A new year, a new photography thread! Thanks to everyone who's participated in these threads, whether as a photographic contributor, a commenter, or as someone who just pops in from time to time to admire the latest offerings. The Soul Source photography thread now enters its sixth year (well, technically it started life in April of 2013, but who cares?), which I think is amazing.

As I mentioned in the last post of the 2018 thread, its longevity is entirely down to you and your continued involvement, so thank you one and all for making this a real highlight for so long. Cheers, and here's to another photo-filled year!

 

 

8 hours ago, Johnny Jones said:

Brilliant pal see you at the dayer for catch up 

Afternoon!x A tree rarely seen by the public planted as a 12" sapling by Prince Charles on a private estate in Wales...in 1976!x 

LUV
SOOTY
X

Two from stoke last night. First one around 9.45, the second 6 hours later around 3.45. 

Edited September 22, 20195 yr by Soulandy

Myddelton House Gardens in Enfield on Saturday. Lovely botanic gardens . 

Here's a three from the weekend at Pennington Flash

Dunnock. Grey Wagtail and Kingfisher

Steve

 

And one from the back garden

Red Admiral on a buddleia 

6 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

And one from the back garden

Red Admiral on a buddleia 

That is an amazing photo !!

7 minutes ago, Veedub said:

That is an amazing photo !!

Thank you.  Much appreciate it. 

Steve 

On ‎21‎/‎09‎/‎2019 at 10:12, Flamingemeralds said:

Sadly, the only place I'm heading right now....is here......

Shame

Greetings from the Greek island of Mykonos...

Taken from on top of the highest peak on the Greek island of Delos - one of Antony Gormley’s statues (he being the creator of the Angel of the North), and by far the most effective. It took us about 45 minutes to climb and scramble up here in rather hot conditions, but it was worth it! 

some old Instagram pics Ive come across tonight,,, random but good none the less.. thats my son as a lion 🙂

A  stormy but sunny St Govans head. Pembrokeshire. 

Edited September 26, 20195 yr by Winsford Soul

Male Chaffinch

Taken from the window of the Pembrokeshire cottage

Steve

Been ages since I saw one in my garden Steve ... the Greenfinch have taken over the feeders.

15 minutes ago, Martyn Pitt said:

Been ages since I saw one in my garden Steve ... the Greenfinch have taken over the feeders.

Greenfinch are so uncommon near me mate. Goldfinch are the dominant force in my garden up to 16 at a time.  

Here's two pictures of Carew Castle. Both taken at approximately 9.30 pm this evening .One in natural light and the second one has had a torch shone on the castle from approximately 200 yards away across a tidal mill pond . I was hoping to get the castle with the Milky Way above and behind it but it was too high in the sky

I obviously need to practice this form of photography but I,m quite happy with my first attempt, would love to know if anyone on here has tried anything similar and how did you get on

Steve

House Sparrow

 

Bank Vole

 

Very wet Badger 

 

Country file has just announced the winner and cover photograph for the 2020 calendar.  So disappointed that it was set up in a studio when there was amazing wild pictures that where so much more difficult to obtain and undoubtedly one off events in extreme weather.  

What do you think? 

And it's not sour grapes before anyone says so because I didn't even enter the competition.  Just think that it's a wildlife calendar and it should be wildlife, just the same as you can't enter domestic or zoo animals for the competition 

Steve 

Edited September 29, 20195 yr by Winsford Soul

I thought the same thing when I seen the studio set up they had, great photo but as you said so disappointing.

Just now, Widnes63 said:

I thought the same thing when I seen the studio set up they had, great photo but as you said so disappointing.

Cheers Ste.  As you say a great photo but even I could have got one that good in a studio with perfect lighting, firing off countless shots until you got the exact one you wanted or had envisaged in your head. 

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Country file has just announced the winner and cover photograph for the 2020 calendar.  So disappointed that it was set up in a studio when there was amazing wild pictures that where so much more difficult to obtain and undoubtedly one off events in extreme weather.  

What do you think? 

And it's not sour grapes before anyone says so because I didn't even enter the competition.  Just think that it's a wildlife calendar and it should be wildlife, just the same as you can't enter domestic or zoo animals for the competition 

Steve 

You should make a point of entering next year as your wildlife photos are fabulous. Especially the badger one  😊

Sandra x

26 minutes ago, Wayoutgirl said:

You should make a point of entering next year as your wildlife photos are fabulous. Especially the badger one  😊

Sandra x

Thanks Sandra.  Your making me blush.  X

Few snaps in Bristol. St Nicholas Market and Cabot Tower.

1 hour ago, Flamingemeralds said:

Few snaps in Bristol. St Nicholas Market and Cabot Tower.

Love the colour contrast 

Great weekend in Filey where the weather was mixed making the beach atmospheric on Friday Saturday and Sunday 

18 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Just think that it's a wildlife calendar and it should be wildlife, just the same as you can't enter domestic or zoo animals for the competition 

It's evidence Steve. Wayout girl is right : most of your photos would fit perfectly for this calendar. Of course I can't remember all of them but some are really beautiful !

That said, when a Country calendar is made of studio photos we can question the serious of this calendar...

But you should give a try : you've got nothing to loose !

1 hour ago, Soulandy said:

Great weekend in Filey where the weather was mixed making the beach atmospheric on Friday Saturday

Beautiful !

 

Looking through a stone boathouse on Ftelia beach, Greek island of Mykonos. Pretty much deserted when we were there a couple of days ago, and that suited us right down to the ground.

1 hour ago, Philippe said:

It's evidence Steve. Wayout girl is right : most of your photos would fit perfectly for this calendar. Of course I can't remember all of them but some are really beautiful !

That said, when a Country calendar is made of studio photos we can question the serious of this calendar...

But you should give a try : you've got nothing to loose !

Thank you my friend. I really appreciate the kind comments

Steve

Milky Way from last nights clear Pembrokeshire skies

 

Two very wet badgers

 

1 hour ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Looking through a stone boathouse on Ftelia beach, Greek island of Mykonos. Pretty much deserted when we were there a couple of days ago, and that suited us right down to the ground.

Looks lovely Russell 

16 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Love the colour contrast 

You're very generous Steve. I wish I was as good as you are at this photography malarkey!  I love photography. I'm one of the few people who loves looking at other people's holiday snaps. 😂

48 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

You're very generous Steve. I wish I was as good as you are at this photography malarkey!  I love photography. I'm one of the few people who loves looking at other people's holiday snaps. 😂

Me too.  Every picture tells a story or is a moment frozen in time that will never be recaptured 

Your turn to make me blush now Louise,  your photos are good, I stick to things I know a little bit about which helps you with the picture,  composition,  light etc all self taught and still only a novice, 9 years ago I didn't even have a camera 

Steve 

Edited September 30, 20195 yr by Winsford Soul

4 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Milky Way from last nights clear Pembrokeshire skies

 

Hoping to see the milky way in all its glory in a few weeks time as we head downunder. Lucky enough to see it in a very dark place before, great experience.  Great photos  again 👍

Edited September 30, 20195 yr by Soulandy

53 minutes ago, Soulandy said:

Hoping to see the milky way in all its glory in a few weeks time as we head downunder. Lucky enough to see it in a very dark place before, great experience.  Great photos  again 👍

Very nice,  have a fantastic trip.  Thanks Andy,  definitely need to practice more but until I move here permanent it's difficult as you know living in Manchester to see anything with the light pollution 

Steve 

2 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Me too.  Every picture tells a story or is a moment frozen in time that will never be recaptured 

Your turn to make me blush now Louise,  your photos are good, I stick to things I know a little bit about which helps you with the picture,  composition,  light etc all self taught and still only a novice, 9 years ago I didn't even have a camera 

Steve 

You didn't have a camera 9 years ago? I thought you must have been shuttering a shutter for most of your life? All 35 years of it?! 😂.  So, are you an ornithologist first and foremost, which has evolved into photography? 

When I was in Morecambe recently, there was a couple with a huge camera with a huge long lens. They were doing a bird survey for the RSPB. He let me look down the lens and I was staggered that I could see four men on a fishing boat about half a mile out! As plain as day they were. The equipment he had was worth thousands. His wife said they felt a bit embarrassed about spending so much money on camera equipment.  Isn't that awful? 

I'm all for spending money on your passion in life.  That's why I spent a quid on a bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk about four hours ago. Difference is, I've nothing to show for it except a face like this....😰 when I try to zip up my jeans. And that's why people spend thousands on vinyl too isn't it. 

You've got to do what makes your soul glow. ☺️

5 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Looks lovely Russell 

It was - far away from the madness of Mykonos town there are loads of these empty beaches to be found, and they’re well worth searching for.

 

18 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

You didn't have a camera 9 years ago? I thought you must have been shuttering a shutter for most of your life? All 35 years of it?! 😂.  So, are you an ornithologist first and foremost, which has evolved into photography? 

When I was in Morecambe recently, there was a couple with a huge camera with a huge long lens. They were doing a bird survey for the RSPB. He let me look down the lens and I was staggered that I could see four men on a fishing boat about half a mile out! As plain as day they were. The equipment he had was worth thousands. His wife said they felt a bit embarrassed about spending so much money on camera equipment.  Isn't that awful? 

I'm all for spending money on your passion in life.  That's why I spent a quid on a bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk about four hours ago. Difference is, I've nothing to show for it except a face like this....😰 when I try to zip up my jeans. And that's why people spend thousands on vinyl too isn't it. 

You've got to do what makes your soul glow. ☺️

Not a ornitholigist,  just a nature lover , spent all my life fishing escaping from the chemical industries where I've worked in engineering  and everything else  just fell into place. Fishing   Northern soul, Records, Nighters, women,  wildlife,  cameras all a natural progression.  Well it is in my 18 year old head 🤣 who's spent 10,s of  thousands on all of the above.  My current go to camera lens costs  more than my first house did. See picture below.   🙄.you  get some comments and looks when you carry a 3 ft lens about.  I'm very lucky to be able too have afforded things especially when my kids got older because I  did struggle like everyone has.  

I love chocolate especially when I worked at nestle in Halifax.  (Yorkshire the dark side ) and it was free. 🤣. 

Steve 

10 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Not a ornitholigist,  just a nature lover , spent all my life fishing escaping from the chemical industries where I've worked in engineering  and everything else  just fell into place. Fishing   Northern soul, Records, Nighters, women,  wildlife,  cameras all a natural progression.  Well it is in my 18 year old head 🤣 who's spent 10,s of  thousands on all of the above.  My current go to camera lens costs  more than my first house did. See picture below.   🙄.you  get some comments and looks when you carry a 3 ft lens about.  I'm very lucky to be able too have afforded things especially when my kids got older because I  did struggle like everyone has.  

I love chocolate especially when I worked at nestle in Halifax.  (Yorkshire the dark side ) and it was free. 🤣. 

Steve 

Oooh, I'm from the dark side tha knows, but emigrated to Lancashire.  In fact I did once live in Halifax.  That's an amazing bit of kit Steve!  Beats my mobile phone camera hands down.  Woke up this morning to find a sparrow hawk on the lawn having some feathered breakfast. Nature is as cruel as it is beautiful at times. I had toast.

I hope you got your passport stamped when you come over the big hill to stay on the sunny side. 🤣. Weetabix for me today,  couldn't be bothered with me cornflakes.  . Love Sparrowhawks they have such  evil looking yellow eyes . 

Steve 

Sunset and spray - Mykonos.

I was rather pleased with this shot considering it was taken using just my iPad.

 

9 minutes ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Sunset and spray - Mykonos.

I was rather pleased with this shot considering it was taken using just my iPad.

 

Very nice mate.  Regardless of what you used to take the picture 

1 hour ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Sunset and spray - Mykonos.

I was rather pleased with this shot considering it was taken using just my iPad.

 

Woah, that's a cracker!! 👍🏼

2 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Very nice mate.  Regardless of what you used to take the picture 

 

33 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

Woah, that's a cracker!! 👍🏼

Thanks, both. There is bit of a story to this, which is quite funny.

About two minutes earlier, one of those giant island-to-island catamarans had come speeding past on its way to Mykonos New Port. The spray was the result of the bow waves hitting the shore. While that gave me a photo opportunity, it wasn't so much fun for my other half, Bev.

She was having a paddle in the sea when the waves hit. Prior to this happening, the sea was pretty calm. Not only did the unexpected waves nearly knock her over with some force, but they almost dragged her into the sea when they retreated. At the same time, her dry clothes and bag - including money, iPhone, etc, etc (all of which was several metres safely away from the water's edge) - did get dragged into the water and there was a mad scramble by her, and a friend who was with us on holiday, to rescue everything.

All her clothes, the bag, and the contents, got completely soaked through (the phone was in a waterproof case and so was safe). Luckily, we had a travel blanket that she was able to wrap herself in, otherwise it would have been a 20-minute journey back to the hotel in just a soaking swimsuit.

As this little drama happened, I was sat on some large rocks about 20-odd metres away waiting for my photo opportunity. Priorities, right?

Anyway, I got my photo, Bev laughed at her predicament and chalked it up as a mini holiday adventure!

41 minutes ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

 

Thanks, both. There is bit of a story to this, which is quite funny.

About two minutes earlier, one of those giant island-to-island catamarans had come speeding past on its way to Mykonos New Port. The spray was the result of the bow waves hitting the shore. While that gave me a photo opportunity, it wasn't so much fun for my other half, Bev.

She was having a paddle in the sea when the waves hit. Prior to this happening, the sea was pretty calm. Not only did the unexpected waves nearly knock her over with some force, but they almost dragged her into the sea when they retreated. At the same time, her dry clothes and bag - including money, iPhone, etc, etc (all of which was several metres safely away from the water's edge) - did get dragged into the water and there was a mad scramble by her, and a friend who was with us on holiday, to rescue everything.

All her clothes, the bag, and the contents, got completely soaked through (the phone was in a waterproof case and so was safe). Luckily, we had a travel blanket that she was able to wrap herself in, otherwise it would have been a 20-minute journey back to the hotel in just a soaking swimsuit.

As this little drama happened, I was sat on some large rocks about 20-odd metres away waiting for my photo opportunity. Priorities, right?

Anyway, I got my photo, Bev laughed at her predicament and chalked it up as a mini holiday adventure!

And to be able to  tell the story of the adventure for year's to come is priceless mate. 

11 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

And to be able to  tell the story of the adventure for year's to come is priceless mate. 

Indeed, although I expect every retelling will be accompanied with a "No, not that one again!" 🤣