Postcard Exchange Round 25 comments and feedback

[Rob Skeoch]

One came in today. Delphine Lopez's Brighton Marina has such a great mood to it. Such great tones and sharpness in both the boats and the water.
-Rob

 

[ChristopherCoy]

I second Rob's comments. I received Delphines today as well. I absolutely cannot believe how sharp this photo is. Absolutely gorgeous photo.

I also like how you chose to frame it. I used the Ilford postcards as well, but chose to blow up my photo as large as I could. I really like the border on your photo.

 

[Rob Skeoch]

Another card rolled in this morning.
Terry Christian's shot of the Pyramid Arena in Memphis.
It's a nice shot from that 60 year old camera. I hadn't heard of that model before so had to take a google and see what they looked like.
Classic folder. Does your's take the 120 film or the more difficult to find 620?

-Rob

 

[Terry Christian]

Rob: It takes 120 (and can take 620), but I've run into problems with the roll getting tight in the camera, causing transport issues. If I cut down the plastic flanges, they fit much better. I was taking the shot in the afternoon, facing west, so the sun almost flaring into the camera made the image a bit "dreamier" than intended.

 

[Terry Christian]

Today brought another postcard: "Me, The Bean, Chicago" by Darwin (drpsilver). Neat image and off-center composition. One can't really tell he's reflected in metal; it looks more like a skewed image of him standing on concrete pavement. I did a similar thing last year in the reflection of the Vito Acconci sculpture A Roof Like a Liquid Flung Over the Plaza, at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts here in Memphis. { my shot | a better look at the sculpture | another one }

 

[guitstik]

That's one you took on our walk isn't it?

I also, have been receiving postcards and I seem to go through withdrawal on the days that none show up.

The last few I have received have been welcomed additions to those already received.

Darwin's "Me, The Bean, Chicago". I like the skewed lines and the way the subject seems to lean into the frame as he is intently getting his focus. Interesting composition.

Christopher Coy's zydeco breakfast is wonderful. Having spent a lot of time in 'Orleans myself, I must ask if you caught this while he was at rest because I know how fast they play. But judging from the blur of his index finger on the key, you caught him at just that right moment. I am definitely going to have to try the Ilford stock you printed it on.

I still have a few more that I have to get in the mail but I will leave it to your imagination's as to why I haven't finished yet.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

Having spent a lot of time in 'Orleans myself, I must ask if you caught this while he was at rest because I know how fast they play. But judging from the blur of his index finger on the key, you caught him at just that right moment. I am definitely going to have to try the Ilford stock you printed it on.

In fact, he was playing at the time. And if I remember correctly, it was what we call a 'jitterbug' so it was rather fast. I changed my motor drive to continuous and took three shots in a row. The other two had just a bit too much blur in the fingers. I thought this one had just enough to show the motion, but not enough to ruin it.

 

[bluejeh]

Postcard Exchange Round 25

Postcards from Bluejeh and Bluejeh2 are in the mail. Yippee!

 

[drpsilver]

24 Feb 2012

Two cards arrived today. ChristopherCoy's card of the zydeco music player is very nice. I have no idea what zydeco music is like, but the feeling of activity comes through in the photograph. The second card is from ozphoto (who forgot to put her name on the card). A nice color photo that brings back memories of my trips to NYC. Unfortunately the postal service "left their mark" in the middle of the sky. I guess these marks add tot he the flavor of the card.

Thanks Terry and guitstik for you nice comments. "Cloud's Rest" (aka "The Bean") is a big chrome mirror in the shape of a bean. There is not a planer surface on the entire sculpture making distortion a norm when looking at anything reflected. If you are ever in Chicago visit Millennium Park.

Regards,
Darwin

 

[ozphoto]

Ooops, sorry about that - thought I'd signed the card, but looks as if I didn't. . . .

 

[Ricus.stormfire]

Made their way to my postbox:

Delphine Lopez - "Brighton Marina". Lovely scene, and well executed

Rachelle/mooseontheloose - "Paro Festival Dancer #2". Good to see a square shot, on paper I will never get to use (Fujibrom)

Rob Skeoch - "Resting in the shade" So this is ART 300...interesting, I hope we will get this locally, it's something else this paper...I like.

Thank you all

Looking forward to the rest

 

[Oxleyroad]

7 from 35.

Joel Farris - Dew in the pines. Great photo with the shallow depth of field. Have to agree with what Laurent has already said. The Fuji Archive paper has really stood up well to the riggers of the postal services.

??? - NYC USA. Panoramic style picture that brings back memories of the skyline I remember from my visits to this great city of 15 years back or more. The cropping of the image looks great to me on the card.

 

[Terry Christian]

That's one you took on our walk isn't it?

Indeed it is! I think that particular camera (a Minolta SRT-200) has a sticking shutter curtain, so that's one of the few usable shots from that roll, unfortunately. But of course it led me to bigger and better Minoltas.

 

[MattKing]

I've received cards from seven photographers so far (plus my own). The following are the photographers, the Titles (either supplied, or guessed at by me) and my comments:

guitstik - "Dew in the Pines" - I like how the background hints at mysteries
anikin - "Prickly Card" - A colour contact print! - and a fascinating image of cacti
delphine - "Brighton Marina" - Beautiful, repeating patterns of boats, and very nice print
Rob Skeoch - "Haunted? House" - A wonderful print and an evocative scene
Steelbar - "Palouse Schoolhouse" - Lots of patterns and textures in a really well-done print - are you sure you are out of practice?
mooseontheloose - "Paro Festival Dancer #1" - Fascinating, exotic, full of movement and well printed too
Mike Wilde - "Folk Art Fish on Old Customs Terminal - Hamilton Harbour"; "Headshots Matrix"; and "Venice Beach Boardwalk - double exposure" - Another set of three very different cards from Mike - as usual on three very different papers. I like them all, but in particular I like how the school of fish resemble slightly the "school" of community theatre supporters

Thanks all - this as always has been great fun. I look forward to receiving the remaining 21.

 

[ozphoto]

For those of you receiving NYC: I accidentally forgot to sign it - apologies to all.

 

[guitstik]

One more in the mail today, Beth (Winger) says she has a thing for leaves and I believe her. Interesting textural piece, I ended up holding it at arms length and squinting to get a feel for how it was arranged. Some nice use of negative space but I think a dark background would have made it stronger and the leaves would have "popped" more. The TMY is glossier than I prefer but it looks almost grain free and I may end up trying it out if I can still find it.

 

[paul_c5x4]

Just got my offerings in the post - Here's to hoping they don't get mangled in the system.

 

[piu58]

Today I found drpsilvers really great shot "Me, the bean, Chicago" in my letterbox. Is that a traffic mirror? Phantastic idea.

 

[ozphoto]

Today's delivery was Christopher Coy's musical study.

 

[paul_c5x4]

In no particular order, have received the following cards in the last week or so:

mooseontheloose "Paro Festival Damar #2" - Interesting shot, one I'd like to see on a bigger scale.
delphine "Brighton Marina" - Caught the mist coming in at just the right moment.
guitstik "Dew in the Pines" - Got a little munched in the post. At first, I thought the print had been toned, but I see it is on FujiColor Crystal. The result of using a chromogenic B&W film perhaps ?
drpsilver "Me, The Bean, Chicago" - A self protrait that kinda makes you look short
bluejeh2 "North of Merrit BC in a Ghost Town" - Like the sky. The burning in certainly adds "mood" to the shot.
bluejeh "Coffee Carafe" - A simple shot that probably took hours to set up. One I'd be happy to frame and hang on the wall.

 

[Rob Skeoch]

Three arrived today.
Bruce McCaughey's Palous has such great detail in both the shadow and highlight areas, a very nice photo.
Darwin's Me, The Bean, Chicago shows the best quality you can expect from a Canon camera. Just kidding of course, but I work for Sony and couldn't refuse the chance. I realize it's a reflection in the mirror and very well done.
Rachelle's Paro Festival Dancer #2, when I first saw this I thought, where did she get a photo of my first girl friend flipping out because I was late, but then realized it was a great photo of a dance group. Well done.
-Rob

 

[Mike Wilde]

Christopher Coy – Chankachank/squeeze box. I can imagine the zydeco tunes emanating as the bellows reciprocate and the keys are depressed, and the player taps his boot to the time of the music as well. Good up close shot with a wide angle lens on fast film, with shallow DOF. It must be a dark little hive to hang in for breakfast, with the sweet sounds drawing you in.

DRPSilver – The Bean. A great shot from Millennium Park. I quite like how you have framed this to show the distortions in every direction. I wondered when I saw it how much the fabricator must have cursed the vision of the artist when it came time to actually make the thing and ship it to site and assemble it.

Bruce McCaughey – Abandon school. Oh, sad to see what was likely a once proud parochial school come to this. The shadow play on the façade and steps is most wonderful, and grabs you to look deeper right away. Then you start to look deeper and notice the boarded up windows, and lack of what must have been ornamental glass over the doors. Then you see the moss or whatever on the steps. Sad in way. I long for the past to stay around us in a meaningful way longer while all others I know only want a newer cel phone or tablet… If this is how you meant to strike the viewer, you have done it well.

Moose on the Loose Festival Dancer #1, Bhutan. Lots of liely action. I am sure the guys dancing vigorously with the masks on their heads are glad it is slightly overcast or shaded by adjacent buildings as much as the photographer, who I surmise took this location up looking for a fast shutter speed, yet good DOF, and lack of strong shadows. You don’t need any blur in the frame to know that these guys were really dancing, with the trio in the frame with nary a foot on the ground at the time this image was captured. Excellent balancing of all of the variables to grab this one.

Keep them coming folks. A real nice round so far.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

Thanks Mike!

 

[piu58]

Yesterday I got two cards in an enveloppe form bluejeh and bluejeh2. I like Ed's Ghost town very much. I must have been a hard job burning such a small format. Judith's caraffe is a fine still life photo. Thank you!

 

[ozphoto]

Pretty sure I also landed Steelbar's postcard today - in envelope from Canada, but unsigned. Looking forward to more soon.