Mike Shaw 
I Am The White Rabbit!
Occupation: Currently works in the heavy chemical industry.
His ProfilesRankThis is the rank of 'Mike Shaw' out of all Google+ Profiles.: 85 (GenderRankFor the gender 'Men'.: 46)
His ProfilesRankThis is the rank of 'Mike Shaw' out of all Google+ Profiles. in United Kingdom: 3 (GenderRankFor the gender 'Men'.: 2)
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Followers: 1,886,904
Following: 2,087
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Latest postings
2013-06-19 16:01:00 (19 comments, 18 reshares, 407 +1s)
Delicate Detail
There is something fascinating about the details of the feathers on birds, take this Eurasian Spoonbill nestled back on itself in rest, its crest feathers dropped and his bill buried within his back feathers.
I could look at these creatures for hours :)
2013-06-19 15:38:08 (0 comments, 17 reshares, 192 +1s)
My obsession with tornados surfaces once again, this time combined with another of my interests, baseball. Compositing seemed the perfect way to bring the two subjects together. As with so many of my composites, I finished this one with Nik Color Efex Pro. I discuss Color Efex is this tutorial:
http://www.msjphotography.com/index.php/2012/05/photoshop-workbench-330-finishing-a-portrait-with-nik-color-efex-pro/
#photoshop #photoshoptutorials #nikcollection #photocompositing #photocomposite
2013-06-19 11:06:13 (53 comments, 46 reshares, 797 +1s)
Little Shambles
I often forget about the history of my own country and the wonderful places we have. This is called Little Shambles in York, small streets were you cannot get cars down, still with the cobble stones in place. Not a building sitting straight and most of the timbers used to build them coming off old ships from centuries ago. It gets busy down here but you don't mind, you can easily get lost in the crowds and that is part of the joy of the place.
Should you ever get a chance I would recommend a visit.
2013-06-18 08:37:14 (0 comments, 59 reshares, 757 +1s)
Waiting for the bees - #nature #birds #wildlife_photo
#BirdPoker Long beaks curated by +Phil Armishaw
#bokehtuesday
#birds4all +Walter Soestbergen +Ricky L Jones
#hqspbirds +Marina Versaci +Joe Urbz
+BIRD LOVERS Worldwide +Heinrich Wagner +Robert SKREINER
+Birds in Focus +Risto Talman
2013-06-18 08:01:51 (19 comments, 11 reshares, 265 +1s)
Web, Leaves And Bokeh
Never forget to look at the small stuff when out and about with your camera, always be aware of what is in both your foreground and your background too, more so what you do with both and the effect it will have on your final image.
This image comprises of three elements, the first being the gentle red/pink leaves of the bush that stand out from the bush itself. The second being the formation of the spiders webs not only on the leaves but the longer one that stretches across the image and eventually falls off so you cannot see what it creates a bridge to. The third is the bokeh background, created by dropping the f/stop down to 2.8 and pulling the focus directly on the subject.
Then the image was taken using the rule of thirds.
None of this has been set up by me, I simply used what nature had put in place for me to photograph. She is ... more »
2013-06-17 20:06:45 (29 comments, 66 reshares, 229 +1s)
With a piece of chalk.
We all have a talent, sometimes it's showing others that talent and sometimes it's teaching others too.
2013-06-17 06:50:53 (32 comments, 26 reshares, 463 +1s)
Look Again
What do you see?
Someone hiding away form you? But you still see, deep into them, the face is hidden but the eyes are open and with them his soul.
We all try to hide, to change, to be altered so as not to appear as we truly are, the faces we wear belie who we are, some though hide more than others, some don't even have to hide, they are simply not seen.
Ever looked at an image that you have already worked on and felt it should have or could have gone in a different direction? The original is in this gallery in black and white, the has been isolated to a greater depth. The colour has been retained but due to the make up he is wearing that is minimal.
2013-06-16 07:09:37 (79 comments, 149 reshares, 1355 +1s)
The Reality Of Dreamers
In a world that we now live in we need dreamers, those that look beyond, those that daydream of what might be. Its through dreamers we see the world as it should be, not as they would have us believe. dreamers plunder their own imaginations for the wonders they hold within their minds and they show this if given the chance.
Dreamers create.
Dreamers see.
Dreamers have faith.
Dreamers are visionaries.
They see magic in clouds, they see wonders in the swirl of a summer haze, they hear the song of life as it plays upon the leaves of nature through a gentle breeze.
Life is magical, as are you, dream on, be the reality that is a dreamer, this world needs more, so be more.
2013-06-15 09:09:24 (42 comments, 56 reshares, 709 +1s)
Home Is Where The Heart Is
Or at least that's the saying but I don't think she feels that way. The two parts of this day I felt uneasy with was the fact she took shelter in the doorway of one of the most grandiose temples to a god yet the amount of warm space inside would have been beyond her comprehension. The other was the amount of tourists that went about their day and simply did not acknowledge her existence.
We can try as we might to brush the issues of homelessness away as much as we want, governments try and make out that we are more civilised and it does not exist to the extent it once did. When though we allowed those who's only pursuit in life was the positions of greed and power to overrun the planet then it would only ever been the poorer of our kind that would ever suffer. Those who went of in the pursuit of money and all that came with it still do a... more »
2013-06-12 17:47:37 (59 comments, 29 reshares, 583 +1s)
Welcome To My Crazy World!
:D
I have been working on my "Edgar Allan Poe" desk for a while, I still need to sort the monitor and keyboard out but I have had fun in the last few days!
On the wall behind I have used old manuscripts, books and newspapers to wallpaper the wall randomly, some are my favourite books such as The Thomas Covenant Chronicles and Catch 22.
While in a reclamation yard the other day looking for bricks for the back garden I came across a lot of old doors, such as these two, over a 100 years old and already stripped, I waxed them with a dark Jacobean oak polish I hung them on the wall for fun, leaving the cracks and damage in place, its character ;) Once the walls are dry I am going to have the words written "The Doors To Wisdom Are Never Locked" over them.
As they say Mad dogs and Englishmen, I kinda like... more »
2013-06-12 11:01:46 (74 comments, 100 reshares, 944 +1s)
Sun God
The wonderful thing I have found when photographing Iblis is the beautiful golden hues you get when the light is right, he loves the sun and I revere him when I see him in the light, to me he is a sun god.
2013-06-11 08:03:21 (55 comments, 82 reshares, 939 +1s)
Without Fear
Enter the world without fear, walk with your head held high and feet firmly planted with each step. Be brave in your journey even if it be unknown and have faith in your own belief.
There is no ego when you take a path on your own, there is only the time you need to understand you, go start your journey.
2013-06-09 11:16:37 (44 comments, 73 reshares, 859 +1s)
Its Not The Blue Bird Of Happiness!
I made the cardinal sin of not checking on the species of this beautiful raptor when I took his image, I think I was too entranced by his subtle blue/grey colouring. All I could thin off was the title of the image, I cant see him twittering happily on your shoulder ;)
I have just finished a little reorganising by putting all the raptors and other birds in one album here, enjoy :)
2013-06-09 10:28:18 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 61 +1s)
Published In Camerapixo
I just want to say thank you to +Artur J. Heller and +Anetta G. Heller for the publication today that included a selection of my black and white street portraits, its an honour to be included.
2013-06-08 09:09:47 (21 comments, 16 reshares, 444 +1s)
A Hard Rains Gonna Fall
Sodden to the bones
Rained on my soul
Breaking my skin
With shards from the sky
A hard rains gonna fall
To wash us all away
And leave us bleached
As white as snow
Living on seas
A hard rains gonna fall.
I have done little to populate this gallery so I think its time I worked on it a little more. I rarely upload more than one image in a day, sorry for the assault on your stream :)
2013-06-08 08:43:02 (0 comments, 36 reshares, 534 +1s)
Neat little floating pier I found yesterday at Lake Guntersville.
#FilterFriday curated by +Laurie Rubin
This was shot with a 3 stop Lee 4x6 hard stop GND.
2013-06-08 08:16:51 (10 comments, 5 reshares, 204 +1s)
Saturday Smile
Something to keep you smiling over the weekend :D
He was busking on the street at Chester, playing the bongos, he was very cool and I asked if I could take his photograph he said no problem but he was going to pull a face and this was it. It made me smile
#smileonsaturday
2013-06-07 07:13:41 (126 comments, 225 reshares, 1127 +1s)
Ever Come Close To Deleting A Whole Gallery?
I have been musing this for a few days now, I do landscapes and in whole they are fairly well met but as I have said many many times my love lies in the faces of people I meet. So many times I find though I am drawn back to the land and I wonder sometimes if its a distraction from what I feel I should be doing.
With landscapes its easy to cater to the audience because they want to see scenery that relaxes them, I'm not going to go on about how I think my images are stunning as there are those such as +Jay Patel that do it so much better than I do.
With urban shots and especially those of people living on the streets its harder as people don't really want to confront what is there, because it hurts, as much as it does for me to take those images, each time I do it cuts deep and leaves a scar.
I have been ... more »
2013-06-06 06:43:23 (34 comments, 55 reshares, 750 +1s)
Demanding Pride
A young tiger cub born at +Chester Zoo last year, one of two that confirms their conservation and breeding program is working. Every time I look at these wonderful creatures I cant help but know they have a right to the pride they seem to display, in fact its almost as if they demand it.
2013-06-02 09:23:06 (63 comments, 62 reshares, 775 +1s)
To Dominate The Sky
I could go on and on about raptors but sometimes its best to just leave the image to speak for itself, this is one of those times.
2013-06-01 08:31:56 (18 comments, 17 reshares, 62 +1s)
Women Photographers Of G+
A circle of women photographers here at G+, I put this together in the early days as the balance between male and female photographers was very one sided, it has improved a lot and this circle has been edited as many people come and go from this site. I thought it was about time I shared this too, you will find some amazing talent in here.
Enjoy :)
2013-06-01 07:44:02 (18 comments, 34 reshares, 457 +1s)
I have now returned from an amazing two week photography trip on the South Island of New Zealand. I arrived in Christchurch mid afternoon after flying from Perth via a short stop in Melbourne. Once I picked up my Britz Campervan (my home for the duration) and bought some supplies, I hit the road and headed south to my first destination, Moeraki Boulders.
I arrived at the Moeraki Boulders later that night and got some shuteye after a long day (it happened to be my Birthday, but unfortunately I had spent most of the day travelling). I awoke a couple of hours before first light and immediately knew there were clear skies because it was bloody freezing! I was eager to get out to the location well before sunrise so that I could become familiar with the location, scout possible compositions, and possibly photograph something under the night sky. Once I hit the open shoreline, rugged up, under the... more »
2013-06-01 13:44:39 (35 comments, 101 reshares, 776 +1s)
A Quiet moment
Caught at that moment of cleaning and when something gets his attention. He stops and stares intently and freeze frames then as fleetingly as its over he goes back to cleaning his paw.
Stunningly beautiful, equally magnificent and the world would be a much worse place without them.
#caturday #bigcaturday
2013-05-31 09:56:34 (59 comments, 2 reshares, 195 +1s)
So I started a diet some two months ago, I was fed up of the weight I was putting on and the fact I had little get up and go.
What I now eat is unrecognisable to what I used to eat, I no longer have any processed sugar such as biscuits, chocolate (have none in the last two months) I eat three reasonable meals a day, bran flakes in the morning with skimmed milk, and one espresso coffee (as it has no milk)
Lunch normally consists of a salad and tea a proper meal but on a smaller plate to reduce the portion size. If I want to snack I eat fruit and nothing else, I have cut right down on my alcohol intake as well.
I have also started to exercise a lot more, on my days off it will now consist of a 30 minute bike ride, mostly uphill. I am doing a 30 day ab challenge that I have reduced to 15 days so I do it twice a day not once. In work I no longer use the lift unless I am ... more »
2013-05-31 09:08:58 (11 comments, 9 reshares, 299 +1s)
Jewel In The Crown
This the Catholic cathedral in Liverpool, affectionately known as Paddy's wigwam by the locals.
As you can see this was taken on a partially wet day, after it had stopped raining I headed for this location to simply look for reflections in the water. One thing I have learnt since taking up photography is to look for the "other" perspective when taking images. Turn your head to the side, look directly up or down, walk backwards in a big crowd, its only by doing this can you get to see some of the thing others just might miss.
2013-05-30 23:03:38 (26 comments, 25 reshares, 151 +1s)
I have always loved blues, it's wonderful to find someone new that really knows how to do it right.
2013-05-30 08:22:30 (50 comments, 86 reshares, 991 +1s)
Gothic Light
This is Whitby Abbey on the Yorkshire coast in England. Its a gathering place for Dracula fans as this is the place he landed in the country in Bram Stokers book. It is reputed that Dracula's grave is also here, would love that to be true but he is a fictional character in the sense of Bram's story.
Every year the town holds Goth week that I really need to go ad spend time with the camera.
2013-05-29 08:29:07 (45 comments, 42 reshares, 676 +1s)
The Not So Big Cat
This a Serval, a medium sized cat that is found in Africa, it has an unusual look in that it has very long limbs designed to help it capture partially hidden prey, along with its large ears it really stands out.
Its a very graceful and a very beautiful creature and I think for that reason alone it deserves to be in my big cat gallery :)
2013-05-28 07:00:11 (39 comments, 32 reshares, 637 +1s)
A Study In Time
I have photographed this man a few times, his face fascinates me, the lines and folds in his skin, the glisten in his eyes they belay his years. You know he has seen so much and has so much to tell but we were divided by language.
So I study his image, I look deep into the face I now have before me and all I can do is wonder, what has those wrinkles seen, what has those eyes witnessed, what I see is the passing of time etched there for all to see. Worn as a medal of survival of his time here on this planet, someone most would not give a second glance to but the lines he wears shows his true beauty.
2013-05-27 06:36:20 (32 comments, 74 reshares, 992 +1s)
The Phoenix Sky
I stand and stare
As you unfold your wings of flame
I feel your heat upon my skin
And your light within my soul
This morning of the Phoenix sky
Takes hold of all
Carry me away from this industrial scared earth
Within your wings I surrender myself
Through your flame to be born anew
To the heavens
My place shall be
To look down in hope
Of rescue for all
In the morning of the Phoenix sky.
The river Mersey looking down toward Fiddlers Ferry power station, the moment the clouds part to show you the sunrise and a lone bird flies by. Perfect moments in time
2013-05-26 09:16:43 (55 comments, 30 reshares, 747 +1s)
Sad Eyes
(Choosing The Right Colour)
Or in this case black and white. I was never someone who used monochrome much, more because I was a landscape/cityscape photographer and for me that needed colour to show the scenery as it is.
It was only when I moved into street photography did I have to think long and hard about the use of colour in my photography. I was never sure about monochrome, I was an avid colour fan but there was something about the use of monochrome in portraits that simply changed the whole ball game.
By taking away the colour and leaving only blacks and grey's do you not only see the details within the face of your subject but for me all of a sudden there was a deeper connection with them.
Then there was the eyes, monochrome for me now can show you the eyes and in turn their souls.
Monochrome for me has become a ... more »
2013-05-23 08:55:56 (65 comments, 118 reshares, 1066 +1s)
We Are All Made Of Stars
They say the atoms contained within us all started life within the stars some billions of years ago. Knowing this would you hide away or decide to shine as brightly as you can?
I always say we are capable of more, whenever you feel life is too much just remember you are made of stars and shine on.
2013-05-22 21:01:12 (27 comments, 0 reshares, 69 +1s)
It's simply going too far, at what point do stop allowing religion of any kind from breeding extremists?
2013-05-22 07:44:13 (121 comments, 122 reshares, 1152 +1s)
I'll Find My Own Food
My wife and I spend a lot of time at +Chester Zoo as we know they do a fantastic job of conservation, they have had some wonderful new animals in their breeding program in the last year or so.
I bought my wife a keeper for a day experience and she got to feed the red pandas, she has always loved them and its hard to see why not. On this day she came down at feeding time and as the keeper was not there she decided it was time to help herself to the berries on the tree in her enclosure.
I thought I should lighten the mood after yesterday :)
2013-05-21 08:10:40 (66 comments, 38 reshares, 658 +1s)
We Are All Broken
It has taken me since Sunday to be able to upload this image, this is another homeless man called Peter, I had photographed him many years before, 2007 to be exact, the year I first picked up a DSLR.
I was making my back to the car with my wife when I heard a penny whistle being played, I thought it has been too long to be him but it was. Time has not been kind to him, being on the streets has really taken its toll, he has aged more like twenty years not six, I sat to speak with him as he made roll ups with the cigarette butts he had collected from the pavements, other peoples casts off. He was wearing military fatigues as he was way back, now though they were well worn, I noticed his hands as he played with the tobacco and papers, you can see what the time he has spent on the streets has done, swollen, skin cracked and dirt ingrained.
We spoke for ... more »
2013-05-20 07:48:50 (53 comments, 7 reshares, 546 +1s)
I Will Get Arrested One Day!
One of the things I have always said about street portraits is if they standout in a crowd then they sure as hell will stand out in a portrait.
This is Maureen, she was walking down the street with a friend in Chester and the flash of her red hair streak really made her stand out, so much to my wife's disdain off I went chasing her down the road to talk to her. After a little cajoling she let me take a few images and this is one. I know I get many funny looks doing this and even more strange reactions from the people I ask but if you don't ask then what will you loose?
Street portraits are fun, you meet such a variety of people and with some you get to chat for a while, Maureen is on G+ but being a numpty I didn't get her second name so I cant send her a link to this but she has seen my profile on my phone so hopefully she w... more »
2013-05-19 21:41:15 (35 comments, 31 reshares, 650 +1s)
They Spoke Of A Time (Wallpaper)
My peoples elders spoke of a time when we had trees, tall living beings they called the lungs of the earth, with delicate leaves that had many hues, deep luscious greens, to passionate reds, they fell as the trees slept they from the boughs to become gold. My generation have never seen such things, we hear only of the legends they speak off, since man killed the soil and thus the plants we have been lost in a desert. We only dream of what once was and what will never be again. We search for seeds but we search in vain, the earth has given up hope, maybe we should too. In the meantime I dream, in hope and in awe of what once was.
How would we be if this was so? Just a short story but we wipe out rain forests in such numbers its frightening, I don't want my children's children to dream of what we have.
My Beautiful wife... more »
2013-05-18 13:18:25 (37 comments, 54 reshares, 310 +1s)
Restores your faith a little, thank you Russia :)
2013-05-16 21:19:38 (59 comments, 146 reshares, 279 +1s)
A friend of mine showed me this (Matt Hart) please share and make it viral so we can stop asshats like this company
#fitchthehomless
2013-05-13 15:31:55 (44 comments, 38 reshares, 399 +1s)
The Weight Of The World
Some people look as though they are carrying it, burdens that are etched on their faces, causing the skin to fold under the strain, the eyes to look down, almost afraid to look up and see what they carry. They move through the crowds of the city as if not there, not seeing others and others not seeing them. Living ghosts too tired of living but unable to simply give up.
I watched her as she made her way through the city streets, she never made eye contact with anyone, she look lonely and afraid but more, she looked as though the world had broken any spirit she might have once had.
I often say you will only ever see what is around you when you open your eyes, try it, see the people of your world as they are in reality, not the fake stars so many idolise.
2013-05-11 08:17:29 (56 comments, 67 reshares, 723 +1s)
Mothers Instinct
Its inbred into most animals to protect their young, this mother and cub were no different, I watched them greet each other by nuzzling close, something then caught the mothers attention and she lay down close to the ground and the cub did the same. Pure instinct.
I believe the US has mothers day on a different time to ourselves in the UK so happy mothers day to everyone across the pond for tomorrow.
#caturday #mothersday
2013-05-10 07:40:52 (203 comments, 160 reshares, 1573 +1s)
Waterfall In The Village
This a small village some 15 minutes from my home called Lymn, the river is fed from Lymn Dam and flows through two small waterfalls before going under bridge the other side of this image, its then fed into a canal. Its really not a big place but you could easily spend the day both here and around the dam.
2013-05-09 11:28:55 (28 comments, 36 reshares, 126 +1s)
When they can make Formula 1, NASCAR or any other form of car sort as exciting, thrilling or as dangerous as this I just might consider watching it.
I wouldn't bank on it though ;)
2013-05-09 07:27:25 (35 comments, 42 reshares, 605 +1s)
Moments Of Simple Contact
I have always had a fascination with eyes, I am drawn to them all the time, its one of the reasons the majority of my portraits I ask the subject to look at me.
With animals that's not the case, they tend not to do requests so it can be a case of simply waiting for that right moment for them to make contact with you. When it happens though you get to understand why the wait was worth it, apes more than others have a way of looking deep into you. In return you get a moment of looking back deep within them and a moment of contact is made.
The questions they have about the man looking at them can as far as I can see be as many as the man looking back.
We believe we hold all the answers, look into the eyes of other animals and you realise we are not even close.
2013-05-08 06:38:35 (51 comments, 78 reshares, 635 +1s)
Stripped To The Bones
This collection of street portraits has grown bigger than even I thought. I sat looking through it last night, seeing all the faces again I could hear their stories resonate again within me.
Truth be told when we start to strip each other to the bone we are all the same, we will all be born and die, its just the time between that differs and there is so much that will and could govern that time.
No one grows up with the ambition to be homeless, alcoholic, drug user or a beggar. So many thing must happen to eventually drive a person that way, the problem we have is we think it will never happen to us.
Its a shame that some have found out the hard way it can and has, we live in hard times were those that have nothing now seem to have even less, and those that made this unholy mess we now live in seem to carry on as if nothing has ... more »
2013-05-07 07:25:54 (134 comments, 129 reshares, 1356 +1s)
Come Drift Away
And call the days name
Of dreams under storm clouds
With ripples of sleep
Passing through your mind
I know the time to wake is close
But I shall dream some more
For the night is long
If I hold on just a little tighter
Come drift away.
Good morning all.
2013-05-06 10:11:37 (38 comments, 38 reshares, 631 +1s)
The Giants Above Us
How many times do you go about your day without seeing what your day is bringing you?
I was stood on Southport beach in the UK, its known for the tide going right out so you can walk along the beach, as I looked down the beach I could see the sun above the clouds casting a light through the lower clouds onto the people into the distance. What I also noticed was no one seeing what was there, even the warm glow from the late autumn sun, the glittering of the sun hitting the areas of water trapped in the sand gave them a clue to look up.
Don't miss what the day will give you, it might only be moments of wonder but it will keep you going for a long time.
2013-05-05 16:38:26 (24 comments, 34 reshares, 159 +1s)
Classic UK advert, keep watching to the end, the cat had my wife in hysterics :D
2013-05-04 16:14:36 (52 comments, 65 reshares, 804 +1s)
Fast Even When Still
There is something about cheetahs that tell you of the speed they are capable of even when they are stood still, they are far from the largest of predators but I would not like to be in the same company as them, nor would I like to try and outrun one ;)
#caturday
2013-05-19 22:51:22 (165 comments, 209 reshares, 1483 +1s)
The Fascinating Weaver Bird
Watching these birds construct their nests is fascinating, the intricate way they weave the grasses in and out and the fact the entry is at the bottom of the nest all adds to my fascination with them. Should you get the chance to watch them spend some time doing so, its time well spent.
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