2025-09-03

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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

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

Awakening Vineyard

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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.

Cloudburst

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I just made it to my room at Three Choirs Vineyard before we had quite the downpour.
It cleared up nicely afterwards though (after the jump)

Lights, Camera, Inaction

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I missed the shot I'd initially wanted to catch (harsh sunlight and some interesting shadows) because I was shovelling a rather delicious shakshuka into my face.
Losses and gains, I suppose!

Cornflower Blue

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... Isn't necessarily blue, as it turns out.

An impromptu trip to a wildflower field straight after work yielded this. I only had the RX100V with me (I often keep it in my work bag with my thermal camera, as its high-speed video mode can be useful for finding faults). It's a bit lacking in macro abilities, but it has done pretty acceptably on this one.
By some miracle, its battery was even mostly charged up!

Slightly Rained On, Not Rained Off

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One from a slightly damp walk with Bailey this evening. I quite liked the bird and walkers all broadly in alignment with the rainbow.

I had misplaced the strap I use with the R5, and then forgotten this fact, so I was left juggling the camera on a short wrist strap, as well as the lead and other doggy accoutrements, which was a trifle inconvenient.
After that experience, the proper strap has now been re-located and restored to its rightful place!

Fade Out, Vividly.

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Plus a couple more (after the jump) from last night that I couldn't post because of IG's odd attitude to mixed aspect ratio photos.

It turns out I'd forgotten how useful an internal flash can be, and the X100V has reminded me.
The acorn shot needed a little touch of fill light to get proper exposure on the subject while keeping some colour and detail in the sky. The internal flash, turned way down to (I think) 1/64 power, was perfect for this.
Also: Dog tax! I've been looking after Bailey while his mum's on holiday, so I thought I'd better get a shot of him in somewhere!

On The Turn

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The year is certainly moving on quite visibly now. It's been a couple of weeks since I walked in this park, and I really noticed the difference tonight.

It appears that the reward for half-killing myself last week extinguishing metaphorical fires is a similarly metaphorical conflagration of such proportions that it risks consuming my desk, everything on it, and most of what has passed across it in the last two years.
How fabulous.

Have A Wobble

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I did.

Sundowner

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I finally got round to putting the drone up again this evening.
Another 37 minutes in the log, and I don't think the photo is too bad either!

Sunny Character

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This one's probably going to be my submission for this week's @52frames #52frames_lowkey challenge.
As I used a single flash, this one's eligible for the EC this week.

Messing Around In The Dark

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It was quite late when I went out this evening, and the light was fading fast. I spotted this heron and thought I'd give it a go regardless.

Modern cameras and Lightroom are amazing.
This was shot at ISO 12,800 (yay for high ISO performance and Lightroom's noise reduction), 1/25 sec at 200mm (yay for image stabilisation), with the lens wide open at f/2.8
For the uninitiated, that shutter speed is almost 10 times slower than the usual rule of thumb would dictate, and I'm not the most steady-handed of people at the best of times.

I'm not unhappy with this under the circumstances.

I've put the straight out of camera image after the jump. This is why photographers won't give you their RAW files 😁

No / No / Maybe

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Almost made it to the bank holiday...
For the first time in what feels like forever, I had my office to myself today. Despite the now ever-present background din and cacophony from the workshop, it was a very welcome change.

This bridge is currently being repainted, and they have placed buoys and signal lights on it, so I thought I'd capture it with the extra lights before they're gone.

Yelephone Call For You

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A truly terrible pun, sorry!
[is absolutely not sorry]

A backup photo today, but somewhat relevant as I've spent rather a lot of time building up to a railway related meeting today. It went better than it might have done.

I(II)

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Memories Sparkle On.

Affixed

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First day back at work today.
[Redacted], lest toes be trodden upon...

Weedy Winner

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This spiky character has neatly evaded the combine harvester's blades...

Jetsam, Intentional or Otherwise

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This one's probably going to be my submission for this week's 52 Frames "Abandoned" challenge.

Reflect A While

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I'm quite enjoying my new toy.
It's quite different to use than my usual EOS kit, much more like shooting a traditional film camera, which I had expected from the layout of the controls.
It's a pleasingly retro tactile experience without sacrificing modern capabilities.

The RAW file had quite a lot to give in the apparently clipped highlight here, which was quite a pleasing discovery.