00049 Granite & Gorse

Granite & Gorse,
originally uploaded by Lenny & Meriel.

The KAP group on Flickr has reached what has been described as critical mass - 24 members and 130 images. The discussions on composition (always a hot point when you take pictures without looking at how you're framing them), bringing out contrast with colour (an eye opener for me) and guides on how to "Make over" someone's image. And with some of the images being rather nice, I think it's finally beginning to motivate people to go out and take more pictures.
Oh, and the geotagging map is coming along nicely - pity I never travel distances of more that 5 miles.

00048 Kitesurfing, 3rd outing

Kitesurfing, 3rd outing,
originally uploaded by Lenny & Meriel.

So I got the call at two and was down the beach at three. After the body dragging thingy last week I was chompin' at the bit to get on the board. The wind was gusty and just died occasionally - so not ideal for learning.
The progression was slow at first, but it picked up pace and I got up on "the plane" for a reasonable time (for a first timer).
Oh, I did get lofted and dragged off towards the beach at speed, but just got back on the horse and carried on.
Now I know that all I need is practice and better conditions. I also know that this is excellent and I can't wait to do it all again and again and again.

00047 EHW

Meriel has been shopping for clothes, but on her return finds that she needs to take them up. Out comes the sewing machine. Meriel frowns as she sews the trousers.
"Are you Hemming?" I ask.
"Yes", she replies.
"You're frowning", I say.
"Yes."
"The way in which you are hemming those trousers is ... ummm ..."
"Ernest?"
"That's it", I shout, "It's an ernest hemming way"

Did you see it coming? Did ya?

(based on a true, recent, accurate retold, but quite dull story)

00046 Rig number four

DSC_9037,
originally uploaded by Lenny & Meriel.

Just finished adding the powersource for the infra-red timer shutter release. I seem to be always looking for the vertical shot, so I thought I'd just get rid of the RC axes and stck to a fixed setup like this. This rig is minute, but will still take 4MP images. As a result of the size, the kites, fixings and rig all pack into a small rucksack.

00045 Round thing in a square hole

Although it has probably not escaped the attentions of true trivia hunters, this guy has made a hyperlinked "poster" of the squared circle group from Flickr and now I really need a bigger screen so I can view the whole thing in all its glory

00044 KAP group on Flickr

My KAP group on Flickr is growing very very slowly, but we're up to over 90 images and some of them are really quite peachy. So I thought I'd add one of the rather natty Flickr badges for the KAP group, until I get the feeling I need to change it again.
I'm really into this one at the moment, it really makes me think of something smaller (Meriel thinks it's bullets, I'm thinking long thermos flasks):

00043 At last, in the water

So liberation day weekend (a strange oxymoron) came and went but not before I managed to get out on the water (at last!) with my 11 meter Flexifoil. I lent the other (the 15 meter rasta) to Mark, a local kitesurfer. Mark came back smiling, saying the kite was superb and added that it was perfect for my aprentceship.
So I got to use the wetsuit for the first time - if it had come in a tin it would have done what it said on it - and then headded out. Just sublime. Body dragging followed by "teabagging" (being dragged vertically out of the water and landing down wind, skimming off the water). Just towards the end of the day Mark lent me his board and I made a confused stab at trying to get up on it. Next time I'll be up and planing, I reckon, although a promised session of wakeboarding would probably not be out of place to brush up on board skills first.

00042 Cup cake protection

I must have a cup cake protector and I can't think of a reason why anyone would disagree with my motivation.
That is unless you count the impracticality of it as a negative point.