# Photo of the Day - November 2021



## Clix Pix

Hey, how about that, I remembered this time.....  It's a new month, time to flip the calendar page over and start shooting and posting in November!

Cormorants contemplating their next move in the pouring rain we had a couple of days ago:


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## Clix Pix

Oops, looks as though I've been forgetting to put photos in here!

Messing around one day with colors:


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## fooferdoggie

one of our orchids that grow in a jar.


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## Herdfan

Here are a couple.  Not great pics, but some historical perspective.

The first one is overlooking downtown Williamson, WV and looking out towards Belfry, KY.  The picture was shot from the top of Death Rock which is a local hiking destination.  Local lore says it got its name when the daughter of an Indian Chief fell in love with a white man.  When her father did not sanction the relationship, she was so distraught she climbed to the top and threw herself to her death.

The second one is how coal mining was done in the 1930' and 40's.  These are called auger holes and the coal was extracted to a depth of 30-40 feet by large auger bits that drilled into the hillside.  This was the precursor to what is now known as highwall mining.

Was really surprised at a lack of color.  Fall has been kind of drab this year from either too much/too little rain, too hot early/late or any other number of reasons.


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## Apple fanboy




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## Eric

Herdfan said:


> Here are a couple.  Not great pics, but some historical perspective.
> 
> The first one is overlooking downtown Williamson, WV and looking out towards Belfry, KY.  The picture was shot from the top of Death Rock which is a local hiking destination.  Local lore says it got its name when the daughter of an Indian Chief fell in love with a white man.  When her father did not sanction the relationship, she was so distraught she climbed to the top and threw herself to her death.
> 
> The second one is how coal mining was done in the 1930' and 40's.  These are called auger holes and the coal was extracted to a depth of 30-40 feet by large auger bits that drilled into the hillside.  This was the precursor to what is now known as highwall mining.
> 
> Was really surprised at a lack of color.  Fall has been kind of drab this year from either too much/too little rain, too hot early/late or any other number of reasons.
> 
> View attachment 9618View attachment 9619



Interesting and educational, thanks for sharing.


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## Apple fanboy




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## fooferdoggie




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## Eric

Playing with my new Sony A7R III, nothing too spectacular about this shot, just testing the color and crop factor, this was taken with my Cannon 70-200 2.8 L lens and after cropping I was able to pull this kind of clarity from across the yard. It's definitely a step up from the Canon 6D MKII.


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## Clix Pix

Congratulations, Eric, on the A7R III!   You'll love it!   The crop factor is great on all of the A7R series cameras.    I remember when I was first mulling over moving to mirrorless, I was looking at the A7III and then had decided that for the kind shooting I do that the A7R III would be better suited to my needs.   By the time I was ready to arrive at a decision the A7R IV was announced so then I waited a while for it to come out, be reviewed and in in users' hands, before finally making the leap.   I never regretted switching from Nikon to Sony.  I've been very, very happy with my Sony bodies and lenses. 

Oops, almost forgot to include a shot.....   Taken last evening from my deck.  I remembered from last fall how the trees at the foot of the lake behind the condo buildings there turned yellow/gold this time of year, so waited patiently for that to happen again this year, and finally, yay, at last, the "golden hour" arrived and the trees glowed......


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## Clix Pix

Took a walk around the lake this afternoon and ran into one of the neighbors:


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## Citysnaps

Kitty teeth.


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## Clix Pix

Hello and welcome!  I assume with a user name like yours you're a fellow photography enthusiast?    Interesting shot!


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## Citysnaps

Clix Pix said:


> Hello and welcome!  I assume with a user name like yours you're a fellow photography enthusiast?    Interesting shot!




Thank you!  I am a photographer, but mostly make urban photographs; people, usually strangers, and their environments.


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## Clix Pix

Nice to have you with us!    Although I live not far from a city (Washington, DC), I tend to shoot more nature, closeups and macro, with an occasional landscape or so.....


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## Eric

citypix said:


> Thank you!  I am a photographer, but mostly make urban photographs; people, usually strangers, and their environments.



Welcome! I'm a huge fan of urban photos myself so will be glad to see your stuff. You can see some of my stuff here  https://www.instagram.com/thurber_shots/ I don't really do much with people but love urban landscapes and street photography.


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## Citysnaps

Eric said:


> Welcome! I'm a huge fan of urban photos myself so will be glad to see your stuff. You can see some of my stuff here  https://www.instagram.com/thurber_shots/ I don't really do much with people but love urban landscapes and street photography.




Thanx, Eric - appreciate it!  I went to your link and for the 10 seconds I was able to see your photos, I saw some really great ones.  After 10 seconds an IG window popped asking for login credentials (I'm not a member) and wouldn't let me get beyond that.


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## Citysnaps

Eric said:


> Welcome! I'm a huge fan of urban photos myself so will be glad to see your stuff. You can see some of my stuff here  https://www.instagram.com/thurber_shots/ I don't really do much with people but love urban landscapes and street photography.




Also... It looked like some of your photos were in SF.  That's where I've made most of mine.  I live down the peninsula.


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## Eric

citypix said:


> Thanx, Eric - appreciate it!  I went to your link and for the 10 seconds I was able to see your photos, I saw some really great ones.  After 10 seconds an IG window popped asking for login credentials (I'm not a member) and wouldn't let me get beyond that.



Thanks, yeah that can be frustrating with IG. Nice to know you're from the area, I was born and raised in Daly City, moved to Oregon for a while and ended up back in the area, it will always be home to me.


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## Citysnaps

A little street drama in downtown San Francisco,  before the pandemic.


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## Clix Pix

Something shot this afternoon:  a male Hooded Merganser and two females (the other male was following at somewhat of a distance so didn't get into the frame):


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## User.45

Clix Pix said:


> Oops, looks as though I've been forgetting to put photos in here!
> 
> Messing around one day with colors:
> 
> View attachment 9607



Looks like trouble on funduscopy (papilledema). Last time I've seen it this bad, it was syphilis of the eye.






(When you hold the funduscope it looks even more like the photo of @Clix Pix because the hand tremor blurs it)


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## Clix Pix

AIEEEEE!!!!!!     But, yep, I do see a resemblance......     LOL!


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## User.45

Clix Pix said:


> AIEEEEE!!!!!!     But, yep, I do see a resemblance......     LOL!



Yeah, it was quite unexpected, but we helped keep the person's eyesight. 

Now you've gotta tell me. What is on the picture?


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## fooferdoggie

makes me feel cold.


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## Clix Pix

P_X said:


> Yeah, it was quite unexpected, but we helped keep the person's eyesight.
> 
> Now you've gotta tell me. What is on the picture?




Hee, hee......Well, one day I noticed the light shining in a certain way and producing nice colors on an object that was out on a table, so I grabbed the iPhone, which was handiest, and took a couple of shots.  Later I got around to looking at the shots and while I liked the colors, the actual subject was rather blah and the overall photo uninteresting.  I have this software program called "Optics," which has all kinds of interesting filters and effects, so just for fun I took the image into that and played around with one of the Blur effects, decided I liked it and that was that!    I am not a big fan of manipulating images and using gimmicky effects and filters and such, but once in a while it is kind of fun just to play around with.    Most of the time I do not like images which are nothing but all-over softness and blur, because they make me feel as though I need to make an appointment with my ophthalmologist immediately.  LOL!     IMHO, ideally an image should have at least some, even a tiny narrow in-focus point upon which the eye can land and use as an anchor  so to speak, rather than everything being soft and blurry.  All blur and nothing upon which to actually focus can feel like a one-way trip into major Cataract City......   And, yes, at my age, I'm already headed that way anyway, got 'em growing already in my eyes,  so I don't appreciate reminders of it when someone presents a totally fuzzy, blurry image!


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## Clix Pix

fooferdoggie said:


> makes me feel cold.
> View attachment 9683




You have snow already in Portland?


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## fooferdoggie

Clix Pix said:


> You have snow already in Portland?



no that's why it makes me feel cold. we have rain and 55 degrees.


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## Eric

Taken in the yard this morning, still getting my settings dialed in for the new Sony AR7 III. This was in shutter priority at 1/1250, ISO 640 at f/2.8 using my existing Canon lens on the CM-11 mount. At 42 MP I am able to get a ton of detail at near full crop, it's an amazing camera.


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## Clix Pix

Pssst, Eric!  We're now in the month of November, so I think you might want to put your image there instead of in October.....


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## Clix Pix

Did you shoot this photo last year or find a photo somewhere that someone else had shot in a location where they do have snow now?    Remember, the POTD thread is meant only for photos we ourselves have taken....      I just realized that there would be no way for anyone to know that if they were new coming to this thread, so I've now added a brief statement to the first post in this thread.


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## Pumbaa

Clix Pix said:


> Pssst, Eric!  We're now in the month of November, so I think you might want to put your image there instead of in October.....



Not surprised he has a problem with months when he can’t deal with quarters.


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## Eric

Clix Pix said:


> Pssst, Eric!  We're now in the month of November, so I think you might want to put your image there instead of in October.....



Yes, I get confused easily.  Fixed.


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## fooferdoggie

Clix Pix said:


> Did you shoot this photo last year or find a photo somewhere that someone else had shot in a location where they do have snow now?    Remember, the POTD thread is meant only for photos we ourselves have taken....      I just realized that there would be no way for anyone to know that if they were new coming to this thread, so I've now added a brief statement to the first post in this thread.I think two years ago.



calm down i took it a couple years ago.


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## fooferdoggie

start of a nice dry commute this morning. it was 55 so i roasted in my rain gear.


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## Eric

fooferdoggie said:


> start of a nice dry commute this morning. it was 55 so i roasted in my rain gear.
> View attachment 9689



This was one of my main reasons for leaving Oregon, it's grey or rainy for a large part of the year (an average of 222 days) and while some don't mind it, I found it to be a bummer. Where I'm at in CA is really hot in the summer but the rest of the year is nice, sunny and mild for the most part.


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## fooferdoggie

Eric said:


> This was one of my main reasons for leaving Oregon, it's grey or rainy for a large part of the year (an average of 222 days) and while some don't mind it, I found it to be a bummer. Where I'm at in CA is really hot in the summer but the rest of the year is nice, sunny and mild for the most part.



if you can breathe (G)


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## Citysnaps

Impromptu street portrait, downtown San Francisco.


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## Eric

citypix said:


> Impromptu street portrait, downtown San Francisco.
> 
> View attachment 9694



Impromptu is a perfect description here lol, did she see it coming?


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## Citysnaps

Eric said:


> Impromptu is a perfect description here lol, did she see it coming?




For me... when making photographs of strangers on the street, it's more about it being engaged or candid. 

Engaged means I approached a person, engaged in some conversation getting to know them a little, and then make a few portraits.  Within that scope (and again for me...), impromptu means I didn't pose my subject as in the case above with Jerome. Often I pose subjects to get better or more interesting environmental context or nicer light.

Candid is when there is no engagement, such as in yesterday's photo at Powell and Market, in that case with multiple subjects. I see an interesting situation, bring the camera to my eye, and wait for a good moment to release the shutter. 

There really aren't any rules, it's just the way I do it.


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## Clix Pix

The guys hanging out in the 'hood:


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## Clix Pix

Across the lake from where I am there is a partly-submerged log in the water  which has now parked itself near the shoreline and the walking path on that side of the lake.  The geese, ducks, turtles and even Alfred have hung out there from time to time.   When I was out walking around a couple of days ago one of the geese clambered up onto the log, and didn't seemed concerned about my close proximity.   I started firing away in silent mode and he or she wasn't bothered in the least.


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## Citysnaps

Downtown San Francisco, pre-pandemic.


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## Clix Pix




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## Citysnaps

A fogbow, at Ocean Beach in San Francisco.


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## shadow puppet

I mentioned in the "What are you doing today" thread I was giving the Labrador kid a bath today.  "Someone" was caught guilty as heck  digging in the garden.  This is why it's bath day.  Please forgive bad iPhone 6 quality photo.


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## Eric

Just going to leave a void here because I got up at 3:00 AM to drive 2.5 hours to catch the sunrise from Grizzly Peak (a hilltop in the bay area) to get a view of the city with the fog rolling through it. I've attempted this shot maybe 6 or 7 times and not a single time have I been able to get a decent keeper. I just don't have the gear to get what I want from that distance so I'm admitting defeat.

I'm rarely this disappointed but it sucks when I plan it all out for the best odds and nothing turns out. 

Here's an example from a wonderful photographer



Spoiler: Example


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## fooferdoggie




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## Clix Pix

Eric said:


> Just going to leave a void here because I got up at 3:00 AM to drive 2.5 hours to catch the sunrise from Grizzly Peak (a hilltop in the bay area) to get a view of the city with the fog rolling through it. I've attempted this shot maybe 6 or 7 times and not a single time have I been able to get a decent keeper. I just don't have the gear to get what I want from that distance so I'm admitting defeat.
> 
> I'm rarely this disappointed but it sucks when I plan it all out for the best odds and nothing turns out.
> 
> Here's an example from a wonderful photographer
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Example




Eric, so sorry you had such a disappointing experience!   That's so upsetting when you know what you want to shoot and achieve and then just can't get the shot you envision......


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## Citysnaps

Eric said:


> Just going to leave a void here because I got up at 3:00 AM to drive 2.5 hours to catch the sunrise from Grizzly Peak (a hilltop in the bay area) to get a view of the city with the fog rolling through it. I've attempted this shot maybe 6 or 7 times and not a single time have I been able to get a decent keeper. I just don't have the gear to get what I want from that distance so I'm admitting defeat.
> 
> I'm rarely this disappointed but it sucks when I plan it all out for the best odds and nothing turns out.
> 
> Here's an example from a wonderful photographer
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Example




That’s a real bummer. But…what I’m hearing, is your standards are really high and you’re picky. And that’s good; especially in photography. You’ve got a vision and you’ll get there. And when you do you’ll be super jazzed and appreciate the effort it took to make an amazing once-a-year (or maybe even in a lifetime) photo.  Don’t give up!


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## Eric

citypix said:


> That’s a real bummer. But…what I’m hearing, is your standards are really high and you’re picky. And that’s good; especially in photography. You’ve got a vision and you’ll get there. And when you do you’ll be super jazzed and appreciate the effort it took to make an amazing once-a-year (or maybe even in a lifetime) photo.  Don’t give up!



I'm just conceding this shot, I typically take this sort of thing in stride and in most cases have to revisit several times and shoot again before I get exactly what I want and it's always a good learning experience. This is just one with too many variables based on conditions, time of day, etc. (especially high winds with longer exposures). Without a really HQ long prime lens I don't think I'll get it. 

No biggie though, I don't mean to be whiny about it I just got frustrated today is all lol.


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## fooferdoggie




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## Citysnaps

That's Ahmad and this is what he does during his lunch break running down Market Street in San Francisco. I've watched him jump over trash cans, newspaper racks, and barriers. I wouldn't be shocked if he could jump over a Mini Cooper.


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## Eric

citypix said:


> That's Ahmad and this is what he does during his lunch break running down Market Street in San Francisco. I've watched him jump over trash cans, newspaper racks, and barriers. I wouldn't be shocked if he could jump over a Mini Cooper.
> 
> View attachment 9774



Wow, great action shot here and not easy to capture, well done on the depth of focus and stopping the motion.


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## Citysnaps

Eric said:


> Wow, great action shot here and not easy to capture, well done on the depth of focus and stopping the motion.




Thanks. From watching him for a bit I knew he'd be jumping over that trash can, so I just locked focus on the can and waited for him to fly over it. 

When you're late for the train and seconds count:


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## Eric

Gonna share this for the sheer reason that I spent all that time driving there and setting up, not a keeper by my standards but good enough to share on a message board.


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## Clix Pix

Eric said:


> I'm just conceding this shot, I typically take this sort of thing in stride and in most cases have to revisit several times and shoot again before I get exactly what I want and it's always a good learning experience. This is just one with too many variables based on conditions, time of day, etc. (especially high winds with longer exposures). Without a really HQ long prime lens I don't think I'll get it.
> 
> No biggie though, I don't mean to be whiny about it I just got frustrated today is all lol.




It happens to all of us!   I was trying to shoot something one day in the middle of the Octoberfest project on Nikon Cafe and got so, so frustrated because I knew what I wanted but nothing was working out right.....and like you, I finally just threw in the towel.   Instead, I shot something completely different -- we had to submit a fresh photo every day of the month of October -- and grumbled about my problem with the other image on there.  Several people had experienced similar difficulties and commiserated.


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## Pumbaa

Eric said:


> Gonna share this for the sheer reason that I spent all that time driving there and setting up, not a keeper by my standards but good enough to share on a message board.



Depends on the message board. Some have standards.


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## Clix Pix

Here I got kind of artsy with the editing because the original shot wasn't that great -- I'd missed focus because the encounter was a bit too unexpected, but when looking at the images later I studied the light pattern for a bit and realized that I could get something interesting out of this after all.....


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## lizkat

Eric said:


> Gonna share this for the sheer reason that I spent all that time driving there and setting up, not a keeper by my standards but good enough to share on a message board.
> 
> View attachment 9787




I actually like your shot better than the one you cited as an example.


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## Eric

Shot with the Canon 70-200 2.8 MKIII lens on my Sony AR7 III body. This one let me get within 10 feet which doesn't happen often.


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## Citysnaps

Eric said:


> Shot with the Canon 70-200 2.8 MKIII lens on my Sony AR7 III body. This one let me get within 10 feet which doesn't happen often.
> 
> View attachment 9802




Whoa!  That's gorgeous!


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## fooferdoggie




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## Citysnaps

San Francisco, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.


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## Eric

citypix said:


> San Francisco, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.



Very cool, I recognized the spot immediately. Also love the fog, the conditions there are so dynamic.


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## Citysnaps

Eric said:


> Very cool, I recognized the spot immediately. Also love the fog, the conditions there are so dynamic.




I love making photos in the Ocean Beach area. Though Louis' closing after being in business since 1937 bummed me out, where I used to enjoy an old-school breakfast.


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## Clix Pix




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## Eric

citypix said:


> I love making photos in the Ocean Beach area. Though Louis' closing after being in business since 1937 bummed me out, where I used to enjoy an old-school breakfast.



I really like that you're using lands end as the backdrop and not the ocean to her left, which is what everyone else does, IMO this is far more interesting and has a compelling noir feel to it.

When we look back at the history over there it's sort of sad to see what it's become. With the Sutro baths, Playland and the pier, that place was THE entertainment hub for the city for decades and in the last 100 years has completely fallen into disrepair, closing the Cliff House was the final nail in the coffin IMO. Love the area and the natural beauty, it's just too bad how it's all played out.


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## Eric

fooferdoggie said:


> View attachment 9805



An antivax family.


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## Citysnaps

Early morning San Francisco skyline. From Alcatraz.


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## Eric

citypix said:


> Early morning San Francisco skyline. From Alcatraz.
> 
> View attachment 9827



Wow, very nice!


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## Clix Pix




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## Citysnaps

The plaza where Powell and Market streets meet, cable cars turn around, and  people occasionally dance. In San Francisco.


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## fooferdoggie




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## Eric

citypix said:


> The plaza where Powell and Market streets meet, cable cars turn around, and  people occasionally dance. In San Francisco.
> 
> 
> View attachment 9845



Another wonderful capture!


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## Citysnaps

Eric said:


> Another wonderful capture!




Thanx, Eric.  And your photo up above is so adorable! 

Powell & Market used to be loaded with people at almost any time of the day - a great place to make photos.  Today I hear it's pretty sparse with the pandemic.


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## Eric

citypix said:


> Thanx, Eric.  And your photo up above is so adorable!
> 
> Powell & Market used to be loaded with people at almost any time of the day - a great place to make photos.  Today I hear it's pretty sparse with the pandemic.



Not sure if it's something that would interest you but I'm hosting a Meetup for December 5th where we'll be photographing the King Tides from two locations, the Embarcadero and Pacifica Pier. I just put it up this morning but if it's anything like my last one there will likely be a pretty large group, lots of opportunities for candids as people always try to outrun the waves.


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## Citysnaps

Eric said:


> Not sure if it's something that would interest you but I'm hosting a Meetup for December 5th where we'll be photographing the King Tides from two locations, the Embarcadero and Pacifica Pier. I just put it up this morning but if it's anything like my last one there will likely be a pretty large group, lots of opportunities for candids as people always try to outrun the waves.




That sounds pretty neat!  If things go right, we're going to be hitting the road for a few days then - to get out of the Bay Area and see something different. So need to pass on that.  Stay safe with those breaking tides!


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## Clix Pix

Yesterday afternoon while I was shooting the Hooded Mergansers someone went soaring past and it was Alfred, so I promptly turned my attention and the lens in his direction as he was heading for a spot from which to fish.    I absolutely adore this A1 camera -- with its high frame rate I can capture so much more action than I used to be able to do, and the fast AF grabs and holds focus beautifully while tracking a moving subject.


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## Citysnaps

Clix Pix said:


> Yesterday afternoon while I was shooting the Hooded Mergansers someone went soaring past and it was Alfred, so I promptly turned my attention and the lens in his direction as he was heading for a spot from which to fish.    I absolutely adore this A1 camera -- with its high frame rate I can capture so much more action than I used to be able to do, and the fast AF grabs and holds focus beautifully while tracking a moving subject.
> 
> View attachment 9849




Stunning capture and so beautiful!


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## Clix Pix

Thank you, Citypix!   Since you're new here, allow me to introduce you to my favorite "neighbor."  This is our resident Great Blue Heron (GBH) who has been around for several years now and I've named him "Alfred".   I love being able to get shots of him, and last year I was pretty lucky.    Lately we haven't seen much of him so I was tickled when out of the corner of my eye I saw movement and when I checked realized it was indeed Alfred.   I have other shots which I haven't processed yet, but this one immediately stood out.    

Needless to say, I did need to do some judicious cropping in PP, though, he wasn't as close as he appears!   The A1, 200-600mm [AKA "The Bazooka"] and 1.4x TC make a great combo, though.    I was surprised that I didn't have much trouble hand-holding it, as that is an awkward and rather heavy lens that I normally put on the tripod.    However, when I looked out the sliding glass door and saw that the Hooded Mergansers were pretty close to my deck I decided to just go with handholding as I knew that by the time I hauled the tripod out there and got the lens comfortably settled on it that the subjects would have long since disappeared -- they're very skittish little guys.   As it was they did move away pretty quickly when I did get out there, camera and lens in hand.  Even silent shooting wasn't enough to keep them from going further away  to where they felt safer.   I was pleased that I could capture a few shots, though.   I guess my regular jaunts around the neighborhood carrying the 100-400mm (somewhat lighter and smaller than the Bazooka, but not that much so) have paid off!


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## Eric

Clix Pix said:


> Thank you, Citypix!   Since you're new here, allow me to introduce you to my favorite "neighbor."  This is our resident Great Blue Heron (GBH) who has been around for several years now and I've named him "Alfred".   I love being able to get shots of him, and last year I was pretty lucky.    Lately we haven't seen much of him so I was tickled when out of the corner of my eye I saw movement and when I checked realized it was indeed Alfred.   I have other shots which I haven't processed yet, but this one immediately stood out.
> 
> Needless to say, I did need to do some judicious cropping in PP, though, he wasn't as close as he appears!   The A1, 200-600mm [AKA "The Bazooka"] and 1.4x TC make a great combo, though.    I was surprised that I didn't have much trouble hand-holding it, as that is an awkward and rather heavy lens that I normally put on the tripod.    However, when I looked out the sliding glass door and saw that the Hooded Mergansers were pretty close to my deck I decided to just go with handholding as I knew that by the time I hauled the tripod out there and got the lens comfortably settled on it that the subjects would have long since disappeared -- they're very skittish little guys.   As it was they did move away pretty quickly when I did get out there, camera and lens in hand.  Even silent shooting wasn't enough to keep them from going further away  to where they felt safer.   I was pleased that I could capture a few shots, though.   I guess my regular jaunts around the neighborhood carrying the 100-400mm (somewhat lighter and smaller than the Bazooka, but not that much so) have paid off!



We've all come to know and love Alfred!


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## Citysnaps

Practicing for the rapture. Don't be late!


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## Eric

citypix said:


> Practicing for the rapture. Don't be late!
> 
> View attachment 9867



Wow, is that recent?


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## Citysnaps

Eric said:


> Wow, is that recent?




No, maybe five or so years ago!


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## Eric

citypix said:


> No, maybe five or so years ago!



Even then that's nuts, how people do that daily is beyond me. I haven't ridden BART since the early 90s, I'll deal with traffic and parking issues to drive instead lol.


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## Clix Pix

Female Hooded Merganser


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## fooferdoggie

granddaughter playing with her new toys on her birthday. everyone was sticking these on their heads.


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## Eric

Stayed up for the eclipse (until 1 AM) but the clouds moved in and blocked out the sky. However, I was able to get this shot earlier as the clouds were moving in.


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## Citysnaps

San Francisco's Excelsior neighborhood.


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## User.45

citypix said:


> San Francisco's Excelsior neighborhood.
> 
> View attachment 9893



I was wondering where you found these interesting scenes. Then I realized it's SF and suddenly all makes sense.


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## Clix Pix

Male Hooded Merganser about to take the plunge underwater to find himself something to eat:


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## Citysnaps

San Francisco.


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## Clix Pix

Eureka!  Alfred finds the perfect fishing spot!


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## fooferdoggie




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## Citysnaps

San Francisco, pre-pandemic.


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## Clix Pix




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## lizkat

Eric said:


> Even then that's nuts, how people do that daily is beyond me. I haven't ridden BART since the early 90s, I'll deal with traffic and parking issues to drive instead lol.




Ah ya miss all the fun that way.   Back in the 60s in NYC the Transit Authority even had platform "conductors" _*also known as meatpackers*_ to make sure all train cars were what the TA euphemistically called "fully occupied" during the rush hours. Eventually they realized the passengers would pack themselves in, no platform conductors required.

Not my photo...  but definitely meets my recollection.


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## Chew Toy McCoy

Caught in my front yard. I just happened to have an available enclosure on hand and a fresh batch of crickets to feast on.


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## fooferdoggie




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## Eric

Hawk from one of the nearby country roads, they like to stick to the fence posts so it makes them easy targets but they're skittish so you can only get so close.


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## fooferdoggie




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## Citysnaps

Ocean Beach, San Francisco. Pre-pandemic.


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## Clix Pix

A quintet of male Hooded Mergansers:


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## Clix Pix

From earlier in the month:


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## Citysnaps

San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood. Pre-pandemic.


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## Citysnaps

Mission neighborhood, San Francisco.


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## Clix Pix




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## fooferdoggie

a ride to a very rich part of town. but my route I made went through a private road to get where I wanted so I changed plans. but a good view.






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## Citysnaps




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## Clix Pix

Yesterday's mild and sunny weather was being enjoyed by everyone, including the Hooded Mergansers, who were frolicking around on the lake.  This little guy was really full of energy, just rocking and rolling, splashing and splashing away!  It was fun watching him and the others!


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## Citysnaps




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## Apple fanboy




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## Clix Pix




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## Chew Toy McCoy

Was restacking some wood at our cabin on Thanksgiving and came across this little fella.  About 1.5".


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## Citysnaps

Stanford University Dish loop.


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## Apple fanboy




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## Clix Pix




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## lizkat

Apple fanboy said:


> View attachment 10081




How did you get that angle?!


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## Apple fanboy

lizkat said:


> How did you get that angle?!



6 inch high tripod lying on my lawn.


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## Eric

This is HWY 1 near Half Moon Bay in the Bay Area, this was a test run so I know exactly where to be to get this shot during sunset to get a real keeper with the burning color in the sky/horizon. Got the composition and focal range I want so I'm good to go, I'll be attempting next weekend.


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## fooferdoggie

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## Clix Pix




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## Citysnaps




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## fooferdoggie

A foggy night on our bike ride 






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## fooferdoggie

A foggy night on our bike ride


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## Citysnaps

Ocean Beach, San Francisco.


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## Clix Pix




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## Chew Toy McCoy

Eric said:


> This is HWY 1 near Half Moon Bay in the Bay Area, this was a test run so I know exactly where to be to get this shot during sunset to get a real keeper with the burning color in the sky/horizon. Got the composition and focal range I want so I'm good to go, I'll be attempting next weekend.
> 
> View attachment 10094



Damn utility poles and wires.  Are you planning to digitally remove them or shoot from a different location?


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## Chew Toy McCoy

Another critter discovered while restacking logs, quite camouflaged at the top of the rock with that lighting. 

Since both are cold blooded I most likely disturbed their brumation and neither put up much of a fight being handled.  After this photo I put the lizard on a rock in the sun and they scurried off after about 10 minutes of thawing out.


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## Eric

Chew Toy McCoy said:


> Damn utility poles and wires.  Are you planning to digitally remove them or shoot from a different location?



This is really the only location to capture this shot right and believe me, it took a lot of time to figure out just the right angle, lens, focal length, etc. This was a planned shoot all the way, including drive time, time of day and the actual quarter mile walk up the hill with all my gear to this spot as there is nowhere to park.

As far as the power lines, they're part of the landscape and I always include them, same goes for traffic lights, signs and all of that. The only modifications I ever make to my photos are color correction (profile) and basic post processing touchups. I will never add or remove artifacts.


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## Chew Toy McCoy

Eric said:


> As far as the power lines, they're part of the landscape and I always include them, same goes for traffic lights, signs and all of that. The only modifications I ever make to my photos are color correction (profile) and basic post processing touchups. I will never add or remove artifacts.




That could probably be a discussion for its own topic.  I'm kind of on the fence (should I digitally remove the fence?) on capturing nature scenes with man-made objects basically ruining the nature of it.  Your location is kind of an extreme example, but a lot of times I find myself getting irritated when trying to frame a nature shot and am unable to keep a utility line or two out of frame.  

The funny thing is you probably don't even notice it that much when just looking around with your eyeballs but as soon as you capture it in a picture they really stand out.


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## Eric

Chew Toy McCoy said:


> That could probably be a discussion for its own topic.  I'm kind of on the fence (should I digitally remove the fence?) on capturing nature scenes with man-made objects basically ruining the nature of it.  Your location is kind of an extreme example, but a lot of times I find myself getting irritated when trying to frame a nature shot and am unable to keep a utility line or two out of frame.
> 
> The funny thing is you probably don't even notice it that much when just looking around with your eyeballs but as soon as you capture it in a picture they really stand out.



I get that perspective and can see where some may want to do that, it's just not for me. In the bay area especially you're going to see this sort of thing everywhere and IMO it's just part of the aesthetic for better or worse. Someone else brought this up in my Reddit post as well but for the most part people don't seem too concerned with it.

The attachment is another good example, I took out a group of photographers for this shoot and some were looking for ways to get the bridge without traffic lights and signs instead of simply incorporating them. All of these things are part of the area, I prefer to celebrate them and show them for what they are.


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## Chew Toy McCoy

Eric said:


> I get that perspective and can see where some may want to do that, it's just not for me. In the bay area especially you're going to see this sort of thing everywhere and IMO it's just part of the aesthetic for better or worse. Someone else brought this up in my Reddit post as well but for the most part people don't seem too concerned with it.
> 
> The attachment is another good example, I took out a group of photographers for this shoot and some were looking for ways to get the bridge without traffic lights and signs instead of simply incorporating them. All of these things are part of the area, I prefer to celebrate them and show them for what they are.




That's a great city picture.  I think I would be less concerned about manmade action and clutter in a city photo because that's just part of the setting.  

I'm in no way a professional photographer or aiming to be one, but I sometimes think in terms of if a picture would look good in a gallery setting, especially critical of nature pictures.  I don't know if there is a formula, official or not, but I could see a picture that includes a road that would also be ok with utility poles in the shot, but not ok when it's largely waves crashing on a shore and there's a dumpster in the frame.   So by formula, I mean there's a percentage that a photo will include manmade items but at some point there shouldn't be any manmade items.


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## Citysnaps

Eric said:


> I get that perspective and can see where some may want to do that, it's just not for me. In the bay area especially you're going to see this sort of thing everywhere and IMO it's just part of the aesthetic for better or worse. Someone else brought this up in my Reddit post as well but for the most part people don't seem too concerned with it.
> 
> The attachment is another good example, I took out a group of photographers for this shoot and some were looking for ways to get the bridge without traffic lights and signs instead of simply incorporating them. All of these things are part of the area, I prefer to celebrate them and show them for what they are.




As they say, to each their own.

It's not for me, though I've removed extraneous elements a long time ago when I was getting started. It's certainly easy to do.  I guess I viewed that as a challenge and wanting to make things "perfect."  

Now..for me, the challenge is trying to get things as close to right as possible, including elements I want or don't want in the frame, at the time of exposure. Or using elements in a different way that adds. Or keeping some elements in the shadows to promote mystery/heaviness/gravitas, hopefully posing questions and conjuring potential narratives/stories  in a viewer's mind. I often chop off heads or left faces/people drop in the shadows (like below) when I think it might promote a better narrative.

Best piece of advice I ever received from a fellow photographer, is being on board with the idea that photographs are _made_, rather than _taken_.







.


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## Clix Pix

I tend to remove what are in my opinion distracting elements if for whatever reason I cannot simply reposition myself and the camera,  frame and compose my image without them.....      We all have our own approach to this, eh?


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