Happy New Year everyone. I hope your Yuletide and New Year celebrations have been plentiful and that the year ahead offers you good health, prosperity, happiness and endless photo opportunities.

To kickstart the new edition of the fabulous "Show us your great photos" thread, I offer not a pic but a video. We took this last night and it shows, in all its glory, the incredible firework display we offered our neighbours from the comfort of our balcony. If you watch the video you'll see our neighbours' fantastic fireworks going off in the background - and then there's ours. 

This is what you get when you buy a box of mini fireworks from your local cheapskate supermarket (Albert Heijn) for the princely sum of 10 euros!  Still, it was so crap it was a laugh, which means it actually offered great value for money. I hope the vid of our box of damp balcony squibs also raises a smile with you.

Happy New Year!

 

. I have never seen Red Admiral Butterflies in November before but I saw two today.  Anyone know anything about there habits, hibernation, migration etc ? Would love to find out off you knowledgeable people on here

Steve

3 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Thanks for posting Russell. As you say some very good photographs but in my humble opinion like yours, there's better pictures posted  on here . I was under the same impression regarding the BBC Country file calendar .

Steve

Hmm, I see what you mean about the Countryfile calendar. They seem to have gone for a number of cute animal shots rather than ones that are outstandingly good. 

Clearly our expectations are higher - but only because we've been treated to so many fantastic photos during the three years these "Show us your great photos" threads have been running. 

Lapwing . Bath time

Steve

 

This is street art at its best.  just had to share this amazing picture by a unknown artist drawn in the dirt on the back of the van

Steve 

Edited November 20, 20177 yr by Winsford Soul

Castle Eden Dene. County Durham at Sunset. 

2 hours ago, HARRY CROSBY said:

Castle Eden Dene. County Durham at Sunset. 

Harry. That is amazing. Trust your keeping well mate

Steve

Red Admirals

 

I have found them what i thought was hibernating in the school bolierhouse in sept. only trouble is when the boilers kick in in Oct it wakes them up and they seem to die,more info below from google.

The Red Admiral is a frequent visitor to gardens throughout the British Isles and one of our most well-known butterflies. This butterfly is unmistakable, with the velvety black wings intersected by striking red bands.

This butterfly is primarily a migrant to our shores, although sightings of individuals and immature stages in the first few months of the year, especially in the south of England, mean that this butterfly is now considered resident. This resident population is considered to only be a small fraction of the population seen in the British Isles, which gets topped up every year with migrants arriving in May and June that originate in central Europe. Unfortunately, most individuals are unable to survive our winter, especially in the cooler regions of the British Isles.

The number of adults seen in any one year is therefore dependent on the number of migrants reaching the British Isles and numbers fluctuate as a result. In some years this butterfly can be widespread and common, in others rather local and scarce. This is a widespread species and can be found anywhere in the British Isles, including Orkney and Shetland.

Edited November 22, 20177 yr by smudger

This evenings Back Garden Sunset . I have never seen a sunset like this before.  The colours are amazing 

Steve

Edited December 2, 20177 yr by Winsford Soul

Dunnock, in dappled sunlight

Steve

5 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Dunnock, in dappled sunlight

Steve

Great photo - very shallow depth of field though. Was that intentional or the result of a quick snatch? (No sniggers from those at the back please!)

9 hours ago, Russell Gilbert said:

Great photo - very shallow depth of field though. Was that intentional or the result of a quick snatch? (No sniggers from those at the back please!)

Thanks Russell.  It was intended mate shot the picture at f4 to blur out a very messy background  which as you know results in the shallow depth of field 

Steve 

Edited December 2, 20177 yr by Winsford Soul

13 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Thanks Russell.  It was intended mate shot the picture at f4 to blur out a very messy background  which as you know results in the shallow depth of field 

Steve 

It's certainly really helped isolate the subject, which is the whole point, of course. 

Turtle beach Sarasota tonight..

Ed

I do love the panorama function on the iPhone camera. This one was taken this afternoon at Westeinderplassen in the Netherlands, just a couple of minutes from home.

On ‎01‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 18:57, Winsford Soul said:

Dunnock, in dappled sunlight

Steve

One of my favourite birds that visit my feeders , on first look they seem very dowdy but the greys and browns of their plumage are really attractive on closer inspection.

 

Over the past couple of years a buzzard (?) has been hanging around. Quite often it circles high up and now and again gets agro from the local rooks. Most days it spends half an hour or so sitting on fence posts. I've finally managed to have a camera ready when it appeared today.

This is it's favourite post where it spent some time preening and getting a bit of sun.

It then had a little walk around before going back to the fence

 

I was waiting for an action shot of it taking off but this happened instead

After another 15 minutes it  flew into a nearby tree

There was a pair of them in the summer so maybe this is one of their offspring. Anyone know how old it might be and what sex it is?

Rick

Rick . Nice picture's.  There's no difference in the plumage of male and female buzzards. The only difference is that the adult female will be about a third bigger as is the norm for birds of prey 

Steve 

Snow all gone ... no more paths to clear .. fingers crossed but what a nice sunset in London 👍

 

 

 

 

Out with my whippet in the fields next to where we live  while the sun was actually shining for 5  minutes .

His name is Mojo and he's a terrific little dog.It made me chuckle how he was stood in the warm spot with his eyes closed as I quickly took the pic on my phone.

4 hours ago, Soulsides said:

Out with my whippet in the fields next to where we live  while the sun was actually shining for 5  minutes .

His name is Mojo and he's a terrific little dog.It made me chuckle how he was stood in the warm spot with his eyes closed as I quickly took the pic on my phone.

He's lovely mate. I've been umming and arrring about getting a dog for the last few years. As some of you may know, I am on my own, and have a few mentalist issues, which in relation to getting a dog manifest themselves as such;

• What if someone breaks into my house and a), steals my dog, or b), my dog gets lose and either gets run over or lost; and;
• How will I cope when he dies? 

Those maybe quite irrational thoughts for someone who is a little better adjusted in life than me, however, nonetheless, they are things that go round and round in my head. So, I think I can get over those two by spending some money on my fairly derelict house to make it more secure, and reassuring myself that I came to terms with losing Little Smith. (my cat of 18 years).

The other thing is that I can do is a mixture of taking him to work or getting a dog sitter/walker. Yep, I think its time. The benefits far outweigh the negatives. I just need to make a strategic plan.

Pete

Go to the rescue centre and get a dog.........there will be one waiting just for you

I have had Clyde for 2 1/2 years and I cannot imagine my life without him, everyday he wakes me up and I smile, what a way to start your day!  He keeps me fit with our long meandering walks and he cuts down on the electric bill cause who needs a telly when you can watch a dog playing like a daft un, like when he brings his 'raggy' back for you to throw it again!!

What if someone tries to break in your house and your dog barking frightens them away?

What if he gets loose and the dog warden 'reads his chip and beings him home? What if he comes home by himself? (Clyde ran away from Steve a while ago and Steve knew it was more than his life is worth to come home without him, so he searched and he searched, eventually he decided he had to come home and tell me the awful truth...................and there was Clydie sitting at the gate waiting for someone to open it!)

You will cope when he dies because you will have to, but you will stop thinking about that as you will be having too much fun with him, and all the people at work and people just passing you in the street fussing over him for you to think about that...................and if you 'go' first, he can come and live with Clyde in the sunshine  

The benefits WILL outweigh the negatives, because he/she will fill your life with joy and laughter and although they wont dissapear, the negatives will fade to grey...........

Believe me, you aren't the only one who has those thoughts, and they are not so irrational,  just don't let them hold you back any longer.................

 

xx

 

 

 

 

Edited December 19, 20177 yr by crazylegs

14 hours ago, Peter99 said:

He's lovely mate. I've been umming and arrring about getting a dog for the last few years. As some of you may know, I am on my own, and have a few mentalist issues, which in relation to getting a dog manifest themselves as such;

• What if someone breaks into my house and a), steals my dog, or b), my dog gets lose and either gets run over or lost; and;
• How will I cope when he dies? 

Those maybe quite irrational thoughts for someone who is a little better adjusted in life than me, however, nonetheless, they are things that go round and round in my head. So, I think I can get over those two by spending some money on my fairly derelict house to make it more secure, and reassuring myself that I came to terms with losing Little Smith. (my cat of 18 years).

The other thing is that I can do is a mixture of taking him to work or getting a dog sitter/walker. Yep, I think its time. The benefits far outweigh the negatives. I just need to make a strategic plan.

Pete

Ooops meant to quote this with my response above

x

Edited December 19, 20177 yr by crazylegs

Some very sage words of advice from Crazylegs there, I wholeheartedly agree with those comments.

Possibly not as sage as the above advice is a quote from my aunt who's a lovely lady, she's getting on a bit and slightly batty these days but that's what we all like best about her to be perfectly honest .

Her motto is "If you want a dog,then get a dog" !  

 

You can't really argue with that statement in my opinion hehe.

 

 

4 hours ago, crazylegs said:

Ooops meant to quote this with my response above

x

Thanks Sharon

As you know I am a huge admirer of Clyde - he's a super little dog, very handsome too.

 

Pete

Walking on water...

2 hours ago, Peter99 said:

Thanks Sharon

As you know I am a huge admirer of Clyde - he's a super little dog, very handsome too.

 

Pete

You are very welcome

A dog will only enhance your life, I'm sure there are many soulies on here who can give you some excellent doggy advice if you needed it.

As for my advice for what its worth...............Lots and lots of love and food is the answer

x 

18 minutes ago, crazylegs said:

, I'm sure there are many soulies on here who can give you some excellent doggy advice if you needed it.

Pete.

Don't go to the well-known dogging sites. That's my advice mate

Steve 

13 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Pete.

Don't go to the well-known dogging sites. That's my advice mate

Steve 

That's barking up the wrong tree!!

Ill get me coat.....................

x

Edited December 19, 20177 yr by crazylegs

39 minutes ago, crazylegs said:

That's barking up the wrong tree!!

Ill get me coat.....................

x

Or treeing up the wrong bark!

Loyalty is not always guaranteed...but still fun to watch..

VID-20171126-WA0001.mp4

8 minutes ago, tomangoes said:

Loyalty is not always guaranteed...but still fun to watch..

VID-20171126-WA0001.mp4

Hahaha.

Marvellous !  

On ‎18‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 19:58, Peter99 said:

He's lovely mate. I've been umming and arrring about getting a dog for the last few years.

If you are unsure have you considered a temporary halfway house that could help you decide and could also find the right dog for you, my local animal sanctuary is always on the lookout for dog walkers, if there was one near you I'm sure they would be more than happy with an extra volunteer .On the plus side you'd get interaction with different dogs maybe bonding with one particular dog which you could end up giving a home to. You may also find having a dog isn't for you saving you the heartache of finding out too late after you have gone and bought a dog.

Our local windmill looking glorious against a wintery blue sky. 

the first pic is a burrowing owl outside its nest, this is just off the beach in the dunes at ayampe, Ecuador, the 2nd is the adult nesting pair,

lucky to see these really

Fantastic picture's Jules.

Steve 

Made these crimbo trees out of old pallets for the garden look what we get from another angle merry Christmas soul source Xx baz n shelly

Just to say a big thank you to Russell for the past year in Show us your great photos.  And a big thanks to everyone who has been involved in 2017 with some great pictures and comments. 

Steve 

Just now, Winsford Soul said:

Just to say a big thank you to Russell for the past year in Show us your great photos.  And a big thanks to everyone who has been involved in 2017 with some great pictures and comments. 

Steve 

I concur with my learned friend. One of the best and most positive threads on the site. In fact it is more than a thread, it has become a permanent feature on Soul Source.

Here’s to a photographic 2018.

Pete

 

26 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Just to say a big thank you to Russell for the past year in Show us your great photos.  And a big thanks to everyone who has been involved in 2017 with some great pictures and comments. 

Steve 

 

22 minutes ago, Peter99 said:

I concur with my learned friend. One of the best and most positive threads on the site. In fact it is more than a thread, it has become a permanent feature on Soul Source.

Here’s to a photographic 2018.

Pete

 

Who'd have thought when the first photography thread was started in 2013 that it would still be going on today? Across hundreds, if not 1,000s of posts, we've been very fortunate to see an incredible array of amazing photos. That's really rather remarkable, and entirely down to the enthusiastic and continued participation of everyone here.

For anyone interested, and with some spare time on their hands, here's a link to the first thread.

With one year ending and another about to begin, I'll close this thread tomorrow and start up a new one for 2018. Thanks to everyone for sharing your great pics and for contributing to what - as Peter says - has become something of a permanent fixture!

Happy New Year and best wishes to you all! 

 

 

As above thanks to all the contributors to the thread throughout the year, most enjoyable and in some cases educational, keep up the good work, I might even post a few myself when I learn how to better use the camera I've had for two years, thanks again for the many Wow! and smiley moments. Maybe next year people could make a note of their favourites month on month and at the end of the year we could have a vote on picture of the year, any thoughts on that anyone?

Thoroughly enjoyed this thread and the amount of brilliant pictures that have been shown 

 

well done you lot !

 

Swifty

33 minutes ago, Twoshoes said:

As above thanks to all the contributors to the thread throughout the year, most enjoyable and in some cases educational, keep up the good work, I might even post a few myself when I learn how to better use the camera I've had for two years, thanks again for the many Wow! and smiley moments. Maybe next year people could make a note of their favourites month on month and at the end of the year we could have a vote on picture of the year, any thoughts on that anyone?

That's a nice idea. One option might be to go through the thread at the end of the year and put forward those photos with the greatest amount of "Up Votes". That said, and given the huge talents we have on here, you might find that a top 10 selection of the most liked photos comes from just two or three people. 

If anyone has any suggestions as to how something like this might work, your thoughts are most welcome.

2 hours ago, Russell Gilbert said:

That's a nice idea. One option might be to go through the thread at the end of the year and put forward those photos with the greatest amount of "Up Votes". That said, and given the huge talents we have on here, you might find that a top 10 selection of the most liked photos comes from just two or three people. 

If anyone has any suggestions as to how something like this might work, your thoughts are most welcome.

I have had a look back over several pages, not all I have to say , I'm not sure why but the further back I went the up votes disappeared , as you say Russ the people with most votes did tend to be the same select few but then again they were regular posters which is fair enough. On the pages I looked at there were plenty of up votes in the 9 to 13 range, top vote I saw was a 17 but again I did not look at all the pages so going purely of the votes during the year a clear winner might not be found.

   My suggestion would be if each month someone was to download the picture or pictures with the most votes  and then in December either declare the winner or post each months picture with the most votes and everyone could vote for their favourite for the year. Hope that makes sense, any more ideas?

49 minutes ago, Twoshoes said:

I have had a look back over several pages, not all I have to say , I'm not sure why but the further back I went the up votes disappeared

I think that’s because Soul Source didn’t have an Up vote function when the first photography thread started in 2013. Not sure when that was introduced.