Parrots mashed and edited in Photoshop... with feeling

BG1_0938a
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

These were local rainbow lorikeets once, happily feeding. Now they are a heavily Photoshopped, saturated, textured and contrasty shadow of their former selves...

Up the Tamar, again: more pics of the RAAF Roulettes

Free airshow up the Tamar valley_0245b
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

Once more, with feeling. We were at Legana, outside of Launceston when 6 RAAF Pilatus PC9/As in a tight aerobatic formation just "showed up" after lunch and buzzed us for 15 mins or so. They did one complete loop in the valley and then entered a holding pattern before disappearing for a while. They came back (still in formation) and headed north, back to Victoria.

Up the Tamar: RAAF puts on a free airshow, I take pics

Free airshow up the Tamar valley_0246a
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

These are RAAF Pilatus PC9/As in a tight aerobatic formation (called the Roulettes). It was an unexpected show, 6 of these aircraft suddenly arrived in the Tamar valley (Launceston) and went into what was either a warmup, practice or a holding pattern. I think they were waiting for their slot for a display over the local Symmonds Plains race track but that's just a guess.

An abstract a day... my goal? hardly. I just like posting images

abstract_s2031
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

What can I say? I like it, anyway!

Last shot for today.. the fiercest avian stare, equivalent of 'you lookin' at me?'

You lookin at me_0080
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

I think the expression on this Magpie's face says it all. Don't mess with me, maaate.

for avian balance in my images I also snapped this Kookaburra

Kookaburra_0049a
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

Not a cute duckling, more a mature meat eater, patiently observing.

Best pic from "Ducklings at Lane Cove NP" last Sunday.. well my 3 yo approves

Wait for me_0114
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

I spent a few hours with family and friends at Lane Cove National Park on Sunday and of course shot off 119 pics of various things that moved or stayed really still. This my top duckling shot: "wait for me!".

I should Photoshop it a bit more, dodge and burn here and there to emphasise the subject, but life moves on... quickly.

Abstracted from my head, pixel by pixel... #art #images

abstract_s2742
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

I really should stay away from Photoshop and its ilk... but once more I caved in and have plastered layer upon layer, cutaway and hand-drawn some lines and shading, coloured it all in and voila! No idea what it is, but it now exists. And to me that's the essence both of humanity and art, good or bad. We create it in our heads and bring it to life.

Whenever it rains we get a plague of frogs... like this one

Local frog_0027
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

Well it's nice to get visitors. These guys (Litoria Peronii) seem to like our roof gutters, but will settle for the back deck as well (which is where this guy was lurking the other night)....

Another colourful mash-up using #photoshop

PS_Mashup_1a
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

It's a hobby. I've always drawn and painted, and I've taken photos seriously for yonks. Couple all of that with a computer addiction and you get this sort of colourful concoction!

Brushtail possum and baby #image

Brushtail possum_0954
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

In case you don't get why they are called brushtails, check these tails out...

Local Aussie orb weaving spider - Nephila #image

Nephila_0959a
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

Just another pic of my local orb weaver. This local Nephila spider catches flying insects up to cicada size in a massive, complex master web. The web is strong enough to stop an unaware human in their tracks and make them back out real fast. Not that they'd actually hurt a large mammal like us - but a small bird could find itself in trouble.

Rainbow lorikeet at close range #image

Lorikeet_0939
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

Get close, focus manually and click. Autofocus works most of the time but manual focus gives you more control over exactly what you are focusing on... especially so when there is clutter around, or your object is moving... or could move. But always get as close as you can.

King parrot in flight...

King parrot_0830a
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

Finally I got the (manual) focus right - or very close! This male King parrot is coming in closer for a feed and (at last) I have got the focus and shutter speeds right(ish). With some help from a small flash to capture the action....

Hint: autofocus is useless with moving objects at close range. Instead set your focus at a fixed point and wait until the action reaches that spot. Then time your 'click' for that instant. (Yes, it can be frustrating but hey, digital 'film' is cheap, or is that 'cheep'?

Old tech - 35mm slide copier

35mm slide copier_0721
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

In the analog era we used photo-sensitive film emulsions to capture images - bizarre but true. This slide copier was simple to use. The slide (or transparency if you prefer) goes in one end of the barrel, the camera is bayoneted to the opposite end. A lighting source shines through a translucent panel, illuminates the slide and you go 'click' on ye old 35mm SLR. Instant copy. Well it would be instant if you didn't have to develop the film.

The weirdest thing

No idea_0751
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

It's got six legs but lots of pseudo legs as well. It's got 2 horns, too! (They almost look like antlers.) It's also kinda furry, but not especially cute. It's small, about finger-nail size. It looked like a caterpillar in a cocoon at first, until it got up and walked away. It's a - I have no idea.

OK, I do have an idea - it's an ant lion larva. We have lots of them around here, buried in their sandy up-turned cone-shaped traps, but this is the first time I've actually seen one up close and personal. Frankly it's the weirdest looking thing!

Rainbow Lorikeet

Lorikeet_0912
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

The Central Coast of NSW is alive with parrots, like this Rainbow Lorikeet that's hanging around, hoping for some seed. They are photogenic little guys, and feisty too. They tend to travel in 2s or 3s but a flock of 10 or 15 is not uncommon. They will push in and takeover a seed bowl and aren't afraid of much larger birds when food's on offer.

Rainbow Lorikeet

Lorikeet_0912
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

The Central Coast of NSW is alive with parrots, like this Rainbow Lorikeet that's hanging around, hoping for some seed. They are photogenic little guys, and feisty too. They tend to travel in 2s or 3s but a flock of 10 or 15 is not uncommon. They will push in and takeover a seed bowl and aren't afraid of much larger birds when food's on offer.

Very old cockatoo waiting it out

Very old cockatoo_0799a
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

He's a Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, although his crest is looking a bit thin. He's probably over 60 years old, or perhaps has had a very hard life! The beak has overgrown to the point where it overlaps and crosses over itself. It can't be easy getting food with that arrangement. Having survived many hot days this Aussie summer he's now seeking shelter from the rain... you can't win, can you?

Nephila and bee

Nephila and bee_0776b
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

My 2 year old son and I watched a bee fly into this orb weaver's web. In 20 seconds it was paralysed, in a minute it was half-wrapped in silk. Not great for the bee but a nice meal for the spider.

Channel Billed Cuckoos

Channel Billed Cuckoos_0771c
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

These cuckoos are just driving their surrogate mum crazy, begging her for food. She's got to realise soon that it's an impossible task!

Blue pool cover

Blue pool cover_0790a
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

Just thought I'd capture the old blue pool cover before it's gone... and Photoshop it a bit, of course.

Huntsman in my garden

Huntsman_0649b
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

Well I assume it's a huntsman. It's the most spectacular I've seen - with great hairy 'spines' and rather impressive colours. And boy oh boy, do they move fast! Fortunately they stop and "freeze" for a while so getting up close wasn't too hard...

Christmas beetle take 2

Christmas beetle_0627a
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

A close-up wasn't a problem, either!

Christmas beetle

Christmas beetle_0631b
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

It blundered past my lens, as beetles do, so I scooped it up and put it on some light-coloured foam for an instant photo-shoot. Being slow and ponderous (the beetle, not me!) it wasn't hard to take a few quick shots and pop it back in the wild...

Abstract in red and blue

abstract_s2841b
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

Give me a mouse, a tablet and pen, and Photoshop, and I shall rule the world...or at least create an entirely new world of my own!

That Lorikeet stare

Lorikeet stare_0478a
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

Up close and personal with a daily visitor.

King parrot - again

King parrot_0361
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

I took a few shots of these King parrots as they fed. The free feed lured them in, then I slowly crept closer as they grew more confident in my presence. Being a shy bird they don't hang around if there's excessive noise or other threatening activity nearby - so stealthiness is important.

Alfa GTV Amaroo Park 1979

Alfa GTV Amaroo 79b1
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

It started life as a 35mm transparency, then scanned and modified in Photoshop... until it became this moody, woozy sort of half-inked, half-blurred look. It could be good, I can't judge. I like it!

King parrot

King parrot_0357
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

Get close - first rule of photography. I guess it should be 'as close as you can, safely'. In the case of a King parrot there is little danger to you, no matter how close you get. It's more a case of how close you can get before the bird senses danger and flies away...