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“In Explore”

by Damien Walmsley Posted on

I have been a member of Flickr for several years and being included in “Explore” still has the ability to make the site exciting.  It is a fantastic feeling when you receive over 100 favs and over 10,000 views of your photograph. Flickr uses an algorithm which It terms “interestingness” of your photograph.  It works out how often you have liked (faved) or commented on other Flickr users photograph.   Then your photograph will appear in the top 100 photographs of the day.  If this happens then you will find a large number of fellow Flickr users liking your photograph.

Early morning communters walking from Moor St to New St, Birmingham

There are many 3rd party applications such as “Scout” that will track the progress of your photograph.  It is complex and your photograph fluctuates its position and then may either settle down to remain in explore or without warning it may be find itself excluded.  Whatever happens for that short period of time which may be a few days, there is a great deal of activity around the popularity of your photograph.  I could write for a long time on “explore” but it may be better to read another person’s account.  Meanwhile enjoy a few of my photographs that made “explore”.  They were selected by an algorithm that decided that they were “interesting”.

Light Painting
Portrait using a home made Snoot
Long Exposure in Gas Street Basin, Birmingham
Categories blog Uncategorised

Skychasing

by Damien Walmsley Posted on

If I need to think things through or if I am stuck for something to photograph then I head for Lapworth.  The Canal Junction linking the Grand Union and the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal is a picturesque spot and has all those ingredients you need .  I had hoped for a spectacular sunset and whilst not an intense one, it did not disappoint.  I remembered to bring my wide angled lens and also a graduated filter.  This did make the difference and ensured that I got a good balance between the sky and the reflections in the water.  One of my pictures even made the BBC weather watchers and was shot on the iPhone.

The pedestrian bridge over the locks
Reflections of the sky
Where the canal splits with to the Grand Union or straight onto Stratford-upon-Avon
Standing further back from the Junction
The iPhone picture that made the BBC weather.

 

Categories blog Uncategorised

Sand, Concrete and Steel

by Damien Walmsley Posted on

Dubai is a fascinating city and there is a great deal of sand, concrete and glass.  There are beautiful buildings punching upwards towards the sky. The Burj Khalifa tower is the tallest building in the world and its design is complimented by the also impressive Jumeirah Emirates towers.  In the morning, there is a haze as the sun rises and the buildings look like marooned giants searching for their way home. 

During the day the sun burns out the structures and it was fortunate that I brought along my UV/polarised filter which helped cut down the glare and bring colour back to the pictures.  You also are not able to stay out in the heat for too long either as it saps your energy.

Jumeirah Emirates towers during the day
View from the Emirates Towers
The Skyscrapers look like needles.

As the sun sets the colour returns and the buildings reflect the reds giving a warm glow to the concrete and steel.

Sunset over the towers

It is fleeting as dusk followed by the night arrives.  However the neon takes over and there are many opportunities to take night shots.  I visited Wafi where the buildings have an Egyptian theme and there is an evening light show.

Wafi
View of the Raffles Pyramid

 

Future site for Phase 2, The University of Birmingham. Just Sand at present.

My visit was part of my work with the University of Birmingham so many of the pictures were taken when the opportunity arose during the day. It is an exciting city and look forward to seeing how the University of Birmingham develops there.

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