Stranger in a Strange Land

[spacecadet 3,926]

6 minutes ago, geogphotos said:

Stonehenge is very far from being the only important neolithic monument even in just that small area of Wessex. 

 

 

Geog will know that West Kennet is more fun- you can get right inside

 

....and pretend you're on a fashion shoot.

Edited August 23, 2020 by spacecadet

[John Mitchell 4,814]

4 hours ago, Mr Standfast said:

 

Edo nice blog as always.

 

The competition for the big subjects is incredible these days. Quality images get lost; the buyer has too much choice! I think it's because of that I don't bother to compete for the main picture but I'll always look for a "filler" picture. If the buyer is looking for St Peter's Basilica he'll get 35,000 hits but a search for something quirky like St Peter's Basilica sign post gets 2 hits...

 

We used to be able to get right in amongst the stones at Stonehenge when I was a kid. Ancient neolithic monument? Yup fallen off that !

 

Cheers! 👍

 

 

 

 

Very true. You may have created a new niche, "filler stock".

 

There's some good advice that I read somewhere years ago. It is even more relevant now and goes something like this: "Don't photograph the Taj Mahal, photograph people on the streets leading to the Taj Mahal."

[Mr Standfast 659]

 

As Ian says that part of Wiltshire is full of monuments.  I always thought it inspired Tolkien when he wrote the chapter "Fog on the Barrow Downs" in The Fellowhip of the Ring.

 

An enterprising landowner took the inspiration and built his own Long Barrow, I visited it when it was being built.

 

 

 

 

[Mr Standfast 659]

2 hours ago, spacecadet said:

Geog will know that West Kennet is more fun- you can get right inside

 

....and pretend you're on a fashion shoot.

 

Or if you're nine, pretend you're brave...

[Russell 1,872]

21 hours ago, Robert M Estall said:

Our garden is frequently visited by hedgehogs and last summer they were so hungry, they came out in the daylight sometimes. Each time I would go for the camera, they'd moved off by the time I had geared up. They move faster than you might think!

 

I strongly recommend Spikes Hedgehog food. It comes in two varieties, the dried and the (more expensive) semi-moist. Naturally the hogs prefer the semi-moist. I've been feeding up to four at a time for a couple of years now, but I still don't have any really good images.

 

Mine are very nocturnal, and flash just scares them off (and upsets the neighbours). I got a couple of shots using dim LED lights and remote triggers, but nothing really worth submitting yet. I'll try again when the evenings draw in, and I can shoot at a reasonable time of day.

 

BTW I leave food available all winter. They do wake up from time to time, and need to stock up.

 

The feeding tunnel keeps the cats & foxes away.

 

 

[wiskerke 3,386]

2 hours ago, Russell said:

The feeding tunnel keeps the cats & foxes away.

 

Great!

I would also take an image without the very recognizable branded bag though.

 

wim

[Robert M Estall 313]

Hedgehogs have charm but their mission in life is to patrol my vegetable patch and flower gardens scoffing slugs and such pests. A bowl of water is a help and appreciated by the birds as well. It's worth reminding that hedgehogs are very lactose intolerant.

[Russell 1,872]

1 hour ago, Robert M Estall said:

It's worth reminding that hedgehogs are very lactose intolerant

Very true. Although it was once customary, bread and milk is the worst thing you could offer them.

[Mr Standfast 659]

Our hedgehogs get cheap supemarket kitten food, if they find out Russell is feeding his visitors "Spike" I may be in trouble!  😉

[Ed Rooney 3,844]

Is this the last thing I have to say about pandemics and photography? I hope so.

 

https://edostrange.blogspot.com/2020/08/my-kitbag.html

 

 

[CAROL SAUNDERS 158]

Lovely blog Edo very enjoyable reading thanks for taking the time to share... 

 

Carol

[Ed Rooney 3,844]

Thanks, Carol. Your pics are looking good. 🙂

[Robert M Estall 313]

Back in the days of film, I had a lot of kit. One day I realised I could do 95% of my work with a Canon F1 body, a power winder, my 24mm f1.4 and 85mm f1.8 lenses. So I bought a nice little bag and stuck to that most of the time. Too late, i'ld already knackered my left shoulder. In the digital age I have something similar but smaller housed in a mini backpack. This summer, I've hardly left the village except for outings to the seaside avoiding the popular beaches. We have only one village pub open which attracts all those loud louts which works well for me as I top up my home glass of Shiraz or Famous Grouse. The frequent trips to the bottle bank have to be made under cover of darkness. Never had a pet gull, but there once was a crow who went for walks sitting on my shoulder some of the time.

Edited August 30, 2020 by Robert M Estall

[Michael Ventura 5,874]

Great blog as usual Edo!

[Ed Rooney 3,844]

Robert, I worked with that combo a lot—24, 85, MD-12 winder, on a Nikon—but then went back to the 105 and 135. I tend to stay away from the long end of the RX100/6 and RX10, but the 24 to about 120 is fine.

[John Mitchell 4,814]

The gulls in Vancouver all look pretty well-fed if that's any consolation.

 

I didn't realize that gulls are an endangered species. Come to think of it, there don't seem to be nearly as many around as there were in the 70's when I moved here.

 

Now we're an endangered species as well...

[Ed Rooney 3,844]

Sadly, we are, John.

 

Where you are, seems to be the only area where they still have wild fish running. Across the water in Seattle, I've had the best wild salmon ever. Salmon here and in NYC is tasteless. 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/natureuk/entries/b7264d45-9048-4211-964f-ce06d899313d

 

 

Edited August 30, 2020 by Ed Rooney

[spacecadet 3,926]

2 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

Sadly, we are, John.

 

Where you are, seems to the only area where they still have wild fish running. Across the water in Seattle, I've had the best wild salmon ever. Salmon here and in NYC is tasteless. 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/natureuk/entries/b7264d45-9048-4211-964f-ce06d899313d

 

Our smoked salmon is OK, Ed, if you can get it sliced in a sandwich, or take some home. Trims are cheaper.

I accidentally baked something resembling foccacia the other day and it was great with some salmon and cream cheese.

Edited August 30, 2020 by spacecadet

[Colblimp 2,251]

Great blog, Edo.  Beware of putting your facemask on your chin - the virus could be sitting there so when you put the mask over your mouth...

[Ed Rooney 3,844]

Yeah, Mark—but smoked salmon is whole different world from fresh grilled salmon. I sometimes have smoked with my breakfast-for-lunch at the Dale Street Kitchen. (And I lived near Zabar's in NYC.)

 

Hey, I think I'll go up there tomorrow.

[Ed Rooney 3,844]

1 minute ago, Colblimp said:

Great blog, Edo.  Beware of putting your facemask on your chin - the virus could be sitting there so when you put the mask over your mouth...

 

Yikes!  😲

[Colblimp 2,251]

8 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

Yikes!  😲

Yep.  The amount of people I see walking around with their mask on their chin and they just don't realise.  Another classic is wearing the mask under the nose. 🤣

[Ed Rooney 3,844]

Andy, to be serious for a moment, I can't get the virus off of my chin because I have no virus on my chin. 

 

English people: get out for a meal today! It's the last day of the 50% discount.

[MDM 1,897]

Apparently the virus enters the body through the eyes as well although that is not why I am wearing shades in my new profile pic though. I just like wearing them anyway even in bed (ok that last bit is fake news)
 

The really important thing to remember is that the main reason for wearing a mask is to protect others. Unless you are wearing a high grade surgical mask, they not not offer significant protection and they can give a false sense of security. 

Edited August 31, 2020 by MDM

[Ed Rooney 3,844]

Do you carry a handgun with that outfit, Michael? 

 

I gave up wearing sunglasses a long time ago; I can't judge subtle colours with them on. However, I do wear eyeglasses. If I walk around with the glasses, as well as the mask, the glasses get clouded up and I can't see. 

 

Understand that I avoid giving medical advice in my blog (any advise on anything); I report on what I see. I do not regurgitate opinions from the Internet. For myself, I always do the best I can to keep me and others safe.