autofantasia's photos

A shot of my father-in-law Bill who has sadly passed away. From a scan of an old photograph, taken I believe at a family wedding in the Seventies.

A belated entry for this week's Sunday Challenge , for which we were asked to create a SQUARE image and imitate the IMPRESSIONISTIC style . This was the only one I had been able to come up with and I wasn't too sure about posting it. Then I got all wrapped up in the 'panic' about ipernity being likely to close and never got around to producing anything else. It's based on a shot I took last week at Studley Royal Deer Park here in North Yorkshire, but then has been subjected to much processing and adding of textures etc.. Not sure if it's 'impressionistic' enough to meet the brief, but it's all I've got! Please view large on black for best effect.

For this week's Sunday Challenge , for which the topic was panning . We actually did this challenge before back in early 2015, but some were keen to have another go at it although I personally approached it with some trepidation as I didn't enjoy it much last time around. Anyway, earlier today I managed to set some time aside and so went to a spot on the outskirts of Northallerton where you can get fairly close to the railway track without having to cross any mucky fields or put yourself in danger to any extent. And just as I left the car I heard a train approaching heading out of town so I had to act quickly to get this shot as that first train came into view. I say first, but in actual fact this was the one and only train that passed this spot even though I did wait around for the best part of an hour in the hopes of getting a chance to shoot a few more. Considering this was the one and only shot I took and the fact that I had problems with the technique last time around I'm actually fairly happy with how it turned out. Yes, the exposure could have been better and it would have been nice to have had more of the train in focus, but all things considered I'll settle for what I got. Also for Sight and Sound ... Dolly Parton with "Blue Smoke": youtu.be/RTc5xC6qEXA youtu.be/_yxtyNEKV5g youtu.be/pz5ZxI32zro

Last of the dogs as spotted at VW North West 2011 , for the moment at least, and as you can see I left the biggest till last!

I was intrigued by this cute looking young Vizsla as it reminded me very much of Sandy who we had just adopted from the Dog's Trust, but whose parentage at the time was unknown. We felt certain he was part chocolate Labrador, but were unsure of the other element until I saw this ... so from then on we referred to Sandy as being a Vizlab ... much rarer than those Cockapoos and Labradoodle that are all the rage now!

And yet another cute looking dog as seen at VW North West 2011 .

As spotted at VW North West way back in 2011 ... so cute!

A belated entry for this week's Sunday Challenge , for which we were asked to produce an image that matched our idea of maximalism . This is actually 3 images combined of the glass façade of the new £53 million Ayrshire College, which opened this year and occupies the area of the town where the old Johnnie Walker factory was located. Travelling through the town last week on the way back 'home' to North Yorkshire following a family funeral this was the first time I'd seen the new building up close and I was blown away by the scale of it. The design of the main entrance incorporates so much glass that it seemed an ideal subject to shoot for the challenge. As it happens, the world famous brand of Scotch whisky owned now by Diageo actually originated in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. It is believed to be the most widely distributed brand of blended Scotch whisky in the world, sold in almost every country, with annual sales of over 130 million bottles. Sadly, in 2009 Diageo announced that under a restructuring programme production would be moved from the brand's original home to Diageo plants in Leven, Fife, and Shieldhall, Glasgow. So in March 2012, the Johnnie Walker plant (then the largest employer in the town of Kilmarnock) closed its doors and the name joined a long list of world famous brands that had once originated from or been heavily associated with the town: names such as Massey-Harris (later Massey-Ferguson) and Saxone Shoes. We can only hope then that some of the bright young students that will pass through the doors of this most impressive looking new college will go on to develop ideas, products and businesses that will in time become equally famous and provide employment for local people because overall it has to be said my hometown needs to find a new direction. Incidentally, the old Kilmarnock College campus on Holehouse Road, which was the predecessor if you like to the huge new Ayrshire college is still there although I'm not sure what the long-term plans are for that particular site.

Created for Armistice Day, which is commemorated every year on November 11th to mark the agreement signed between the Allies and Germany at Compiègne, France marking the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning: the "eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month" of 1918. The image is a composite of two photos I took earlier this year. The first was of an field of poppies that I came across on the outskirts of Thirsk. This forms the basis of the image and it has then been combined with a quick shot I snapped of what I thought at the time was a Lancaster bomber, which flew over me while I was at Ripley, North Yorkshire. I've given it a slightly painterly edge to it simply because I thought it increased the feeling of fluidity I witnessed whilst walking amongst the poppies. Also for Remembrance Sunday ... lest we forget. *Thanks to those who have been kind enough to confirm that the plane is indeed a Lancaster and to Pam J in particular for providing the great link below: www.raf.mod.uk/bbmf/theaircraft/lancasterpa474.cfm

And yet another from the 'processing room' for you folks to enjoy ... perhaps.

Just me messing again in the 'processing room' with another in my Artist At Work series of images ... the title of which is, as ever, somewhat tongue in cheek. For those that like to see these things you'll find a copy of the original photograph which I took of a Ginetta G33 in the Notes. Please view on black for best effect!

This terrific line up was put together by the Last Edition Beetle Register - a group of owners and enthusiasts of the last 300 Volkswagen Beetles to have been built for the United Kingdom. Last Edition Beetles were all made in 1978, originally finished in silver metallic paint, and are not to be confused with the 3000 'Last Edition' cars that VW produced in 2003 to mark the end of production in Puebla, Mexico which was the last factory anywhere in the world to produce these iconic cars. You can find out more about the Last Edition Beetles and the Register by following the link below: www.lasteditionbeetle.org

Another Transporter for you, this time in the shape of a pick-up. Can't be sure of the exact year for this one as the DVLA no longer recognise the plate. However, the fact that it has a front bumper with an integral step suggests it's an early one ... most likely from the Sixties.

Described as being 'blue' on the DVLA records, this rusting, ratty-lookin' splitty was only registered here in October 2003, but having been built in 1954 it's one of the oldest examples I've come across.

Yet another beautiful Karmann Ghia. Sadly, this one no longer comes up on the DVLA records ... so let's hope that means it's just been sold overseas rather than it having come to a sticky end.

Another shot of that beautiful 1968 Karmann Ghia.

The Karmann Ghia, a 2+2 coupé first introduced in 1955 and manufactured until 1974, must surely go down as one of the most attractive looking cars VW ever made. It cleverly combined the chassis and mechanicals of the Type 1 (Beetle) with Italian styling (courtesy of Luigi Segre) and hand-built bodywork by the German coach-builder Karmann.

Detail shot of the Porsche Speedster from earlier.