iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

I'm working up to a cyanotype process for my astro images. I love astrophotography but it is the last refuge of pixel peeping and the digital processing side is not fun (plus my DSO friendly scope is relatively modest). So lo-fi it is. This is the eastern veil nebula.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Meeting with my boss next week. My job has changed wildly this year. I have been told I am critical and need to transfer knowledge to enable me to work on another major project. I am nervous because I think that I need to ask for a promotion if I am going to do this and I expect they will think they

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

My friend. My wonderful, wonderful friend who made me feel worth something again. That feeling of worth is rubbing up against some very upsetting news re a very unfair (and secret) org structure I have just discovered by accident. And I feel worthless again.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I very much feel like we don't allow ourselves to feel negative emotions any more. We suppress we salve them with cute videos and things to help us sleep. I do not wish to sleep the sleep of the kitten. I am suffused with rage and grief and I don't want to not feel that.

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Reposted by Richard

Grant Bulloch @bulloch.photography · 26/09/2026

Revisiting a trip to Colonsay over the next few posts, and the wonderful textures and patterns along its coastline. #photography #landscapephotography #photographers

Rock, showing through the sand on the beach

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Western Veil nebula. A supernova remnant. This was about 3.5hrs. over several nights. It's both beautiful and right now I can image it from my house (as opposed to going to my local park).

A long thin nebula of cyan and red. The remnant of a large supernova. There is a bright star at the centre of the image..

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

How is it possible for Gillian Anderson to get more awesome every single time I hear her speak? The woman is amazing in so many ways.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

This year has just been one of constant churn. Not all bad. We are doing up the house but also work is finally changing hopefully for the better and very full on. Factors have conspired to destroy most of the last few years of gardening. So I am sad about that and stressed. Hoping it will all turn

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Here is a properly processed version. Man I thought LF was hard. Astro image processing is stretching my skills at the moment but enjoying it.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

In all seriousness. I use my Nettar when I am away because it was cheap (very cheap) and small but in some ways it has the best lens. I'm not sure if I even prefer it to the one on my Flex.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I really should call this piece 'Why do I ever use any other camera but my Zeiss Nettar' #BelieveInFilm

An old tree trunk. Worn and losing bark. A third is jagged and with holes and in the light. The rest is in shadow

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Quick and dirty process of a 55 minute stack of Andromeda. Ok I am addicted now. Plan is to process this properly and make it into a cyanotype.

Andromeda galaxy against a star field with M110 above it

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

The trouble when someone sees you and encourages you to think more or yourself than you do... is when the inevitable disappointment of why you were so demoralized in the first place hits you it is far worse because you are no longer numb to it.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

It's pictures! Foma 100 seeming not caring about 1CT and 2 regular scans (thanks to NATS meaning I had to go through Budapest airport twice). #BelieveInFilm

A roll of film with some developed negatives on it.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Recruitment processes are disgustingly annoying vectors of potential Identity theft. I should not have to create an account with a company just so they can tell me they don't want to employ me.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Thanks to both the airspace schmozz yesterday and a weird inconsistency at security my film has been zapped 3 times in Hungary. Oh well glad I took a lot of Polaroid!

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Well this is fun. One 3lextra dar in Budapest (airport) awaits. I'd quite like that to be in a hotel if possible.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Me in 2013 in Budapest: ' You can't keep just taking pictures of walls and doors Richard! Me in 2026 in Budapest. 'Must take pictures of all the textures and colours of walls and doors!' I have a lot more self confidence in what I like being good.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

This was a satisfying image to make. #BelieveInFilm

A stone ball in hard contrasty light with a neat convergence of lines and shapes

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

I do love Polaroid for images like this. #BelieveInFilm

A ghostly street scene in the window of a doorway.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

As a certain biscuit enthusiast might say. Here we go again...

A scene from a window showing a ba tail and a watch

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

See. If you are a man and you don't think gender normative bullshit limits your life too then think again.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Wider society and gender bullshit issue number whatever....I grieve the fact I will never have a child. It's partly choice, partly circumstances and it's probably for the best but as a male presenting person there is almost no discussion of said grief.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

One small thing at work I always took pride in. One small but of creativity in a more of soulless bullshit was that I am *very* good at written answers to difficult customer questions. I am excellent at it somehow. Of course now instead of coming to me I bet you can guess what they do can't you?

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

I won't tell anyone my mental health and sense of self esteem is improving but there will be signs

Spiffy shoes in red and black with gold floral motifs.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Anyone been to Budapest recently? We are on a post Orban trip back. We went there for our honeymoon and wanted to pickup some Polaroid film (600 or SX-70). Any recommendations?

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

@hubnut.bsky.social inspired trawling for baby Austins and this will do me very nicely indeed! It's also eminently practical for living in London!

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I have been on an Anglo Canadian relationship for almost 20 years now (eek) and I wish it were the case that I didn't feel the need to trot this one out semi regularly. youtu.be/o7jlFZhprU4?...

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Reposted by Richard

Stig @stigofthedump.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Lees Lane Pond 📷 Nikon FM3A - 28mm f2.8 🎞️ Ilford Delta 400 - D23 #BelieveInFilm #filmphotography

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

So very tired. The last few weeks have also meant I have really struggled to do garden design and I feel latest assignment has suffered as a consequence. It's a small thing but it makes me feel like everything is falling apart.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Nothing triggers my pointless bougie bullshit o-meter like looking at options for a new kitchens. Would I like a new kitchen. Yes I would. Do I want to feel like this is a major lifestyle choice. No I would not. I would rather go for a walk in the woods with a camera.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

I'm back to believing entropy and the slow crumbling of what is left is now the only future for me. Life did a nice job of fooling me for a while but there isn't is...slow rotting decay while I roll my rock up the same hill again every day.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

And now our kitchen extension roof apparently needs replacing. This has been a fabulous few days it really has.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Ok so last week's good job news tempered a bit by current boss who did not seem to really want me to move (understandable). Changing my goals to closer align with what I enjoy is not exactly. 'I want ownership of a new process and promotion'.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

While wearing are at it, also old car clubs as well. I just assume I will be talked at and in boring detail rather than having fun with the hobby.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

This also, sadly, goes for astronomy as well but maybe worse on the pixel peeping. I don't see to many cool cyanotypes being made. Maybe I am wrong? I want to be.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

I have an (admittedly totally uninformed and prejudiced) view of photography clubs but I am pretty lonely with my camera lately. The thing is the sort of photography club I would want to join would be art focussed, gender balanced and totally queer friendly. Why do I always assume they are full of

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Managed to image the very teeny M57 Ring nebula last night. I will be honest with you all. I have been trying out a smart scope for these. It's against my inner do things the hard way attitude but I am tired most nights ATM and this thing eats light pollution.

A blurry red/ green dot thing. It's M57 the ring nebula. ZWO seestar S30 Pro in SW London Bortle 7

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Screw you depression. You are not coming back.

It's me. Ugh. Yeah I tolerate this image of me an king in front of a bookshelf because I need to feel like I exist. However grotty.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Another possibility is I am just extremely tired. Tye last couple of months have been a rollercoaster of good and bad and both the good and the bad has been sort of stressful and I think my body has had enough for now.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

I think I might be crashing and it's scary. Like I was never recovering at all. It was just a summer mania and now it's going and I am left with the tatters of all the things I didn't do while I had energy being creative.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Mirages or Une Saison D'Enfer. I may write more of this. It's just a summary of my thoughts walking to the station on a grey afternoon.

And then the burning embers of the longest heatwave faded. And with it my superheated fantasies of being with you. The end of both is a welcome relief and yet I grieve for the waters of the mirage.

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Richard @palaeoboy.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Today has royally sucked. Like properly sucked. Nothing that is to be considered as concerning or worthy of being checked in on but just a dreadful day I wish would end. I am so enjoying not having anhedonia any more*

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