*** July 2026 Image & Video Thread ***

[Mmichaelhh1234]

These are a couple fawns on the property and I was hiding along a fence; not very well apparently.

 

[Mmichaelhh1234]

Sunrise on the bluff and some candid deer shots

 

[Travis Butler]

Sunrise on the bluff and some candid deer shots

I like the deer waiting to sit down on the lawn furniture.

 

[Travis Butler]

20260705-SDIM1198v1.dng by Travis Butler, on Flickr
Sigma fp, Helios 44-2

20260705-SDIM1208 by Travis Butler, on Flickr

 

[Jonathan-Mac]

Taken through a hole in an art sculpture outside the train station at Chamartin in central Madrid. S5 and TTA 40mm f/2.

Madrid towers by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

 

[RuleOfThirds]

One of Europe largest castles, the fortress of Sedan, France

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• LUMIX S 16-35/F4
• ƒ/4
• 16mm
• 1/1250s
• ISO 100

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• LUMIX S 16-35/F4
• ƒ/4
• 35mm
• 1/320s
• ISO 100

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• ƒ/4
• 16mm
• 1/20s
• ISO 3200

 

[RuleOfThirds]

We visited the city of Dinant (Belgium) with its Citadel. Quite a climb, 408 stairs (quite high also, and uneven).

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• LUMIX S 24-60/F2.8
• ƒ/8
• 31mm
• 1/250s
• ISO 100

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• LUMIX S 24-60/F2.8
• ƒ/8
• 45mm
• 1/250s
• ISO 100

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• LUMIX S 24-60/F2.8
• ƒ/8
• 24mm
• 1/320s
• ISO 125

 

[RuleOfThirds]

Walk on mont d'Haurs in Givet. We will visit the Citadel it self later.

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• LUMIX S 28-200/F4-7.1
• ƒ/10
• 50mm
• 1/320s
• ISO 250

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• LUMIX S 28-200/F4-7.1
• ƒ/11
• 115mm
• 1/320s
• ISO 320

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• ƒ/8
• 50mm
• 1/320s
• ISO 160

 

[RuleOfThirds]

Today we were at te Goyet caves (Belgium, for now we are practically on the border of France and Belgium). Here is where the famous skeleton of the oldest dog of mankind is found, 35000 years old. Lot's of stuf found when it was excavated 200 years ago. Also Neanderthaler remains, Mamut, Holen Bear etc.

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• ƒ/1.8
• 35mm
• 1/15s
• ISO 2000

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• ƒ/1.8
• 35mm
• 1/15s
• ISO 640

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• ƒ/1.8
• 35mm
• 1/15s
• ISO 500

 

[PJD]

@RuleOfThirds

Great photos! … if you happen to be passing through Huy, Belgium, give a little salute for me …

Post in thread 'Greetings from between Haarlem and Brussels'

Aug 7, 2024

My apologies again for this detour, but speaking of Belgium ...

If any of you happen to travel by train through the Statte railroad station in Huy, Belgium, please give a thought to the WWII Allied soldiers once based there.

My late Uncle Joseph Contento was one of them, although I didn't know this until well after he passed away in 1990. I inherited a few photos he brought back after the war. The town name is written on some of them, and some are dated, but little or no other info. I was able to figure out exactly where they were taken.

The solo portrait of Joe is dated "June 20...

• PJD

• 
• 

 

[RuleOfThirds]

@RuleOfThirds

Great photos! … if you happen to be passing through Huy, Belgium, give a little salute for me …

Post in thread 'Greetings from between Haarlem and Brussels'

Aug 7, 2024

My apologies again for this detour, but speaking of Belgium ...

If any of you happen to travel by train through the Statte railroad station in Huy, Belgium, please give a thought to the WWII Allied soldiers once based there.

My late Uncle Joseph Contento was one of them, although I didn't know this until well after he passed away in 1990. I inherited a few photos he brought back after the war. The town name is written on some of them, and some are dated, but little or no other info. I was able to figure out exactly where they were taken.

The solo portrait of Joe is dated "June 20...

• PJD

• 
• 

Probably going to the Battle of the Bulge museum in Bastogne tomorrow…. My son wants to check it out.

 

[PJD]

Probably going to the Battle of the Bulge museum in Bastogne tomorrow…. My son wants to check it out.

If you go, I imagine it will be a very moving experience.

If they have a list of American soldiers KIA, look for “Ermingildo G. DeCrescenzo” (or “Emingildo”, the way the Army misspelled it), my father’s brother. Gravely wounded during the BOTB, my uncle “Gildo” (36th INF, 3rd Army) died in a Netherlands hospital several weeks later, and was buried in Margraten.

 

[CharlesH]

Probably going to the Battle of the Bulge museum in Bastogne tomorrow….

My father fought and lived through the Battle of the Bulge. At least 8,600 Americans were killed. 9 to 10 times as many were wounded. The German casualties were horrific. He related stories about this cold dreaded winter; the more human side. He described that most of the German soldiers were very young, teenagers; or old, beyond what you'd consider fighting age. He viewed them as like himself, drafted into an unwanted battle, and he had much empathy for their situation.

I've been quite a bit in Belgium, all for work. I like the people there and have some life long friends. Everyone in the Dutch speaking part speaks perfect English so it is very easy to spend time there. I have never been to the museum in Bastogne. I'm not sure I could handle it emotionally. I would really appreciate what pictures you can post.

 

[PJD]

Mourning dove outside my window. The window screen caused the smearing effect.

• Panasonic DC-S5M2X
• LUMIX S 70-300/F4.5-5.6
• ƒ/5.6
• 300mm
• 1/125s
• ISO 6400

 

[RuleOfThirds]

Yesterday I went to Bastonge war museum. I was a little disappointed more then half of the museum was dedicated to the circumstances leading to ww2 and ww2 in general, up to the liberation of Bastonge (first time). Then in the cellar it continues with the Battle of the Bulge, emphasising the siege from the Germans, which is then told by a few pictures in day-to-day form with very few artifcats or the battle it self. 2 movies, one taking place in forest decorated chilled room (10-15 celsius) in and telling the story from the airborne crew fighting in the foxholes in the cold. And one setting inside a cafe and its cellar (moving floor) telling the story of the Bastonge people. Both around 10 minutes, and not using actual film. Not my cup of tea. For the price I think it is not worth it. The memorial it self outside was barricaded. I'm glad I went, saw a few new things, and more of a Belgium perspective I was not aware of. It was ok. Having been in the old museum (from before this 2014 overhaul) I remembered a much more BOTB emphasised museum, without the movie setting stuf, but much better diorama's. I think this modernisation might work for younger people better. The museum in Caen, and Gdanks, are much much better.

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• LUMIX S 24-60/F2.8
• ƒ/5.6
• 24mm
• 1/10s
• ISO 3200

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• LUMIX S 24-60/F2.8
• ƒ/2.8
• 36mm
• 1/15s
• ISO 640

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• LUMIX S 24-60/F2.8
• ƒ/4
• 26mm
• 1/13s
• ISO 3200

 

[RuleOfThirds]

Then we went outside, to the Forest near Foy, and the Warrooms part. Both from the same museum/entrance ticket. Really liked the forest, where the original fox holes are kept tidy in its (presumably) original state. They used AR, so you scan a tag on the iPhone tag, and then on the phone you could look around, saw the same forest but with the soldiers from Band of Brothers doing a scene (not from that movie, but yes, those actors). And that I really liked. Otherwise it were just a few holes in the forest floor, but that made it alive. The Warrooms are located in barracks, and the original cellar. But it was an empty cellar, with some movie screens in some underground rooms, no artefacts, almost nothing. Just a very clean unrealistic set of cut scenes, without any original pictures or movie parts, and focused on the Generals words "NUTS" as answer to German surrender request . At least the building was real.

So in the end, I think it was a good day, and left with much appreciation of the heroism of the soldiers, but not so with the museum presentation.

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• LUMIX S 24-60/F2.8
• ƒ/5.6
• 39mm
• 1/500s
• ISO 100

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• LUMIX S 24-60/F2.8
• ƒ/8
• 57mm
• 1/15s
• ISO 125

• Panasonic DC-S5M2
• LUMIX S 24-60/F2.8
• ƒ/8
• 24mm
• 1/250s
• ISO 100

 

[Mmichaelhh1234]

Went out early to grab the sunrise and try out some lens combinations. A lot of these were shot with an adapter and a pre AI 50mm f/1.4 lens.
I like the bokeh it produces.

 

[Mmichaelhh1234]

I always loved impressionism. Any opinions on out of focus pictures??

 

[PJD]

Yesterday I went to Bastonge war museum. I was a little disappointed more then half of the museum was dedicated to the circumstances leading to ww2 and ww2 in general, up to the liberation of Bastonge (first time). Then in the cellar it continues with the Battle of the Bulge, emphasising the siege from the Germans, which is then told by a few pictures in day-to-day form with very few artifcats or the battle it self. 2 movies, one taking place in forest decorated chilled room (10-15 celsius) in and telling the story from the airborne crew fighting in the foxholes in the cold. And one setting inside a cafe and its cellar (moving floor) telling the story of the Bastonge people. Both around 10 minutes, and not using actual film. Not my cup of tea. For the price I think it is not worth it. The memorial it self outside was barricaded. I'm glad I went, saw a few new things, and more of a Belgium perspective I was not aware of. It was ok. Having been in the old museum (from before this 2014 overhaul) I remembered a much more BOTB emphasised museum, without the movie setting stuf, but much better diorama's. I think this modernisation might work for younger people better. The museum in Caen, and Gdanks, are much much better.

View attachment 17951View attachment 17952View attachment 17953

Thanks very much for the detailed report. Sorry to hear the museum was disappointing. Do you know why the memorial is barricaded?

 

[CharlesH]

And that I really liked. Otherwise it were just a few holes in the forest floor, but that made it alive

From a letter by my father, December 28, 1944. “Boy! I wish this was over, I’m getting tired of living in a hole in the ground like a coyote and hearing the almost constant sound of heavy guns firing. I get to feel like the animals do at home during hunting season.”