight percent of Texas is in a severe drought at the moment. Here's our southeast pasture three years ago, terraces full of water and everything green. Below that is that pasture now. It was 104º there yesterday. The only green you see are the olive trees we've managed to keep alive, a native live oak at the right, and the native brush in the fence lines, which is worse than worthless. What you can't see are the cracks in the ground or the cattle that have been sold.


Wow, Al! Sorry to hear that you're in a drought. I wish we could send you some of the water that we have up here. Flooding is extensive, farmland has been ruined for years to come, and we pray for only enough rain for the crops. (Large rains up north at this point would still be even more devastating to us.) I hope you get relief from the heat and the drought soon. (We've had our share of upper 90's and some 100 degrees + days, but at least no drought.)


----------



## BrassMan

We'll take any spare water we can get, thanks. Texans are used to extremes in weather. Here are two photos taken 15 months apart, the first in February 2009 and the second in April 2010. The corner fence you see in the first is the same corner at the far right in the second. Today, that same area would look about like the first photo. It's tough to make a living off this land. The pessimists say the current drought will be broken by a hurricane. They're not always wrong.


----------



## R. Doug

Pictures of the beautiful Greek island of Santorini.


----------



## ladyknight33

drenfrow -I live 2 miles from that bridge normally walk it twice a month 









my daughter and brother









normal bridge traffic - none


----------



## drenfrow

I thought it was cool that it had that nice, safe pedestrian walkway on it.


----------



## ladyknight33

drenfrow said:


> I thought it was cool that it had that nice, safe pedestrian walkway on it.


We love it !!! Foot traffic is heavy between 5 and 8 pm. It just opened back in March the old bridge was a drawbridge -close to 75 years old. T


----------



## Pixilox

ladyknight33 said:


> We love it !!! Foot traffic is heavy between 5 and 8 pm. It just opened back in March the old bridge was a drawbridge -close to 75 years old. T


Is that the new Mathers Bridge?


----------



## R. Doug

Carlsbad Caverns, photographed just yesterday: So Easy Even a Caveman Can Photograph It


----------



## jpmorgan49

One of the many squirrel in the area stealing some bird seed. Taken in the Spring of this year.
jp


----------



## telracs

oyster shells anyone?


----------



## BrassMan

scarlet said:


> oyster shells anyone?


I like that--textures fascinate me. That inspires me to try something like that later today, once it warms up. I get a little stiff when the temps drop into the double digits....


----------



## ladyknight33

Pixilox said:


> Is that the new Mathers Bridge?


\\

Max Brewer Bridge


----------



## BrassMan

Well, Scarlet, my idea didn't pay off w. regard to texture. So instead I went for heat, for the drought (in Texas, in this case). First, two shots of a nearby ranch, with some cows trying to hide from 100º+ heat. (I was nicely limbered up, however.) Finally, my failure as to texture. You can only imagine the powdery character of this dust. With a different crop, it would have looked like the moon. (Those are tire tracks, for scale.)


----------



## telracs

BrassMan said:


> Well, Scarlet, my idea didn't pay off w. regard to texture. So instead I went for heat, for the drought (in Texas, in this case). First, two shots of a nearby ranch, with some cows trying to hide from 100º+ heat. (I was nicely limbered up, however.) Finally, my failure as to texture. You can only imagine the powdery character of this dust. With a different crop, it would have looked like the moon. (Those are tire tracks, for scale.)


Yeah, if you'd cut the grass on the far side, it would have definitely looked like the moon... time to play with it in the effect thread?


----------



## jpmorgan49

I little texture here....
jp


----------



## telracs




----------



## R. Doug

If you like sailing yachts in action, check out sailing yachts these photos I took at last year's Bucket Regatta in St. Barts.


----------



## John Dorian

@BrassMan

I actually really like the dust one.


----------



## BrassMan

John Dorian said:


> @BrassMan
> 
> I actually really like the dust one.


Thanks, John. I like JP's beach sand w. bird tracks.

I should probably start a drought series. Does anyone know what these dark brown tubes are?


----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> Anything to do with oil?


I wish!


----------



## John Dorian

Kick any over? Maybe they're bug nests. Could be termites?

Where was the picture taken?


----------



## BrassMan

John Dorian said:


> Kick any over? Maybe they're bug nests. Could be termites?
> 
> Where was the picture taken?


You got it, John. The pics were taken along our driveway, 100 yards from the house. Those who aren't up on termites need to know that termites must live underground--they can't be exposed to air and sunlight or they'll die. But it's been so dry lately that all the plant life below ground is withered up. So the termites build those mud tubes around each blade of grass and then, inside, with the tubes' protection, they eat the grass. You can see, in the second picture, some broken tubes, now hollow. The grass was eaten. If I break one of those tubes in the early morning or late evening I can often find little white termites wiggling around doing their thing.

Now if I could only figure out how to photograph doodle bugs (aka ant lions). We have a jillion of those too.


----------



## telracs

\


----------



## R. Doug

Love the colors and composition of the fishnets, Scarlet.


----------



## jpmorgan49

Very Nice!!!
jp


----------



## telracs




----------



## R. Doug

Photographs of Salt Flat, El Capitan, and White Sands.


----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> These scenes soon might be only a memory for BrassMan. Don is coming his way. Sadly, he's ignoring my neck of the woods.


At the moment, the approximate time of landfall of Tropical Depression Don, our property is being ripped by humid easterly winds of 10 mph under broken clouds. There is not a drop of rain. Brutal, man.


----------



## John Dorian

Yesterday I got to watch black clouds roll over here, they looked like smoke. The lightning was intense! It wasn't raining, so of course I went out to watch 

I tried to take some pictures, but sadly my camera under-performed.


----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs




----------



## R. Doug

Pictures I took yesterday of Anchorage, Alaska.


----------



## R. Doug

Tuesday found us in Fairbanks, Alaska (pictures included).


----------



## R. Doug

North Pole Excursion and Pioneer Park

Denali National Park


----------



## MartyS

My Wednesday:


----------



## drenfrow

Well I'm intrigued.  Please tell me someone's head is being cryopreserved.  That would be totally cool (hehe ).


----------



## MartyS

drenfrow said:


> Well I'm intrigued. Please tell me someone's head is being cryopreserved. That would be totally cool (hehe ).


  Sorry, they don't go quite that cold to preserve tissue (way too expensive). They normally use liquid nitrogen for that (77°K, -321°F, -196°C), the picture is liquid helium being transferred (4°K, -452°F, -269°C).

It's a new superconducting magnet being installed here to do NMR work, same principle as a medical MRI scanner but with a much more intense but smaller area inside that looks at molecular structure instead of entire body parts.


----------



## drenfrow

Well, that is still really interesting.  4°K, brrr!


----------



## R. Doug

Our road trip through Denali National Park back to Anchorage, with photographs.


----------



## RobertY




----------



## John Dorian

There are alot of bug pictures scattered through the threads in this forum


----------



## zeus

Some of mine. Enjoy!


----------



## R. Doug

You're displaying some incredible skills in lighting and still-life photography there, Zeus. Nice work.

Today I've posted pictures taken eight days ago of Portage Glacier.


----------



## R. Doug

Pictures I took this week of Las Vegas and the Seattle Space Needle:


----------



## MartyS

Mini horse and donkey. Would have been more impressive with the huge draft horse on the other side of the fence but of course whenever I went over there with my camera he was somewhere else, and when I was somewhere else he was over there....


----------



## BrassMan

(Thanks to DD#2)


----------



## R. Doug

oooOOOooo.  I LOVE Venice.

Thanks for posting that.  Certainly took me back.


----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:



> Meeee, too! Postcard beautiful, BrassMan. DD#2 does nice work.


Yes, she does. There are a couple more of hers on the photo effects thread, of the Ukranian art entry in the Venice Bienale (with eggs, as it were).

Here's a couple more:


----------



## telracs

clouds and building reflected in car roof.


----------



## Jeff




----------



## BrassMan

DD#2 looked in on Rome and Vatican City briefly. I like her use of light in these two (the Pantheon and St. Peter's).


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> Scarlet, I don't know how you got this shot but it's cool.


does this help?










looking down at street from highline.


----------



## amiblackwelder

Kathy said:


> I love taking pictures and every once in a while I snap one that I like. Here are a couple.
> 
> This was taken from our boat. It is under one of the bridges in the Intracoastal canal. We are becoming overrun with the Iguanas here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This was taken at Sea World. My grandsons wanted to feed the birds and I went with them and was able to snap a picture of this bird close up.


love that pic...lol


----------



## BrassMan

Not sure if 10,000 words are necessary for this, but here's the same field, same angle, from March 2007 and today. Texas has some horrible wildfires now, but you can see why we're not worried. Don't ask me how that sunflower managed. I have no idea. By the way, Louisiana, 300 miles to the east, is drowning. We had 105º today.


----------



## R. Doug

This week I'm running pictures from a nine-day cruise I took out of Barcelona, Spain, last year. Today's pictorial installment:

Nine Days out of Barcelona-Barcelona, Casablanca, and Rabat


----------



## R. Doug

Part two of my pictorial series, Nine Days out of Barcelona. Today, it's: Nine Days out of Barcelona-Rabat, Taroudant Palace, and Playa las Palmas


----------



## R. Doug

Third and final installment on my travel pictorial. Today it's: Nine Days out of Barcelona-Las Palmas, Teror, and Funchal


----------



## NogDog

The final station on my way to my new job, Kingsland Station in Lyndhurst NJ:


----------



## geoffthomas

Great pic, Charles.


----------



## BrassMan




----------



## R. Doug

Classic Cars and Curaçao. What could be better?


----------



## R. Doug

And some more:


----------



## R. Doug

Photo Safari-Stalking the Elusive El Paso


----------



## Meb Bryant

These pics of vintage cars take me back to my high school years. Thanks!
Meb


----------



## R. Doug

You're very welcome, Meb.  Glad you enjoyed them.


----------



## NogDog

I love the bronze-colored Mustang for some reason:


----------



## R. Doug

Glad you enjoyed it.  My favorite is the red Mach 1.  Always had a soft spot for that particular Mustang.


----------



## R. Doug

Pictures I took of New York City a while back.


----------



## ValeriGail

Just a cool shot I got while in my mother in law's garden the other day. Thought I'd share


----------



## R. Doug

Select pictures from a three-part series I blogged this week:


----------



## dihao

so nice，what is cammare are you using?


----------



## R. Doug

On this trip my equipment and settings were:

Camera:  Canon EOS 5D
Lens: Canon 24-105 f4L IS
Filter:  Either UV Haze or Circular Polarizer (depending on the shot)
File Format:  JPEG
Picture Style:  Landscape for most, Standard in some


----------



## R. Doug

Just a few pictures from today's blog, People in Glass Houses . . .


----------



## FranShaff

kim said:


> A friend at her swim meet. The picture is a couple years old but I still like it.


This picture is amazing! Thanks for sharing


----------



## Vegas_Asian

Bored when at school between classes. 









Sent from my HTC Inspire via Tapatalk


----------



## drenfrow




----------



## R. Doug

A few select pictures from today's Chalk the Block about El Paso's annual street art festival (using chalk on streets and sidewalks):


----------



## R. Doug

A few pictures I posted of Malta on today's blog (Marching through Malta):


----------



## geoffthomas

Now those are nice pics.


----------



## R. Doug

Thank you, Geoff.


----------



## R. Doug

Some samples from today's blog on the Currituck Beach Lighthouse on the Outer Banks:


----------



## R. Doug

Some selected photographs from today's blog: Yacht to like it-St. Tropez


----------



## BrassMan

Nostalgia time: This picture, from http://www.theplazatheatre.org/photo_gallery_category.php?id=2, shows the newly restored, 1930-era Plaza Theater in downtown El Paso, Texas, one of my fondest childhood memories. In the 1960s I used the take the bus to the Saturday matinee, where, with hundreds of other random kids, I could hear a concert on the mighty Wurlitzer, watch cartoons, see a movie, and pig out on popcorn.

What always impressed me was that the inside of the theater resembled the outside of a Spanish mission--the adobe walls with (phony) ivy clinging to them, the twinkling stars and scudding clouds overhead, the long galleries, and so forth. R. Doug will know better than I how close we came to losing this theater, and what struggles were required to restore it, but it is a marvel and a prime point of interest for any tourist.


----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> That is a beautiful theater. I know how happy all of you must be that it was saved. Aside from the concert I, too, remember the same things as you do, plus the fact that _all_ of the credits came _before_ the movie, not after. I'm reminded of that every time I watch _Lady and the Tramp_ or _The Aristocats_ with my granddaughter.


You're right about that, Cobbie. Back then, our anticipation was taken for granted as the titles rolled. Now, what with the frantic pace of movies and advertisements, they seem to feel to need to start with a bang, lest we nod off.

Are you still happy with your Lumix, by the way?


----------



## BrassMan

"El Paso" means "the pass," of course, where the Rio Grande passes through the Rocky Mountains. Pitiful as the river is, here's west Texas without that sip of water: sand dunes, El Capitan peak and an attempt at irrigated agriculture, and a patch of oil wells (the dots) and wind chargers--no shortage of wind out there. Taken with a Panasonic Lumix shirtpocket camera from 30-35,000 feet. Thanks again for the recommendation, R. Doug!


----------



## R. Doug

I see that in the last photo that you also captured the wind turbine farm east of El Paso.  Those things are HUGE.


----------



## BrassMan

R. Doug said:


> I see that in the last photo that you also captured the wind turbine farm east of El Paso. Those things are HUGE.


De veras. We have hundreds in south Texas. Here are three shots from the last time it rained, over a year ago. Note the tower base in the second photo--see how small the stairs and door are. Any one of the blades makes a way-oversize load for an 18-wheeler. In the third photo, note the access doors in the hub, big enough for a human to get inside. The fourth shot was with that little Lumix, a zoom, through the airplane window, from four or five miles up--that's a building at the base! An engineer told me each turbine generates 1500-2000 horsepower. A field of these things costs billions.


----------



## BrassMan

Cobbie said:


> Great pictures, BrassMan. Yes, I love my Panasonic Lumix, thanks to you and R. Doug. It sits on my desk on it's tripod mount with my tripod nearby. One of these days I'll put it in my purse. That should make Scarlet happy.


DD#2 has a new Lumix with a touch screen, gulp. Not sure about a wireless computer connection, but she seems happy with it. I console myself that R. Doug said the older model was the better one. All the shots above were taken with it (except the borrowed one of the Plaza Theater).


----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> Great pictures, BrassMan. Yes, I love my Panasonic Lumix, thanks to you and R. Doug. It sits on my desk on it's tripod mount with my tripod nearby. One of these days I'll put it in my purse. That should make Scarlet happy.


yes, camera pictures will make me very happy.
and your camera will be happy when it's in your bag.


----------



## JLeighBralick

Wow!!! There are some truly stunning pictures in here! 

I just got a new camera recently, and the sky cooperated perfectly one night in giving me a lovely sunset. This picture is completely untouched.


----------



## drenfrow

That is an incredible sunset!


----------



## R. Doug

A few select pictures from today's blog: Across the Bay from St. Tropez-Port Grimaud


----------



## telracs

snow in Jackson, WY and Idaho...


----------



## R. Doug

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) from today's blog:


----------



## kahoolawe

JP. just added you on flickr. Nice work!!!


----------



## kahoolawe

Lewes, England, UK by db digital, on Flickr
Lewes, England, UK


Lanai, Hawaii by db digital, on Flickr
Lanai, Hawaii


Molokai, Hawaii (sea cliffs) by db digital, on Flickr
Molokai, Hawaii


My Beautiful Son by db digital, on Flickr
My son!


My Beautiful Wife by db digital, on Flickr
My wife!


----------



## R. Doug

Canyon de Chelly:


----------



## R. Doug

A few images from today's blog: Random Shots of the Anti-Winter


----------



## NogDog

A flock of some sort of small black birds, probably getting ready to head further south while I was waiting for my early morning train on a chilly November morning.


The Birds by cwreace, on Flickr


----------



## R. Doug

Today's blog is on Fall in the Chihuahuan Desert (Part 2 will run next weeks), and here are a few sample photos:


----------



## drenfrow

NogDog said:


> A flock of some sort of small black birds, probably getting ready to head further south while I was waiting for my early morning train on a chilly November morning.
> 
> 
> The Birds by cwreace, on Flickr


This picture just makes me cold looking at it. Brrr...


----------



## R. Doug

Some photographs of The Anti-Winter (more shots available at the blog):


----------



## R. Doug

A few pictures from today's blog: Part 2 of Fall in the Chihuahuan Desert


----------



## R. Doug

A few pics from today's blog, The Anti-Winter Revealed:


----------



## drenfrow

R. Doug said:


> A few pictures from today's blog: Part 2 of Fall in the Chihuahuan Desert


Beautiful pictures. I wish my part of the Chihuahuan desert looked like this!  It's nothing but dry death around here.


----------



## R. Doug

We've had our share of drought as well.  We're at 4.53 inches for the year.  We should be at 8.88.


----------



## drenfrow

We've had 0.7" at the house in the last 15 months.  And we get our water from a roof catchment system!  We haven't had to haul water yet but I am known as the Water Nazi.  I had relatives visiting over Thanksgiving and we just gritted our teeth when they had to have a shower every day.


----------



## R. Doug

Okay.  You win.  Point seven inches—that just stinks.

Sorry.  Couldn't resist.

Anyway, I sincerely hope you get some rain relief soon.


----------



## R. Doug

A few samples from today's travelogue: Fredericksburg and the San Antonio River Walk (Christmas Lights).


----------



## gfxcasa

wow great pictures here! Wonderful post!


----------



## R. Doug

Thank you.


----------



## R. Doug

A select photo or two from yesterday's blog entitled You'll Adora Meteora:


----------



## telracs




----------



## josealford

Guys i am having an prom party next week and the photography section is handled over to me. So without making any mistake i want to capture all the moments in high quality. Currently i don't have any high resolution camera for such occasions, please guide me a nice one... thanks in advance..
___________
prom dress


----------



## R. Doug

A few questions are in order:

What is you budget?  What is your experience level?  Do you have any 35mm SLR (Single lens reflex) or other sophisticated film photography experience in your background?  Do you understand manual control of f-Stop, shutter speed, and ISO (film speed/digital sensor sensitivity setting)?  What is the largest size of any print you'll be making of this series of prom party photographs?

Additionally:

How will the camera be most often used once this party is over?  You don't want to be stuck with a camera for which you have no real need later.

Off the top of my head, I'm already thinking you're going to need at a minimum a bridge camera with a hot shoe on which you can mount a more powerful flash than normally comes built into the camera.  As for the flash, that's also going to be a bit expensive as you'll need one that you can aim away from the subject for indirect lighting, and on top of that you'll need a diffuser (at least that's cheap) to fit over the flash to soften the light.  As for the lens in this situation, you'll want a bridge camera that's biased toward the wide angle side of the spectrum, and that has a fairly large aperture at the wide end.  A cheaper, simple point-and-shoot probably isn't going to do what you want here, but if you're budget-limited let us know so we can steer you toward something acceptable.

Beyond that, we're probably looking at a more expensive DSLR (or, at the least, one of the newer ILCs on the market) with a fast, wide-angle telephoto lens (which isn't cheap) and a rather sophisticated hot shoe-mounted flash.  But this is the costlier route and I'm not sure you want to go this way unless you're serious about photography and want to use your new camera for multiple applications beyond this one-time event.  Plus, I don't know how much time you're going to have to learn this camera and its controls to best advantage, and the learning curve is going to be steep to get the most out of it.

I can walk you through this decision and give you some likely prospects, but it's going to require a lot of back-and-forth, so you might want to just PM me.  I'm not sure everyone here wants to read through the whole discourse on how to make a decision of this magnitude.


----------



## geoffthomas

Actually R.Doug, I think the discussion would be very enlightening.
I was led to my terrific panasonic Lumix DMC ZS7 from this thread and love it.
Would enjoy hearing all the advice for this situation.


----------



## R. Doug

Well, that's okay by me, Geoff.

Jose—just go ahead and post here and we'll walk you through it.


----------



## telracs

Actually, may I request you start a new thread for this discussion?  This thread is best left for actual photos.


----------



## R. Doug

scarlet said:


> Actually, may I request you start a new thread for this discussion? This thread is best left for actual photos.


Sounds good to me.

Jose-start a thread titled something like, "Help Me Pick a Camera," or some such and we'll assist you there.


----------



## Vicariot

Wow, some great photos on this thread, and no way I can browse the whole thing. Here's a few more below.









Kids herding the family cows in Vietnam









Even novice monks in Cambodia read Lonely Planet!









Yellow-billed kites are an ornery lot.









This baboon seemed wise beyond his years.

cheers


----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs




----------



## josealford

R. Doug said:


> Sounds good to me.
> 
> Jose-start a thread titled something like, "Help Me Pick a Camera," or some such and we'll assist you there.


No issue folks i will start a new thread... I am sorry for replying late, was busy in some other preparations..


----------



## R. Doug

Had a spectacular end-of-year sunset this evening:


----------



## R. Doug

Today's blog and a few pictures from it:


----------



## R. Doug

Today's blog: Playing Around with Black & White

And some samples from that blog:


----------



## telracs




----------



## R. Doug

The Flat Iron building is just too cool a subject from so many different angles.


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

My new horsie, Mercury. He's a friesian - that's a light draft breed from the Netherlands. If you look carefully, that is his mane hanging down past his neck on the far side. He speaks Dutch.


----------



## drenfrow

Carol Hanrahan said:


> My new horsie, Mercury. He's a friesian - that's a light draft breed from the Netherlands. If you look carefully, that is his mane hanging down past his neck on the far side. He speaks Dutch.


He's beautiful. Did you have to invest in a Dutch-English dictionary?


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Ja. Dank u

His registration papers are in Dutch too.  I could figure out geebortedatum - date of birth, but that was about it!


----------



## JimC1946

drenfrow said:


> Did you have to invest in a Dutch-English dictionary?


----------



## telracs




----------



## R. Doug

In today's blog I have my recipe for seafood diabla, and a side trip to Santuario de Chimayo in search of the perfect chipotle powder to make it.

Some sample photographs from the blog:

Seafood Diabla and El Santuario de Chimayo


----------



## JimC1946

Hey, you tell him to get off the road!


----------



## R. Doug

First installment of a three-part photo travelogue series on Boston this week: There's More to Boston than Baked Beans

And a couple of sample shots:


----------



## R. Doug

Part II in this week's Boston photo travelogue series: In and Around Boston Harbor

And a sample or two:


----------



## R. Doug

Third and final installment on my Boston photo travelogue series: Boston Architecture-The Devil is in the Details

And a few samples of the photography:


----------



## R. Doug

First of a three-part series I'm running this week on Trinidad and Tobago, with pictures: http://rdougwicker.com/2012/03/12/trinidad-and-tobago-part-1-trinidad/

And a sample shot or two:


----------



## CarolineAM

Jeff said:


> Water Hyacinth
> ​


BEAUTIFUL composition!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## R. Doug

Trinidad and Tobago Part 2-Asa Wright Nature Center

With pictures, of course. And here's a sample or two:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from today's blog, Trinidad and Tobago Part 3-Tobago:


----------



## R. Doug

Another Sunset (with pictures):



















Equipment used, shot data, and post processing explained in the blog.


----------



## NogDog

View from Bordentown NJ train station

Equipment used: the crappy little 1-MPx camera in my Blackberry.


----------



## Adam Poe

Oh man the picture of the shrimp R. Doug posted has made me super hungry.. which is definitely not good at this hour..!


----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs

Cobbie said:


> I think you owe your "crappy little 1-MPx camera" on your Blackberry an apology. I think this photo is beautiful.


yes, it's a very nice picture. and you should be nice to your blackberry when you don't have a camera with you.


----------



## tj107us

here is my pic i tried to post just the pic but it wont show it so here is the link!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/6963904614/


----------



## R. Doug

Been out of the country for a while, so I've not been able to visit with y'all lately. Here's one selected picture from each of the following blogs:

Sunset at Sea:










Views of the MS Ryndam:










King's Wharf Bermuda:










Hamilton Bermuda:










Bermuda Ferry:










Le Cirque Aboard Holland America:










On the Go in Saint-Malo:










Day Trip from Saint-Malo-Mont Saint-Michel:


----------



## drenfrow

tj107us said:


> here is my pic i tried to post just the pic but it wont show it so here is the link!!
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/6963904614/


That picture is so sharp it looks like you could reach in and touch the butterfly. Nice!


----------



## Vegas_Asian

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


----------



## R. Doug

I'm running a series on Bruges, Belgium this week. Here are a few of today's photographs:


----------



## R. Doug

A few samples from Part 2 on Bruges:


----------



## William Meikle

Was up at this lighthouse for a walk this morning


----------



## BrassMan

DD#1 was in Haiti last week.

This is the national palace.


----------



## R. Doug

Nice lighthouse shot, Willie. Good use of the Rule-of-Thirds.

Some samples from Friday's third and final installment on Bruges:


----------



## R. Doug

Boogying the Backstreets of Brussels, Belgium-Part 1

With pictures, of course. Here's a few samples:


----------



## R. Doug

Sample photos from Wednesday's blog Boogying the Backstreets of Brussels, Belgium-Part 2:


----------



## R. Doug

And a few more from today's Boogying the Backstreets of Brussels, Belgium-Part 3:


----------



## Vegas_Asian

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


----------



## R. Doug

oooOOOooo.  Nice shot, Vegas.  Love everything from the angle to the composition and subject.


----------



## Vegas_Asian

Thank you!! 

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Scott Bartlett

Photography is far from a strength of mine, but here are a couple shots I'm proud of.

Lizard.










I think this one really captures the zeitgeist.


----------



## NogDog

A "sun shower" while waiting for the train today at Bordentown, NJ.


----------



## Vegas_Asian

Playing with my phone while I wait for my brother to get out of work. 
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


----------



## heySkippy

I love picture threads.  Here are a few recent snaps.

From the wettest parade ever - Tybee Island GA a couple weeks ago.









Just don't squirt the guy with the camera.









Very talented hula hoop girl at Drum Circle on Siesta Key Beach (Sarasota FL).









Ridiculously photogenic great nephew.









Sunset at the beach from that same day.









I'm a wanna-be airbrush artist in my spare time. Painted myself a new mailbox.









More to come!


----------



## R. Doug

A pictorial blog on my stay in "The Village." (Fans of The Prisoner should get the reference). A few sample shots:


----------



## R. Doug

Portmeirion-Part 2. With pictures, of course. Here's a small selection of the sixteen posted today (more coming up on Friday):


----------



## BrassMan

A bunch of us folks gathered in south Texas yesterday, June 5, 2012, to observe the transit of Venus. The first photo includes three physicist/astronomers among other curious and/or nerdy participants. The second shows one physicist's EZ-viewing creation, which worked excellently. It was a hot day, but fortunately the sun went down before it was half over and we could retire to replenish our electrolytes.

Next performance: December 2117!


----------



## R. Doug

Today's blog: Portmeirion-Part 3.

With pictures, of course (here are a select few):


----------



## R. Doug

The Wyler Aerial Tramway from which one can see two major cities, three states, and two countries.

With the obligatory photographs, by the way. Here are a few samples:


----------



## telracs

R. Doug said:


> The Wyler Aerial Tramway from which one can see two major cities, three states, and two countries.


Which ones?


----------



## R. Doug

Countries—United States of America and Mexico.  

States—Texas, New Mexico, and Chihuahua.  

Cities—El Paso and Ciudad Juárez.


----------



## telracs

R. Doug said:


> Countries-United States of America and Mexico.
> 
> States-Texas, New Mexico, and Chihuahua.
> 
> Cities-El Paso and Ciudad Juárez.


thanks.


----------



## Vegas_Asian

Back when I was filling down my fountain pen when I replaced my lost one. I started taking pics of what I was writing 
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


----------



## R. Doug

It's Fun Foto Friday again, with pictures. Here are a couple:


----------



## R. Doug

A few sample pictures from today's blog (location: Secret. It's a contest):


----------



## R. Doug

A couple of pictorial clues from today's Still Time to Win!:


----------



## R. Doug

Why I love Northern New Mexico-Part 1

A few sample photographs:


----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs




----------



## R. Doug

What's that funny-lookin' thing with the cord hanging from it?

Great B&W conversion on that Federalist-style building, Scarlet.


----------



## telracs

R. Doug said:


> What's that funny-lookin' thing with the cord hanging from it?
> 
> Great B&W conversion on that Federalist-style building, Scarlet.


Dougie boy, you're old enough to recognize that thing.... and i have another one to post later.

and that's actually the cyanotype setting on my nikon. i prefer it to the b/w setting.


----------



## R. Doug

Doesn't look blue enough for cyanotype.  I thought it looked more like a silver-bromide effect.


----------



## telracs

R. Doug said:


> Doesn't look blue enough for cyanotype. I thought it looked more like a silver-bromide effect.


nope... for some reason my cyano is not that cyano....


----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs




----------



## R. Doug

Why I Love Northern New Mexico-Part 2

And here are today's sample photos:


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Here's a photo I took coming home from a business trip on my approach to Newark (now Liberty) Airport of the World Trade Center. I finished the photo off in Photoshop in 2002.

For all on the 4th of July (early gift).








Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. Doug

Nice, Ed. Fourth happens to be my 33rd anniversary, as well.

Last of this week's series Why I Love Northern New Mexico-Part 3

With pictures. Here's some samples:


----------



## telracs

r. doug......

black and white










cyano


----------



## Vegas_Asian

Playing with my food and camera during lunch with my brother
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


----------



## R. Doug

Love the contrast in that second (cyano) shot, Scarlet.


----------



## R. Doug

You're making me hungry, Vegas-Asian . . . and I just ate!


----------



## telracs

R. Doug said:


> Love the contrast in that second (cyano) shot, Scarlet.


see, the cyano is nicer than my b/w.


----------



## R. Doug

You need to compare the two using the same shot.


----------



## telracs

R. Doug said:


> You need to compare the two using the same shot.


okay, here you go...


----------



## R. Doug

I would say that it depends upon the subject.  In both these cases the cyano is more striking visually.  In a shot with a lot more texture, however, I would think the regular B&W might be a bit less distracting to a busy subject.  Also, I think the B&W would be more flattering in a portraiture.


----------



## telracs

cake boss, anyone?


----------



## R. Doug




----------



## Betsy the Quilter

A reminder to folks that it is NOT appropriate to use this thread for self promotion.  That means no links to your blog, website, book page, etc, and pictures used should not have your website on unless it's a discrete watermark.

Thank you.

Betsy
KB Moderator


----------



## Vegas_Asian

We are all grown up
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Vegas_Asian

I did my cousin's nails. My favorite.









Mine now








Mine earlier today








Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


----------



## R. Doug

My Swiss-born wife had never heard of Roller Derby, so today I blogged about her introduction to the game this past Saturday. Here are some of the photos:


----------



## Vegas_Asian

Playing with camera filters 









Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


----------



## R. Doug

Some sample photos from today's Fun Foto Friday blog (today's subject-Desert Flowers):


----------



## R. Doug

I sorta got kidnapped this weekend and was unable to get my intended Batman review blog done in time. So, instead, I just posted some pictures of my travels over the weekend, and here's a sampling:


----------



## telracs

nice place to get kidnapped to...


----------



## R. Doug

I rather enjoyed it.


----------



## Vegas_Asian

New posits. Yay









Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from today's blog on Santa Fe:


----------



## R. Doug

Some samples from today's blog about our road trip up to Taos from Santa Fe:


----------



## R. Doug

Yesterday I posted on my blog some photographs of our recent sojourn into Georgia O'Keeffe country, up near Abiquiú, New Mexico. Here's a few samples:


----------



## Vegas_Asian

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


----------



## R. Doug

A few samples from today's Fun Foto Friday blog:


----------



## telracs




----------



## NogDog

I liked the contrast of colors and textures when I looked at this while waiting for a shuttle bus, so took a quick snap with my Blackberry:



(It's the loading dock at Kingsland Station in Lyndhurst, NJ.)


----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs

we weren't allowed to take pictures INSIDE the main house, but these are of the out-buildings.

Laundry building










clerk's quarters


----------



## telracs




----------



## telracs

blacksmithing....


----------



## R. Doug

This past week I started my series on our latest Alaskan adventure. Here is one select shot from all three articles:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from today's blog on a steamboat tour in Juneau:


----------



## telracs




----------



## R. Doug

A couple of sample photos from today's blog on the Mount Roberts Tramway in Juneau:


----------



## telracs




----------



## R. Doug

A sample or two from today's continuation of our latest Alaska cruise:


----------



## JimC1946

R. Doug, what cruise ship are you on?


----------



## R. Doug

Holland America's MS Statendam.  That makes two years in a row on that ship, same itinerary, but reversed course.


----------



## JimC1946

Thanks. That's a gorgeous ship!


----------



## R. Doug

The white ship above, reflected in the water during twilight, isn't the Statendam. That's Princess Cruise Lines' Sea Princess. She was in port with us at several locations along the trip, and she trailed behind us when we sighted whales between Ketchican and Juneau:










Holland America's ships all have white superstructures above dark blue hulls, such as these two (Statendam on the left):










Here's another view of the MS Statendam from my blog on Juneau:


----------



## JimC1946

Ah, thanks. They're all pretty ships!


----------



## telracs




----------



## R. Doug

This week I'm continuing my series on our recent Alaska cruise, and today I'm showing Skagway. Here's a sample from today's blog:


----------



## cursor system

All these pictures are beautiful. It is just that I don't really like taken pictures. But from what I am seeing, I will like to go for photographic training.


----------



## R. Doug

Today's Alaskan adventure from the ol' blog includes:


----------



## R. Doug

Today I'm blogging on the Seward Highway, and here are some samples:


----------



## R. Doug

Here's a sample or three from today's photo blog on Anchorage:


----------



## Lee44

Alaska is a really beautiful place.  That iceberg is amazing.  It looks like a world of wonder.  Simply breathtaking!


----------



## R. Doug

Yesterday was another Fun Photo Friday, and here are some sample photographs:


----------



## Lee44

extraordinary church. where is the church located, it's architecturally amazing?


----------



## R. Doug

That's the Ely Cathedral, located in the cathedral city of Ely in Cambridgeshire, England.  I first visited it back in 1976 when I was stationed at RAF Lakenheath, as the town of Ely is only about 20 miles from the air base.  In 2005 we returned to visit my daughter and son-in-law who were respectively stationed at RAFs Mildenhall and Lakenheath at the time.


----------



## Lee44

Simply astonishing.  I am starting to feel that I am missing out.  There are so many wonderous things that the world has to offer.  I need to get myself out there and go traveling.  Simply gorgeous!  Thank you.


----------



## R. Doug

You're most welcome, Lee.  Glad you enjoyed them.


----------



## R. Doug

Some samples from today's Fun Photo Friday blog:


----------



## R. Doug

A sampling of shots from today's Tale of Two Trips:


----------



## vikiana

Vegas_Asian said:


> I love digital. I can take hundreds of photos and only print/upload the best. I will have to look around my camera (my parents don't know I bought a camera for myself.)


Talent is always needed! It's not enough just to catch a good picture by accidents. What you see on photo camera is what you see like ideas in your mind!  What do you think about that?


----------



## Lee44

Gorgeous Beemer!  Last time I was in a convertible Beemer, I had to wear a scarf on my head cause my hair was flying around too much!  Nice color.

And since I love pink, that image above of wondrous pinkness is lovely!


----------



## R. Doug

Thank you, Lee.  I really enjoy driving that thing.

And if we're talking about the same "pink," that would be the metal skin of the Music Experience/Science Fiction Hall of Fame in Seattle.  It's a really neat building.


----------



## Lee44

The car is just lovely.  I was in a blue one, it was really nice.  Really fast, too!  I know you're lovin it!  

It made everything fun - let's go to the store that I hate going to, let's go back again, let's drive 10 blocks to see what's there, then drive back again.  

I know what you're feeling!

Yes.  I was talking about that gorgeous building, what a stunner.  It must be amazing to see in person.


----------



## R. Doug

Just got back from another cruise, so I'm doing another cruise series starting today. Today's pictures introduce the ship (the Sapphire Princess), and here's a small sampling:


----------



## Jeff

The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta


----------



## R. Doug

Oooo.  I'd forgotten that was running this week.  I really love photographing that balloon festival.  Done it twice.


----------



## R. Doug

And some pictures from today's continuation blog on that West Coast cruise:


----------



## R. Doug

Some samples from yesterday's edition on that West Coast cruise, this time on Alcatras Island at night:


----------



## Lee44

The balloons are gorgeous, it must be amazing to see in person!  

Those cells, Alcatraz!  One of the most memorable experiences I've ever had.  You could almost see those inmates in there.  Really a great experience.  I'm not sure that I would want to go to Alcatraz at night, however!  A little scary.

The fog over the Golden Gate bridge, such a rare photo.  I've only seen images of it on clear days.


----------



## R. Doug

And here are some samples from today's blog through Muir Woods:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from today's Mission Santa Barbara blog:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from today's blog on the Santa Barbara Courthouse:


----------



## R. Doug

Continuing in San Diego today, and here's a sampling:


----------



## R. Doug

A couple of samples from today's Part 1 blog on Santa Catalina Island:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from today's Part 2 on Santa Catalina Island:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from today's third and final installment on Santa Catalina Island:


----------



## R. Doug

Sample shots from yesterday's blog on the USS Midway:


----------



## R. Doug

Today's blog finishes up my West Coast cruise series with Ensenada, Mexico. And here are some photographic samples:


----------



## R. Doug

Some samples from today's blog on the annual Las Cruces Renaissance ArtsFaire:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from today's blog, Part 1 on El Paso's Mission Trail:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from today's Part 2 on the Mission Trail:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from today's Part 3 on El Paso's Mission Trail:


----------



## R. Doug

This week I'm running a series on fall foliage photos I took yesterday in El Paso. Some samples:


----------



## R. Doug

Sample shots from today's Part 2 on El Paso's fall colors:


----------



## Vegas_Asian

This is what happens when I try to avoid doing actual work







.
Korean BBQ always yummy


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from today's El Paso Fall Colors - Part 3:


----------



## R. Doug

Some samples from yesterday's Of Road Trips, Restaurants, and Recreation - Part 2:


----------



## R. Doug

Today's blog contains photographs of the Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park, and here are some samples:


----------



## R. Doug

This is Random Photo Week at the blog, and here are some samples from today:


----------



## R. Doug

Random Photo Week continues, and here are some samples:


----------



## R. Doug

Here are some samples from yesterday's third and final installment of Random Photo Week:


----------



## NogDog

My nieces gave me a Post-It note holder, with a card in the lid for "Important Numbers", so I added some important numbers.


----------



## R. Doug

Well, I recognize Pi and I recognize the square root of Pi.  What's the third?


----------



## NogDog

R. Doug said:


> Well, I recognize Pi and I recognize the square root of Pi. What's the third?


Planck's Constant (had to go for one pretty obscure -- but still important -- number). 

Probably a typo on your part, but the 2nd one is the square root of _2_.


----------



## R. Doug

I cannot tell a lie.  Nope, not a type.

In the words of my hero, "DOH!"


----------



## R. Doug

Blogged today about some freaky weather we've been having the past week, and here are some sample shots:


----------



## R. Doug

Some samples from today's Fun Photo Friday blog:


----------



## R. Doug

Running a series this week on the El Paso Museum of Art, and here's a sample or three (first pic is NOT the museum):


----------



## Active Imagination

jpmorgan49 said:


> Our family is BIG Disney Fans, we've been to Disney World many, many times. Recently we've been visiting the week after Thanksgiving. The weather is cooler, crowds are down and all the Christmas decorations are up. Here are a few pix from last December.
> jp


Wow What amazing Photos!


----------



## R. Doug

Sample shots from some recent blogs:


----------



## R. Doug

More shots of New Orleans from today's blog on searching for a good oyster po-boy:


----------



## R. Doug

And some from today:


----------



## R. Doug

Did a three-part series this week on Dzibanché. Here's one or two shots from each part:


----------



## William Meikle

Book pron... the top shelf of my bragging rights bookcase


----------



## R. Doug

Now that's my kind of library photograph — pictures of one's own books.  Nicely done, William.


----------



## R. Doug

A couple of samples from today's blog on Altun Ha:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from today's Cozumel Bar Hop - Parte Uno:


----------



## R. Doug

Sample shots from today's part two on the Cozumel Bar Hop:


----------



## R. Doug

From today's part three on the Cozumel Bar Hop:


----------



## R. Doug

Doing a three-parter this week on our first roadster trip of spring. Here's some sample shots:


----------



## R. Doug

Some sample shots from today's blog on Photographing the Old West (along with some tips on converting color photographs to B&W):


----------



## R. Doug

Today I'm running a series of photographs on NASA's Super Guppy, including interior and cockpit photos. Here's how the exterior looks:


----------



## R. Doug

A picture from last Fridays blog on NASA's Super Guppy:










And another shot from today's blog on a one-of-a-kind mystery aircraft, the McDonnell 119/220:


----------



## Jeff

Easter bunny


----------



## R. Doug

This is why W.C. Fields is purported to have said, "Never work with children or animals."

I certainly can't compete with that one.


----------



## Jeff

R. Doug said:


> I certainly can't compete with that one.


No competition intended. That picture was snapped with a cheap cell phone by the baby's mother.


----------



## R. Doug

A quick sample from today's Fun Photo Friday:


----------



## nightfire

Imagine living here!


----------



## alicepattinson

Oh my, I soooooooooo love R. Doug's pictures. It really amazes amazes me when I see beach or shore pictures


----------



## R. Doug

nightfire said:


> Imagine living here!


Is that Mesa Verde in Southwestern Colorado? Nice shot.


----------



## R. Doug

alicepattinson said:


> Oh my, I soooooooooo love R. Doug's pictures. It really amazes amazes me when I see beach or shore pictures


Thank you, Alice. I'm so glad someone is enjoying these photos.


----------



## R. Doug

Today is a three-fer. I blogged on Benson, Arizona; Kartchner Caverns State Park; and gave a restaurant review. Samples:


----------



## nightfire

R. Doug said:


> Is that Mesa Verde in Southwestern Colorado? Nice shot.


Nope but I plan to go there this summer. This is Montezuma's Castle in Arizona. Which is neither a castle nor was Montezuma ever there lol. Nice little National Park. Since I love rocks and rock formations I spend hours there.










Looks like a grumpy face doesn't it?


----------



## R. Doug

Montezuma's Castle . . . well, DUH!  I've even been there, silly me.  Just didn't recognize it.

Yeah, nice grumpy face, as well.


----------



## nightfire




----------



## Cindy416

R. Doug said:


> Is that Mesa Verde in Southwestern Colorado? Nice shot.


I wondered the same thing. Mesa Verde is fantastic! I especially love the amphitheater. It's incredible to think that there used to be water flowing past the granaries, amphitheater, etc.


----------



## R. Doug

Posted nine of my favorite Monument Valley shots today (and gave a little lesson on B&W conversion using color filtering). Anyway, here's a sample or two:


----------



## nightfire

Awesome photos.  That's on my hit list for this summer as well.

Where do you post your images and the b/w tutorial?


----------



## R. Doug

If you look at my signature, there's a link to my blog (forum rules preclude me from giving you direct post links).  As for B&W filtering, if you Google my name and the term "Black & White Photography" you'll find several posts on the subject.

If you want direct links, PM me and I'll send them to you.


----------



## nightfire

R. Doug said:


> If you look at my signature, there's a link to my blog (forum rules preclude me from giving you direct post links). As for B&W filtering, if you Google my name and the term "Black & White Photography" you'll find several posts on the subject.
> 
> If you want direct links, PM me and I'll send them to you.


Cool blog, we have a lot in common  What are you using for your slideshow and do you have your prints posted anywhere? We can take this conversation private if it isn't appropriate for here, just love talking to other photographers 

Here's an image, to keep on topic


----------



## R. Doug

Oh, we can chit chat about photography here all you want, I'm sure. That slideshow is just something I can do in Wordpress, which is my blog host. As for prints, I have one hanging in my office at work. It looks like this:










That's a ship on which the wife and I spent 54 days at sea back in 2011. I posted it as part of my recent Seven for Seven series.


----------



## nightfire

54 days at sea! That must have been great. That used to be a dream of mine, but I don't think I can survive 54 days offline.  I had 28 days offline after Hurricane Sandy and that about killed me.  Well, I guess that was kinda different.


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from my April 15 blog on the demolition of the historic ASARCO stacks:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from yesterday's blog on Tombstone:


----------



## R. Doug

It's Fun Photo Friday on the ol' blog again, and here's a sample or two:


----------



## Sueracs

CegAbq said:


> This dove and its mate have built a nest on the lattice-shade over our backyard patio - there are 2 eggs - we discovered them on Easter Sunday appropriately.


This is a really awesome picture. I love it. I also try to post some beautiful picture.


----------



## R. Doug

Assorted samples from my last four or so blogs (Caribbean Islands):


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from my blog on Saint Martin:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from my blog on Thomas - Saint of Shopping:


----------



## R. Doug

Here are a couple of samples from my end of the cruise blog on photographing Boston:


----------



## NogDog

My new toy:


----------



## R. Doug

A continuation on my Wild West blogs:


----------



## Book Master

What he says goes! My buddy, Mr. Jinks.
"He bites and has an attitude!"


----------



## R. Doug

Love Mr. Jinks.

Today I ran photos of The Rifleman and The High Chaparral country in southeastern Arizona and southern New Mexico (including shots of an abandoned Old West railroad line and what appear to be old telegraph poles). Here's a sample or two of the Chiricahua Mountains area:


----------



## Book Master

Last years 4th of July Smoky Mountain Vacation! Yes, I am a Photographer too.


----------



## R. Doug

oooOOOooo.  Nice shots, Book Master.


----------



## R. Doug

Cute little hummer.


----------



## NogDog

Cobbie said:


> Hummingbird feeding her babies.


Awesome photo: worthy of being in National Geographic or such.


----------



## NogDog

You call that a puddle? Now _that's_ a puddle:



(If you look carefully slightly above the middle of the photo, you can see a female duck paddling around in these rarely used parking spots.)


----------



## R. Doug

A sample of the dozen photographs I blogged today:

Towering Above the Sails:










Old and New:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from today's Salt Flats of the San Elizario Salt Wars:


----------



## R. Doug

Passing by El Capitan in the Guadalupe Mountains:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from yesterday's Igneous Dikes of the Southwestern U.S.:


----------



## NogDog

In case you think your grass is long, here's the stuff growing next to my apartment building that's taller than a truck now -- and the ground actually slopes down a bit past that concrete wall and rail:



The "common reed" grows pretty much anywhere here in NE New Jersey where there are wetlands.


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from yesterdays blog on the historic homes of Kern Place in El Paso:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from Historic Kern Place, El Paso - Part 2:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from today's Road Between El Paso and Palomas, Mexico (Wednesday will be on the famous Pink Store in Palomas):


----------



## R. Doug

Today it's Palomas and the famous Pink Store. Sample shots:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from yesterday's post on the historic Sunset Heights district in El Paso:


----------



## R. Doug

A couple of samples from today's Part 2 on El Paso's Historic Sunset Heights District:


----------



## R. Doug

From today's The Super Guppy Revisited:


----------



## NogDog

MetLife blimp heading toward MetLife stadium, snapped with my phone while out for my 2-mile walk today. (And yes, most of the trees here in north NJ are still green(ish).)


----------



## NogDog

Seen while taking my daily constitutional. I'm pretty positive it's a mallard, but not sure whether it's a female or possibly a juvenile male (before it develops the striking green head of the adult male).


----------



## NogDog

The hill I climbed today as part of my daily walk:










View from the top:


----------



## R. Doug

And what city would that be in the background?


----------



## NogDog

R. Doug said:


> And what city would that be in the background?


NY, NY


----------



## R. Doug

I like NY, NY.

Sample shots from today's SIG P229 review:


----------



## R. Doug

Samples from this weekend's special two-part series on Winchester lever-action rifles of the Old West:


----------



## R. Doug

Sample shots from yesterday's blog post on my upcoming travel photography series on a cruise from Sydney to Seattle:


----------



## inuyashatokikyo

Autumn in Romania

I went in the mountains with my family and all of a sudden my mother stopped the car and said: "You must take a photo here, with this winding road." And I was: "Nooo, why me, it's cold outside." And reluctantly got out of the warm and comfortable car and took a few photos in the area. Now I'm happy I did so. ^_^


----------



## ArchangelEST

I can't really compete with any of you when it comes to professional pictures that show off beautiful shots, I don't even own a camera. But I'd still like to share something.

The following picture holds a lot of value to me. Here I am, being recognized for years of hard work, showing all naysayers that I don't just talk the talk, I can walk the walk.


----------



## Warren Williams

This Painted Bunting (or a close relative) has shown up in my yard for the past three years. He's fast and doesn't stay in one place long.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

How cool, I'd love to see one!


----------



## R. Doug

Beautiful bird captured in a great shot.  Love the defocused background.


----------



## MichelleB675

I've been feeding stray kitties for a while now, and I've been trying to make friends with them, one likes to pose for me.

We call this one StumpyButt (or sometimes just Stumpy), she was born without a tail.


__
https://flic.kr/p/txZfzP


__
https://flic.kr/p/udnWLK


__
https://flic.kr/p/uupE1U


__
https://flic.kr/p/udePbu


__
https://flic.kr/p/usvrL7

All taken with a Canon T3i and Sigma 150-500mm


----------



## R. Doug

Stumpy is a real cutey.  I wonder just how feral he would really be if given a home.  Seems pretty calm around you.


----------



## MichelleB675

She is adorable. We first met her momma when she was pregnant, and started putting food out on the porch for her. She had the litter in the empty house next door and when they were old enough to roam, she taught them to come to us for food. Then she left them. Stumpy was the runt and so little she had trouble getting up the steps but she was the brave one and always the first to do anything. After more strays started showing up we started buying 20 lbs bags of food and taking some over to that house every day, and mixing warm broth with the kibble in the winter. Stumpy and her 2 sisters are almost a year old now. It has taken me that long to get her adjusted enough to me to let me walk by her without her running. Yesterday I tried tempting her with deli turkey, tossing chunks over to her and she got about 2 feet from me but wouldn't come the rest of the way to get the remainder until I got up and walked a few feet away. I am determined to make friends with her though and go out and sit where she is as much as I can and talk to her. The rest of the strays still run away, but they know where their food comes from because when it's late, they line up on our porch. I think there are 8-10 living over there now.


__
https://flic.kr/p/udf3HE

And then our Cotton, she showed up last year and decided to adopt us, she stays in our yard and sleeps on the porch, she was never wild as far as I can tell. The most loving cat I have ever seen.


----------



## R. Doug

What great eyes Cotton has.  She's lovely!


----------



## MichelleB675

Stumpy's sisters.. the litter was originally 4 but one disappeared. The tabby was the only one with a full tail, the tabby with white one has a half tail, and Stumpy has no tail.

__
https://flic.kr/p/usR7ML


__
https://flic.kr/p/txZcKv

and then 3 of the male strays..


__
https://flic.kr/p/udeTAm


__
https://flic.kr/p/uuQrxa


__
https://flic.kr/p/uv3uSt

I'm not sure if and how the one lost his eye, it's a shame, he's such a beautiful boy.

It's funny the rest of them won't run as often if Stumpy is with them. She's sort of the leader of their little tribe.


----------



## R. Doug

Some samples from yesterday's blog post _*El Paso Chihuahuas AAA Baseball - Southwestern University Park*_:


----------



## R. Doug

Sample shots from today's *Fun Photo Friday - Take Me Out to the Ball Game*, which includes tips on photographing sporting events under artificial lighting:



















And tips on photographing through safety netting:


----------



## NogDog

Morning on Lake Michigan


__
https://flic.kr/p/wP8YKN


----------



## NogDog

A horse of a different color (Louisville KY)


__
https://flic.kr/p/x8kb7h


----------



## NogDog

Indiana seen from Kentucky across the Ohio.


__
https://flic.kr/p/x8kez9


----------



## ddominikwickles

Niagara Falls is a beautiful place. Luckily it's only an hour and a half away from me so we can go any time we wish.


----------



## NogDog

Lunch time for an egret at the Meadowlands Environment Center in Lyndhurst NJ. (Click to see the short video.)


----------



## NogDog

A couple photos I snapped with my phone while out for a walk last weekend near and in the Meadowlands Environment Center in Lyndhurst NJ.

Using a bird-watching blind to make sure the stockbrokers don't see me:


__
https://flic.kr/p/FzNiJj

The road less traveled:


__
https://flic.kr/p/GpsuYT


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Enjoying these!


----------



## Mark E. Cooper

I can't believe I haven't seen this thread before. I've been going through the pages, starting at page 1. So many old posts from 2009. I miss Harvey, but things like this make me remember there's a sort of continuity. His legacy goes on.


----------



## NogDog

Never miss a marketing opportunity.


----------



## NogDog

Ran across this little guy while out for a walk this afternoon (on an amazingly beautiful hurricane-free day in northern NJ):


__
https://flic.kr/p/LLaqtr


----------



## NogDog

I snapped this yesterday evening when I happened to notice that the sun had somehow found a gap in the overcast to shine some of its last light of the day on lower Manhattan at an angle that reflected nicely back at my apartment.


__
https://flic.kr/p/MrjQ8x


----------



## geoffthomas

Nice pic, NogDog.
I hope others will post so that this thread keeps on going.


----------



## NogDog

geoffthomas said:


> Nice pic, NogDog.
> I hope others will post so that this thread keeps on going.


Okay, here's a bit of evening serenity:


__
https://flic.kr/p/WLDPSi


----------



## NogDog

Testing out the new lens...


__
https://flic.kr/p/Vwr6tq


----------



## NogDog

For some reason I found it kind of odd that they bothered putting a gutter and downspout on this little observation blind.


__
https://flic.kr/p/VCMDrr


----------



## NogDog

Take a picture of some grass, and ho-hum. Make it black and white in post-processing (and tweak the contrast and such), and you can call it "art". (I'm not saying it _is_ art, but some photographers seem to think that's all it takes some times.  )


__
https://flic.kr/p/VSUKd8


----------



## NogDog

This guy kept hiding from my camera, but I finally got one clear photo of, well, half of him. 


__
https://flic.kr/p/XcXg11


----------



## NogDog

I saw there were some interesting clouds coming in, so I headed up to the top level of my apartment building's garage:


__
https://flic.kr/p/X93iRS


----------



## NogDog

Lucky timing on these two shots:


__
https://flic.kr/p/Xc5Mto


__
https://flic.kr/p/Xc5M8y


----------



## NogDog

Even a landfill can look nice at sunset. 


__
https://flic.kr/p/XAD9pn


----------



## NogDog

Hey, look, yet another egret photo!


__
https://flic.kr/p/XC9tLq


----------



## NogDog

Just chillin' at the park.


__
https://flic.kr/p/XMVecv


----------



## NogDog

Duck synchronized swim team.


__
https://flic.kr/p/XC6hNq


----------



## NogDog

A couple of terns fighting over a small fish:


__
https://flic.kr/p/XGSmpP


__
https://flic.kr/p/XjajbU


__
https://flic.kr/p/XGSmYz


__
https://flic.kr/p/XjajEE


----------



## NogDog

How I safely watched the partial eclipse in NJ today:


__
https://flic.kr/p/XWP3aP


----------



## NogDog

Gull with crab dinner


__
https://flic.kr/p/XNECGM


----------



## NogDog

Happened to have my camera in hand when I crossed these tracks, so I took the opportunity that presented itself with no time to think much about camera settings:


__
https://flic.kr/p/XNEEGD


----------



## NogDog

Got this interesting lighting effect from the setting sun the other day as I was walking home:


__
https://flic.kr/p/XMudvW


----------



## NogDog

Who doesn't love a colorful sunset...


__
https://flic.kr/p/YE7gVA


----------



## NogDog

Maybe my best egret photo so far? (50% luck and 50% preparedness)


__
https://flic.kr/p/YHwF5f


----------



## NogDog

Got to see a bison roundup today near Rapid City SD.


__
https://flic.kr/p/YUyfow


----------



## NogDog

__
https://flic.kr/p/YXXQuU


----------



## NogDog

Took this last night, and after cropping down to just this one bird (out of 3 in the full frame), I really like the result:


__
https://flic.kr/p/YZmTnj


----------



## NogDog

Playing around with things to shoot with my macro lens, and tried another lens...


__
https://flic.kr/p/ZkAUN3


----------



## NogDog

For the Halloween season, a somewhat spooky evening view of a stream near my apartment:


__
https://flic.kr/p/YsqVDq


----------



## NogDog

I'm rather proud of this shot -- I managed to get a sharp, well exposed photo of this gull in flight. I'll call it 50% skill and 50% luck. 


__
https://flic.kr/p/FXb5Kt


----------



## NogDog

Macro lens fun:


__
https://flic.kr/p/CYVbiJ


----------



## NogDog

Lunch time for a great blue heron, taken at the Meadowlands Environment Center in NJ.


__
https://flic.kr/p/22N8z9A


----------



## geoffthomas

NogDog said:


> Took this last night, and after cropping down to just this one bird (out of 3 in the full frame), I really like the result:
> 
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/YZmTnj


I think it was a great choice - I like it too.


----------



## NogDog

I snapped this photo of the first full moon of 2018 (plus one day) last night. Went out on my balcony with camera and tripod, and after the 4th shot looked reasonably well focused and exposed, I hurried back inside before I got any colder. 

By the way, that is not a black-and-white photo: that was shot in color, and I did no color correction at all in Lightroom -- just some exposure/contrast tweaks.


__
https://flic.kr/p/238hy34


----------



## R. Doug

Nice. What focal length, ISO, f-stop, and exposure time?


----------



## NogDog

R. Doug said:


> Nice. What focal length, ISO, f-stop, and exposure time?


300mm (crop sensor) at f/7.1, 1/400 sec., ISO 100

PS: I generally post these from Flickr, so if you click on my images, it'll take you there, and the exif info is on the page -- that's how I just checked it.


----------



## NogDog

I was going through some photos from my late September vacation to SD, and I decided this one deserved some Lightroom processing love:


__
https://flic.kr/p/21QdD3g

This was during the annual roundup of the Custer State Park bison herd.


----------



## NogDog

Just another day on the job. At least they waited until the temperature got above freezing. (Shot through the window by my desk at work, with my little Panasonic Lumix ZS50 at 26x zoom)


__
https://flic.kr/p/FcWXcq


----------



## R. Doug

With my fear of heights, EWWwwwww.


----------



## NogDog

Friday we had warm moist air come up from the south over deeply frozen ground. That night there was a pause in the rain, so I headed outside to see what images I could grab in the dense fog that took the rain's place. (We're back to below freezing again now.)


__
https://flic.kr/p/224f35D


----------



## Muyassar Sattarova

Wait for my pictures... They are in the process of being uploaded on Photobucket)


----------



## NogDog

That's one gnarly-looking tree. It looked like all the other trees were avoiding it.


__
https://flic.kr/p/FxjVos

(Meadowlands Environment Center)


----------



## William Meikle

View out the front door today. Just below freezing, and after a couple of inches of snow last night. (Catalina Bay, Eastern Newfoundland)


----------



## R. Doug

Sample shots from _Carnival Victory - Key West_:


----------



## NogDog

This tidal pond was still about 90% covered in ice yesterday. About 30 seconds after I took this shot, he and his mate flew off to find some water they could float on instead of walk on.


__
https://flic.kr/p/JU93up


----------



## R. Doug

Cute little guy.


----------



## NogDog

Got up close and personal with a couple shots today.


__
https://flic.kr/p/23LUpqy


__
https://flic.kr/p/FcG7a4


----------



## NogDog

Yesterday I met a black-crowned night heron for the first time.


__
https://flic.kr/p/241H3VJ

I've met mallard ducks many times, but this couple looked mahhhhhvelous yesterday.


__
https://flic.kr/p/241H48N


----------



## NogDog

Hoping to actually have a sunny weekend here in NJ without sub-freezing wind chills, so that I can get out for some new photos. In the meantime, here's a shot from a couple weeks back on a gray, chilly day in the park when I was practically the only one there.


__
https://flic.kr/p/254CRKs


----------



## NogDog

Sun-dappled duck droplets


__
https://flic.kr/p/24bDT4A


----------



## NogDog

My first (great) egret for 2018


__
https://flic.kr/p/FD4BgD


__
https://flic.kr/p/25igqeK


----------



## NogDog

From this week's nor'easter:


__
https://flic.kr/p/242d66Z


__
https://flic.kr/p/FHZryR


----------



## R. Doug

I suppose now would _not_ be the time to tell you that we've been in the mid- to upper 80s for the past two days.


----------



## NogDog

Snow is nearly all gone, and it almost felt like early spring today.


__
https://flic.kr/p/FQc8FM


----------



## NogDog

Upon further reflection...


__
https://flic.kr/p/25qM757


----------



## R. Doug

I so love reflection shots. Good job!


----------



## NogDog

This belted kingfisher (I think?) patiently posed for me today.


__
https://flic.kr/p/23deeRE


----------



## NogDog

Couldn't get an unobstructed view of this guy, but still a pretty cool pic. I'd guess his shell was around 5-6 inches long.


__
https://flic.kr/p/2552FQy


----------



## NogDog

I'm in Pittsburgh for a work-related conference (RailsConf). They have several metal bridges painted yellow.


__
https://flic.kr/p/GDEURk


----------



## NogDog

NogDog said:


> I'm in Pittsburgh for a work-related conference (RailsConf). They have several metal bridges painted yellow.


They have ducks in Pittsburgh, too.


__
https://flic.kr/p/GDEV8T


----------



## NogDog

Sandpipers are cool (IMHO).


__
https://flic.kr/p/252VvMn


----------



## NogDog

These little tree swallows are pretty and are amazing fliers, catching flying insects in the air.


__
https://flic.kr/p/J2ptyh


----------



## NogDog

Moon shot with my 500mm lens:


__
https://flic.kr/p/26FxkqW


----------



## NogDog

Had a line of pretty strong thunderstorms pass through yesterday after work. This is a shot of the tail end after they'd gone through, and the setting sun was lighting them up from behind me.


__
https://flic.kr/p/25Q2oTK

(Also one of my first shots with my new wide-angle (11-16mm) lens.)


----------



## NogDog

Awesome osprey assault:


__
https://flic.kr/p/26fWVuy


__
https://flic.kr/p/KdNRmf


__
https://flic.kr/p/24AZgEw


----------



## NogDog

A great egret shows its different approach to fishing.


__
https://flic.kr/p/26qPLrY


__
https://flic.kr/p/27soTXh


----------



## NogDog

Fun with a slow shutter speed (1/25th sec.):


__
https://flic.kr/p/26AAaLm


----------



## geoffthomas

Great shots NogDog.


----------



## NogDog

Not sure what's going on here. Maybe it was illegally parked?


__
https://flic.kr/p/2afAcRD


----------



## NogDog

Guess where I was last week. 


__
https://flic.kr/p/2cBP9YC


----------



## NogDog

Not something you get to take a portrait of every day.


__
https://flic.kr/p/PwRGMz


----------



## NogDog

It's officially spring for me now: the tree swallows have returned.


__
https://flic.kr/p/2dUVuS6


----------



## NogDog

First goslings I've seen this year:


__
https://flic.kr/p/TAQ3KQ


----------



## crebel

So cute.  I miss you posting pictures more often.  Thanks, Nog.


----------



## NogDog

crebel said:


> So cute. I miss you posting pictures more often. Thanks, Nog.


Okay...here's me working on my black-and-white processing skills (going through a Udemy video course on it) of a photo I took a few weeks ago:


__
https://flic.kr/p/RZkRXv


----------



## crebel

Well, not as cute, but certainly striking!


----------



## Nina Huffney

Fantastic photos, *NogDog*. I like your captions, too.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

NogDog said:


> Not something you get to take a portrait of every day.
> 
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/PwRGMz


Wow, this is really cool!


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

NogDog said:


> Guess where I was last week.
> 
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/2cBP9YC


I'm going to try to start taking some Milky Way picks. Love this!

Betsy


----------



## NogDog

Dandelions are already going to seed here in NJ. At least it feels like early May is "already", or is that normal? Oh well, here's the photo...


__
https://flic.kr/p/2eCREqj


----------



## crebel

That's a good picture of pure evil.


----------



## NogDog

Not necessarily great photos individually, but as a sequence, kind of cool 


__
https://flic.kr/p/2eytqXr


__
https://flic.kr/p/2eKFe5N


__
https://flic.kr/p/2fXqzZa


__
https://flic.kr/p/25kPVNk


----------



## NogDog

The osprey, on the other hand (foot?), uses its claws to snatch a fish.


__
https://flic.kr/p/2fZ9AYp


----------



## prairiesky

I haven't looked at this photo section in a very long time.  You have some beautiful photos NogDog.


----------



## anguabell

Very nice, NogDog! So difficult to capture birds. Are you on Instagram by any chance?


----------



## NogDog

anguabell said:


> Very nice, NogDog! So difficult to capture birds. Are you on Instagram by any chance?


Thanks! Look for "cwreace" on Instagram, or also on Flickr where you can see images in their full-sized glory.  https://www.flickr.com/photos/cwreace/


----------



## NogDog

Captured this about a week-and-a-half ago from my apartment's balcony.


__
https://flic.kr/p/2g4Ev3n


----------



## NogDog

Headed over to Liberty State Park to check out the "Sail GP" boat race.


__
https://flic.kr/p/2giqJZa


__
https://flic.kr/p/2giqpKQ


----------



## Nina Huffney

*Nogdog*, your 'osprey with fish' is stunning and your latest reminds me of how much I've been wanting to get to the water. Great work!


----------



## NogDog

Turned around to head home after watching (and photographing) a fairly nice sunset near my apartment, and saw the last light reflecting onto a partly flooded parking lot. 


__
https://flic.kr/p/2gk3xof


----------



## crebel

Sorry about the flooding, but it is a lovely reflection.


----------



## NogDog

crebel said:


> Sorry about the flooding, but it is a lovely reflection.


Oh...it's just a office block parking lot with poor drainage. There's almost always a big "puddle" there if there's been any rain in the last few days.


----------



## NogDog

It was too hot/humid to spend much time taking photos in NYC today, but these two quick snaps while walking from Penn Station to B&H Photo came out half ways decent:


__
https://flic.kr/p/2grXFkR


__
https://flic.kr/p/2grXWwZ


----------



## NogDog

At the time, I thought I was taking a photo of a bee. Later I realized it wasn't, and a bit of googling leads me to believe it's a variety of hummingbird moth.


__
https://flic.kr/p/2gzEWE5


----------



## NogDog

A snowy egret in very calm water in a tidal pond yesterday evening.


__
https://flic.kr/p/2gN3Wgh


----------



## NogDog

I unknowingly scheduled my Chicago vacation stay right by Lincoln Park around the same weekend that the Chicago Air and Water show is taking place. Got some shots of the Blue Angels practicing on Thursday, and some of the morning activity on Saturday before it started to rain.


__
https://flic.kr/p/2gXMC3u


__
https://flic.kr/p/2gZ7StE


__
https://flic.kr/p/2gZ7ST7


----------



## crebel

The Blue Angels in formation is always impressive.  Thanks, Nog!


----------



## NogDog

In less than 48 hours this has become my most viewed, liked, and commented photo

__
https://flic.kr/p/2h18L1W
, so I figured I should post it here. 


__
https://flic.kr/p/2h18L1W


----------



## NogDog

Oh well, I'll keep posting. 

Who's old enough and/or enough of an audiophile to know what this is?


__
https://flic.kr/p/2hrS2Qc


__
https://flic.kr/p/2hrS2Qc
 by Charles, on Flickr


----------



## Nina Huffney

What is that mysterious device, there, *NogDog*? It looks as if sparks should be shooting out from it!

These are from about a week ago:


__
https://flic.kr/p/2hFJASM


__
https://flic.kr/p/2hFFVNL

These are from this morning (The first one is sadly blurred but I like the colors):


__
https://flic.kr/p/2hFFVPH


__
https://flic.kr/p/2hFJAVH


----------



## NogDog

Nina Huffney said:


> What is that mysterious device, there, *NogDog*? It looks as if sparks should be shooting out from it!
> ...


It's one of the output tubes (valves if you're in Britain) on a stereo amplifier I have -- what they used to use before transistors were invented. There are 3 more of those, plus 3 smaller pre-amp tubes, resulting in a nice column of warm air rising up from it when in use.


----------



## NogDog

From a couple days ago while walking past an old landfill:


__
https://flic.kr/p/2hEekrM


__
https://flic.kr/p/2hEekrM
 by Charles, on Flickr


----------



## Nina Huffney

Who knew there was a whole scary world of tubes, valves, and transistors inside my stereo components? Not me! I just push the buttons. 

There are times when I really want to say 'What's up with that??', but I tamp it down. Someone might reply with something like 'ALL old landfills have safety-cone sentinels. DUH! Don't you know that?'


----------



## NogDog

Had two consecutive evenings last week with gaudy sunsets. This is from the 2nd one:


__
https://flic.kr/p/2hLgD5H


__
https://flic.kr/p/2hLgD5H
 by Charles, on Flickr


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## Nina Huffney

*NogDog*, your incredible sunset makes me think of an apocalyptic 'end-of-world' event. But that may be because I watch too many horror movies.

I had hoped to share some Thanksgiving meal pics, but they turned out just awful - blurry and boring. It didn't help that several of the dishes got a bit, shall we say, 'overly-browned'.


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## boxer44

Hmmmmph ...  Interesting thread ... how do I post photo  Tried ??  Do we need to host it somewhere else and create link ??


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## NogDog

boxer44 said:


> ...Do we need to host it somewhere else and create link ??


Yes, then stick a link to it inside of [nobbc]







[/nobbc] tags.


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## NogDog

My first attempt at time-lapse photography (clicking on it will take you to the 10-second video on Flickr.com):


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https://flic.kr/p/2i4Cui5


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https://flic.kr/p/2i4Cui5
 by Charles, on Flickr


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## geoffthomas

NogDog said:


> My first attempt at time-lapse photography (clicking on it will take you to the 10-second video on Flickr.com):
> 
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/2i4Cui5
> 
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/2i4Cui5
> by Charles, on Flickr


Pretty cool effect, Nog.


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## NogDog

A job I could not do. (Maybe an hour later they were at the very top of this 400 foot tall tower -- this is only 25-30% of the way up.)


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https://flic.kr/p/2ikYaG6


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https://flic.kr/p/2ikYaG6
 by Charles, on Flickr


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## Linjeakel

Great picture, NogDog - but I have to agree - not a job I would want to do either! Did you get a shot of them at the very top?


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## NogDog

Linjeakel said:


> ...Did you get a shot of them at the very top?


No...thought about it, but if I got the entire antenna in the image to give an idea of scale, you'd hardly notice them on top; and I didn't have a long enough lens on hand to get any detail on them, so I decided I'd just keep working.


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## Delete This Account

That's why my books are only covers. Just kidding. This was last February. Not looking forward to a repeat...


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## NogDog

Is a video worth more than 10,000 words?

This was the last full-height part of this building to be brought down, just across the street from my apartment. (Clicking on it should take you to the short video on Flickr.)


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https://flic.kr/p/2iuv8PZ


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https://flic.kr/p/2iuv8PZ
 by Charles, on Flickr


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## NogDog

What the heck...while I'm here, I'll add my most popular photo there so far for 2020...


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https://flic.kr/p/2ivmKTy


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https://flic.kr/p/2ivmKTy
 by Charles, on Flickr

...though I prefer this one from a couple weeks before...


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https://flic.kr/p/2ipgLXi


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https://flic.kr/p/2ipgLXi
 by Charles, on Flickr


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson

An African sunrise taken from my bedroom window.


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