Photos Photo of the Day

Are yu kidding, that's a fantastic shot!

 

Oh, Thanks!

 

Inspired by Robert Alvarado, although his skintones are different to what I've done here.

Rae Skateboard by JazzXP, on Flickr

 

Went to Silverstone to watch the World Endurance Cars opening race. First outing with my Pentax HD 55-300 too.

WEC014 by Pentax_Phil, on Flickr

WEC031 by Pentax_Phil, on Flickr

WEC024 by Pentax_Phil, on Flickr

WEC018 by Pentax_Phil, on Flickr

 

This isn't a post with an awesome picture.

It's about the pictures I can't take.

I'm working the turnaround at the BP Cherry Point refinery and of course they don't allow cameras in the place. It's too bad because there are so many awesome shots to be had in here with all the valves and reactors and all of it shrouded in steam. It's been especially cool watching how the plant changes as it shurs down, almost as if we were witnessing it's death throes. The huge towers, each with a different, inscrutable purpose, are now sheathed in scaffolding, the pressure vessels open to the air. Some of the units remain in service during the turnaround, their steady, empty him a counterpoint to the others which are filled with workers and cranes and the clanging of tools. And through it all the flare burns brightly.

And the people. Oh, the people you'll meet here from a sxore or more of companies and from around the world, the only thing they have in common is a willingness to work way too many hours in exchange for large paychececks. Most of us here work 12 hours a day, six or seven days a week. Some turn wrenches, some operate machinery, some sit on buckets and watch holes. Everyone is here for the money one way or another.

My own piece of the puzzle is to check out gas monitors to the workers which means I spend my 12 hours a night in a steel Blast Resistant Module with no windows. Day and night have no real meaning here, it's light when I start and getting light when I get off and in between is a windowless box. The bathroom is in the next building, but going there requires a hard hat, safety glasses, hearing protection, personal hydrogen sulfide monitor, and gloves, plus your regular fire resistant coveralls. It's the only job I've ever had where they have drug dogs to check your lunchbox.

It's an odd job, and usually a boring one, but it's a job. I just wish I could bring my camera in.

 

Went out to the greenhouse to get a hanging basket and found this:


Managed to get a photo before mother came back,there are five eggs in the nest.A few minutes later got one through the glass with mum sitting happily on the nest.


yours wecrookie

 

We has babies


Four hatched today.


yours wecrookie

 

Cool, now do be sure not to scare the mother away

 

After the show


St. Augustine Lighthouse


219 Steps


Saint Isaac's Cathedral


Skärhamn, Sweden


Sachsenhausen Memorial

 

No chance of that.I can view the nest from my bedroom and only take pictures while she's away.She would be quite used to us popping in & out of the greenhouse as it's mainly used for storage.It has seen a lot of visits from us before we noticed the nest.
Oh the fifth egg hatched yesterday evening too


yours wecrookie

 

stunning... are you aware of what kind of hawk it is?

 

Pretty awesome watercannon salute for this delivery ceremony. Never seen one done in colours before.



(click to embiggen)

 

I'm having a lot of fun with the Flektogon 35/2.8 I got a while ago. The bokeh's a bit weird, but the close focusing distance of 18mm makes it super versatile (1:2.8 magnification at the closest, an internet calculator-thingie tells me). Focusing correctly that close is pretty challenging though.






(I like how it kinda looks like the bug is carrying a knapsack on a stick... well, maybe that's just me )

 

nice bugs

 

Eurostar 373 012 by samkiller42, on Flickr

Sam