Random Photos

Rive · Mar 23, 2024

A holiday at some nearby city...
...
...and a sudden 'wedding tram ' :doh:

(On-demand retro vehicle from the city hall to the usual celebratory spot)

And a random spring street photo:

docnet · Mar 23, 2024

The last photo is one of artificial islands called THUMS islands. They're facades that hide the drilling rigs behind a series of artificial landscape and fake condos. The islands pollute the nearby beaches.

Andy Resnick · Mar 24, 2024

Went to a Great Blue Heron Rookery (a Heronry) today:

WWGD · Mar 25, 2024

jtbell said:

A couple of years ago, I introduced you to Joel Poinsett, who brought a certain festive holiday plant to the US.

He appears every year in Greenville SC's Poinsettia Christmas Parade.

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He looks pretty good for a 244-year-old.

He's the precursor of Topology as well, Poinsett Topology.

DennisN · Mar 26, 2024

Close-up of a candle, shot a while ago for fun:

Close-up of the burning candle wick:

(shot with Sony A6000 + Canon nFD 100mm Macro f/4 + a 15mm extension tube)
(I've had the lens for a while, got it for a good price second hand; what's nice with a 100mm macro lens is that you can shoot from a bit larger distance than with a 50mm macro lens)

berkeman · Mar 26, 2024

DennisN said:

Close-up of the burning candle wick:

I won't ask if any recreational substances were involved in this photo shoot...

Averagesupernova · Mar 26, 2024

As with all of my photos, the focus is never the best, etc. Usually only have a cell phone cam to work with. Just interesting subject matter. My 4-leggers are very difficult to get good pix of.

jtbell · Mar 27, 2024

nsaspook · Mar 29, 2024

nsaspook · Mar 29, 2024

berkeman · Mar 29, 2024

@nsaspook -- Is that the museum in McMinnville, Oregon? I may add that to my bucket list...

This is my semi-local one that I've been to several times, including to see General Chuck Yeager one time several years ago: https://aerospaceca.org/

Andy Resnick · Mar 29, 2024

Buds on a lilac getting ready to pop:

1:1 crop from image using 55 mm Micro-Nikkor + extension tube M2 at close focus (1:1 reproduction), f/8 1/500s auto-ISO. Handheld +light breezes = spray and pray :)

Borg · Mar 29, 2024

berkeman said:

@nsaspook -- Is that the museum in McMinnville, Oregon? I may add that to my bucket list...

That did look like the Spruce Goose in the background of the second to last photo.

nsaspook · Mar 29, 2024

berkeman said:

@nsaspook -- Is that the museum in McMinnville, Oregon? I may add that to my bucket list...

This is my semi-local one that I've been to several times, including to see General Chuck Yeager one time several years ago: https://aerospaceca.org/

Yes, it's McMinnville, Oregon. They also have a 747 themed water-park.

nsaspook · Mar 29, 2024

Borg said:

That did look like the Spruce Goose in the background of the second to last photo.

DennisN · Mar 29, 2024

nsaspook said:

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I don't see any loose doors on your photos... so I guess there's no Boeing there, right?

Tom.G · Mar 30, 2024

Too many years ago, I watched the Spruce Goose being moved from dead storage, down the Los Angeles River, to a custom-built geodesic dome in Long Beach CA.

My next door neighbor was a retired heavy-construction foreman who was consulted about the move; that's how I got an early enough warning to get on a chartered boat on the river to watch the move.

The Goose was lifted by a large crane with slings under the wings (and probably under the tail, but I don't remember that detail) and placed on a barge to float down the river to its new home as a tourist attraction. After several years it was moved 'up North' for display.

The geodesic dome is still there and is now a cruise ship terminal, and occasionally a movie set.

Photos were taken but I would have to go thru a few thousand 35mm slides from the back of a closet to find them.

In place of doing that, here are a few links.

A few years ago, a local newspaper did a short article and video about the dome and Goose:
https://www.presstelegram.com/2021/...e-forgotten-history-of-a-long-beach-landmark/

More history of the Goose can be found with:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=when+was+the+spruce+goose+in+long+beach+ca

Cheers,
Tom

jtbell · Mar 30, 2024

Rive · Mar 31, 2024

Li'l neon party garden in the kitchen...

Weather is good: a week or two and the'll be planted outside...
Well, a week or two and some of them will try to attack the lamps :doh:

ps.: protagonists: tomatoes, bell peppers, celery, eggplants, kohlrabi

berkeman · Mar 31, 2024

Me at track days...

berkeman · Apr 2, 2024

Too cute not to share

berkeman · Apr 4, 2024

I'm very impressed by Angel Reese after watching the big rivalry game between LSU and Iowa in the women's March Madness tournament last weekend (where LSU lost to Iowa and the amazing Catlin Clark). Angel is a beast around the hoop, and played much of the game on an injured ankle that would have taken most players out of the game.

But her shooting on field goals and freethrows was awful (was she ~50% from the line?), with a goofy style that will not serve her well next year when she goes pro. I can only guess that she refused to listen to her coaches who were trying to help her learn better shooting technique. Hopefully her professional coaching staff will lay down the law next year.

DaveC426913 · Apr 7, 2024

Strolling through the parking lot at my yacht club.
(These are not colour-enhanced! Cropping and exposure-balancing only! (honest!))

DennisN · Apr 7, 2024

DaveC426913 said:

(These are not colour-enhanced! Cropping and exposure-balancing only! (honest!))

I believe you.

Sunlight, brightly colored cables and a less vidid background, yes, the colors are going to pop out.

I wonder how the colors would look using a CPL filter in front of the lens (if you didn't use one).

morrobay · Apr 8, 2024

Nice clear on-shore Westerly. Air humid 30 C, water 30 C @ Jomtien Beach

jtbell · Apr 8, 2024

Sunday afternoon at the beach, on Lake Erie in Ashtabula, Ohio. The shoreline has receded because of erosion since I came here as a kid about 60 years ago.

jtbell · Apr 9, 2024

Today we started our trip home from "eclipse day", and passed through Chester, West Virginia, at the state's northern tip between Ohio and Pennsylvania.

My father was born in this area. When I was a kid in the 1960s, my parents and I came here every year to visit relatives. I remember the Teapot in its original location at the other end of town, operating as a refreshment and souvenir stand.

History of the Chester Teapot

An information panel near the Teapot displays the linked history, with an addendum about its second restoration in 2014-15. Since then, an annual festival raises funds for its continued maintenance.