* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #804 / Revived #024 on 2023 09 13 *

The landscape is lovely and adding the cat and its surroundings adds detail to study, but more importantly, it adds a strange contrast between the homely scene of the cat and the deserted landscape. We see the homely comforts, but no home.

Pete

The photos are good, especially the flowers against the black in 3, the pretty, but devastating burrows in 5 and the clever use of a magnifying glass to show the culprits in 6.
The series itself is well conceived, showing the surroundings, then informing why not all is as beautiful as it seems. It ticks the boxes of beauty, story and information. Excellent.

Pete

Well said. I know it is boring not to add anything, but Minnie said it for me.

Pete

This is a lovely scene, and Sun and colours and silhouette used to good effect to create a longing to be there. I agree with Linda, that the only fly in the ointment is the overlap of posts and boats, but have no doubt it was difficult to avoid. Glad you took the shot anyway.

Pete

What a wonderful grasshopper. It is lovely and sharp and a really good uncluttered and soft background.
Looking at the small image, I thought it could use a touch more exposure, but looking at the large version, that is no longer noticeable.

Pete

It's intriguing. The image is dominated by symmetry but I have no idea what the object is. because the dof is very narrow, I can't make out even enough further detail to begin to unravel the puzzle. I feel (and here I'm guessing) that it might be necessary to interpret the object so that the symmetry inn the photo can be appreciated.

I think its an old axe or tool or something.

I like it and I think Salvadore Dali would have liked it as well. Everyday and homely objects from one world overlay another world. The white is especially effective in creating a dream like presence for the objects misplaced in space and time.
A landscape draped with surrealism. Nothing should be taken for granted as normal.

So I suppose this was on a ferry ride from Napoli to Sicilia.
Fond memories for me.
We were invited to the minuscule island Panarea in the summer after we had spent the winter in Bologna.
We slept on deck, woke up near Stromboli and enjoyed the view. Two weeks of bliss ensued.

Your image is minimalist and geometric.
Which is the only reason why I pay close attention to the geometry, and it feels like your railing is slightly off kilter.
Nothing that a minimal perspective correction in the horizontal plane could not fix (but your actual horizon is straight, AFAIKT, so it's a difficult one).
I would consider cropping this square, because the top of the sky does not add much further and it would become even more geometric.

I continue to be mesmerized by your wonderful macro images.
Here we have a magical surgeon at work, delicately closing up a skin wound with a thread made entirely of light and magic.
Love it.

It's good that there is a deity (or several deities) keeping a watchful eye here, because that electric connection is disaster waiting to happen.
Some people don't need lightning bolts from the sky to remind them of their mortality. They will gladly create their own.

Such a simple and effective representation of youth and decay.
Memento mori in flower form.
And technically very well done, with excellent DOF and exposure on the flowers, and a background receding gently.

We are quite firmly Through the Looking Glass here.
But is it Wonderland?
Or Neverland?
Or just Neil Gaiman's Underground in Neverwhere?

Fairy Tales are often Scary Tales.

In my personal experience, some of my best experiences have resulted from bad ideas.
'nuff said.

Instant Nostalgia.

This looks - to me - like a scene one might find on an old viewmaster frame.
Once upon a time, the colours were vibrant and realistic.
But they have faded (not all colours equally) and it creates a totally different, dream-like vibe.

We've had a few experimentally processed and composite images this week.
This fits in the row. But sadly, it is the one that resonates least for me.
I am basically just confused by the intention and execution.

I really want to learn what I am missing here.
Because it is not so that I am ONLY interested in straight-up documentary photography (although that is my preference).
I am also interested in ventures into more experimental graphic art with photography just as the starting point.

Sorry to disappoint, but we are all about honest feedback here,
so I feel that we should also (occasionally, gently, politely) say it when we don't get or even dislike an image.
Also that can spark an interesting discussion, even if it can be painful for the maker.

Interesting trip and well captured in your images.

Oddly, I am totally in love with the patterns that those pesky beetles create under the bark.
It may be damaging for the tree, but it looks really artistic, much like fossils in rock can be artistic.
I would not hesitate to take that piece of bark and frame it.

I really like quite a few of these, but the drill bit is genius.
I have never seen bokeh that was shaped quite the same and it is stunning.