* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #931 / Revived #151 on 2026 02 18 *

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 or critical 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 SACRED & THE MUNDANE

Once more back to Morocco with two images from our first two full days in the country, when we were staying in Casablanca.

1) The enormous Hassan II Mosque (as seen from the side of its big courtyard).

2) And the small but very lively daily Maarif market in the eponymous quarter where we were staying.

(Still working with my Iphone images; I don't know when I will (ever) get around to processing Olympus camera images.)

The Photographers of Tet.
Tet is the period of Vietnam's Lunar New Year. It's a huge celebration.
For young women, it has become a time to wear and be photographed in the most gracious of dresses, the traditional Ao Dai. Everywhere in Vietnam a couple of weeks ago, we saw girls gathering to photograph each other. Sometimes a simple phone was enough, sometimes elaborate lighting and reflectors were being used. In some popular tourist sites there might be hundreds. Clouds of butterflies. Boyfriends as well are keen to develop their photography skills....

And the mothers get into the act as well. Mothers generally wear brighter clothes

I took these 2 weeks ago during the Great Mississippi Ice Storm, the day after my gloomy dam-ice photos from last week. The swamp will only develop an ice layer during prolonged freezes like this one. I've only seen it once before.

New and Old

Every few years I follow a nostalgic ritual and attend Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. This year was unique for me since many world's car manufacturers were showcasing the latest EV (electric vehicles). They are all different and not my cup of tea, but,

among all the vehicles I located 2 rather very eccentic automobiles: 2026 Bugatti Mistral ($5M and 1.500 HP) and 1926 Bugatti Baby Type 35 ($50K , 1.3HP and - fully operational).
Times have changed, dramatically, in past 100 years...

Just beautiful. The trees are almost growing out of the water. Very impactful and captivating shot with blues and browns dominating. Excellent.

You have certainly captured the essence of the spirit of Tet. It's truly the showcase of the event in full glory. Well seen.

What ties these 2 images together is this icredible mosaic floor. The amount of work and pure artisan effort which was undaubtedly required to accomplish is absolutely mind boggling. The view of the Mosque against blue sky in image #1 is stellar. Well done.

In both photos, the mosaic floor is striking.
I like the composition of both photos.
However, the purple and green fringing in the second photo is really distracting.

Text with emphasis

A very informative series of photos.
I like #3.
No. 4 would be my favorite, but I can't see where the focus point is.

I like the last photo best.
The reflections, the ice crystals: a superb photo.

I like the first photo.

German Museum Nuremberg

Supermarine Spitfire, IWM Duxford. I can't stress enough that this is by far one of the best museums I've visited anywhere (the American hall is stunning in its scope and range of aircraft). It is a working aerodrome and, depending on the time of the year, various British and American WWII aircraft are taking off and landing. It was a dull day, and only those outdoor photos where I could get a good sky mask in Lightroom worked well enough. I will process some of the indoor shots when I get a chance.

Photo page: www.flickr.com/photos/jason_hindle/53193868019/in/dateposted-public/

A sharply observed coupling of images. A wa lens used to link close up of the tile patterns to their surroundings. We can take in the cultural threads uniting totally different settings. The second is a gem where the photographer has used the lens choice and angle to create a visual pattern that plyas with the tesselated patterns. I understand the restrictions but it's another shot I'd have liked to have explored large.
Edit. A note of appreciation of the repeating blues in the shots individually and coupled.

Are those trees a kind of cyprus? Those repeating trunk shapes are icons that I hope are being protected. Scenes I've known about and admired from afar for many years.
I never imagined that ice was possible. It works an excellent series with text because I needed a few hints before I picked up that there is ice here. The series moved from the classic bayou to close ups of the ice and then, now we have the idea, the last shot combines the bayou shapes with water surface reflection oddities that e now know are created by ice.
A nice little record of the unusual and unexpected.

Shot 1 is terrific. Your angle does a great job of showing the lines and famous grille of the car. the wa nails the forward thrust power promise of the vehicle. The exposure makes the most of the lighting and reflections boasting its lines. Your captured half circle on the floor adds anothe thrust to the right while echoing the grille shape.

I don't think shot 2 works as well. There are some highlight lines from modern cars as well as the classic. If the intention was to include some modern vehicles and lines alongside the classic, then perhaps consider a crop of about 1/4 of the image from the top right . Or maybe just the blue car as subject (especially with the grille and the laurel (which is shaped like the grille) and display both photos.

Number 4 may need some explanation, The three closest girls were photographing their friend, who is holding a flower as a prop. The girls in the centre with her back to us has the camera. The other two foreground girls were giving advice on the posing and photography. I tried for a shot over the shoulder of the photographer and the girls that also showed their subject. ie., three girls with their backs to me and the face of the subject in front of them. One of the girls realized what I was doing and the two assistants both giggled and turned and posed for my photo. Then we all laughed together.
There were groups like this wherever we went in Vietnam.The girls took it in turns being photographer or model and they were obviously skilled at both. Photography is alive and well in Vietnam.
I got lots of photos like these while we were there. My favourite is number 5.