I bet they're still laughing about having to do this, down at the ol' egg-packing plant.
Or so I hear. Rather than wait around to pander to miniature extortionists, I took the camera out for a wander. This was one of those shots that you get when you remember to turn around; there was just enough time to spin the tripod around, aim, and fire.
Eh? Oh... I see what you mean.
No, I'm not giving up on Vox (despite the eternal frustrations with the blimmin' editor and photo-mangler). I like the folks in my little neighbourhood.
But, I am making a couple of changes.
First off, I've started a photoblog over at aminus3*. It's a site dedicated to posting (at most) one photo per day. It's nicely done, and well worth a browse - there are some interesting people and stunning photos there; I'm hoping some of it will rub off on me :-) Besides, it's a challenge to myself - my track record for keeping diaries, journals, daily-anythings is pretty much zero-for-zillions. Please feel free to drop by - and to nudge me if I seem to be slipping. :-)
Second, I'm changing names here from frostbitten to partialpressures. No big reason; it's just one less thing for me to remember. Fingers crossed, the change may already have happened, and it shouldn't make the slightest difference to anyone. Either that, or you won't be able to read this anyway...
________________
Lexical footnote
That's aminus3 as in arithmetic a – 3, not animus as in psychology.
I don't know why people stick to the paths... but I'm not complaining, because it means I get the little treats all to myself.
The autumn colours are coming on nicely, but still a week or two away from being at their peak. Weekday afternoons and evenings at the arboretum are pleasant: just occasional strolling couples, dog walkers, and joggers all quietly going about their business.
Weekends are a different matter. The paths clog up as the heaving masses unload dogs, rugrats, and grannies from the 4-wheel-drives and mill around, shouting, whining, barking, all the while squinting at their mobile phones. It's almost tempting to take the camera and try to capture some of that.
Almost. Still, it's good income for the Forestry Commission and makes the quiet times possible.
Meanwhile, back to the quiet evening:
It's time once again to play "What size will Vox let me use today?", sponsored by them up there ---^
And here's the first two contestants. Tell us about them, Spike.
Thanks Bob. Well, I took these in the back garden with a set of "extension tubes"; they let you get the camera much closer to something than you normally could.
Sounds great. And what size are you trying for?
I'm trying for Large here, Bob.
[FX: studio audience goes wild]
That's two for two. Are you feeling lucky today, Spike?
I dunno Bob; it's early days yet.
[FX: laughter]
Indeed it is. How about the next pair?
OK, Bob. I took these at night - obviously - again in the back garden. There's a street light shines down into the garden, so I wasn't expecting much.
And you're trying for...?
One Large, and one Extra Large.
[FX: audience gasps]
[FX: audience groans]
[Edit: in case you're wondering, the Night Leaves picture first appeared not as an image, but as a box with just the text of the title in it (twice, I guess in case there was any doubt). It still shows up that way in the editor.]
Well, one failure there, Spike.
I know Bob. What can I say? Pretty gutted, really.
[FX: smattering of applause]
You still have two more, though.
Yup. Both of these are from a walk in the woods late the other afternoon, looking in opposite directions from pretty much the same spot. The dog in the photos is the same one, by the way.
OK, and you're trying for...?
Large for both, Bob.
Well, that's five out of six, Spike. How do you feel.
I don't think that's very good, Bob. Should've been 100 percent, but it let me down.
Never mind, Spike.
And that's all we have time for today, folks. But be sure to join us again next time on "What size will Vox let me use today?"
[FX: applause, fade under titles]
Oh shoot me now, I'm quoting Gilbert and Sullivan.
Curious about the cloud photos Mark's just featured, I did a little digging. I wanted to see if I could figure out how heavily edited they'd been.
Exhibit A: clouds over Cedar Rapids, photographed by Jane Wiggins. First, as seen in the National Geographic. Then, as seen in The Guardian.
Exhibit B: clouds over Schiehallon in Scotland, by Ken Prior. Again, NatGeo first, Grauniad[*] second.
Now which ones are more likely to be propagated over Da Innernetz? :-)
BTW, I'm not blaming The Guardian, or National Geographic magazine. Who knows where each got its copies from?
ETA: Links to the article/photos in National Geographic magazine, and to the photos at The Guardian. Sorry, meant to put those in first time around.
_______________
Britishism footnote
[*] "Grauniad" - in the days before computer typesetting, The Guardian had a reputation for typographical errors; one myth or April Fool said it had misspelled its name in the masthead. And so, in the pages of Private Eye, it became known as The Grauniad. In a kind of perverse pride in their heritage, the Guardian now owns the grauniad.co.uk domain.
You know how it goes. You're midway through composing a post, and after arguing the point with Vox about the sizes of photos, it goes and deletes your entire post – irretrievably – and replaces it with a page from your library.
The word "annoyed" falls somewhat short.
So here are the pictures (in whatever sizes Vox's whimsy permits), and I'll let you fill in your own story.
Recent Comments
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Mark said:
Ha! Had to run to the fridge and check: this one hasn't made it to the States yet. Give us... read more
on Say it ain't so -
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Spike said:
That's what it says should happen (and indeed, what I've seen happen in the past... e.g, with some guy who... read more
on After three and a bit years... -
Mark said:
I think when you name-change, VOX does an eternal forward. Anyway you popped right up in my neighborhood, and I... read more
on After three and a bit years...
On the other hand, you guys have instructions on packets of toothpicks. :-D read more
on Say it ain't so