* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #960 / Revived #180 on 2026 09 09 *

To me it's magic. You look at it and feel you are right there, watching. Very captivating.

Just to be clear: my words “showing off the lens” were not intended as a criticism. In retrospect I realize “Showing off” can be taken as a take-down of someone snobby, but trust me that this was not my intention.

I meant just to say that in some images, other photographers can be aware of the unique capabilities or characteristics of the gear used. Extremely shallow DOF is such a feature. We see it and we realize that a super wide and large aperture is used (or a telephoto with semi-large aperture). The lens’ characteristics are being shown.

And some images need that characteristic but others would also be effective without that characteristic. Which does not mean to say that it would be better without, only different and just as effective.

A lovely photo that I really like.
However, I get the feeling that the photo was deliberately kept small—at 1451x781 pixels—to hide the noise at ISO 5000.
The noise doesn't really matter, given the quality of the photo.

This is the first photo of yours where I’m not sure where the focal point actually is.
Is it the crushed can or the cactus leaves right behind it?
I’m not sure, so my eyes keep wandering back and forth.

Here I can see how vibrant colors and good lighting can elevate everyday photos to another level.
Very well done!

I've always liked your shadow selfies, and shadow photography in general so this one appeals to me. I like how you've used the wide angle lens and the shadows to create a set of leading lines making Els the star of the composition. And you've got the fencing and its shadows to serve as frame. Cool shot!

Very nice Gursky-ish image. The simplicity of the forms and color palette make it so striking, then you discover the story. Should be printed large. If the crop is too small to permit it, there's a good chance computational enlarging can do a decent job on it given the subject matter and the simplicity of the forms.

Two flat things of complementary colors (red coke can and green cactus paddle). In clear focus and all else (wall and foliage) blurred by your masterful lens work. Even an ordinary scene can be made interesting...

Lovely tour. The simple compositions allow the forms and details of the plants to capture our attention. The first is my favorite, with all its intricacies.

Lovely image, with the floral designs so varied yet all within the same color palette, and similar enough to fit in a set, except the outlier on the edge, the lady who is casting a side eye their way as if she is the supervisor. Great spotting.

Well caught concert photo with good framing by lights above and curtains below. You managed those confounding colored lights well too.

I think I would still remove the black plastic stage covering below. It doesn't add anything for me.
The lights are well caught.
In my limited concert shooting experience, a sideways view makes it often easier to get the singers faces in the picture without microphone obscuring the mouth.

I agree with @RoelHendrickx and would also crop it at the bottom. I think it works very well then and you still got more than enough interesting interacting colors in it! It's a good capture.

That’s a cool idea for a group photo. The shadows alone would be good, but to have 1 person, Els, in „real life“ makes it so much better. The group’s shadows are themselves a subject, but also lead to the main subject and the railings frame the whole thing. Very neat.

This is a lovely sliver of Australian landscape and even features the Aussie national colours(green and yellow) and the format is a perfect choice. I love the delicate little shapes of the trees silhouetted against the yellow fields. Then the wind turbines add a modern touch to the scene. Do they dominate or complement the scene? No doubt it depends on the viewer‘s attitude towards wind energy. In any case, I think they contribute in a positive way.

These are colourful in more than one meaning of the word. I think the complete palette of colours is present in every photo, but still it is the red-orange-yellow combinations which dominate the subjects.

These are colourful in more than one meaning of the word. I think the complete palette of colours is present in every photo, but still it is the red-orange-yellow tones which dominate the subjects. The caravan in the first, the flower in the third, the roof and figure in the fourth and the big face on the poster of the last one. This consistency helps bind the series into a whole. Only the second is missing this, but it is particularly colourful and is still linked by that theme.
It gives off a joyous and very human vibe, which seems to be verified by the couple on the motorbike in the last one.
Happy vibes are always welcome.

The red Coke can is incongruous amoungst the natural shapes and colours. Even though the wall is man-made, it seems gracefully accepted by the forces of nature, which, however, show auto tolerance towards the Coke can and have crushed it. I like it!

What a wonderful selection of flowers, all nicely photographed, and I am glad to read it is a nature reserve. I can understand the attraction of returning multiple times.

I agree with Mike, especially the bit about thelights and drapes enlivening the scene, whereas the band remain static. I think this tension is what makes the photo work.

Actually that is not the reason. The real reason is much more banale. Since I am travelling, I only had access to photos on my phone. This one had been loaded to my phone as a small jpeg from an unprocessed raw. I then cropped it again before loading it here. Sorry for the lack of technical quality, but it was enough to get the image across.

How was I able to get the whole band in the photo, then?

True.
The sideways view will always prioritize some band members over the others.
They will appear more "stacked".
To show everybody, your choice was the only option.