Today has been glorious after the early fog burnt off. It was cool first thing. After breakfast I continued my teaching job. I got him to make a simple circuit using a couple of resistors, two LEDs, the Arduino and a breadboard. He wanted to use all the holes, I told him that was Ph.D. level breadboarding. He got the lights to occult. Off for two seconds on for one second. Not bad for an hour in the morning and half an hour after lunch. He then went away to St Andrews, I don’t know what for but they aren’t back yet and I could do with a glass of wine.
I’ve spent quite a lot of the day trying to get macro video of insects. I shoot at 1080 but will produce the video at 720 as I will need the room to stabilise it. I can’t say it was an unadulterated success, it was extremely frustrating as it only takes the slightest of zephyrs to make things look chaotic. I appear to have got about 20 seconds of useable/salvageable video for a couple of hours effort. I am going to set a bit of flora baited with honey on a light stand and see If I can get more control over the job. The weather looks set fair for the week so I may succeed.
Around five an ambulance arrived at my gate so I wandered down thinking they were lost. They asked what was wrong. I said I was fine and as I’m the only person here you probably ought to be somewhere else. The driveress said are you sure, I had a think and told her my corn was giving me gyp and I could do with a glass of wine. I was saved further enquiries as to my wellbeing by a chap running from the wood saying his son had fallen out of a tree. I told the paramedics I’d open the gate into the forest and they could drive closer. They said an air ambulance was on it’s way so, it being a nice day, they would have a wander up the hill.
The Ambulance.
I was really excited as I love helicopters despite my half trashed body being all a helicopters fault. I changed lenses on the camera and sat down to wait for it’s arrival.
Here it comes. Doesn't it look smart, fit for a king or a prince but they don't let our prince loose on his own.
They loaded him up and away it went.
I thought it was an EC145 but looking at the tail rotor it is an H145. Virtually the same thing but with bigger engines and a fenestron rotor. Very posh and a great end to Sunday. According to the ambulance crew the lad was fine. Little wonder the NHS is broke if they call out a helicopter every time a little boy falls out of a tree, children are always doing it. It has given me an idea. Next time I tip the quad bike over I’ll get Peter to phone up instead of standing about laughing at my discomfort. I’ll get a ride in a helicopter.
Have a good week.
I’ve spent quite a lot of the day trying to get macro video of insects. I shoot at 1080 but will produce the video at 720 as I will need the room to stabilise it. I can’t say it was an unadulterated success, it was extremely frustrating as it only takes the slightest of zephyrs to make things look chaotic. I appear to have got about 20 seconds of useable/salvageable video for a couple of hours effort. I am going to set a bit of flora baited with honey on a light stand and see If I can get more control over the job. The weather looks set fair for the week so I may succeed.
Around five an ambulance arrived at my gate so I wandered down thinking they were lost. They asked what was wrong. I said I was fine and as I’m the only person here you probably ought to be somewhere else. The driveress said are you sure, I had a think and told her my corn was giving me gyp and I could do with a glass of wine. I was saved further enquiries as to my wellbeing by a chap running from the wood saying his son had fallen out of a tree. I told the paramedics I’d open the gate into the forest and they could drive closer. They said an air ambulance was on it’s way so, it being a nice day, they would have a wander up the hill.
The Ambulance.
I was really excited as I love helicopters despite my half trashed body being all a helicopters fault. I changed lenses on the camera and sat down to wait for it’s arrival.
Here it comes. Doesn't it look smart, fit for a king or a prince but they don't let our prince loose on his own.
They loaded him up and away it went.
I thought it was an EC145 but looking at the tail rotor it is an H145. Virtually the same thing but with bigger engines and a fenestron rotor. Very posh and a great end to Sunday. According to the ambulance crew the lad was fine. Little wonder the NHS is broke if they call out a helicopter every time a little boy falls out of a tree, children are always doing it. It has given me an idea. Next time I tip the quad bike over I’ll get Peter to phone up instead of standing about laughing at my discomfort. I’ll get a ride in a helicopter.
Have a good week.
I would guess 20 sec macro video for a couple of hours work is about par for the course. I often wonder how many days it takes to get a few seconds of video in those fantastic Attenborough nature programs.
ReplyDeleteThe paint job on the helicopter must have set them back a bit.
John, they have a big team and very expensive equipment. I started relaxing with video as soon as I realised that most of it is binned. There will be at least another two hours post production and that doesn't include a title I'm playing with.
DeleteI expect the paint job is a vinyl skin but it does look the business.
Something to talk about... A little excitement. I should go check to see if all my LED's are lit....
ReplyDeleteFilled a postless day Bill. All my LEDs are on but only glowing.
DeleteYou probably needed a nip of something stronger than wine to calm you down after all that excitement. A helicopter certainly adds an atmosphere of excitement to a rescue, the fallen boy will have a good tale to tell his mates.
ReplyDeletePauline, it was exciting. Very exciting I almost had a little accident myself.
DeleteLove helicopter rides. Have done it twice but never want to experience it after an accident. Great photos!
ReplyDeleteHave a great week.
Marie, so do I. It's a very expensive way to travel mores the pity.
DeleteHow times have changed? When I were a lad there were no ambulances and helicopters turning up when I fell out of trees...all I got was a clip around the ear and told not to be so bloody stupid..and what do you expect if you go climbing trees!...[;o)
ReplyDeleteTrevor, the same here. My Grandma used to say after such incidents. It will knock in, there's nothing to knock out and then produce the iodine bottle. I used to try and disguise cuts and bruises. The iodine stung like hell and the witch hazel smelt vile.
DeleteExciting stuff for you but thought you would have videod it.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, I would if I had a video camera or a posh phone but I don't. I use the 5D II and by the time I've got it all set up the helicopter would have been elsewhere. I did think of getting an old ENG camera but they will have been heavily used and are physically heavy. Had I got enough money I'd like a Blackmagic 4K camera. They are quite reasonable but by the time I bought all the bits and pieces for it the price would have doubled.
Deleteall this for a little boy falling out of a tree ! but an opportunity to tell us that story with stunning images !!
ReplyDeletehappy week Adrian
Marty, it sounds ridiculous. I assumed all children fell out of trees. I saw the parents and the little brother. All that fuss when they had a spare.
DeleteThat does seem like a bit of overkill if you'll pardon the word.
ReplyDeleteJohn, it is a bit ridiculous.
DeleteWhat a great way to spend a bank holiday, falling out of tree.
ReplyDeletepeter
Peter, a different way to spend one. "Lets go to the forest children and find a tree to fall out of."
DeleteI rather liked the smell of witch hazel. Fortunately the trees I fell out of were rarely vindictive and witch hazel, Zam-buk and Germolene usually sorted the problems.
ReplyDeleteGraham, we used to play with a lad whose parents had Germolene. Kids were throwing themselves into brambles and at walls to get some.
DeleteWell, I hope the poor fella is ok! I have not ever fallen out of a tree, but I sure loved to climb them when I was younger. Nowadays, I get dizzy just climbing steps. Good grief!
ReplyDeleteTerri, he is fine but there has to be a bit of natural selection otherwise he will grow up to breed more folk like him. In a hundred years the woods would be full of folk lying about and the air would be full of helicopters.
DeleteCan't believe they arrived in a helicopter, though most air ambulances get the majority of their funding from public donations and corporate sponsors so hopefully not to much of the NHS budget was wasted.
ReplyDeleteReally glad the video of insects went well
Douglas, thats okay then.
DeleteIt's grand weather here but too windy for insect macros. I'm hoping for a calm day.