Friday Photography Open Thread 12.23.2016

From a recent visit to a friend, in the beautiful Hokianga.

I spent some time in the company of Tane Mahuta, who lives nearby. He measures 15’ in diameter, is 167’ tall, and is 2,500-3,000 years old.

“What could be more magical than to stand in the presence of a tree which has been growing since bronze age man?”

For perspective ...


(from this link)

To hope … for the forests in the new year, everywhere …

And music to help keep you warm …

[video:https://youtu.be/8_rvtJWB6xE]

[video:https://youtu.be/yDkUecjYJKs]

[video:https://youtu.be/gZkJUrjq5XM]

Merry everything, all!

p.s. If you would like to post and host a Friday Photography Open Thread, you are very welcome to. Message me or Bollox Ref.

Share
up
0 users have voted.

Comments

magiamma's picture

Prayer Flags
Prayer Flags Bowen.jpg

Branches
Winter Branches Bowen.jpg

Sun on Snug Harbor
Sun on Sung Harbor.jpg

up
0 users have voted.

Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook

janis b's picture

I love the frosty beauty of prayer flags, then scrolling toward the warmth of the sun on Snug Harbor.

up
0 users have voted.
Knucklehead's picture

The windblown tree image is fantastic.

up
0 users have voted.

I`m already against the next war

snoopydawg's picture

I love you composition and exposure. Well done.

up
0 users have voted.

Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.

magiamma's picture

Smile

up
0 users have voted.

Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook

Both Freedom and Safety. That's the thought that leapt out to me there.
Rarer than one might expect, to have both in one.

up
0 users have voted.
magiamma's picture

Is that big tree in New Zealand. We saw one there. Had to drive on a wet muddy road to get to it. Very big tree. Awsome comes to mind. A word I rarely use.

up
0 users have voted.

Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook

janis b's picture

it's only a 15 minute drive from the sand hills.

It's an awesome part of NZ, in many respects, including culturally.

up
0 users have voted.
magiamma's picture

It was in the middle of the north island in the north and it has stairs up to it. It was huge.

edit - dupe

up
0 users have voted.

Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook

janis b's picture

on the North Island. There were no stairs up to Tane Mahuta, but I remember walking up stairs to see another huge, old Kauri on the Coromandel. The Coromandel is a large peninsula on the NE side of the North Island. When did you visit NZ?

up
0 users have voted.
snoopydawg's picture

I spent two Xmas at Bodega Bay and my campsite was the middle one in this picture by the beach.
wrights beach.jpg
Some of my photos from this beach.
X-MAS 03 038.jpg
X-MAS 03 048.jpg
X-MAS 03 119.jpg
The waves one year were so big that they flooded out the campsite in the first picture so they were closed.
Photo 4 of 48.jpg
This picture is at Bodega Harbor with fishing trawlers.
13_0.jpg
I was lucky enough to be there when they did the blessing of the fleets which was the start of fishing season.

up
0 users have voted.

Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.

janis b's picture

That wave, crashing up from the cliff is impressive, and the sunlit spray from the waves is beautiful.

I hope your holidays have some magic in them ; ).

up
0 users have voted.
snoopydawg's picture

And damn I wish I had the money to go back there with my newest digital camera.
That beach is my favorite place in California and I went there twice a month in my little trailer.
I often stayed in the parking lot for $5 a night.
The cliffs where that wave is is usually accessible and I spread my first dog's ashes there.
The wind usually blew in from the ocean, but that day it was blowing from the beach and that's what you see.
Hope you too have magical holidays.
We have so few family left but my aunt is doing Xmas brunch again this year.

ETA, the sound of the waves crashing against the cliff was awesome. Big booms.
I had to keep the dawgs way back from the water because of the sneaker waves.
This is an interesting picture because of the sun artifact,
h52_0.jpeg

up
0 users have voted.

Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.

janis b's picture

How fortunate to have enjoyed regular visits to such a special place.

That’s a wonderful image to invite the new year in — walking toward the sun.

Enjoy your Aunt’s brunch, and the company of family.

up
0 users have voted.
magiamma's picture

and I love that the waves come and wash them away

up
0 users have voted.

Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook

riverlover's picture

The land seems somewhat scoured, but the vegetation hangs on. All those ground-huggers or braver plant-souls that rise high and remain true to windswept. Beautiful.

up
0 users have voted.

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

janis b's picture

up
0 users have voted.
Bollox Ref's picture

There's a yew tree in a churchyard in Scotland that's around the same age. Apparently, it's in the process of changing sex!!??

Anyway, off to the neighbours soon for a Festive Season event. It's been cold and dull, so here's a shot from a few years ago. The cloisters at Salisbury Cathedral.
P1010038.jpg

Janis, did you ever get a new camera?

up
0 users have voted.

Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.

janis b's picture

that yew trees are commonly found in church yards, because there they are contained (fenced in). They were unwelcome elsewhere in the wild because of their poisonous qualities. An Englishman told me that.

No new camera yet, but I'm still considering it.

I love how you add a touch of colour to the black and white.

Enjoy the festivities!

up
0 users have voted.
Bollox Ref's picture

fiddling around with settings, but I liked the result and kept it.

up
0 users have voted.

Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.

janis b's picture

the magic of photography.

up
0 users have voted.
janis b's picture

The contrast between the windswept, sunny ocean landscape, and it's next door neighbour, the Waipoua Forest, is remarkable. From bright and sandy to dripping wet and tropical.

I hope your holidays are warm and cozy.

up
0 users have voted.
janis b's picture

up
0 users have voted.
Socialprogressive's picture

I thought this shadow cast on a wall made an interesting subject.
DSC_2233.jpg

up
0 users have voted.

I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.

janis b's picture

definitely. Thank you.

up
0 users have voted.
magiamma's picture

really like it and the greenish "star" in the middle of the spoke on the wall -- it is sweet (edit)

here's one I took because Janis said she liked to do interiors
Abstract Stairs.jpg

up
0 users have voted.

Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook

michelewln's picture

It was taken at my parent's house in Indiana.
Close Up Moon Over Leaves_1.jpg

up
0 users have voted.

A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world. Oscar Wilde

janis b's picture

That photo is very joyful in its clarity and light. Thank you.

I hope you are doing well. Happy holidays.

up
0 users have voted.
magiamma's picture

bare branches reaching up

up
0 users have voted.

Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook

Knucklehead's picture

A beautiful collection of images this evening.
Here are a few from my "neck of the woods".

A few evenings ago from my back yard.

This evening from my yard

From my new project site. The white dot marks my house.

White Dot is my House  DSCN6104

I have a few more. I`ll download & be right back.

up
0 users have voted.

I`m already against the next war

Knucklehead's picture

At night after work, I`ve been building a desk for Teri to surprise her for christmas.
The main body is of Koa wood from my stock with 3 green marble panels.
The tapered legs I built from American walnut, again, from my large wood stock.
Both woods I have in large dimensions (think beams) that I then mill down & plane to smooth.

DSCN6134

In this image I`ve removed the marble inserts & I`m installing walnut trim I milled for the borders to match the legs & give contrast to the complete piece.
You can see into the interior, as I hinged the top.
It gets one more coat of varnish & I should be able to sneak it into the house tomorrow.

DSCN6125

I messed up. The text from one belongs to the other. I`m sure you can figure it out.

up
0 users have voted.

I`m already against the next war

janis b's picture

Koa is one of the most beautiful woods. You're lucky to have some in your stock.

Wishing you some nice surprises for yourself for christmas.

up
0 users have voted.
Unabashed Liberal's picture

open thread. Appreciate the fact that so many of our uber-talented Caucus photographers are willing to share their work with us--thanks to all of you!

Enjoyed Knuck's photos of Teri's lovely Christmas gift--one lucky lady, I'd say.

Have a lovely holiday weekend, All!

Pleasantry

Postscript: Just saw the kewl 'Bernie Santa'--thanks, JtC! Whoah! Maybe I'm seeing things--it just disappeared. Time for me to call it a night, I guess.

Wacko

Mollie


“I believe in the redemptive powers of a dog’s love. It is in recognition of each dog’s potential to lift the human spirit and therefore– to change society for the better, that I fight to make sure every street dog has its day.”
--Stasha Wong, Secretary, Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)

The SOSD Fantastic Four

up
0 users have voted.

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

janis b's picture

Wishing you and your family warm and happy holidays.

up
0 users have voted.

Thank you, everyone.

up
0 users have voted.
janis b's picture

up
0 users have voted.
Bisbonian's picture

a couple of mornings ago:

Sunrise39000.jpeg

up
0 users have voted.

"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

janis b's picture

Either high above the earth in a plane, or right down on it in a kayak. Happy holidays!

up
0 users have voted.