Douglas Merson
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flameryder.bsky.social
Douglas Merson
@flameryder.bsky.social
320 followers 240 following 660 posts
Amature mineral collector for 70 years. I specialize in micro minerals and photography of them. Wife and I are also involved with llamas and we each own one. We show them at local county fairs and several ILR sanctioned shows around Washington and Oregon
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flameryder.bsky.social
Douglas Merson @flameryder.bsky.social · Jan 12
This is my current photo setup for micromineral photos that I am posting
My photo setup for microminerals consists of a Canon EOS R7 mirrorless camera with a Canon FR 70-200mm zoom lens serving as a tube lens for either a Mitutoyo M Plan Apo 5X or !0X microscope objective. The 5X objective provides a 4 mm field of view and the 10X a 2 mm field of view. The camera assembly is mounted to a Stack Shot rail which is controlled by computer. The right-hand monitor shows the rail control program which is by Zerene Stacker. The control program is superimposed on the current IMA list of approved minerals. The upper monitor shows my Access database for recording the shooting parameters and where the photos have been shared. The lower monitor has the camera control programs showing. The lighting is by 3 twin arm LED lights with each arm individually controllable. Image processing is to Lightroom for minor adjustments then export to Helicon Focus for stacking. Final processing is done in Photoshop. The computer is from Puget systems with 3 4TB external SSDs for photo storage.
Reposted by Douglas Merson
jfallows.bsky.social
From this moment forward (and before, but clearly now):

-If you work for ICE.
-If you vote for money for ICE.

You are complicit. This is the gestapo. You're on the wrong side. You can't pretend not to know.
January 24, 2026 at 5:07 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Me in a stroller with our neighbor, Molly Beatty. This was taken in 1947. My dad took the photo. He did the developing in the basement darkroom that came with the house.
#ThrowbackThursday
A grayscale photo of me in a stroller. The girl in a floral pattern dress is our neighbor, Molly. I am in a harness to keep me from climbing out of the stroller. It appears that we are the driveway.
January 22, 2026 at 3:07 PM
Reposted by Douglas Merson
watershedlab.bsky.social
Friends, I’d like to show @ucalgary.bsky.social that @bsky.app is where the cool kids hang out and that they should start posting here more and less/none at TheBadPlace™️. Show them some love by reskeeting this 100000000x. 🧪
January 22, 2026 at 12:42 AM
Reposted by Douglas Merson
pnsn1.bsky.social
Rashid Shaheed got things started right away with an opening kickoff return touchdown, the 12s rocked the house, and the Seahawks never looked back!

SEAHAWKS WIN 41-6 and move onto the NFC Championship Game!

@seahawks @nfl
January 18, 2026 at 5:08 AM
flameryder.bsky.social
Computer setup is completed. Lots of clean-up on tap for tomorrow. I find this arrangement much better than the 3 levels the monitors used to be on #minerals #mineralogy #photography
Computer setup finished. Three monitors on a white bench top. There is a black keyboard and mouse on the bench. A Coke can sits in front of the two far monitors.
January 5, 2026 at 1:54 AM
flameryder.bsky.social
Bench modifications are complete. I now in the process of connecting computer, monitors, external SSD drives and other odds and ends. Next project will be running ether net cables. The drives for the NAS won't arrive until late February or early March.
White topped bench add on for computer and monitors. It is raised 6 inches above existing bench top which puts it at a comfortable height for working while standing.
January 4, 2026 at 11:03 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
The bench remodel project is progressing. I had to leave the column for the radial arm saw in place. Removing it would require removing the existing top, a task not recommended. I have one more section to add to the new top.
#minerals #mineralogy #photography
A 4 foot by 4 foot section of the raised top is in place. Battery power yellow circular saw, drill and jig saw. There are assorted other tools on the bench. The gap at the right will be filled in tomorrow. The photo rig is in the upper left corner.
January 3, 2026 at 5:26 AM
flameryder.bsky.social
Next step is to disassemble the radial arm saw and the fence. The new platform will be 6 inches higher than the existing bench top.
View of work bench with radial arm saw about to be disassembled to make room for expanded elevated platform for computer gear. My micro mineral photo setup is in background. Storage shelves are along the back of the bench.
January 1, 2026 at 6:13 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
I had planned on resuming micro mineral photography after the holidays. Plans have changed. I am rebuilding the area around my photo setup as the 2 level set up makes it difficult to access some of the computer accessories.
#minerals #mineralogy
January 1, 2026 at 7:01 AM
flameryder.bsky.social
A fuchsia that doesn't know what the season is. We have had this plant about 5 years. Normally it is over wintered in our enclosed patio. It has never bloomed this late before. Our year round humming birds are enjoying it.
#flowers
A fuchsia with red and purple blooms in mid December here in western Washington. It is on a cement pedestal and surrounded by various green plants. There is a corn stalk courtesy of the squirrels that bury various seeds in the garden.
December 20, 2025 at 5:41 AM
flameryder.bsky.social
I had ordered a Baby Yoda Lego set for one of our granddaughters. An hour ago I received an email from Amazon saying delivery would be delayed until tomorrow. This was followed 5 minutes later by a notification that it had been delivered. Right and does not know what left hand is doing.
December 9, 2025 at 5:37 AM
flameryder.bsky.social
What is better than watching football on a Saturday afternoon? Watching Kilauea putting on a show. The tephra fallout killed the V# camera shortly after I switched to that. I have V! cam on the big screen tv and the V2 cam on my tablet while cutting out labels for micromineral boxes.
#kilauea
December 6, 2025 at 9:21 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Now that things have settled down from our travels, here are some native copper photos. I was unable to post them during the ore cup voting as I had no access to them. I collected these at the Beaver Valley Quarry, Jefferson County, Washington, USA.
#minerals #geology #earthscience
Bright native copper on a dark green smectite group mineral. Native copper on a dark green smectite group mineral. Native copper wires intergrown with dark green spheres of a smectite group mineral. Native copper exhibiting many right-angle changes in growth. It is on a dark green smectite group mineral.
December 2, 2025 at 3:13 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
The New Mexico Mineral Symposium wrapped up early Sunday afternoon. We spent the late afternoon at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Preserve. We saw lots of snow geese and sandhill cranes. We left about an hour after sunset. Photos are on my real camera no images until we are home.
November 10, 2025 at 4:50 AM
flameryder.bsky.social
Spent the night in Cortez, Colorado. Drove through very scenic country along Utah 95. A number of stops to enjoy the views along the way. Spent several hours at Natural Bridges NM. Temperatures ranged from mid 20'F to low 70's and plenty of blue sky.
November 5, 2025 at 4:48 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
We spent the night in Baker City, Oregon. Had an uneventful trip with plenty of green and yellow woods. The yellow is from cottonwood trees and March trees. It is 27F this morning. Two time changes today, PDT to MDT and tonight to MST.
November 1, 2025 at 1:22 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
We are on the loaded head to Socorro, New Mexico for the mineral symposium. Will be doing some sightseeing along the way.
October 31, 2025 at 4:07 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
My micromineral photography is paused as we are about to head to Socorro, New Mexico for the mineral symposium at New Mexico Tech. Recently, we attended the Pacific Friends of Mineralogy symposium in Ellensburg, Washington.
October 27, 2025 at 9:13 AM
flameryder.bsky.social
Manganoneptunite KNa₂LiMn²⁺₂Ti⁴⁺₂Si₈O₂₄
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 3.02 mm
#4011
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy
Orange manganoneptunite at center with a darker orange crystal below to right and several black crystals above it. The pink crystals at lower left are petarasite.
October 19, 2025 at 5:00 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Manganokhomyakovite
Na₁₂Sr₃Ca₆Mn₃Zr₃W(Si₂₅O₇₃)(O,OH,H₂O)₃(Cl,OH)₂
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 2.23 mm
#4010
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy
A single crystal of reddish orange manganokhomyakovite, a member of the eudialytie group of minerals. The Poudrette Quarry is the type locality for the species.
October 18, 2025 at 9:45 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Magnesio-arfvedsonite NaNa₂(Mg₄Fe³⁺)Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 3.50 mm
#4009
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy
Two groups of dark magnesio-arfvedsonite crystals on a matrix composed of pectolite. While appearing black, the crystals are a very deep blue green on thin edges in transmitted light.
October 18, 2025 at 4:14 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Lepidocrocite) Fe³⁺O(OH)
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 2.36 mm
#4008
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy # Mount Saint-Hilaire
A mass of acicular lepidocrocite at center on a matrix of gypsum that is included with lepidocrocite. Similar material from this find was x-rayed to determine the ID as it similar in appearance to goethite.
October 17, 2025 at 10:09 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Lanthanite-(Ce) Ce₂(CO₃)₃·8H₂O
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 0.96 mm
#4007
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy # Mount Saint-Hilaire
Three sprays of white lanthanite-(Ce) crystals on a dark unspecified mineral with colorless to white albite at left and right edge.
October 17, 2025 at 6:45 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Labuntsovite-Mn Na₄K₄Mn²⁺₂Ti₈O₄(Si₄O₁₂)₄(OH)₄·10-12H₂O
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 0.99 mm
#4006
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy # Mount Saint-Hilaire
Two groups of orange labuntsovite-Mn composed of multiple tabular monoclinic crystals. The tabular habit is rare at this locality.
October 17, 2025 at 5:05 PM
flameryder.bsky.social
Korobitsynite (Na,◻)₄Ti₂(Si₄O₁₂)(O,OH)₂·4H₂O
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
FOV = 0.57 mm
#4005
NFS
#minerals #earthscience #geology #mineralogy
The korobitsynite is the small gray aggregate of rectangular crystals on the unspecified green mineral that is at center of image. The colorless hexagonal prisms are fluorapatite. all are on a white matrix.
October 15, 2025 at 9:38 PM