2) Bernd
Sticks and Shadows: Taken on a stroll end December, enjoying the last sun rays on a very cold winter day I found this scene in a park that was planted in 2005. I was fascinated by the interaction of sun, shadow and straight trees. Leica M9 | Summilux 50mm ASPH
3) Bill
Morning Break: Taken in the cafe at Hebden Bridge Railway station using a Panasonic GX7 and Leica 15mm Summilux (30mm equivalent).
4) David F
Leica IIIc Shark skin model and a 1950’s Elmar.
5) David K - No photo this month
6) Duncan
THE PRESS PHOTOGRAPHER Leica SL 601 & SL 24-90; 90mm, 1/100sec. f8 ISO 200. The well kitted press photographer spotted walking though West Street Bourne, Lincs., 19 June 2016, was covering the Bourne Classic Car Show event.
7) Elaine
Iceland Longboat: Lumix FZ100 and Leica lens
8) Keith
January sun on the "Zig-Zag" to Branksome Beach. Leica M(240) / 50mm Summilux
9) Malcolm
Silver leaf among the gold: Panasonic TZ60 with Leica lens.
10) Mike B - No photo this month
11) Mike E
Escalator mosaic at the Tate Modern. Taken with my “new” vintage Mark I Monochrom and 35mm Summicron and shot at f/2, 1.125s and ISO 320. I’m again appreciating the unique signature of this pioneering CCD-sensored B&W-only camera.
12) Michael M
Utopia: I took this shot In Funchal with an M240 and Summilux 35mm handheld and set at 1/30 and f5.6. The label hanging on the left side of the piece reads Utopia and gives the artists contact details (hence the title I gave it).
Utopia: I took this shot In Funchal with an M240 and Summilux 35mm handheld and set at 1/30 and f5.6. The label hanging on the left side of the piece reads Utopia and gives the artists contact details (hence the title I gave it).
13) Phil
Wicken Fen, a couple trying to free their barge from the ice. Leica M-P, 90mm Elmarit
14) Rob
Performance: Taken with Leics SL and Vario Elmarit SL 24-90mm ASPH
Wicken Fen, a couple trying to free their barge from the ice. Leica M-P, 90mm Elmarit
14) Rob
Performance: Taken with Leics SL and Vario Elmarit SL 24-90mm ASPH
15) Shaun
The De Vere: This is the very grand De Vere Hotel Tortworth Estate in Gloucestershire. My wife and I stayed here overnight a few days ago and went for a morning stroll in the frosty gardens as the sun was rising casting its golden rays over the house as it broke through the clouds. The camera I used was my compact Leica D Lux 6 with a great little Summilux Lens set to AP F1.6 1/2000 sec.
16) Sky
Condiments: Taken with Leica MM246 and the new Leica 28mm f5.6 Summaron
The De Vere: This is the very grand De Vere Hotel Tortworth Estate in Gloucestershire. My wife and I stayed here overnight a few days ago and went for a morning stroll in the frosty gardens as the sun was rising casting its golden rays over the house as it broke through the clouds. The camera I used was my compact Leica D Lux 6 with a great little Summilux Lens set to AP F1.6 1/2000 sec.
16) Sky
Condiments: Taken with Leica MM246 and the new Leica 28mm f5.6 Summaron
17) Theodore
Sicilian church interior, Leica Q 1/20th @ 3.5
Sicilian church interior, Leica Q 1/20th @ 3.5
18) Tom - No photo this month
19) Tony
On a wet day at the Cotswold Wildlife Park this prairie dog was just waiting to have his photo taken... Sony A7rII with 135 APO-Telyt-M, ISO100, 1/125th at f3.4
20) William
London Lamp Shade taken with a Leica IIIc and 5cm Elmar. I cannot remember what film was used. Taken in my London hotel room while testing out a IIIc just acquired from Red Dot Cameras.
2 Bernd ‘Sticks and Shadows’ A striking and charismatic contre jour image which really tests a lens’ capabilities - beautifully captured by the Summilux.
ReplyDelete3 Bill ‘Morning Break’ Well seen and technically excellent candid portrait study.
4 David F … No title? I do not recognize the scene. Difficult lighting and not sure what the image elements convey? No obvious message but maybe I’m missing something?
7 Elaine ‘Iceland Longboat’ Reykjavik’s well known Sun Voyager sculpture. Terrific light in the background but unfortunately the cloud highlights are too strong and could probably be toned down in PP. A longer focal length lens from a different camera position might have enlarged some of the background’s dramatic lighting colour to better effect.
8 Keith ‘January Sun on the “Zig Zag” to Branksome Beach.’ Unfortunately the composition/framing has chopped off part of the zigzag and parts of the beach huts - and the beach huts’ highlights could be toned down. Additional post processing including converging verticals / slight backward lean correction would improve the image.
9 Malcolm ‘Silver leaf among the gold’ A striking still life study to stimulate the viewer’s imagination. Well seen and perfectly exposed / processed. A potential greetings card image.
11 Mike E ‘Escalator mosaic at the Tate Modern’ Your ‘boomerang MM’ Mike? I looked at the image at length trying to reconcile the lower and upper elements – and in particular the upper escalator steps fading into ?? Well exposed but a visually challenging and confusing result.
12 Michael M ‘Utopia’ A fair capture of the ‘acquired taste’ sculpture. The electrical warning plate is distracting and could be processed out of the composition.
13 Phil ‘Wicken Fen’ The foreground reeds make an untidy but honest documentary image; difficult scene to capture.
cont'd ...
continuation …
ReplyDelete14 Rob ‘Performance’ Appears to be more than one performer visible in a rather untidy looking image; skin tone looks unnatural; difficult lighting and challenging exposure might benefit from more PP to lift shadow detail.
15 Shaun ‘The De Vere’ A very majestic looking mansion but the ‘Triffid’ branches are distracting and too prominent. A different camera position could create a more pleasing view of the stately architecture. Good verticals – so important in architectural photography – and excellent sky detail.
16 Sky ‘Condiments’ As a still life study none of the containers are sufficiently sharp and the composition is rather dull and unexciting. The sugar appears overexposed but could be toned down in post processing. Reminds me of the type of fast food diner I do not enjoy visiting.
17 Theodore ’Sicilian Church Interior’ Interesting decorative vaulted ceiling but difficult dynamic range to capture. The highlights could be toned down and the shadow detail lifted to good effect.
19 Tony ‘On a wet day at the Cotswold Wildlife Park – prarie dog’ Would benefit from a shorter / proper title as it’s a delightfully charismatic portrait. I like the symmetry and the intriguing feet – and I’m thinking of the creature’s millions of years of evolution.
20 William ‘London Lamp Shade’ As a stand alone still life image it has pleasing lighting patterns but it’s not very exciting. I’m thinking that a hand holding the room key in bottom left might convey more of a story?
Another interesting set of images but missing titles can make critiques difficult.
Alan, wishing you a swift recovery and look forward to seeing more of your images soon. Hello Michael M. and welcome to Circle D; look forward to seeing some of your images soon.
Best wishes to all and hope you’re taking advantage of some of the winter light. I’ve discovered it’s amazing what sky detail can be pulled out of the dullest days with a bit a PP … days when I would not usually attempt photography but when I was obliged to ‘please try’. Live and learn!
dunk
1) Alan - No image
ReplyDelete2) Bernd. A brilliant image, well composed and executed. The lack of flare is a tribute to the lens design. One to hang on the wall.
3) Mine
4)David F. A pleasant image with good colours, the mist giving it some mood but it really lacks something positive to draw the eye. It shows the old equipment can still produce a pleasing image.
6)Duncan. A good attempt at a street candid, it gives the impression of the mans character. Its a pity the background is so distracting, it really needed a larger aperture or some PP. A crop of the clutter at each side making a portrait format and a change to B/W strengthens it for me.
7)Elaine. I like the framing, the highlight in the sky is unfortunate and the suject colour would benefit from a slight lift. A pleasant record of the scene which you often have to grab whilst you can.
8) Keith. Oh for a 35mm lens! A good try here but the missing corner looses a few points. Some might consider a crop above the huts and changing the pram/hat colour to red. It would be worth trying again another day.
9)Malcolm. Great, simple, well seen and executed. Another to hang on wall?
11)Mike E. This just had to be tried! I find it a bit too confusing and regrettably, I wonder what it would have been like in colour?
12)Michael M. Welcome to the Circle, like other clubs its fun, and there are things to be learned but beware of taking it too seriously!
This is a record of some interesting art work taken in I suspect some difficult lighting conditions. It looks overexposed on my screen, with the white wall burned out and the metal work not showing to its best advantage. I think there may be other pictures to be found by going closer in on some of the detail.
13)Phil. The cold , dull day comes across and one feels sorry for the boaters. The reeds do spoil it a little but it is a moment well caught.
14) Rob. Difficult lighting, a well caught moment. I like the composition but would like to see more detail in the shadows to show the surroundings.
15)Shaun. The title suggests the subject is the hotel which is soft. The f1.6 aperture suggests the intruding branch has been deliberately focussed on and therefore that is really the subject. I’m confused. Without the branch, the viewpoint and the soft light make for a pleasant image.
16)Sky. An adventurous camera/lens combo. With a 1m closest focussing distance this must be a fairly big crop which is possibly why it appears a little soft. Its a good exercise to find the limits of a new lens and I look forward to seeing more images from it.
17)Theodore. Difficult lighting indeed, most has recorded well, the bright window at the bottom keeps drawing the eye.
19)Tony. Older Leica lens with a modern mirrorless makes for a cracking image. You caught the focus well.
20)William. The old gear shows its paces again. Not exiting but a pleasant and well executed image.
1. Alan : No photo.
ReplyDelete2. Bernd: Sticks and Shadows.
Nice sunset with just enough sun showing from behind the trees.
3. Bill: Morning Break.
Nice capture. Where are his red socks.? The last time I was in Hebden Bridge all of the walkers had red socks.
4. David F: Nice moody shot on a misty day.
5. David K : No photo.
6. Duncan.: The Press Photographer
Nicely captured. Gives great argument to stick with just a Leica M and one lens.
7. Elaine: Iceland Longboat.
Lovely boat with a great sky behind.
8. Keith: Zig Zag.
Well composed shot with interesting shapes and angles.
9. Malcolm: Silver Leaf.
Mysterious. Where did the white leaf come from?
10. Mike B : No photo.
11. Mike E: Escalator mosaic.
Very nicely seen and composed. A real sense of activity here.
12. Michael M: Utopia.
Welcome to the Circle, Michael. An interesting piece. Well done with the hand held at 1/30th.
13. Phil: Wicken Fen.
Some nice concentration shown in this shot.
14. Rob: Performance.
Nicely captured. I can feel her pain.
15. Shaun: The DeVere.
Lovely light in this and the branch in front actually adds to the atmosphere.
16. Sky : Condiments.
Black and white treatment helps with this ‘all in a row’ shot.
17. Theodore: Sicilian Church Interior.
Nice light on the ceiling in this.
18. Tom. No photo.
19. Tony: Prairie Dog.
Lovely shot. Did you talk to him nicely to get him to pose?
20. William: Mine.
1) Alan - no photo
ReplyDelete2) Bernd - Really like the feel of this shot, great shadows and perfectly exposed/processed.
3) Bill - Well seen, I would like to see the window a little less bright though.
4) David F - Using the classic camera/lens combo you've caught the misty scene well.
5) David K - no photo
6) Duncan - Surely most of that must be for show in today's age, he looks pulled down by the weight….
7) Elaine - Nice soft lighting on the boat and interesting coloured sea/sky.
8) Keith - The path certainly takes the eye up through the picture.
9) Malcolm - Well it certainly stands out. Think I would have lowered the brightness of the silver leaf just a little to show more detail in the veins.
10) Mike B - no photo
11) Mike E - Perfect exposure and interesting composure with the split level.
12) Michael M - Good record shot of this piece of art.
13) Phil - Those reeds are a bit distracting but I like the way it captures the moment.
14) Rob - Perfect lighting for this shot, I like the detail in the lower left corner balancing the bright head and shoulders.
15) Shaun - I suppose it would have been frowned on to snap the branch off!!
16) Sky - Unusual subject well exposed, the brightness of that top left table is a little distracting I find.
17) Theodore - Some great detail in the metal/stonework and well captured.
18) Tom - no photo
19) Tony - Mine
20) William - Very well exposed considering the kit you were using. I like the two shaped lit areas on the wall.
1. Alan. No image.
ReplyDelete2. Bernd. Magical light. Gold and green and silhouettes beautifully captured.
3. Bill. Well you have to do something whilst waiting for the 9-45. The soft light and gentle colours work nicely to produce this relaxed image. Mask off the door closures on the right?
4. David F. A suitably misty autumnal scene with the rich colour in the foreground fading with the distance. Usually I am not in favour of disconnected twiggery but here it really helps to counteract the blank sky.
5. David K. No image.
6. Dunc. He’s a big lad - and needs to be to carry all that kit. Looks as if he might have his eye on your SL as well. His profession is certainly obvious (maybe an escapologist in his spare time?) but I think I might have stalked him for a short while until the background was a little more congenial.
7. Elaine. Strange light in the sky but it is well suited to the promise of voyages into the unknown that the sculpture evokes. A slight crop along the bottom and right hand side removes intrusive objects.
8. Keith. The zig-zag is eye-catching (thanks to the felling of some of the pines). Slight variations in the regimented chalets and a sprinkling of figures give secondary interest.
9. Me.
10. Mike B. No image.
11. Mike E. What is real and what is reflection - and how does it all fit together? A fascinating composition that keeps us guessing. I still consider my M4-2 to be new so a Monochrome is definitely not vintage!
12. Michael M. What the sculpture is about - and where it is situated is a mystery but some-one has had hours of fun putting it all together. A curious piece and worth a frame or two.
13. Phil. It looks cold, the old fellow leaning agains the weight of the narrow boat and the other figure seemingly pushing in the opposite direction gives a tension to the picture and the out of focus sedges lend the scene added depth.
14. Rob. The rather weird art work in the bottom left corner balances the rather weird head and shoulders portrait in the top right. it is a striking image, she (?) would certainly stand out in a crowd.
15. Shaun. An impressive building well framed and with a good lead-in, I find the twiggery in this instance detracts rather than adds to the image.
16. Sky. A saucy image rather let down by the background and not as sharp as it might have been.
17. Theodore. Very different - and much more interesting than the usual straight-up-the-isle church pictures that we so often see. The burst of light on the ornate ceiling draws the eye whilst the more shadowed areas fill in the detail.
18. Tom. No image.
19. Tony. Bright eyed if not bushy tailed. A super portrait. The completely uncluttered background enhances the halo effect of the out of focus fur which I like very much.
20. William. A still light shot, very simple and all the better for being a monochrome image.
1. Alan - No photo
ReplyDelete2. Bernd - Sticks & Shadows: I really like this and can imagine it as a large wall print.
3. Bill - Morning Break: A good idea well executed despite the clutter. Maybe a little more subject separation would have helped.
4. David F: Good to see the vintage kit being put to good use although I don’t find this the strongest image posted this month.
5. David K - No image
6. Duncan - The Press Photographer: A cheeky shot but there are an awful lot of distractions.
7.Elaine - Iceland Longboat: A decent record shot but I can’t help feeling that a different shooting position may have helped add more drama to the scene.
8. Keith - Zig Zag path: Such a pity that you have clipped end of that turn in the path. The pram on the promenade works well.
9. Malcom - Silver Leaf: Well spotted or positioned (?) to give an interesting and different image.
10. Mike B - No photo
11. Mike E. - Escalator Mosaic: I was amused to see this as a colleague has been very successful with a colour version of this shot. Different people of course!
12. Michael M - Utopia: Ah old town Funchal. I took about 30 shots along this street at new year, which contains some great restaurants as well as imaginative street art.
13 Phil - Wicken Fen: A good idea, but I think a little more space to the right of the tow guy (losing some from the left hand edge) together with a higher viewpoint to just reduce the impact of the reeds would have helped.
14. Rob - Performance: Stage lighting invariably presents problems as I know to my cost. (I used to run a theatre) Do you keep the mood the lighting engineer created or do you adjust the white balance to correct the colours? It’s the former option for me and so I think you have done pretty well here.
15. Shaun - The De Vere: The branch really does overwhelm the De Vere, Shaun. A lower shooting position with the branch at the very top of the image may have worked better if you wished to include it.
16. Sky - Condiments: This one really doesn’t work for me Sky. Maybe a different arrangement of the condiments might have helped.
17. Theodore - Sicillian Church: An interesting viewpoint and variety of shapes.
18. Tom - no photo
19. Tony - Cotswold Wildlife Park: An unusual animal portrait that works pretty well.
20. William - London Lamp Shade: Some good tones in this but not a lot to grab the viewer William.
Keith
ReplyDelete1.Alan
2.Bernd
Lovely scenee to come across and well captured.
3.Bill
Great composition of a nice informal portrait.
4.David F
Another lovely image. Find the path starting left tends to take eye away slightly.
5.David K
6.Duncan
Think I would leave him to press on and hope he is happy with his symbols. You probably made his day!
7. Elaine
Nicely taken.
8. Me
9. Malcolm
Good imagination but a bit more silver tint would help (but may be my monitor).
10. Mike B
11. Mike E
Forgetting virtues of camera, not sure I get this image.Sorry. Tend to look at top and bottom seperatly.
12. Michael M
Interesting piece of artwork. For the image think I would remove white plate.
13. Phil
Lovely colours represent the weather perfectly.
14. Rob
Very nice. Well caught moment.
15. Shaun
Nice place to stay, but as a image branch/twig to distracting for me.
16. Sky
A full set. Is this a heavy crop as you seem to have lost vignetting which key character of this lens.
17. Theodore
Super image - love the lighting.
17.Tom
18.Tony
Great image. Lovely colours and sharpness.
19. William
Nice way to test a new aquisition. Of course you would have waited to see the (very pleasing) result. Those were the days!
1) Alan - No photo
ReplyDelete2) Bernd
Beautifully constructed and rendered on what looks like a difficult contrasty shot. Bernd is the master of these types of situation particularly on film.
Excellent aesthetically too
3) Bill
Well rendered shot but no story here- perhaps crop it a bit to show the facial expression
4) David F
Beautifully rendered classic landscape with that wonderful softness that the old Elmars provide. Excellent composition too in the style of the old masters. Good work
6) Duncan
Well rendered but it looks like an opportunistic snap rather that a piece of art or exciting reportage - there's no story here. Technically excellent though although a wider aperture might have blurred the background to better effect
7) Elaine
Beautifully rendered with great use of light and colour - I love the atmosphere created by the dim light and the perfect rendering of the clouds - technically and aesthetically excellent - good job
8) Keith
Great fun shot with lots going on with contrasting shapes and colours. I love the way the blue of the clouds provides a perfect background to the trees. Well composed and rendered
9) Malcolm
Well rendered and composed shot with strong focal point - photography as visual art - excellent work
11) Mike E
Well composed and a great creative idea. But why so out of focus to no real effect. With just one or two focussed elements this could have been a truly great shot. Perhaps go back and re shoot it as the scene has a lot going for it and judging your work overall so do you Mike.
12) Michael M
Well rendered but not sure what it's about? - also seems out of focus- no story here.
Disappointing as your work is generally of the highest standard.
13) Phil
I love this- lots going on and great composition. Focal points just right too. Really good job
14) Mine
15) Shaun
This is superb in every way- technically and compositionally perfect with perfect rendering of the sky and building.
16) Sky
Technically superb - and visually very effective - a great piece of art beautifully rendered with the new/old 28mm which gives the shot something special
17) Theodore
Superb use of light and great choice of composition. I love the way the light hits the ceiling and drops down as one gets lower BUT still sufficient to capture the colour in the ceiling panel paintings. I love this aesthetically too- very atmospheric and evocative.
19) Tony
Perfectly captured and rendered fun portrait -really good work
20) William
Well rendered and technically good but no story or context - it's not reportage; it's not art - I'm confused. William produces great work so maybe I'm missing something.
1. Alan (No photo):
ReplyDelete2. Bernd (Sticks and shadows): Impressive composition and use of available light. Overall a very pleasing image.
3. Bill (Morning break): Nice casual person shot, well framed and fine detail as I would expect from that 15mm Leica DG Summilux which I also own and rate highly.
4. David F (Leica IIIc sharkskin): I wouldn’t have guessed the sharkskin, but a lovely landscape with several layers of interest — trees, crossing paths and rocks.
5. David K (No photo):
6. Duncan (The press photographer): I’ve seen this guy before. He goes to everything… Good candid shot from the 24-90 and no one with that amount of gear can object to being snapped.
7. Elaine (Iceland longboat): Impressive, atmospheric composition with good use of colour. Perhaps a little too closely cropped on the left but in general a shot to be proud of.
8. Keith (January sun Zig Zag): I love the symmetry of the beach huts and the peacock blue pram in the left foreground which adds a human element. Great colours.
9. Malcolm (Silver leaf): Well seen and an unusual contrast and well executed by the Panasonic. Incidentally, we seem to be getting more and more Panasonic/Leica lens shots in submissions these days and the results are always impressive.
10. Mike B (No photo):
11. Mine
12. Michael M (Utopia): Good rendering, colours and fine detail; an interesting work that was well worth snapping.
13. Phil (Wicken Fen): I find the foliage a bit distracting in what otherwise would have been a good composition and a record of a cold winter’s morning.
14. Rob (Performance): Impressive stage shot, always a difficult task. Sharp and engaging shot.
15. Shaun (The De Vere): This is a very attractive result from the D Lux 6 and wouldn’t disgrace the newer D Lux with its 4/3 sensor. I love the framing and the skeleton tree branches in the foreground add to the overall positive impression.
16. Sky (Condiments): Nice array of condiments; I take it you weren’t in the Ritz on this occasion…. The Summaron rendering seems very similar to that from my vintage version and the picture works well in monochrome.
17. Theodore (Sicilian church): A lot of fine detail here and the angle and composition is perfect. The Q always delights.
18. Tom (No photo):
19. Tony (Cotswold Wildlife): So that’s a prairie dog. I thought it was a fat rabbit. Anyway, those hands are most impressive and this animal reminds me of Uriah Heep apologising for some oversight. The detail of this shot is impressive.
20. William (London lamp shade): Against all odds this is an impressive rendering of the hotel wall lamp — the shadows and light reflections create a compelling effect. I could even see this on William’s wall at home in Dublin.
1) Alan: No Photo
ReplyDelete2) Bernd : Sticks and Shadows: This works very well it is nicely composed and a well controlled image.
3) Bill: Morning Break: For me this is a snapshot of an everyday scene.
4) David F : A pleasant autumnal view on a misty day the rocks add more interest to the picture.
5) David K - No photo this month
6) Duncan: THE PRESS PHOTOGRAPHER A good sharp image but he doesn’t look to pleased at having his photo taken but he cant complain in his line of work.
7) Elaine: Iceland Longboat: Very good with nice processing the colours and sky are dramatic. I might have been temped to crop the item out of the lower left and move the box on the right before shooting other than that this is a contender for me.
8) Keith: Well observed Keith I like this and enjoyed the zig zag lines and the odd person here and there.
9) Malcolm: Silver leaf among the gold: The contrast of natural colours making for a striking photo.
10) Mike B - No photo this month
11) Mike E: Escalator mosaic at the Tate Modern. Quite a busy image this one but makes for an interesting study as a result.
12) Michael M Utopia: A good record of an interesting piece of street art.
13) Phil: Wicken Fen I like the low position and the grasses in the foreground giving a feeling of covert observation.
14) Rob Performance: Striking image Rob I like this.
15) Shaun: Mine
16) Sky Condiments: Nice black and whites showing what the MM246 can do.
17) Theodore Sicilian church interior: Impressive workmanship but I wonder if there was a better angle for this shot.
18) Tom - No photo this month
19) Tony: Super detail he really couldn’t have posed any better for you.
20) William London Lamp Shade.: This is an ordinary thing we see all the time but captured in such a way that it is most pleasing.