Random Photos

[sbrothy]

Like who's on first, but different:

View attachment 372383

I think that is one of those comics you have to learn to like! I'm a Patreon member with David Kellet, the artist behind Scenes rom a Multiverse.

He's got a scifi comic going now. I can't recommend him enough.

EDIT: I mixed up two artists. the one behind The multiverse is Jon Rosenberg and the one I pay for is Dave Kellet.: https://www.drivecomic.com/

I wonder what Jon Rosenberg is doing now though?

 

[DennisN]

Coming from England, I learned to understand Swedish in Gothenburg (where I worked for 4 years) and Stockholm, but had difficulty with the "Skånska" accent from the south of Sweden, which to me sounded very similar to Danish in the vowel sounds (a bit like English West Country accents).

I can very well understand that. Hey, quite many more northern Swedes can have trouble understanding
"Skånska" .

And Norwegian sounded to me like a Scottish variant of Swedish.

I have never thought about it, but I can agree with that.

Regarding UK I had a fun experience when visiting the Orkney Islands.
In England I had no problem understanding English.
In Wales, well Welsh was impossible for me to understand, it was like an alien language.
(by the way, it's the same for us Scandinavians regarding Finnish; it's very, very different from
Swedish, Norwegian and Danish).

Scottish English I could understand pretty well.

But when we arrived at Orkney, I was really, really surprised to hear the English accent there,
because it sounded quite like Swedes speaking English, i.e. a Swedish/Scandinavian accent of English.

But it makes sense, considering the history:

Both Orkney and Shetland saw a significant influx of Norwegian settlers during the late 8th and early 9th centuries. Vikings made the islands the headquarters of their pirate expeditions carried out against Norway and the coasts of mainland Scotland.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orkney#Norwegian_rule

Yes, I agree that Skånsk sounds like Danish

Yes, a bit. I'd say it's somewhere between standard Swedish and Danish.

But I guess that also has roots in history, as Denmark lost Skåne, Halland and Blekinge.

Yes.

Quote from Wikipedia: "Denmark before 1658." Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Denmark

Actually, when I travel to Denmark I don't feel quite like visiting another country, it feels more like
visiting an alternate version of Skåne/Scania. The landscape is pretty much the same, the climate
is the same and the culture is not that different.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

Nice to see a street piano that appears to be in usable condition (not missing any keytops and no keys appear to be stuck down). My piano's a Yamaha too, but a C2X (5'8") grand.

 

[DennisN]

To be honest they both claim to be the Danish pilsner. Tuborg is the official provider to the Danish monarchy (whatever that means), but the "honor" is being phased out in 2029 after the king took over.

I mostly drink 1/2 litre Harboe "Extra Strong" (7.7% vol). They're cheap and they get the job done!

I've currently got two beers in my fridge :

Left: Danish Carlsberg, right: Swedish non-alcoholic.


When our friend group visited Denmark or the Roskilde Festival when we were younger,
Carlsberg Sort Guld became our favorite.

And I've actually always preferred Danish beer instead of Swedish.

 

[sbrothy]

I can very well understand that. Hey, quite many more northern Swedes can have trouble understanding
"Skånska" .



I have never thought about it, but I can agree with that.

Regarding UK I had a fun experience when visiting the Orkney Islands.
In England I had no problem understanding English.
In Wales, well Welsh was impossible for me to understand, it was like an alien language.
(by the way, it's the same for us Scandinavians regarding Finnish; it's very, very different from
Swedish, Norwegian and Danish).

Scottish English I could understand pretty well.

But when we arrived at Orkney, I was really, really surprised to hear the English accent there,
because it sounded quite like Swedes speaking English, i.e. a Swedish/Scandinavian accent of English.

But it makes sense, considering the history:


Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orkney#Norwegian_rule




Yes, a bit. I'd say it's somewhere between standard Swedish and Danish.



Yes.

View attachment 372404
Quote from Wikipedia: "Denmark before 1658." Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Denmark

Actually, when I travel to Denmark I don't feel quite like visiting another country, it feels more like
visiting an alternate version of Skåne/Scania. The landscape is pretty much the same, the climate
is the same and the culture is not that different.

I'm reading a book by a somali girl ("Et Ord For Blod", "A Word For Blood") about the gangwar in Tensta, Stockholm. Gangs like "Shottaz" and "Dödspatrullen". I knew it was bad up there, but it still seds a shiver down my spine. 12 year olds running around with bulletproof vests Ak4s and glocks doing contract killings. Up there they don't shoot each other as much as they blow each other up. It's crazy.

 

[pinball1970]

Nice to see a street piano that appears to be in usable condition (not missing any keytops and no keys appear to be stuck down). My piano's a Yamaha too, but a C2X (5'8") grand.

I played, "Fixing a hole on it," nice sound.

 

[pinball1970]

Aren't you a little old to be a groupie?

It is not a "local" as it near the city centre but I have been drinking there on and off for 40 years. They have band weekends these days. After listening to two bands play to backing tracks for a while we left.

 

[sbrothy]

It is not a "local" as it near the city centre but I have been drinking there on and off for 40 years. They have band weekends these days. After listening to two bands play to backing tracks for a while we left.

You've been drinking for 40 years?! I'm amazed you're alive! (Nah, I'm joking. I ingest my fair share of various intoxicants and I'm still going strong alive.

 

[DennisN]

This pub had a mural with people connected with Manchester.

I recognize people from the bands The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and Oasis.

 

[Algr]

Venus and Jupiter last night.

And the moon a few weeks ago:

 

[Zaciekawiony]

"Dar Młodzieży" training ship seen in Świnoujście last year. Right after landing, there was an possiblity to go seeing up close.

 

[Point Conception]

Beautiful day in Jomtien

 

[pinball1970]

Gee Cross today to get some exercise.

This was a little weird, when I came to edit, I increased "warmth" and "saturation" the bricks and greens come out. Nice. Time stamped 12.59.

Then I went for black and white, go Victorian on a different image time stamped 13.00. I do not hang about so there would have been no time between these, a few seconds? Who the hell is that?

 

[pinball1970]

Slightly creepy church at the top, it has some real stocks in the overgrown part of the graveyard.

Finish in colour.

 

[DennisN]

A little coot story... (more specifically, a Eurasian coot story)

When I was out shooting one day I experienced something quite unexpected, and something I hadn't seen before. In my experience, coots tend to keep to themselves more than other birds in the park, and one should be somewhat wary of them;

It is an aggressive species, and strongly territorial during the breeding season, and both parents are involved in territorial defence. During the non-breeding season they may form large flocks, possibly related to predator avoidance.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_coot#Behaviour_and_ecology

I have been able to get somewhat close to coots (but not too close!) before when taking photographs, but I have always been mindful of them since I have seen their quite fierce territorial behavior.

So you may understand my astonishment (and a little bit of fear ) when the following happened...

I was taking some shots of a juvenile coot taking dives in a pond...

...when suddenly the coot decided to get out of the water...

...and bring it's sibling along to approach me...
(take notice of their amazingly cool feet; a more detailed photo can be seen here)

For some reason they wanted to get really close to me, so close
that I couldn't focus with the camera anymore...

I don't know why they did it, but it definitely didn't feel aggressive at all even though
they got less than a meter away from me. Maybe they expected to get some food from me.

But what worried me was if their parents were close by , so I politely stepped away from them.

One of the juvenile coots from a bit of distance.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

In April, I went round the front of our house to photograph some flowers and while I was doing so I was surprised to find two juvenile wood pigeons pushing past my feet and into the road (which is fortunately very quiet). I went out beyond them and moved towards them to encourage them to move back to the garden, and they did so, only a short distance in front of me, then sat at the corner of the drive as in this quick photo:

I then decided to go round the back of the house via the side gate to see if there were any relevant parents visible, but I was surprised to be briskly followed by the young birds only a couple of feet behind me. I left them sitting on the lawn by the bird bath, and later saw them flying in short jumps around our wild flower patch beyond the lawn, but I didn't see them again after that, although I suspect that one unfortunately ended up as a meal for a sparrowhawk, given a mess of feathers that I spotted the next day.

 

[symbolipoint]

That one coot there is or was standing next to what looks like Basil. I do not know; I just say, it LOOKS like basil.

 

[Zaciekawiony]

That one coot there is or was standing next to what looks like Basil. I do not know; I just say, it LOOKS like basil.

For me it is young plant Epilobium parviflorum, (smallflower hairy willowherb) or Epilobium hirsutum (great hairy willowherb).

 

[DennisN]

Some random photos, all shot with smartphone...

I visited a friend since her son had graduated from high school, and they were having a party.
While I was taking the train to them I tried shooting from inside the train with, let's say... varying results.

One very lucky shot that turned out quite ok; typical Scanian/South Swedish landscape.

Another shot; nothing particular, but I'm showing it to demonstrate how flat the landscape can be here.

Feeding jackdaws while waiting for the train.


And some humor... two photos that would suit the "Bad photo" contests that once were held on PF...

Bad photo #1: It could have become a nice photo if it was not for a giant green beam
spoiling everything.

Bad photo #2: Ah, a nice sky and a pristine landscape, foregrounded by an
ugly cabinet and overhead lines.

Seen at a pawn shop today: a historical British mine lamp.

The text on the mine lamp. How did a British mine lamp end up in
a Swedish pawn shop, any ideas @pinball1970 ?
I doubt it was because of the Vikings...

 

[pinball1970]

Some random photos, all shot with smartphone...

I visited a friend since her son had graduated from high school, and they were having a party.
While I was taking the train to them I tried shooting from inside the train with, let's say... varying results.


View attachment 372592
One very lucky shot that turned out quite ok; typical Scanian/South Swedish landscape.


View attachment 372594
Another shot; nothing particular, but I'm showing it to demonstrate how flat the landscape can be here.


View attachment 372595
Feeding jackdaws while waiting for the train.


And some humor... two photos that would suit the "Bad photo" contests that once were held on PF...


View attachment 372596
Bad photo #1: It could have become a nice photo if it was not for a giant green beam
spoiling everything.


View attachment 372598
Bad photo #2: Ah, a nice sky and a pristine landscape, foregrounded by an
ugly cabinet and overhead lines.


View attachment 372599
Seen at a pawn shop today: a historical British mine lamp.


View attachment 372600
The text on the mine lamp. How did a British mine lamp end up in
a Swedish pawn shop, any ideas @pinball1970 ?
I doubt it was because of the Vikings...

Collieries were all over England and Wales 19th century and powered the industrial revolution.
That particular mine closed in the 1960s and not without incident, mining was particularly hazardous at that time as you can imagine.

https://nmrs.org.uk/mines-map/coal-mining-in-the-british-isles/swales/aberdare/aberaman-colliery/

 

[pinball1970]

Some random photos, all shot with smartphone...

I visited a friend since her son had graduated from high school, and they were having a party.
While I was taking the train to them I tried shooting from inside the train with, let's say... varying results.


View attachment 372592
One very lucky shot that turned out quite ok; typical Scanian/South Swedish landscape.


View attachment 372594
Another shot; nothing particular, but I'm showing it to demonstrate how flat the landscape can be here.


View attachment 372595
Feeding jackdaws while waiting for the train.


And some humor... two photos that would suit the "Bad photo" contests that once were held on PF...


View attachment 372596
Bad photo #1: It could have become a nice photo if it was not for a giant green beam
spoiling everything.


View attachment 372598
Bad photo #2: Ah, a nice sky and a pristine landscape, foregrounded by an
ugly cabinet and overhead lines.


View attachment 372599
Seen at a pawn shop today: a historical British mine lamp.


View attachment 372600
The text on the mine lamp. How did a British mine lamp end up in
a Swedish pawn shop, any ideas @pinball1970 ?
I doubt it was because of the Vikings...

As for why a Swedish pawn shop? I think we can say there will be a story behind that lamp's journey!

 

[Zaciekawiony]

The moon and Venus, today's evening

 

[berkeman]

The moon and Venus, today's evening

Beautiful composition!

 

[renormalize]

The moon and Venus, today's evening View attachment 372604

The symbols of Christendom and Ummah, coexisting in harmony.

 

[jtbell]

I thought I was going to get a nicely posed family portrait. Then they saw me while I was pulling out my phone.

 

[Point Conception]

50 pound halibut my nephew pulled in off Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, WA.

 

[DennisN]

Some Swedish things this time...

A Swedish flag and a Scanian flag outside a hotel.

Three crowns, the national emblem of Sweden. This one decorates the tower
on the central station in the city. The three crowns can also be seen e.g.
on the hockey jerseys of Sweden's national ice hockey team; an example here:

Peter Forsberg - 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Shootout Goal
(when Sweden won olympic gold in hockey after winning against Canada in the final)



I went to a souvenir shop for fun to see what they had....

These red horses are called dala horses (dalahästar in Swedish). They have for some reason (unknown to me, actually) become a symbol of Sweden.

Vikings and moose... of course . But please note this:

1. Vikings did not come from Sweden only, there were Danish and Norwegian vikings too. And Danish vikings occupied a huge chunk of England once:

England in 878.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_England#Viking_challenge_and_the_rise_of_Wessex

2. Moose are for some reason associated with Sweden. I don't know why that is, because moose are also present in e.g. Canada, Alaska, Norway, Finland, Poland, the Baltic States and Russia:

Map showing moose distribution. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moose.

More vikings and moose .

 

[jack action]

2. Moose are for some reason associated with Sweden.

I thought it was associated with Canada. I remember the Moose Molten Metal album - with the coolest moose ever! - back in the day:

Moose Molten Metal Volume 1 features ten of the hottest, unsigned or self-released metal bands from the Montreal & Ottawa regions of Canada. Finally given a chance to be heard, these artists provide rough-edged and exciting music, HEAVY MOOSE METAL at its grassroots best!

 

[Andy Resnick]

The time has come to retire my D810 (over 650k shutter actuations and counting...). Over time, it lost most of the rubberized covering and one function after another- the TTL metering system shorted out about a year ago, but I was able to compensate for that by adjusting the EV settings. But 2 weeks ago, something must have moved and now the viewfinder focus is no longer coincident with the sensor plane, meaning I can only focus by using live-view. So the D810 is going into semi-retirement, I'll still use it for photomicroscopy but that's about it. Not sure about astrophotography, tho- the D810 still works great for that as well.

Enter the replacement- for essentially the same cost as a used D810, I scored a gently used Nikon Z7. I had forgotten how convenient it is to have TTL metering! "Essentially" because I also needed to get an FTZ (Nikon F- to Nikon Z- adapter) and a XQD memory card. In fact, I suspect the single-slot XQD setup is one of the reasons why I could get a used Z7 so easily.

Anyhow- first light using the Z7 (and 55mm Micro Nikkor at 1:1 reproduction ratio, f/5.6), 1:1 crop:

(handheld- the Z7 also gives me in-camera image stabilization!)

 

[DennisN]

I scored a gently used Nikon Z7

Congratulations!