* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #902 / Revived #122 on 2025 07 30*

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!

SACHSISCHE SCHWEIZ

We are meeting friends tomorrow to start preparing for a 2026 hiking trip in the mountains of the Czech-Polish border region.
This reminded me of an earlier trip we made 10 years ago to the border crossing regions of Saxonia and Silezia (east Germany, west Poland).

On that trip, we spent a couple of days in the area nicknamed "Sächsische Schweiz" (the Saxon Switzerland), because of its impressive rock formations.

My photo gallery of that trip contains these four images.
At first glance they are very different, but actually they were made within a span of 6 minutes and all from the exact same vantage point.
I think they can be taken as an illustration of how a use of various focal lengths lenses (but also different aspect ratios, including 4:3 and 16:9 horizontal crops and 4:3 vertical) can result in different images.

After the rain

While walking downtown ( Toronto, Ontario, Canada) early in the morning, to avoid a massive heat which we are experiencing (33C and humidex of 40) I was briefly rained upon. I kept on moving...

Very impressive scenery, almost magical. Reminds me of " Harry Potter " surroundings.

Telling stories

The first is my favorite, followed by the last.
Good to see how many shots are possible from the same place.
I also often take a few differently composed shots and then chose afterwards; it's not always easy ;-)
The landscape here is great, lots of interesting rock formations in the foreground and plenty of depth further back too.
Also lots to explore in the images with all the visitors

Classic shot reflecting the famous statement "every picture tells the story". Very well captured image - there is a story teller and there is a crowd of participants and onlookers, eagerly listening...Excellent.

All are interesting, but I like this one most.
I just wish we saw more of the surroundings on the top, so lock will have more of the context, but that's just me.

Showing the Unspeakable

Whilst in Poland in April we visited Auschwitz. I had seen and read so much about it over the years, that I thought I knew what to expect, but in fact it was more powerful and sinister than I expected. It was difficult to take it all in and there were so many contrasting emotions. It was a warm, sunny Spring day, and the birds singing and the first flowers looking pretty created a cheery atmosphere, but the whole time I was also feeling its dark and evil history. Seeing tourists like me who would be leaving again in a few hours, compared to those 80 years ago who couldn't leave. Wondering whether we were doing the place justice and trying to learn and feel, or were we guilty of adding a tick on a long list of tourist to-dos.

It was difficult to capture all these thoughts photographically. There are so many iconic scenes that I have seen a thousand times and trying to see them in a new way is difficult / impossible. Trying to bring across the sinister nature on a bright sunny day is tricky too. (I went to Buchenwald on an icy, foggy day, so it was easy there.) Avoiding visitors in the frame was not easy, I wanted to show them, without them looking like casual visitors. I wanted the ghosts of Auschwitz to inhabit the place as well as the visitors and tried to do this by including historic photos on the walls, or as in this example, by using reflections to suggest ghosts.

Of all the photos I took, I think this one was the most successful at conveying the feelings I wanted to illustrate, but suggestions are welcome.

On a technical note:
In both this week's and last week's photo, I made use of the new remove reflections feature in Lightroom, which allows the reflection to be removed completely, and then use a slider to bring back the level of reflection as required. Sometimes the removal works like magic, sometimes some or all of the reflection remains untouched, but if you intend to return some of the reflection, it is not so important how successful the removal was.

You are true magician. It certainly improves the image considerably. Tx

You have certainly conveyed the somber atmosphere. Remarkable image from various points of view. Well done.

Inspired by Pete S. - Tu Es Ma Lumiere Je Vielle - a striking artwork in a gallery window in the French Quarter of New Orleans, with too many reflections and shadows to explain or even remember. The quote is the thread that connects the imagery, after the fact.

"You are my light I am watching " - or something similar...

Well, there are layers and layers of meanings in this image and one has to dwelve deeply to demystify everything, which takes time. The colours are what attracted me to it and imagery which reflects the obvious mystery.

It's one of those "food for thought " captures to which one has to come back few times to decipher and appreciate. Well seen.

Tide Pool

Tide's out. Way out.

Rich

Anyone for Tennis?

Hmm. My sky is a bit oversaturated.