Some very incredible photos by everyone indeed!
I wish my Mom did not get all of our Pictures from Kenya, all 3400 and some odd put onto slides, but it was 1986, so that's just what you did when things like Vacations or Safaris were going to be long enough and wanted to be shared on a big screen.
She was still at the top of her game then, and the pics' are mostly
National Geogrphic quality.
Someday, if I win the lottery, that's one of the things on my list. Get those damned Kenya Slides turned into digital format!!!
We don't even have a working slide projector anymore, but do have a screen.
For awhile, I would find them from time to time at yard sales with intact lenses, and some had remotes and auto advance, but then there were ones where the bulbs became too expensive to replace, and/or the auto advance would run the slide through some sort of mis-aligned or broken part damaging one of them.
Funny thing is, I think that now that I think about all of the slide projectors I've ever tinkered with, I could easily design and build one using a few springs, maybe some rubber bands for metering out controllable tension on the moving parts, and my paper, fiberglass and carbon fiber template construction techniques, which allow me to make precision items without needing metal, electricity or power tools.
It would require electrical skill to light it up, but I'm sure if I build it someone here can tell me where to source the lighting element.
I already have a design in mind just by thinking of it for the last few moments.
i could use the rearward portion of a mountain bike frame, as it features adjustable tensioner in the form of a shock absorber, plus two or more known axial alignment points.
It is also known to grow right in my backyard, thanks to my Boy who seems to be a scrap metal enthusiast, even though he only has one working Bike at a time. Atleast he's out there tinkering and learning stuff and asking me questions I can answer with tools and know how.
Anyhow, to my point.
When we were in Kenya, my Mom had everything from the Macro to the 300mm Telephoto for her Canon AE-1 Program with the auto winder and anything else that was available at the time in consumer grade cameras. I remember going with her to buy it, and how she meticulously discussed the details of each component with the salesman, who apparently had not been to Art School or had anything near my Mom's level of education, but she ended up buying all of the equipment anyway, all $3400 of it, which in 1986 was crazy now that I look back on it.
I learned a very important lesson that day. You can never have too much gear.
I was 8, but the lesson served me well in life, and my Mom and I still wear vests packed with possibles to this very day.
We went some places that the birds had not had anything but peaceful interactions with humans, and she has some shots of them landing and pooping on me, and just the craziest close-ups of birds.
She has a bunch of giant eagles carrying Snakes too that are pretty spectacular, but feature no reference point other then they were shot on 35mm film which was dutifully carried by me through all the metal detectors and X-Ray machines at the Airports, in Lead Bags, since film, even in immense quantities is fairly light. We'd have to open each one when they were inspected, and the ironic part was that upon landing at Kenyata International on the outskirts of Nairobi, there was an actual Terrorist Attack, but it was quickly quenched right before my eyes, before any civilian casualties or even the good guys with the British Sten Guns and Beretta M12s got to them.
Another lesson learned.
I'll likely be on the forum forever now, so when I do eventually get some of those slides made digital, I'll definitely share them in this thread.
Til' then, here's a Catbird that one of my Cats had, but was not punctured, and by making a loud noise, the Cat startled and dropped it.
I made sure my grip was correct, then brought in in for a quick photo, as I knew it would need to stay in my hand for anywhere from 0-15 minute to come out of shock and be able to safely fly and alight on a branch.
It did make me think it felt well enough at around five minutes so I let it go, but I'de misjudged it, and it made a short horizontal fight to a branch, where I quickly retrieved it, then doubled the original time of five minutes to ten minutes of quite hold.
when it began to wriggle a bit the second time, it was sink or swim for the Animal, as we were never meant to encounter each other in the first place, so I made a quick Eye Contact to make sure it was ready to run for real, then opened my hands, and it was able to fly away as if nothing had occurred to it.
Man!!! We are lucky to be bird enthusiasts!
Can you even imagine what a sheltered and desolate life it must be to not be able to take great Joy out of life by watching Birds fly around. It may sound like a simple pleasure to some folks, but I derive all sorts of data from simply watching them that make me a better modeller.
Loves me some Birdwatching!
