* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #943 / Revived #163 on 2026 05 13 *

Having never heard of the cats of Hydra, or even of Hydra itself, much less Leonard Cohen's residence there (I've long been a Cohen fan), I'm thrilled to make their acquaintance. Their markings are pretty unusual compared to our unhomed cats, Loved the last shot with the interesting kitties having a spirited discussion at the yellow door that might or might not be Cohen's, a question that likely doesn't concern them at all.

Lovely flower image. The blue, though intense, seems to work well in contrast t the pale pastels of the displayed blooms. Fine detail.

Since I'm fond of old cars too, I always enjoy seeing what you do with them using your special wizardry in those kinds of shots.

I agree 100% with what Mike has said here.
These two images look "less processed" than some of your older work at the dam.
They emphatically don't need any fancy tricks (layering, "scratches" etc) because they have all they need to be compelling.
That shaft of hard light is almost like a shock inside the grotto-atmosphere we have come to expect.
The inverted L in pure white is intriguing, but it is an attention magnet.

Cats still don't excite me (dogs not much more, for that matter).
But I was intrigued by the "Cats Apartment Blocks" you discovered here.

Thank you very much. The light shafts from the drainage grates in the dam sometimes create this effect.

thanks Pete. I liked that one too because the bird seemed to be flying toward the shaft of light.

Thanks Mike. The inverted L is simply the same opening you've seen in older dam shots. Both the primary pilasters have those rectangular openings. It is the backlighting that makes it look like a flat painted figure. In many of my photos there are birds sitting in those holes using them as perches, or water gushing through from one side to the other.

Thanks!

Thanks Andrew. The light and water make an ever changing series of opportunities. All I need is for the birds to keep coming!

Thanks Roel. I discovered the dam's attractions almost a decade ago, and as you know, I've explored all kinds of shooting and processing the images I get there. Some years are flush with opportunity and others offer almost nothing, but I never cease to check on them. For several years we've had drought conditions in summer, and some years there have been construction projects down there that discourage the birds, so I am glad to see them still coming. As I told Mike, that white "L" is just an architectural feature, a rectangular opening that the birds often use to fish from. You can see the brighter foamy water behind it. It's been in many other shots but it looks a little different because of the contrasty light. The dam is full of weird geometry that is functional rather than design oriented, and I just tend to leave it alone.

Nicely done, Andrew.
As to your self-doubt about whether it was necessary, well, I can understand both points of view. The original had a fine sense of mystery, with the far side disappearing into the darkness, whereas your worked version has brought lots of detail out of the shadows. Since the image is more about presenting an interesting old car to the viewer and less about creating a dramatic atmosphere, then I find your version very appropriate.
That said, I agree with you that in many cases, “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should”, is advice worth remembering.

Thanks Andrew. I decided to leave it high key, because reducing it to almost pure blacks and white enhanced the optical illusion effect of the pillars and shadows and I thank surface detail might detract from that effect too. But thanks for the alternative idea.

Yes, Mike, I did have a good think about cropping, but when I tried there seemed to be something missing from the bottom. The slightly diagonal lines add a sense of motion and direction, as well as another set of lines to think about, so maybe it was that.

I agree with NOT cropping, for exactly the reasons you stated.
Plus: the figure would become too low in the general composition. She is at precisely a good point as is.
(More notes on the figure: she too is in B&W, with the soles of her shoes prominent and that white diagonal. Couldn't have asked for better wardrobe!)