Author: dalecooper57

dalecooper57 may or may not necessarily be my real name, although I couldn't swear to it. An aging hippy living in Devon, I do all this stuff (and I do mean everything - blog, animation, music, photography, the lot) on my lovely smartphone because I started like that, and now I'm too stubborn to get a computer. I don't have a theme, because I don't see why I'd want to talk about the same thing all the time, so why only write about one thing? So if you like eclecticism, humour, nonsense, opinionated ranting, and occasionally educational stuff, you've come to the right place. Any and all feedback is welcome, both positive and negative, on the content, style and overall look of the blog. You keep following me, I'll keep telling you stuff, ok? Cheers, dalecooper57

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Out of the way places.

On By dalecooper57In editing and effects, nature photography, photography10 Comments

Hello and welcome to The Cosmic Photo Challenge, which this week is inspired by the prompt; Out of the way places.

I took a chilly walk around the community woodland at Bratton Flemming, just outside Barnstaple yesterday, capturing the last of the autumn colours and enjoying the peace and quiet.

What did you find, away from the hustle and bustle of modern life?

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.

Tag your posts with  #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

Cosmic Photo prompt.

On By dalecooper57In photography2 Comments

For this week’s mission on The Cosmic Photo Challenge, should you decide to accept it, I’d like you to track down images in; Out of the way places.

Take a walk on the wild photographic side over the weekend and I’ll see you on Monday.

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.

Tag your posts with  #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Three shots from one spot.

On By dalecooper57In editing and effects, photography15 Comments

This week on The Cosmic Photo Challenge I asked you to take all your pictures from one place, with the prompt; Three shots from one spot.

I took mine from the back garden last night, resulting in a couple of long exposures and some strangely manipulated artwork.

What fabulous trio of photographic treasures do you have to show us?

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.

Tag your posts with  #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

Cosmic Photo prompt.

On By dalecooper57In photographyLeave a comment

Hello, sorry I’m late, but I’m finally here with your prompt for The Cosmic Photo Challenge this week.

I’m going with one which successfully produced some interesting results before; Three shots from one spot.

Just in case you don’t remember our previous triptych experiment, I will clarify what that means. Choose anywhere you like, stand in that one spot and take three separate photos from three different directions or perspectives. That’s it, everything else is up to your creative imaginations.

Have a great weekend, stay warm and I’ll catch you on Monday.

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.

Tag your posts with  #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Lest we forget.

On By dalecooper57In editing and effects, photography7 Comments

This week on The Cosmic Photo Challenge we are remembering the past with an eye on the future, for the prompt; Lest we forget.

I went down to Rock Park in Barnstaple for the annual Remembrance Day service at the war memorial.

How did you mark your memorable weekend?

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.

Tag your posts with  #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

Cosmic Photo prompt.

On By dalecooper57In photography1 Comment

Good afternoon, welcome to this week’s prompt for The Cosmic Photo Challenge.

Today is the eleventh day of the eleventh month and at 11am today the country fell silent for two minutes, to honour the fallen and those who served in all wars.

So, as a mark of respect to those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom, and to those who continue to do so, the theme this week is; Lest we forget.

See you on Monday, have a great weekend.

“Southampton Dock” by Pink Floyd (R. Waters)

“They disembarked in 45
And no-one spoke and no-one smiled
There were too many spaces in the line.

Gathered at the cenotaph
All agreed with the hand on heart
To sheath the sacrificial Knives.

But now
She stands upon Southampton dock
With her handkerchief
And her summer frock
Clings to her wet body in the rain.

In quiet desperation
Knuckles white upon the slippery reins
She bravely waves the boys Goodbye again.

And still the dark stain spreads between
his shoulder blades.
A mute reminder of the poppy fields and graves.
And when the fight was over
We spent what they had made.
But in the bottom of our hearts
We felt the final cut.”

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.

Tag your posts with  #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Art for art’s sake.

On By dalecooper57In arts, editing and effects, photography15 Comments

This week on The Cosmic Photo Challenge we’re getting creative, with the theme; Art for art’s sake.

My avantgarde extravaganza was inspired by this fern fossil we found in a slab of sandstone in the garden.

I’d recently managed to remove a larger section of the top layer of stone, revealing more of the pristine patterns beneath and this photo became the basis for a composition made up of (I think) 19 separate images.

Where did your creative muse take you at the weekend?

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.

Tag your posts with  #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

Cosmic Photo prompt.

On By dalecooper57In photography1 Comment

Hello, welcome to another wet weekend and another prompt for The Cosmic Photo Challenge.

As the weather here doesn’t bode well for outdoor photo opportunities, I think we’ll go freestyle with our occasional theme; Art for art’s sake.

So let your creative imagination fly free and show us your artistic side for Monday’s post.

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.

Tag your posts with  #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Spooky.

On By dalecooper57In editing and effects, photography13 Comments

Happy Halloween from The Cosmic Photo Challenge, with this week’s pictures themed around the prompt; Spooky.

I didn’t have the opportunity to capture anything sinister, so I went for a walk in the rainy woods and messed about with the results in various unsettling ways.

See how many eldritch interlopers you can spot in these three enchanted images

How did your creative inspiration strike you over this all hallows weekend?

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.

Tag your posts with  #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

Cosmic Photo prompt.

On By dalecooper57In photography4 Comments

Ooooohhh, it’s nearly Halloween, so it’s time for The Cosmic Photo Challenge to engage in its annual attempt at being; Spooky.

As ever, it’s entirely up to you to put your own spin on the prompt and I’m sure you’ll all come up with something creative for Monday’s post.

Have a great weekend and I’ll see you on the Dark Side, Bwahahahaha!

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.

Tag your posts with  #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.