Happy New Year to you all, may 2015 be a good one.
Here's the first round of the year, so please vote and comment as usual.
1) Alan
Photo in a Bauble Holkham Hall: Leica C.
2) Bernd
El Born: Streetlife in one of Barcelonas most exciting quarters. Although the morning temperatures are relatively low in December, people are sitting in the streets drinking coffee or reading newspapers. This photograph was taken on the first weekend with my new Leica D-LUX (Type 109).
3) Bill
Late for the train? In reality I think the chap was just trying to keep his daughter amused during a long and boring wait at Crewe station by jogging along the platform. Fuji XE-2 with 1957 35mm Summaron.
4) David F
Wheels London, taken on my M and 35mm Summilux f1.4
5) David K
Bird in the Hand - Graffiti Art taken in Nelson Street, Bristol. It was taken with my Leica M9 with the 50mm Summilux f/1.4 Lens - exposed for 1/125 second at f/4.8 (ISO 160).
6) Dunk
Allchin Steam Transport Bygones - Front: Allchin 10 ton slide valve 5nhp ‘Northampton No. 1’ steam roller; maker’s No. 1131 reg NH 3416 … Rear: Allchin 7nhp agricultural steam traction engine ‘Billy Allchin’, maker’s No. 2146, reg. FP 1259 … loaded for journey home at end of Kettering Vintage Rally & Steam Fayre 21 September 2014.
Leica DMR 21-35mm Vario-Elmar-R ASPH
Bright Spring Crop : taken with LumixFZ100 with a Leica lens
8) Keith
Misty morning goods: Taken on the line between Medstead and Ropley in late November. Leica M(240)/35mm Summilux.
9) Malcolm
“Martian space probe lands in London”, it’s that Panasonic again.
Bond Street, London, Leica M Type 240
11) Phil
Poodle: One from the archives, taken during D-Day commemorations in Normandy a few years ago. Leica M6, 35mm Summicron
12) Robert H
Mans Best Friend: Leica D-Lux (type 109 ): Iso 800 : Vario-Summilux : Clifton Bristol
13) Theodore
Laughing baby- Leica M4 with Elmar 24mm 3.8
14) Tony
No entry this month
15) William
Autumn Colours Tymon. : This was taken in November in my local park. I waited until a shaft of sunlight from the setting sun lit up the pool and the swans. Leica M and 35 mm Summicron.
That's it...
.... or perhaps not. Jim is back with us this year, so here is his entry.
16) Jim
Happy New Year: Lunch time for time for a Robin in my garden.
Vario Elmarit ASPH X 48.
.... or perhaps not. Jim is back with us this year, so here is his entry.
16) Jim
Happy New Year: Lunch time for time for a Robin in my garden.
Vario Elmarit ASPH X 48.
I'm on the way back to the TLS, Happy new Year to all, BUT you will have to suffer looking at my entries. Jim Cook Born again
ReplyDelete1.) Alan
ReplyDeleteA very enjoyable shot, done in the flesh rather than in Photoshop! Brought a smile to my face at the start of the day.
2) Bernd
I love this picture and everything about it: the moment captured, the composition and the quality of the B/W rendition. Really excellent.
3) Bill
Good moment captured, however the classics issues of balancing too much light and too little light are apparent. For that reason the figures appear to be 2 dimensional. The best made of well neigh impossible lighting contrasts.
4) David F
Uhmm, I am not sure that the wonderful, sharply limited DOF of the Summi opened works so well with this situation. Also the crop near the wheel edge distracts on the left and there is too much going on in the ‘bokeh’ in the background upper right for my personal taste. It is as if the background is more interesting than the front edge…Maybe that was the idea?
5) David K
Very well spotted; it looks like a 3-dimensional sculpture from the angle you used and is very intriguing from the first viewing.
6) Dunk
Lovely shot and angle; the only thing that pops in my eye are the skin tones of the two gentlemen which seem suspiciously ‘rosy’- either from a pint or two or the reflected light from the steam roller itself?
7) Elaine
Another of Elaine’s wonderful landscapes. After a good 2nd look, I do find it hard to believe the lighting from the clouds has not been strongly adjusted, as there are no dark patches on the yellow field itself. That being said, the artistic license to ‘Photoshop’ is perfectly legitimate if that is the case. If it is un-retouched then it is an even more remarkable moment in time captured here.
8) Keith
Marvelous, lovely, stunning is all I can say….Can I order a print of this from you?
It would look great with my collection of railroad telegraph keys ;-0)
9) Malcolm
A very fun view from an angle that I would never have noticed myself on the street. In any case these probes are better looking than most Daleks…!
10)
I know this spot! You captured the enjoyment of the moment very well. For me, it would be bit stronger if the angle were less sharp, and there was more space around the subjects without the people in the background?
11) Phil
Amusing canine shot and fun moment. I think it would look much stronger cropped into a square like a Hassy, with the lady removed so that the dog (who is not so big in the picture) would have no further distractions to pull the eye of the viewer away from him?
12) Robert H
Beautiful moment captured here between the sweet expression of the dog and the boy. The colors of the entire scene are all in the dark brown/gray shades; it might be nice if there were some way to let the rugs give some ‘pop’ to the picture with a little adjustment?
13) Me
P.S. For what it is worth, I have had time today to add my comments to December; apologies for the delay!
15) William
A beautiful shot; your patience was very well rewarded with perfection and poetry. Really lovely how the shafts of light in the background touch the hills and trees.
1) Alan
ReplyDeleteThis a very effective image which works rather well. Shows what can be achieved with a small compact and some imagination.
2). Bernd
This photograph is well framed to give maximum emphasis to your chosen subject. They both look contented and relaxed reading the morning papers. The brown tone of the picture suits the subject . The new D-Lux is a winner I think.
3). Bill
A well caught moment and again your subject fills the frame to give impact. I like the expression on the young girls face conveying a sense of fun.
4). David F
I like the way you have concentrated your attention on the foreground bike and let the others become a blur. A good quality image which works well in B&W.
5). David K
The dappled light is an added benefit to this photograph. Bristol has quite a few of these graffiti which I noticed on various visits over the last twelve months. A good sharp rendition of this particular work.
6). Dunk
The front steam engine certainly has a striking red which stands out. We are left in no doubt what you are photographing and it certainly is a good record of the event. Nice and sharp throughout the picture.
7). Elaine
The contrast between the yellow field and the dark cloud makes for a dramatic picture. The tree which is nearly in silhouette gives a good centre of interest. I like this a lot.
8). Keith
The choice of B&W was a good one here. The smoke coming from the engine is well defined and looks great. The overall image has a sense of winter with a frost on the ground with a bare tree to the right to fill a void. The 35 mm summilux has rendered lovely tones and detail through out this picture.
9). Malcolm
This is an interesting image. I like the way you have framed the Shard in the background which also resembles the spikes in the foreground. Well spotted and shows how a picture can be made from simple elements.
10). Mike
An amusing shot though I guess it has been set up but that is no bad thing as the expression on all the faces makes for a jolly atmosphere. Nice and sharp where it needs to be and overall it is a very pleasing image.
11). Phil
The story is of the Poodle which is looking at you. However I feel I am wondering what all the crowd is looking/listening to therefore leaving one with unanswered questions. Nice quality from the M6 combo.
13). Theodore
An interesting take on this high rised building. It is a pity it is leaning back which can be put right in Photoshop. I find the other building is encroaching into the picture and is a bit distracting. Not sure about the warmtone.
15). William
This was well worth the wait. I really like the golden light and it has also enhanced the two swans. Love the clouds as well which makes for a very restful landscape.
A Happy New Year to everyone
1 Alan. Christmas time in an art gallery. The surface of the ball has given this self-portrait an impressionist look and an extreme wide angle look. A nice capture.
ReplyDelete2 Bernd. The two principal characters work well with their concentration on their respective papers and similar poses. The people at the kiosk show that the square is not otherwise deserted but they are not intrusive. If this is one of the most exciting quarters of Barcelona it begs the question of what the less exciting parts are like.
3 Bill . You have done well to catch Dad airborne and daughter is clearly having fun. Its as good as it gets.
4 David F. Bike parks tend to be untidy places so your choice of a limited depth of focus and monochrome mitigates that and concentrates the eye on the wheel framed foreground. I like the little diagramme of the bike seen through the spokes.
5 David K. An interesting piece of wall decoration, the dappled light (tree shadow?) raises it above a mere copy of a graffiti artists work.
6 Dunk. A different take on the traction engine scene. The low loader really fills the frame cutting out all extraneous clutter in the background. The canted road roller is very dramatic - I seem to remember that they made a better job of road repairs than the current machinery and materials.
7 Elaine. A very simple composition with lonesome tree in the middle of the field silhouetted against a dramatic sky, the heavy dark cloud balances the shadows below the rape flowers.
8 Keith. Splendid steam railway shot the mist obliterates the distant scenery and enhances the steam and smoke whilst the tree gives balance to the composition. The only downside is that vignetting on the top left corner.
9 Me.
10 Mike. This is a fun shot, the statues seem to be enjoying the company. The lady could have kept her phone under her hat.
11 Phil. This is intriguing. The people in the middle distance lined up along road and then the main couple behind the low hedge all looking away from the camera - and then the poodle concentrating on the photographer. The fact that it appears to have been taken on a housing estate makes it all the more mysterious.
12 Robert. Another doggy picture. A nicely caught moment when dog and man interact with each other nose to nose. I notice its the dog that has the chair.
13 Theodore. Its interesting to see that these images are wrapped around the corner of the tower block, but I think they rather get lost in the image as a whole, the blank sky in particular tends to dominate. My thinking is that a longer lens (if you had one with you) to frame just the laughing baby and a sea of windows may have had more impact?
14 Tony. No entry
15 William. The blue/ gold combination of colours works well and your shaft of sunlight has just lit up that tiny patch of bright green in the distant field. A couple of cooperative swans finishes it all off.
16 Jim. Welcome back Jim. Its not easy to get a good shot of these even with a long lens. There is slight movement of the beak but that is forgivable and the beady eye and bright plumage more than compensates. They have no table manners do they?
1. Alan: Photo in a Bauble Holham Hall.
ReplyDeleteChristmas Decorations bring a lot of photo opportunities. Well composed shot in a lovely location. The figures in the photo seem to be a very natural part of this location.
2. Bernd: El Bom.
Very impressive for a compact camera. Although taken in winter this photo captures the atmosphere one expects in a Barcelona square.
3. Bill: Late for the train?
A happy and joyous photo from what is often a serious and impersonal location.
4. David F. Wheels London.
Nice Composition. The bokeh is perhaps a little bit busy.
5. David K: Graffiti Art taken in Nelson Street.
Such shots are only as good as the graffiti , which, in this case, is quite nice. The lighting is also nice.
6. Dunk: Allchin Steam Transport Bygones.
Nice aspect and composition. The red and blue colours go very well together.
7. Elaine: Bright Spring Crop.
Nice composition with the tree on the third. The clouds indicate that spring showers may not be far behind. The yellow and blue make a nice colour combination.
8. Keith: Misty Morning Goods.
Beautifully balanced photo. Keith, you seem to know this spot as how else could you get the balance between the tree and the train by shooting at just the right moment. Well done.
9. Malcolm: Martian space probe lands in London.
Well seen. Most of us would have walked past without seeing the potential here.
10. Mike: Bond Street London.
Roosevelt and Churchill or just two ordinary old guys? Anyway the old guy on the right seems to be taking more than a little interest in the young lady in the middle. Very well arranged photo.
11. Phil: Poodle.
They say you leave all your best photo views behind you. For dogs it seems to be the same. Well seen and composed.
12. Robert H. Man’s Best Friend.
Another lovely shot from the D-Lux. Great affection between dog and man in a nicely timed shot.
13. Theodore: Laughing Baby.
Nice shot. Could be improved, to my eyes, by some cropping.
14. Tony: No Photo.
15. William: Mine.
16. . Jim: Happy New Year.
Welcome back Jim. Nicely composed shot of a seasonal visitor.
1) Alan
ReplyDeleteGood innovative shot producing an interesing wide-angle self-portrait perspective
2) Bernd
A fine nicely composed street scene photograph. Having myself also just acquired a D-Lux (Type 109), I am finding that high standards are already being established using Leica’s latest compact camera!
3) Bill
An interesting street style photograph illustrating the fun enjoyed by the two characters running along the platform
4) David F
Well composed picture of the bicycle stand with an appropriate depth of field, although the background is perhaps rather busy
5) Mine
6) Dunk
Two wonderful old steam rollers on show. Lots of detail recorded and strong red colours enhance the photograph
7) Elaine
A fine well composed landscape photograph, although perhaps a reduction in the dominance of the dark cloud might have enhanced the overall picture
8) Keith
Great picture of the steam engine in all its glory! Nicely composed, well caught and well suited to monochrome
9) Malcolm
Well spotted and well composed imaginative fun shot
10) Mike
Well composed fun picture and suited to monochrome. It is a pity about the figures present in the background
11) Phil
Well caught shot of the poodle, who is not that interested in the main event, and leaving the viewer wondering what that main event is all about
12) Robert H
Nice shot of the man and the ‘adoring’ dog. Well spotted and another fine photograph taken with a D-Lux (Type 109)!
13) Theodore
An unusual photograph of the posters inset in the building (presumably in Hong Kong?). The picture might perhaps have been enhanced with a ‘stronger’ sky
14) Tony
No entry
15) William
A well composed landscape photograph with warm colours, an interesting sky and enhanced by the two swans
16) Jim
Well spotted ‘seasonal’ shot! Nicely framed with good depth of field
Dunk Part 1
ReplyDelete1 Alan: Photo in a Bubble Holkham Hall Very different and fun fisheye image but I’m wondering if the focus is ‘optimal’ ? The figures and background appear blurred but the foreground foliage is sharp …and could be several technical / camera’s settings reasons as to why. However, a good and amusing seasonal photo.
2 Bernd: El Born – Streetlife in one of Barcelona’s most exciting quarters. Very good quality image which shows the D-Lux 109’s potential … technically excellent with good verticals; interesting character studies – but the bollard creeping into the RHS a little distracting.
3 Bill: Late for the train? A well timed image of father and daughter ‘relaxing’ / ’doing something different’ … technically excellent and good use of a legacy Leica lens. Harnessing non-OEM lenses adds another dimension to enjoying photography – and it’s cost effective too.
4 David F: Wheels London. Unfortunately does not appeal – partly because the whole of the wheel / mudguard / tyre is slightly cropped … but also because the background looks untidy/jumbled. I’ve seen many bike rack pictures with more interesting compositions.
5 David K: Bird in the hand – Graffiti Art Nelson Street Bristol Well exposed, and well framed record image. However, interestingly, would contravene e.g. PAGB / PSA / FIAP rules if used as a standalone competition/exhibition image – because it’s another artist’s two dimensional artwork/image … and not really incidental to another element (the background) in the composition. Thus could be classified as plagiarism … rather than e.g. a record shot. In the UK, could also be deemed to contravene the original artist’s copyright … but if was a three dimensional artwork, there would be no copyright restrictions … which interestingly, permits legitimate use, for any purpose whatsoever, of images of statues and buildings – regardless of location.
6 Mine
7 Elaine: Bright Spring Crop Well seen very pictorial landscape with good colours. However, could benefit from crop to reduce dark foreground.
8 Keith: Misty morning goods Powerful photo conveying superb atmosphere – but unfortunate vignette top LHS spoils the image and could be cropped out and wheel spokes look too static for loco in motion.
9 Malcolm: Martian Space Probe Lands in London Call Dr Quatermass! … Amusing well seen image … but would prefer to see the tips of the spikes in their entirety.
10 Mike E: Bond Street London I like this photo … very amusing and could make a super illustration for a greetings card … but the background figures are a distraction.
Dunk Part 2
ReplyDelete11 Phil: Poodle Unfortunately, and especially without the title, doesn’t convey much of a box office story or sense of occasion. Poodle’s inquisitive attention held and owner’s baggy clothing suggests he’s lost a bit of weight.
12 Robert H: Man’s best friend Good record of interaction between man and dog but the pile of carpets is rather distracting … and would prefer to see more of the lad’s face i.e. from a slightly different angle.
13 Theodore: Laughing Baby There’s a picture there somewhere but maybe needs some street detail. Referring to my comment for David K’s image … this might make a few judges think hard as to whether the baby image is incidental to the building …or the main element. But all rules are made to be tested / broken … and are liable to interpretation … and cannot cover all contingencies.
14 Tony: No entry this month
15 William: Autumn Colours Tymon Well anticipated picturesque scene but might benefit from cropping the LHS foreground greenery and lifting the shadow detail in the reeds.
16 Jim: Happy New Year … Lunch time for a Robin in my garden Good record but Robin’s head and beak lack sharpness … and would prefer to see bird from slightly less head-on angle so as to show more body/tail detail. Tail tip appears rather odd in this composition.
Another interesting set of images and choosing just one for the No. 1 spot is difficult … several really excellent photos despite my criticisms.
Keith W
ReplyDelete1. Alan
A good fun shot that would make a personal Christmas card
2. Bernd
Lovely timeless shot and the sepia-ish tone selected supports the image well.
3. Bill
Well captured image made by the happy expressions
4. David F
The main cycle does not seem to be sharp which detracts for me.
5. David K
This is an interesting image. When I first saw it I thought it was a window manikin. If it is “graffiti” it is superb.
6. Dunk
Think we overdid the red slider here which has made the flesh tones, especially the guys hand,to unnatural
7. Elaine
The cloud is to dark for me.
8. Me.
Can I just mention the vignette top left was added to hold the corner in and balance the image!
9. Malcolm
Another well observed opportunity. Would a slight move to left have taken out dark column by first spike.
10. Mike
The ladies smile perfectly matches possible thought of figure on right. Great street shot.
11. Phil
You certainly have the dogs attention!
12. Robert H
You have captured a lovely moment.
13. Theodore
I like this. It is a different perspective that really works for me.
14. Tony No entry
15. William
Wonderful rich colours in beautiful light. Quite stunning
!
16. Jim
Welcome! A lovely shot of what i imagine is a regular garden visitor.
Circle D - January 2014
ReplyDeleteMichael Evans
1. Alan - Bauble, Holkham Hall: Interesting and unusual fun shot, especially when I read “bauble” and realised what it was. Something different!
2. Bernd - El Born: Great B&W tones and a well-composed, atmospheric photograph tat nicely captures this traditional part of Barcelona
3. Bill - Late for the train: I like this shot, full of movement and interest with the station canopy providing a great background. The central figure captures the eye and the whole is well framed.
4. David F - Wheels London: Nice shot although the left crop is a bit severe for my taste. Perhaps there’s a good reason for it. I like the sharp focus on the wheel which helps overcome the background clutter. I can never resists a row of Boris Bikes when I see them, mainly because of the serried ranks. This is less serried but maybe all the better for it.
5. David K - Bird in the hand: Graffiti photography can sometimes become a cliché but this subject stands well on its own and is compelling. I like the pictorial allegory—free bird, caged mind. It’s one of the most successful graffiti shots I’ve seen and well photographed.
6. Dunk - Allchin Steam Transport: Ah, I have a soft spot for steam so this is always going to be a favourite. I like the composition, the strong colours and, as usual, Dunk’s accompanying technicalities.
7. Elaine - Bright Spring Crop: Elaine gets some wonderful results from her FZ100 and this is no exception. Well composed with a stunning sky, the lonely tree and the foreground vegetation. Beautifully photographed and executed.
8. Keith - Early morning goods: Steam again and I can’t resist. This is a particularly good shot which has a nice period look to it. In fact, if I had been told it had been taken in 1955 I would not have been too surprised. But who runs steam goods trains these days? All the steam outing I frequent are composed of carriages filled with anoraks. I hope the goods got their kicks.
9. Malcolm - Railings: Interesting and quirky take on a common artefact, especially with the Shard looking like Big Brother in the background. Well composed, although I might have preferred to see the top of the two foreground spikes.
10. 10. Mine - Bond Street
11. Phil - One from the archives: Interesting juxtaposition between things that interest humans (but we’re not sure what…) and things that interest dogs. It’s a charming and well executed shot but I would never have guessed the location, nor the purpose of the event that everyone (other than the dog) seems intent upon.
12. Robert H - Man’s best friend: Excellent interaction between man and friend, although I find the presence of the carpets int he foreground further elongates the central scene. Good colour and sharpness from the new D-Lux.
13. Theodore - Laughing baby: Well seen image although I find all the varying angles a little distracting; even the central corner of the building is slightly tilted to the right. Perhaps a closer crop would work, although it would risk losing context. But overall I like the tones and the baby poster.
14. Tony - No entry
15. William - Autumn Colours Tymon: Another of William’s superb landscapes. I love the colours, the busy and threatening sky but, above all, the composition. Well done.
16. Jim - Robin in garden: Well captured wildlife, which I can never manage, and good colour range with the blues and greens offsetting the red breast. Nicely framed.