1) Alan
Stained Glass Window: Leica M240, 1/30th, ISO 800, 35mm Lens
No F Stop given on Details but it was a F2 lens. Taken whilst I was in London on a Course at Leica Mayfair introduction to M240.
2) Bernd
Sisters: Two young girls during a Breton folklore festival.
3) Bill
“It’s a Grand Life”. Sunday volunteers at Ellen Road Mill, Rochdale who go along each month to show off a huge mill steam engine and other smaller engines to the public. Taken with Fuji X-E2 and 35mm Summaron lens. ISO 3200.
“It’s a Grand Life”. Sunday volunteers at Ellen Road Mill, Rochdale who go along each month to show off a huge mill steam engine and other smaller engines to the public. Taken with Fuji X-E2 and 35mm Summaron lens. ISO 3200.
4) David F
‘Graffiti from Portugal’ taken on D-Lux 6 and taken in Lisbon in September.
5) David K
Motorcross Jockeys’ - taken from my balcony during the mid-October 31st Annual Motorcross Beach Racing event in Weston-super-Mare, involving some 1500 competitors. It was taken with my Leica M9 with the 35mm Summilux f/1.4 asph Lens - exposed for 1/1000 second at f/5.7 (ISO 160).
6) Dunk
Petite Lady Contestant 150Kg Tyre Flip - Strong Woman Novice Challenge at Peterborough Autumn Show 2014 - lady referee observing. Maximum number of flips in one minute wins. Just one of several sections. Leica R9/DMR 21-35mm R, ISO 100 1/125 f5.6
7) Elaine
The Screes, Wasdale. Taken with Leica R3, 35mm Elmarit-R velvia film.
8) Keith
Gentleman racer: Leica M(240) / 50 Summilux
9) Malcolm
Red White and Blue: A new pot brush on the kitchen windowsill caught my eye, Panasonic TZ20.
10) Mike
Mighty Wurlitzer: Donald MacKenzie, resident organist at the Leicester Square Odeon, introducing a series of silent films (to which he provided accompaniment) in the theatre of the Music Museum, Brentford, on 28 September 2014. The Mighty Wurlitzer is a museum highlight. Leica Monochrom and 50mm Summilux ASPH at f/1.4.
A quiet drink: Outside The Port William in Trebarwith, Cornwall. Panasonic TZ40 with Leica lens.
12) Robert H
Botallack - Leica M9P : 50mm Summicron : ISO 160
13) Theodore
Hong Kong protests October 28th
MP6 w/ 24mm Elmar 3.8, Rollei 80S developed as slide
14) Tony
No photo this month
15) William
Norway Naeroyfjord Near Gudvangen. Leica M with 35 Summicron. It had been raining and it was getting near the end of our fjord cruise at Gudvangen. I converted to black and white to enhance the effect of the hanging clouds.
1) Alan:
ReplyDeleteLovely colour rendition with plenty of detail. I wonder if the picture would be even stronger if you had just concentrated on the stained glass window and its mural above. The arches to either side are a bit of a distraction however I understand you may have been limited by the choice of lens.
2) Bernd :
A good quality monochrome image and your chosen subject certainly stands out from the background due to the choice of aperture used. Nice tones through out.
3) Bill :
These gentleman seem to be engrossed in conversation. The somewhat hard printing seems to suit this subject but it is a pity the dogs black coat is tending to merge with the dark stones. Would liked to have seen more of the gentlemans face on the left.
4) David F :
Plenty of impact here with striking colours. This type of subject matter always makes for a good picture. I like the inclusion of the pigeons which gives added interest.
5) David K.
Great idea but somehow it does not quite work. The bikers are blurred whist the background is relatively sharp which makes for a jarring image. A pity as this type of photo has potential.
6) Dunk :
You have captured the effort this lady is putting into this task by the strain on her face. Well framed and timed.
7) Elaine :
I like the reflection in the lake and the inclusion of the figure which gives a sense of scale. However I am not sure the flare helps and the colours look a bit strange. The foreground grass could be toned down as it is somewhat distracting.
8) Keith :
Good sharp image of the motor car but I think it would be even better if the background had been thrown out of focus as it is a bit distracting. A pleasing photograph of a day out at a Vintage car rally.
9) Malcolm :
It is always the simple subjects which have the impact. The three contrasting colours make this picture . I like it.
10) Mike :
Great portrait of the organist with plenty of detail in the organ. My only crit is that I find the image a bit too sharp which makes it feel a bit unreal. This can be easily rectified in the relevant programme.
11) Phil :
A very pleasing silhouette and I like the way the person is pointing to something out at sea. Nice colours which fits the mood of this photograph.
12) Me
13) Theodore :
An interesting image on the recent protests in Hong Kong. Would like to see a shade more light on the protesters face. The choice of tone for this image seems to suit it rather well.
14) No photo
15) William:
The clouds in the foreground and the ones in the sky make for a very atmospheric photograph. Lovely tones through out and I also like the dappling on the water. This is a very pleasing landscape. Like it.
1 Alan: Stained Glass Window
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the composition looks skewed/tilted/distorted because there are five full arches visible on the RHS and just three visible on the LHS. Did Leica Mayfair provide or suggest using a tripod and live view mode as an aid to composition? The stained glass lacks detail and looks a bit washed out/overexposed – it would record better on a dull overcast day.
2 Bernd: Two young girls during a Breton folklore festival.
Wonderful double portrait with interesting expressions full of character – confidence on the RHS – inquisitiveness on the LHS - beautifully captured and well exposed with pleasing OOF background.
3 Bill: It’s a grand life.
Two characters enjoying their hobby but without your explanation Bill would not know exactly what the event is – cars dominate and not enough steam engine – and unfortunately the blacks lack detail.
4 David F: Graffiti from Portugal
Graffiti by itself does not appeal to me especially when it looks a bit the worse for wear and messy – and in this composition the slightly cropped door is distracting. However, would make a good portrait or candid portrait background. Or if used as a background element in a composite would be fine.
5 David K: Motorcross Jockeys
Fair record image but too many elements present and the riders appear too static. A closer viewpoint of the riders might convey more excitement.
6 Mine
7 Elaine: The Screes, Wasdale
Very similar to your September entry Elaine; I prefer this image but would benefit from more PP to tone down distracting highlights and bring out more texture – especially those in the foreground. Scratching my head ref the ‘round blob’? An image with terrific potential subject to more post processing.
8 Keith: Gentleman racer
Wonderful good looking car but distracting fur coat – image could benefit from cropping to give closer view of car, driver and spectators – and to crop out the fur coat.
9 Malcolm: Red White and Blue
A very competently composed graphic close-up image but as a stand alone photo does not have staying power. Technically excellent but needs something added to make a story … maybe more creative lighting with some shadows?
10 Mike: Might Wurlitzer; Donald MacKenzie
A good record image which conveys the mightiness of the Wurlitzer – and its seat – I guess the organist has to slide across it to access all the pedals. However, the tones look a bit flat – I’d prefer to see a bit more contrast – but maybe the full aperture exposure has lowered the contrast?
11 Phil: A quiet drink: Outside The Port William in Trebarwith Cornwall.
My eye goes straight to the sloping horizon which is distracting but could be easily corrected. The Sun is very blown-out but could be toned down – which would also bring out more sky detail. An image with potential but requires more post processing.
12 Robert H: Botallack
Difficult contre jour exposure which has rendered the sea beautifully but the remainder of the scene looks rather flat and not so interesting. Maybe a bit more PP could lift the contrast?
13 Theodore: Hong Kong protests
A good effort but the scene looks rather too static with little going on – no observers or police presence – and no banners or placards – unconcerned passers-by in the distance - we would not know what is actually happening without the title. My immediate thought was that it might be a troupe of street entertainers/actors rather than protesters.
14 William: Norway Naeroyfjord Near Gudvangen
Tranquil scene well exposed and composed – interesting low clouds – I cannot reconcile the scale of the foreground artifact projecting up from the water – an annoying element but it’s there.
Another very interesting set of images and I’ve enjoyed viewing them.
Best wishes
dunk
1. Alan: Stained Glass Window.
ReplyDeleteNice shot given that it was taken on an introduction course. A bit of adjustment using the Crop and Lens Correction ( Manual – Vertical Transform) in Lightroom would improve some of the issues with the perspective here. Nowadays such adjustments can in most cases eliminate the need for special perspective control lenses.
2. Bernd: Sisters.
A lovely photo. The black and white rendition eliminates any possible distraction from background colours.
3. Bill: “ It’s a Grand Life”.
A nice relaxed photo. Might benefit from a crop to eliminate some of the foreground items on the bottom left.
4. David F: Graffiti from Portugal.
Nice shot but a graffiti shot is only as good as the graffiti!
5. David K: Motocross Jockeys.
1/1000 th should normally freeze the action. Was this a panned shot? Otherwise there may be focussing issues.
6. Dunk: Petite Lady Contestant 150 Kg Tyre Flip.
Well taken at the ‘peak of the action’. A long title though to explain what is going on. I would suggest a black and white conversion to eliminate background colour distractions and a crop to concentrate on the main action.
7. Elaine: The Screes, Wasdale.
A nice shot which could be improved by colour adjustments in Lightroom or Photoshop. There is some flare here also that would be more difficult to eliminate.
8. Keith: Gentleman Racer.
A lovely Bugatti in the ‘correct ‘ colour scheme. The out of focus lady in the fur coat on the right should probably be cropped as she is neither in nor out of the photo.
9. Malcolm: Red, White and Blue.
A lovely colour combination and a well seen shot of a simple everyday object.
10. Mike: Mighty Wurltzer.
A nice shot but perhaps a little bit overprocessed. I had to re-read the description to confirm that this was a real person sitting in front of the organ. A little less processing and this would be a really outstanding shot.
11. Phil: A quiet drink.
A lovely mood in this end of day shot. I would clone out the green flare or reflection in the middle of this photo.
12. Botallack.
Lovely scene. Could be improved by selectively increasing the exposure on the facing side of the building.
13. Theodore: Hong Kong Protests October 28th.
Nicely seen and taken. Certainly conveys the notion of a ‘peaceful protest’.
14. Tony: No photo.
15. William: Mine.
Keith W
ReplyDelete1. Alan
I think the image would be stronger if the main subject were bigger in the frame and this would support the title more.
2. Bernd
A pleasant shot but think portrait format would have given us more of interesting costume’s
3. Bill
I think I would prefer a shot that included some machinery to show their reason for being there.
4. David F
Its no Banksy, but think I can see why you took it.
5. David K
I understand the novelty of taking this from your balcony but it is clearly not the best location to shoot a record of the event.
6. Dunk
For me the picture is in the effort evident in the Petite Lady’s upper body, but I recognise you needed a longer lens to get in “tight”.
7. Elaine
The “off” colours and lens flare are to big a distraction for me.
8. Me
9. Malcolm
Well spotted and super saturated colours. Your household is very patriotic. Just shows you do not need to travel the world to find strong images!
10. Mike
Lovely detail in this image shown by good processing. Although we wouldn’t see a face, I wonder if it would improve if the guy was playing the organ.
11. Phil
Lovely sunset shot with good foreground interest. Think I would loose the green ?whatever. Still a winner for me!
12. Robert H
A lovely subject that perhaps needs to be a bit more ‘punchy’ in the processing to do it full justice. Nice image though.
13. Theodore
Very clever composition thats shows protest element well. Appreciate the work involved in processing which you must have enjoyed.
14. Tony
No photo
15. William
Fabulous image of a fabulous location, and agree the conversion suites the scene. Being picky for me the central foreground tower is a slight distraction.
1. Alan - Stained Glass Window: Fine detail and colours from the new M although a little more symmetry would please and would lead the eye more directly direct to the window in the distance.
ReplyDelete2. Bernd - Breton folklore fesitval: Lovely B&W rendering and a nice atmospheric composure.
3. Bill - It’s a Grand Life: Good sharp result from the Fuji/Leica combination (an increasingly popular marriage, isn’t it?), especially bearing in mind the age of the lens. I like the large wheel towering over the car and the typical laid-back volunteers. They are a breed apart and can be seen every weekend at hundreds of similar locations.
4. David F - Graffiti from Portugal: Wall art can become a bit clichéd but the symmetry of this shot, with the door in the middle, sets it apart. Nice colours and texture.
5. David K - Motocross Jockeys: Now I know why we often see motocross shots from David, it’s right in front of his balcony. The layered sand, sea and whale-like island help create a busy and interesting scene.
6. Dunk - Petite Lady Contestant: Well-captured moment in a sport I’m not familiar with. Excellent colours from the R9.
7. Elaine - The Screes: This is a fascinating composition that looks like a backdrop for The Mikado only on its side. I still can’t make out just what we are looking at but it is an almost perfect representation of a face. I love the juxtaposition with the tiny human on the river bank.
8. Keith - Gentleman Racer: Great composition here, avoiding the trap of cropping the car too close. The spectators on the left are balanced nicely by their shadowy brethren to the right. And the out-of-focus fur in the foreground adds a period touch. Very nice shot.
9. Malcolm - Red White and Blue: Good strong colours and a pleasing composition. Just shows that, just as with David K’s motocrossers, it isn’t always necessary to stray too far from home.
10. Mine - Wurtlitzer
11. Phil - A Quiet Drink: This is a perfect sunset shot, wonderful skyline and silhouetted drinkers creating a great composition. Excellent shot, Phil.
12. Robert H - Botallack: Lovely composition and atmospheric black and white tones. Everything works well, the cliff to the left, the building with its solitary chimney and faithful shadow, the brightness of the sea. Well done, Robert.
13. Theodore - Hong Kong Protests: Compelling up-to-the-minute news shot that really works for me. Instead of the usual crowd scenes, we have an isolated group of umbrella campers. I just love the seated figure in the foreground with his brolly aloft. This is a decisive moment shot, one to be proud of, and which sums up the overall peaceful nature of the student protests.
14. Tony - No shot this month
15. William - Norway: Good decision to convert to monochrom and the overall effect is superb. I like the low, misty cloud formations and I find the tiny future in the foreground adds scale and interest.
PS: The standard of this month’s Circle is the highest I have seen so far. There are at least five shots here that would win in any other month and I have never had more difficulty in deciding on a champion.
1) Alan.
ReplyDeleteA good crisp image. For me the lens is not quite wide enough for the subject and a portrait format concentrating on the alter and window may have worked better. Colour is good too.
2) Bernd.
This had to be taken! A nice image of the girls with a good range of tones . I find the background distracting and for me a crop to portrait format would strengthen it.
3) Mine
4) David F.
A good record of the “Artwork”, good colour and sharpness. Perhaps the inclusion of the bottom of the door and wall would have provided a “Photographic base” for it all to sit on. (or were you in a narrow alley without a wide enough lens?)
5) David K.
Lucky man to have such a convenient viewpoint. My immediate thought is that a 90 or 135mm lens would have taken you into the thick of the action and put the background out of focus.
6) Dunk.
You’ve captured the effort being made by the lady. With a 21-35 mm mounted a low level shot from between the bars of the barrier fence would have added dynamism.
7) Elaine.
The colours (as usual) are brilliant but because of the reflections I have to really look at it to work out what it is. The flare spot rather spoils it. In these circumstances it can help to take any filters off and use an offcut piece of black mount board (carried in your camera bag) as a flag to kill the flare. Most manufacturers lens hoods are not that efficient.
8) Keith.
A good sharp colourful image. For me it needs a crop to just take in the car and cut the bulk of the back ground. The driver deserves a close up.
9)Malcolm.
Simple and colourful. Well thought out and executed. Brilliant.
10)Mike.
An interesting subject and a well balanced image. I struggle getting a good digital monochrome image, for me this has been slightly over processed. Having said that it suits the subject and I like it.
11) Phil.
I like this one, the moment has been caught. I’d have been tempted to clone out the green flare spot and crop the base to reduce the black area - and chance the central horizon. Those TZ40’s are impressive.
12) Robert H.
Another interesting subjecting, in difficult lighting conditions. Getting detail in the shadows has left you with a flat image. I’ve played about with levels , ignored the the shadow details and find a much more striking image is hiding in there.
13)
Theodore.Interesting camera ( I had to google it) and interesting film processing. For me the photo does not work, contrast is one issue and I think a higher viewpoint may have helped to reduce that bright sky which is part of the problem.
14) William.
Great scenery, the conversion works well. I do find the foreground post distracting and some would remove it. Darkening the sky generally and the top corners a little more would help concentrate the eye to the hanging clouds
1 Alan. You have avoided the natural tendency to line everything up which has resulted in an asymmetrical view of the arcades and roof but has given us a glimpse of the side windows which we may not otherwise have had. Whilst the window is clearly the principal subject I would have preferred to see more of the altar even if it meant losing more of the roof. Holding interior detail at the same time as retaining highlight detail in a a stained glass window is always difficult but on the whole I think you have done well.
ReplyDelete2 Bernd. Shallow depth of field separates the two children from the crowd but keeps them in context with their surroundings. A nice dual portrait, the little one looks particularly belligerent.
3 Bill. And the dog came too! I like the relaxed atmosphere that you have captured here and the fact that these two are clearly engaged in friendly conversation.
4 David F. It is extraordinary the way this style of graffiti is appearing everywhere. The division of the frame into three distinct vertical bands of different widths works well as do the colours. You could have waited for the pigeon to adopt a more elegant pose.
5 David K. You certainly get a good view from your balcony, but I would have thought that a 35mm lens would have had a wider perspective, is this a section of the whole frame? The two riders going neck and neck at the top of the incline really give the impression of a race and it is odd that nobody seems to be taking any notice of them. The vans in the background are intrusive but do set the scene.
6 Dunk. I am reminded of a quote from Jerome K Jerome “I love work - I can watch it for hours”. It is astonishing what people do for fun. There is no doubt about the effort involved here and the humorous aspect is also evident, a nice capture.
7. Elaine. This is so abstract that the over saturated colours scarcely matter - or to be more accurate they are an important part of the image, even the flare plays its part. It has a dreamlike quality to it and Mike’s comment about the “face” is well observed.
8 Keith. This gives a flavour of the whole event and the unexpected appearance of a trilby hat in a racing car adds to the interest even if the car does seem fairly static. I like the shadows of the car and of the spectators on the right.
9 Mine.
10 Mike. A great shot that is expressive of the man at ease with the machine. There is nothing there to distract us and only the music is missing.
11 Phil. Really pushing your luck with the contrast here but you have got away with it thanks to that pointing arm which somehow lifts the figures out of the shadows.
12 Robert. Another one into the light this time with the shadow areas tamed to the point where they look a little flat. These old mines are fascinating places and well worth recording but I think here you really need either to let the shadows go to silhouette or shoot at a time of day when the light is more favourable.
13 Theodore. The Singapore situation seems to have dropped out of the news for the moment. It is strange how a single still monochrome shot can capture the atmosphere of the time in a quiet way that the news videos could not (or perhaps did not care to).
14 William. It is the low cloud that really lifts this shot out of the ordinary, combined with the monochrome treatment it makes a first class landscape. I think it would be lessened without the navigation light(?) in the foreground but I might be tempted to reduce its highlight a touch.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete1. Alan
ReplyDeleteI think I remember this church, more or less around the corner from the Mayfair boutique? These kinds of interiors are impossible to get right because there is so much happening, which is why I think focusing attention on a smaller area might provide even better results?
2. Bernd
Lovely shot, they look like they just stepped out of a 17th Flemish painting. A beautiful moment well captured.
3. Bill
I guess I belie my analogue background by still being amazed at how well digital cameras work at these high ISO settings! Nitpicking, I would prefer the car a bit straightened, but perhaps then the chap would look like he was tipping over.?
4. DavidF
I like the contrast between the sleeping pigeons and the brilliant colors with the grafitti. Well captured.
5. DavidK
For me a problematic picture because I cannot find anything in focus within the frame and the vantage point is perhaps less than ideal?
6. Dunk
A very humorous shot, I had no idea what was going on before I read your explanation. In reality grass can have that color sometimes, but it reminds me a lot of how Fuji Velvia renders the color of grass and skin tones.
7. Elaine
What a fantastic and totally psychedelic picture! The longer I look, the less I know where I am and what angle I am looking at. Getting rid of those 2 (inevitable?) light flares would make it 1000% for me, the weird saturation only works for the best in my view.
8. Keith
Lovely shot; I just find the lady in the fur coat distracting somehow.
9. Malcolm
A fun shot and experiment; all it needs to give it a bit of life would be a ladybug or such crawling on the one of the bristles ;-0)
10. Mike
I love the way the M and Summilux give such detail and clarity yet the lower contrast reminds me of the older Summilux and Summicron lenses from the 1970’s. Is the vignetting added on or from a lens hood? For me it increases the 20th century vibe and nostalgic feeling evoked in the picture.
11. Phil
Lovely capture of the mood at hand. A bit of straightening and removing the green reflection would just polish it up a treat.
12. RobertH
This is a beautiful angle of viewing, with the stone structure majestically standing against the choppy water and crags. But it is a most difficult shot to get 100% right with the glare and haze. With some help in digital development it could be really great I think.
15. William
A beautiful shot; I am sure the B/W treatment has made it even more dramatic. The object in the foreground for me makes the enormous scale of the mountain even more tangible.
Wurlitzer organ shot: This was taken on the Monochrom, not the M, and with the 50mm Summilux. The small amount of vignetting was deliberately added in PP.
ReplyDeleteHi Mike, Yes, a typo from my side! You have a perfect combo with the MM and Summi. The combination of modern and 'nostalgic' effect this can produce is something I really enjoy - for the moment only with film until I can afford an MM ;-0) !
Delete1) Alan
ReplyDeleteFine detail and lighting, although the differing number in the arches either side is slightly distracting
2) Bernd
Interesting expressions from the two young girls in a photograph ideally suited to monochrome
3) Bill
Good shot of the two characters in full conversation with each other. The large cog wheel in the background does help to illustrate their Sunday activity
4) David F
The detail in the brickwork and the colours in the photograph are good, although the graffiti itself is not that attractive
5) Mine
6) Dunk
The woman in black’s expression gives strong evidence as to the weight of the tyre! Good action shot with strong colours
7) Elaine
The photograph from the Lake District (similar to September's submission) has fine reflections, but the colours are slightly unreal and somewhat of a distraction
8) Keith
Nice photograph of the Bugatti with its many admirers. The strong Bugatti ‘blue’ dominates as it should. However, the lady in the fur coat on the right does distract from the overall image
9) Malcolm
The photograph proves that even a basic household item can produce a good image. Strong colours. Well composed. Well spotted
10) Mike
Coincidentally, I went to a concert by John Mann (one of the last Theatre Organists around) on the Compton Organ at the Weston-super-Mare Odeon last Sunday – the only other art deco Compton organ to that at the Odeon Leicester Square (and Donald Mackenzie is coming in June to celebrate the Compton’s 8oth anniversary). I did take a shot on my iPhone as the ‘beast’ rose up from the depths! The monochrome image shows great detail and good tones and Mr Mackenzie is clearly enjoying entertaining the audience
11) Phil
Nice sunset picture with foreground details and well illustrating the ‘mood of the moment’. The green reflection is a bit of a distraction
12) Robert H
Well composed monochrome photograph. Whilst the lighting on the sea is strong, the facing wall of the building appears a little flat
13) Theodore
Good topical street photograph. It conveys the tedium of an ongoing ‘peacful’ protest but is slightly at odds with the HK protest images portrayed by the media
14) Tony
No photo
15) William
Fine landscape photograph, which comes across well in monochrome. Good composition and tones. The hanging clouds provide atmosphere.
Hi David, just an 'historical' footnote on photo 13) Date was actually Sunday September 28th not October, my mistake. This is how the entire city was that day, with police and protesters sitting it out in the burning hot sun...
ReplyDelete