* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #815 / Revived #035 on 2023 11 29 *

Stunningly beautiful photography that suggests (and we know from previous postings) you are keenly in touch with the natural world, that you respect and love it. #1 takes my breath away.

Finding Uncle Montfort's Horse Farm - A Photo Story

While traveling through Virginia last month, I took the notion to look for what was left of my Uncle Montfort's horse farm. My uncle and aunt were very wealthy (no, I didn't inherit a thing), had several homes but the most lavish was an estate in the Shenandoah Valley. I knew the manor house, Buena Vista, was gone now, but I thought there might be remnants of the horse farm so we went snooping around outside Berryville, where I knew the house was. Finding nothing online about Buena Vista or my aunt and uncle, I had only my own memory to work with, and I was 7 the last time I was there. I remembered another house on the estate, nearer to the horses, a house that appealed more to me, since Buena Vista was just too overwhelming, so we looked for it. We found it on Audley farm, just outside Berryville. It looked like what I remembered, and is still a horse farm. Phones and Google help us figure stuff out quickly, and while still at the gates I learned that Uncle Montfort did indeed purchase Audley in 1920, and kept there the first Triple Crown winner, Sir Barton, whose statue still graces the main office of the farm. I knew he had race horses but had no idea one of them was racing history! I was pretty darned excited to track down this family story. When I'm excited I forget how to take pictures so some of these are less than stellar, which is why I'm offering them as a story.

The entrance is still commanding. I could see where younger trees had replaced some of the older and larger ones in my old family photos.

The house was built by a relative of Martha Washington so the Washingtons were regular visitors. It was this house that looked familiar and led me to suspect Audley was the farm I was looking for. I learned that Virginia has much better records for thoroughbreds and their owners than for people or properties.

Sir Barton is still who Audley is famous for.

The extensive stables and paddocks are still spread over the hills.

I hate I didn't get a better picture of the horses, but I had lost my mind by the time I spotted them.

The view looking towards the Blue Ridge is still as spectacular as it was almost 70 years ago when I last saw it.

The third is exquisite with the delicacy of the curved leaf matching the delicate construction of the dragonfly. All are wonderful for the soft out of focus background. These critters are maddeningly difficult to photograph when in flight, so I guess they take pity on us at times and allow these "resting" shots 😁

Poignant and fascinating storytelling! Your "mindless" photos are just as captivating and beautiful as all the others you share!

Tree in a snow-covered field

I have nothing new of interest, so here is a memory from back when MinnieV and I were together in another forum 😊

Ellensburg by Linda Shorey, on Flickr

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"Long Enough to Look Back"

A very pleasant photograph to contemplate! And which deserves to be seen several times and in a larger size if possible. 😎

Beachside Bistro

Fifteen minutes before Noon. A sense of expectancy.

The outdoor porch area of an open-air, beach-side bistro in Carlsbad, CA.

The breakfast crowd is gone and during an uncharacteristic lull at this busy place the tables are set, napkins folded, water glasses ready and waiting for the lunch crunch that will descend imminently.

Rich

Dragonflies in flight

I'm busy at the moment so after today I wont be online for a few days. Here's a photo of mine from 1974.

"Do you think it's straight now?"

That is a true Mike classic in so many ways, and it would deserve a place in any collection of best street photography in the world.
We get a real sense of immersion by looking over the shoulder of the foreground person, from a low standpoint, almost like the perspective of a child looking up in wonder.
The stoic expression of the worker on the ladder, and his nice little hat have the flair of a french comedy, but combined with dry british wit.
It is humourous to the max, even without the title.
The B&W conversion is just perfect, turning the lamppost, the ladder and the two persons into theatre curtains of grey through which the actual landmark that creates the punchline, comes peeking out at the audience.
But there is MORE, because just when we thought we had seen and digested the whole image, our eye is drawn to the little vignette in the bottom right corner, where a statue is almost perfectly mimicking and mirroring the worker's pose. The inclusion of that little element is juicy cherry on a very big cake.

Did I already mention that this kind of scene in which a world famous landmark is seemingly reduced to a background prop, is my favourite way of approaching subjects that have been photographed and beaten to death?
Millions of people have photographed, and still photograph the tower of Pisa.
Some do it as an architectural, documentary registration of what is there.
Many make the obligatory visual joke of forced perspective, in which a person seems to be struggling to keep the tower straight, or taking joy in tipping it over.
Then there is the selfie, of course.
And then there is the brilliance of a photo like Mike's, that treats the landmark as an innocent and coincidental passer-by.

I'm stuck at work so I'm sharing these from a few years ago. Canadians visiting our local pond for a 6 week Winter vacation.

How could I improve these images? Both with setting up the shot with my camera and in post?

Open-air 2nd hand goods market.
That photographer in this photo is not me.

Great story and series. You were blessed by wonderful light and surroundings.

This is my fave shot. Love this tree lined road with splashing colours.

Horses are excellent too. Wish you were higher so we could see them better...mk3 has foldable screen, so shot above your head...

Next time.

One wishes for sharp and contrasty capture, but your pp is very appealing as is. Classic.

Great series. My fave shot. Just one bird is prominent and the rest creates ideal background.

Classic street shot with layers and layers of interesting details and features. Makes me smile - "boss, is this right?"

Great series and well seen.

My fave capture. Like the background and colours with subjects buzzing.