http://surreal.istic.org/ Life through the lens of Daniel Hulme en-gb copyright 2006 Daniel Hulme Sat, 15 Jul 2006 19:56:30 GMT st@istic.org Winterstorm I have caught sight of a few squirrels already, darting around looking for nuts, but this weekend I found one on the roof of a nearby house, and I present it here as evidence that if you blinked, you missed the Summer. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/89 Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:08:19 +0100 While we were in France we were fortunate enough to be in St. Martin de Landelles the day of the Polynormande bike race. Although I do a lot of cycling, I don't follow the sport because to be honest I don't find it very interesting. But at St. Martin there was a party atmosphere despite the threatened rain (which materialised on the last lap). I had my wide-angle lens with me, which turned out to be for the best, and of course there was a strong turnout from the pro photographers, who had longer lenses. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/88 Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:57:35 +0100 This year we went slightly further East, into Normandy. I didn't take as many photos as in previous years, but I still got some good ones. Thanks also to Sally for getting one or two nice pictures of us karting: skip to the end of page four for these. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/87 Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:57:32 +0100 No, I haven't been going around photographing monarchs from behind. Queens' backs is the area of grass between the back of Queens' College and Queen's Road, West of the river. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/86 Thu, 15 May 2008 22:15:43 +0100 <img src="http://surreal.istic.org/comic/0014" /> <p>You may by now have noticed that I don't like drawing Theo's hair from his left side. You might also have noticed that this edition comes in a new larger format. I draw the strips much larger than I use them anyway, and there is not much point designing for 800x600 screens these days, so I thought I should boost the size, allowing me to make more use of the detail. This is the reason you can see speakers next to the couch that you couldn't see previously. They were there all along, they just didn't show up because of the low resolution. Would I lie to you?</p> http://surreal.istic.org/shadowburst/0014 Sat, 10 May 2008 22:12:12 +0100 <img src="http://surreal.istic.org/comic/0013" /> <p>Theo is referring to ISO 3103-1980, 'Tea - Preparation of liquor for use in sensory tests', also known as the tea-making standard. It was developed by Technical Committee ISO/TC 34 on Agricultural food products, and is identical to British Standard BS 6008:1980. "GTA 4" is, of course, the recently released game in the Grand Theft Auto series. Side effects of playing the game may include dizzy spells and headaches, particularly in epilepsy sufferers, but as far as I know it does not cause increased sexual function.</p> http://surreal.istic.org/shadowburst/0013 Sun, 04 May 2008 19:02:29 +0100 <img src="http://surreal.istic.org/comic/0012" /> <p></p> http://surreal.istic.org/shadowburst/0012 Sat, 19 Apr 2008 14:03:58 +0100 After the rains and hails of late March, April has so far been quite seasonable, and the skies are overcast much less often. The birds are very active at the moment, though they are a bit nervous as the local cats are similarly active. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/85 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:39:31 +0100 Spring is here again, and sunlight illuminates all. (On some days, anyway. The rest of the time it is still overcast.) March blows and April showers bring forth May flowers, they say, but never mind the flowers: the squirrels and birds are increasingly bolshy. I caught one of the local cats out of my window a few days ago, and this squirrel was sitting in the car park as I was on my way out today. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/84 Sat, 01 Mar 2008 21:40:35 +0000 http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/81 Sun, 12 Aug 2007 19:34:16 +0100 The weather has been patchy recently, to say the least. This has led to some rather striking skies, but also to some clear spells that brought the birds out. I'm actually quite impressed with some of these: the simplicity of the bird compositions is much more effective than I would have thought possible. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/80 Wed, 27 Jun 2007 22:01:01 +0100 I took this on a warm weekend that threatened rain the whole time; all of them out of my living room window. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/79 Mon, 11 Jun 2007 08:47:40 +0100 Today I took my camera out for the first time in yonks. I got lots of pictures of damselflies, but most of them were out of focus: the things are hard to focus on, especially when they're flying over water and they don't stay in frame long enough to focus. Be careful while browsing the thumbnails: many of them aren't large enough to show the insects therein. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/78 Sun, 03 Jun 2007 19:58:29 +0100 <img src="http://surreal.istic.org/comic/0011" /> <p>These feline text-bearers came from some foreign internet and have started taking mine over too. Even the almost-venerable <a href="http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/%7Emyl/languagelog/archives/004442.html">Language Log</a> has succumbed. Well, my motto has always been, “Leave no bandwagon unturned,” so I respond in kind.</p> <p>People who like the sort of incisive comment you might expect, please imagine your own rant here. I prefer to let the above image stand in its place.</p> <p>People who find the above significantly less funny than the sort of dross it is modelled after, may wish to contemplate this comic's alternate caption, “[This cat left intentionally blank]”</p> http://surreal.istic.org/shadowburst/0011 Fri, 18 May 2007 21:48:13 +0100 Follow the link on this entry to visit my new blog at <http://ego.istic.org/>, powered by Angerwhale. http://ego.istic.org/ Sat, 05 May 2007 17:42:00 +0100 For the first time since Christmas the light was sufficient today. I still haven't got the hang of getting the exposure correct with this long lens, but I'm getting there. I have often heard it said that birds are much easier to photograph than one might expect, because they are willing to sit there and pose for you — more willing than humans, anyway. Milton Country Park (which is currently <a href="http://savemiltoncountrypark.com/">threatened with closure</a>) was full of families today, so all the swans were being very friendly, expecting to be thrown bits of stale bread. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/76 Sun, 14 Jan 2007 19:57:56 +0000 These are the photos from our New Year's Eve party, which was relatively subdued until about 0100, when the singing started. Happy new year, everyone. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/75 Wed, 03 Jan 2007 23:35:07 +0000 While at my parents' in Liverpool, I took the opportunity to try out my new lens at Calderstones Park. Again, it was very cloudy, and it even started raining on the way back. I've doctored a few of these photos into greyscale pictures, with realistic noise like old-fashioned b/w film. In each case, the original appears just as it came out of the camera, <b>after</b> my 'improved' image. Do let me know if you have any comments on my changes. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/74 Wed, 03 Jan 2007 23:07:25 +0000 In what is becoming our traditional post-Christmas outing, my family met up in <a href="http://www.forestry.gov.uk/delamerehome">Delamere forest</a> on Boxing Day for a walk and/or cycle round. It was my first opportunity to use my new 75-300mm lens, but it was far too cloudy to get any good pictures. At least the weather held. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/73 Wed, 03 Jan 2007 21:18:07 +0000 <img src="http://surreal.istic.org/comic/0010" /> <p><p>Yes, <a href="http://xkcd.com/">xkcd</a> readers, I mean <a href="http://xkcd.com/c181.html">you</a>. For the record, there is at the time of writing half a kilogoogle for "pornosphere".</p> <p>So, Shadowburst finally makes it into double figures. OK, maybe it would have been quicker if I'd used some awkward base system like decimal, but using outlandish bases is silly IMO, so I'll stick to hex, thanks. I hope you weren't expecting some kind of Christmas special. There will be no cheap attempts to garner popularity by riding the festive bandwagon on my watch. "Bah," said Greg, "humfeature."</p> http://surreal.istic.org/shadowburst/0010 Mon, 18 Dec 2006 23:58:33 +0000 <img src="http://surreal.istic.org/comic/000f" /> <p><p>wizz for art reuse hem-hem, as molesworth wold sa.</p> <p>Sorry for the lack of updates recently, but, as is always the case, Real Life has got in the way. I now have an exciting new job writing, of all things, C#. Bleugh. On top of that, it is Michaelmas term, which means I am teaching, and being Full Term, I currently have a social life. The Cambridge fireworks display is tomorrow night, though (unless you're reading this in the future, in which case it is tonight, or right now, or you've missed it), so there should be some exciting photography going up tomorrow night.</p></p> http://surreal.istic.org/shadowburst/000f Fri, 03 Nov 2006 19:28:29 +0000 http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/71 Tue, 17 Oct 2006 00:01:30 +0100 <img src="http://surreal.istic.org/comic/000e" /> <p>Just in case you'd forgotten Shadowburst was about CTF, I thought I'd remind you. The image was drawn for large-format display, so rasterised at this size it really doesn't show up all the detail.</p> http://surreal.istic.org/shadowburst/000e Mon, 25 Sep 2006 17:07:21 +0100 Pigeons have been a bit scarce of late — I suppose they have been on their Summer hols — but there have been a few flying around over the last few days, so I suppose they must be here for the Winter. I hope you'll excuse the slight alterations made to this picture, but I imagine my neighbours will be happier this way. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/70 Tue, 19 Sep 2006 01:51:53 +0100 <img src="http://surreal.istic.org/comic/000d" /> <p>In addition, Greg always dips his shirt when he passes a warship. This sometimes causes problems at regattas.</p> http://surreal.istic.org/shadowburst/000d Mon, 18 Sep 2006 18:52:31 +0100 My reputation as an attentive host must be spreading amongst the insect community, as I am getting even more visitors. Here are two recent ones. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/69 Wed, 13 Sep 2006 21:19:13 +0100 <img src="http://surreal.istic.org/comic/000c" /> <p></p> http://surreal.istic.org/shadowburst/000c Fri, 08 Sep 2006 16:11:12 +0100 <img src="http://surreal.istic.org/comic/000b" /> <p></p> http://surreal.istic.org/shadowburst/000b Thu, 31 Aug 2006 10:57:26 +0100 Just a quick sketch. I think there is more feeling in it than I can get into a drawing in the Shadowburst style with my current level of skill, but if there is demand I may try and transfer it across. Odd, I find the joke both hilarious, and strangely… not. http://surreal.istic.org/gallery/68 Fri, 25 Aug 2006 21:29:32 +0100 <img src="http://surreal.istic.org/comic/000a" /> <p>Umm, yes. Sorry about the nudity, but I couldn't have done the joke without it. I hope you weren't eating breakfast or anything.</p> http://surreal.istic.org/shadowburst/000a Sat, 19 Aug 2006 12:56:24 +0100