Artist At Work ...

Just another bit of fun created by me in the 'processing room' and which forms part of my ongoing, and somewhat tongue in cheek, Artist At Work series of images. I can't remember what I did to create this one or even for that matter which of my photos I based it upon, but I like how it turned out! Please view on black for best effect.

For this week's Sunday Challenge , for which we were asked to create an orb . Been a while since I did any so I was a bit rusty with the technique and must admit that some of the shots I took last week, which I thought would work really didn't do as well as I'd hoped. Still, I liked this one which is based on a photo I took at Kiplin Hall, North Yorkshire, of an allium that had gone to seed. The orb itself was create using the recognised technique of altering the polar co-ordinates while the back ground is the original image mirrored several times and then cropped. When I get time, most likely tomorrow, I'll add the original image into the Notes along with a few others that I crafted for this particular challenge, but which lost out in the end to the allium.

For all those of you out there that like your fences on a Friday, those of you that are still here that is ... a big HFF to you all and a happy weekend to everyone for that matter - be they fencers or not! Please view on black for best effect.

Another one taken recently at Newby Hall in North Yorkshire. I was admiring one of the many large conifers when I spotted this intruder, which appeared to have spotted an opportunity to take up residence in the upper canopy. Ran it through the 'processing room' to try and emphasise the small, but beautiful stowaway, which I hope you'll enjoy seeing as much as I did. Please view on black for best effect.

Running late again, but for what it's worth here is my entry for this week's, or should that be last week's, Sunday Challenge . In keeping with recent challenges there were a few options around a central theme and I elected to go with a combination of Spring and New Growth . I had been hoping to use one of the shots I took whilst doing the Farndale Daffodil Walk , but in the end I wasn't all that happy with the shots I got on the day and so decided to look for inspiration elsewhere. As it happens, that was to be found much closer to home, in a small field on the outskirts of Northallerton that contained a few sheep along with their fairly young looking lambs. Initially, when I came upon them and moved in to try and get a close up shot there were only two lambs in my sights - the two in the foreground. However, once I'd started snapping away a third lamb came across and nuzzled in behind them. I guess he just didn't want to miss the opportunity of having his photo taken! Please view on black for best effect.

A somewhat later than intended entry for this week's Sunday Challenge . For this we were actually given several subjects to choose from, but in the end I opted to shoot anything to do with pets . This was given as an option because apparently April is National Pet month, or at least it is here in the UK. So, why the tennis ball? Well, our youngest dog Sandy is barking mad when it comes to balls and loves nothing more than going over the nearby fields with me, the plastic launcher and a ball. The trouble is that until recently his eagerness to play ball was costing us a small fortune as none of the ones that you get in the pet shops, which are supposedly intended for such purposes last for any length of time before falling apart. Not sure if it's just him that's too hard on them or if they're simply not fit for purpose, but I've actually seen him destroy one of those balls on a single walk. Anyway, I got to wondering if 'proper' tennis balls would be any good and so a few weeks back we went online and ordered up a set of 6 for £4.99, as opposed to the £2.99 for 3 usually charged for the others. And it has turned out to be a very wise move indeed as nearly a month later and he is still using the first ball. So, if your dog goes through those pet shop balls as quickly as our Sandy then my advice is to try ordering some 'proper' tennis balls like the one pictured. Please view on black for best effect.

Paid my very first ever visit recently to Beamish and I'm already looking forward to going back again soon. This now world famous open air museum, tells the story of life in North East England during the 1820s, 1900s & 1940s. There are so many fascinating areas and displays that there really is too much to take in during one single visit. Luckily they offer visitors the option to purchase a Beamish Unlimited Pass, which allows you to come back as many times as you like for a whole year. Better value still is probably to become join the Friends of Beamish and then you not only get unlimited visits for the following 12 months, but also the guide book, quarterly magazine, exclusive offers and 10% discount on anything you buy on site and that includes food. Anyway, back to the photograph. This was shot from the upper deck of one of the many trams they have operating on site. I liked the abstract nature of the curved tracks and cobbled stones. It also seemed an apt image to post given what is happening with ipernity. We've climbed aboard and those of us that want to go along for the ride are ready to depart, but we're not sure what's around the corner never mind where we will eventually end up. Best advice then is to sit back, relax and enjoy the trip while it lasts!

Went on a visit yesterday to Jervaulx Abbey in North Yorkshire and spotted these tiny little snails on one of the outer walls. Then as I looked more closely I saw there were dozens, if not hundreds of them. No idea what type they are, but I thought they were an interesting find and it helped remind me that you never know where the next shot might come from. Best viewed large on black for best effect. As for Jervaulx Abbey, it was one of the great Cistercian abbeys of Yorkshire and is now privately owned. It's well worth a visit if you like looking at old ruins and they have an excellent tea room too where they sell the most beautiful home made cakes. www.jervaulxabbey.com

A little bit of abstract fun from me, via the processing room.

For this week's Sunday Challenge , for which the subject was time , one of the few things we all want more of, but which is finite and so we just have to make the most of what we have. As it happens, earlier this week we made time to visit Nunnington Hall . This beautiful country house is situated in North Yorkshire and a stone bridge over the River Rye separates the grounds from the nearby village of Nunnington. The Vale of Pickering and the North York Moors lie to the north and east. Nunnington Hall is owned, conserved and managed as a visitor attraction by the National Trust. A dwelling of status is actually recorded on the site from 1249, but the existing house has grown out of a Tudor hall. Over the past 450 years the house and estate has been altered to suit a succession of owners and tenants. Within its many rooms are a host of beautiful and historical exhibits including several stunning longcase clocks. Also known as a tall-case clock, floor clock, or grandfather clock, these are tall, freestanding, weight-driven pendulum clocks with the pendulum held inside the tower or waist of the case. The one I've shown here was in a poorly lit room and so I was struggling to get a decent hand held shot, but in the end I got this one which I was fairly happy with. However, I wanted to put the focus on the centre of the clock face, but there were some window reflections around the edge that no matter how I positioned myself I just couldn't get rid of which is why I went with the zoom effect. Hopefully, the processing hasn't taken away too much from the beauty of this old clock and it still makes for an effective image. Perhaps best viewed large on black for best effect.

I came across this large and somewhat unsightly block of flats in Harrogate last week and for some reason it immediate reminded me of the side of those massive big cruise ships. Maybe it was just because of the small sailing ship that someone had placed in their window or maybe it was the harshness of the structure. Whatever the reason I decided to capture it with a Dutch angle and then added some texturing before taking the selective colouring option ... overall I think it works? Please view on black for best effect. For Sight and Sound ... what else but Rod Stewart with "Sailing": youtu.be/KCgJXuOqTYY youtu.be/u1v60FITAfY youtu.be/yqs0ZAJngls

The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature considered to be an especially powerful and majestic animal which people believed could be found guarding treasure and priceless possessions. Most representations of griffins depict them with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle; and an eagle's legs and talons as its front feet. However, some older illustrations show the griffin to have both the front and hind legs of a lion as seen on this statue, which I came across in Harrogate recently. It was one of a pair sat atop the entrance pillars to one of the buildings I passed close to the town centre.

No, not a sign that I'm going back to flickr, just another one from the 'processing room', which I hope some of you will enjoy seeing. Three images blended with some 'brushy wizadry' on top!

Or even just a sign of better times to come for ipernity and those that care so deeply for it ... as ever though, the Devil may well be in the detail. Or perhaps it's all just too little too late and we are all damned. Ipernity Members Association Project Please view on black for best effect ... while you still can!

For this week's Sunday Challenge , for which the subject was rubbish . Spotted this coffee cup for a well known outlet lying discarded by the side of the A19 in North Yorkshire. Didn't have to look all that hard though as you see them lying all over the countryside.

Not quite Marvel's Ghost Rider ... more amusing than menacing and I'm not at all sure why he needs a crash helmet! Also for Sight and Sound : Johnny Cash with "Ghost Riders in the Sky"... youtu.be/Mynzbmrtp9I youtu.be/qt0rURntFQE

For this week's Sunday Challenge , for which the subject was art and we were asked to show our "arty side". So I took a shot I'd taken of some blossom which had fallen onto the top of a clipped box hedge. Then I set the sliders to maximum and gave it a good going over with the brushes before adding some home made 'swirliness'. A copy of the original image can be found in the Notes. Also for Sight and Sound : Heart with "(up On) Cherry Blossom Road"... youtu.be/INnNEw0C8hI youtu.be/_lwTyStbwOw youtu.be/GZKsaI8cHVM

A somewhat late entry for this week's Sunday Challenge , for which the subject was feather or feathers . I'm afraid thought that as Judith said although there seem to be feathers all over the place, they're never there when you really want one ... so this is from the archives, but has been worked on specifically for this week's challenge. It's a macro shot of an interesting badge I spotted on the front of a very old car at a local show. No idea what it is and I don't think I've ever seen one before or since, but I thought it an interesting subject. Also for Sight and Sound : Woven Hand with "Iron Feather" .... youtu.be/EeXLrAsNUzc youtu.be/573YJKVH9Ao youtu.be/ZJ3KPE256N4