Looking For The Way Out

Click image to view a bigger version
Another backup photo today.

2025-09-29

Click image to view a bigger version

A backup photo today.

Some silly muppet trying to manoeuvre their van flattened a fence post at the end of my drive, taking my weather station and a light out, so I had to clear that up this evening.
By some stroke of luck, the actual weather station appears to be largely undamaged.

The Fade Out Line(s)

Click image to view a bigger version

This one's my submission for this week's 52Frames challenge, "Soundtrack". The song I'm on about is The Fade Out Line by Phoebe Kildeer and The Short Straws.

The lines in the sand reminded me of magnified vinyl record grooves fading out into nothing.

Temporary Mushrooms

Click image to view a bigger version

These mushrooms sprung up at the end of my garden. Oddly, they only lasted a day or two before wilting down into mush. I've never seen mushrooms appear and then disappear so quickly.
Not the finest photo, but such is life.

If I Ignore Him For Long Enough, He Might Go Away

Click image to view a bigger version

Late posting this one.
My neighbours' cat was perched on my fallen-down gatepost, so I thought I'd make her today's subject.
I may have become mildly delayed going out as a result.

You Have So Many Ears, But You Don't Listen To Me?!

I picked up this chunk of lichen on a walk several weeks ago, and it's been hanging out in a (clean!) poo bag ever since.
I was absolutely knackered after work today, and didn't have the energy to go out, so when I'd recovered at least a bit, I thought it was high time I did something with it.
This is a 5x macro photo made up of 99 stacked shots.
I've added a behind-the-scenes shot to show the scale of the main photo after the jump.

Dribbling Scrawl

Click image to view a bigger version

It's a late backup photo today.

Seven Hundred And Thirty One

Click image to view a bigger version

Not sure how I'm still here sometimes.
But - after the jump - the million miners still work upon the night's coal face...
(Refer to Out In Space by Travis if you want the full effect)

Selected One

Click image to view a bigger version

This one was my 52Frames "one light source" submission last week.
I thought I was going to lose my streak with being away from my lighting gear, but I managed to pull this one together using my little LED torch.
Probably far from perfect, and a macro lens would have delivered much sharper results, but I'm declaring this one a success, at the very least in terms of wrestling victory from the jaws of defeat.

Stumped

Click image to view a bigger version

We had to make a visit today that we had all hoped would not be needed so soon.
This place is beautiful, but a place of sadness nonetheless.

This is the GreenAcres Chiltern Memorial Park, where we said our final goodbyes to Lucy a little less than two years ago, and where we must soon gather to say goodbye to another person we love.

It's small comfort, but if we must have these sad times, at least we are fortunate enough to be able to choose to have them in peaceful, natural environments like this, instead of cold, clinical, soulless places.

Unlike Yesterday

Click image to view a bigger version

The change in the weather between yesterday and today has been stark.
Last night, my brother-in-law and I sat outside on the patio reminiscing over a bottle of wine until gone 11pm. It was virtually flat calm and remarkably warm for September.
At times today, the glasses and bottle would certainly have been blown over.

Sunbeams And Roses

Click image to view a bigger version

It's been a moment to reflect on good times to temper the bad.
I think this may be the first time, certainly the first time in a long time that I've posted a JPEG straight out of the camera on here. They may have a point about "Fuji Colours"...

Old Bridge, New Paint

Click image to view a bigger version

2025-09-17

Click image to view a bigger version

A backup photo today - another dark shadow has passed over our little corner of existence.

... And It's Not About You Joggers, Who Go Round And Round

Click image to view a bigger version

I am quite pleased with this one, I was initially just trying to line the tower up in the viewing platform's window.
As I was mentally lamenting the pillar in the middle of the window, I heard running footsteps approaching, and thought I might be able to catch something like this if I was lucky.
As it happened, the runner came right through the frame in a good spot, and I was able to get the timing about right.

Seasonal Boating

Click image to view a bigger version

The name seemed appropriate for the time of year. The boat looked in great shape, it's clearly someone's pride and joy.
This one's a backup, shot yesterday.

Bon Appetighten to 42 Nm (31 ft-lb)

Click image to view a bigger version

This is my submission for this week's 52Frames "Out Of Place" challenge.
I quite enjoyed the thinking part of this challenge, coming up with various slightly surreal situations. I had planned to borrow an old rotary dial telephone and take it somewhere odd, but the weather has turned to rain, so I ultimately dropped that plan in favour of this strange out-of-place place setting that I could shoot indoors.
This is the first time in years that I have actually used a flash attached to the top of the camera rather than off-camera on a light stand of some sort. Naturally, It was not actually pointed at the subject, but bounced off the white ceiling.

Catching up 8/8: Finish The Roll

Click image to view a bigger version

I had a few frames left, and wanted to develop this roll of film.
There were some interesting clouds, which I wanted to shoot with a red filter to make them pop more against the sky, but I spotted this reflection in one of my doors as I went upstairs to retrieve the aforementioned filter.
I ended up preferring this to the cloud shots. Shot on very expired Ilford Delta 400

Catching up 7/8: Evening Wanderers

Click image to view a bigger version

Not a backup photo, for once!

Catching up 6/8: Attach Vessel Here To Avert Mild To Moderate Disaster

Click image to view a bigger version

A backup photo, shot a month ago, the day I bought my Fuji X100V.
Shot on very expired Ilford Delta 400. I can't definitively remember what lens, probably the EF50mm f/1.4.

Catching up 5/8: Wait In The Shelter Provided

Click image to view a bigger version

A backup photo, shot 2025-09-07.

<verbiage>
You may have noticed a certain radio silence from my general direction. My head exploded due to work. Without going into too much gory detail, I ended up being faced with a requirement to conduct a time based equivalent of fitting a quart into a pint pot, which ended very approximately as well as one might imagine. All this "fun" correlates with me enjoying a bout of shingles, which adds yet more fun to the already copious quantities of fun that was already sloshing around my ankles. Correlation doesn't imply causation of course, but it's quite the coincidence if it's not causally linked...
</verbiage>

Catching up 4/8: Towpath

Click image to view a bigger version

A backup photo, shot almost a month ago, the day I bought my Fuji X100V.
Very expired Ilford Delta 400,
This being a film camera witout a databack, I can't definitively remember what lens, but it was probably the EF50mm f/1.4.

<verbiage>
You may have noticed a certain radio silence from my general direction. My head exploded due to work. Without going into too much gory detail, I ended up being faced with a requirement to conduct a time based equivalent of fitting a quart into a pint pot, which ended very approximately as well as one might imagine. All this "fun" correlates with me enjoying a bout of shingles, which adds yet more fun to the already copious quantities of fun that was already sloshing around my ankles. Correlation doesn't imply causation of course, but it's quite the coincidence if it's not causally linked...
</verbiage>

Catching up 3/8: Passing Through

Click image to view a bigger version

A backup photo, shot several weeks ago on very expired Ilford Delta 400.
This being a film camera witout a databack, I can't definitively remember what lens, but it was probably the EF100mm f/2.8 L IS Macro.

<verbiage>
You may have noticed a certain radio silence from my general direction. My head exploded due to work. Without going into too much gory detail, I ended up being faced with a requirement to conduct a time based equivalent of fitting a quart into a pint pot, which ended very approximately as well as one might imagine. All this "fun" correlates with me enjoying a bout of shingles, which adds yet more fun to the already copious quantities of fun that was already sloshing around my ankles. Correlation doesn't imply causation of course, but it's quite the coincidence if it's not causally linked...
</verbiage>

Catching up 2/8: I Think Paint Is Sold Here

Click image to view a bigger version

This was my 52 Frames submission for the "Shoot From Above" challenge.
A literal 11th-hour effort this week, I had a very busy week with work, and the weather wasn't suitable for drone operations while it was still light on Sunday. As a result, I found myself standing on the edge of the locked-up car park of a retail park brandishing the drone controller at 11PM.
I was initially just going for the patterns in the parking spaces, but the spilt paint splotches caught my eye as telling an interesting little story about the DIY shop that is closest to these spaces!

<verbiage>
You may have noticed a certain radio silence from my general direction. My head exploded due to work. Without going into too much gory detail, I ended up being faced with a requirement to conduct a time based equivalent of fitting a quart into a pint pot, which ended very approximately as well as one might imagine. All this "fun" correlates with me enjoying a bout of shingles, which adds yet more fun to the already copious quantities of fun that was already sloshing around my ankles. Correlation doesn't imply causation of course, but it's quite the coincidence if it's not causally linked...
</verbiage>

Catching up 1/8: Dandelion Clock Says Time For Bed.

Click image to view a bigger version

A backup photo, shot 2025-09-05.

<verbiage>
You may have noticed a certain radio silence from my general direction. My head exploded due to work. Without going into too much gory detail, I ended up being faced with a requirement to conduct a time based equivalent of fitting a quart into a pint pot, which ended very approximately as well as one might imagine. All this "fun" correlates with me enjoying a bout of shingles, which adds yet more fun to the already copious quantities of fun that was already sloshing around my ankles. Correlation doesn't imply causation of course, but it's quite the coincidence if it's not causally linked...
</verbiage>

Turn Around And Locate The Moon

Click image to view a bigger version

[much verbiage is redacted]

Incidental Gobo

Click image to view a bigger version

Late posting this one that I spotted as I was leaving work.
I quite liked the way this plant was caught in the evening sun.

2025-09-03

Click image to view a bigger version

It's a backup photo today, work has succeeded in entirely flattening my will to live.
I don't seem to be able to write coherently without being obscenely whiny tonight, so I'll limit myself to saying that if I never crossed paths with a protection relay again, it'd be a substantial win.

Finally, if all broadcast radio apparatus would kindly arrange to go up in smoke (or out in a shower of sparks, I'm not picky) at some point before 08:00 BST tomorrow, that would be marvellous.
I have no idea how people can actively choose to listen to commercial radio stations. Hideous, brain-rotting, advert-infested noise machines that should have no place in a civilised workplace.

They Tell Me There's An Aurora Out There Somewhere

Click image to view a bigger version

I can't see it though, so I'm going to inflict a self-portrait of sorts on you instead.

Awakening Vineyard

Click image to view a bigger version

Late posting this one; it's really rather a pleasant view to wake up to.
That wraps up my trip to Three Choirs Vineyard.
I didn't take as many photos as I'd perhaps intended to, but I did enjoy the wine, so no complaints.