* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #828 / Revived #048 on 2024 02 28 *

This image suffers a little bit from being shown small and in the context of the forum with all the borders and different grey tones around. Looking at it in a new tab makes me appreciate your excellent use of tones and the wonderful difference between the trees and their reflection in terms of darkness. I also feel like the trees in the foreground, providing a natural framing, would be significantly more effective on a print... it took me a while to fully appreciate your capture - it's excellent though! I wish I was nearly as good at both spotting and interpreting scenes like that!

Thing is, none of what you said is remotely true. So this was made with a 560 filter. Everything is freaking pink with that thing. And let me tell you, it is impossible at times to figure out wtf you are framing or even seeing at times. This shot was one of those times. There's like 5 photos I took of that encounter. 2 are in focus and the other 3 are a blurry mess. It was really just dumb luck that one looked good enough. Hopefully soon I can explore this theme much better.

I'm trying to have a photo look like a painting, in camera. Getting brush strokes to appear in thin air and be visible...has been a challenge I have not conquered yet.

Have you tried intentional camera movement? It takes a lot of practice but I've seen some absolutely lovely painterly effects created in-camera that way. I'm perfectly happy using a combination of software and brushwork to get those effects but I admire your persistence in finding another route.

"How You Become the King of a One Horse Town"

I have. It has a lot of issues imo, and frankly, it's been done. I play with what I call a "reverse ICM" theory, which is essentially shutter drag, when doing these things sometimes, but it's very hard to work with because I'm kinda stuck with the whims of someone else, and that makes the results very hit or miss.

One day I'm gonna slay that windmill. lol.

Perhaps his local football club (Luton Town) aren't doing too well this year, and the banner has fallen in sympathy?

It's already had a decent crop. As Mike said, viewed larger the rain is more apparent.

Although my camera has some weather proofing, I'm not prepared to risk it and always carry a collapsible umbrella when there is a threat of rain.

Thanks minniev,
you could be right. I never noticed the variation but there are also some larger trees off scene to the right which may be responsible for some of the darker areas.
It is said that the dragons fly up to the canopy and spend the night hanging off the underside of leaves. I never saw where they went when the rain came but they didn't hang around.

Thank you Mike.

If I may comment on my own photo, there are what I thought where a few artifacts showing as blurred vertical areas. On closer inspection, the only reason I could come up with is that a faster falling drop has collided with a slower one, resulting in a shower of smaller droplets. I could be wrong, but nothing else comes to mind. Any ideas?

Machined brass on a machine head sent me back to Deep Purple's album of that name. Totally different genre. We're showing our age...

Sounds like quite an immersive event. I am intrigued by their "Dreaming". Catching the couple lying on the mattress prop adds some light comedy?

Would this effect be different on film than digital?

Unfortunately I have been mostly absent from the thread this week due to an overload of work (and a bit of leisure).
I will probably not find enough time today for a thorough look at your images (and at the comments already posted).
But I can see that the harvest was quite good this week, with interesting images and engaging discussion.
So that is OK.

I really like this one, and your techniquee works well. I think the fact that the liquid smears are sharp whilst the actual portrait is out of focus means the eye has something to focus on and the brain has something to think about to interpret the vague portrait.
It was suggested the person may be Michael Jackson and the title hints at the same. It would be very neat, but actually it doesn't really matter. The enjoyment is in thinking about what the image depicts, and not in actually finding the answer.

Pete

This is a very striking monument, and I agree with Minnie that it would probably also work well as a B&W.
The second imaage is very powerful, but I am glad you included the first, showing how well it blends in and even disappears into its surroundings, which would seem impossible when looking at the second image.

Pete

A well-seen visual puzzle. I also like your interpretation and title as a scene from a nightmare. The feeling of being imprisoned but at the same time so close to the outside world and unable to reach it is truly nightmarish,

Pete

Actually I was roaming the backstreets when I took this. I was only scanning through my phone archive, looking for something to post, whilst sitting on the train.

Eric Morecambe was probably UK's most popular comedian in the 1970s and he and his stage-partner, Ernie Wise, used Bring me Sunshine as their theme song. That wasn't really the point of the image, but it makes it a poignant little aside that the sad man is close to this icon of happiness, but shut outside.

Yes, good detective work Bryan! This is actually one of the entrances to the stadium, and the suite is named after Eric Morecambe, who was a nearby resident and regular fan. Actually, depite losing regularly, Luton Town are doing so in England's Premier League, so they are doing well by their standards.

Yes, that was what I wanted to convey when I took the shot. The drain-pipe separates the photo into two halves and the peeling poster adds to the run-down feeling of both the area and, by association, the man's spirits and it also acts like a stage curtain, drawing back and revealing another world. Whether that is a closed world meant for others, as you mention, or the golden lining of a new opportunity revealing itself, is open. And if it really is a golden opportunity, will the sad man actually notice it? In any case it is meant to be a symbol of hope.

Pete

knock on wood, I may have the answer to that question on a roll I need to scan.

Thank you, Pete.

Rich

Thanks SJ. Means a lot coming from the Master of Scene Management/Small Scale. Those are the ones I don't visualize as easily.

I have a standing invitation to do a gallery show of my swamp images, and I'll make a note of the size factor you and Mike mentioned for some of them, if I ever get around to doing it. I hadn't thought about it but I agree.

Thank you, Pete.

Rich
Nope, it was Mike. This gets messy with flat view but, hopefully, it will improve as Alan promises that threaded view is on the way soon.

As far as I can tell from the responses to minniev's photo that I have spotted while going backwards and forwards in the flat view arrangement, only minniev has followed up my link to Escher.
Try it
s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/ea/2e/de/ea2ede67edc615e6470a046cb0ee25a3.jpg

You're right... there's a real resemblance there. Thanks for spotting that. I loved those images from Escher when I was a kid... used to look through a book my father had and it never failed to impress me. Unfortunately I never developed any artistic skill (in terms of drawing/painting) otherwise that would have been an area I would have loved to explore.

Arrrggghhhh!

Sorry Mike.

And thanks!

Rich