the bird that you can see

We had a wildlife day today. At breakfast, we had a large raccoon amble across the deck. At lunchtime when I was setting up the grill, this large hawk was looming above me:

bird1.jpg

bird2.jpg

bird3.jpg

What alerted me was the skrrt, skrrt of it rubbing its beak on the aerial, as in the last picture. Once it had finished gnawing on its recently deceased dinner, it sat about for a bit (quite literally fed up) seeming unperturbed by me sticking a big ol’ lens at it. But then, if you had Leatherman tools for hands and tin-snips for a face, you wouldn’t be worried about anyone trying to mess with you either.

Ripley Wind Farm

I drove through Suncor/Acciona‘s Ripley wind farm the other night. They’re just constructing, but this summer has been almost perfect weather for building (dry, still — which kind of sucks for farmers and those of us with wind farms nearby, but it’s an ill calm …).

I don’t usually take pictures of parked or machines under construction, but these Enercons are quite something.

Ripley Wind Farm - under construction

Ripley Wind Farm - under construction

Ripley Wind Farm - under construction

two wind turbines

Two new small wind turbines have appeared along Highway 8. Both are near Clinton.

The first is an 80kW WES. I’m not really a huge fan of two-bladed wind turbines, but at least the old Lagerwey design is well proven.

WES 80kW

The second is a bit more of a mystery. Apparently installed by a local trucking company, it reminds me of design from the 1980s, but I can’t remember which. This one’s nearer Vanastra.

mystery wind turbine

the nuclear family holiday (last) resort

I’ve been invited onto the committee that looks after a small (and almost full) cemetery in Ajax, so I went out to take a look at it. It’s nice; it’ll last you. One thing I learnt there: RB67 polaroids don’t come out too well if you leave the darkslide in.

On the way back, I headed down Liverpool Road to take pictures of the Pickering wind turbine with the RB67. It’s a strange place, the beachfront at Pickering. There’s beach volleyball with the nuke station lurking toxically in the background.

welcome to pickering

I don’t know why the town doesn’t rename itself “New Prypiat“, and be done with it.

disney work

Disney Opera House, Los Angeles

I tried to get more of a ‘joiner’ effect, but Hugin’s just too good at stitching. Still, it’s angular enough for the Disney Opera House. The original is approximately 90 megapixels.

the land camera

pola2a.jpg

RB67, 127mm @ f/3.8, expired Polaroid 664, 1/125s

My first attempt with the RB67 and Polaroid back. With the metering prism and the handgrip, the RB67 weighs over 4kg, so it’s not something you want to wave about.

Something’s a bit weird with my film. Every picture I take has the top left corner missing:

pola1.jpg

 Is the developer dry? Am I pulling the film through the rollers too slowly? Too fast? I dunno.

teh smrt

I carried my digital camera around all last week, forgetting that the battery was still in the charger at home …

That wouldn’t be a problem if it were the RB67 (all mechanical; no batteries), but I’d end up looking like Louis Cyr if I did.