Photography

Photos I’ve taken of scenery, interesting objects and other things.

A few photos from birding, October 8, 2022

First, the weather was crazy–25C and sunny, so sunny that if I hadn’t put on sunblock I’m sure I would have burned. This is very strange for the second week of October.

We hit Burnaby Lake and Colony Farm, but did extended tours of each and saw plenty of birds and other assorted critters, including a snake and coyote (alas, we could not get shots of either in time).

Here are a few shots of the million (well, 500+) I took.

The coot is ready for its close-up.
Duck feeding frenzy.
Eagles flying directly toward us, and then overhead.
Grebe in the late afternoon sun, at Colony Farm.

Hermit thrush outside the hizzy

Another birb was bopping around in the wall garden outside my window this morning, so I grabbed some shots, once again through a closed window to not disturb it.

According to the Merlin app, this is a Hermit Thrush, the first time I’ve seen one (at least knowingly). Spiffy!

62 and counting (plus trees and other wood)

After reaching 60 posts, I realized that if I posted 62 it would be the most ever in a month, and I’ve been blogging since 1897 2005! So naturally I had to do it.

This is Post #62.

Here’s a photo I took at Burnaby Lake back on September 2 showing a pair of dead trees next to a pile of plywood. I wanted to say something clever or profound about this juxtaposition, but couldn’t come up with anything good, so never posted it.

UNTIL NOW.

Enjoy.

(And think of your own clever or profound observation on this.)

Turning lemons into another post

Occasionally my phone will take a photo on its own. I’m not entirely sure how it happens, but the image almost always looks like a fight scene from the 1960s Batman TV show, with the angle all askew.

One such photo happened recently when I stood on top of the Cariboo Dam, preparing to take a picture of the scenery. What my phone caught on its own was a shot of my feet and the railing.

I’ve cropped the image and applied a lot of effects using Luminar AI to give it a high contrast, hyperreal kind of look. It’s all abstract(ish) up in the hizzy.

I’ve also included the original photo for reference.

Heavily edited
Unedited! Shot courtesy of my iPhone 12 doing its own thing

A shot in the arm (literally)

I got my fourth COVID-19 shot today. Not the fourth one today, but the fourth since this whole kooky pandemic began. I opted for Pfizer, the devil I know.

The jab was quick and inconsequential, as usual, and my arm is a bit sore as I type this late in the evening. I did get a headache in the afternoon, which is a possible side effect, and was new for me. Not too bad as side effects call, so I merely grumble about it.

The clinic ran things very efficiently–I was in and out before my actual appointment time. Masks were still mandatory, of course, and they made me wait 15 minutes to see if I’d mutate into a super-being (I did not), but there was no real effort at physical distancing, unlike previous times. A decent amount of people were there (I had to stand in line waiting for the clinic to open), but I overheard staff say that this was pretty normal–most go in the morning and the afternoons are quieter.

I want to make a joke or use some metaphor about how the clinic is an old Best Buy, but nothing comes to mind. Have a picture instead.

It was also a warm and sunny early fall day. Having the weather continue to be summer-like is going to make The Rains that much harder to endure when they arrive. Maybe.

Also, here’s a photo of a flower at nearby Holland Park that I took when I realized how absurdly early I was.