TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY ONE

The Thursday Challenge this week is "Old"...  what scope!!  How about this then?

(It's also "Last Thursday - the day when things can go haywire, or are just plain peculiar!", but the spiral in these sends my head buzzing anyway, so why do any tinkering with it??!)

15th Century stairs in Craigmillar Castle,  near Edinburgh.  Taken with the Uniden.

Image copyright `  © Yamini Ali MacLean

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY

Wings on Wednesday -

YAM's take on the good, the bad, the ugly and the downright hilarious in respect to photographing birds.

I noticed that at the beaches and here, at the Gateway of India, there were specific railings and feeding areas for the pigeon population.  Honoured citizens it seems!

Taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY NINE

The Tuesday Tease

"Drat - a girl can't even tidy the rear feathers without that YAMarazzi sticking her lens in..."


Do you have an insight to the thoughts of this bird?




This Black Kite was way up high - I climbed 7 flights of stairs and put the 'Nik' on sports mode with 15x zoom in order to capture this shot.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT

Monday's Critters

...it's a bit fuzzy because this fella and his pal were moving fast, so not much time to get the 'Nik' on focus and zoom to capture the expressions that were going on!!!  

There were two of these 'teenagers' (pardon me) monkeying around and creating quite a bit of havoc among the crows.



I have a wee stockpile of critter piccers which I am just going to go ahead and put up in order each week.  So you'll be seeing a  bit of India for a wee while longer.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN

MOONdays... oops, having begun a SUN series last week, I find we are on the last Sunday which I call MOONday - sorry!  The air series will continue next week.  Here is one for Australia taken with the Uniden up at Woko.  Moonrise on a winter's evening.

image copyright `  © Yamini Ali MacLean

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX

Saturday Symmetry

The deodar trees are tapped for resin.  Many are deeply scarred, yet still grow tall and green.

One could not get over the sense of weeping...










Taken with the 'Nik' on auto.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE

"White is not a mere absence of colour - it is a shining and affirmative thing, as fierce as red or as definite as black..."  
(G K Chesterton).

Taken with the 'Nik' on macro mode and auto exposure.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY FOUR

The Thursday Challenge - landscape/mountain etc...  well have posted a few mountains lately!  So have used one from the archives which was taken with the Uniden up in the Sayadhri hills... 

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THREE

Wings on Wednesday -

YAM's take on the good, the bad, the ugly and the downright hilarious in respect to photographing birds.

The common house crow of India has a greyish neck and shoulders.  This fully black bird is also referred to as crow, but more resembles the raven - except it is smaller.  They have a lot of character!  Taken with the 'Nik' on auto exposure and 10x zoom.

PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO INTERNET ACCESS RESTRICTIONS AND TIME MANAGEMENT - AM PUTTING THE WoW LINKY ON HOLD UNTIL THE NEW YEAR - IT WILL RETURN... SO START GETTING SOME SHOTS TOGETHER FOLKS!!

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY TWO

The Tuesday Tease

"...okay, what just happened?!!"


That's all I could manage - have you got a better caption for Punya the Pigeon?  Put in the comments box!!


Taken with the Uniden.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY ONE

Monday's Critters

Kaneya The Conquerer - a final portrait at Sandeepany.  Taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY

SUNdays

Starting from today, a series of shots taken from the flight back into Mumbai from Delhi.  The sun was setting and the clouds were boiling....... each moment there was change.  These are not necessarily technically wonderful shots (through an aeroplane window is always problematic), but the sky spoke for itself.  Raw and untouched, just enjoy the magic.  Taken with the 'Nik' an auto everything.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE

Saturday Symmetry

A cameo from Norbulingka Institute.  Security bars in mandala form!

Taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY EIGHT

Misty morning backdrop in the mountains brightens the rose!

Taken with the 'Nik' on manual 400ISO and 5x zoom

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY SEVEN

Fifth entry in the Thursday Challenge, this week with the theme MISTY/BLURRY...

...The thick morning haze made capturing the first rays of sunrise a tricky prospect. 
The peaks behind Dharamshala.  Taken with the 'Nik' on auto exposure and 15x zoom.



Image copyright

`  © Yamini Ali MacLean

 

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY SIX

Wings on Wednesday -

YAM's take on the good, the bad, the ugly and the downright hilarious in respect to photographing birds.

You had parakeets of the Australian variety on Monday, now here is the Indian Ring-neck parrot.

This was taken with the 'Nik' on auto exposures and full extension of the lens to 26x optical and 4x digital zoom.  I used the monopod and was on the 7th floor of our ashram residence so looking straight across at the tree top.

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Hari Om everyone!  Welcome to the 'Wings on Wednesday', a mid-week spot for those folks who have 'wings' piccies!  

This is YAM's very own bird specific theme, so please, if you do link up, do keep to the subject - unless it is really inventive and you win me over...  plead your case well!!!

Even if you never tried photographing a bird ever before, give it a go!  Let's have fun and your comments and link-backs will also be appreciated.

This linky will remain open until midnight Friday, Mumbai time. 

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE

The Tuesday Tease

Image `  © Yamini Ali MacLean

"Prudence, if I've said it once I've said it 87 dozen times, stop pretending you are a seagull."








Go on - give it a caption!





Taken with the Uniden.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR

Monday's Critters...as this is my first Monday back on OZ soil how about a quintessentially Australian bird?  The Rainbow Lorikeets get very friendly and very cheeky where sugar water is concerned!!

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY THREE

SUNdays

A vignette sunset over the Sayadhri Hills, Maharashtra.










Taken with the Uniden.

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Saturday Symmetry

Image `  © Yamini Ali MacLean

On the trip back from Dharamshala, we had the unexpected delight of joining an international flight on the Delhi to Mumbai leg - on a Boeing 777, which was all but empty!!  My first time on one of those models and I was impressed with the space and comfort.

Taken with the 'Nik' on "museum" mode.  A little fuzzy but circumvented the need for flash.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY ONE

Image `  © Yamini Ali MacLean

This was taken with the Uniden when it was new to me.  I was trying out the colour-boost mode. It is a bit 'overcooked', as well as grainy due to my not upping the megapixels.  

However, as this is my last day on Indian soil and I leave for OZ, I have included this as a piece of nostalgia for the garden I no longer have in the Land Downunder.  I shall see such flowers again very soon, though they be not in my care. I realise that I miss them.

Then again, I shall miss the gardens here in Mumbai.

All one can do then, is carry flowers in one's heart.  Then no 'missing' can occur!!

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY

This is my fourth entry into the Thursday Challenge where this week's prompt is Monochrome, old looking...

Image `  © Yamini Ali MacLean

Cloud bank through the propellers of the ATR 42 on the way to Dharamshala. Taken with the 'Nik' on auto exposure and 8x zoom.  It was pretty much monochromatic blue haze with white patches, but decided to WLPG it into B&W with red 'filter' to give the aging effect.

Now I'm imagining I am on a Lancaster Bomber over Germany... (!)

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY NINE

Wings on Wednesday -

YAM's take on the good, the bad, the ugly and the downright hilarious in respect to photographing birds.

Okay here it is, the Ultimate Black Kite Shot!!! We had three, two and now one.  I'll be hard pressed to get better than this now.  It is my parting WoW for India.  Of course, there is a full stock of Indian bird photos still to use, but they will be posted in absentia of the country of origin. (In case you are unfamiliar with the why read here.)

Why not link up with your own wings photos?

Taken with the 'Nik' on manual 200ISO and zoomed to 5x optical.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Hari Om everyone!  Welcome to the 'Wings on Wednesday', a mid-week spot for those folks who have 'wings' piccies!  

This is YAM's very own bird specific theme, so please, if you do link up, do keep to the subject - unless it is really inventive and you win me over...  plead your case well!!!

Even if you never tried photographing a bird before, give it a go!  Let's have fun and your comments and link-backs will also be appreciated.

This linky will remain open until midnight Friday, Mumbai time. 

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT

The Tuesday Tease

Image `  © Yamini Ali MacLean

"Character role, they said... you'll stand out in the crowd, they said... you'll be honoured and fed, they said...!"







If you were stuck behind this mask, what would you be muttering?  



Taken with the Uniden

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY SEVEN

Monday's Critters

Image `  © Yamini Ali MacLean

Image `  © Yamini Ali MacLean

Radha and the Fearless Foursome! Talk about guzzle.

Taken with the Uniden.  Don't forget to visit BOZO and also the special Menosukhi Report.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX

SUNdays

The glorious Peepal tree, ancient and sacred, shimmers in the midday sun.
Taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE

Saturday Symmetry

One of the great beauties of Nature is the symmetry in its asymmetry.









Taken with the Uniden.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY FOUR

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." (Albert Camus)

Late monsoonal squalls have hit Mumbai, bringing a freshness to everything.
Taken with the 'Nik' on auto and 5x optical zoom, from 1st floor window.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE

This is my third attempt at the Thursday Challenge, though guess who forgot to actually link her post last week.... yup your favourite local friendly MENOmaniac!

Anyway, this week's prompt is SHADOWS

These boats are rather over-shadowed by the buildings behind them at Newhaven Harbour, Edinburgh, Scotland.












Taken with the Uniden, on a day when the clouds cast many a shadow!!!

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWO

Wings on Wednesday -

YAM's take on the good, the bad, the ugly and the downright hilarious in respect to photographing birds.

As mentioned last week, a little set-of-three but in reverse.  Here is number two...

Taken with the 'Nik' on sports auto and 5x zoom.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Hari Om everyone!  Welcome to the 'Wings on Wednesday', a mid-week spot for those folks who have 'wings' piccies!  

This is YAM's very own bird specific theme, so please, if you do link up, do keep to the subject - unless it is really inventive and you win me over...  plead your case well!!!

Even if you never tried photographing a bird ever before, give it a go!  Let's have fun and your comments and link-backs will also be appreciated.

This linky will remain open until midnight Friday, Mumbai time.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY ONE

The Tuesday Tease

"...and the kite said to the crow 'Kebabs?  What kebabs?!..."



Your turn - what's the conversation here?











Taken with the Uniden...(yes it was!  So much for the 'Nik'!)