A new year and a new photo thread to keep us entertained through the months ahead.

My first addition is something suitably seasonal - a wintery scene taken in the Amsterdam woods.

All contributions very much welcomed, and if the photos we've seen in previous years is anything to go by, we've a lot to look forward to.

Enjoy!

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

What you saying Steve they're all planks in Scotland...........

Steve 

Planks ...  no ... not me Steve 

I’m a member of the Scottish National Trust ... 

 

 

16 hours ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Happy to share as I know they'll be greatly enjoyed here. Now where's my all-weather gear and waterproof hood for my camera...? 

Great shot to win the competition. I never realized Blackpool was such a Mecca for photo opportunity.

3 hours ago, Andrew Jordan said:

Great shot to win the competition. I never realized Blackpool was such a Mecca for photo opportunity.

Fantastic shot, for sure. What's particularly great is that the guy went looking for the photo - it wasn't just a lucky capture. Everything was planned out in advance: he picked his location, composed the shot, and waited for the right conditions to come along, and it paid off big time!

A mini murmuration of starlings flying over our apartment at sunset. Just managed to grab my iPad in time to take a photo before they flew overhead and out of sight.

 

6 hours ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Fantastic shot, for sure. What's particularly great is that the guy went looking for the photo - it wasn't just a lucky capture. Everything was planned out in advance: he picked his location, composed the shot, and waited for the right conditions to come along, and it paid off big time!

Russell.  Most wildlife and landscape photography is planned.  Especially the one's that are printed in magazines. Apart from the obvious weasel on the woodpeckers back which I'm still not sure about it's authenticity they are spur of the moment photographs but you still need to have your camera with you which on a way I suppose is planned 

Steve 

27 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Russell.  Most wildlife and landscape photography is planned.  Especially the one's that are printed in magazines. Apart from the obvious weasel on the woodpeckers back which I'm still not sure about it's authenticity they are spur of the moment photographs but you still need to have your camera with you which on a way I suppose is planned 

Steve 

Having a camera with you is certainly a good start, Steve! 😉 And absolutely, professionals will typically go out with a clear idea of what they want to photograph, usually scouting locations and potential light conditions well in advance. 

And as with anything to do with nature photography, a certain amount of luck or good fortune is always going to be a factor. Now as Kylie would say, I should be so lucky, lucky, lucky... 😂

2 minutes ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Having a camera with you is certainly a good start, Steve! 😉 And absolutely, professionals will typically go out with a clear idea of what they want to photograph, usually scouting locations and potential light conditions well in advance. 

And as with anything to do with nature photography, a certain amount of luck or good fortune is always going to be a factor. Now as Kylie would say, I should be so lucky, lucky, lucky... 😂

Luck play's a massive part mate. I've only managed to get glimpses of otters.  Simon king turned up at a nature reserve that I go to hopefully see otters and yes two otters turned up on que and spent the next 2 hours fishing and feeding no more than 15 ft away . He must have thought it was that easy all the time. 

Steve 

6 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Luck play's a massive part mate. I've only managed to get glimpses of otters.  Simon king turned up at a nature reserve that I go to hopefully see otters and yes two otters turned up on que and spent the next 2 hours fishing and feeding no more than 15 ft away . He must have thought it was that easy all the time. 

Steve 

Sure they weren’t just little actors in otter suits?

21 minutes ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Sure they weren’t just little actors in otter suits?

That made me smile mate. My mum was convinced that Dolphins where men in suits because of how clever they were.  

Steve 

Just had a break in a cosy cottage in Patterdale, Lake District. Sun rays on Ullswater, the path around Ullswater, leading to Aria Force and two of the view towards the Helvellyn range from the cottage showing the flooded fields and then two days later, the unflooded fields with the morning sun just hitting the fell tops.

Not sure this is a 'great' photo, but the color of the sky is from all the smoke here. California is on fire.

3 minutes ago, Bertrand said:

Not sure this is a 'great' photo, but the color of the sky is from all the smoke here. California is on fire.

It's as good as any that's been posted. Thanks for sharing it. Keep safe  

Steve 

It's that time of the year again when Sinterklaas (Sint-Nicolaas) arrives in the Netherlands having sailed from Spain by boat. The Sint is always accompanied by his entourage of Zwarte Pieten (Black Petes).

Putting to one side the annual national argument about whether dressing up as Zwarte Piet is racist or not, I managed to capture this portrait of a Piet from the comfort of our 2nd floor apartment where I was watching the afternoon's Sinterklaas celebrations through an open window (and with camera at the ready). Have to say I'm absolutely delighted with it!

 
 

3 hours ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

It's that time of the year again when Sinterklaas (Sint-Nicolaas) arrives in the Netherlands having sailed from Spain by boat. The Sint is always accompanied by his entourage of Zwarte Pieten (Black Petes).

Putting to one side the annual national argument about whether dressing up as Zwarte Piet is racist or not, I managed to capture this portrait of a Piet from the comfort of our 2nd floor apartment where I was watching the afternoon's Sinterklaas celebrations through an open window (and with camera at the ready). Have to say I'm absolutely delighted with it!

 
 

You're my wife now!

A few from Sicily, starting with Taormina, then Isola Bella and finally Savoca, where some of the scenes for The Godfather were filmed.....

Male Blackbird eating Rowan berries in my back garden.

Spent a few hours in the back garden today because yesterday I was lucky enough to have three Scandinavian winter visitors in the shape of Redwings, Waited for their return today but unfortunately they never showed

Steve

 

Edited November 18, 20186 yr by Winsford Soul

Song Thrush. Rowan berries again in my back garden

 

On 17/11/2018 at 15:47, Amsterdam Russ said:

It's that time of the year again when Sinterklaas (Sint-Nicolaas) arrives in the Netherlands having sailed from Spain by boat. The Sint is always accompanied by his entourage of Zwarte Pieten (Black Petes).

Putting to one side the annual national argument about whether dressing up as Zwarte Piet is racist or not, I managed to capture this portrait of a Piet from the comfort of our 2nd floor apartment where I was watching the afternoon's Sinterklaas celebrations through an open window (and with camera at the ready). Have to say I'm absolutely delighted with it!

 
 

Grr! That looks like a blue eyed Santa. Must be a boot leg.

Pete

On 17/11/2018 at 19:23, Steve S 60 said:

A few from Sicily, starting with Taormina, then Isola Bella and finally Savoca, where some of the scenes for The Godfather were filmed.....

Those are the kind of pictures that call me to Italy, Spain and Greece and the like. Nice one Steve.

Pete

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Song Thrush. Rowan berries again in my back garden

 

Thats a cracker Steve. Love to you and Lou. Keep the pictures coming.

Pete

Few from last week, not up to some of the standard on here but hope you like.

5 minutes ago, Peter99 said:

Thats a cracker Steve. Love to you and Lou. Keep the pictures coming.

Pete

Good Evening Sir Thank you very much, we both well 

Getting very choosey about actually pressing the shutter button on the camera never mind posting them on various media sites. 

Hope your keeping well my friend.

How's Ace settling down now that you have had him a few weeks and you have both gotten used to each others company ?

2 minutes ago, middleman said:

Few from last week, not up to some of the standard on here but hope you like.

I think that we're all after the same result whether camera and lens or mobile phone picture. We want to share our experience's amongst friends. I love to see pictures that I will probably never get chance to take myself and enjoy them for what they are.

I would love to have taken those Dolphin pictures . Think they're fantastic, I've never seen them from a boat only the coast 

Steve

2 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

I think that we're all after the same result whether camera and lens or mobile phone picture. We want to share our experience's amongst friends. I love to see pictures that I will probably never get chance to take myself and enjoy them for what they are.

I would love to have taken those Dolphin pictures . Think they're fantastic, I've never seen them from a boat only the coast 

Steve

That’s very kind of you, thank you.

Some of yours are amazing by the way, including the recent ones of the blackbird where I particularly like the composition.

Cheers

Another Steve.

6 minutes ago, middleman said:

That’s very kind of you, thank you.

Some of yours are amazing by the way, including the recent ones of the blackbird where I particularly like the composition.

Cheers

Another Steve.

Your Welcome. And thank you.

Steve must be the most common name on here and I've got Smith as a bonus surname.

 

10 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Your Welcome. And thank you.

Steve must be the most common name on here and I've got Smith as a bonus surname.

 

Proper name Steve Smith.

Just found another from today.  Female Blackbird juggling with a Rowan berry

 

Edited November 18, 20186 yr by Winsford Soul

1 hour ago, Peter99 said:

Those are the kind of pictures that call me to Italy, Spain and Greece and the like. Nice one Steve.

Pete

Don't bother with the Costa del Sol, it's been throwing it down most of the day, and the rain in Spain runs down the side of the road as they don't clean the drains

Blackbird, balancing berry ballet

 

Post deleted

 

Edited November 19, 20186 yr by Winsford Soul

Well I've finally managed to get the photograph of the visiting Scandinavian bird in my back garden. Its only taken me three days. Unfortunately its not the clearest photograph that I've taken but considering it was through a double glazed window I'm quite happy 

Redwing. The smallest member of the Thrush family

Steve

Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall

It could actually make a reasonable dance floor.

Of course the DJ would have to play George 'N Sonny Sands - Down By The Ocean

Between te anau and milford sound NZ

1 minute ago, jkpnefc said:

Between te anau and milford sound NZ

WOW.  That looks awesome 

It is...never done a drive like that

Had to share this. Moonbow and the Aurora in one stunning photograph which is as rare as it gets, captured this week in the Lapland district of Sweden  by a guy who runs Aurora workshops called Chad Blakeley 

 

Edited November 22, 20186 yr by Winsford Soul

Not as dramatic or as rare as the above post but here's two from me from today. Oystercatcher and a Robin

Steve

Is it me or has the month of November got the highest number of likes. Don't think I've ever seen as many photographs with such high likes.  .

Steve

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Is it me or has the month of November got the highest number of likes. Don't think I've ever seen as many photographs with such high likes.  .

Steve

Put it down to the huge number fabulous photos!

This person took a liking to the compost heap in my garden during the daytime in the summer for two weeks.

Edited November 23, 20186 yr by Guest

Little & Large

Edit: Someone viewing this on a small device might not see the cat in the background, hence the title.

Edited November 24, 20186 yr by Guest

First light from an early train 🙂 

4 hours ago, flamingemeralds said:

Not Antoney Gormely statue at my home town ..Crosby ? 

Either way what a great idea ... wish I’d done it ! 

 

On 23/11/2018 at 14:38, Winsford Soul said:

Not as dramatic or as rare as the above post but here's two from me from today. Oystercatcher and a Robin

Steve

Nor

3 hours ago, stevegods said:

Not Antoney Gormely statue at my home town ..Crosby ? 

Either way what a great idea ... wish I’d done it ! 

 

Yes, indeed. The very one.  I can only take the credit for the photo.  The artistic licence belongs to someone else. 

This is my latest effort!  "I'm walking down this lonely avenue.... 🎶"

A couple from today at Dunham Park