* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #805 / Revived #025 on 2023 09 20 *

How old and what type of camera is that in the photo?

That particular one was used in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I don't have the name of it with me (I'm traveling). The particular set up of camera and lens was specifically used to take pictures of large gatherings: DAR conventions, Veterans' groups, church congregations. That thing it's sitting on is a ladder tripod about 8-10 fit tall so the photographer could get up high and get photos that showed the face of every member of a large group. He would shoot the event, make a temporary darkroom in the hotel bathroom, develop shots overnight and return to the gathering the next day to sell prints. This particular camera was also used to shoot cityscapes, tall buildings, etc that were needed for commercial purposes.

Great separation from the background. I always enjoy square crops when there's a single subject like this. Background greens/yellows could be desaturated a little, but for me, it works well this way for the color contrasts and that feeling of determination that this lone bloom is leaving the messiness below 😁

Thank you very much, Mike!

The first time I saw an entire orchard of mature apple trees bulldozed and piled in a heap waiting to be burned, I was shocked and saddened. Then I realized you can't compare that event to destruction of old-growth forests (a true travesty). The apple trees were simply a crop that was planted for eventual sale, like wheat or corn.

However ugly and unnatural they are, trellis-style is common. It's about getting the most yield out of the landscape at the least cost. 8+ billion on the planet? How many generations before all nutrition comes out of the chemistry lab? 😒

A little humorous aside: I'm reminded of the first few years there were Christmas tree farms in Maine. It took people awhile to realize those were simply "crops" also, and it was morally acceptable to cut and buy one 😄

Generally I don't like photos with radically altered colours, but this one I do.
The silver grey and gold is really pleasing. If we are going to change colours to this extent, I much prefer a limited range of harmonious colours rather than a kaleidoscope of complementary and opposing shades.
I like the composition as well. The reflection fits perfectly into the curve of the bank. The darker gold gives weight to the bottom of the frame. The curved bank draws the whole image together.

Minniev has nailed it.
One small further comment. You have caught something that I love about children. Dad looks on down the road. The child is engrossed in studying what is immediately before her. The wonder of the new world as they see and touch what is immediately there.
An image that will bring a smile to everyone. Full of revealing details.

What has me blinking is that no one shows any interest whatsoever in this extraordinary musical contraption and its crew. I conclude that these things must be commonplace. Remarkable.
Lou, between you and Roel, I'm becoming concerned about the welfare of those who live in your part of the world. I think you should both stay inside and lock the doors.

I saw your post and had to go looking Paula, because I thought I had something similar, but no, if I do I could not find it. I did find three images shot at The Toronto International Autoshow in 2015 that were not shot to make a pano but I decided to give it a go anyway. It did not come out perfectly but I liked it anyway. I have included it below as image inspired by yours.
It is not a straight pano since some removal and fill was done in post but all the articles in the image were there together as shown
Andrew

That's quite pretty. Good separation from background, and you've done a nice job of getting that rather deep flower in focus. I usually miss something and end up with a less satisfying shot than this. I like how the grasses seem to encircle the flower and wrap themselves around it.

Thanks for adding to the story! That's really an interesting display with the camera and car and it works well in your pano regardless of how you put it together. I wish the real car had been in mine! Yours is so elegant. Those old bellows cameras are such workhorses, and many of them are still functional. The guy that put this presentation together uses these things in his own photography, and the results are incredibly beautiful.

The fiery ring is pretty amazing. I can't fathom how you think up these miniature scenarios and make them come to life. Much admiration.

An "autumn" color times 1,000! And a sky that creates a yummy contrast, but demands equal billing. The reflection in the water and the curve of the near bank add to my enjoyment. I really love that there are just two colors; otherwise, I might feel overwhelmed by the magic 😀

If that is your driveway then you must live on a big and interesting piece of land, with lots of nature.
I like how the dog, perfectly placed and not entangled in the background, provides a strong focal point that makes us rest the eye halfway along the meandering road.

What makes this image most interesting to me, is the juxtaposition of what is ultimately very organic, with a strong and rigid geometry.
Your specific vantage point is well chosen, because it provides us with several very different perspectives. Straight on, there is a classroom example of a vanishing point, while more to the left, the same structures create a nice play of overlaps, crossroads and triangular shapes.
Just imagine what this would have looked like if you had been standing straight in front of one of the rows of young trees. You would have had symmetry on either side of that row: also nice but not half as interesting or filled with tension.

A very classic, but very effective example of a winning strategy in street photography: juxta position and contrast between what a sign tells us, and what the people in the shot portray. Those finds never fail to bring a big smile.

It's a simple shot of a (presumably) father and his young daughter, but it is made effective by three aspects:
1) good use of shallow DOF to distinguish the pair from the busy background
2) a nice synchronicity in movement, making us realize that these two are in tune with eachother
3) an effective geometry, because the little girls waist is almost exactly at the height of the edge of the father's shorts.

On top of that, I like it that you have not included the whole of the father's head (I might even have cropped lower, to get rid of the top brightness).
The father is a supporting actor here, and the girl is the star.
Moreover, doesn't every father lose half his rationality and brain power when confronted with the miracle that is a daughter?

Hi Roel,

I took a bit of license saying "my driveway" as I live there but don't own it... Not as much wildlife as in more recent locations but nature seems to provide the odd opportunity when one looks.
I was happy when she stopped there and it was just a matter of time before she looked down the road.