* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #819 / Revived #039 on 2023 12 27 *

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!

MALTA

For the final thread of this year, I once again dive into the archives, to show an image from a year's end trip, almost a decade ago.
An image from a trip all over the island Malta:

Really great shot and works well in B&W. The composition is not as centered as one would expect, which gives additional importance and weight to the bird, that helps balancing it - works very well. I also like the contrast between all the heavy concrete and stone based human history at the bottom and the small bit of living freedom the sky and bird represent at the top. Would provide interesting opportunities for some experimental composites...

Excellent work!

(Some title) by simple.joy, on Flickr

Merry Christmas
Straight from our Xmas tree to you

It's a very good shot. B&W works well, even though those alcoves are all in different, interesting but somewhat faded, colours.
Good perspective shot with depth, leading lines and a nicely placed bird.

I can't remember how many years ago it was that I went to Malta, but I do remember I enjoyed the trip.

A shot of a summer's day, full of light and warmth

Sometimes nature throws you a surprise party and you really aren't prepared for it. I was headed home from my son's house when I saw this sky developing just after the sun set. I had camera but wrong lens, pulled off in a scruffy little fishing area I visit often but which didn't have the angle I needed and there was no time to find another place.

Here's two views of a magnificent sky. Please offer suggestions for crops or edits but Mother Nature won't offer reshoots. I may can do more with it when I get them on my computer for editing. They probably need some more work than I can offer on the ipad. Brightening them will necessitate some noise treatment I'm sure.
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Yep, nature is full of surprises. This was a good one. I like your composition of the second one best and the sky is fantastic. I don't know what it looked like for real, but here's an edit attempt, just throwing in some more light to make it brighter and more colourful and bringing a bit of detail back to the silhouettes.
And there's a bit cropped off the bottom, I think that makes the sky look a bit higher.

I like somewhere halfway between the two versions! 😀

David

California Poppies, Diptych

Rich

"In But Not Out"

I like this display of fireworks!
Backlighting semi-translucent object is almost always a good idea, and it works a charm here.
I also like the proximity of the out-of-focus parts: it creates immersion, like we are there, and walking gently through this sun-caressed meadow.

I do like a bit more brightness to be brought to the original, but the second version here is too much for me.
Oddly, bringing up the brightness, created the illusion in my photographer's mind that the fluffy sky is suddenly filled with digital noise.
That must be some preconceptions or mind-conditioning at work.

The image itself: a wonderful and unique display.
While I do appreciated the quality of the light and the textures of the sky in the whole of the image, I would still experiment with a crop to square or similar ratio.

These illustrate the old-fashioned, nostalgic christmas cheer and spirit quite well.
There's material for christmas cards for 2024 right here.

In that respect, the ones with the live candles are the most characteristic.
But I would not want that in my house, unless under 24/7 supervision...

You're right, best to be cautious. Real Christmas trees and candles are the norm in Austria. A very old and well loved living tradition,  but each year the fire brigade has to be called out to the less cautious.

We watch our tree carefully while the candles and sparklers are burning and have a fire extinguisher at the ready, just in case :-)

A beautiful atmosphere of sound and  light with the smell of real pine needles

"Entartete"

Dog with different eye colors

I wish everyone a happy new year.