* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #807 / Revived #027 on 2023 10 04 *

"Unnerving" never crossed my mind, so I am fascinated by your reaction, Mike 😁

A photo I didn't appreciate until I read all the responses. It takes time and experience to "process" some of the images shared by this weekly group. I'm grateful for MinnieV's special eye, along with the varied comments and points of view. A great group!

Superb colours (who needs Leica?).
Like the topic, but my fave is #1. The shape of the vessel and fabulous sky make this shot unique. Excellent!

Shot 1. As you say, a classic in great condition. As the subject is the bike and as the background isn't adding anything to the time context, I think you might have chosen the angle a little better. The bench on the right is running into the bike when you really want the bike to stand out. Whoever built the fence did you no favours as the top edge goes right throughthe line of the handlebars. The similarity in the curbing and the concrete edging works well. If you want to try some post processing with some of the newer fangles object removal and replacement tools, try getting rid of the bench and extending the height of the wall upwards.
Shot 2. IBIS here is a tricky decision. I note that it's Sony IBIS and I have had experience with this system. It depends on how securely you had your camera positioned on the rail. If it was on a tripod, IBIS should be off. In this case, it's hard to tell whether or not IBIS would give the best result. It's a dilemma choice I've had too and I might have considered two shots, one with IBIS on and one with it off.
Re the composition, you have a choice. Either zoom in closer to make more of the trails or try to get the whole scene including the yacht, the round tower at the front and the background lights. I like what you have done. It takes in the whole scene with the light trails giving movement to an otherwise still location. The inclusion of the other bits is important to feeling this scene. Possibly take a little off the black sky.
[/quote]

Thank you for the feedback.

I will be more careful to consider my backgrounds, I forget to do this a lot. I was thinking afterward I should have shot it with the aperture full open to separate from the background better. The bike was on a walkway between a castles inner and outer wall in the old part of Rhodes. I could have asked the owner if he would mind moving the bike. I probably should have taken a picture of him with it..

I haven't invested in a travel tripod yet. This was a moment of opportunity. I pretty terrible at landscapes, so I thought I would try to compose one that included light trails. I wish I had a bean bag or monkey pod. Maybe I will add one to my travel kit.

So symbolic, Giant and the rest...

It's all about timing. Colours are excellent and reflect the forthcoming game.

Thank you for the feedback.

I will be more careful to consider my backgrounds, I forget to do this a lot. I was thinking afterward I should have shot it with the aperture full open to separate from the background better. The bike was on a walkway between a castles inner and outer wall in the old part of Rhodes. I could have asked the owner if he would mind moving the bike. I probably should have taken a picture of him with it..

I haven't invested in a travel tripod yet. This was a moment of opportunity. I pretty terrible at landscapes, so I thought I would try to compose one that included light trails. I wish I had a bean bag or monkey pod. Maybe I will add one to my travel kit.
[/quote]
I don't know that you need a travel tripod. Try some more experimenting first. When I'm shooting around towns, I don't bother. IBIS is good for general use and even better if you have optical stabilizer as well in the lens you are using. The question of whether to use IBIS or not when you have an opportunity to brace firmly is not clear. Sony aren't very helpful with their answers on this. My approach (unless I'm shooting stars) is to brace and handhold and use a delayed 2 second shutter release because the shutter press in these situations gives me movement. I don't hesitate to increase iso and then I use one of the new noise reduction/sharpening programs like Topaz to clean up the result. You can get a free trial of Topaz for one month to see if this works for you. There are other programs as well as Topaz, including one built into the latest versions of Lightroom.

Ice cube, I have problems in responding to shots like this and it probably says more about me than it does about your image. I'd find it easier to respond if this was a Rothko like image of three bands of colour, gold/brown, black and blue grey. Because it's a deliberate reworking of a scene I want to find reason for the reworking. But that's just me and the way I see things.
I like the proportions of the bands. The usual pleasing gold/blue combination has been given shock value by the hues you have used. I like the cloud formation and the radiating lines that imply a convergence near the central tree. Lots of "wow." It's certainly arresting so I look closer but after that I don't find reason.

A well observed contrast between these two buildings, one neat and tidily renovated and the other with a well-used patina, which is attractive in its own way.

Pete

A very creative macro, but that is a wasted comment with your photos, as it always applies.
The fork is a good addition, as the blueberry actually looks quite metallic, and the fork leads the thoughts in the right direction of edible, and enjoyable, fruit.

Pete

This was a great idea and extremely well executed. The line of the rooftops is all over the place, with angles and towers and jagged shapes and then a large blue sky space, which you have filled with more jagged lines of a lamp from an extreme angle and another smaller lantern by the tower as a tie-in.

Very enjoyable.

Pete

I like the colours and composition. I like the contrast in textures between the smooth water and the fantastic texture of the wood. But most of all, I like the discovery of the happy face on the tin!

Pete

With that crowd of fishes, this could have been a mess, but, on the contrary, it works very well. The relatively small fish frame the ray, and the maain subject is sharp and contrasty and stands out well against the other ray in the background. The lighting on the subject ray is wonderful.

Pete

This is very mysterious and, I am sure, could be used by psychiatrists to observe what images the subconscious can make of the shapes!
I think the right hand side needs to be brightend a it or, alternatively, cropped a bit.
In any case a very worthwhile image.

Pete

Since you asked for comments on the second, this is what I would suggest.

I think the foreground is too bright, and could almost be daylight. Since you want the light trails, I would darken the image to show them off. They are cool, and sweep the viewer into the frame and lead to the background lights on the other side of the harbour in an attractive S-curve. I would crop off the black sky and the right hand side, where the reflected lights stop. The lights still lead to the yacht, and the remaining half with its bows is all you need to add interest in that area, as the eyes complete their cycle of the image.
Others have mentioned the sharpness. With my Olympus, I have found that on a vibrating surface, such as a ship, the body is a better dampener of movement than a tripod and the IBIS does the rest.

In retrospect, seeing the image posted, I would brighten the yacht a bit.

Pete

The first is a gem, Lou. Those dramatic clouds draw the eye in to the interesting dredger and the nicely framed harbour view in the distance.
The processing really adds another level to the image and is both creative and appropriate.

Very cool.

Pete

Replies to "Left on the dock"

Thanks Chris. I liked the primary colors too.

Thanks Bryan, I'm always looking for stories. I thought it was funny that the fisherman had spaghetti o's for his apparent dinner. Last time I found sardines, much more aligned with the subject matter! These docks have been through several hurricanes so there's plenty of weathering and repair.

I was drawn to those qualities, especially the way the gold sunrise light is so different from the remaining blue hour light on the outside of the dock.

Oh please don't make me get rid of the rope! I was so happy to find it in exactly that position so I didn't have to fight myself over whether to tinker with it or not!

Thanks, SimpleJoy. I love finding a story just sitting there on its own, especially one with good colors and a pleasing (to me) visual design.

I always learn from reading other folks' reactions to the pictures. It's like taking a visual design class for free.

Thanks Pete! I love the happy face too, and that one little spaghetti O that proves the can held dinner instead of bait. I am not sure I could eat cold spaghetti Os. But somebody did.

I like the ugly little stone cherub. I like the color toning. I like the composition. I think the dry, possibly dead overgrown grass gives the little statue the appearance of something old that's been abandoned, possibly in the remnants of a garden at an abandoned mansion, or an old cemetery. Is suggests a story. I do think I'd crop off the dark line of green at the top, which is a distraction to me.