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Bumped to an earlier crossing because of the weather so 3am start. No cafe open on the boat so no breakie! Weather remains wet and windy so not bothered yet with the camera. Took a few snaps with the camera phone instead and butchered the images in Lightroom.

Spent a bit of time on this wildlife shot using Lightroom. Before and after below, Reduced the noise as it was shot at 2000 ISO. Not sure if it made a huge difference as the camera is pretty good at high ISO. Also removed some of the distractions around the bird. Shooting across to Arran so made a camera door mount out of a few bits. Helps when using the car as a hide. It raises the camera above the door mirror and keeps it in place to enable me to move the car, albeit slowly to get the shot.

Had a go at macro shooting this evening with mixed results. Not really my bag being the impatient sort. Tried before with some flowers, it was a total disaster. Dept of field is the trickiest bit along with focus stacking. A lot of faffing about for one shot tbh.

I’m not sure of the exact spot, Mike, its between the Northumberland Coast and Wooler. I think it’s the Cheviot Hills in the background. Every time I drive back from Holy Island on the back roads I seem to end up a different way!

A few from me on my travels since the last post.

Ran the gauntlet to Edinburgh the other day. Lasted an hour before bailing out. Just enough time to pick up a phone and some hifi cables which turned up this week after being messed about by three different hifi dealers. A few phone shots with my old phone before wrapping it up and giving it to swmbo for xmas🤣

LG are the market leader, they also make the screens for a number of other manufacturers. The TVs differ with the processing electronics. OLED have improved somewhat in the last couple of years, though arguably they haven’t been that bad imo. I always thought LG were a budget brand but they lead with TV’s. I’ve had a 65” gallery (G series) model, and the 55” C series. Same screens except the g series is super thin with a small bezel. I’ve just installed a 2024 77” G series. It’s stunning tbh. I buy the previous years model before it’s sold out and get some cracking deals. There’s not a huge step change between updated models really and certainly not worth paying an extra £2K for. Hope that helps, all the best with whatever you choose.

Blennerville, just south of Tralee.

Haven’t managed to get out with the camera since the Holy Island snaps. Had a quick trip to Limerick via Cairnryan-Belfast with the journey from hell. A couple of snaps from the trip. Followed by a day of cleaning the van which took a battering. Been working on the windows of our project, now finally finished off with shutters. Still loads of other stuff to do but motivation is lacking. We didn’t re-install the home cinema system as we were supposed to be going for a minimalist look. Though was tempted with a big stack of hifi separates and some floorstanders. Should all just about fit nicely in the bay window.. 🤣 Pick it up next week, still gotta tell the missus.. she’s only just got over the flying ducks and Union Jack chesterfield. 🤣

Some shots from Holy Island. Settings were all over the place for the camera after Knockhill. Didn’t realise til afterwards. Castle is a phone shot.

Thanks Mike. The sun was low in the sky first thing and not the best, though you gotta work with what you get.

Thanks PP, couldn’t quite get into the groove tbh, went down various rabbit holes with camera settings. The Quattro image made it worth it though.

A few from Knockhill yesterday.

Not managed to get out with the camera as we’ve been working on the last room to renovate. Finished yesterday.

Couple of drone shots of our project, thankfully now more completed than not..

Couple of shots from the last game of the season..

Can’t beat a moonshot. Nice one.

Not a good day at the office today, carpet fitters were a no show which cheesed me off so grabbed the camera and popped over to the coast. Ended up on the causeway to Holy Island.

A few shots from Glencoe. Over run with tourists and campers. Might head back in the depths of winter..

Up in the highlands now being a tourist for a few days. More camera phone snaps

A quick camera phone shot of Arran. Flying visit to view another dump.

A couple of shots from the off road day. Instructor took the shot with me hanging. A couple of others messing about with 1000mm

About as off road as I’ll be going for now. Off to an off road experience with Land Rover next week in the Scottish Highlands. Using their car thankfully, opted for a Defender, though was tempted by a full fat Range Rover. Will try and get some shots of mounting kerbs driving through potholes and swerving traffic cones..🤣

Over on Arran. Hanging around the shore and snapping whatever. Using my 100/500 with a 1.4 tele converter. A little short still.

A PITA but so easy done. The tyres don’t protect them much either. There’s a cast iron grate outside our old house built into the kerb, if you catch it you get a cut side wall and knackered wheel. Don’t ask how I know🤣 Downgrading to white steel wheels on the van for winter and to avoid damaging the silly money 22” alloys. Good thing is Steels are two a penny because no one wants them. £300 for five brand new wheels and tyres from the bay, bargain!