* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #823 / Revived #043 on 2024 01 24 *

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!

ALHAMBRA // ARCHES + LIGHT = MAGIC

Two details from inside the Nasrides palaces in the Alhambra in Granada:

Swagger.

Hvítserkur. A troll turned to stone in Iceland.
Looks to me just like a grazing animal.
A "must" on any Iceland tour!

I haven't posted here for a while, here's a new start with a shot that was taken a few years back.
It's a pano stitched from 6 vertical shots

That's an interesting take the the lyrics of the Joe Cocker song "You can keep your hat on" ;-)

You had me laughing out loud there.
That is an association that I had never made (or imagined) before.
The Biblical David and Joe Cocker. Hilarious.

(Getting back to David himself : there is a whole art history lesson - and a lesson on image building and propaganda - to be made from a comparison between this David by Donatello (in the Loggia in Firenze), Michelangelo's version (that resides in the Uffizi) and Bernini's version (in Villa Borghese in Rome). The first is a boy to emphasize him being so much "weaker" than Goliath, the second is a well proportioned man like Da Vinci's Vetruvian ideal. Both are at rest after the action. And then there is the third, who is most dynamic, right in the center of the action, concentrating and about to strike with his sling.
Your photos, Mike, bring out the frail boyishness of Donatello's version quite well.)

No humans

Fantastic detail and great emphasis on the golden color. Of course it's hard to judge without seeing the whole opening, but I feel like the composition is pretty ideal, providing some context, while also give the ornaments a majority of the impact and attention. Very well chosen.

It's very beautiful, well balanced and has a nice combination of colors! I would try to crop it at the bottom (making the horizon pretty much the middle of the frame), because I think it could provide a more "open feel" to the image if you can't see where the water ends. I have great memories of my trip to Iceland as well... was there in 2016 and it's a wonderful place to be!

Run a tight zip by simple.joy, on Flickr

BTW. It's shot with one of the lenses (this particular one was likely used in a microfiche reader...) featured in my - finally released - article on Tomioka enlarging and industrial lenses: deltalenses.com/tomioka-industrial-lenses/

Perhaps some of you want to take a look (and read some 10.000 words about obsolete lenses)!

Looking at Me #8

WhyNot

Bhutan Schoolboys

School was over for the day, but that does not mean they were in any hurry to part company and head home.

Pete

"Face to Face with Your Demons"

Small Town Mississippi - Kosciusko
The closest real town to my country house, perhaps 12 miles away. I lived in this town in my middle school years, paid a quarter to get in that theater to watch South Pacific, my favorite movie, went to services in that church, shopped at the stores that surrounded the courthouse. Only the Farm Market is new, as most people grew their own vegetables in those days. I sometimes help my cousin sell her produce there on weekends. The sweet potato man liked the print I made for him but I wish I'd had my portrait lens instead of the not-so-good walkaround lens.

Tree and Fence in Fog

Rich

Something looks messed up in fence colors. There's like hard green and red blocking I could see.

Edit: It's only in the preview not on the full though.

Yes,

I see it too - in the preview, only. I can only assume the forum software is doing this. I don't see anything wrong with the original at my end.

Rich