STATUS QUOtes — 20170128

Today’s STATUS QUOtes

“If you must play, decide on three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes and the quitting time.” — Chinese Proverb

“My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—
It gives a lovely light!.” — Edna St. Vincent Millay

“Every gain made by individuals or societies is almost instantly taken for granted.” — Aldous Huxley

“The closest I’ve been to a diet this year is erasing food searches from my browser history.” — Pauly Peligroso

 

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STATUS QUOte – Photography – 20170127


Photography Quote

Bird on Fountain at Casa de San Pedro Bed & Breakfast:, Hereford, Arizona - by J. Ross

 

 

“Photographers do this for a living, every single day — they point their lenses toward every single corner of our world and somehow make the mundane mesmerizing through their artistic eye. It’s all a matter of being aware of your surroundings and realizing that there are some really amazing and interesting things to look at, even if it may just be something so simple as a wall being covered up by paint.”
– Ward Jenkins –

** – Photograph Notes – **
Photograph Copyright by Jeff Ross – ALL Rights Reserved
A Finch on Fountain at Casa de San Pedro Bed & Breakfast, Hereford, Arizona

File Name: 2395-2.CR2
Capture time: 4:33:57 PM
Capture date: June 9, 2015
Exposure: 1/100 sec @ f/6.5
Focal Length: 215mm
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

 

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Cathedral Peak Portrait – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 200

athedral Peak from Sentinel Dome

Cathedral Peak from Sentinel Dome

Using a telephoto setting on my Canon PowerShot SX50 HS (Bridge Camera), I was able to take a “portrait” of Cathedral Peak from across Tuolumne Meadows. It doesn’t look quite as dramatic in this picture as the colors are muted because of the amount of atmosphere between the lens and the subject, the color of the light, copious snow cover, etc.

The picture above does provide a different look into the “character” of the peak and the overall topography.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 200 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: 0239.NEF0316.CR2
Capture time: 1:29:23 PM
Capture date: June 7, 2016
Exposure: 1/400 sec @ f/8
Focal Length: 23mm
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

 

STATUS QUOtes — 20170127

Today’s STATUS QUOtes

“Envy is thin because it bites but never eats.” — Spanish Proverb

“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” — John Adams

“When they say ‘It’s impossible,’ remember that it’s impossible for them, not for you.” — via Instagram @ AgentSteven

“How did a fool and his money get together in the first place?” — Steven Wright

 

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Pickleball – The Art & Skill of the Volley

We have highlighted videos by Mark Renneson of Third Shot Sports on this blog a number of times. Mark offers very good tips to help all levels of players improve their skills. In this video he reminds us that not all volleys are the same or at least they shouldn’t be the same.

Mark demonstrates for viewers what he believes is the most difficult volley of them all…the soft touch volley. What makes this video valuable is that Mark offers a drill to help us improve our ability to improve our “soft volley.”

About Third Shot Sports

Click the link to register to receive the Third Shot Sports Pickleball Newsletter

Click the link to see Third Shot Pickleball Past Newsletters.

Click the link to visit the Third Shot Sports Pickleball website.

Thanks to Mark and Third Shot Sports for allowing this to be presented on JBRish.com

 

More Pickleball Videos

To See additional Pickleball Videos Covering Many Aspects of the Game Click Here (primarily for beginners and less experienced players)

Check out Additional Pickleball Info and Videos! (for all players including average to more experienced players)

Cathedral Peak – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 199

Cathedral Peak and Tuolumne Meadows from Sentinel Dome

Cathedral Peak and Tuolumne Meadows from Sentinel Dome

Among the numerous and varied mountains in Yosemite National Park, a few have gained prominence because of their special location, shape or challenge to conquerors. Cathedral Peak is one such recognizable pinnacle.

The picture above was taken from the top of Sentinel Dome and shows the stretch across Tuolumne Meadows including the river. Cathedral Peak, like Sentinel Dome, stands as figurative sentries keeping watch over the expanse.

Cathedral Peak is open to mountain climbers and it stands as a challenge to those who enjoy that sport. An interesting picture of one such adventurer can be seen HERE.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 199 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: 0239.NEF
Capture time: 1:29:21 PM
Capture date: June 7, 2016
Exposure: 1/125 sec @ f/13
Focal Length: 45mm
Nikon D3300

 

STATUS QUOtes — 20170126

Today’s STATUS QUOtes

“The nail that sticks up is certain to be hammered down.” — Japanese Proverb

“You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you.” — Mary Tyler Moore

“The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.” — Rudyard Kipling

“A modest man, with much to be modest about.” — Winston Churchill (description of Clement Atlee)

 

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Golden Pavilion – Kyoto, Japan – (2015)

One of the major attractions that we looked forward to on our trip to Japan was a visit to Kyoto’s Golden Pavilion. The original strcuture (Kinkakuji), a Zen Buddhist temple, dates back to the 14th century, but unfortunately it was destroyed by arson. The temple was reconstructed and opened to the public in 1955. It is a beautiful, gold leaf-covered building oriented so the reflection in the surrounding water enhances its beauty.

Looking at the photo of the entrance below, one might think it was raining, but these were “sunbrellas” which proved very popular in Japan.


Golden Pavilion Entrance, Kyoto, Japan

Throughout our trip to Japan in 2015, I was taken in by the architectural elements that were so different from those found in other places I have visited. The very intricate designs incorporating contrasting and complementary materials were very creative as evidenced in this roof detail on a building at the Golden Pavilion compound.


Architectural roof detail, Kyoto, Japan

Here is yet another example


Architectural roof detail, Kyoto, Japan

Of course the main attraction was the Golden Pavilion itself…


Golden Pavilion - Kyoto, Japan


Golden Pavilion - Kyoto, Japan

which had some of its very own interesting roof detail in the form of a golden bird.


Golden bird roof detail, Golden Pavilion - Kyoto, Japan

There are, of course, other interesting things to see on the compound grounds. The photo below shows a coin toss venue where guests try to get the coins in the metal cup which they hope will bring them good luck. The symbolism of the statues was not clear, but one might intuit that they are religious in nature or at least cultural/spiritual.


Coin Toss at the Golden Pavilion Compound - Kyoto, Japan

The guide explained that the 500+ year old tree below was pruned to resemble a ship and if a bit of imagination is employed, one can imagine a large main sail and perhaps the bow of a ship pointing straight toward the viewer. If you look carefully, you might be able to see the wooden superstructure supporting the branches in the front.


Old tree pruned in shape of a ship. Golden Pavilion - Kyoto, Japan

Perhaps a clearer rendering can be seen HERE:

This mound (Hakuja-zuka) in Anmin-taku pond is home for a stone Pagoda.


Stone pagoda at the Golden Pavilion compound - Kyoto, Japan

Naturally a major tourist site such as the Golden Pavilion would have a souvenir stand to offer remembrances for sale. Pictured in pretty gold and red garb were visitors from Bali.


Souvenir stand at the Golden Pavilion Compound - Kyoto, Japan

We mustn’t overlook the religious and spiritual mission of the Golden Pavilion. Fudo Hall is an area where visitors can light incense, ring a bell and ask for blessings.


Fudo Hall, Golden Pavilion compound - Kyoto, Japan

The Golden Pavilion is one of those world renowned places that is hard to resist and as such, visitors (including me) seemed compelled to take large numbers of photographs.


One last photograph of the Golden Pavilion - Kyoto, Japan

Reflection of Half Dome – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 198

Half Dome from the Ahwahnee Meadow with a reflection

Half Dome at the Ahwahnee Meadow with reflection

This may be bit like pointing out my blemishes after I am dressed and ready to go out, but in an effort to share my photography experiences, I want to have full disclosure. As we returned to Yosemite Village, I noticed that the light was turning very picturesque so I hurried to the meadow to see if I could capture an artistic image of Half Dome.

As noted a number of times in my Year of Yosemite series, there were significant rains prior to our visit. A number of large puddles formed in the meadow and several photographers were trying to find the “ideal” location from which to capture a “perfect image” of Half Dome.

The picture above is one of my attempts. I was working under a couple of handicaps with my lack of experience being a major issue. I had a new camera that I had used just a few times prior and I am not sure I felt comfortable with the metering mode I was using. One of the photographers standing next to me had a variety of neutral density filters which would allow him to take a longer exposure and/or cut down the glare from the puddle. I do not own a set of filters of any type at this point, however I do plan to purchase a polarizing filter in the near future.

Another problem with the photo above is my choice of vantage points. After looking at this photograph now, I think perhaps I should have moved back just a bit to include more meadow in front of the puddle. I think that might have set off the reflection just a bit more.

Nevertheless, I do like my attempt to portray Half Dome in an artistic light, but it is only an “average” picture in my opinion.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 198 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: 0343.JPG
Capture time: 7:10:02 PM
Capture date: June 7, 2016
Exposure: 1/1000 sec @ f/3.5
Focal Length: 6mm
ISO 250
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

 

STATUS QUOtes — 20170125

Today’s STATUS QUOtes

“A great future doesn’t require a great past.” — William Chapman

“All of us are smarter than any of us, and when you throw in the us that came before, the opportunities multiply.” — Seth Godin

“One thorn of experience is worth a whole wilderness of warning.” — James Russell Lowell

“It costs a lot of money to look this cheap.” — Dolly Parton

 

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