Spring. Well that was a few months ago now here. Now approaching Autumn, I say approaching as Summer is still hanging around with day time temperatures in the mid to high 30C’s
So it’s into the folders and find a few Spring photos which I hope you enjoy
The first buds of a Hippeastrum
A Stingless Native Bee and a European Bee discussing the qualities of a peach blossom
Here comes Mum with some more snacks for three hungry mouths
The Frangipannis buds just starting to unfold
What can be cuter than a little fluff ball chicken
The Hibiscus had lots of buds as Spring was a wet one last year
It’s fun bringing something new to a photograph. The software I use is Corel PaintShop Pro Ultimate 2023. I just hammered through these doing something different to my usual techniques to soften images. I alter a photo changing lightness, shadows, or mid-range tones, sometimes adding more black or white as well as saturation. Mostly then I use vignette as the first stop in softening an image.
This photo I used a function in the software – Soft Focus, which I haven’t used before. I changed the amount of soft focus and edge hardness. Then set the Halo amount, size and visibility I bore you with meaningless numbers. From a harsh morning sun through grass seeds to this.
A bee on a Zinnia. I seem to have quite a number of similar photos. Just using vignette and dark settings Dark/Light into the negative numbers Blur making sure the subject bee wasn’t out of focus Diffuse Glow on low as well Feather Edge just encroaching on the petal
The opposite with the Australian Painted Lady Butterfly. The original photo had the grass as well as the butterfly in focus. Firstly, I bought up the black and colour as it was a bit washed out. I decided to try something new again. Selective Focus. It is in parallel band and can be moved in any direction. First I ran the focus following the butterflies body and to the tip of the wings. Left and right hand sides now blurred. Then did the same going horizontal, blurring the top and bottom of the photo. Adding a vignette in a vague heart shape.
A very old street in Adelaide, Victorian terraces and a blue stone building which were a staple for stone buildings in the late 1800’s. A bright sunny day photo. I like the result of this photo. This was the first photo I played with and was just doing all sorts of things, deciding I didn’t like it and undid the changes. Therefore no idea how I did this one, sorry
Well there you go. This is something I don’t usually do and I know why…..it’s exhausting! Hope it gave some insight into the process to get a desired result
Some of these photos you may have seen before but they were in colour. A few favourite shadow photos plus some new ones
The Frangipanni tree the fence post a magical cast wonders for free
Looking ahead seeing behind travelling at speed being lead
Look but seeing thinking puzzling about being
Now you see come sit almost lunchtime you and me
A Wagtail there crumbs perhaps or splash look elsewhere
See within reflect without inside counts easy win
Looking deep no escape spirals of reality just sleep
Contentment lies balance again light and dark truth and lies
Moored again await adventure reflecting loss and pain
Put things back together repair no black
Little steps some are up some are down finding depths
Finding peace and harmony relax thoughts cease
There’s magic look wonder of nature just magic
I am sorry that this took so long for you to get through. It started and for once I let myself get carried away. Originally there photo of the reeds was the last one then words needed photos and photos needed words. Thanks for getting this far 🤗
There are messages everywhere. Some you see, some you don’t. Some are big, some are small. Some to make you think, some to make you smile. Some are subtle, some are on a wall. There are messages everywhere.
Look
Let’s be positive
Something to ponder
The kids are in the back seat
Well played Grafton Council
Spelling helps (words in black added by my bestie and me)
I was going to do a photo a month for the year but that was boring trying to find something interesting that I hadn’t already posted. I some of the folders I flicked through were some that were blog resized and named. It looks like I intended to do something with them but they somehow became lost some how.
I’ll start with a few things I found in my garden.
Perhaps a better photo of a Tufted Honeyeater was posted. This one actually shows the yellow tuft on the neck feathers
I remember the next two. I was going to do a post showing the difference of Line Blue butterflies. The first photo shows how they were named Line Blue
But on the outside they have intricate patterns and shapes that make it so hard to ID what actual Line Blue Butterfly it is. The Line Blues are about 10mm in length
A Fuscous Honeyeater contorting to get a drink from a Pink Pentas flower. Probably wasn’t used as some people object to birds bums.
and why wouldn’t I have found a reason to post a red leaf?
It looks like Tiny the King Parrot wants us to go outside for a while. This is one of his “Look at me, aren’t I cute” looks as he poses outside of my office window
Another photo ready to go but didn’t get anywhere. At least it is bright enough to start the day and have a look at what’s to come.
The Intermediate Egret coming into land among the old oyster racks
Livin’ the dream on the Queenlands Gold Coast
Heading back home here is an old wagon at the front entrance of a neighbours. I really like this photo and not sure why it was never used. The stalks of Barbed Wire Grass and seed heads add to the rural feel I think
Love seeing an afternoon Full Moon against a blue sky. Another unused photo together with the last photo below
Heading up the road, that farm has a variety of stock. I love Belties (Belted Galloways) as much as I like coos. This one was a long way down the hillside and the focus wasn’t sharp. It did have a certain feel so I couldn’t help but play around a little
Later in the night Our Moon was further along the sky so a close up against a black sky can sometimes show some of the craters of the rocky moonscape
I did have to restrict my self as I wanted to post so much more but aimed for a variety where some photos may have a lot more going on. Like bird or insect photos usually involve a flower.
I am only an occasional Lens-Artists poster but have fun when the theme strikes a chord. I am looking forward for our Donna to start posting some wonderful prompts
“Hi, there I’m looking for someone to help me with a photo challenge. Do you think you would like to be my female model? The photo challenge is called Perfect Patterns. I think your feathers are just perfect and you are very pretty. “
“OK. I’ll take part but I am rather skeptical that you’ll do a good job.”
It’s not often we get a glimpse of blue feathers underneath those wonderful varied green scalloped wing feathers
The green and blue meld as they cascade down towards her tail
I love the almost turquoise
Great patterns on the legs and feet. Also showing a hint of orangish-red feathers
The breast and neck feathers of the females are not a bright as the males
The colours intermingle well as the neck feathers blend into a pattern with the breast feathers.
All the coloured patterns with wing pattern diagonals
“Well you didn’t do too bad a job. One more close up and then I’m off to find my boyfriend.”
I did wonder if I had many mountain landscape photos. I did a quick look around and found a few.
Maybe have a listen to my favourite mountain song
I love this view of Mt Vesuvius from Pompeii
Sometimes when heading home the mountains are tinged with blue and shrouded in fog
Cradle Mountain in Tasmania still with snow in October
Mount Wollumbin in the distance
It is a place of myths and legends. The mountain has always been a place of cultural and traditional significance to the Bundjalung people, a is the site for many ceremonies and initiation rites. In Aboriginal legend, Wollumbin was a giant bird, speared by a warrior. That fatal spear is still visible as a point on the summit. Another legend is that fighting warriors cause the lightning and thunder which is often observed in the area around Wollumbin.
My favourite place to rest and recharge. This was taken after the fires of 2019 showing the Gibraltar Ranges bald spots from Raspberry Lookout
Some days at Raspberry Lookout, the blue and an air of mystery makes me gasp
Of course there is always a sun setting on a mountain as the mountains are west from my place
Again another very hard photo challenge as it is what to post and how much is too much. I have followed Tina’s example and used tiling to show you the flowers that I enjoy so you won’t have endless scrolling to find a flower that may be of some interest for you. I apologise in advance for the deluge of photos
One of my favourite flowers in my garden is Pentas flowers. I have a couple of colours, a pink and a red which seems to be a dark red at times as well as a deep red, maybe depending on the season. Why do I enjoy Pentas in my garden. It is the insects who come in to enjoy the flowers as well.
I have to include the various Grevilleas. I love their shape and form plus they too bring nature into my garden.
I have selected these flowers as I love Gazanias and Roses. These are childhood memories from my Mums garden along with Geraniums. She had some wonderful red Geraniums and I haven’t found any of the older variety. One day I’ll see some in a garden and have to knock on the door and ask for a cutting. There was a strip of Gazanias between the front fence and the footpath and always had flowers. On the house side of the fence were the Roses plus a lot of other flowers.
Of course I couldn’t not include that many Australian Native flowers that grow on my place and in lots of places I go. Enjoy my bit of Australia for you.
4TheRecord is dedicated primarily to Ausmusic from all eras and most genres, we will explore the dynamics of the creative process, and reveal the great drama, lyricism, musicality, and emotion behind each classic song.
bushboys world 