* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #816 / Revived #036 on 2023 12 06 *

Welcome to the Wednesday Comments and Critique (No Theme & No Brand) thread!

We are dedicated to continuing the great tradition of this C&C thread because we are convinced that looking at, and talking about images is vital for better photography.

Our tried and tested concept (15 years and running!) is a weekly "peer-to-peer" photo comments & critique encounter, in which you GIVE and RECEIVE.

The idea is simple: you post an image and get critique on it, and in return give other people your opinion of their images, or vice versa.

Any Theme, Any Camera, Any Style, Any Subject.

We are still figuring out how to create the convenience of threaded view on this new forum.
For now, let us agree that you post an image with a title and short explanation, and that all comments include the image as a quote.
Replies to comments may or may not include quotes.

THREAD GUIDELINES – THE SHORT & SWEET VERSION
• This thread does not care about brands. It’s not about the tool, but the image.
• Post one image that you would like to get comments on (exceptions: see below).
• Add a clear title to your post to reflect the image’s title and distinguish your entry.
• Look at the other images and give your comments on at least one of those.
• For comments, try to go beyond a simple pat on the back or a short dismissal.
• Do you like an image (or essay) ? Try to explain WHY it appeals to you.
• Negative feedback is OK (we all want to learn), but be polite and constructive.
Try to explain why the image (or essay) does not appeal to you and how it might be improved.

We will start with single images.
Re-establishing our C&C for essays will be a next step.
Please limit any individual contribution to a single image. This avoids confusion.

The critique you give is vital.
What was your first impression? What catches your eye about an image? Why?
What do you like, and what distracts you? What would you change?

Fiddle with the image in your head - composition, perspective, color balance, exposure.

PLEASE NOTE CLEARLY:
It is understood that unless the original poster specifically states that they do not want an altered image posted that you are free to alter the posted image and repost it in a reply for C&C purposes (no use for other purposes!). That reposted image may remain permanently or you may remove it after a short period of time if you prefer. No copyright disputes here!

Encourage - it is a scary business putting your work up for other people to judge!

More general feedback is also welcome.
Do you know something about taking the same sort of image that would make matters easier - share your own as an example in your reply.

And finally, here are some useful hints for navigating and familiarizing yourself with the forum mechanics of DPRevived:
• Unfortunately, there is no threaded view (yet). We can’t simply keep images and their related comments together like we used to. So please make clear about which image you are commenting.
• To do that, you may make good use of the “quote” feature. This allows you to keep the image in your reply. Excess content can be deleted. The “preview” button allows you to look at what you are going to post.
• There is a difference between the “reply” button that sits at the top of the forum, and the reply buttons under every post.
• A few threads in this new forum with useful navigation information:
dprevived.com/t/how-to-use-this-site/387/
and
dprevived.com/t/how-to-embed-photos-into-your-post-directly-from-flickr/456/
(this applies also, with modifications, to other photo hosting websites)
and
dprevived.com/t/how-to-quote/1014/
Have fun and let’s stick together!

FIGHTING

Last week I shared a photo of a boxer and his coach hard at work sparring.

Spending several afternoons and evenings at their training facilities over the course of a few week, was the effort that earned me the privilege of being the official photographer for a boxing gala that took place two weeks later, and was hosted by the Antwerp Boxing Academy.
The position of "official photographer" was pretty unique, because I was the only one allowed onto the elevations immediately surrounding the boxing ring.
All other photographers (press and otherwise) were confined to a platform several meters from the ring, on one side.

Obviously, I used that proximity to get really close to the action (during the rounds) and also to the coaching and refreshing action during the breaks (only in the ABA corner). I used telephoto for action, but also wide angle when circumstances allowed it for a sense of immersion.

During their training weeks, I had come to know the boxers (and their coach Renald De Vulder) quite well
And they had gotten used to my presence and trusted me to get good images. Everybody happy.

The full series of that evening is here:
ANTWERP BOXING GALA 2014

Like most things in my "photographic career", this was a one-time thing for me.
I like to try something new, find out how good I can become at it in a short time, and then move on to the next thing.

So here are two images of the same boxer of last week, now in full-blooded action against a Romanian opponent.
His name is Ermano Fegatilli and his nickname is "Il Dottore" (the Doctor), as you can see on his shorts.
Not because he is an actual doctor. But he did have some job in the medical sector (he was a semi-pro boxer) and he is from Italian descent..

A Market in Bali

There is a beautiful inherent juxtaposition in this image.
On the one hand there is blood and violence : a sharp knife, a bloodied chopping block and chicken feet that have been hacked off.
Strong hands bear testimony of hard work. Determination.
On the other hand, there is a friendly and almost dreamy gaze.
A portrait full of life. A portrait full of meaning.

Wind From The Hayfield

Yes, Andrew Wyeth made me do it. Wyeth's "Wind From The Sea" is my favorite painting because of the feeling invoked by those curtains blowing in the breeze, and I'm always trying to create my own versions. I have no sea, but I do occasionally have wind. I love being at the country house with the wind moving through the curtains of an open window. I've posted one of the kitchen before, now here's my bedroom.

A walk in the snow
This weekend went for a short local walk in the new snow. I love the way it sparkles when the sun is shining :-)
Here's a few shots,...

A tractor was here before me. You'll probably have to view this in original size to see all the little sparkling snow crystals.

with the sun behind you, it doesn't sparkle so much

The last leaf left standing!

Back in our garden, I waited a while until the sun caused some tiny snow avalanches from the branches. That falling snow was caught nicely in the sunlight.

I liked that shot from your kitchen window, this one is good too!
They are like a still life, with some drama added in :-)
Ever since I saw your first one I've been thinking about trying something similar myself, but somehow we obviously have the wrong type of wind or the wrong type of curtains. But at least I have yours to looks at and admire.

It's a good photo, and a nice comment too!

Probably the doctor works as an
Anaesthetist :-)
Great to be able to get up close to the action like that. Makes a big difference to the images

"Meltdrown"

Darkness is falling

... (edit)

Summit Conference

Rich

After the rain

It's great to watch the mist rising out of a forest like that. It swirls around and changes pretty fast.
This is a good shot that shows that nicely, the mist creates layers in the image between the trees and adds depth.

Putting on my ecological cap for a minute,....It shows us just how much water is stored in a forest after the rain. The water can seep into the ground and, after the rain, also be slowly given back to the air as mist by the trees.
Just think if this lovely area had been turned into a huge concrete covered flat area (perhaps a new shopping center with its large car parks), that water would just all run off without sinking into the ground, or evaporating back as mist. And, after prolonged rainfall, if its too much, that water would cause the streams and rivers to rise dramatically and possibly also cause flooding.
Austria is a small country, but here, every day an area of about 7 football fields (estimates vary) of natural ground is lost to building developments and largely all sealed up :-(
This area is 4 times higher than the government's set goal. Time to rethink our priorities !
...best to leave the natural areas alone and enjoy them, especially as landscape photographers.

Sorry if this is going a bit off topic,...

Hi David , since you're in Vienna, I guess you can speak German,
Here is a graph showing how much extra area of the "natural" land in Austria is changed over (in the" land use plan") and allowed to be used extra each year for development purposes, and how much of that is "sealed up". So the bars show the extra amount each year.
The red bar on the right for 2030 is way down below the actual values and that is the goal set by the current Austrian government.

It is on page 38 from this document from parliament

I'm glad you liked the image. I wasn't sure myself. I did really like the view I had that day (I see it from where I sit and only have to walk to the fence to take a shot) but it was one of those ones where I felt my eyes / mind saw it better than I managed with the camera.

I am more glad that it prompted you to put on your ecological cap. It is a discussion we need to have although this is perhaps not the place to extend it too much. Forests certainly do have the capacity to soak up and hold a lot of moisture which helps to contain flooding and mitigate times of low rainfall.