weekly Manxmaid's 52 for 2018 - Week 52 Showcase added & COMPLETE

:banghead:
I think it works captures the intensity of a cates stare

Thanks, Allan.

Not 'Toothless' from 'How to train your dragon' then?
That really is an excellent shot, I really like it.
I really like the clarity of the reflections in his eye. Winner for the theme?

Thanks very much, Tim, I like the reference to 'Toothless :) I liked the reflections too and it's something I will try again when he's in the mood as I'd like to try to get even closer. This was quite heavily cropped.

Really good cat shot, I'd never get a camera that close to our cat.

Thanks, Chris, I caught him in his bed and I think he just couldn't be bothered to move :D

Andrea

Dark, Really nice shot of your cats eyes, its a bit dark...only joking thats the theme, good use of the frame.

Pete

Thanks, Pete, it was a heavy crop so definitely something I will try again.

Dark

A really good capture. Nice and sharp, with a good dof.

Thank you, Dominic (y)


Edit: I was catching up but it's been a frantic couple of weeks and I'm losing ground again. Will try very hard to get the missing images this week and get around everyone's threads too :banghead:
 
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Week 35 - Splash


35 Splash
by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

One from a couple of weeks ago, taken at the south of the island where the tides meet and you are usually guaranteed waves of some description. I took a few images showing the motion in the water and the contrasting colours in the sea, but this is my overall favourite for the way the light is shining through the splashing water too.
 
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Week 36 - Pull(ed)


36 Pull
by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

I haven't used an image of the local steam railway so far this year (only a stretch of track early in the year) so here is Caledonia pulling away from Castletown station earlier this week.

I opted for the north-bound train as I feel that the engine travelling backwards (there is no turntable on the line) gives a greater visual impression of pulling. I also waited for lots of steam and smoke to hopefully show the engine working hard as it sets off again from a halt. I tried a monochrome image but preferred the colour version to show the red livery and the Autumn colours.
 
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Week 37 - Art


37 Art
by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

And the catch-up continues with this one. I recently read an article about this colourful mural and it was the first thing that came to my mind when the theme was drawn, but it has taken a couple of weeks to get there.

It was painted on the blank wall of the Civic Centre in a nearby town by Karolina Pawlowska, who moved to the island from her native Poland. She painted it over the May Bank holiday weekend as part of the 2018 Arts Festival and the public were invited to watch it being painted live.

I flip-flopped over how much of the environment to include, but I felt it was important to show some of the building and surroundings to put it in context. The animal is a Manx Loaghtan, which is a rare breed of sheep native to the Isle of Man. They have dark brown wool and usually four or occasionally six horns.

Just for interest, here is a closer image showing the details and style of the work:


Loaghtan Sheep Mural by Karolina Pawlowska
by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr
 
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Week 38 - Bizarre


38 Bizarre
by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

I was struggling with ideas for this theme until I happened upon this painting on a tree trunk while walking the dog. It was very unexpected, especially as I had walked the same path three days earlier and not seen it - or perhaps it wasn't there then. So not only bizarre but a nice surprise to find this miniature scene on the side of a tree trunk.

I have also got my next two images in the camera so hopefully I can process and add them tomorrow and be up to date again.
 
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Week 39 - Wild


39 Wild
by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

Double value for this theme, with a wild seal surfing on wild seas at Calf Sound, Isle of Man.

This was one of several curious seals riding the surf and staring back at onlookers and they seemed to enjoy the rough waves, although for me it was a battle standing upright and holding the camera steady in the wind. There were lots of rejected images!
 
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Well done for catching up, Andrea.

Splash; good timing with the water rushing over the rock creating plenty of splash and foam. Like the lighting and tight crop.

Pull; a nice idea with the engine reversing pulling the carriages. The smoke and the stream give context that the engine is working hard.

Art; colourful and artistic, the tight crop works well for the image.

Bizarre; my first impression was a photoshopped image until I noticed the cement grout around the painting.

Wild; that's a lovely shot of a wild seal. Like the tight crop and the foam water
 
Well done for catching up, Andrea.

Splash; good timing with the water rushing over the rock creating plenty of splash and foam. Like the lighting and tight crop.

Pull; a nice idea with the engine reversing pulling the carriages. The smoke and the stream give context that the engine is working hard.

Art; colourful and artistic, the tight crop works well for the image.

Bizarre; my first impression was a photoshopped image until I noticed the cement grout around the painting.

Wild; that's a lovely shot of a wild seal. Like the tight crop and the foam water

Thanks very much for all the feedback, Stan. I agree about the tree for my 'Bizarre' image - it stopped me in my tracks when I saw it and I had to go closer to check it out!
 
Sorry, I seem to have missed some of yours, splash works well, good sense of energy in the water; pulled is well framed and very appropriate for the theme; second art for me, I prefer it without the building to the left; bizarre is a good find, certainly fits the theme; good seal photos, nice to see him/her looking directly at you.
 
Well you have out trained the train people with "pulled" nicely composed pic of a very strange looking train
"Art" what a fantastic mural I think you are right bout leaving some of the building in it does add context and scale
'bizarre" very strange thing to find, have on a few occasions found painted stones (I always leave them where they are) it seems to be a thing but I do think its quite magical
"wild" love the seal shot not something I get to see very often in fact I saw my first ones for about 15 years in Wales a few weeks ago
 
Sorry, I seem to have missed some of yours, splash works well, good sense of energy in the water; pulled is well framed and very appropriate for the theme; second art for me, I prefer it without the building to the left; bizarre is a good find, certainly fits the theme; good seal photos, nice to see him/her looking directly at you.

Thanks for all the feedback, Chris.
 
Well you have out trained the train people with "pulled" nicely composed pic of a very strange looking train
"Art" what a fantastic mural I think you are right bout leaving some of the building in it does add context and scale
'bizarre" very strange thing to find, have on a few occasions found painted stones (I always leave them where they are) it seems to be a thing but I do think its quite magical
"wild" love the seal shot not something I get to see very often in fact I saw my first ones for about 15 years in Wales a few weeks ago

Thanks, Allan. I wasn't sure I had made the right decision about the 'Art' image so I'm pleased you think the same way. The train might look strange as the engine is facing backwards - perhaps I should have mentioned that! There is no turntable on the line so the engine faces forward one way, and then it transfers to the other end of the carriages and faces backwards on the return trip.
Seeing the seals close up is always fascinating and I think they feel the same, judging by the way they float there staring back at us :)
 
Sorry I missed a few, pulled is a cool shot is the engine backwards ? Bizarre is well bizarre to say yes it is. Like the close up of the colourful art image. Wild is a cracker as I think you did a great job trying to stand still to take the image.

Thank you, Dave. Yes the engine is going backwards - there is no turntable on the line so it goes forward on the southbound run, and then transfers to the end of the carriages and goes backwards on the return trip. It was wild weather on the day I went to see the seals so I need to go back on a calmer day and see if they come over and pose again :)
 
Hi Andrea,

  • Splash - Loving the Fooj colours there. Nicely on theme and a decently sharp.
  • Pull - What's not to like eh? A lovely little narrow gauge engine, looking resplendent following it's overhaul. I agree with the choice of the loco running backwards for the theme, and also a view that few 'railway togs' would bother with, so all the better for it :)
  • Art - Well, that's something special isn't it !!! I love the artwork and the way you've captured it. It's also technically good in that there is none of the verticals issues that some other building shots have displayed.
  • Bizarre - As you say, very bizarre, and so very cool a find :) I may not have included the background on the left, due to the netting or fencing, but then perhaps the proportions of the photo would be out. Dunno.
  • Wild - Looks better on flickr somehow. excellent image.
 
Hi Andrea,

  • Splash - Loving the Fooj colours there. Nicely on theme and a decently sharp.
  • Pull - What's not to like eh? A lovely little narrow gauge engine, looking resplendent following it's overhaul. I agree with the choice of the loco running backwards for the theme, and also a view that few 'railway togs' would bother with, so all the better for it :)
  • Art - Well, that's something special isn't it !!! I love the artwork and the way you've captured it. It's also technically good in that there is none of the verticals issues that some other building shots have displayed.
  • Bizarre - As you say, very bizarre, and so very cool a find :) I may not have included the background on the left, due to the netting or fencing, but then perhaps the proportions of the photo would be out. Dunno.
  • Wild - Looks better on flickr somehow. excellent image.

Thanks, Tim. I thought you might like the one of Caledonia pulling backwards away from the station :) I did correct the verticals slightly in the first Art image and yes, it's very clever artwork that improves as you get closer and see the different strokes and colours. I dithered on the composition and crop of the tree as I wanted to show that it was an actual tree trunk, but it didn't look quite right if I cropped the fence. Perhaps I should have burned or vignetted to reduce the details a little bit.
I agree about Wild; it's not tack sharp as the conditions were against me but it doesn't look as sharp here as it does on Flickr. Thank you; glad you like it :D
 
Andrea

Spash, Nice Image of little splashes, as you say the light in the water is good, nice contrast and shades of blue.

Pulled, as it says on the tin. Pleasant enough Image, maybe cropped a little bit too tight in front of the engine, a lttle more for it to move into would help.

Art, I feel the cropped image fits the theme better, but it's nice to see the where it is, maybe a little bit more as you have half a table and the point of the roof is cut off.

Bizarre, indeed a lucky find for the theme. Good focus on the details in the bark. Maybe could do with a little more contrast, it is better on flickr.

Wild, nice shot of the seal wondering what the person is pointing at him. sea and seal captured well, love the colours in the water. again better on flickr.

Nice catch up, not too far to go.

Pete
 
Andrea

Spash, Nice Image of little splashes, as you say the light in the water is good, nice contrast and shades of blue.

Pulled, as it says on the tin. Pleasant enough Image, maybe cropped a little bit too tight in front of the engine, a lttle more for it to move into would help.

Art, I feel the cropped image fits the theme better, but it's nice to see the where it is, maybe a little bit more as you have half a table and the point of the roof is cut off.

Bizarre, indeed a lucky find for the theme. Good focus on the details in the bark. Maybe could do with a little more contrast, it is better on flickr.

Wild, nice shot of the seal wondering what the person is pointing at him. sea and seal captured well, love the colours in the water. again better on flickr.

Nice catch up, not too far to go.

Pete

Thanks very much for looking back through my recent images, Pete. Ideally I would have left more room in front of the engine but there was a sign just there and it looked better without it so I cropped to the edge, but, as you say, it has left less room on that side that I would have liked. Perhaps I should have tried cloning instead.

I agree with your thoughts on the first image for Art too. I wanted to show it in its surroundings but to include the top of the steep roof made the art itself very small in the frame so I opted to lose some of the roof, which doesn't seem important to the theme. But that indecision led me to include the second image as I felt that the artwork still wasn't prominent enough. Decisions, decisions! :)

Thanks again - your time is appreciated.
 
Week 40 - Autumn


40 Autumn
by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

It seems this year that the 'easier' I think the theme sounds, the harder it has proved to be! I took this almost two weeks ago and I must have taken about 40 images for this theme in total. I considered putting together a collage to convey the different scenes and colours but settled on this one.

It's a lovely park that I visited for the first time in search of these colours, as much of the island is still quite green. The composition may be 'Marmite' but but it's the balance that I liked best, making more of the colours on the ground than the bare branches above. To me the colours and the fallen leaves sum up Autumn.
 
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Week 41 - Hollow


41 Hollow
by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

Messing around with yellow things for a club competition this weekend, these peppers suddenly reminded me of Dominic @Nostromo's image of coloured peppers that I really loved. So with apologies/thanks to Dominic for the inspiration, I broke off from the club images to take this one for Hollow. My other options were a fairly boring hollow tree stump or a hollowed out bone that I borrowed from the dog, so this is far more colourful! I liked the contrasting colours and textures of the peppers against the slate background and the two curved stalks.
 
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Nice pathway for autumn it’s difficult to find that autumn shot we see in our heads but this sums up autumn to me being out with the dogs and tramping through the leaves perfect day for me

The peppers on the slate works well the yellow against the grey slate is a great contrast, well lit too
 
Andrea

Autumn, Nice Image but I feel a bit more clarity/contrast could make it better than its shown on flickr.

Hollow, Nice enough image and good contrast in the colour against the background.

Pete
 
Nice pathway for autumn it’s difficult to find that autumn shot we see in our heads but this sums up autumn to me being out with the dogs and tramping through the leaves perfect day for me

The peppers on the slate works well the yellow against the grey slate is a great contrast, well lit too

Thanks very much, Allan. I was hoping to get another chance for that 'mind's eye' Autumn image, but we're set for wild weather tonight and tomorrow so there may not be many leaves left!

Andrea

Autumn, Nice Image but I feel a bit more clarity/contrast could make it better than its shown on flickr.

Hollow, Nice enough image and good contrast in the colour against the background.

Pete

Thanks for your comments, Pete. I must admit I was more taken with the colours and textures in the Autumn scene and hadn't realised how low the shutter speed had crept, so there is a lack of sharpness. Careless on my part and I'm not sure PP can do much for it.
 
Week 42 - Model


42 Model
by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

I'm finding it hard to get right up to date with images I'm 100% happy with so this one is more of personal interest than an image of merit. 'Nellie' was my model engine to join in with my Dad on his OO gauge layout. She's almost as old as me and a bit rusty and battered by life, and the trees in the background had to be teased back into shape after years in a box!

I picked the blue surface to complement Nellie's colour, and a reasonably shallow DOF to draw the eye straight to the details at the front and to blur the background a bit.
 
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Hi Andrea,
  • Autumn - I quite like the way the path is still 'just' visible through the leaves, creating a leading line through the image.
  • Hollow - The colours are very Halloween :) I like the slate background too and good choice to position the peppers with the stems like that.
  • Model - I do like the use of the blue background complementing the Caledonian livery on Nellie. Love the details the image has brought out, like the lock on the tool box on the running board.
 
Autumn is perhaps not as sharp as it could be but all works nicely for the theme, the path leads the eye through the frame.

The peppers are very well done, standing out well and with the texture retained in the dark slate

Lovely vibrant shot of the little engine, well set up and shot.
 
nice train shot, nice use of the same coloured BG and reflection, I like how you have used the single piece of track.
 
Model

That looks pretty good, the blue train and blue foreground /base go well together. The single piece of track and the hint of reflection add a little dynamic.
 
Hi Andrea,
  • Autumn - I quite like the way the path is still 'just' visible through the leaves, creating a leading line through the image.
  • Hollow - The colours are very Halloween :) I like the slate background too and good choice to position the peppers with the stems like that.
  • Model - I do like the use of the blue background complementing the Caledonian livery on Nellie. Love the details the image has brought out, like the lock on the tool box on the running board.

Autumn is perhaps not as sharp as it could be but all works nicely for the theme, the path leads the eye through the frame.

The peppers are very well done, standing out well and with the texture retained in the dark slate

Lovely vibrant shot of the little engine, well set up and shot.

nice train shot, nice use of the same coloured BG and reflection, I like how you have used the single piece of track.

Like the oof background tree and the subtle shadow

Really like the picture of the yellow peppers (my fave pepper!) The yellow and the dark back ground very together giving a nice vibrant image,

Model, Nice little train is Nellie, single track is a great idea and you have chosen a great bg colour too.

Model

That looks pretty good, the blue train and blue foreground /base go well together. The single piece of track and the hint of reflection add a little dynamic.

Hollow is great shot of the yellow peppers. Model train is a nice one too.


Thank you all for your comments and feedback; it's much appreciated. I think the image of the yellow peppers on the slate is the first still life image I have been happy with, and the 52 has forced me into many over the last few years so I must be learning something!

Sorry for not getting more up to date with my images and your threads. I've had two weekends feeling like death warmed up and my time and energy has had to go to other things, including a blocked storm drain diverting most of its contents into and through our garden for the last four days :mad::mad: but if the weather permits I aiming to get out tomorrow to hunt down the missing images, and I'll have a look through the active threads now.
 
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Week 43 - Corner


43 Corner by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

I couldn't get to the location I had planned for my 'corner' image, so this is a boring record shot showing the remaining flood water in a corner of our garden following heavy rain and a blocked drain last weekend. We had an actual waterfall too!

Absolutely no comment expected; I am just trying to get up to date :)
 
44 - Filthy


44 Filthy by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

Another image with little photographic merit and it's not exactly filthy, but the result of the mud all over the garden and paths means dirty paw prints like this when the dog comes back inside, if we're not fast enough with a towel. More rain today = more water and mud outside the door :(
 
Hi Andrea, I do like the filthy picture. B+w was a good choice and I like the angle you have taken it at.
Corner, well exposed and a nice bright image. Hope you get it sorted soon, I have a patio that holds water, it's just bricks laid on what appears to be mud, it sinks in places, landlords inspector, keep an eye on it if it gets any worse! He says looking at it an inch underwater!
 
Corner, I have to deal with blocked drains sometimes in work rodding them is not pleasant, at least its just clear water in your pic

Filthy, I like that and having two dogs its a very familiar sight to me

you might say "little photographic merit" but I get the meaning behind them
 
Like the corner shot and a good take on the theme.

I would prefer to see the Filthy shot to be a bit more gritty look to amplify dirty and muddy feel.

Thanks Stan, I have re-edited it and increased the contrast to give some added grittiness and grubbiness. I think it works (added below) - thank you :)

Sorry to hear about the flood and drain blocked. I like the filthy shot as it`s plane and simple and maybe a bit more contrast to make it pop :thinking:

Thanks, Dave - the water has drained away eventually but the garden is still very soggy underfoot and we can't wait for more rain...! I've had another go at the grubby floor and I think the mud is more visible now (y)

Filthy
I don't think it's as boring as you think.

I'll take that :D

Hi Andrea, I do like the filthy picture. B+w was a good choice and I like the angle you have taken it at.
Corner, well exposed and a nice bright image. Hope you get it sorted soon, I have a patio that holds water, it's just bricks laid on what appears to be mud, it sinks in places, landlords inspector, keep an eye on it if it gets any worse! He says looking at it an inch underwater!

Thanks Michael, the standing water has gone for now but will definitely keep returning until they fix the problem. There are 4-5 houses affected and we're putting pressure on for a fix.
I have re-edited the Filthy image (below) to add some more contrast and I think it looks 'filthier' now :)

Corner, I have to deal with blocked drains sometimes in work rodding them is not pleasant, at least its just clear water in your pic

Filthy, I like that and having two dogs its a very familiar sight to me

you might say "little photographic merit" but I get the meaning behind them

Thanks, Allan. Yes, fortunately it's mainly rain water and could be worse. The problem is the sheer amount of it running down from the hills behind us and not draining away for days. Fortunately this dog is a bit of a wuss and tends to jump over the puddles, whereas our previous ones used to run around in the mud and walk it all inside! :)


44 Filthy 2 by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr
 
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