-
2 Saddening times.. -
2 Little pig, little pig, what have you done? -
6 Chicken Little Wyandotte -
![A black rose.. [HDR] The black rose
It represents the beauty of despair,
The grace of defeat,
The feelings we all find hard to bear,
The millions of people that have all loved and lost,
All behind this flower that holds us aloft. Geotagged,HDR,The Netherlands,rose](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/240/4876_small.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=QnOSso%2FlPzTDjxvSEAZkeLBw5ZE%3D)
1 A black rose.. [HDR] -
![Red like in rubies, good for cures [HDR] Gaze into my facets
Gleaming in the light
Reflecting to the world
My Goodness at its height
(part of a poem by Michele Young)
This 20-50cm plant originates from high altitude mountains like the Alps and the Balkan mountain ranges and normally flower on rocky grounds rich in chalk. The flowers are used by pharmaceuticals to produce medicinal aromatic essential oil called Zdravec oil (of Bulgarian invention).
These reside in our garden, which has lucious black earth full of natural nutrients and lots of water. Quite different, but these beautiful flowers like it in our garden. As do we.
Geotagged,Geranium macrorrhizum,HDR,The Netherlands](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/240/4841_small.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=DGfaGYm%2BQBm36kh5F%2BUw2oQHxQI%3D)
2 Red like in rubies, good for cures [HDR] -
![Lichen of the slowest pace [HDR] My first go at HDR: 3 pictures shot at 100ISO and long exposure times, plus and minus 2 EV, 13sec, 2.5sec,30sec). It's reindeer lichen, a very slow growing lichen eaten by mainly Reindeer/Caribou.
This lichen I found while hiking up in Norway with my wife. It is highly protected and it is absolutely forbidden to break off. This loose piece photographed here I found on the ground in a swamp, it was partially eaten. I did not have to break it off, only pick it up, so I was kinda in the clear.
I did not know the reason for it having such a protected state. Years later I read about their very very slow growth rate.
Reindeer lichen is slow growing (only 3–5 mm per year) and may take decades to return once overgrazed, burned, trampled, or otherwise consumed. This piece is about 4cm in radius, so about 10 years old. I did not know that..
This piece is about 10 years in my possession now, residing in one of our book shelves. It is battered a bit, discoloured too. I'll have to make due. Cladonia rangiferina,Geotagged,HDR,Norway,macro,reindeer lichen,soligor 36mm](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/240/4837_small.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=1SER2D9Fjj0vuOLlaRTWN8kfH2Q%3D)
4 Lichen of the slowest pace [HDR] -
1 Yes mum... Sorry mum.. -
2 The pursuit of happyness -
2 4 cm Hornet of plenty -
2 Fluffy strongholds -
5 Are you that lucky, Luke? -
4 Cry Freedom -
3 The Naked Truth -
3 Red like rubies -
4 Landingstrip provided -
5 Fragrant spring -
2 Wholy trinity -
3 Waiting for Santa -
3 Lady in red -
6 A fulvum waterfall -
3 Slugs of luck -
2 Snail of prey -
6 Scorpion King -
2 4000 mark!
Ludo Sak
It was in the beautiful year of 2003 that I discovered digital photography.
Starting with a Minolta Dimage 7i hybrid camera (as DSLRs had an 'I must be a millionaire' price tag on them) I really started enjoying taking snapshots.
It was an absolute improvement as to my former APS camera.
The 7i had great quality, value for money and a super spec absolutely versatile fixed 50mm 28-200 (35mm equivalent) 2.8-3.5 16 element lens with macro capability. Wow, that's a long sentence. In 2003 it was a killer camera
(and in the food chain I reckon it was on the Lion's tale as it ate batteries like the best).
My snapshots got a bit more advanced and I messed around a bit with its settings. First aperture and then the rest, one step at a time. All these years it served me well. Only real drawback: in low light it wasn't performing well, with an accompanying yet unsatisfying high ISO noise level.
In 2011 my Minolta CCD was no more (like the Monty Python parrot) and I had to buy another camera. After quite some research I decided to invest in a Canon DSLR prosumer range camera. One of the two official Canon repair- and maintenance centres being some 5 kilometres from my home played part in the Canon/Nikon ceremony.
Now I am the proud owner of an 18MP EOS 60D, with a fixed 50mm 1.8 and a zoom 15-85 IS USM, both with Hoya/B+W MRC UV filters, the latter also with a 72mm B+W Fpro circular polariser filter and a red filter for b&w enhancement. One a single battery charge I shoot 1600 pictures on average. And low light high ISO is a small issue given build in very decent level noise reduction. Wow, now isn't that Amazing?
From now on I am rediscovering my drive to shoot, a bit more insight in photography but still a long way to go.
Hey, and enjoying it tremendously!
Ludo
55 y/o MaleJoined 11-28-11
