Uploads from The Crystal Fairy, with geodata

23/366 | Weir

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:33:53 -0800

In the early morning winter sunshine, sometimes it's nice just to have a little solitude by the river, watching the water spray catching the light.

Week 26 of 52

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 04:40:48 -0700

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

One of the first things we're taught as a child? Never look directly into the sun.

One of the first things we're taught in the rules of photography? Never look directly into the sun!

One of the first things we decide in the rules of photography? Oh, go on then, just do it if it means the making of a great shot!! And to be honest I was only blinded for a little while :)

Right then, where were we? Oh yeah - halfway through the year. Already?! Okay, technically this shot wasn't taken at the mid-point of the year, it was taken a couple of weeks ago when we were up in Scotland. Today's the first chance I've had to look at photos I took whilst we were away - and to be honest I actually only looked at this one image - the rest can wait. But I suddenly remembered I'd taken it and just had to see how it had come out!

It kind of loses something when it's small like this, so I'm going to have to blow it up to a humungous poster, because The Boy has become translucent and the waves are shimmering through him in the sunset. Awesome holiday, awesome memories :)

Harewood Kite Festival 2011

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Sun, 22 May 2011 15:42:24 -0700

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Last year the Harewood Kite Festival took place on a very sunny, very warm and not in the slightest bit windy weekend in May. Made for some amazing sights, but not the huge amount of kite flying you would hope for from a Kite Festival. Nevertheless, didn't stop me going back again this weekend to see what 2011 had in store!!

Wind. Rain. Wind. A bit more rain. A fleeting glow of blue sunny skies. But mainly wind. And lots of it!! Strangely wind is a bad thing when it comes to flying kites, so the arena stayed mostly empty - especially after (according to a member of staff) two of the large kites took off this morning before we arrived, snapped their lines and made their break for freedom over the trees and off towards Harrogate. At £3500 each it was an expensive trip!

Not to be put off by the raging gusts we abandoned the kite festival and headed for the trusty bird garden, only to have a 30 foot tree try and kill us when it snapped and headed groundwards. I was later to be smacked in the face by a twig, and later still by a kite. But all in a days work ;)

So long after most people had packed up and left for the day we hung around as the other sort of Kites came home for the evening. Hundreds of them. Literally!! I particularly liked this guy. He didn't seem to be tagged like the others, and he followed us quite a lot once he spotted the picnic bag, appearing to take a fancy to tuna sandwiches ...

Sometimes you just need a coffee.

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:43:24 -0700

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

But sometimes you just need a coffee and a triple chocolate muffin. Happy days ;)

Alternative Week 3

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:19:54 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

I kind of liked the distortion on the windmill. I know it's wonky in real life, but I'm sure it's not that skewiff!

Day 355/365 - Solstice Eclipse

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 06:42:48 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Day Three-hundred-and-fifty-five ...

Okay, so there's a couple of things going on here. Firstly, remind me not to stay up until half past one in the morning when there's a chance the weather forecast might be wrong and it's not actually going to be foggy for the lunar eclipse. Secondly ... remind me not to stay up until half past one in the - on no, wait, we've been there already!

So The Husband called me at silly o'clock this morning to tell me the skies were clear. Unfortunately our house isn't on a hill, so I waited until he got home from work and then we went for a drive. At least it was warmer than last night - only minus 9.5 - almost t-shirt weather ;) I rattled off a fair few shots before the moon descended into the mist; a good time to get back in the car and drive in the opposite direction to catch the sunrise!

Oh yes - I've remembered what the second thing was. When you photograph the moon at nearly midnight one evening and complain that you need a longer lens, you'd have thought by the following morning you'd have worked out that if you swapped your D700 for The Husband's D200 then suddenly your 300mm lens would miraculously have zoomed!! Or - if you're me - you consider this whilst you're photographing the sunrise - which strangely occurred after the eclipse. Bugger! Next time ;)

Day 220/365 - Kestrel

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 09:34:29 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Day 320/365 - Early Morning Fog-shine

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 09:36:23 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Was hoping to do a little more Flickr catch-up this evening, but Aperture is doing a vault update, has been all day, and is still only halfway through. This probably means I take too many pictures (okay, slightly more than 'probably') ... but it also means I can't access anything at the moment except the few pictures I've saved to the desktop! So in no particular order here's half a dozen catch-up days!!

Day Three-hundred-and-twenty ...

Today was The Husband's birthday; he was working nights, I was working days. So we passed each other this morning before I set off to work - in the thick fog! Honestly, it was stupidly thick, but randomly I couldn't drive without my sunglasses on as the brightness was blinding!

Of course I couldn't pass through all of the beautiful countryside without stopping for a quick picture, so I pulled off the road and up a (ridiculously icy, it transpired!) farm track to take a few landscape shots.

Being the numpty that I am, I reached into my bag only to realise I'd got the 105 with me and not the wide angle ... so a bit less of a landscape shot and more of an, erm ... yeah, this was exactly the look I was aiming for. Honestly!

Day 334/365 - Hometime

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 11:51:37 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Day Three-hundred-and-thirty-four ...

Sometimes you just know it's time to go home!

(Changed a bit ...!!)

Day 335/365 - Sledging!

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 11:51:59 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Day Three-hundred-and-thirty-five ...

Hmmm ... there's a bit of a theme running through these photographs, isn't there? Have you spotted what it is, yet??

Day 333/365 - Off Course!

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 11:51:14 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Day Three-hundred-and-thirty-three ...

School was closed today because of the weather so The Boy and I did our usual wanderings, woodland walks, snowman building and, of course, sledging!

By the time we were playing at the latter The Husband had woken up (I'll let him off, he's been on nights all weekend!) so we all went out to buy a new bed (like you do!) and then do a bit of late night downhill shenanigans (like you do!!)

This particular run I had to leap to safety as The Boy kind of veered off course and headed straight for me - which when you're focusing through a wide angle you realise is a hell of a lot closer than it looks!

Day 212/365 - Summertime

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 14:28:48 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Day Two-hundred-and-twelve ...

Hmmmm, travelling back in time!

Although it stresses the hell out of me that I've neglected sorting, editing, tagging and generally posting a fair few images from my 365, spending a day sitting at the Mac starting to catch up has made me realise what a year this has been!

I'm still way behind but somehow that doesn't matter so much when it means I can relive days like this ...

Day 309/365 - Stockeld Fireworks

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 12:04:58 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Day Three-hundred-and-nine ...

This is the final 'present-day' shot for a while. Somewhere in this catchup I've managed to create I have to head back to the last day of July, then locate the remainder of my missing August and September! Honestly, useless does not begin to describe me.

So, moving swiftly on ...

Every year another of our 'traditions' is to visit Father Christmas at Stockeld Park, which is just outside Wetherby on the road to Harrogate. It's THE most amazing place, with an enchanted forest, christmas tree maze and an eco-friendly ice rink. However - even someone as giddy about Christmas as me thinks it's a tad early to visit Santa on the fifth-of-November (okay, I checked, he wasn't there yet ;p), so although we had a browse around the Christmas shop, today was more about fireworks!!

Stockeld put on one of (if not the) best firework display in the area and there's no expense spared as twenty minutes of bangs and pops and whooshes continue incessantly over the forest, which of course wouldn't be complete without a classical music accompaniment over the tannoy.

This was a 1.6 second exposure, handheld at ISO 200, f/8. And strangely it was only when posting this that I realised I hadn't changed the time on my camera when the clocks went back the other week. Utterly, utterly useless ;)

Day 313/365 - Collage

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 09:36:17 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Day Three-hundred-and-thirteen ...

Okay, more leftover fireworks! This is three shots merged into one, but other than that it's straight out of the camera.

I really liked the fact it was windy so the fireworks made crazy patterns ...

Day 312/365 - Finale

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 09:36:17 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Day Three-hundred-and-twelve ...

I must say I was really pleased with this one!

As is the same every year I double checked with my old friend Google as to the recommended settings for fireworks. Of course all that went to pot with the wind, and I had to immediately break rule number 1 "Use a tripod ..." Errrm, okay, will hand-held do instead?

So I spent two evenings on the trot photographing fireworks, and considering both nights were shows of at least 20 minutes, my arms were killing me! Amazing how heavy a camera can get after a while when you're waving it around in the air!

This was the finale of the second evening. Again, hand-held, ISO 200, 16mm at f8 with a 2 second exposure. Timing ;)

Day 311/365 - Primrose Silhouettes

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 07:00:34 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Day Three-hundred-and-eleven ...

So this catch-up is going to involve nicking the odd shot from other days I'm afraid ... as to be honest some days anything I took was just pants, and other days I just felt too pants to even take a shot!

This was taken at yesterday's bonfire just before the firework display. I'd wandered away from the fire to get in a prime position for the fireworks. Looking back towards the hill between me and the bonfire I couldn't resist this glow!

Day 310/365 - Shuttleworth

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 06:59:51 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Day Three-hundred-and-ten ...

It's kind of a tradition in our house to go to the local school bonfire and fireworks display.

The fireworks this year were pretty amazing, but for now today's shot is of the remnants of the bonfire.

Day 314/365 - Catching Up

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 06:19:39 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Day Three-hundred-and-fourteen ...

So, it's all passing me by a bit at the moment. Not been feeling very well for a couple of weeks (or three ... or four) so yet again I'm behind with Flickr, with decorating, with house sales and with Life, the Universe and Everything.

Ah well, we'll get there. Eventually.

Took this last night at college whilst messing about. It's eleven images stitched together and I kind of liked the surreal distortion - especially the fact the clock is actually on the wall behind me!

Right - onwards! Lots to do ...

Day 315/365 - For The Fallen

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 15:52:27 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Day Three-hundred-and-fifteen ...

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Day 358/365 - Christmas Eve

nobody@flickr.com (The Crystal Fairy) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:11:22 -0800

The Crystal Fairy posted a photo:

Day Three-hundred-and-fifty-eight ...

I couldn't resist pulling over the car to take the last light of Christmas Eve before the sun went down.