Postcard Exchange #26 Comments and Feedback

Sorry I've been a bit slow with the updates. Life, work, busy, etc.

First, a word of thanks to all those who commented on my card, around pages 10 and 11.

I've received four more cards since my previous update:
MattKing, canopy. Very nice atmosphere, the composition itself, the canopy, the tunnel effect, really drags one into the picture. I can imagine myself walking right there. Then there is the toning. This really adds to the atmosphere, the mystique. Well done!
crispinuk, church in Iceland. Amazing colours. Iceland was on our shortlist this year, but we decided otherwise. Seeing this photo really makes me want to go there, someday. Who knows, maybe next year?
Black Dog, a shot of a steamy/rainy/cold (condensed water?) window. Almost monochrome, but not quite. Simple, yet effective; an interesting photo.
hoffy, Minolta XE-1; you've given me an idea for the shots for the next 20+ postcard exchanges . Very nice shot of what I assume to be a very nice camera (although I've never owned a Minolta).

Thanks, and keep 'em coming. Hoping for a few more cards, and looking forward to the next round.

"Tones of Aluminium" from Hoffy arrived today. Very nice, it's hard to get a sense of scale, not sure just how big this structure is. Even the Post Office liked the symmetry - they added the orange bar code down both sides!

Crispen's "Church in the north of Iceland" arrived as well. Love the colours. The sky is special.


Still more cards on the way (I hope)

SIGN UP TIME FOR ROUND 27 IS HALF WAY OVER.

Hop on over to the new thread if you don't want to miss the great cards from around the world!

20/30

crispin - Church in Iceland. Second colour postcard. I can't say much more than great colour in the sky and red roof on the curch. The card faired very well through the postal system.

My cards have made it into the mail at last! Sincerest apologies for the delay this round - been a rather crazy past 3 months.
I've received many wonderful cards and will update asap.

ozphoto said:

My cards have made it into the mail at last! Sincerest apologies for the delay this round - been a rather crazy past 3 months.
I've received many wonderful cards and will update asap.

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Great news, thanks. Anymore updates out there? Just a week left if you want to sign up for round 27.

Today I found Connecticut 154 from kc2edh in my mailbox. In the first second I thought it might be a double exposure, but then I realized - it is not. Nice subject and print. I like it. Thanks!

Cheers
Ruediger

rst said:

Today I found Connecticut 154 from kc2edh in my mailbox. In the first second I thought it might be a double exposure, but then I realized - it is not. Nice subject and print. I like it. Thanks!

Cheers
Ruediger

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I had the same thought as well! Thanks Ryan.

I've also received hoffy's meerkat, which I think was a great capture, especially on medium format -- I doubt I would have been so lucky.

Also, two colour cards have arrived: ozphoto's more muted Charles Bridge, Prague, and Crispin's more vibrant Icelandic church. I like them both -- thanks!

I'm still looking forward to cards from astroclimb, Black Dog, gordrob, markrewald, rai, Rob Skeoch, Trond, and Wayne Frederick.

Yesterday I received the finest photo for this round: "Conneticut 154" from Ryan (KC2EDH). Thank you!

Yesterday I got another card. The Charles' Bridge in Prague form from ozphoto. Thank you!

another trip to the post box and 6 surprises...

Canopy - from matt king, nice view, sepia and reminiscent of eugene smith

what are you looking at - from jacco de kraker, the whole nosey crowd! and a beautiful sky, nice composition.

taking a line for a walk... - from jake williams, nice seeing... an everyday view, BUT not!

the minolta brick - from Ashley, ahhh the love!

connecticutt 154 - from Ryan, now that's age! and texture!

Church... - i feel the warmth, and the cold as the wind blows across the icy plain!

thank you all...

jvo

rai's stunning postcard arrived today.

I love the pinhole panoramic format, the subject, and especially the colours. Definitely my favorite card of this round, if not all of them!

The real question is: how did you develop your film with hair dye?

Oh yeah, definitely a jawdropper! And we just had a TV show on OPB about pinhole photography so my wife very excited to see a stunning example of pinhole photo. Hair-die, yeah? Can you share a recipe?

mooseontheloose said:

rai's stunning postcard arrived today.

I love the pinhole panoramic format, the subject, and especially the colours. Definitely my favorite card of this round, if not all of them!

The real question is: how did you develop your film with hair dye?

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I have received three more cards since my last comment.

crispinuk - “Church in the north of Iceland” - beautiful, intense colour and the sky seems to go on forever
hoffy-“Adelaide Zoo Meerkat” - an interesting look at an exotic (from my perspective) animal - nicely printed too
Kc2edh -“Connecticut 154" - intriguing and full of depth

I have now received cards from 19 people - with 5 to come.

Thanks all for participating.

anikin said:

Oh yeah, definitely a jawdropper! And we just had a TV show on OPB about pinhole photography so my wife very excited to see a stunning example of pinhole photo. Hair-die, yeah? Can you share a recipe?

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Hi from Spain!!!!
I like the postcards!!! all well and all motivate me and make me imagine someone's feelings when pressed a button when they consider fair.

Thanks to everyone for making me feel good!

The recipes:


a) 2.50 g Sodium bisulfite
60grs(aprox) hair dye (the component called color)
50cc distilled water.

b) 25 g potassium carbonate.
Distilled water to 50cc.

c) 10 g Potassium Bromide.
Distilled water to 50cc.

10a +10 b +10 c +10cc Rodinal +500 water.
Develop for 20 minutes between 25 and 36 degrees.
Fixer, whiten and re-set with the corresponding washes.

You can also cross-development with c41 film:

First Developer: paper developer 50%
3 min exposure to light-up two faces
Second Developer: Hairdye
Wash, wash well
Bleach to see the positive image or almost as you like ...
fixer and wash.

Please play with temperatures and hair dye concentration!!!

The results are quite erratic,
different films different results,
different colors and / or no color,
but ultimately allows me to create frames unrepeatable
unique ... well I like to believe this.

The pictures I have received like me, motivate me and make me imagine someone's feelings when pressed a button when they consider fair.

Sorry for my bad english1

Thanks to everyone!

Comments on my most recent pile of received images from R26:

Anikin – Frozen Trio in IR. A delightfully amusing trio of musicians rendered in a whimsical sculpture, beautifully framed and depicted . Their presence is highlighted by the skillful placement of background tones of the foliage through the use of the IR film.

Crispin – Icelandic Church. A wonderful colour print(scan and commercially printed, I presume). The hues are most certainly enhanced by the use of the saturated palate that Velvia brings to a scene. The sky rendering provides a great flourish to an otherwise most satisfying image.

Hoffy – Meerkat perching. A very effective use of shallow depth of field. The fur and gnarled tree branch are nice and sharp, while otherwise distracting background elements are shifted to a gentle blur. The placement of the sharp vs unsharp elements in the frame came together very nice as well.

Kc2edh Connecticut 154. A great texture abstraction, with just a hint of what the object was to start with . Very pretty the way you have depicted the flaking paint on this old rail car. Nice micro contrast in the mid tones.

Kraker – What are you looking at?. I like the way there is nice texture in so many differnet areas of the image. The clouds, the grass, the sheep’s coats. The wide angle works without any obvious distortions. Nice considering it is 15mm. perhaps the image is not printed to the edge of the frame?

Labcoat- The birds at the Loch. I like the nice bands in this image- the gravel shore, the water, the tree line, the sky skewed across the frame. Then the old lady feeding the swimming and flying birds pull it all together.

Rai Portra Panorama Pinhole. A great concept shot through and through: the wide angle form factor of the pinhole camera, the composition of the figure holding the picture in the frame and the images in the background, the film processing in PPD containing hair dye( a good treason I am pleased to let mine thin and go grey all on its own, thank you very much) and the very neat deckled edge of the matt the print is attached to. Bravo, my friend. You have pull off a success very well.

Wayne Frederick – Caisson light house. I like how you have countered the inherent somewhat bland symmetry of the main element, the light house, with the capture moment placing figures on one side on the breakwater, and the other side on the upper balcony, and printing the image with the light house slightly off center. Whether by artful design, or pleasant coincidence the resulting image is very pleasing and not the pedestrian image it might have otherwise been. A nice range of tones in the print for what was otherwise a low contrast subject also.

Hi rai,

Thank you for the recipe. I'll have to try it one day. Oh, and your English is fine. Much better than my Spanish for sure!

Muchas gracias!

Eugene.

rai said:

Hi from Spain!!!!
I like the postcards!!! all well and all motivate me and make me imagine someone's feelings when pressed a button when they consider fair.

Thanks to everyone for making me feel good!

The recipes:

Click to expand...

I too have received:

rai - "People and structures" - a fascinating and wonderfully creative panoramic pinhole image, in colour, developed in custom developer - what a treat!

I have now received cards from 20 people - with just 4 to come.

Thanks all for participating.

An update on the cards I've received whilst on location:

• Labcoat - Lake with lady feeding gulls
• Rince - Organ
• Hoffy - Meerkat
• Crispin - Iceland Church
• Blackdog - Condensation
• Bluejeh - Hornby Island
• Bluejeh2 - Uni Pool
• Box Brownie - Abandoned Car
• Jim O - NYC
• George Nova Scotia - Truro Reservoir
• Molli - Mask
• Mike wilde - Triple Pack
• Rst - Walk in the Park
• Wayne Frederick - Spring Point Lighthouse

Another great round - only 5 outstanding: Trond, Gordrob, Kc2edh, Rob Skeoch and Mark Rewald. Looking forward to Round 27!

Round 26 came to an end and I have to say THANK YOU all for having me and being part of this truly amazing experience.
I have received a boat load of cards since y last update. In no particular order:

• Conneticut 154 by Ryan : Amazing texture and I really like the flows of the lines.
• Church in north of Iceland by Crispin: Wonderful light and color in this image. I love the serenity this radiates to me.
• Between silence and light by Jake W. :Very interesting and intriguing image. Amazing detail in the droplets. I love how my mind starts spinning stories around this one ...
• Frozen Trio by Eugene A.: IR film never fails to amaze me. Works really well with this image
• Simon Fraser Univ. Pool by bluejah2: Amazing piece of architectural photography. I so love the perfect water reflection and how this image is composed. One of my favorites of this round.
• Rocks are pebbles by bluejay: Oh my, this is truly amazing! I don't know how many times I watched in wonder and turned that card clockwise ...
• Self portrait at the Capitol by Johannes: I love how this image really draws me in and makes me be there instead of just looking at an image.
• People and structures by Raimundo C.:What an incredible piece of art. I love everything about this image. The format, the colors and the subject matter. I would love to learn more about the technique you used for this image.
• Charles Bridge , Prague: This is a great view and I can almost feel the cold air on this winter morning. Looks very peaceful.
• Lake Ontario, Church of Silver Ball and Toronto Skyline by Mike W. : All three images are great, but I have to say I like the Lake Ontario image the most. It is maybe not the most happy of images, but I love how the paper you chose seems to compliment the scene so well.

Again thank you everyone for making this round so very special. Not only is it great to receive some mail that is not a bill, but to feel so unbelievably inspired to take better pictures and learn how to make better prints.

So glad the wait is over and round 27 started

Dennis

3 more...!!!

Charles Bridge from ozphoto - nice to look and "wander" into, great pix.

Spring Point lighthouse from wayne frederick - a little history and nicely printed

People and structures from raimundo civera - wonderful & developed in hair dye, makes me want to step out there, try a little of the 'wild side"

going the the post box has been a real joy - thanks to you and all the participants in the postcard exchange... it's the gift that keeps on giving!

james ogara

A couple more cards arrived recently:
card # 16 - Charles Bridge, Prague from OZPHOTO
Panoramic Cityscape in colour. Very picturesque.
card # 17 - Connecticut 154 from Ryan KC2EDH
A surreal looking detail of peeling paint on a railway carriage, almost looks as if it is growing.

Cachting up on cards received; three more arrived over the past few weeks:

Kc2edh, Connecticut 154. Alas, not an old barrel of whisk(e)y (which was my first association upon seeing this card). Lovely detail, great capture.
Wayne Frederick, Spring Point lighthouse. Nice shot, and thank you for the history lesson.
rai, people and structures. Wow. Wow, this is amazing. Absolutely stunning photo and processing. This one will be "on display" in the living room long after this round ends. Lovely.

Sorry I'm so late with this round.
I printed a bunch tonight but don't have the whole group ready yet.
-rob skeoch

Good to hear from you Rob, sadly you missed round 27 but I hope you'll join us again in the new year!

Since my last update I've received three cards from this round.

Wayne Frederich's Spring Point Lighthouse.
OZPHOTO's Charles Bridge panorama.
Rai's People and Structures.

All great images but I must say Rai's is outstanding. Images like this are what makes the postcard exchange so special for me. I'd never have a chance to see and handle such a variety of styles and methods locally.

I got a late card from this round, Rob Skeoch's rodeo cowbows. Very fine shot, printet on baryta paper. Thank you.