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Description
Keywords: GoTonySmith,HotpixUK,@HotpixUK,UK,England,Merseyside,North West,Homing Union,fly,flying,race,bird,birds,Mersey,river,to,Southport,from,box,boxes,L24,L24 4WB,releasing,release,their,man,associations,RPRA,4th Aug 2023,fancier,fanciers,TPRS,keeper,keepers,Karndean Flooring,wicker,sport,competitive,lighthouse,Hale Head Lighthouse
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy 2RG9044 - Pigeon racing is the sport of releasing specially trained homing pigeons, which then return to their homes over a carefully measured distance. The time it takes the animal to cover the specified distance is measured and the bird's rate of travel is calculated and compared with all of the other pigeons in the race to determine which animal returned at the highest speed.
Pigeon racing requires a specific breed of pigeon bred for the sport, the Racing Homer. Competing pigeons are specially trained and conditioned for races that vary in distance from approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) to 1,000 kilometres (620 mi). Despite these lengths, races can be won and lost by seconds, so many different timing and measuring devices have been developed. The traditional timing method involves rubber rings being placed into a specially designed clock, whereas a newer development uses RFID tags to record arrival time.
While there is no definite proof, there are compelling reasons to think the sport of racing pigeons may go back at least as far as 220 AD. Furthermore, it is recorded in the Mishnah that pigeon racers are forbidden from bearing witness. The sport achieved a great deal of popularity in Belgium in the mid-19th century. The pigeon fanciers of Belgium were so taken with the hobby that they began to develop pigeons specially cultivated for fast flight and long endurance called Voyageurs. From Belgium the modern version of the sport and the Voyageurs which the Flemish fanciers developed spread to most parts of the world. Once quite popular, the sport has experienced a downturn in participants in some parts of the world in recent years, possibly due to the rising cost of living, ageing fanciers, and a severe lack of public interest. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by pigeons is also a reason why some people are leaving the sport.
One recent development in the sport of pigeon racing is one loft racing, where birds are raced against each other under the same training
Hale village, Halton, Merseyside, England, UK, L24 4WB

Description
Keywords: horses,fair,fayre,brass,horsebrass,horsebrasses,&,and,Horse,on,wicker,basket,foxes,different,design,old,badge,badges,traditional,circular,line,lucky,metal,alloy,ornaments,souvenir,Victorian,tacky,English,England,UK,United,Horse Brass,Horse-Brass,Horse Brasses,Horse-Brasses,GoTonySmith,polished,polish,brasso,collection,cultural,culture,country,countryside,esoteric,history,redundant,shire,county,show,agricultural,animal,themes,British,culture,cultural,pride,quaint,rural,Yorkshire,Cumbria,wicker pot,wickerwork,wickerwork pot,woven,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy F7DC64 - . This location-specific image from England, United Kingdom in 2015 provides a visual record of the subject in everyday context, useful for both contemporary editorial work and later historical comparison. The location is represented through Old vintage horse brasses,on leather harness. Fox & Horse on wicker basket. The setting additionally reflects regional identity, small business, high-street commerce, local history, independent retail, specialist shop, bricks-and-mortar retail, changing streetscape, archival record, public realm, specialist retailer, street-level business, shopfront economy, and before-and-after reference. From a 2025-onward perspective, footfall and commercial rents are closely linked to this subject, alongside how shopfronts become short-lived records of changing businesses. Future viewers can use this scene from England, United Kingdom to compare building condition and alterations with whatever follows after refurbishment. The subject also sits alongside visual archive, changing land use, local enterprise, commercial frontage, retail property, period detail, documentary photography, and everyday life. The combination of vintage, horse, wicker, harness, and basket anchors the frame to a recognisable activity, place or moment. For England, United Kingdom, the photograph contributes to a cumulative visual history in which changes in use, signs, access and appearance can be traced over time. Another useful connection is footfall and how shopfronts become short-lived records of changing businesses when considered against later change at England, United Kingdom. The scene further reflects store closures and the contribution of independents to distinctive high streets without losing the local specificity of England, United Kingdom. Its period value extends to independent business and how commercial property costs affect small retailers in a form that can be compared with future views of England, United Kingdom.
England, United Kingdom

Description
Keywords: Lews,Castle,Lews castle,garden,gardens,Lewis,Isle,Stornoway,Scotland,Wicker,woman,lady,wickerwoman,wickerman,man,ir,infrared,infra,red,720nm,b/w,mono,black,white,digitaluk
Description: Tony Smith image Flickr 8330711958 - 'View this whole set of Infra Red images here. If you do Twitter add me here.
Lews Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal Le\u00f2dhais) is a Victorian era castle located west of the town of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. The name Stornoway (Scottish Gaelic-'Steornabhagh') derives from 'Sjornavagr', the Old Norse for 'steering bay'. Stornoway has been settled since at least Viking times although there is archaeological evidence of Neolithic activity in the near vicinity of the town.
The Wicker Woman of Lews Castle looks extra spooky in infra-red. She has now blown down and been recently damaged after many months of gliding through the grounds.
It is a clever nod to the cult classic film 'The Wicker Man' (or the Wickerman) which was set on a fictional Summerisle, a remote Hebridean island famed for its popular and unusually abundant fruit produce. The film stars Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Diane Cilento, Ingrid Pitt, and Britt Ekland. Paul Giovanni composed the soundtrack.
The story centres on the visit of Police Sergeant Howie to the isolated island of Summerisle, in search of a missing girl the locals claim never existed. Howie, a devout Christian, is appalled to find that the inhabitants of the island practise a form of Celtic paganism.
The film was shot almost entirely in the small Scottish towns of Gatehouse of Fleet, Newton Stewart, Kirkcudbright and a few scenes in the village of Creetown in Dumfries and Galloway, as well as Plockton in Ross-shire.
The Wicker Man had moderate success and won first prize in the 1974 Festival of Fantastic Films in Paris, but largely slipped into obscurity. In 1977 the American film magazine Cinefantastique devoted a commemorative issue to the film, asserting that the film is 'the Citizen Kane of horror movies' \u2013 an oft-quoted phrase attributed to this issue
A remake, starring Nicolas Cage and Ellen Burstyn and directed by Neil LaBute was released on September 1, 2006. It was a failure at the box office and today it has a significant cult following as an unintentional comedy.
(c) Hotpix / HotpixUK Tony Smith - tone@Hotpix.freeserve.co.uk',

Description
Keywords: Wicker,woman,Stornoway,Lewes,Castle,Grounds,at,dusk,night,shot,nightshot,Lewes,stately,home,icons,of,outer,Hebrides,CNES,HHP,hebredian,housing,partnership,hebradian,hebridean,hebridan,scot,Macdonald,scottish,cotland,islands,isles,esle,Western,Lewis,spooky,scary,nightshot,tripod,scary,film,GoTonySmith painting with light flashgun alternative,Steòrnabhagh,Na h-Eileanan Siar,Western Isles,Leòdhas,Eilean,CNES,Alba,Steòrnabhagh,Na h-Eileanan Siar,Western Isles,Leòdhas,Eilean,CNES,Alba,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of,Eilean Leòdhais,Stornoway town,Eilean Leòdhais,Stornoway town
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy D8HFE8 - Lews Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal Leòdhais) is a Victorian era castle located west of the town of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. The name Stornoway (Scottish Gaelic-'Steornabhagh') derives from 'Sjornavagr', the Old Norse for 'steering bay'. Stornoway has been settled since at least Viking times although there is archaeological evidence of Neolithic activity in the near vicinity of the town.
The Wicker Woman of Lews Castle looks extra spooky at dusk. She has now blown down and been recently damaged after many months of gliding through the grounds.
It is a clever nod to the cult classic film 'The Wicker Man' (or the Wickerman) which was set on a fictional Summerisle, a remote Hebridean island famed for its popular and unusually abundant fruit produce. The film stars Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Diane Cilento, Ingrid Pitt, and Britt Ekland. Paul Giovanni composed the soundtrack.
The story centres on the visit of Police Sergeant Howie to the isolated island of Summerisle, in search of a missing girl the locals claim never existed. Howie, a devout Christian, is appalled to find that the inhabitants of the island practise a form of Celtic paganism.
The film was shot almost entirely in the small Scottish towns of Gatehouse of Fleet, Newton Stewart, Kirkcudbright and a few scenes in the village of Creetown in Dumfries and Galloway, as well as Plockton in Ross-shire.
The Wicker Man had moderate success and won first prize in the 1974 Festival of Fantastic Films in Paris, but largely slipped into obscurity. In 1977 the American film magazine Cinefantastique devoted a commemorative issue to the film, asserting that the film is the Citizen Kane of horror movies “ an oft-quoted phrase attributed to this issue
A remake, starring Nicolas Cage and Ellen Burstyn and directed by Neil LaBute was released on September 1, 2006. It was a failure at the box office and today it has a significant cult following as an unintentional comedy.

Description
Keywords: horses,fair,fayre,brass,horsebrass,&,and,Horse,on,wicker,basket,different,design,designs,antique,old,badge,badges,traditional,circular,line,lucky,metal,alloy,ornaments,souvenir,Victorian,tacky,English,England,UK,United,Horse Brass,Horse-Brass,Horse Brasses,Horse-Brasses,GoTonySmith,polished,polish,brasso,collection,cultural,culture,country,countryside,esoteric,history,redundant,shire,county,show,agricultural,animal,themes,British,culture,cultural,pride,quaint,rural,Yorkshire,Cumbria,wicker pot,wickerwork,wickerwork pot,woven,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy F7DC6D - . An identifiable period record of England, United Kingdom in 2015, retaining practical detail and local context that distinguish documentary photography from a generic illustration. The frame specifically shows Old vintage horse brasses,on leather harness. Fox & Horse on wicker basket. The image also relates to contemporary social story.htm Target=_Blank>history, everyday life, local enterprise, changing land use, town-centre trading, retail property, small business, specialist shop, documentary photography, street-level business, historical comparison, public realm, shopfront economy, and changing streetscape. The wider contemporary story combines store closures, online shopping and how shopfronts become short-lived records of changing businesses. Future viewers can use this scene from England, United Kingdom to compare commercial use and occupation with whatever follows after redevelopment. The location also brings in independent retail, place identity, visual archive, before-and-after reference, local character, period detail, high-street commerce, and community identity. Details involving leather, brasses, basket, vintage, and harness make the image more specific than a generic view and strengthen its local or historical value. The period setting at England, United Kingdom helps place the main subject within real social and physical surroundings rather than isolating it as an abstract object. The image also provides a reference for store closures and the resilience of specialist shops in an online retail economy within the real-world context of England, United Kingdom. Another useful connection is consumer spending and the contribution of independents to distinctive high streets within the specific setting of England, United Kingdom. The scene further reflects business rates and how commercial property costs affect small retailers as part of the longer story of England, United Kingdom. The image fixes part of the area's social history for later comparison.
England, United Kingdom




