* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #804 / Revived #024 on 2023 09 13 *

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MikeFewster
Members 1517 posts

Sept. 16, 2023, 12:17 p.m. Sept. 16, 2023, 12:17 p.m.
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@RoelHendrickx has written:

@MikeFewster has written:

Stromboli is in there somewhere,

It was taken from a bar, late afternoon, in Tropea. The main town is high on cliffs and Stromboli can be seen, including puffs of smoke, on the horizon, sea mist permitting.
Having relooked at the shot, I prefer the proportions as I have them and I like the space above the rails. Agreement re the slight tilt. Something I took particular care with here and that I think is important, is the width of the frame.

So I suppose this was on a ferry ride from Napoli to Sicilia.
Fond memories for me.
We were invited to the minuscule island Panarea in the summer after we had spent the winter in Bologna.
We slept on deck, woke up near Stromboli and enjoyed the view. Two weeks of bliss ensued.

Your image is minimalist and geometric.
Which is the only reason why I pay close attention to the geometry, and it feels like your railing is slightly off kilter.
Nothing that a minimal perspective correction in the horizontal plane could not fix (but your actual horizon is straight, AFAIKT, so it's a difficult one).
I would consider cropping this square, because the top of the sky does not add much further and it would become even more geometric.
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LindaS
Members 523 posts

Sept. 16, 2023, 1:17 p.m. Sept. 16, 2023, 1:17 p.m.
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@RoelHendrickx has written:

@LindaS has written:

"Come Sit Awhile"

We've had a few experimentally processed and composite images this week.
This fits in the row. But sadly, it is the one that resonates least for me.
I am basically just confused by the intention and execution.

I really want to learn what I am missing here.
Because it is not so that I am ONLY interested in straight-up documentary photography (although that is my preference).
I am also interested in ventures into more experimental graphic art with photography just as the starting point.

Sorry to disappoint, but we are all about honest feedback here,
so I feel that we should also (occasionally, gently, politely) say it when we don't get or even dislike an image.
Also that can spark an interesting discussion, even if it can be painful for the maker.

The only disappointment for me, Roel, would be to learn that folks are offering praise insincerely. I have no issue with honest feedback, and absolutely welcome it. I am here for feedback of my own photos, but also to learn how other images are perceived and reviewed.

For this image, I had no initial intent aside from seeing what would happen when I paired the two primary shots. Because most of the background of the house porch/chair shot disappeared with my chosen blend mode, I was left with what I thought was a fun scene: totally fanciful, but with the message of the importance of taking time to relax, contemplate life, enjoy serenity. The contrast of the distinctly constructed harsh-white window and chairs against the hazy painted landscape is separate from any message or mood and, for me, is an eye-catching juxtaposition. I hope it captures attention for a moment, but then the responses are going to be personal. ChrisOly mentioned "a touch of melancholy," which I hadn't felt, but can see it now. Boredom with the whole thing is fine too 😊

@PeteS has written:

The landscape is lovely and adding the cat and its surroundings adds detail to study, but more importantly, it adds a strange contrast between the homely scene of the cat and the deserted landscape. We see the homely comforts, but no home.

Thank you, Pete. That's maybe a little like Chris's mention of melancholy. Very interesting to contemplate!

@MikeFewster has written:

I like it and I think Salvadore Dali would have liked it as well. Everyday and homely objects from one world overlay another world. The white is especially effective in creating a dream like presence for the objects misplaced in space and time.
A landscape draped with surrealism. Nothing should be taken for granted as normal.

For sure. Thanks Mike!
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RoelHendrickx
Members 820 posts

Sept. 16, 2023, 1:56 p.m. Sept. 16, 2023, 1:56 p.m.
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@MikeFewster has written:

@LouHolland has written:

enlarge> click image> click downarrow

@LouHolland has written:

enlarge> click image> click downarrow

Lou, where has the image gone? I remember a boat at night and the lights. I have been looking for it to comment but it has disappeared?

I had not seen the image while it was up.
But the disappearance intrigues me.
We always like to have your company, Lou.
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minniev
Members 1651 posts

Sept. 16, 2023, 4:16 p.m. Sept. 16, 2023, 4:16 p.m.
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Replies to

@minniev has written:

Shrimp Fleet At Sunrise: Pass Christian

I can never resist shooting right into the sun even when I know it's a bad idea.

@Fireplace33 has written:

Who said it was a bad idea ?
I like the rich colours and dark shadows (almost silhouettes) and all that reflected in the water as a bonus.
... shooting into the sun is one of my favourites too.

Thanks. I'm glad someone else tangles with these challenges - for me it requires dealing with lens flare, blown spots, posterization and other evils, but I still do it.

@ChrisOly has written:

Beautiful is not enough of a word to describe this image. Love the sunset and the piers. Excellent! Take the rest of the day off...

Thank you Chris. I did take the rest of the day to go watch the grandson's soccer tournament: a very different kind of picture taking!

@MikeFewster has written:

Around the time when songs on the radio first started to register with me, there was a song that minniev's photo triggered. An image something like this always came to mind when it was played. Shrimp boats is a comin, there'll be dancing tonight.
The tangle of masts and cranes spells work, but not tonight. The orange suggests it has been hot and tiring though. Rest and partytime.
Lots of vertical lines repeated here linking everything together.
I'm going to have to try a direct sun shot.

Fishing fleets are always magnets for me, and I'll chase them down when I have the chance. Most of our Mississippi ports are now so industrialized with government boat building and large transport that you really have to look to find an old fashioned fishing fleet like this. It was fun watching the fishermen get ready for the day and the direct customers buying the last of yesterday's catch are always an interesting lot. Yes, my attraction for geometry plays a role here.

@LindaS has written:

I'm trying to remember who first encouraged me to shoot towards the sun - not you? 😅 Of course I adore the colors and silhouetes here, though I confess to being bothered a bit by the poles obstructing the more eye-catching (to me) lines of the fishing fleet.

Probably was me😃. The poles, which were unavoidable as the piers that provided a more photogenic angle were chained off midway along, had to be turned into part of the composition, whether successful or not remains questionable... Always so many questions...

@WhyNot has written:

I like the color and the scene. The sun is strong enough to keep me in the picture but those post tend to pull me out to the left .... Needs to be seen in the "gallery view"

WhyNot

Thanks, and you make a good point. I don't know why they had the piers chained off but it was frustrating. Agree, it requires gallery view or you feel like you're looking through jail bars.

@simplejoy has written:

Wow - that's fantastic. I love the balance between the lines in the upper part and the ones in the lower part. The sun helps in keeping it steady, despite so much going on. Excellent composition skills and what marvellous tones and reflections. 👍

Thanks SJ, you spotted what I hoped would be spotted: the two tiers of verticals. We shoot with the constraints imposed by where we are. I have never been one to turn off the camera and leave because of the obstacles, I just find a way to work them in. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

@PeteS has written:

This is a lovely scene, and Sun and colours and silhouette used to good effect to create a longing to be there. I agree with Linda, that the only fly in the ointment is the overlap of posts and boats, but have no doubt it was difficult to avoid. Glad you took the shot anyway.

Pete

Yep, I usually do take the shot anyway, and sort out the warts later. Limited angle, sun in frame, lens flare, noise in shadows, all the stuff that gets in the way. But I persisted nonethess.

@RoelHendrickx has written:

In my personal experience, some of my best experiences have resulted from bad ideas.
'nuff said

Sometimes bad ideas are better than no ideas at all😁
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Rich42
Members 760 posts

Sept. 16, 2023, 4:41 p.m. Sept. 16, 2023, 4:41 p.m.
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@MikeFewster has written:

@Rich42 has written:

Intersections

Rich

Before we start, that's a heck of a surfboard. This is either a very old photo or surfing fashions are changing or perhaps its a sailboard and not a surfboard?

Great title. We are between elements. Built for one but in transit in another. An intersection. The positioning of the surfer helps us feel the awkwardness.
Outstanding.

Thanks, Mike.

I know nothing about surfboards or their styles and fashions. the shot is from March, 2023 in Carlsbad, CA.

Rich
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Fireplace33
Members 939 posts

Sept. 17, 2023, 10:48 a.m. Sept. 17, 2023, 10:48 a.m.
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@MikeFewster has written:

@Fireplace33 has written:

A guided forest tour
Last week my wife and I joined a free forest tour, organised by the Austrian national forestry organisation ("Österreichische Bundesforste")
About 20 people turned up for the hike to learn more from an expert about "forests of the future".
After many hikes, over the years, most of what the guide presented about the forests and how they are taken care of here in Austria was already known to us, but we learned some new things too.

Looking after a forest is a long term mission !

Here's a few photos.

A view through the forest to the Lake Mondsee

A detailed paper forest map. Most of the details are digitalised in internet these days but the paper maps are always good when the reception is poor in the mountains

Lots of pretty flowers along the way

BAD BEETLES!!
they can creep under the bark, lay their eggs and the larva feast on the the soft layer between the bark and wood---> killing the tree :-(

typical pattern left by the beetles under the bark

the culprits in a small jar, fitted with a magnifying glass lid

There are lots of efforts to find the "infected" trees and remove them asap before the beetles can spread further.
It would be easier to use poison to kill them, but that's not done here beacuse it has so many unwanted side effects on the health of the rest of the forest !

I'm going to discuss these as a series put together to communicate a point. In doing this I may have misunderstood the purpose.

The series begins as though we are off on a ramble through the forests with an expert guide who will help us understand issues of forest management (and I very much enjoyed the paper map image and text.) It ends with photos around a specific beetle and the damage it causes.
All of that is fine. Plenty of interesting information with appropriate images.
My point is about the way the whole thing fits together. It feels like two photojournalism pieces within the one article and they sort of lose their way. One is general about a walk. One is specific about particular issue. As a series, it needs to be brought together with an introduction and rounded off with a conclusion. that links everything together. Probably it would be simpler to make them two separate series, or perhaps make the second a clear subseries?

Hi Mike,
I appreciate your feedback. I'll certainly take it into consideration for any future posts I create in the realm of "photojournalism." I wrote the original post hastily just before leaving for a trip, and I admit I didn't give it as much thought as I could have. A softer introduction to the section about beetles and an added summary to the "article" would have improved it.
By the way, that segment about "beetles" was just one facet of the extensive topics covered by our forestry expert. But including all of them here would have been overwhelming. Upon further reflection, I think the summary or title could have been something like "Adapting to a Changing Climate: Insights from a Federal Forester."
Trees that were once well-suited to this area are now facing challenges due to recent warmth and dryness, marked by many years of record-high temperatures. This stress is making them generally weaker and also vulnerable to beetle infestations. When the weather remains warm throughout the whole summer, the beetles can also breed three times over, leading to a disproportionate increase in their numbers. It is a continuous fight against them. In some other areas they have given up already ☹
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OpenCube
Members 861 posts

Sept. 17, 2023, 4:58 p.m. Sept. 17, 2023, 4:58 p.m.
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OpenCube
Members 861 posts

Sept. 18, 2023, 3:21 p.m. Sept. 18, 2023, 3:21 p.m.
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simplejoy likes this.

favorite 1
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OpenCube
Members 861 posts

Sept. 19, 2023, 3:24 p.m. Sept. 19, 2023, 3:24 p.m.
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