Thanks...hope you and yours have been staying safe and healthy....My family and I have been good so far; for me it has been more of a mental/emotional roller coaster plus the financial impact of all the prices going up but paycheck not...kind of feel like I may have been better off losing my job with all this going on...seems like up until recently people were better off (if your on the lower income structure) with all the extra money they were getting....I see people in my area that were buying new quads, trucks, tv's etc and when you talk to them they say Oh this is great I've got more money than when I work....in the mean time I have to work 2 jobs just so I can afford fuel oil to heat my home and buy food that has more than doubled...and then that leaves me with less time to do the things I enjoy and relax with (photography, hiking, camping etc) and when I do find the time to do these things everyplace I go is over crowded because everyone has now taken up "the outdoors" and are trashing areas that were prestine before this pandemic....But it now wintertime and too cold to be going out so I can now just stay in and focus on the processing that I didn't have time to do...especially since now I've kind of gotten past the frustrations/anger/depression of this situation...feeling in a better state of mind with the New Year and coming to the realization that I am only hurting myself by being upset over the things I cannot change...so will live in my bubble and focus on what I can do...adjusting accordingly. But will try and allot sometime to socializing with the forum for I do miss the friendliness of the "hog family". Was very happy when going through the post that it appears that everyone is still participating and a few new names have popped in....

To All The Hedgehogs- I know I went into MIA but the last two plus years have been an absolute shitstorm as it has been for everyone....throughout it all UHH has always been in my thoughts. Finally found sometime to log back in and decided to view the 74 pages of "Best or Favorite of 2021". So happy to see everyone still capturing wonderful images! Have missed the interaction of this group! Hope that 2022 is good to everyone and I hope to find a way to work UHH back into my life,,,wish I could be retired (or at least only working one job) to have time for challenges and all that goes with it....maybe I can stop by on a Free Sunday now and again....Best of Wishes to Everyone!

Just stopping in to say Hello and to wish everyone a happy, healthy and safe holiday season! While I'm here will share a memory of the first time I took my grandson out to cut down my Christmas tree, as you can see he was a great help....

PS Wish I had known then what I have learned over this past year...I can only imagine how much nicer these would have been had I only bent a knee and taken these at his point of view....

This one just isn't right


Ok so I just get down under here like this....


WOW! This is harder then it looks....


Timber! I did it!


Ugh! Now I have to drag it back to the car.....

Sorry haven't been around for awhile but been very busy between training for new position at work, learning lr/ps and getting my life into some sort of order; had to stop in and say....
Thank you to all who are giving and to those that have given their all! Happy Veteran's Day!

Sunrise over the mountain-Mocanoqua PA

Just a quick pop in to see how everyone is doing and to say Hello! Karin looks like another great challenge; loving all the special effects! All is well here just a lot going on with training in new position at work and life in general...but still taking the camera out of it's bag everyday even if it is just a quick capture on the way into work, things should start to calm down in about 6 more weeks. Karen hope your feeling better soon...Tim you lucky snowbird wish I could escape the upcoming cold weather...finally purchased Lightroom/Photoshop a little over a week ago...the tutorials are great (watch them on my phone during breaks at work) I did play with one image I took one night on my way home from work not a special effect but thought I'd share for some feedback...wish I could have done more with that dark shadow area on shingles....can't wait to get a little extra time to try out some of those special effects I'm seeing on this challenge...might have some time on Sunday....

Original-night shot, lots of spotlights couldn't get white balance right in camera

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After played a little with Lightroom...able to get lighting spot on in about 15 mins! Lot easier than I thought

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23 pages already! Thank you everyone for the wonderful images of the old, rusty and broken...remembrances of simpler times gone by, every one reminders that nature will fight back unfortunately nature hasn't found a way, yet, to overcome the plastics produced today...
Thank you everyone for the words of encouragement and thumbs up...will be helping a friend out this weekend, so everyone have a good one...will be back on Monday to catch up.

Here's a few to get started with from the most artistically displayed roadside farmers stand I've ever seen....

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After seeing the canoe races I had to go on a search and finally located a fun race that is held at the annual Redneck Festival held in Tamaqua PA.....not all motion captures but they make the "racecar" a little more understood….

Lined up for votes by the crowd as to who gets to run there is only 2 competing in the actual race after the crowd vote

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In true redneck style the woman does the work while wearing a dress and flipflops...

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The winning chariot!

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It was really funny; was shooting a water splush ride at Kneobel's Amusement park and was trying to get as close as possible while staying out of the "splash" zone I was standing on the side of where the car first splashes down, had taken many shots of it coming down the shute, watching where the water was splashing and decided I could get a really up close shot of the back end as the wave came up and over the car if I move down the rock wall a bit...that area was all dry so I went for it...the next car came down I was like "this is going to be really cool" well as I was looking thru the camera I saw this wave come right at me and manage to snap off the shot before I ended up on my backside trying not to get the camera soaked! Well, got the shot, a sore bottom but a dry camera! And a few laughs from the people nearby!

Had to blow it up a little bit but very unique...So you wear a hat, wear your hair a little on the longish side it has a bit of a wave and do I see a bit of a beard there with a mustache...possibly wearing a camo jacket....and you always have a smile.
There's a lot to be seen in the shadows if one is willing to look close enough....

Thanks Tim!

Look at them go! Wish I could still run around like that!

This crafter was creating knotted rag rugs...6 ft long 3 ft wide on a loom like frame in 30 minutes...she was speed knotting....