autofantasia's photos

This one looked the part, but I did wonder if it might be a replica. However, for the sake of tagging it I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt ... unless you know otherwise.

Yet another gorgeous looking old Bug as seen at VW North West 2011 .

If I could marry a Beetle ...

Regular visitors to my photostream will know that I usually participate in the Sunday Challenge , but for a variety of reasons I've missed the last three. This week the challenge related to Dutch angle photography, a technique used to create or convey dramatic effects or portray a psychological uneasiness or tension in the subject being filmed. It's accomplished by simply tilting the camera so the horizon or subject is at an angle to the bottom of the frame of the shot and is something I often found myself doing before I even knew what it was called. Therefore, you'd think this would have been an easy week, but I'm afraid once again I didn't manage to get out with the camera. So, to avoid missing out again I've dipped into the archives and pulled out a previously unpublished shot, which I've then processed somewhat to add to the feeling of tension I was trying to convey. For those that are interested in these things the chuch in question is located in Harrogate and used to be called St. Mary's. According to Wikipedia the first church erected on the site had its foundation stone laid on 4 September, 1822 and was consecrated in 1825, but declared unsafe in 1903. The replacement church was built at the current site in 1916 to designs by the architect Walter Tapper and constructed in the 14th century English gothic style. Sadly, in 2007 closed as a parish church because of maintenance problems. More recently though it was revived by Mark Carey as a fresh expression of church, still within the Church of England, but now serving the whole of Harrogate and renamed as Kairos Church. Got to say though that when I was there recently the broken windows and boarded up doors made it look anything other than welcoming and I was left wondering if perhaps the project had failed. Please view on black for best effect.

Just me messing around in the 'processing room' once again.

The unmistakable lines of the Rallye Golf, which first appeared in 1989. Distinguishable by its box-flared wheel arches (similar to the Audi quattro, BMW E30 M3 and Lancia Delta Integrale) and rectangular projector headlamps. Only around 5,000 of these very powerful Golf variants were built and they cost twice as much as a base Golf GTI. Not too sure about the wheels the owner had fitted, but otherwise an exceptional looking car. Sadly, it no longer shows up on the DVLA records so it may not be around anymore.

Feast your eyes on this terrific collection of old Beetles as spotted at VW North West 2011 . The green one nearest the camera is from 1952 whilst the beige one next to it is a 1956 model ... absolutely beautiful. Couple of alternative versions from the 'processing room', one HDR and the other in a painterly style, can be found in the Notes.

Perhaps not old enough for some to be considered a classic, but this 2.8 litre powered VR6 is now over 20 years old and looked absolutely stunning.

The second of my panorama shots from our trip to Dalgety Bay and Queensferry. This one has been created from 17 (no that's not a typo) images stitched together in Photoshop and shows the full expanse of the infamous rail bridge that stretches across the River Forth. As with the last one the size and the detail in the original file is pretty impressive, but once again I've had to reduce it somewhat for upload which sadly means a lot of the detail is lost. Still, I hope there's enough left for you guys to get some enjoyment from seeing it. The Forth Bridge is a cantilever railway bridge and considered to be both an iconic structure and a symbol of Scotland. It was designed by the English engineers Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker, work on it began in 1882 and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With a total length of 8,094 feet (2,467m) it was the longest single cantilever bridge span in the world until 1917 when the Quebec Bridge in Canada was completed. It continues to be the world's second-longest single cantilever span and it was a pleasure to get time to photograph it. Please try it large on black for best effect.

When we went to Dalgety Bay earlier this year I managed to pop across to Queensferry to get some snaps and to have another go at panoramas. This is one such attempt and has been created from 8 images stitched together in Photoshop. The main subject of the shot is the existing road bridge that stretches across the River Forth. However, if you look closely you might be able to see the beginnings of the Queensferry Crossing. This bridge is being built alongside the existing Forth Road Bridge and will carry the M90 motorway across the Firth of Forth between South Queensferry and North Queensferry. You can read more about it by following the link below: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensferry_Crossing Please view large on black for best effect or go to View All Sizes.

Another 'nearly ran' for last week's Sunday Challenge , for which the theme was cats - real or otherwise . This is based on a shot of the one and only real cat I came across that week, but which has obviously been run through the 'processing room' on the way to posting to create a painterly effect. You'll find a copy of the original image in the Notes. Also for Sight and Sound ... youtu.be/VBdSqk78nHw youtu.be/Ga3I5DTIA-E

Detail of the front end of a 16V Corrado as seen at VW North West 2011 .

Yet another beautiful Corrado as seen at VW North West 2011 . This an example of the 16V model and this particular car was manufactured and registered back in 1990 ... and it's red too!

The Volkswagen Corrado is a sport compact car developed by Volkswagen and built at the Karmann factory in Osnabrück, Germany. Launched in late 1988 (three years before the end of Scirocco production) until 1995, it was seen by many as being the Mk3 Scirocco that never was. They even produced a limited edition model, which carried the 'Storm' badge that had previously been seen on ... you guessed it, the Scirocco. This particular one seen on the VW Corrado Club of Great Britain stand at VW North West 2011 is the much sought after VR6.

Another black Golf GTI as seen at VW North West 2011 , but this time a Mk2 from 1991. Interesting to compare it to the Mk1 from earlier ...

Yet another black Golf GTI as seen at VW North West 2011 , but this time a Mk1 from 1983.

What you might call a 'nearly ran' for this week's Sunday Challenge , which had the theme of cats - real or otherwise . This is based on a snapshot I took of a banner sign found outside a local Peugeot dealership, but it's been somewhat tweaked in the 'processing room' as you'll see if you check out the original in the Notes. Also for Sight and Sound ... what else, but The Circle of Life from The Lion King : youtu.be/GibiNy4d4gc youtu.be/8zLx_JtcQVI

For this week's Sunday Challenge , for which the theme this time around was cats - real or otherwise . Well, I'm afraid there's been a shortage of real cats to be found this week so I've elected to go with this formidable knocker in the shape of a lion's head which can be found on the front door of the Porch House in Northallerton. According to the plaque on the wall, a shot of which I've added in the Notes, this house was erected in 1584 and is the oldest house in Northallerton. Even more interesting is the claim that Charles I stayed there as a guest in 1640 and then again as a prisoner in 1647. Also for Sight and Sound , this time from a choice of two, both covers by Shakin' Stevens<: First up, there's Green Door : youtu.be/3O0UVI6UsBA youtu.be/pC3BpLSIsC0?t=15s Or you can have This Ole House : youtu.be/j0yIVDnKtLA youtu.be/JjHwMiLSiqA Alternatively, with my title in mind, how about going back even further for Tony Orlando and Dawn with Knock Three Times : youtu.be/Yii1ufTyOWs youtu.be/YsSaSyg7mjM