* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #893 / Revived #113 on 2025 05 28*

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!

TWO MORE FROM NEIST POINT

Last week I posted a few images of an Asian wedding photographer at work in the vicinity of stormy Neist Point and its lighthouse on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

Today: two images from the actual location.

If you do a google images search for the lighthouse, you will see that it is located on the far tip of a premontory that stretches into the ocean, with an impressive bulge that rises up from the "main land" and then stretches out to a lower point. Some of the best images online, show the resulting and quite impressive cliff face bathed in warm light.

We were there on an overcast, windy and even rainy day, so I did not enjoy the benefit of such golden light, and I had to look for other ways to make the shot (hopefully) interesting.

One technique was to show the location just a bit wider than standard, with on the foreground one of the few spots where water that gathers on the higher plateau, comes together to form a small streams that plunges over the edge of the cliff to form a small waterfall.

The other technique was to concentrate on a lone huma figure on top of the bulge, to create a sense of wonder (and of scale):

Jewels

Rich

Kolob Canyons, a three shot pano hand held and stitched in PS. There was a good bit more pine/cedar green stuff at the bottom, but it seemed too much so I cropped a bit of it, but unsure.

Taken through a dusty glass window.
A derlict shop in Dimboola..

Is the shop derelict or is it a "hardware" store with a section devoted to ancient machinery?

A treadle sewing machine, a reel-type lawn mower, fireplace bellows, typewriter, ancient Ford-type pick-up and a mystery machine (corn husker?).

I've used exactly such equipment at various times of my life in daily, routine, productive work. I remember the sewing machine, lawn mower, bellows and typewriter as new or nearly so when we got them.

The vehicle had been around for a while but was in excellent condition and used daily on my uncle's farm. We didn't think of it as "old" then, although it already was of a different era. It was simply an essential piece of gear who's "yesteryear" design suited it perfectly for its role.

Roel,

I like the second image. (It triggers my "discomfort" with heights reaction.) But I wouldn't have noticed the figure on the mountain without your mention of him. I wish the image would enlarge, but it doesn't "click."

Rich

I’m currently travelling and can only access images from my uploaded galleries to embed.

Those don’t enlarge like images uploaded directly to the forum. Sorry about that.

But thanks for commenting anyway.

Right-clicking the image and "Opening in a New Window" (or Tab) works.

Rich

Those are the pictures I wanted! Typical Scottish coastal seascape. Nice composition of a wonderfully scene of massive stone formations dwarfing the lighthouse. Love them.

I love the "jewels" strung on the grass, the rich colors, the delicate details. I'm not crazy about the lighter and more blurred area along the bottom and if it were mine might try to mitigate it.

I do love these kinds of places. There are so many cool items in this scene, any one of which might be framed up for individual shots. It reminds me of Bodie, a ghost town where everything was simply left in place as if the inhabitants were simply spirited away. I like that you kept the sensation of age and dust, which I can almost smell.

An interesting shot of what looks like an enactment (people with crowns sitting in a modern arena watching a horse show, possibly of LIppizans?) I like that the one white horse is kept in his normal color and highlighted with the special lighting from the show, catching the horse's mane frozen in glorious motion. The other horses and handlers are allowed to remain in the background, letting the star of the show be featured. Nice capture of action.

Thanks, MinnnieV,

I was leaned over the patch of grass, hoping not to lose my balance and get wet, trying to keep the wide-open 50mm lens focused just on the droplets on the top layer of grass. They were dancing in and out of the shallow DOF, as I'm not real steady in such situations. I'm lousy at paying attention to "composition" like that!

😏

Rich

Thank you minniev. This is Medieval Times dinner and tournament show. There are nine locations in the USA and one in Canada. Here are some images to give you an idea

I like how this image in small form presented itself as the kind of colour-based abstract people can create with a longer exposure and deliberate camera motion blur, but upon zooming in, we discover the actual subject of dewdrops or raindrops on stalks of vivid green grass.
Many would have bern tempted to attempt macro photography of a single drop. This more encompassing view is refreshing.

Agree with that and let me add appreciation for the chunks of arena sand flying and frozen, emphasizing the action. The horse’s expression is finely captured too.

Show that I never attended but know from the creepy-hilarious Jim Carrey movie “The cable guy”!

Thanks, Roel!

Rich

suprise concert

On my trip through poland we also visited the town of Oświęcim, where the Auschwitz extermination camp is located. For our stay we stayed in the German-Polish Youth Outreach Center, which does a lot of rememberance work. It's apparently also well known for being a frequet host of alternative music scene concerts?? When we came back in the evening we were greated by a stage, the metal bands Wszyscy Toniemy and Weedcraft, as well as Oświęcim's entire goth population (about 30 people). I ended up photographing them on a whim and talking to the leading lady of Wszyscy Toniemy and buying some merch. Very fun and very unexpected.
The last picture was the entire teen goth population of Oświęcim calling for an encore. It was delightful.

Hello Streamdream,

You posted these images quite late in the lifespan of our weekly gathering (on Tuesday evening.

I am going to start the new thread in a few minutes.

May I suggeste to repost your images and narrative in that new edition?

We try to bring the weekly thread to a close on Tuesday around midnight (European time) in order to start fresh on Wednesday between 8.00 and 12.00 (European).

This prevents people posting images in two separate editions simultaneously, which creates confusion and results in some images not getting the attention they deserve.

Thanks, Roel

Oh yeah for sure! I totally overlooked the day! Thanks for telling me :)