Welcome to Picture of the Week #251 covering 27 Jan 2013 through 10 Feb 2013. Douge has passed the baton to me, this is my first time hosting so I hope I do a decent job. Thanks to Douge for holding fort for so long. The last POTW definitely had an emphasis on cold, but apparently an oversized rat in Pennsylvania has said that's spring's coming so let's see if he's right. I hope his influence extends to France. If you would like to host next week please send me a PM, otherwise I will be asking you. This POTW lets you show off any shots you took last week but haven't processed until now. In other words, you can post your shots from this week AND last week. POTW is a great place to show what you've been shooting day-to-day. We can share ideas, learn from one another, tell stories, and have a good time. There are just so many splendid photos out there so let's see you post them to this POW 251.

Again same rules as always:

1) No theme, just post your favorite pix.
2) Lets keep it to fewer than 6 images per post just so the thread doesn't get too big each week.
3) Any Pentax camera or Samsung SLR is fine, whether it's film, P&S, or DSLR.
4) Enter anything you shot last week or during this current week until the thread closes.
5) The current host will appoint the new host as an invitation via Private Message (PM). If possible, the new thread will be linked to the previous one and the new thread will start between Noon EDT and 5PM EDT on Sunday. If the thread doesn't start, please contact bluestringer, Moderator via PM.

Here are the records of previous POTW threads:

1 Peter Zack, 2 Eaglerapids, 3 rmtagg, 4 Peter Zack, 5 daacon, 6 Bramela, 7 mtnbearhug, 8 dantuyhoa, 9 gawan,10 roentarre, 11 daacon, 12 Kris, 13 mtnbearhug, 14 SCGushue, 15 daacon, 16 maxwell1295, 17 dantuyhoa, 18 daacon, 19 maxwell1295, 19(2) daacon, 20 Bramela, 21 Syb, 22 maxwell1295, 23 maxwell1295, 24 dantuyhoa, 25 Gawan, 26 Peter Zack, 27 borno, 28 daacon, 29 gawan, 30 Damn Brit, 31 maxwell1295, 32 maxwell1295, 33 dantuyhoa, 34 daacon, 35 Peter Zack, 36 Damn Brit, 37 Borno, 38 Kevint, 39 Peter Zack, 40 Timbo13, 41 daacon, 42 daacon, 43 gawan, 44 dantuyhoa, 45 daacon, 46 Rense, 47 daacon, 48 Rense, 49 borno, 50 Rense, 51 daacon, 52 Peter Zack, 53 Peter Zack, 54 dadipentax, 55 David Whiteley, 56 planedriver, 57 daacon,58 Bramela, 59 daacon, 60 gawan, 61 virgilr, 62 daacon, 63 RickL, 64 Peter Zack, 65 Peter Zack, 66 Causey, 67 daacon, 68 Bramela, 69 georgeweb, 70 daacon,71 seacapt, 72 daacon, 73 AOski, 74 Rense, 75 eccs19, 76 daacon, 77 xs400, 78 daacon, 79 Bramela, 80 Borno, 81 legacyb4, 82 daacon, 83 gawan, 84 Rense, 85 Peter Zack, 86 davef, 87 davef, 88 xjjohnno, 89 Bramela, 90 Peter Zack, 91 daacon, 92 stevebrot, 93 reeftool, 94 jezza323, 95 oldschool, 96 Iris, 97 Rense, 98 planedriver, 99 xs400, 100 Peter Zack, 101 Netuser, 102 Photolady, 103 Tamia, 104 Irishwhite, 105 Ramseybuckeye, 106 xjjohnno, 107 Bumbibop, 108 JeffJS, 109 Tpeace, 110 Nomad, 111 Photolady, 112 rparmar, 113 Peter Zack, 114 casil403, 115 Tamia , 116 JeffJS, 117 bbluesman, 118 Clou, 119 ruggiex, 120 Jimbow007, 121 jmschrie, 122 VaughnA , 123 pop4, 124 casil403, 125 woof, 126 twitch, 127 stevebrot, 128 ohce, 129 jmschrei, 130 photolady, 131 photolady, 132 bbluesman, 133 rparmar, 134 reeftool, 135 reeftool, 136 Oldschool, 137 xjjohonno, 138 KarenH , 139 Rense, 140 daacon, 141 Tamia, 142 JeffJS, 143 bbluesman, 144 fotaki, 145 fotaki, 146 Woof, 147 Bramela, 148 Bramela, 149 Tamia, 150 Nomad, 151 Clou, 152 drugal, 153 rparmar, 154 Nomad, 155 jmschrei, 156 noelcmn, 157 noelcmn, 158 rwfarnell, 159 ramseybuckeye, 160 christophleipzig, 161 JeremytheIndian, 162 SpecialK, 163 emetcalf, 164 emetcalf, 165 stevebrot, 166 rparmar, 167 Mattt, 168 JeffJS, 169 jmschrei, 170 fotaki, 171 xs400, 172 TOUGEFC, 173 TOUGEFC, 174 Warped, 175 MaryAD, 176 Davidw0815, 177 baro-nite, 178 baro-nite, 179 pentaximus, 180 lukulele, 181 lukulele, 182 rob 1234, 183 lukulele, 184 lukulele, 185 pentaximus, 186 ramseybuckeye, 187 ramseybuckeye, 188 StDevious, 189 Free Soul, 190 Clou, 191 brvnara, 192 pentaximus, 193 Noelcmn, 194 Noelcmn 195 GmcarsMAN, 196 jmschreii,197 wolfiegirl, 198 xjjohnno, 199 Arn , 200 Peter Zack, 201 bluestringer, 202 cif, 203 Rollsup, 204 noelcm, 205 Davidw0815, 206 Davidw0815, 207 cif, 208 ramseybuckeye, 209 paulh, 210 Oldschool, 211 SpecialK, 212 mecrox, 213 pentaximus, 215 bramela, 216 jmschrei, 217 Exandr, 218 Noelcmn, 219 Noelcmn, 220 sergiu, 221 sergiu, 222 sergiu, 223 sergiu, 224 sergiu, 225 sergiu, 226 sergiu, 227 sergiu, 228 Davidw08, 229 reeftool, 230 reeftool, 231 cif, 232 mecrox, 233 mecrox, 234 glennbp, 235 glennbp, 236 pentaximus, 237 pentaximus, 238 pentaximus,239 Paul, 240 Nick Nero, 241 Arnold, 242 Arnold, 243 Arnold, 244 Arnold, 245 Nick Nero, 246 ramseybuckeye, 247 ramseybuckeye, 248 Douge, 249 Douge 250 Douge



I'll kick off with a couple of shots inspired by the last monthly comp here. Taken with the K55mm f1.8, it's a great lens, everyone should have one. Same subject, different angles:

[Douge]

Some great shots as always. It's been forever since I posted in here , I remember the first one . It's time to remedy that so here we go a few from a recent walkabout.

Click on image twice for larger view

Recent warm temps have the main roads clear .....


Everyone who lives here needs one of these !


Park Benches are out of bounds for a while yet.


11 Shot Pano of the frozen Wetlands


The not so rare and anoying Magpie one of the few species that toughs it out here year round ...


Does anyone remember the show Twin Peaks ? I like to call this Suburbia Peaks ....


And we end with warm temps makes the snow nice and sticky perfect for snowman building ....

Love those shots Dave. Especially the annoying Magpie
Wow you guys have so much more snow than us. We haven't gotten much snow since 2008-2009 I think. (I know some places around London Ontario have been getting lake-effect snow / snow-squall lines as usual but it is pretty localized.) We get some snow, but it keeps melting. They are calling for 15-35cm for around here by Friday night... The first snowstorm of the year I'd say. So we'll see what we end up getting... Wishing I had a WR lens right now

[Nick Nero]

Well at least she didn't say "the bridge was pointing up to heaven for that reason.

Well Arnold, had she said that I´d probably stopped crying thinking she´d snapped. My sense of humor but not her sense of humor. Bless her memory.

Traveling towards the Norwegian border this week I, by pure coincidence, came across this lovely scene. I´m standing on the low bridge of an old power station (trespassing again), and there´s your reason why the water is not frozen.
My personal computer has given up on me so no chance to PP, ie this is straight from the memory card

[arnold]

My personal computer has given up on me so no chance to PP, ie this is straight from the memory card

It is a good picture, I like it. Wasn't there a time when PP was rarely done or expected? Certainly, to me, if PP is obvious, it tends to put me off - a bit like a hooker with too much make-up

[Douge]

To answer the question, yes, it was cold enough. This was my position. During breaks, I would get into the car and warm up. Even after last weeks rain and couple of warm days, there was 16 inches of ice. Still, I felt safer parking on the sandbar. It gave me a good view of turn 4 although a little further away than I would have liked. It warmed up to a balmy 20F with a pretty good breeze that made it feel colder. My K5 with a Sigma 70-300. That lens is a little soft at 300 but I needed to stay close to the car. I'm hoping to get a couple more races before spring.


A little motion blur on this one. I wasn't paying attention and I was shooting in Av and my shutter speeds got slower later in the day. Some of it may have been me shivering.

Thanks for the reply Richard and the shot of your setut. Brilliant action shot with the pylons flying and debris. The motion blur works

Thanks for hosting Doc. Early morning color mix and a retirement gift from my students.(It rained lightly before the paint dried)

That was sweet of your students to do lukulele They must really appreciate you.

Thanks for hosting Doc. So many great photos this week! I'm a sucker for sunset/sunrise shots, so I esp. enjoyed Tom's 1st barn shot, and lukulele's shot above (congrats on your retirement!)

I took these snaps of a fast-developing storm last week. It looks deadly, but we really didn't get much rain or wind locally. But the system moved east and did create some problems in Alabama & Georgia...




I dabbled in some b/w processing to bump up the drama factor...

Great shape on those clouds Paul. Very dramatic! I love interesting looking clouds.

Many thanks for hosting, Dr Orloff. Not much going on here this week by way of gorgeous sunsets or crystals of ice (darn, as these are lovely shots on here). Only had a chance to get out once or twice. K5 + DA 70mm:

--

Awesome shots Mecrox. I really like the flute player! And the shot of the lamp(?) with long shadow.

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Last edited by Douge; 02-07-2013 at 07:30 PM.

[Dr Orloff]

Nice work mecrox, the flautist is particularly good. Impressed with the 70 it would be interesting to see how it fares head to head with the 77.

Douge, I think that shot would do just fine. A real something out of nothing shot, well seen. Good luck with the snowstorm, sounds like a photo opp.

Wonderful clarity in those shots Daacon, very well exposed and lots of texture on the snow. Where I'm from whenever it snows a little bit it makes the news and the country comes to a standstill.

NickNero, that looks like a natural split tone. A little straighten and job done.

[Nick Nero]

It is a good picture, I like it. Wasn't there a time when PP was rarely done or expected? Certainly, to me, if PP is obvious, it tends to put me off - a bit like a hooker with too much make-up

my experience with hookers is, of course, limited.................but I do agree with the statement. The photos that works as they are, are the ones that gives me the greatest sense of achievement. Glad you like

[Nick Nero]

Nice work mecrox, the flautist is particularly good. Impressed with the 70 it would be interesting to see how it fares head to head with the 77.

Douge, I think that shot would do just fine. A real something out of nothing shot, well seen. Good luck with the snowstorm, sounds like a photo opp.

Wonderful clarity in those shots Daacon, very well exposed and lots of texture on the snow. Where I'm from whenever it snows a little bit it makes the news and the country comes to a standstill.

NickNero, that looks like a natural split tone. A little straighten and job done.

Thanks. It´s shot with polarizer as to not come out as all white and no contrast. On tripod and fired with remote. // Nick

[ramseybuckeye]

Some common birds

[Douge]

Thank you Dr Orloff
(I put the rest here)

Well Arnold, had she said that I´d probably stopped crying thinking she´d snapped. My sense of humor but not her sense of humor. Bless her memory.

Traveling towards the Norwegian border this week I, by pure coincidence, came across this lovely scene. I´m standing on the low bridge of an old power station (trespassing again), and there´s your reason why the water is not frozen.
My personal computer has given up on me so no chance to PP, ie this is straight from the memory card

Wow that is a beautiful capture Nick! It almost looks like an IR shot. Lovely

Some common birds

All very beautiful and sharp shots Tom. I think I like the cute nuthatch and chickadee best That sparrow(?), is a nice light shade of brown.
There have been very few birds around here recently. I think they've all been scared by a small hawk I saw 3 times in the area. (wish i got a picture)
That's why they've been very shy about going onto birdfeeders.

[xjjohnno]

Doc, thanks for hosting this week's POTW. there's quite the impressive collection of pics posted so far but I'll refrain from commenting on due to chronic laziness.

[Dr Orloff]

The nice thing about an international forum Ramseybuckeye is that what is common for you is a refreshing change for others. Different colour tits and nuthatches, for example. The sparrow seems to get everywhere. However, it is now an endangered species in the UK. Difficult to believe that but it's true.

Nice to see some sunshine xjjjohnno amidst all the white stuff.

[mecrox]

Nice work mecrox, the flautist is particularly good. Impressed with the 70 it would be interesting to see how it fares head to head with the 77.

Thanks! The DA 70mm is a very sharp lens in my experience, real quality. I'm told a difference with the 77 (apart from length) is that the bokeh on the 70 can look busier, too busy, unless you are careful. Even so, I get a better number of keepers from it than from my other lenses.

I really like those birds, ramseybuckeye, especially the last one; our versions are about same size and shape but different coloration. And I really like the dog in xjjohnno's pic. Jack Russell terrier? It looks very like one anyway, terrific dogs.

[russell2pi]

Well if you asked an Aussie they'd say tits are tits and nuts are nuts.

On the other hand I can't decide what these are. They look like sheds but sheds have corrigated iron walls. One thing's for sure, up front is a derelict dunny.

[Douge]

I really like those birds, ramseybuckeye, especially the last one; our versions are about same size and shape but different coloration.

The little chickadee's bring some cheer to the quiet winter. They are named after one of their songs. My favourite is when they call to each other with 2 long notes. Love those little guys. Catharine Parr Traill mentions them on page 223 of The backwoods of Canada, (published 1836 in London) but she is not sure of their name. I found it to be a very interesting book. (Audiobook also available)

You Tube

You Tube

Hinterland Who's Who - Black-capped Chickadee

Singing Chickadees - YouTube

You Tube

You Tube

[xjjohnno]

Mecrox, yep it's a Jack Russell and belongs to one of the neighbours. I've managed to find a few four legged models around the neighbourhood, the local cats expecting a bit of a pat and scratch behind the ears before they'll pose for pics.