* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #933 / Revived #153 on 2026 03 04 *

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!

"DEN BELL" STAIRCASE

Once again an older image this week.
This one dates from February 2013.
I have rediscovered the gallery that this image belongs in, because that gallery was auto-archived by Zenfolio and I have recently had the gallery restored.

This is a view on the staircase of a classic era office building in Antwerp: the "Den Bell" tower.
It used to house the offices of a phone company (Bell Company, later Alcatel Bell).
After this company vacated the premises, it was repurposed to house co-working spaces and offices for some decentralized departments of the City of Antwerp.

In February 2013 I had a meeting with City of Antwerp civil servants in that building to discuss an upcoming photo project that I was going to shoot for the city, both at home in Antwerp and in the Oriental region of Morocco, and that would result in a photo exhibition and brochure under the name "Route Oriental", illustrating the ties between the City's international cooperation efforts, local Antwerp NGOs operated by descendants of the Moroccan diaspora in Antwerp and their small scale investments and operations in Morocco itself.

This photo project focused on education exchange programs (nurses, midwives) and small-scale economic cooperation with an emphasis on empowerment and emancipation. It was a photo project that I really loved doing. A true labour of love, because I donated my time and efforts for the cause.

Images are here: roelh.zenfolio.com/p168733737 (Antwerp leg of the project)
And here: roelh.zenfolio.com/p41598181 (the north-east Moroccan leg of the project)

Anyway, back to the staircase.

So I walked into this building "Den Bell" for the first time in my life and decided to not take the elevator to the offices but include some levels of staircase as my workout for the day. I was stunned by the view of that staircase and was glad that I had a camera with me (I was going to show the City employees the gear I planned to be taking to Morocco).

A small architecture gallery resulted with views straight and straight down that wonderful staircase: roelh.zenfolio.com/p777766034

Here is my selection for today from that gallery (a conversion to B&W):

Friends. Galacia. Spain.

That is a marvelous shot of this wonderful staircase!
The architect made some beautiful repeating curves here.
Looked and enjoyed all the other views of the staircase on your Zenfolio site too

p.s.
The way that Zenfolio removes your photos to some archive is a real pain.
I am considering looking for a different host, but not sure if I really want to find all the time and make the effort to do so.

The plateau at Hochkeil, Austria

Here's a shot from March 2025.
It is currently the "March" picture on my A3 wall calendar, that I make for friends and family each year.
Taken while on a snow shoe walk. The sun was shining at the top, but the mist was still hanging in the valley below

At the same place, on a similar walk a month before, we had to cross a ski slope, and I caught this guy coming over the top at full speed with a plume of bright backlit snow behind him

We are on the same page about the hassle with Zenfolio.

And you can restore archived galleries (I've done quite a few) but it takes time and it isn't flawless..

If you had sequenced your images carefully, chances are that sequence is lost and the images appear either chronological (date/hour taken) or alphabetical on filename. (Usually I change sequencing for a better flow). And the thumbnail image also gets reset to often just the first image of the (rearranged) gallery...

Like you, I have considered switching away from zenfolio, but I don't look forward to the effort of making all new galleries, with explanations etc etc.

Maybe the new (NextZen) software will be an improvement...

This is a little different from my usual subjects, but I'm in a strange period in my life. My husband was gifted a generous gift certificate at a (fancy and expensive) restaurant we would never have gone to and it was about to expire so we carved out an evening from the craziness of our current lives and went to claim it. The food and service were amazingly perfect.

The Golden Moon is located in the Pearl River Resort on the Choctaw reservation where my husband works. I've always been intrigued with its architecture but never took a picture of it before last week. Philip M's, named for the Chief who led the tribe out of desolate poverty and into prosperity and self governance is located in the Pearl River resort on the Choctaw reservation where my husband works.

I am so glad you got to enjoy a great evening with what is clearly a fancy dinner.

The story of the native american reservations is something that intrigues me a lot.
If you can provide a link to solid extra information on this particular one ane Philip M, I will be glad to follow up.
(I could just google, but what information is then the most reliable is not always clear, especially for controversial or polarizing subjects.
And don't get me started on A.I. questions and answers. I could share stories of incredible "hallucinations" that I have experienced with A.I. Example: when in Morocco I was interested in finding out where I could go watch an African Nations Cup soccer game in the city we would be in on the next day. A.I. gave me a summery of the game (complete with scores and scorers) of this game that was yet to be played the next day! Purest fiction.)

But about your images. * The second works well in showing us the posh interior of the restaurant. Looks inviting and a bit intimidating at the same time. Like posh restaurants are known to do. * The first is quite wonderful. It shows us outrageously extravagant architecture. (At first I thought there was a ball floating in the air, caught by the camera just above the top of a building that has taken some clear design cues from Wynn Hotels in Las Vegas. But no, that thing is attached to the building! Must be an odd space to visit. Did you?

A quiet place in the hectic city of Istanbul

Wading pool magic

Neck twisting, but very satisfying view.

Majestic pillars dominate very historical site.

They meet, they talk and they swim away...

Love those colours, I must say. That yellow is very eye drawing.

Both shots are amazing and they share glass as a common subject. Those colours in #1 are very captivating. Second is the classic - to me it's just incredible to see that size of a light fixture. And that table with single rose - dream place.

Both shots are great and both have merit.
Very peaceful and beautiful scenery and the hut in the mountains is really intriguing to see and #2 is very timely, right after Milano Olympics - the light behind the snow curtain is brilliant. Well seen.