Depth of field.

 I have been asked: "What does 'Depth of Field' mean?"

Here is the answer:

The  grasses  in the foreground are clearly defined and the background is also in focus.

What a little tweak can do.

 Same location! Same day! Same Time" slightly different Camera settings and

VOILA!

Five different pictures!

'Snapping Turtle' on Log.

 

See what a little Zoom Lens can do...

 

Hiking around on a hill, with a view into the Valley below.

Hey there is a church... so take a shot with the Church dead-center .

... then, use the 300 mm Zoom lens, so we can see the itsy-bitsy church

a little better.

and now let's zoom to 300 mm.

Had I brought my 800 mm lens, you might have seen

the Priest on his pulpit.

Just as well I didn't !

😁

Terror in Vienna

 

Terrorist's Attack in Vienna.

I have no intention of adding to the miles of newsprint and to the gallons of printer's ink spent on the reporting of this horrifying attack by a madman religious fanatic, upon some innocent people.

Let me just spend a few lines on the reaction of a large segment of the population to this almost unbelievable deed.

From Pope Franciscus down to Cardinal Schönborn, down to the Man on the Street we are urged to “pray for the victims” of this multiple murder.

What should we pray for?

If, according to the Catholic Teachings, the victims died in a “state of Grace” they will go to Heaven.

Praying for them is therefore needless, since God had already made his decision in their favor.

If, however, they died with a mortal unconfessed and therefor unforgiven sin upon their conscience, they, regretfully, must go to Hell.

If one of the victims, by any chance was not a Christian, but, for instance a Muslim or a Hindu they also will not achieve a heavenly eternal Hereafter, because they did not “accept Jesus Christ” as the Son of God, their Savior, and therefore they must burn in Hell for all Eternity.

Although many modern Christians will admit that there is an opening in heaven for believers in another, different Messiah, the Bible does not agree with them.

Praying for them, the Non-Believers, would be useless, since the above described fate has been determined and allegedly revealed by Christ's teachings.

If God, the “All Just” has decided one way, would he really change his mind because we ask him to? N.b.l.

So, the Pope, Cardinal Schönborn and the Man on the Street ask you to do something which is either needless or useless.

Bertstravels

The Last of our garden's Roses

 

The Last of our Roses

Bauernfest - Farmers' Party

 

This past "Late Summer",  

we went for a little trip into the countryside.

Past meadows with the typical "Hey-Balls",

 food for cattle over a long coming Winter.

From far off we heard music. There was a party in full swing.

Of course we joined the people of surrounding Villages.

A young lady acted as the "Traffic Cop"

Two young girls supervised the "Roasting of the Pig".

Under Sunshine the folk of several surrounding Villages 

had gathered.

Waltzes and Polkas came from the band stand.

And what an interesting band it was:

5 Accordions ( count them )

3 Guitars

and this, obviously home made rhythm instrument ( see below ),

made for some swinging music.

Atop a sturdy stick, a hand-carved devil's head, crowned by real antlers of a male deer,

just below, a short crossbar  equipped with a series of bells,

below that again a coat hanger of dubious purpose.

Then a tambourine  and further down, a frying pan.

Four strings stretched  along this contraption.

The player is equipped with a sturdy drum stick

and the whole devil's instrument gave off a series of frightening (?) sounds

and a never ending rhythm.

Naturally there was a sensitive microphone

to make sure nobody missed a single note

produced by this very dexterous player.

To be sure, an instrument, the likes of which I had never seen before 

and probably will never see again.