- Akira Toriyama.
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Located near the main parking area of the San Joaquin March in Irvine, the pond is usually filled with mallards and other ducks. On a recent visit, I noticed a unique shape as I got my camera ready. At first, I thought it was a heron, but I soon realized it was something I had never photographed—a white-faced ibis. I was immediately intrigued.
After taking a few initial shots, I started searching for a spot where I could get to eye level with the bird. Finally, I found a clean spot and sat down with my tripod almost at floor level. At first, there were a lot of waterfowl around the ibis, but after a while, the other birds moved out of frame, and I managed to get a few images with just the ibis in the frame. When the sun rose, the incredible colors of the bird came through, and I was thrilled that I had decided to stay around.
Tags: Subject|Birds|White-faced Ibis Birds Subject Events Birding Day trips OC California USA Places IRWD San Joaquin Marsh Publish Flickr
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© Leanne Boulton, All Rights Reserved
Posed 'stranger' portrait taken for my 100 Strangers project in Troon, Scotland.
This picture is #90 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
It has been 3.5 years since my last portrait for the 100 Strangers project thanks to the pandemic, my injuries and my ongoing PTSD. This one came quite out of the blue, or out of the "deep blue" if you like.
I had made my 2nd trip out with my camera for April, after not taking a single shot in March, and headed down to the beach for sunset. It was much calmer than previously so while there were no kiteboarders soaring, there were a handful of people enjoying a sunset kayak as the tide rolled in.
I was snapping away at the sunset and silhouettes of the kayaks as Lorna paddled ashore capturing the same scene with her mobile phone. She said that we were probably capturing the same thing and that I was doing a better job of it with my camera. Which I refuted, naturally, being a 'people' photographer and out of my depth with landscapes.
After a brief chat and learning that she was part of the Troon Water Sports Hub, which will be getting a brand new facility on the seafront soon, I asked Lorna if she would like a portrait and briefly explained the 100 Stranger project and that I would want to share the shot online. Lorna was happy to and I had to work quickly as the light was disappearing.
Lorna and her fellow kayaker wanted to pose in front of the sunset but without a flash to light them it would have just been a silhouette shot. I naturally opted to pose Lorna along the shorefront and decided to ensure part of the kayak, and paddle, were in the frame for context. Asking Lorna to angle the paddle to fit in the frame and find the last remnants of sunlight.
In the low light and with no means of reflecting or creating light, I managed to get one shot that I am happy with and I hope that Lorna will be happy with it when I send it to her. I am very much out of practice after such a long time.
My thanks to Lorna for agreeing to a portrait and for approaching me for some photography small talk beforehand.
I have not told you all of the cause or triggers of my PTSD but suffice to say I would not have instigated this stranger portrait had Lorna not approached me first. It took a monumental effort to just hold ground for a conversation and gather the courage to ask. So much so that I had the 'adrenaline rush' come-down when I got home as my legs buckled like lead.
Complex PTSD sucks and the recovery will be a long process with forward steps but many backwards ones too. There is no cure or complete recovery either. I have to work on combating the C-PTSD every single day, leaning to live with and manage the symptoms. Thank you all so much for continuing to support my photography through this process. It means the world to me that you all care and don't mind all of the older shots and re-edits I publish in the meantime.
This new portrait is a step in the right direction for now and of course I hope to continue that trend. No guarantees though.
Take care my Flickr friends and thank you.
Tags: Leanne Boulton 100 Strangers portrait beach Scotland
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Sunset @ Wat Prayurawongsawat ~ Thon Buri District, Bangkok
Nikon D7500, Nikkor 18-300, ISO 200, f/8.0, 110mm, 1/400s
Tags: Wat Prayurawongsawat Wat Prayurawongsawat Worawihan Wat Prayun Thon Buri District Steeple Spire Temple Buddhism Buddhist Architecture Worship Vertical Spirituality Religion Faith Belief History Culture Sunset Sun Sphere Evening Dusk Golden Hour Golden Light Orange Sky Solar Landscape Urban Bangkok Thailand Thai Siam Asian Southeast Asia Geometry Dot Ball Orb Stupa Outline Alignment Juxtaposition Tiers City Skyline Nikon D7500 Nikkor 18-300 Photoshop by Fehlfarben Thanks Bine! xo
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Tags: 2020 nyc
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© Leanne Boulton, All Rights Reserved
Street photography from Glasgow, Scotland.
Previously unpublished archive shot from April 2016.
Anthropogenic climate change is driving increasingly chaotic weather and the jet stream being more 'wobbly' is just one small part of that. The UK has been fluctuating between hot African airflow and bitter Arctic blasts as each low pressure system rolls on in from the Atlantic thanks to this 'wobbliness' in the jet stream.
Our flora and fauna must be really confused but at least us humans can wrap up warm when we need to.
We just had the wettest March on record followed by as much rain in the first half of April as you would expect for the whole of April. Still, this is nothing compared to the Middle East yesterday. Dubai and the UAE saw two years worth of rainfall in just one day! This is at just 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. The majority of climate scientists now say that +2C is baked in now due to lack of action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. I dread to think the chaos yet to come.
Take care everyone.
Tags: Leanne Boulton people streetphoto Scotland weather
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