CAN YOU SEE THE BERRIED SUNSET?

Berried Sunset

Ok it should actually be sunset buried, but it was crying out for the bad pun. Apologies in advance for the groan you just made reading the title.


I actually have to thank another for this inspired skywatch shot. I was going to upload a crescent moon taken on the same night but I haven't sorted those out yet. When blog hopping I came across CHELTENHAM, MARLEY one of my regular drops and he had a beautiful berry shot(go see) and it jogged my memory about this image I took on the same night. The crescent moon was out and the sky was just awash with a palette of colours I easily rattled off a about 50 shots in about 10 mins, just adjusting the setting to eek out every last drop of light as I went along. Again this was taken over the Poyll Dooey Nature Reserve Ramsey- otherwise known as the back of my house. I know I am lucky to have this to call upon for photography. I could produce a calender or a book of images from this place, it's just so pretty and inspiring. Where is your favourite place to photograph?


Busy weekend coming up. If you are in the UK buy the Sunday Star newspaper as Gary's Cartoon will be in( under the name Barker) and watch the BARKER GALLERY BBC POLITICS SHOW as yet again they are featuring Gary's cartoon. So I am resigned to coffee and food runs while he produces 3 or 4 masterpieces, deadline by Friday lunchtime. Art and photography is like waiting for a bus. Ages for a job to come in then they all turn up at once! Unfortunately the money though doesn't all turn up at the same time.

To join skywatch go to SKYWATCH

The concept was Dot's, the next host WIGGERS WORLD the guardians of skywatch now are Tom, Imac and Sandy.

I know Tom is no longer blogging, but he does look in on us occasionally and his name will stay ont this skywatch link for me as he's the one who got me into this, was very supportive of my feldging blog when it went through a rough patch.

MOORAGH PARK

Mooragh Park, Ramsey, Isle Of Man

Yesterday I posted a series of very precise firework shots from Mooragh Park. Today a very different style of shot looking in the opposite direction. Every so often I leave the mighty Nikon at home and take out the tiny point and shoot no frill Olympus and post a few shots. I always say it is the photographer and not the camera that is most important. Even yesterday's images, although on the better camera, I still had to compose, fame and time - without a tripod. What of today's image?

The Olympus is a great little pocket camera to use when it's raining or a lot of moisture in the air.
Under these conditions and poor light you can often, if you use the right subject, and compose before you shoot, obtain an image that could be from another era. The sky was so pale grey that it becomes almost white in monchrome as does the foreground foliage already in shadow, becomes silhouetted. The rain, so fine, is picked up on a point and shoot as a misty layer, giving the background a nice hazy feel across North Barrule Mountain and Albert Tower. Note that Albert Tower, that's the centre focal point, what looks like a line, a chimney stack in the distance is actually emphasised and sharper in the reflected glass like image.

Two posts, same place, different cameras, weather conditions, hour, and subject, same photographer. Note the common link. The daily photo is not about photography, it is about the place we post from. Most people who participate are not photographers like myself and have either a point an shoot or camera phone and little time. Let's just remember that when we stop by a daily photo. Think before you judge, read the text and digest, think before you post a comment or are about to skip posting a comment, because the image isn't incredible fireworks. I guarantee you if you go to even one different blog today and look at it carefully you will understand what I mean and make someone happier for a a few pleasant words.

PRESIDENT OBAMA - AT LAST!

Image courtesy of © Gary Barker BBC Politics Show

The eyes of the of the world were upon America to "do the right thing." Thank you for not letting us down. Never in my lifetime did I think I would see a Black Man in the Whitehouse, but Obama is so much more than the colour of his skin. A gifted orator, intelligent, charismatic, forward thinking, believable, honourable human being. We don't get many of those in power sadly on either side of the political divide now. Most importantly too, is how he inspired people to actually turn up to vote, especially the young. We have too much voter apathy in this country, the UK, but here was a guy who spurred people into exercising their right to vote in what is still we are told the bastion of democracy. Last night it really did feel like the "land of the free", "could have a dream", and a "change is gonna come" to paraphrase a little.

Politics are as you know are very important to me, especially as my partner is the Political Cartoonist for the BARKER GALLERY BBC POLITICS SHOW .The image above is his latest offering created in my house in Ramsey, Isle Of Man, displayed on the BBC website and probably sold to a genuine collector at some point in the future. Sometimes Gary creates images that are quite parochial to our political situations, other times his images will document an historical event, and be part of the news themselves. I will never take a photo as important as the historical, contorversial, poignant image such as this he created this week. Obama as President is the best thing to happen for democracy in my lifetime.

My lasting memory of the celebrations will be of Jesse Jackson's genuine tears. The man who stood beside Martin Luther King, and now Obama. He was the bridge between the worlds. Time will tell what kind of President Obama will prove to be. Times are bad, and his inheritance is poor, but he promised change and so far he has delivered the biggest change of all voter apathy into voter awareness. A one time only from me, you won't hear me say this again, but "All Hail the Chief". If only Rosa Parks has lived to see this day.

America well done and thank you.

POYLL DOOEY NATURE RESERVE

Poyll Dooey ABC

Poyll Dooey Nature Reserve is an area of land in Ramsey that is a haven for wildlife. It is also a haven for me as a photographer. You have seen this image above before, but not as a day shot, but one of my skywatch shots, where the skies are rich in purples and the trees are usually silhouetted. How different one place can look from day to night.

Poyll Dooey has a series of nature trails running through it. Follow the trails and you will happen upon many wonderful birds, rabbits, dragonflies, ladybirds... and dogs. It's a dog walkers heaven. Take a step off the nature trails and walkways and you will find yourself wading through overgrown scrub land, ponds, bogs, wild grasses and wild flowers such as bluebells and onto the meadows. Nestled amongst all of this is a picnic area in a beautifully maintained garden setting. walk to the far side of Poyll Dooey you happen upon the white bridge or wander a trail 'til you reach the Sulby River and follow it into Ramsey Town. In fact I have taken you round the Poyll Dooey many times, but usually down by the river. This is the meadow that lies in front of the white bridge.

Poyll Dooey, what does it mean though? Poyll means Pool that was the easy bit, but Dooey. First time around when I posted a Poyll Dooey post I asked if anyone had any ideas. Well I'll ask again. I've since found two meaning "sand dunes" or "fun gathering." Now as these two meaning differ greatly from each other I wonder if anyone else has another alternative.

By the way. The New American President will be making a guest appearance (of sorts) on this blog tomorrow. Obviously not in the flesh, but his er image will be.


Want to join ABC got the lovely hostess with the mostest, MRS NESBITT'S PLACE

MOORAGH PARK, RAMSEY, ISLE OF MAN

My World

Mooragh Park, contains Mooragh Lake was like Albert Tower, built by the Victorians. In 1881, the Ramsey Town Commissioners bought a 200 acre tidal swamp. The Land was purchased for 1,200 pounds( wonder what that would be now, a small fortune no doubt?) with the intent to build the site into a pleasure park. Six years later the site was opened to the public and included many of the sites it does today. Recent additions to the area have been the skateboard park and Ramsey Rugby Clubhouse. Ramsey home games are still played here. You know that though as I've shown you the images.

As winter approaches the park will be frequented by less visitors than the summer months. We do though have one important invent coming up this week, called Bonfire Night. I will no doubt be posting those photos of this celebration. Not sure what Bonfire night is, then you'll have to come back and find out here and probably on lots of UK blogs.

The other thing you can see in this image is the North Barrule, the mountain overlooking Ramsey. Several meaning have materialised when trying to establish the meaning of Barrule. Barrule it appears comes form the Norse word Vorofjall, Beacons Fell. Quite how it went from one to the other remains subjective. A little more of my Ramsey, Isle of Man World.

For more my entries click MY WORLD and thank the skywatch gang once again for another inspired idea.

PULL UP A CHAIR - MONOCHROME ODDSHOTS

Yes this is the famous abandoned chair in the nature reserve, but a different shot. It's monochrome and it's odd. Simple. The text is very hard hitting today.

We've had far to many pretty pictures on this blog recently that I thought we'd get back to reality and have the uglier side of life again. The photographer in me knew straight away that this was going to be snapped as an example of the odd shot concept. The other side of me though,
well got really angry about this.

On so many levels this image is wrong! The image was taken yet again in the nature reserve. The reserve as I have often stated is a haven for wildlife. It is not a landfill site, dumping ground, or recycling bin. Obviously some idiot out there blatantly disagrees. Now, I know I spend a lot of time over here, but that does not give me the right to pull up a abandoned chair to study the wildlife. This really angers me! For a start, if you want to get rid of it hire a skip and dispose of it.
Why would you go to the trouble of dragging the chair through the brambles onto a designated wildlife area. The other thing is, the chair itself seemed in not to bad condition. What was wrong with donating it to a local charity to get it cleaned and refurbished. I'm sure a poor soul in need of
such an item would gladly give this poor chair a home. As for the child's toy buggy, the same applies. How do we know that wouldn't have made some kids day to receive that, which another had so easily discarded.

We live in a very selfish age. There really is no need for this kind of unsociable behaviour. These abandoned items are a danger to wildlife and a missed opportunity on the recycling front. Charity is supposed to begin at home. So maybe next time you have a item you no longer need try your neighbour, charity shop, homeless centre, or recycling plant. Whoever you are that did this, I hope you and your new shiny sofa are siting very uncomfortably right now!

This is as much Ramsey as the sunsets. Some people are scared of the truth appearing on their own blog so I know I can print this in the knowledge this will not be ripped off as it's not pretty. Some people too would prefer to gloss over these issues. No, we need to address them in order to recognise what is wrong so we can correct it. Like many of the other Isle of Man problems, like the economic downturn, rising unemployment, dwindling tourist industry and yes the nepotism.
The right people for the right job. Improve what is poor, do not ignore it. Helping each other, not hijacking their ideas. Enough said. Bad day, very disappointed with certain quarters, and have learnt the hard way not to help others, and it really is who you know, not merit talent or work ethic that is the way to get on. This I needed to say in order for me to get back into blog mode and indeed picking up the camera.

Want to join the weird world of Odd Shots Monday? Then see KATNEY

Want to join the beautiful and creative world of Mononchorome Monday? Then see Aileni at LOOSE ENDS

HOP TU NAA OR HALLOWEEN - SKYWATCH

I'm posting pre posting so the date will be Halloween when this goes live. Yes we celebrate Halloween on the island, although it goes by a different name - "Hop Tu Naa. " So is Halloween or Hop Tu Naa we celebrate and what is the difference?

Hop Tu Naa is a corruption of "Shogh Ta'n Oie" meaning this is the night. What night though? That would be the Celtic New Year - "Oie Houney." The Celtic new year of course has since been moved to Jan. the Celtic year was separated in to 4 and Sauin- "New Year" was celebrated in "Mee Houney" the Manx for November. As Halloween is Oct 31th the new celebrations have become intergrated as one, although younger Manxies now assume "Hop Tu Naa" and Halloween is one in the same and is celebrated thus so.

Pumpkins are halloween, where as true Hop Ta Naa goer should be seen swinging a hollowed out turnip lantern and singing old manx folk songs, not trick or treating. Trick or treating is an American custom which has been adopted in the UK Halloween celebrations, and yes into Manx ones too.

So Hop Tu Naa like a lot of traditions has been swallowed up with a more commercial celebration and has less to to with celebrating the old New Year, and more to do with rotting kids teeth on sweets. Ramsey though and many parts of the island do try and uphold many of the Hop Tu Naa traditions and there is no finer sight than a group of Manxies, swinging those turnip lanterns and singing a manx song. It's also a little creepy to in a Wicker Man sense, but we won't go into that.

To join skywatch go to SKYWATCH
The concept was Dot's, the next host WIGGERS WORLD the guardians of skywatch now are Tom, Imac and Sandy.

RAMSEY, ISLE OF MAN AND IT'S CRAZY PALM TREES

The Isle of Man in a quirky place. We have our Manx Fairies who live under Fairy Bridge. We have words you can't say like, rats - we say longtails, because it's bad luck. We have a language called Manx, which derived from gutteral Irish/Celtic, with the odd Viking word thrown in. We have our own currency. We are part of the British Isles, a Crown Dependency, but not part of the UK. I could go on. One of the strangest sights of all though are the palm trees.

I mentioned to Laurie GLIMPSES OFSOUTH PASADENA that we have palm trees on this funny little island sat in the middle of the Irish Sea after viewing hers. Now in a warm climate you'd obviously expect them, but here? It's cold, damp, we even had snow this week. Hot sunny days are few, very few, yet these palms above thrive, mainly tree lined walkway though the park, but these above are adjacent to the harbour inlet. I snapped just the palm tops and kept the chimney pots and telephone wires in so you can place the palms in context of the island setting, which is certainly not South Pasadena. Obviously this was also on one of our brighter days.

Thanks for all the suggestions for online photo printing. Home printing as suggested by GABRIOLA, SNAPPER would be ideal, but logistically it's getting the right quality paper on the island as online ordering also has it's pitfalls on a small island. Delivery charges astronomical, or even getting companies to deliver in the first place. I'm sure I'll sort something it's just I was very happy with my last company withrange of products, price, turnaround and paper until they ahem, improved things. No you didn't Photobox, that's why you've losing your professional clients.

OYSTERCATCHERS - ABC WEDNESDAY

ABC - O is for oystercatchers.

If you are inland you may never of heard of this bird, or sub specices of bird. A common sight around Ramsey Harbour, and the Promenade and a wonderful sight to see in flight, with the white underbelly, and black overwing.

The oystercatchers are a group of waders; they form the family Haematopodidae, which has a single genus, Haematopus. They are found on coasts worldwide apart from the polar regions and some tropical regions of Africa and South East Asia. The exception to this is the Eurasian Oystercatcher and the South Island Oystercatcher, both of which breed inland, far inland in some cases. In the past there has been a great deal of confusion as to the species limits, with discrete populations of all black oystercatchers being afforded specific status but pied oystercatchers being considered one single species.

So is this a bird you know or is it a bird you have only ever seen virtually? I was not at all familiar with this bird until I first moved to a coastal setting. Now I am so used to seeing these birds patrol the pebbled shores and sandy beaches of Ramsey, or passing overhead that they are as familiar to be as the garden sparrow.

I am currently offline a lot this week due to having find alternative printing arrangements for my photos. I am definitely going to try Red Bubble, but I'm still looking for somewhere on line that will do reliable prints at a reasonable price over a range of products as I was before. I want my images to still be affordable in varied forms, and don't want anyone being ripped off. So if you know of a reliable print sales site, good quality at prices you would consider paying let me know. It is impossible to get this done on the island. Thanks in advance.

Want to join ABC got the lovely hostess with the mostest, MRS NESBITT'S PLACE

BANKING IT'S NO SWAN SONG FOR THE ISLE OF MAN - CRITTERS SUNDAY

A swan song is supposedly the the song sung by the mute swan as it's dying. Mute swans though aren't at all mute. They hiss, snort, grunt, and produce very shrill noises, especially when guarding their territory, fear of attack, or even when feeding. A swan song is also attributed to a last and most magnificent performance of an artist before they bow out of their chosen profession.

Wiki says
Swan song has become an idiom referring to a final theatrical or dramatic appearance, or any final work or accomplishment. For example, Franz Schubert's collection of songs, published in his year of death, 1828, is known as the Schwanengesang (German for "swan song"). It generally carries the connotation that the performer is aware that this is the last performance of his or her lifetime, and is expending everything in one magnificent final effort. Anton Chekhov's one-act play, The Swan Song (1887), describes an aging actor who, while sitting alone in a darkened theatre, ruminates on his past. Agatha Christie's famous mystery novel And Then There Were None includes, as a plot device, a gramophone record entitled "Swan Song." When played, it accuses the houseguests and servants of murders that, for various reasons, they were not punished for. The killer intends to punish the wicked as a final act.

Robert R. McCammon's book entitled Swan Song tells the haunting story of a young girl in a post apocalyptic world who will be the savior of the human race.

Swan Song is also a Led Zeppelin tribute band.

My hissing, flapping swan was taken in where else but Ramsey Harbour. Obviously this one is fighting fit, but the swan song could be sung for the Isle of Man as an offshore banking option. With the credit crunch and recession time for a re think. The Isle Of Man has been on the news a lot recently due to the Collapse of the Icelandic Bank Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander where some islanders have banking connections. Tough times ahead.

A change for me, quite a hefty topic. Normal service will be resumed next post.

For more wonderful camera critters see MISTY DAWN Camera critters and be sure to leave a nice comment for Misty' s own outstanding posts.

Uk readers. Don't forget to put your clock back.

BATTLE OF SKY HILL,RAMSEY- MY WORLD

Sky Hill
Ramsey
Isle Of Man

The hill on the right is the most important in Ramsey and Isle of Man history. Here's why.

The Battle of Scacafell or Skyhill took place in Ramsey, Isle of Man in 1079. It was the third and final time that the Norse-Gael warrior Godred Crovan invaded the island, taking it from Dublin and Orkney. His victory over the Manx brought together the Isle of Man with the Hebrides, establishing the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles.

At the time of the battle, the Isle of Man was part of a larger political entity called the Kingdom of the Sudreys, which consisted of Man and the Hebrides. Godreds father, Harald the Black was king from c. 1035-1040, but on his death the kingdom appeared to come under the control of the Earls of Orkney. When their control over the islands lapsed around 1049, the throne passed to a distant relation of Harald the Black, Sigtrygg, whose brother was King of Dublin. His son, Godred II, who reigned until 1075, succeeded Sigtrygg.

In 1075 Godred II died and the throne was passed to Fingall, but he does not seem to have remained there long. In 1075, Godred Crovan assembled a fleet and an army, probably of Norse from the Hebrides, and attacked the island. He was repulsed, but was soon back for a second attempt. Again he was repulsed, but is during this period that Fingall disappears from the record, and it is probable he was killed during one of the invasion attempts. In 1079, Godred Crovan came back, and the chronicles are reasonably clear as to what happened next.

A third time he gathered a massive force and came by night to the harbour which is called Ramsey, and three hundred men he hid in a wood which was on the sloping brow of the mountain called Sky Hill. At dawn the Manxmen formed up in battle order and after a massive charge joined battle with Godred. When the battle was raging vehemently, the three hundred rose from their place of hiding at their rear and began to weaken the resistance of the Manxmen and compelled them to flee. Now when they saw themselves defeated without any place for them to escape to, for the tide had filled the riverbed at Ramsey and the enemy were pressing constantly from the other side, those that were left begged Godred with pitiful cries to spare them their lives. Moved with compassion and taking pity on their plight, since he had been reared among them for some time, he called off his army and forbade them to pursue them further.

Godred Crovan (Old Irish: Gofraid mac meic Arailt, Gofraid Méranech; Guðrøðr^[1]) (died 1095) was a Norse-Gael ruler of Dublin, and King of Mann and the Isles in the second half of the 11th century. Godred's epithet Crovan may mean "white hand" (Middle Irish: crobh bhan).^[2] In Manx folklore he is known as King Orry.

I chose this image to show as part of the my world theme to illustrate that although the photo is present day, we are always living amongst the past. For more my entries click MY WORLD and thank the skywatch gang once again for another inspired idea.

RAMSEY HABROUR SUNSET

Skywatch - Ramsey Harbour Sunset

Ever heard of Fletcher Christian? As a special request to laxeylass a recap of the old tale, and a promise of a Laxey pic next week. Please someone remind if one doesn' t appear.

Fletcher Christian. Now there's name synonymous with all things mutinous and apparently Manx, that is the Isle of Man. Ooh er. How exciting!

Fletcher Christian was born In Cumberland in England, however he was related to The Christians of Miltown Ramsey. So explodes the first myth he was a Manxman. Afraid not! His family though did at one time, including the man himself, seek refuge in Ramsey to escape bad debts in England.

As we all know Fletcher Christian( Marlon Brando to me) instigated the Mutiny on the Bounty (more Isle of Man/Bounty links for another time) settled with a load of mutineers on the Isle of Pitcairn(many Manxmen amongst them) and then it all gets a bit hazy. In other words here starts the myth and fact nightmare. Always the way with the Island.

John Adams the last surviving mutineer gave several accounts of Fletcher's whereabouts, changing his story several times. Fletcher had committed suicide, he was killed by Pitcairn natives, or he escaped back to England, an onto the the Isle of Man.

The poet Wordsworth was distantly related to Fletcher Christian by marriage. It is rumoured that Wordsworth and Christian met in Bristol and Fletcher recounted details of the mutiny to him. Subsequently the Rhyme Of The Ancient Mariner was written by fellow poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge and rumour has it, the Ancient Mariner was Christian himself. The reason was the poem bore uncanny details to certain events of the mutiny and time there after that were never for public consumption.

The date or place of Christian's death is still unknown. No remains have ever been found. Could he in fact of died on the island, with his Miltown Ramsey relatives? Who knows, but it's a great tale either way.

The Bounty has many Isle of Man links, which will keep for another post. Just think, on Pitcairn though, there are lots of little Manx descendants. Get around don't we! To go with the tale a Pitcairn sky, well a Pitcairn coloured sky over Ramsey, Isle of Man. Sometimes taking an image underexposed and failing light intensifies the colours much better.

Gary has designed his new website. Take a peek, if you can, at GARY BARKER ILLUSTRATION as I will be designing the same template for my new photography site and wondered how easy on the eye, and to navigate you find it.

To join skywatch go to SKYWATCH
The concept was Dot's, the next host WIGGERS WORLD the guardians of skywatch now are Tom, Imac and Sandy

RAMSEY, WHAT'S GOING ON!

For those of you who were expecting a pretty skywatch image, it's the post underneath. This is back to reality Saturday. Want a virtual walk round the notice board? Read on!

As you can see this is a straight forward image of a Ramsey Community Notice Board. Just on the right you can see the blue hoarding from a previous shot of the children's murals along Parliament Street. We have several of these dotted about town. One at Shoprite, the library and various local shops. To me these are an excellent way to find out what's going on. A newcomer to the town wishing to integrate into the community would be advised to take a peek at one of these boards. A little something for everyone.

Fancy keeping fit, try Pilates, a Hoe Down, or is Kick Boxing more your idea of working up a sweat? Want a more peaceful activity? What about a Whist Drive and raffle? A gentle Rotary Club sponsored walk pique your interest or perhaps making your own Christmas cards? Reiki to relax? Are you a beader or an auction buyer. Room for Rottweilers? Church or theatre? It's all there and more. One time only, click to enlarge and take a virtual tour of the Notice Board to see what this small town has to offer over Autumn. Surprising isn't it?

I'm a big fan of this type of free advertising in a community. The board is open to all, so no activity is overlooked. Do you have anything like this in your part of the world, and do you use it?

I'm hoping to build a new website over the weekend, my new photography sales site. No doubt I will be tearing my hair out by tomorrow night when things aren't behaving as they should.

RAMSEY HARBOUR, ISLE OF MAN

It's Skywatch Friday again and that means it's going to be Ramsey Harbour and Ramsey Swing Bridge for me this week. As they say if it isn't broke don't fix it, so what else should I bring you after a black and white shot yesterday but a pretty sunset for skywatch.

It's taken on the same day as last week, only at a slightly different time an further over to the right. It will soon be too dark and cold for me to take these shots so I am making the most of them before it's cold wet and even more miserable than the already horrid summer we had this year. I expect I will be showing you dramatic cloud shots soon. Also I've been confined to the house with the flu thingy and it's been a week of archive images.

Today though I have been out and about meeting a very sweet black cat who posed nicely, photographing empty shops(don't ask) a few other little quirky little manx oddities and cranes. Lots of cranes. Why cranes? Well Gary is workiing on a project that involves cranes. He's also working on another hush hush project that involves a cinematic icon likeness and a well known phrase. It's all cloak and dagger isn't it, but I can't reveal more as yet. For a sneak peak you can catch his latest art work at BARKER BITES BACK! and drop a word or two.

Scarlet, tune in tomorrow for neme and some of you some blog awards.

To join skywatch go to SKYWATCH
The concept was Dot's, the next host WIGGERS WORLD the guardians of skywatch now are Tom, Imac and Sandy

RAMSEY HARBOUR, SUNSET- SKYWATCH

Ramsey Harbour Sunset.

Got to post an archive tonight. Still having a sort out of images and this is one from my little Olympus point and shoot. The colours are really intensified as it was quite late when I took this and the camera hasn't quite got the best setting for the evening light and colours. That's why they are a little too rich, especially the purple tones for me . It's a very popular image though as it's so vivid, so who am I too argue. with the buying public. Tends to be used as a postcard. Wonder if they write wish you were here on it?

The bridge in the background is Ramsey Swing Bridge. Another reason for posting this was for those that had asked for a bridge shot in full view. So that's it in the distance, under the setting sun. Next week I will show the bridge in full but closer. I won't include this in my 100 shots as it's too far away. Now for something completely different!

Have I ever told you about the escaped wallaby. No? Well it was supposed to have escaped from the wildlife park years back. There have been sighting of it along with flying pigs and white elephants of course. Really though, the wallaby has been seen crossing the Mountain road, leaving Ramsey so I thought I might try and track it down. I know it 's not a Yeti or the Loch Ness Monster but we are a small island and a wallaby isn't to be snifffed at. Don't forget we have Manx fairies too. Honest. They sprinkle the colours into the sunset.

To join skywatch go to SKYWATCH
The concept was Dot's, the next host WIGGERS WORLD the guardians of skywatch now are Tom, Imac and Sandy

THE WHITE BRIDGE RAMSEY - MONOCHROME MONDAY ODDSHOTS

Monochrome Monday
Oddshots monday

For a while now I've been with Oddshots Monday. A new Neme By Aileni called Monochorme Mondays has started and yes I want to do both as B&W is right up my street. The daily photo though is a single image( mostly) so I 've had the idiotic notion to combine the two concepts with one image. So please be prepared for some lateral thinking and don't think in a literal sense all the time. Here we go.

The White Bridge Ramsey, straddles the Sulby River, deep within Poyll Dooey nature reserve.
Nothing odd so far it's a bridge and it's white. This is the lateral bit. It's always shot from the other side looking side onto the bridge with the hills as a backdrop. No one ever shoots from this side of the riverbank, looking down the bridge. Even I have only shot it this way recently. So there you have it a monochrome oddshot. Don't forget not everything in life is black and white, but shades of grey, and odd is a concept open to interpretation like everything else.

The BBC have uploaded the Gary's cartoons Politics Show to You Tube. Here's the link
BARKER -YOU TUBE

Want to join Odd Shots Monday?Then see KATNEY
Want to join Mononchorome Monday? Then see AiLENI at LOOSE ENDS

Apologisies re emails and posts all over the place. Just a little mad here at the moment, and net painfully slow.

CRITTERS SUNDAY - THE LAST PAINTED LADY OF SUMMER

Never mind the last one, we have hardly had any butterflies this year. Our lovely budliea bushes, butterfly bush to you Americans out there, in Ramsey have been lacking in beautiful butterflies. The nature reserve is usually covered in them but not this summer. Now summer is dying and autumn is birthing and the butterflies are fading from view.

This was another shot lying on the floor along the inlet of Ramsey Harbour. With no macro or even portrait lens to hand had to make do with the telescopic lens. They are a very useful lens for softening the edges of the frame of an image. That lens is so big I'm surprised he didn't take flight. Butterflies are not really my thing to shoot, but I like this as it's not in it's usual setting, foliage. His delicate softness against the harsh grey stone just adds contrast. Subjects shot out of their natural environment I tend to like shooting, and for selling purposes work better.

Never, ever overdo the saturation, brightness or contrast on these shots. I left this natural. The butterfly already has enough natural colour, the background is already grey enough. You lose fine detail when you pump up contrast, they become flat and washed out if too bright and artificial with extra rich hues. So many potentially sellable images are overdone in photoshop. They may look great as a virtual image, but when printed they are have harsh colours and loose definition. Mother nature knows best, and you can capture what she offers you with practise.


I'm going to be mega busy this week so I may be around less and you may get just snapshots on the hoof. Now is the time I start concentrating on the Christmas market. So goodbye to greeting card butterflies and hello to British robins holly and the arty farty shot.

For more wonderful camera critters see MISTY DAWN Camera critters and be sure to leave a nice comment for Misty' s own oustanding posts.

A COLOURFUL PARTY IN THE PARK

For ABC Wednesday I posted this shot as a monochrome, a black and white shot. This was the original image, before I desaturated the colour. Which though is the better image?

The black and white one is a classic ground eye shot. I said this before but it's the kind you see in
Sunday supplements and music mags. You tend to notice that certain shots are favoured for different concepts and mediums. This version is in it's natural state, which is already quite bright and rich in colour. You wouldn't see this image though. If this image was used the colours would all be bumped up, saturated, very artificial. No individual colours would be picked out the image it would be saturated en mass. The grass would have a yellow hue, the sky a richer blue and certainly the guy with the pale pink shirt would find he was now sporting a hot pink shirt. To me this already has a vivid enough hue anyway, but that's' just the way it is. Take a look at your Sunday supplements this weekend. None of the colours will be natural.

Personally I prefer the monochrome. It's timeless as well as retro. It emphasises the foreground blur and has more depth. On the other hand the colour here draws you to the bareback skin tones, the green bag and of course the pink shirt. The image feels more complete as a b&w whereas the colour feels disjointed and will eventually date the image. B&w images have a longer shelf life, but aren't always the best version of the image.

So on a personal note what do you prefer? No right or wrong answer, it's personal taste. It's just to give you an idea of how one image can have two identities and how the market place uses them. I haven't even commissioned the colour one, it's gathering virtual dust, just the black and white which I put for tender. It's sells and I know it would always outsell the colour if I chose to offer for use.

It's been a crap day here. Confined indoors due to the weather. The internet has been a nightmare again, so my absence may have been noted. Apologises for negelecting blogger duties. Gary is in the zone at the moment. Sarah Palin, I have news for you. You are a godsend to the political cartoonist! I think he will have to tone down the sketches he has at the moment. It must be amusing to our American Friends out there, that in the backwater of nowhere known as Ramsey, Isle of Man, your electioneering is followed so closely, it pays ours bills.

RAMSEY HARBOUR DAWNING DELIGHT

Oh dear, that title! Looks more like an Abc Wednesday than a toned down Tuesday. I am having a clear out of images at the moment. There gets to a stage where you have to take stock and rethink the image library. Is it selling, have I put it for sale, can it be used on a project or campaign etc. The main question is why haven't I used it. Sometimes I simply forget and file away say 100 sunsets for a rainy day on a disc just as back up. Mostly though they are gathering virtual dust because they aren't right.

This is one such image. I have better versions of it that are in the sales market. So why this would be no use for me? The horizon isn't straight, it dips slightly on the right. The sun has too much of a white glare. The top corner edges are a little pink, not in keeping with the golden tones. The boats are neither silhouetted or showing enough detail, sought of caught in the middle. Overall it's a "nice" snapshot, but it's not viable for sale. Not for me anyway. I could use software to alter it but you would lose on one hand to gain on another and the image isn't worth it. It would still be not quite right.

So what to do with it? Well I found a use for it here. Purely an exercise in being brutal with your images if you are considering trying your hand at selling them. As this blog is primarily about Ramsey I am happy can make blog use of it here. It shows another view of Ramsey Harbour from an alternative area, at a different time of day. In essence, what the daily photo is all about. A snapshot of the area I live, titled in the blog.

So normally this image would be dumped, but it has escaped the axe as it's probably more in keeping with the nature of the blog than most images I've shown. Should I show more snapshots, or should I show finer work? My best never go on here anyway. It isn't a photography blog, but it is hard to pull back and not show images that I am 100% happy with.

So I put the question to you. Should I show more that I wouldn't sell and tell you what's wrong with them, as photographic tips or show the finer more creative work?

Apologises for answering no emails today. The internet has been a nightmare. My poor partner has had an ordeal with his own artwork uploads and I have crashed most sites.

CRITTERS SUNDAY - YOU LOOKING AT ME?

Last week I had the badly titled pun "duck close and personal" which could have been this one really too. Ah well never mind. So many of you were able to name the ugly duck after I asked for help last week as a Muscovy. All I knew was he just looked so weird with his bright white feathers and knobbly red beak. As Wilma put is (Mrs Nesbitts dog, no really) the duck looked like he had be playing with his mama's lipstick.

Well even I can tell you this Manx duck giving me the evil eye is a Mallard. Mallards are around the world, just this one has a Manx passport. Actually he was quite sweet. I like ducks to photograph. They just waddle towards you begging for their image to be snapped. Even better if you have a bag of bread, you can get an open beak shot, or a mad flapping group shot.

This shot was taken by the harbour under the bridge, the image yesterday. It's a crop of a cropped image. I am updating my library shots and was playing around with this duck shot as I found the whole image a little boring. Obviously that's why it's never been used. His eye caught my eye, so that's how the image came to be. Sometimes less is more with an image. Not to every one's taste but I confess to not having an image ready as I have been busy on another photographic project. Yippee it finished today though.

Thanks for the advice re those pesky emails. I've now got the junk mail filter enabled and a safe list. So that should dump the crappy ones. I don't really want to change the comments box though. I know it's more sensible to enable the censor so I can dump the rubbish before they go on, but I just don't like the idea of not letting people have their say. I will just keep an eye on it and dump the swearing ones. See how it goes.

John K. It's funny how you enjoy the ranting posts better than the nice ones. It seems you are not alone. In fact I get more feedback and requests for those kind than any other post. Sure some of you out there aren't just winding me up so I post a rant! Naughty.

For more wonderful camera critters see MISTY DAWN Camera critters and be sure to leave a nice comment for Misty' s own oustanding posts.