Yes, I did just construct a very silly portmanteau concerning cows and padlocks.
You should know by now that I am a very silly human, and such deranged behaviour is to be expected.
This one's a backup, because as much as I might like to show you the photo I took at work today of a fibreglass insulator glowing from within like an electrocuted pickle, I'm not sure that my boss would be particularly amused.
Went out for a short walk this evening as the light was going.
It seemed a bit unusual to see daisies open this late in the evening, but maybe my timing's a bit out of whack.
Or I am. I simply can't be sure on the matter.
A backup photo today, shot last night.
I can't take all of the credit for this shot, my friend spotted this scene through a gap in the trees while I was shooting in another direction, and pointed it out to me.
I enjoy finding random little oddities like this.
I went to see Postmodern Jukebox with my in-laws tonight. Great show, I'd definitely go again.
First two pics: Amelie, the support act. (I enjoyed her, worth looking out for her upcoming work, I think).
Last two pics: Various bit of PMJ doing their thing.
Only phone photos today unfortunately, I wasn't sure how strict the camera policies would be, so I left the real cameras at home.
Slightly regretting that decision, but security was fairly tight, so far better to enjoy the show and take away good memories than to get kicked out with nothing.
I think I need to try and get into a gig as an accredited photographer at some point, I'd like to get some decent music shots.
I love seeing musicians get completely absorbed and transported by performing their music. I wish I had the skills to bring an instrument to life, but as it is, I'm destined to settle for twiddling knobs and pushing buttons on the tech end of things.
The rest are after the jump.
Another backup photo, taken a couple of days ago.
I have been doing some training on our new 3D scanner today, and ended up knackered again.
Or Flamenco Con Gas, if you prefer your silly titles in Spanish.
A backup photo today, taken in Max Garden, a place in Mallorca that Lucy and I had enjoyed brunch in back in 2018. I was pleased to discover it was still in business, so I went back with her folks for old times' sake.
It was nice to revisit, and the food was still good.
I saw this field full of bright yellow dandelion flowers a few weeks ago, and when I walked past today, they have all gone to seed and were catching the light rather nicely.
This is the first time I've really taken a close look at an individual dandelion seed - I was struck by the almost fractal nature of the seed with respect to the whole dandelion head.
The individual fibres are also surprisingly rough and spiky.
I will have to revisit this one I think, perhaps I should drag the microscope out and get properly close in on the fibre structure.
This one is at 5x magnification.
A backup photo from last week, as I'm very sure that you don't want to see the boring, functional photos of disconnector contacts and ammeters that I took at work today.
Finally back up to date on posting (statement currently valid for about 36 minutes...)
A backup photo again today, shot a few days ago.
This was my second go at this shot, I'd spotted and shot it a couple of days before, but the camera had focussed on some embossing on the back ring rather than on the painted text on the front ring.
Really odd, because I'd carefully moved my focus point to exactly where I wanted it, on the text, and then taken several shots, refocussing at least a couple of times.
If I'd been using a DSLR, I'd have started suspecting AF calibration or microadjustment errors, but that shouldn't be a thing with mirrorless, so perhaps it's just a simple lack of talent!
Who knows? Anyway, I got a chance to have a do-over, and it came out better, so it's all come out in the wash.
With occasional punctuation.
Back in Blighty again - I went for a walk as the light was fading this evening. This pink flowery article punctuated the greenish gloom quite nicely.
I went on a little trip to Palma Nova today, where I stayed with Lucy back in 2018.
It brought back some good memories, we really enjoyed ourselves on that trip.
I'm glad I had the opportunity to pop back here while I was in Mallorca. Sentimental old oaf I may be, but so be it.
One more from our 2018 trip after the jump.
No Tapas either.
And that is the end of the matter, at least until tomorrow.
My brother-in-law and his mum on their way up the side of Cap de Formentor on the way back to Pollença (they're the pair going round the left-hander in the middle of this shot).
I'm sure they'd be frightfully modest about it, but colour me impressed regardless.
I was quite glad I'd opted out of driving on this day, let alone cycling it!
We went on a trip from Palma to Sóller and Port de Sóller today.
A bit of a tourist shot I suppose, but hopefully I got a slightly nicer frame than the average holiday snap.
Up? Down? Sideways? I quite like the unclear nature of what this is exactly, and what the proper orientation is.
[Catching up on posting after a work trip and holiday]
We went round a market near where we are staying today.
This dog sheltering under the stall caught my eye.
I find its expression rather amusing, so you get a bonus close-up crop too (after the jump).
[Catching up on posting after a work trip and holiday]
Only a phone pic today, it was a bit of a weird day waiting for the rest of the party.
After a fairly leisurely start to the morning, I spent a rather surreal couple of hours sat on a bench on the sea front, next to my slightly ridiculous suitcase, being entertained by energetic German music before getting a taxi up to the airport to meet them.
[Catching up on posting after a work trip and holiday]
So, the potential last-minute test slot did in fact materialise, and we were able to squash the last remaining test item this morning.
An excellent note upon which to head off on holiday, I feel.
This is the first time I've been on a commercial flight since 2019.
Weird.
I like flying, but I'm not overly keen on the whole security theatre performance, the arbitrary rules, and the other passengers!
I did get away without being frisked this time, although my 50mm lens got thoroughly swabbed for illicit substances!
You've seen this one before, but I'm posting it again to keep the chronology straight.
I felt like I needed to post something as a bit of a placeholder, because I'd decided to take a break from posting while I was away.
This one's from Arnhem, on the way back to my hotel after dinner.
It was a tolerably successful day today, we had a great test engineer and lab team, and we managed to rattle through all of the test duties we had officially planned, plus a couple more that we thought we might have to come back for.
It's now looking possible that we might be able to do the final power test in our current test programme tomorrow morning, because the lab team are expecting either an early finish or a cancellation in the morning.
Here's hoping!
[Catching up on posting after a work trip and holiday]
We got our test object delivered to the lab today, so we are all set for our test tomorrow.
After we were done on that bit of business, I went shopping for a new camera bag that is big enough to carry the R5 and my usual lenses as well as my laptop, while still being small enough to go as a small carry-on bag. Turns out there aren't many bags that meet that particular set of requirements, but I managed to get one I'm happy with.
[Catching up on posting after a work trip and holiday]
Another backup photo today, I'm on the way to The Netherlands...
[Catching up on posting after a work trip and holiday]
A backup photo today, because I had a very busy day at work on final preparation for a type test in a couple of days.
I'm not dead (yet), and I've not given up on this project (yet), but I've not been posting for a few days, and I probably won't be for a few more.
The camera is still getting some exercise though.
Originally posted 2026/04/27, moved backwwards into sequence on 2026/05/07.
A very pleasant walk in the woods this afternoon.
Yes, I am the slightly mad sort of person that shoots an f/1.2 lens wide open (or in this particular case, very nearly wide open) in full sun, why do you ask?
I'm quite pleased with this, rule of thirds be damned.
I caught up with an old friend for a walk and a chat today. I didn't shoot much, but I thought this one was OK.
A backup photo from last week's trip to the woods.
Today was a bit of a slog. I wish people were a bit less peopley and a lot less virusy.
I took a day off work to spend the day with my in-laws. We had a rather pleasant walk at lunchtime before the weather rolled in.
We had a fairly decent little thunderstorm in the evening. I didn't manage to shoot any of it because we were getting ready to head out and meet up with a friend.
A backup photo today, shot a couple of days ago.
I went out for a walk this afternoon and caught this rather neat illustration of a shower.
The weather had the last laugh, because about 20 minutes later, it caught up and dampened me.
Yay for wellington boots and weather sealed cameras!
I felt a lot better this morning, so I was rather disappointed when my lateral flow test came back looking pretty much as strong as yesterday's.
Still, at least I was well enough to get out for a decent walk to blow the cobwebs away a bit.
Another backup photo today.
Not sure what is indicated thereby, but it gave me something convenient to aim at 😁
I thought it was time to go for something other than flowers, so I gave this LED the macro treatment.
A backup photo from yesterday.
The wretched covid monster has bitten my head off again today.
Based on the timing, it seems highly probable that it came from work [rant redacted].
I went for a walk in the woods today.
After struggling to catch any decent butterfly shots, I had all but given up and was heading back to the car when this Green-Veined White (I think) came past me and settled on a Celandine. It stayed there feeding from the flower for just long enough for me to drop down to my knees, bring the camera up and fire off a few shots before it was gone again.
I was quite glad I'd left my knee pads on and the camera awake and ready to go!
A backup photo today, I stayed at home and vegetated for the vast majority of today.
A backup photo today, I was doing my sound man bit, and the photos I took at the gig weren't anything to write home about (second pic after the jump just to prove it happened!)
I went for an evening wander round Highfields park and came across this rather unhappy looking table.
I went for a rather pleasant walk after an early finish from work. We had great weather, so I thought I'd better make the best of it before the forecast storms roll in!
The air quality here must be fairly good, there's a huge amount of lichen around.
