The 17th UK South-East "The Summer of Awesomeness" Thread (All Welcome)

Looks ok to me JD. But then my MAC isn't calibrated either.

@ Mark & Jonathan.......WOWWOWW​OWWOWWOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

I Bought a used 24-105 f4 IS yesterday. On the way home I spotted a young lad banging a sign into the verge that just said "TRIAL". Had to go look, as you do......

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Nice trial shots Andy - I do like my 24 - 105, although I haven't used it for agggges! the 400mm and 85mm seem to be my faves at the moment.

Radders wrote in post #16345343
Thank you, that isn't my best shot, just one I like!

Had my first lot of Acupuncture too.., 7 weeks to go so hopefully I'll start to see some pain relief very soon! (haven't done the pilates but she will go into them soon too )

I hope the acupuncture helps, it was great for me.

Jonathan wrote in post #16349319
Here's a shot of the Victoria falls taken by hanging out of the door of a helicopter. I think I may need to calibrate my monitor as this looks a bit over done on my laptop.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …onathanadale/10​112133644/
Victoria Falls from the air by Jonathan A Dale, on Flickr

OMG I don't know how you did that. I am so scared of heights there's no way I'd have hung out of a helicopter. I doubt I'd even get in one.

A photographer I know did some wild mustang shots hanging out of a low flying helicopter, they were amazing too.

Look stunning to me JD hanging out the helo was worth it then for a man scared of heights.

Andy great set there looks like there are dome Dougie Lampkins in the making there.

Jonathan wrote in post #16349319
Here's a shot of the Victoria falls taken by hanging out of the door of a helicopter. I think I may need to calibrate my monitor as this looks a bit over done on my laptop.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …onathanadale/10​112133644/
Victoria Falls from the air by Jonathan A Dale, on Flickr

Now that's a cool viewpoint!

Radders wrote in post #16348247
Cool, you'll have to put some up.

I've recently got this from a charity shop that I deal with...(favour for a favour)

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Pentax by Rainbow 1984, on Flickr

Nostalgia much? That's the exact same model my dad had (he bought it in '81 I think, before I was even a thought). I used it from about '99 until I bought my first Canon in '05. That's the tool that got me into this hobby! I used it with a Pentax-M 50mm f/1.7 - what a beauty! I still remember, the exposure meter was a in need of a recalibration, so instead I'd set the ASA dial one stop slower.

My dad used to have one ( still does but it's tucked away ) and it was that, that got me into photography... unsure on what lenses I used to use on it, then I got a Pentax MZ-50, which I still have, then Canon..

When this came up, and the lady said I could have it for doing her a favour, I snapped her arm off


Jonathan, great photo and that is something I would LOVE to do!

Jonathan wrote in post #16349319
Here's a shot of the Victoria falls taken by hanging out of the door of a helicopter. I think I may need to calibrate my monitor as this looks a bit over done on my laptop.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …onathanadale/10​112133644/
Victoria Falls from the air by Jonathan A Dale, on Flickr

That is a cracking shot mate! Would love to have the opportunity to shoot there, beautiful shot!

Another shot from trip to London for me. I usually edit my photos all in one go soon after taking them. This time i've spaced it out, allows you to have 'fresh eyes' on shots. Upped a new one onto 500px, any likes/faves etc would be much appreciated!

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Mark I love that I think that is the best I've seen to date Will fav/like in a mo on 500px.

Are there any bird experts in here? I'm building a bird house at the moment, and it's going where this is situated, but I want to fill this as well with food, I'm just unsure what is best? Lard + food, or just nuts/seeds etc?

Will get photos up of the house once done, just added the finishing touches (might be a week or so yet)... Hopefully they'll all congregate there so I can get loads of photos.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/radders84/10122​129475/

@ Jonathan ~ superb the pair of them, the out of the door aerial image is wall hanger for sure

@ Andy ~ lovely trials imagery you got there

@ Radders ~ re bird food, I highly recommend Sunflower hearts no mess from the husks and we get Gold Finches, Blue & Great Tits, Robins, Nuthatch(es), Greenfinches on the feeders plus the Blackbirds, Collared Doves & Wood Pigeons mop up the dropped bit off the ground. We tend to buy in bulk 25Kg bags that last months stored in an old dustbin. NB if you like I will PM the supplier I use for the Sunflower hearts?

As for the old 35mm film camera..........I so wish I still had my Exa 1a, built like a tank and worked so well

Radders wrote in post #16350308
Are there any bird experts in here? I'm building a bird house at the moment, and it's going where this is situated, but I want to fill this as well with food, I'm just unsure what is best? Lard + food, or just nuts/seeds etc?

Will get photos up of the house once done, just added the finishing touches (might be a week or so yet)... Hopefully they'll all congregate there so I can get loads of photos.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/radders84/10122​129475/
MB9T5781 by Rainbow 1984, on Flickr

Well this feeder is actually a peanut feeder - you can tell by the square mesh holes. I would say this is unsuitable for most seeds because it will fall out too quickly - it 'might' be ok for sunflower hearts and the only way of to find out is to put some in but as they are now fairly expensive you wont want too much falling out and it will attract more pigeons than you would ideally like. It would be ok for suet balls/blocks though. I would steer clear of the softer lardy-type products as its too gooey - the harder sort of suet block/balls are much better.

Box Brownie wrote in post #16350662
@ Radders ~ re bird food, I highly recommend Sunflower hearts no mess from the husks and we get Gold Finches, Blue & Great Tits, Robins, Nuthatch(es), Greenfinches on the feeders plus the Blackbirds, Collared Doves & Wood Pigeons mop up the dropped bit off the ground. We tend to buy in bulk 25Kg bags that last months stored in an old dustbin. NB if you like I will PM the supplier I use for the Sunflower hearts?

Agree with the above re sunflower hearts - they are a good all-rounder and not too messy.

Cant emphasize emough about storing in a metal container of some sort - not only because of rodents etc being tempted, but there is the Indian Meal Moth that can be attracted to seed and you dont want an infestation of that, they are horrible.

Linda

@ Linda ~ a doh! moment I fear.............re the peanut cage that Radders has

As the above is an anti squirrel feeder, as you say it might retain the hearts as well as provide a 'table' area for them.

We use a plastic dustbin under the eaves of the house though it has stood out in the weather We keep them in the original suppliers packing bag and the only attack we have had on the bin was by the cheeky squirrel when the feeder ran out and s/he had a good gnaw at the lid.............no covered in mustard cover tape to deter the little blighter, I was working on the basis that mustard is not (I hope) not poisonous to them and would act as a deterent???

Box Brownie wrote in post #16350849
@ Linda ~ a doh! moment I fear.............re the peanut cage that Radders has

LOL - well I have bought more feeders over the years than I care to mention so I look fairly closely at the holes lol.

Birds and feeding them are a bit of a nightmare. I have tried and tested many (and seeds) and I have come to the conclusion that if you have squirrels anywhere near you, get a Squirrel Buster - expensive but worth every penny. Dont use mixed seed as it attracts pigeons, they tell their mates and you then get poo everywhere lol. Peanuts go rotten before they all get eaten unless ou have a large number of the tit family so ok in small amounts only really.

I think Radders' feeder would be perfect with suet balls in it though.

A winter must is a nyjer feeder - especially if you are near any kind of woodland. We get Redpolls during the winter which are lovely to see.

Linda

Back to a shed load of work today after an awesome 2 weeks away. To celebrate Monday, here's a couple of shots of my 2 favourite breakfast locations from the trip

1. The River Club Zambia. Full English overlooking the Zambezi River!

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Jonathan wrote in post #16351758
Back to a shed load of work today after an awesome 2 weeks away. To celebrate Monday, here's a couple of shots of my 2 favourite breakfast locations from the trip

1. The River Club Zambia. Full English overlooking the Zambezi River!

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …55805872@N07/10​132100015/
Breakfast at The River Club - Zambia by jonathan.dale, on Flickr

2. Livingstone Island - the cliff in the background is the Zimbabwe side of Vic Falls that looks back at the water falling

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Breakfast on Livingstone Island - Zambia by jonathan.dale, on Flickr

lovely. And I think I can guess whose breakfast is whose