Simon's 52 in 2023

I think the first natural shot has enough water movement in it. The simulated version looks good at first glance, but there does seem to be a 'judder' to the water movement.

I like the foreground rocks and the low POV of the second though!
 
I think the first natural shot has enough water movement in it. The simulated version looks good at first glance, but there does seem to be a 'judder' to the water movement.

I like the foreground rocks and the low POV of the second though!
Thanks Graham. Yes, the iPhone long exposure trick is just that. A neat trick, but doesn’t stand up to much scrutiny. The low POV was intentional, but tricky due to the rocky and slippery surface. I’m not as young and steady as I used to be! :LOL:
 
I accept your shoe horn -- just in case I have to enter one of my own as time goes on. The waterfall is quite beautiful.
 
First for me too. I enjoy a bit of shoehorning too.
 
all good shots Simon but I can be different and say I would have gone with the bridge?
 
all good shots Simon but I can be different and say I would have gone with the bridge?
Thanks Peter - of course you can :) I was very tempted because it’s more “on theme” but just could resist a waterfall photo :LOL:
Probably serve me right if next weeks theme is waterfalls !
 
Week 17 - Liquid

A few from this morning's bank holiday Monday walk from Dinas Powys through the woods to a hamlet called Michaelston le Pit where there are a series of ponds connected by what are known locally as "the salmon leaps". I don't think there has ever been salmon here though. Go figure. The first shot is for context showing the middle pond cascading into the lower pond.
Michaelston Salmon Leaps by Simon Hiscocks, on Flickr

The second shot is a zoomed telephoto of the central steps cascading down.

Salmon steps by Simon Hiscocks, on Flickr

I'm a sucker for wildlife though (who isn't) and this is a shot of one of two herons that in the area. One was just standing on a log, but this one was wading the ponds looking for a liquid lunch, and although it was a way off you can just see he's caught a fish.

Liquid lunch by Simon Hiscocks, on Flickr

I'm very torn between the steps shot and the heron with a fish shot for this week's submission, but I'm going with the steps because I think it fits the theme slightly better, but can be convinced otherwise.

The final shot I'm calling "liquid landing" as the heron decided I was too close and flew off to the other side of the pond. Whilst not the best angle, it's perhaps one of the better shots I've ever had of a heron in flight - well, landing.

Heron landing by Simon Hiscocks, on Flickr
 
Nice set of of Simon :)
 
I agree. Lovely set. Tells a story of a beautiful walk.

The steps work well for the theme and it's nice to have the wider view for context. Looks like a fair zoom to get in to them. Love that you've even caught little bubbles within the falling water.
 
I agree. Lovely set. Tells a story of a beautiful walk.

The steps work well for the theme and it's nice to have the wider view for context. Looks like a fair zoom to get in to them. Love that you've even caught little bubbles within the falling water.
Thanks Graham, appreciate the comments.
The steps shot was taken a fair bit closer than the wider shot, but still zoomed in to get the close up action. I did worry about the tight crop (this was taken with a 1” bridge (Panasonic FZ2000), but I think it works reasonably well. The light helped!
 
Lovely pictures, especially the first two & good light on the steps. looks a nice place for a walk. We have a local place called the salmon leaps on the river Ystrad but do get salmon going up them.
 
Lovely pictures, especially the first two & good light on the steps. looks a nice place for a walk. We have a local place called the salmon leaps on the river Ystrad but do get salmon going up them.
Thanks - yes it’s a great place. Always plenty of wildlife - saw kingfishers too but too far away for any decent sort of shot.
 
Steps are a really good shot for the theme. Good angle and the shot has impact.
 
Your chosen liquid shot is superb, excellent composition and spot on with the SS.
 
A good set of images. I rather like the first Heron shot with that lovely reflection.
 
Week 18 - Distant

Two shots for this week's theme one each in colour and mono. Although we've had intermittently bright weather, when I've been out it's been flat and grey

The first pair are taken from Penarth Pier looking beyond the rocky cliffs of Penarth Head towards the Cardiff Bay barrage outer harbour arm and then beyond. Taken with a 50-230mm lens at max zoom. The slightly odd pink building is actually now someone's personal gym on the harbour wall! Beyond this peeking our from behind Penarth Head you can see L-R: The "big" wheel, the red Pierhead building and to it's right the flat roof of the Senedd (the seat of the Welsh Government). Behind that is the copper coloured armadillo outline of the Wales Millennium Centre, and then on to the distant hills between Cardiff and Newport, a straight line distance of about 10 miles.

I prefer the colour version, but have done a mono conversion too.

Penarth Head and Cardiff Bay by Simon Hiscocks, on Flickr

Penarth Head and Cardiff Bay mono by Simon Hiscocks, on Flickr

This second pair is across the Bristol Channel from the cliffs above Penarth. In the distance L-R are Brean Down in Somerset, south of Weston Super-Mare, the hazy Brent Knoll (about 15 miles distant), the islands of Flatholm (Welsh), which incidentally we're due to go on a day trip to on Friday) and Steepholm (English). Behind these you can just about make out the outline of the Somerset levels towards Hinckley Point.

Bristol Chanel by Simon Hiscocks, on Flickr

Bristol Channel mono by Simon Hiscocks, on Flickr
 
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Definitely the colour version for me. Amazing how much the place has changed.
 
Definitely the colour version for me. Amazing how much the place has changed.
Cheers Roger. It’s changed massively. I’d never have gone “down the docks” in the early 80's when I first came to Cardiff. Now very cosmopolitan. Restauarnts, bars, visitor attractions, theatres, and fancy apartments
 
Colour for me as well, good to read the info about the area.
Weather the same here lovely today so arranged to go up the moors this evening and get a distant shot, come this evening and despite the forecast being good it was a grey and grey
 
Colour for me as well, good to read the info about the area.
Weather the same here lovely today so arranged to go up the moors this evening and get a distant shot, come this evening and despite the forecast being good it was a grey and grey
Thanks Keith! Hopefully we’ll get some proper sun soon!
 
Cheers Roger. It’s changed massively. I’d never have gone “down the docks” in the early 80's when I first came to Cardiff. Now very cosmopolitan. Restauarnts, bars, visitor attractions, theatres, and fancy apartments
My family all come from the Roth Park area, I used to visit my Great Grandad there in the 70,s he worked on the docks from about 1910 and used to take me down there with my cousins in the 1970s. My Grandad was injured building Cardiff hospital! I must visit again to see what its like.
 
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