Dear All,
Another week has flown past and hopefully you are all fit and well and if you don't live on your own, you are still speaking to the others in your house.
Another milestone for the Chairman this week, back to work for a few hours. As I am no longer insured to drive underground at the mine, where I used to work, I had to walk. I thought the exercise will do me good as sitting in the chair most of the day looking at a computer monitor probably isn't, but the box of biscuits which started the week full has been emptied ! I will say that the walk down taking with me the bag containing the laptop, wasn't an issue. Quite a pleasant gentle stroll in the darkness all alone. At the bottom just above the sump where all the water collects, is the equipment which monitors the radon levels. With everything else that has been going on, I hadn't been back to download the readings. However I did take some photos or one image which is shown below. The other image is of the same location not taken on this trip as the observant will have realised. The walk back out was a little tougher on the body than the walk in, as it was half a mile of 1 in 6 going up hill. Think positive exercise will be good for you. I used to walk from the bottom to the top gate in under 12 minutes carrying 25 kgs, but not this time - there were stops to admire the view illuminated by the headlamp along the way. It is safe to say my legs ached a little Tuesday & Wednesday.
I don't think they have come out too bad considering they are phone images. Hopefully more of you have been out and about gaining more exercise. I might again go back to the mine site and spend a few hours trying to catch some of the interesting wildlife that lives on it. There was at least two Buzzards and loads of foxes which have been seen from time to time. The fact that this can be done alone and also that I am unlikely to be disturbed whilst waiting is a good thing, so perhaps next week I can report back with some positive results.
However I am working on some more mining masterpieces which are taking up most of my day. Hopefully I will have some images to show next week. One of the draft images I posted on my social media and website has generated some considerable interest from across in the USA.
Thanks to the continuing supply of useful information, I have some more for this week which might help. There may be some links in next weeks newsletter to some online tutorials from one of our ex-chairman and recent judge (Mark Walker). I sat this morning and listened to one of his live online tutorial sessions which I had been invited to. I will say that much of the work had been covered by Victor in his photoshop evenings, but it always good to see if there is another way of doing things. Tips for Using Perspective and Scale in Photography
Stay safe, stay fit and well, take care and see you all next week.
All the best
Your Chairman
Dr Keith Russ