TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THREE

"Start where you are.  Use what you have.  Do what you can."
(Arthur Ashe)

A banksia pod after bush fire.  Despite the recent trauma, it will shed seeds to the gound at its base. It's own ash will nourish them. Regeneration occurs.


Taken with the 'Nik' on macro mode.

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TWO

My that week flew by...Thursday Challenge time again!!  This week we are to offer something with the inclusion of the colour RED.

That said, it is also Last Thursday of the month and YAM has her own little theme today of using an image that has been 'doctored' in some way; creativity it's called...  Additionally, in line with the MENO blog's tour of Dunoon (start back here if you missed that!), it has to be a shot from that fair town.

Guess what?  I actually had a shot which fit the bill exactly on all three counts!!!

Spotted these chimney pots on a house up from the shore-front and couldn't resist them. Amongst a sea of standard crockpot stacks, these were actually a rather vibrant pink over the dark grey slate roof. WLPG'd it by adjusting the highlights all the way down, then upping the contrast a bit and sliding the colour tone all the way to green.

(As an aside, the name stamp was in green when I saved it.  I have NOOO idea how it turned red after uploading...??!!)

It is not the sharpest image partly because I did not carry my monopod with me and the 'Nik' on full 26x optical lens extension - was braced on a fence, but at that length even breathing is going to affect the result!!

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY ONE

Wings on Wednesday -

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

On Monday I gave you one of the many shots  I took of waterside activity over at Dunoon. These Turnstones reminded me of bees collecting pollen!  You get a real sense of their focus on work from these shots.

They were well camouflaged and it was only their scurrying that really caught the eye.

They would not stay still for any kind of posing - YAMarazzi unfriendly!!  Had the 'Nik' on manual and set at 400ISO as the day was grey - but they are a tad over exposed.

Your turn!  Link up one of your posts where you had a go (good, gooder, or go-pro!) at ornithological photography.  
(This meme only please, or risk being removed.)

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY

The Tuesday Tease

copyright Yamini Ali MacLean

"Just sit here for a moment.  Turn your head a bit; hold it there...yes, yes!!  Lovely... MAKEUP!!!"

















A detail from the door of Dunoon Burgh Hall.

Taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything, lens stretched 3x optical.

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE

Monday's Critters

As am still show-casing Dunoon over at MENO blog, will share one of the 87 gazillion bird piccies I got...  These are Turnstones. There were hoards of them busy harvesting under the seaweed.  Not still for more than five seconds at a time, they were tricky little critters to capture; but I like that the photo sort of shows that busy-ness as the rock stays put!!

For the unfamiliar, Turnstones are a relative of the sandpiper species and are quite small... about 8 inches from tip to tip.

Taken with the 'Nik' on manual, 400ISO and exposure stopped up a notch, lens extended 5x optical.

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY EIGHT

MOONdays
Last Sunday of the first month of the year already!!!  

There was a brief and hazy break in the clouds earlier this week... Not quite a Dunoon moon. This was taken through the window in Edinburgh with the 'Nik' on auto everything and lens at 20x optical stretch.  

It was a "glimpse and you miss it" moment. That I got anything remotely recognizable as the moon is quite pleasing.  

I'll endeavour to do better sir...!








Happy Australia Day and Happy "India-pendence" day to my friends in those respective countries!

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Saturday Symmetry

...staying with the Dunoon 'tour' ... taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything.

copyright Yamini Ali MacLean

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY SIX

For Friday Feechurs each week, I can generally provide a view of blossoms or at least vegetation but this week I am also keeping the MENO blog company with its tales of Dunoon... It was mostly grey for my stay - but hey!  Bare trees count - don't they???



"...and this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones and good in everything."
(W. Shakespeare)


Taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything and lens extended 5x optical.

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE

It's Thursday Challenge day again but I also have to factor in my week-long theme of shots from the Dunoon trip. The prompt is SHADOWS, be they intricate or simple.

... Against the fading winter sun, Silver Birch became her own shadow...











Or in YAM's case, left of field!  Taken with the 'Nik' on auto and lens extended to 10x optical.

This is NOT B&W shot - that's a true Scottish sky!

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR

Wings on Wednesday -

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

Starting from yesterday, I am posting only from my recent trip to the West coast of Scotland.  If you want to know more about what is going on here, then visit HERE.

Taken with the 'Nik' on manual set at 400ISO and the lens extended to 15x optical...I was standing well back so as not to interrupt the action!

Now it's your turn - link up with offering of your attempts at ornithological photography - no matter how good the outcome!!

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY THREE

The Tuesday Tease
This wee'ks posts are all going to be directly related to my trip over to Dunoon on the West coast of Scotland.  There are going to be posts over at MENO about it all too...enjoy the trip with me!!

Copyright Yamini Ali MacLean

...and as the YAMarazzi pounded the streets of the quiet townlet there came a sight of fright...





I mean, seriously, one wig - maybe two - but five?  AND a spangled black curtain... all is not as it seems in the backwaters!

Taken with the 'Nik' on stealth mode...

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Monday's Critters

This massive piggy was snoring away oblivious to the YAMarazzi!  

Taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything.

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY ONE

SUNdays

Life surging forth from this heavily pruned eucalyptus tree.  It made a good sun-block!

















Taken with the 'Nik' on manual at 100ISO and stopped down tow notches on the exposure.

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY

Saturday Symmetry

The man-made reflecting it's surroundings. 

Nature's hard to beat though!

















Taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY NINE

"The Milky Way is nothing else but a mass of innumerable stars planted together in clusters."
(Galileo)

Sydney rock orchid.  Taken with the 'Nik' on macro mode.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT

The prompt from the Thursday Challenge this week is to show something photographed from a DISTANCE.  Okey-dokey.  Got a few of such!

This one was taken when out whale watching from Sydney; that is South Head.  Had the Minolta digicam on this one, and zoomed in somewhat.  It was more successful than the whale sighting...

Or there is this one taken from the air over Harayana, showing wonderful cloud shadows. That was taken with the 'Nik' on manual, set at 80ISO due to the glare and stopped down a notch on the exposure.  The smog from Delhi didn't help.

Not to be left out, here is one from my 'third country'.

That's Edinburgh Castle, some two miles distance (as the crow flies).  This was my first attempt at fireworks.  I should point out two things; I was leaning out the window with the 'Nik' on it's monopod, doing my best to brace it steady - and I had it on what I thought was 'fireworks' auto mode, but realised much later was 'indoor party' auto mode...

...which leaves me wondering how it would have looked in the correct setting!

It's all learning.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY SEVEN

Wings on Wednesday -

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

As the winter takes a firmer hold here in the UK (and similar regions) it is nice to look back at summer trees from Mumbai - and thermals providing a gliding path for the Black Kites.  Taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything and lens extended to 10x optical.

Your turn... any 'wings' to share today?

Please stick to subject - this meme is for birds or flying insects.  Your link does not have to be current, so go raid the archives!

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX

The Tuesday Tease

"I know I left it here somewhere..."  This pea-hen reminded me of myself!

Taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything.

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Monday's Critters

Shhhhhhh - sleeping baby...

Taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything.

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SUNdays
...okay, nobody picked up last week that I had promised to complete the sunset sequence from Sidhabari - the pink one...I forgot! Here it is.  It really was something very different.

One of those weird and wonderful moments in life. Thank goodness I had the 'Nik' on!!!

Best guess is that the smog from New Delhi was sufficiently thick to build a 'filter' between us and Sol...

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE

Saturday Symmetry

A monochrome maze of umbrella tree fronds.  Taken with the 'Nik' on manual mode, 100ISO and B&W option.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWO

As winter winds and rain do their wortst against the pane
I dream of sunlit days and a meadow's golden haze...
(me.  &*>)

Taken with the 'Nik' on lowlight mode.  Standard focus.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY ONE

Now this week's Thursday Challenge is on a favourite subject of mine... ARCHITECTURE!

This architectural detail is the vestry door from Claydon church of St Peter's, Suffolk.  Although in keeping with the 14th century nave, this is part of the 19th century 'improvements'.














Taken with the 'Nik' on manual 200ISO.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY

Wings on Wednesday -

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

...I have been able to catch a few of the local birds in UK but they are still in the camera and still need to use up some of the India/OZ stock.  So here we are with a pair of Black Kites, soaring in spotless skies...

Have you got some 'wings' to share?  Linky up here!!  (Stick to theme please, or risk being booted.)

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE

The Tuesday Tease

" The left. Definitely the left is my better side!"

This pelican was spotted admiring itself at Gosford Waters, NSW, Australia.  Taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything and lens extended to 5x optical.

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY EIGHT

Monday's Critters

This cat was very much at home during the carol service at Rosslyn Chapel. Taken with the 'Nik' on museum mode.

copyright Yamini Ali MacLean

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SEVEN

SUNdays

copyright Yamini Ali MacLean

This is not sepia or B&W, it is true colour and was shot through a less than clean window on a moving boat...

Taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything.

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX

Saturday Symmetry

copyright Yamini Ali MacLean

Chose to do this one in B&W as it suits the starkness of all those chimney pots and somehow speaks of the era in which they were built (late 1800s)

The alert will recognise the lamp-post...  Taken with the 'Nik' on  B&W mode, standard focus.

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE

"In seed time learn, in harvest teach and in winter, enjoy!"  (William Blake)

copyright Yamini Ali MacLean

Taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything.

TAKE THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FOUR

Well, last week, I was unable to make a link to the Thursday Challenge.  Undaunted, I will persevere with this week's challenge which is CLOUDS.  Regular visitors will know that I have rather a lot of cloud photos to choose from.  Which to pick for today???  You choose.  This trio was taken on my recent visit to Isle Of Bute. All with the 'Nik' on landscape mode for the first two and sunset mode for the third.

Copyright Yamini Ali MacLean

Copyright Yamini Ali MacLean

Copyright Yamini Ali MacLean