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Weekly Photo Challenge

This weeks Challenge

 ”All Creatures Great and Small”

 

Suggested by me:  PhotoGraphics

 

My Photos

It was raining the day I took these photos and the back of the goose is covered with tiny raindroplets.  It’s a truth, like water off a ducks back.

This magnificent creature is a Canadian Goose.  I fell in love with them the first time I ever saw one and that is so long ago I can’t tell you when it was.  This particular goose is on the lake at Lake Isabella and it’s hurt.  Notice the prominent lift on the back, a damaged wing.  A car? the oar of a boat? I haven’t a clue.

 

 

One of my favorite movies is “Fly Away Home”.  It’s a thrilling movie derived from a true story which includes some of the ways people are helping the wild flocks to come back.

 

 

One of my favorite books is James Michner’s “Chesapeake” and it’s a multi layered story of the Chesapeake area from prehistory and includes a sad but true tale of the history of Canadian Geese here in the states.

 

 

This glorious bird flew in flocks of thousands migrating Summer and Winter to and from areas it fed and bred in.  Those thousands upon thousands has dwindled to a small percentage of what it was. 

 

This particular goose has been reduced to feeding on what is dropped for the amusement of park goers and it is always in danger of becoming tangled in the fising line of careless and uncaring fishermen who frequent the lake.  I imagine it will end up on someone’s supper table or fox food.  I have no problem with eating wild things and never have but I do have a problem with driving them into extinction.

 

 

Like so much of wildlife, this goose has taken a back seat in importance in communities who see them as a nuisance because of their droppings or in general, their existence.  Man has so much to learn.

 

 

I play in a graphics group and this image was given by a member with the instruction to remove the tigress from the penned area and put her into another environment.

 

 

This is one of my replacement environments.  I titled it
“One False Move and Lunch”.  I thought you might like to see it.

 

 

Have a great week and keep taking your photos.

 

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge

This weeks Challenge

 ”Your Workspace”

 

Suggested by:  VeryBasic

 

I’ve had a rough week so am feeling SOOOO bad I didn’t get this entry up and running during the proper week.  Apologies to VeryBasic.

 

I’m retired, no actual workspace unless you consider my kitchen or home.  My main occupation is actually an avocation and it has to do with my camera.

 

Some Workspace Photos

 

 

I take photos while watching the television.  It’s a great learning workspace.

 

 

If we are out driving, I take photos.  This bridge was a prime target in my workspace.

 

 

Nothing misses my eye though I may not be fast enough to catch it.  If the traffic is slow, construction is a workspace target.  I love construction.

 

 

Dead or alive, moving or not, I try to catch it and NEON is choice workspace.

 

 

I watch for truckers, talkers, runners, walkers and an interesting view in my workspace.

 

 

My workspace at the lake always has something and the boathouse is loverly.

 

 

An expression, “the world is my oyster.”  Modified, “The world is my workspace”.  I’d go stark raving Quackers without it.

 

 

Have a super week and be good to yourselves.  Keep on taking those photos.

 

 

 

 

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Weekly Photo Challenge

This weeks Challenge

 ”North, East, South and West”

 

Suggested by me:  PhotoGraphics

 

“North, East, South, West”, your choice of landscape, within a five minute time span, retaining zoom length and focal height take four photos from a centerpoint, displaying light effects in photos due to its incoming direction of N. E. W. or S.”

 

March 7, 2009

Time:  1:17 through 1:20 p.m

78 degrees, cloudy and windy

Images taken “eyeball height” at Lake Isabella, Symmes Township, Ohio USA

 

My camera is set at what I think may be a generic setting for point and shoot cameras.  I have not pulled the distance in closer, my zoom was set for 28/35 MM, exposure time stayed around 1/58 of a second and the fstop bounced around at f10, f11.  I’m not technical so can’t explain what I just wrote.  I just take the photos and have gotten used to where I put a setting.

 

Today was a decent day, in fact fantastic for the time of year.  There was sun peeking through the clouds and it wasn’t too hot.  I didn’t have the perfect setting for taking the photos but I did have a perfect center point.  My photo results do show off what light and direction can do for our photos. 

 

 

 

 

#1- This was my centerpoint, a flagpose set into a rock base about 2 x 2 feet.  As you can see, straight up looks blue, blue, blue.

 

 

 

#2- a map of the area to show you my directions as they weren’t true North, East, South, and West.  I am standing at the red dot at the left side of the lake.

 

 

 

 

#3- This is Lake Isabella and I am standing between it and the railroad tracks are behind me as I take this photo so the lake from where I stand is in the South East.  The sky in this direction isn’t showing any color in my photo as the direction to take the photo may not be the best lighting for the time of day.  If I want a photo of the lake, with the nice cloudy sky, I think I would be better off on the other side taking the photo.

 

 

#4- John is parked directly in back of me just this side of the tracks.  If I turn to face him I am looking North West and the sky shows up in my photo nicely.  I am standing back in some shade given by the brush this side of the lake.  It probably helps difuse the light above me so the photo is nicer.

 

 

 

#5- The entrance drive to the park faces the expressway which runs North and South but at this point it gets confusing as it is running from the North West to the South East which is what happens on turnpikes and which I never get used to as their ultimate direction is not what they are doing.  The railroad tracks are slightly visible in the photo at the left behind the rail fence.  They run from the North East to the South West from upper Ohio to Cincinnati and beyond.  I do have some color in the sky, not as bright as in the above photo but its better than washed out grey.

 

 

 

#6- My last photo sees the tracks running in the opposite direction or to the South West.  It covers my final direction and as you can see the sky isn’t pretty, just washed out gray.  As it turns out for my photos on this day at this time, looking to the North East and North West would be my best choice to place subjects or get the nicest scenic photos.  I need to try harder to do experimental shots when I’m out and with digital, it only costs me a little time.  I’d like to see my photos improve and it appears this experiment proves, lighting makes all the difference.

 

Keep on taking those photos

and thanks always for your comments.

 

 

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Weekly Photo Challenge

This weeks Challenge

 ”Long Exposures”  

Suggested by:  Timages

 

 

 

A Mix of Images for Timages

 

ALL OF THE PHOTOS POSTED IN THIS ENTRY ARE UNTOUCHED EXCEPT FOR THE SIZING AND SMALL FRAME AS I BELIEVE THE EXERCISE IS FOR A DISPLAY OF WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE LONGER EXPOSURE. 

 

 

#1- This one looks across my computer mouse into my living room which was set in a darker light being later in the evening.  Taken without flash, exposure time was 2 and 1/2 seconds.

 

 

 

 

#2- I believe all of these photos from inside the car were taken on our drive back from Virginia.  Sitting inside the car for a light or possibly in a center somewhere, Exposure time, 8 seconds.

 

 

 

 

#3- Inside the moving car, the Dashboard, 10 seconds

 

 

 

 

#4- Car Lights, 8 seconds.  I forgot to say on this one, I had the camera in hand bringing it around and around in deliberate circles to see what I would get.  What amazes me is the color the camera sees that I don’t seem to see untill I look at the captured exposure. 

 

 

 

 

#5- Car Lights, 25 seconds

 

 

 

 

#6- Some of my screensavers in motion, 30 seconds

 

 

 

 

#7- Screensaver:  30 seconds

 

 

 

 

#8- Screensaver, same as #7,  8 seconds

 

 

 

 

#9- And this is an older one, taken at Lake Isabella, the night of August 30, 2008, 7:44 P.M..  I saw the girls walking and decided to take the image.  Exposure time is .8 seconds.

 

It’s obvious for something moving in a still photo, the image blurs more, the longer the exposure.  A long time exposure on a still subject at night is necessary to allow more light into the camera so the image shows up.  No light, no image no matter how long the exposture even if you can get the shutter to open.  I like playing and learning and my discovery is, even the mistakes can be fun and useful.

 

Have a great week, thanks always for your comments.

 

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge

This weeks Challenge

 “Where do we go in the Fall” 

Suggested by:  StixAndStonz

Where do we go in the Fall? 

 

Honestly, we travel very little distance in the Fall, instead enjoying local pursuits (50 mile radius).  We have a lot of city and county parks and if we get the bug to travel, there are state parks within a couple of hours drive and national parks no more than a days drive.  Our local highway plus parks make for exciting Autumn color outings. Surrounding states, especially Indiana are noted for Fall color and we love to see it but if Ohio is not hit by drought, our color can rival anyplace and short drives or walks can provide the perfect photo.  The BIGGGG drawback, unlike wide open spaces, much local fall color is distorted with wires and poles so a different angle may be needed to get the best image.  If you can look past the problems, many a colorful photo can be logged into the camera for prints or online views.  This makes our local Fall excursions, well worth their weight in camera gold.

 

Some Fall Photos

from close to home parks

 

 

 

#1- Hoppy’s / Glenn Island Miami River, Loveland has a canoe livery only a couple of miles from our house that travels this river.  it stays busy during all nice weather.

 

 

 

#2-  Lake Isabella County Park, John and I spend a lot of time in this park.  Lots of fishermen fish here.  It’s a small park.  It is pretty much kept up though areas the fishermen walk are worn to grassless.

 

 

 

#3- Loveland Castle, Chateau LaRoche, one man with an idea built this castle.  It’s unique because of this single fact.

 

 

 

#4- Loveland City Park and not the only one.  It has a nice lake and courts for tennis and other court sports.  It also has fields for team sports. 

 

 

 

#5- Montgomery, Ohio City Park is a nice neighborhood park with a lake, lots of geese and families who enjoy it all. 

 

 

 

#6- Sharon Woods County Park, it has been around longer than I am old.  Just about anything a park usually provides is here except for horse back riding.  Others of our county parks profide that entertainment.

 

 

 

#7- Spring Grove Cemetery Park, a cemetery but actually the nicest park in the area, my opinion.  I really enjoy being in this park for photos.

 

 

 

#8- Woodland Mound County Park is fairly small compared to others of Hamilton Counties parks but it has some really beautiful spots especially in a nice fall.  The red in these trees is breath taking.

 

Have a super week and thanks for comments, always. 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge

This weeks Challenge

 “My Favourite Toy” 

Suggested by:  Usalapinhazzer

 

I would like to tell you my favorite toy is a big exercise gym set purchased and used faithfully for years BUT, as I can not tell a lie, I’ll list what many of you already know, in the order I became interested.

 

1- my computer, a love / hate affair

2- my Paint Shop Pro software, pretty much the most trouble free software I have ever used.

3- my digital camera, the first a 3.1 megapixel Kodak, and now a 10 megapixel Canon.

4- an add in here, I love the television for movies and have a large collection of great ones with a few duds interspersed.  I seldom watch television, otherwise.

 

We are now using computers 6 and 7, we went through three before the internet came into existence.  Under some duress, my husband talked me into doing my typing/writing on the computer.  I avoided it for years actually.  

 

Sometime in the frame of things, providers became available for online activities and I discovered Excite Chat where I met friends I correspond with still.  While in Excite Chat, I discovered Paint Shop Pro where a lot of creative people used it to make Avatars

() for changeable profile pictures and creatively designed and displayed pages.  I still have all of my images I made and the program in my computer.  I have played with Paint Shop Pro since V5.  There were previous versions retailed so it dates back a little before my discovering it.  All of this precedes but leads to my digital camera’s and that is the total of my all-time, very favorite, toys IF I don’t count children, pets and husband. 

 

 

Some Photos / Images / More

---

 

Toy #1 Writing on the Computer

 

A Poem For You
© RSBlain
May 10, 1999

(my poem, 10 years old, editing is a given for it’s improvement)

 

If I could do it all again, my life from start to end
There’s not a bridge that I would burn, not a fence I’d think to mend
I’d travel all the highways that I have traveled on,
And never a pot hole would I change or blade of grass upon
*
My little weeded patch of life, with all its little stones
Which I’ve traveled with some dignity, some bruises, grunts, and groans
Gaining no important titles, no bags of coin or gold,
I’ve been blessed with natures riches, it’s to this I tightly hold.
*
As every road, every turn, led me, to you, before,
Being led to things to learn and share, not view and then ignore
The greatest WEALTH of INTERESTS:  flowers, birds, the freshest skies,
Roots, the vines, and various seeds is where importance lies.
*
And though my travels took me not far, from battered, old front door
I know that with my final glimpse, I will have witnessed more,
Gained knowledge and love of a temporal kind, so readily I turn my page
Slate clean and open for the imagined, on which I hope to gaze.

 

 

---

Toy #2 Paint Shop Pro

 

 

The above is a desktop.  I have made hundreds and offered hundreds as free downloads and sent them as gifts in Emails.

 

 

 

 

The above is something I just learned, Digital Greeting Cards.  All mine, all fun.

 

 

---

 Toy #3 My Digital Camera

 

 

A photo taken lately with my digital camera.  The newest nuisance to our household.  It is sleeping on the chair I use at the computer having gotten the notion it prefers I vacate it so it can sleep there.  Fun it is / isn’t but so far it is letting me survive.

 

Have a great week, thanks always for your comments,