traffic accident
Originally uploaded by j_wijnands.

On the crossing near the office. The guard tipped me of. It was also listed on the emergency services paging system. (http://monitor.livep2000.nl/) as

29-09-09 16:23:41
LIFELINER 1 / MMT INZET VOOR MKA :KENNEMERLAND, HOOFDDORP, VAN HEUVEN GOEDHARTLAAN # KRUISWEG, COORD I-14-D


0120988 Life Line 1
29-09-09 16:23:26
12804 [A1] VAN HEUVEN GOEDHARTLAAN/KRUISWEG - N201 HOOFDDORP VKO MET LETSEL RITNR 39797


0126804 brandweer / OvD-G 804 - GHOR VZA Hoofddorp / Kennemerland
29-09-09 16:18:16
12183 [A1] KRUISWEG/VAN HEUVEN GOEDHARTLAAN HOOFDDORP VKO MET LETSEL RITNR 39795


0126999 ambulance / Monitorcode / Kennemerland
29-09-09 16:18:16
12183 [A1] KRUISWEG/VAN HEUVEN GOEDHARTLAAN HOOFDDORP VKO MET LETSEL RITNR 39795


0126183 regio 12 Kennemerland AMBULANCE 83
29-09-09 16:17:18
12186 [A1] VAN HEUVEN GOEDHARTLAAN/KRUISWEG - N201 HOOFDDORP VKO MET LETSEL RITNR 39794


0126999 ambulance / Monitorcode / Kennemerland
29-09-09 16:17:18
12186 [A1] VAN HEUVEN GOEDHARTLAAN/KRUISWEG - N201 HOOFDDORP VKO MET LETSEL RITNR 39794


0126186 regio 12 Kennemerland AMBULANCE 86
29-09-09 16:17:16
PRIO 1 UGS A PELIKAANWEG LUCHTHAVEN SCHIPHOL LUCHTVAART INCIDENT SCHIPHOL (VOS: 1) [ 597 ]

The guy driving the bike didn't make it.

Facepaint: Finished lion

Facepaint: Finished lion
Originally uploaded by j_wijnands.

Our local shopping center had organised a theater theme sunday. Facepainting was part of it. I really like this one, expressions, lines, colors it works for me.

fighting horses in the mist

fighting horses in the mist
Originally uploaded by j_wijnands.

Was up early this morning. Mist was still on the fields and when I drove up I noticed the horses being restless. I missed 20 horses breaking into a gallop. I did manage to capture these two having a discussion.

Tricky shot, way at the edge of my Sigma's 70-300 range, low light so high iso and fog is tricky to meter, the line between losing the mood and getting horrible noise is rather fine.

Despite all that and despite the obvious shortcommings I really like this shot.

Here's me trying to be clever

DSC_7724
Originally uploaded by j_wijnands.

I noticed this nice scene on my way to work this morning. I love moody cloudy skies especially at sunrise.

Anyway, as we all know metering this requires care, the contrast between the ground and the lighter parts of the clouds is big so you'll either underexpose or blow highlights.

I figured I'd be clever and HDR it. What I forgot for a moment is that even with shutter speeds above 1/200 and my camera set to continuous high the tractor would still travel some distance. I discovered this when I plunked my 3 bracketed frames into photomatix. Load of ghosting on the wheels. So I tried another apporach, took a frame I liked, hit it with 20% d-lighting and a neutral grad.

Not a massive crowd pleaser

Mouflon
Originally uploaded by j_wijnands.

Shot this this morning. Very grey and blue light. First time in ages I encountered mouflon.

One of these shots that won't draw massive crowds, mainly because the small version isn't that interesting.

RFC 1149 alive and well after 19 years!

As a recent experiment in South Africa proved the old RFC 1149, transmission of IP over avian carriers. I think the ISP involved, Telkom, should be very, very ashamed of itself! My sympathies go out to the sysadmins who need to work which such slow lines.

Windows 7 and Diana Krall

Now I can hear you wonder, what on earth is the relation between those two? Has the best jazz singer of the last two decades signed a deal with Microsoft?
Not that I know of.

Early last week I got a chance to trade in my aging Lenovo T60 laptop for a slightly newer T61. And I also got invited to participate in my employer's Windows 7 beta program.

So I've been running Windows 7 for about a week now and I love it! It's robust, quick to start and I like the interface. I also, and I never thought I'd write this, the Mediaplayer that came bundled with it. It plays xvid without an extra codec (although you do need a codec for the common AC3 sound, I use Shark's Windows 7 codec pack) and it also seems like the audio playback is way better than my old T60 with Windows XP. So I'm listening to a high-bitrate version of Diana Krall's Departure bay. Excellent song, love the lyrics!


The fading scent of summertime
Arbutus trees and firs
The glistening of rain-soaked moss
Going to the dairy queen at dusk
Down narrow roads
In autumn light

The salt air and the sawmills
And the bars are full of songs and tears
To the passing of the tugboats
And people with their big ideas

Last portrait for a while

Last portrait for a while
Originally uploaded by j_wijnands.

Soon after I shot this I bumped into my lightstand and discovered the flash wasn't properly secured. So it took a fall to the ground and now it will not turn on.

I am quite upset by this.