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crankymillenial.bsky.social
Mathias 🇩🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
@crankymillenial.bsky.social
220 followers 150 following 270 posts
Here for the memes, but also interested in philosophy & photography
Microbiologist 🧬🔬
📍 Edinburgh
he/him
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crankymillenial.bsky.social
Like every academic I can see the end of my contract approaching, and I can't help feeling anxious about it. Intellectually I know I'll be fine but that doesn't stop the vague sense of fear.

Anyway, to calm my nerves I've been looking at green photos all morning.

#photography#green
A plant of some description, I've forgotten its name long ago. It is very green indeed.
February 10, 2025 at 1:05 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
My contribution for #blueskyartshow #reflections
And eye? A tree? I don't know either.
February 8, 2025 at 11:03 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
I grew up in central Europe, so seeing a desert for the first time was absolutely breathtaking. The sand flowed and moved like water, and in very much the same way we sank into the dunes as we tried to cross them. I could have spent days watching the ever-changing patterns and waves.
#photography
A companion sinks into the soft sand as she tries to cross a dune in northern Colombia. The wind blew the sand into wave-like patterns, except where a half-burried, weathered rock created some ripples. Now that I look at it again, the shading on the rock almost looks like a screaming face. The last scream of an ancient being as it is being swallowed by time? Ripples in the sand. There for a moment, and then gone forever.
February 8, 2025 at 11:00 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
Late to the party. On our first day in #venice we slept in, consequently missing all the morning action in the fish market. We only found a bit of leftover ice and a gaggle of hungry gulls begging for food. However, the fish shop next door had the most delicious squid, so all was good.

#photography
Venice's fish market in the historic city centre is alive and buzzing in the early morning, but when we got there the last stands had just packed up for the day and left the grand hall to the cleaners and the gulls.
January 29, 2025 at 1:06 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
A group of tourists enjoy their gondola ride along the Gran Canal in #venice. It is early and the city hasn't quite woken up, allowing them to enjoy their ride in relative peace.

#photography
A group of tourists enjoy their gondola ride along the Gran Canal in Venice. It is early and the city hasn't quite woken up, allowing them to enjoy their ride in relative peace.
January 28, 2025 at 1:40 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
It was a chilly January morning but facing the cold was well worth it when I saw the first rays of beautiful warm sunshine colouring the clouds pink and purple over San Giorgio Maggiore in #venice

#photography
In front of Venice's Doge's Palace, overlooking the lagoon towards San Giorgio Maggiore, a row of boats bob in the water as the first rays of sunshine colour the clouds pink and purple.
January 27, 2025 at 11:50 AM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
It's a bit windy, isn't it?

I'll take this moment to remember last week when it wasn't windy, and I was free to roam the streets, alleys and squares of #venice

#photography
A few early tourists explore Venice's St Mark's Square at sunrise. It was a chilly morning, and I had been out in the cold for hours. For me the early light meant that it was finally time to return to my hotel and get some hot drinks and a breakfast roll.
January 24, 2025 at 11:09 AM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
Good belated morning! Here we've got a red weather warning for wind for tomorrow, so I'll remember a time when the weather wasn't shite.

#photography#colombia
The sun sets over the Pacific Ocean in Bahia Solano, Colombia.
January 23, 2025 at 11:31 AM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
Lol, I took these exact same photos!

Also, when I went out for sunrise there was a gaggle of photographers with the same idea. They must have been a guided group as they weren't keen on me joining them. However, they couldn't stop me from stealing their ideas. And I met a decent lad from Ireland.
The pre-dawn light paints Venice's wintery horizon in warm orange and red tones as the shivering photographer patiently awaits the sunrise.
January 22, 2025 at 11:00 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
Good morning! Here's another of my Venice sunrise photos. I loke how the early sun paints these golden clovers onto the walls of the Palazzo Ducale.

#photography
The first rays of the sun paint the palazzo ducale in golden colours.
January 22, 2025 at 8:47 AM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
I am back from Venice! Who would like to see some tourist photos?

Just kidding, I'll be spamming them whether you like it or not.

#photography
The sunrise sends its first rays onto San Morco square in Venice. I spent two hours in the freezing pre-dawn cold to watch the sunrise over the lagoon. This was the first time I was committed enough to get up this early to catch the early light, and it definitely raised my respect for and appreciation of people who do this for a living. Holy shit, was I miserable! The photos were worth it, and I would do it again, but still! What a personal sacrifice just to show you the beauty of the world. Thank you to all the professionals who get up early so we don't have to!
January 21, 2025 at 6:19 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
'Don't photograph directly into the sun', they said.

You know what? *photographs into the sun even harder*

#photography
The sun sinks into rhe sea and paints the sky in intense orange hues
January 1, 2025 at 5:50 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
Other people are posting their favourite photos of 2024, so I'll join in.
I don't see any of them as spectacular but these are the images that I go back to when I think of my photos this year.

I wish you all a wondeful 2025!

#photography
A candle-lit lantern sits on the ground, surrounded by fallen leaves. In the background you see the blurred blobs of other lanterns and a sea of torches. The trees behind are illuminated in a soft blue. This photo evokes a warmth and comfort that I rarely capture. To me, it just emits peace. The National Monument of Scotland rises against a unifomly gray late afternoon sky. This photo evokes the opposite feeling in me. It is cold, hard, uncaring. It is the quintessential Scottish winter experience for me. This is when the kindness of friends, family, and strangers shines even brighter and makes Scotland such a beautiful place to live. The Irn Bru well on Calton Hill. This is one of the first photos I shared on BlueSky, and it blew up more than I could have dreamt. It's the positive reception to this photo that gave me the courage to share more of my photos. If you're tired of looking at my nonsense, blame all the people who liked this photo in particular. Portrait of an amur tiger. I just love tigers. I couldn't possibly pick four of my favourite photos without including one of the tigers we saw in the Highland Wildlife Park near Aviemore.
December 31, 2024 at 5:36 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
This beautiful, lovely amur tiger at @highlandwpark.bsky.social came to give me a big hug and was utterly dejected to find the glass between us unyielding. Oh how I would have loved to cuddle him! And how couldn't I? Just look at these gorgeous eyes! 😍

#photography
Amur tiger at Highland Wildlife Park in Dcotland
December 29, 2024 at 8:44 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
Pinky, but not the Brain.
Pinky and the Brain
December 25, 2024 at 7:59 AM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
A trip to St Andrews is always worth the time. Such a lovely place, and so photogenic 💙

#photography
Ruins of St Andrews Cathedral in the evening light.
December 23, 2024 at 7:44 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
Would you know it? Yestderday I was hoping for a creepy crawly to visit me and model for my macro lens, and today a daddy longlegs came out of its hiding spot and graced me with its presence. Look at him! He's got a heart-shaped nose! 🖤
#photography
A cute daddy longlegs poseses for the camera
December 21, 2024 at 6:37 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
I'm still working on my macro skills. Played a bit with a tripod and flash, and they seem to make life a wee bit easier. But they appear to depend on a very patient subject. How do I use this new-found knowledge when I next meet a cool bug?

#photography
A paper crane folded by my niece. The crane in question sitting on my laptop as I work on the photo.
December 20, 2024 at 8:38 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
One day I'll figure this macro thing out and then it'll be amazing. Until then ...

... Lichen subscribe?
#photography
Yellow and green lichen growing on a twig. The photo was taken in heavy wind, so I'm surprised and happy that it didn't just become a blurry smear.
December 16, 2024 at 8:30 AM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
I do!
Moss covers a tree trunk
December 14, 2024 at 9:25 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
Turns out a trip to the light show in #edinburgh botanic garden is well worth the money. I was quite sceptic but the installations are beautifully choreographed with lights and music, and you can wander or linger and admire the scenery at your leisure. 10/10 would go again.
A light installation visualising the mycelium network connecting multiple trees. Mushrooms seem to sprout all over the network. An in-focus lantern sits on the ground in front of a field of lanterns and torches that are blurred in the distance. Weird spirally squiggles reach out of the pond and are reflected in the water The illuminated Chinese pavillion standing by a pond. It's reflection is visible in the water.
December 11, 2024 at 7:31 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
Another iconic #edinburgh scene: Ross fountain in Princes Street Gardens with the castle in the background. These days both are beautifully illuminated for the festive season.
#photography
Ross fountain in Princes Street Garden with Edinburgh castle in the background.
December 9, 2024 at 2:17 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
The other day I got some half-decent photos of my #crow friends 🖤
Crow looking at you, with a monkey nut in its beak A crow holding a monkey nut in its beak. A crow stretching its wings. A grey-beaked crow.
December 7, 2024 at 6:21 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
Waiting for the bus
#photography
In front of the illuminated ferris wheel a bus picks up passengers. From the right and very close to the viewer another bus is approaching.
December 7, 2024 at 5:32 PM
crankymillenial.bsky.social
All these professional photographers posting their art on a daily basis can ben quite intimidating for a hobbyist like me. Mostly what I do is point the camera in the general direction of the thing I'm interested in and hope for the best.
#photography
Lightning flashes across the night sky and paints it in vibrant purple.
December 2, 2024 at 3:26 PM