* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #884 / Revived #104 on 2025 03 26*

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 (almost 17 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!

SAGRADA FAMILIA - THE GENIUS of LIGHT

I am currently reading through a lot of documentation on the Sagrada Familia, Antonio Gaudi's masterpiece in Barcelona, because as a hobby project, I want to create a smale scale impression of the Basilica in lego bricks (I will be starting with a talented lego-designer's instructions but I plan a couple of enhancements).

So in that mindset, I revisited some images from a glorious visit to the site in early 2012. (I processed my images at the time with the then current Lightroom version. I could probably squeeze more out of the RAW files with current technology and improved skill.)

Here's one :

On the Agra train.
We were in an over crowded non airconditioned carriage and the temperature outside was in the high 40C range. Inside?
Everyone shared whatever drinks they had.

Great slice of life.
Quite literally.
With the flower motif on the container, it almost seems like life is being distributed here, to an eager receiver.
Cute and vivid.

Waterworks

Story is: It started in 1850 as a Market for the public, in 1930 was redesigned and became Art Deco waterworks machine shop site for the city with detailing like stone quoins, copper coping, and dog-toothed brick. Designed for the Water Works offices, maintenance and storage of equipment. In 2017 was re-purposed and refurbished as a Food Hall with 20 stands with European flair. Opened in 2024

Mezzanine

Joyful shot. Almost should be titled - "good to the last drop". Hot conditions and thirst go together. Also, variety of colours add interest to the image. Well seen.

Fantastic capture with all possible intricacies of brilliant architectural building
lit by sun rays. It's amazing what one can see when one looks up.

An Oak and a Landscape

Whilst visiting a ruined monastery, which has been there for over 800 years, I stood under the old oak tree, enjoying the scenery and reflecting on how the landscape might have changed since the monastery was built. It occured to me that the oak had probably witnessed at least half of that time, and theoretically all of it. I started to see the oak as a sort of custodian, protecting its little part of the world, and whether it would think it had succeeded or not.

Pelican Vacation Resort

American White Pelicans have been over-wintering here for the past 10 years. They choose certain islands in the local lake to make their home, then deploy groups out from their island twice a day on fishing expeditions in the lake, and occasionally down the river. Last week, this flight group discovered the joys of the dam. No pelican group or even a lone bird has ventured into the egret and heron territory before now. They are spending their days in luxury, frolicking in the waterfalls, sunning and napping on the concrete benches, scooping up the plentiful fish in the square concrete pools where only herons and egrets have fished. They may decide never to leave.

Waitress

Friday night at the Coyote Bar y Grill, Carlsbad, CA

. . . It was Friday in the PM
'n' just like every weekend
I was lookin' to throw down

Git a little tore up
So I called my Bros up
Have 'em meet me on the town . . .

Dierks Bentley -
Am I the Only One? (Who Wants to Have Fun Tonite)

Rich

The format and ratio are unusual.
One would expect this portrait of a waitress in action to be in portrait orientation, showing more of her body and the movement of her meandering through a crowd with a serving platter with food and drinks and a beer glass held like it is a sacrament.

Her hairstyle and very casual dress suggest that she is the unconventional type, although we do not see her face (and that adds to the mystery/attraction).
So using an unconventional frame orientation is oddly appropriate.

We see just enough of her (an elbow would have been nice).

And the horizontal frame ensures that she is not isolated, but surrounded by anonymous and equally faceless suggestions of bar customers.

The bright blue band all across the top makes this look almost like a flag.
The flag of Unconvenistan maybe.

Rose chafer

This shiny green fella is very pretty, but you don't really want him on your roses ;-)
Taken a few years back in my garden inside one of my red roses.

a true multitalent

In February of 2024, I visited the Pulverfass Kabaret on the Reeperbahn in Hamburg to watch a drag show there. The Pulverfass is considered one of the most high-profile theaters for drag performance in Europe. Performing there is like landing a role on the West-end in London.
The show was incredible. A gorgous mix of comedy, standup, fashion, sensuality, acrobatics, musical theatre, opera and a strip club. Can't recommend it enough.

Anyway, this woman was a true multi-talent. She first came out and did flame swallowing, then she did some floor acrobatics and then she hung herself up on a loop in her hair and starting doing acrobatics while hung up. And then, while spinning (again, on her hair), she started playing the violin. A bit mad, innit?

I've been meaning to draw this picture for a while now, actually.

Roel,

Thanks for the comments!

I'm not quite sure why you think the subject needs a portrait orientation, though. It was a lively scene and I wanted to capture the swirl of activity in the place.

The blue at the top of the frame is not a flag. It's an outdoor seating area. Those are "Santa Barbara" umbrellas.

Waitress, portrait

Rich

Gorgeous landscape. Pete.

The Sentinel Tree.

Rich

Startling color! Green iridescence meets velvety red. Lush.

Good eye!

Rich

Dam Pelicans!

Rich

Yeah, but can she sing?!

Sorry, had to do that! 😏

Great shot. And story.

Rich