* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #872 / Revived #092 on 2025 01 01*

Welcome to A NEW YEAR and to this year's first 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 a photo or photo-based image that you have made and get critique on it. And in return you give other people your honest but constructive opinion of their images.

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 or essay 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 or essay that you have made and would like to get comments on.
An entry can either be a single image or a short essay. With an essay we mean not a collection of random images without any connection, seeking C&C on more than one of them. We mean instead a limited number (3 to 10) of connected images that together try to tell a story, create a fuller picture of a situation, event or location, etc.
• Add a clear title to your post to distinguish your entry.
• Look at the other images/essays 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.
• Please stay on topic, i.e. concentrate on the image and the photographic comments, without getting into politics or other distractions. No non-photographic arguments.

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:
Unless the original poster specifically states (for every individual posting offered for C&C) that they do not want their image(s) to be downloaded, altered or reposted, it is understood that within the context of this thread, other participants are free to download and alter the posted image and repost it in a reply for C&C purposes. That reposted image may remain permanently within the week's thread, or you may remove it after a short period of time if you prefer. The downloaded and altered images are not to be used for any other purposes nor uploaded anywhere else than within the context of the C&C in this thread. 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.

Have fun, be respectful and let’s stick together!

THE LYON AND WINDING ROAD

I wish each and every one of you a happy, healthy, prosperous and peaceful 2025.

We (Els and I) are kicking off the new year in cold and wintery Lyon (France), where we enjoy a few days of chilly sightseeing and warm food.

The last day of 2024 was spent exploring a few locations of the Lyon Biennale for Contemporary Art.
The biggest location is certainly "Les Grandes Locos", a former huge factory complex on the banks of the Rhône.
It is a bike ride south of the City (still south of Confluences, where the Saône joins the Rhône).
Impressive industrial archeology as a backdrop for modern art: it is a winning combination that we have visited in many cities.
This is no exception.

At this start of a new year, let me share an (Iphone) photo of one of the art installations, with a young child at the start of his winding road.

October Storm

The towns of Prescott and Prescott Valley, AZ are 100 miles north of Phoenix. Prescott is at 5000 feet elevation. The Valley runs just about perfectly north and south.

The view from my front porch in Prescott, a few years ago, looking east across the Valley to the Black Hills and Mingus Mountain peak at 7000 feet and 20 miles away. Beyond that, Mount Humphrey, 12,000 feet at Flagstaff, 100 miles away.

The shaft of light illuminated the valley floor for about 20 minutes. Winter storms were frequently spectacular there.

Rich

It is a lovely photo. The light seems like a fire river. The colour seems a bit odd though, have you tried a BW conversion ?

Our frosty garden

The sun came out today to light up the frosty winter leaves.
Taken earier today with the Z7 and the 105 Z macro.
Have to be quick though, before that sun melts it all away.

...oops melted here already

...need to find some more shady places where the frost is still looking good

and finally, our pet bulldog doesn't look too amused with this damm cold weather :-)

Thanks for the comment.

In B&W, the overhanging storm cloud is very dark and not pleasing. I've attempted some adjustments, but nothing has looked good to my eye.

Rich

Fireplace123,

Lovely frost pictures. Just lovely.

Steve Thomas

yep, like a shot taken in Iceland with a lava flow, running wide and fast!

Leaves

A variety of leaves at the country house this fall- sweetgum, red oak, black oak, water oak, willow oak, elm, hickory, persimmon.

Nice composition! The benches are painted horrible colors for that location, grump.

Some good autumn colours here in your set.

The last one is special. I guess that leaf was suspended in the air by the almost invisible spider's thread. I love the way they spin and dance  around in the air, with just the slightest breeze, when they get caught like that

Also the face I can see in that suspended leaf, wearing a pointed hat, looks incredible :-)

Tiger Leaping Gorge

This was taken during a trip to China at the end of last year. Here, at the narrowest part of Tiger Leaping Gorge, there is a dramatic rush of water as the River Yangtze, or Jinsha as it is called in Yunnan, forces itself through the narrow gap of about 25m (80 ft) between the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and the Haba Snow Mountain, which tower another 3,500m (11,500 ft) above. Officially, it is not navigable and when four rafters tried in the early 80's, they were never seen again.

Beautiful, this one.

Rich

Istanbul from Galata Tower

I had a play with your original and came up with a similar result to yours. I just cropped a bit more from the bottom and a bit less on the left side.
Why ? hmmm,... I thought your leading line effect was already provided with (my) smaller square crop, and so I could remove some of the foreground pavement area which wasn't adding so much to the image. The house is moved a bit further away from the left edge giving it a bit more "room to breathe" and that small part of the building now appearing on the left seems to give it a little more of a 3D feeling. All just in my opinion of course.