Belleville, early morning, September

So, Lately I got myself a refurbished Nikon CoolPix compact camera, because I wanted to have something reliable on me at all times. The DSLR is too heavy and big and the phone is just not good enough. The 16 megapixels of the Nikon make a nice job here, don't they?

This is Belleville, by the way, about 7:10 on a Sunday morning. This morning, September 20th, 2015.

I was waiting for the bus and I had a bit of time to experiment a bit. It's not easy to play with long exposures, since it's impossible to stay still long enough, but in this case here, I made it. I love how one bike has left while the other one is still waiting for the green light. I love this photo.

Disneyland Paris, just before Halloween

Something that I didn't talk about on the previous post, was the fact that Disneyland is expecting Halloween and is decorated accordingly. Even though I'm not a very big fan of such days where everyone is supposed to do something specific etc, I couldn't help feeling fascinated, just like in the x-mas market at La Defense last year (we'll have some photos of that in late November!)

Anyway, some more photos from Disneyland.

Yeah, sorry about that. I just wanted to continue with the water effect from the previous post, because it looks so nice.

As usual, click on it and check it out in all its detail and glory. Isn't it very nice? 

This is a Disney castle. Some princess is supposed to be there. You know, one of those who find their heads rolling in a big coffin, because Bastille is not far, baby!

Now that I see it edited, it looks more like a Game of Thrones castle. Still, the ending will be similar. This time the head will be on a stick.

Here, what was I saying? They started already. The first victim of the revolution was princess Minnie Pumpkinface, the first of her name. Look at that frozen smile. Oh, the horrors she must have seen.

I'm kind of worried for my mental health. On a post about Disneyland and Halloween, I see Game of Thrones and brutal executions.

A day in Disneyland Paris

We've been several times in Disneyland Paris, one of the most visited places in Europe, but it was the very first time that we had the Canon 650D with us. I didn't spend the whole time taking photos, obviously, since we had to go to the attractions as well. But the few I took (around 100), looked like they were worth taking. Let's see three of them!

Seagulls and ducks. Somewhere in Discoveryland (Disneyland has various such lands, with a theme on each one of them). Lots of coins in the water. Many wishes not granted or just a fancy way to get rid of the extra change.

"By the way, dude, you went to freaking Disneyland and you took photos of some birds again? What's the matter with you?!" Relax, will you? I'm not done yet.

There. This is some water. With the shutter speed on 1/3 sec making it hard to stay perfectly still (I had no tripod), I managed to take a few photos with this nice water effect.

Click on the photos and see the effect everywhere. Also, on the top and a bit to the right, two people are walking. Unlike the others who are still, these are just some blurry smudges.

Still, the photos I took, could be taken everywhere. Right? Well, not all of them. I gave you this moving water effect because it's beautiful and also, to prepare you for the next photo. Behold.

This photo is from Fantasia. A movie of 1940 by Walt Disney, one of the absolute classics. You can see the water falling from the buckets held by the living brooms.

And if you cannot see it, then click on the photo! How many times do I have to tell you? Anyway, I'm quite happy with today's photos!

A rainy day at Trocadero (Eiffel Tower special)

So, today I found myself at Trocadero for a photo shoot that didn't last much but it gave us some quality photos. I got there a bit early, so I took advantage of my time and I got some photos. You know how people go to the Eiffel Tower and take photos mainly of the Eiffel Tower? So did I, but I took some other aspects of the area, which I will prefer to give you today. Behold:

I'm ashamed to admit that I have no idea about the protest that took place today at Trocadero. There were many people and some bikers from all around Europe.

On the background, the base of the Eiffel Tower. You may recognize this area from many photos taken by tourists.

Here you can see some people on the second level. Or not? Some times I think that this blog doesn't exactly provide a lot of information, does it?

I know that you cannot see any details here, but you may click on the photos and see them bigger on a slideshow.

So, everywhere exist barbarians that show no respect to monuments. This is a great example.

As you can see, in the previous photo the Eiffel Tower is imitating the one of Pisa. So, I had to do some cropping and bring it back straight. As a phallic symbol should be.

Zoo reloaded VIII - Vultures edition

Summer has ended, at least on the calendar. The fall is here and, like a vulture, is trying to feed its sickly body with the flesh a still moving summer, celebrating its temporary victory. Well, fuck fall, fuck winter. They'll come and they go again. Like always. But, seriously, fuck them.

Vultures today, my friends. These majestic creatures that symbolize death in a way. The beauty of those magnificent birds against the ugliness of autumn and winter. Once again, fuck autumn and fuck winter. Off we go with the photos.

They get well fed every day. And they share their lunch with swallows mostly, that can enter the cages. The pigeons are a bit too big to pass through.

Check this face better. Under this strange orange thing that looks like a leather towel, you can hear it whispering "death..." Come on closer. Don't be afraid. It won't bite...

A white one. Doesn't look like a vulture in the way we are used to, but believe me, it is.

See it better and edited. You find his haircut funny? I hope that you'll be laughing when its beak is searching through your warm flesh for edible pieces.

Look at those black eyes. This stare. This one will suck out your soul as a first plate before showing you the hard way that, no matter who or what you are, you can still become a delicious vulture meal.

And it won't wait for you to die before starting, no. Vultures don't like to eat alone.

Zoo reloaded VII - Birds and a turtle (suitable for all)

Tonight you'll excuse me for being less talkative. I have a terrible headache and I will finish with the post quickly and go to bed. Here we go.

This is an ostrich.

This is the same ostrich, but edited.

This is a water turtle.

Same here. With watermark and all.

I don't know how this one is called, but it has a trendy haircut.

And here's the same. Thanks for watching, see you when my head doesn't feel like exploding.

Zoo reloaded VI - The mocking bird

There's still plenty of material from the ménagerie du jardin des plantes, but probably soon enough there will be a new theme. Until then, you may enjoy what I have prepared for you! And first of all, something from that garden with the tropical plants. Something that, irrelevant as I am when it comes to plants, amused me and I wanted to share with you. Behold.

\m/

Peperomia metallica. Gimme fu, gimme fah, gimme samazamazah! Hah. Cool song. I used to play it with Some Say So, back in Xanthi, Greece, in 2006 and 2007. Also, this photo shows a plant, apparently.

Oh, deer.

Yes, I know, very clever, you never heard it before. Anyway, stop judging me and look at these cute faces. It wasn't very sunny, but even if it were, they have their space to cover from bad (or too good) weather.

This little guy gave the title to today's post. I don't know what a mockingbird is and I'm too lazy to google it, but this swallow is definitely mocking the cage by sitting on it face out.

I don't know, it looks like a big "screw you" to the cages in general. The swallows enter the cages, eat from the food of the birds in there and leave. Swallows and pigeons are the luckiest residents of the ménagerie.

Zoo reloaded V - Not just at the zoo

Continuing with the stories from the zoo, today we will have something from the whole day and not just the part when we were at the zoo. Although we will move backwards. I think that the photos are worth doing such a move. And, since I am the only member of the committee that take the decisions for the blog, I approve unanimously my idea. My congratulations to me. Thank me.

That's a big lizard. Looks like the Comodo dragon although I think those are bigger. Our walk at the zoo gave me many opportunities for interesting photos.

But what is a lizard without a watermark above? Click on the photos to see the difference on the slideshow.

Before going to the ménagerie, we went to a nice garden with tropical plants. I took many photos there, although this little frog grabbed my attention more.

Here you can see it after the editing. It's nice to see this frog there, as well as all the fish that were in the water. I mean, plants are nice and all, but for me animals are more interesting.

Before leaving home, just in the area of the buildings, I saw this. I couldn't ignore it. I've been trying to get one for a long time, to no avail. I think I should learn more about macro photography.

Because this photo looks great, but it cannot show the details of the magnification. So, I'll have it in mind.

Zoo reloaded IV - Cute duckling

Without much talking today, I will move straight to the photos. Or maybe I won't yet. Because I have a huge objection. Do you know the little story of the ugly duckling? In a few words, it was a little duck that was different than the other ducks and they were all saying that it was ugly, until it grew up and became a swan, probably because it was a swan all along. And it wasn't ugly anymore. Which means that before, according to the storyteller, it was ugly. And I'd like to ask the storyteller, are you fucking stupid?? Or you haven't seen a little swan ever?

Am I being unreasonable? OK, let's see.

Well, I was wrong. Look at the ugliness on this disgusting creature. Yuk! It makes me want to puke!

This painfully ugly duckling will become a disgracefully ugly swan, probably. Click on it, to see the ugliness in all its glory. The storyteller was right after all! So ugly!

This is called grue, I think. A beautiful bird. Not like that ugly little swan! Ugh! The ugliness in that bird!

Now, with some editing and a watermark, it looks much better.

This little fellow just dropped his/her food and is now looking at it. There were two little ones, that were extremely lively and they were jumping from branch to rope with great dexterity.

We stayed and watched them for a long time and we would stay even longer if we weren't so tired.

But this little swan, right? So ugly!