Postcard Exchange Round 25 comments and feedback

[Mike Wilde]

Yes, the bluejeh/bluejays (sic) landed on my doorstep last night.

Judith's arty carafe 'thing' is quite neat. Nice crisp highlights on the metal band, and control of glare on the balance of the glass. How the vessel inside the carafe got there, and what is does once incide the lareger vassel?? If this is a second vessel with liquid behind the first larger one, then the visual deception is most well done.

Ed's abandon building against the hill is very well done. I like the framing of the elements withing the image. The burn to put such wonderful detail into the clouds is almost flawless; only the 'aura' around the tree hints that there has been some waving of hands etc during printing.

This might be an image worthy of more manipulation. I would suggest this would be a great neg to start you on the path of what unsharp masking can do for an image of this sort to bring down the orerall dynamic range of the negative, and thus make it easier to print, particualrly when there is a quantity of prints to be made.

 

[Terry Christian]

I, too, just today received the envelope from bluejeh/bluejeh2 -- quite a yin/yang pairing of images that complement each other nicely. My only critique of Ed's image is that looks like it's been cropped too closely in printing, or framed too tightly when shot. I think it could have benefited from more generous spacing around the top and bottom. Judith's carafe is exquisite. I love the ornate detailing on the metalwork.

 

[Rob Skeoch]

Thanks Judith Higham for the shot of the Coffee Carafe, very nice shot, I think I'll brew a pot right now.
Christopher Coy, I received your Chank-a-chank, you can almost hear the music if you hold the print up to your ear.
Ed Higham and the old building, such nice detail in the wood on this one.

Thanks everyone.

-Rob

 

[drpsilver]

02 Mar 2012

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

No it is not a traffic mirror. "The Bean" is a large sculpture in the shape of a kidney bean that has a smooth mirrored surface. There is not a planer surface anywhere on the sculpture, so everything is distorted. It sits in the middle of a large plaza in Millennium Park in Chicago

The cards that landed in my mailbox this week are ....
A photo of leaves from Winger. I like the shadows that give the print depth. Well done.
A print from Nige that successfully accomplishes something I have been trying to do - photograph a sunset/sunrise in black & white. Have you really participated in all the Postcard Exchanges? If so, WOW!!
Two prints from bluejeh and bluejeh2 of very different subjects. Nice sharp close-up of a coffee carafe and a photo reminiscent of Bodie here in California. What a combination - a connection to my favorite drink and one of my favorite subjects.

Regards,
Darwin

 

[Laurent]

I've got many cards this week, thanks to every body ! :

Bluejeh's Coffee carafe is a very neat shot, and the lighting is amazing !
Bluejeh2's landscape has a great feel of perspective, and the textures on the house are very nice.
Winger's leaves. The white background really helps the picture. I, too, have something for leaves, but never tried to shoot them "off location". This is something I have to try !
unknown's (unsigned card) color panoramic view of NYC. Wonderful cityscape, I hope I have the chance to go there somtimes.
Christopher Coy's Zydeco player. Neat composition for this closeup. I love accordion (not the "French typical" valse musette, but the diatonic one) and I'd really like to go there to listen to the music.
Drpsilver's self portrait "Me, The Bean, Chicago" is really amazing, with all the distortions.

Thanks !

 

[ozphoto]

Laurent, NYC is my card.

In the past two days, I've received 3 cards:

Ed's wonderful "Ghost Town" - nice detail on the weathered boards;
Judy's Coffee Carafe - I love my coffee and this suits me perfectly!
Darwin's "The Bean" - I only got to see this wonderful sculpture as we drove to shoot some talent further around the area. Hoping to re-visit next time I'm in the US.

 

[Nige]

02 Mar 2012
No it is not a traffic mirror. "The Bean" is a large sculpture in the shape of a kidney bean that has a smooth mirrored surface. There is not a planer surface anywhere on the sculpture, so everything is distorted. It sits in the middle of a large plaza in Millennium Park in Chicago

I was wondering what it was too!

A print from Nige that successfully accomplishes something I have been trying to do - photograph a sunset/sunrise in black & white. Have you really participated in all the Postcard Exchanges? If so, WOW!!

No, haven't participated in all them... just the 1st one and a few others along the way.

 

[ozphoto]

Hi all.

I've just moved to my new place and the address is:

Nanette Reid
20/131 The Metro Rama 9
Motorway Road, Prawet
Bangkok 10250
THAILAND

For those of you who have already posted your cards, don't worry: I collect my mail from the old place a couple of times a week.

Looking forward to more cards arriving soon!!

 

[ChristopherCoy]

Christopher Coy's Zydeco player. Neat composition for this closeup. I love accordion (not the "French typical" valse musette, but the diatonic one) and I'd really like to go there to listen to the music.

Here is a short 20 second clip of what its like inside the restaurant on the weekends. Search for 'Cafe Des Amis' on youtube and you can see a number of videos. It was also featured on the Travel Channel a few times.

[video=youtube_share;uJe2lu2AGEo]http://youtu.be/uJe2lu2AGEo[/video]

 

[mooseontheloose]

So I've been away for a few weeks, trying to get some good photographs while in Cambodia for a work conference. Although it's nice to be back home, the cool, grey, rainy days are a bit gloomy after the blue skies and heat of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. However, I did get a mailbox full of cards which totally made my day!

Ed Higham's abandoned building is a favorite subject of mine, and I really like the glow coming off the boards in this shot. However I think I would like to see it not quite as closely cropped, or perhaps done as a square. But I like it and it reminds me of driving the number 5 highway from Kamloops to Vancouver when I used to live in B.C. Similarly, Judith's "Coffee Carafe" is a beautiful subject that I'd like to photograph myself.

Delphine's Brighton Marina has beautiful reflections and contrast, and Nanette's NYC skyline has some beautiful pastel colours that we get with early morning light (and which I especially like since it was shot of my birthday!). Another vintage shot I also enjoyed is Nige's "moonrise' (?) which reminds me a lot of experimenting with poor quality 110 cameras that we had in the house when I was growning up.

Darwin's "Me, The Bean, Chicago" is a humourous take on the standard reflection due to the distortions of the sculpture. Christopher's "Chank-A-Chank" is a great closeup of an instrument we don't see too often yet is synonymous with zydeco and New Orleans music.

Joel's "Dew in the pines" and Bethe's leaves are both great close-ups of nature, and both photographs work well in all orientations.

Terry's Pyramid Arena and Bruce's abandoned school both have some interesting triangular things happening in them, although I'm curious as to how (or why) the masking is a little eccentric on the bottom of Terry's image.

And last, but not least, Paul's "Speedbird" has a wonderful shiny, metallic look, and the slight damage from the post office makes it look like you captured it in a great panning shot.

Great work by all and I am really looking forward to the rest of the round!

Also...for those who haven't sent their cards yet, please be informed that I will be moving once again in a couple of weeks, but I'll have to let you know my address when I know it.

 

[Terry Christian]

The original negative for my photo is 6x9 and I don't have a negative carrier that size for my enlarger (Omega D2), so I cut one out of matboard. I figured as long as I was at it, I might as well make it look rough! If I'd enlarged a bit bigger, my Speed EZ-EL could have made more conventional lower edges, but to me, the irregularity makes the saturated bottom corners as ephemeral as the pyramid itself aiming for the heavens.

 

[hoffy]

Looks like you guys have been flying along!

I have had 3 attempts and have still yet to finish all my printing (3 different negs. The first group were printed nearly a month ago). I have decided to try something different this time, so I hope that no-one minds.

I won't send out until all images are ready to go.

Cheers

 

[kraker]

Really, I wanted to be early this round... but alas, it didn't work out that way.

The good news is that I printed all my postcards yesterday. Just need to address and post them, hopefully within a week from now.

I've received quite a few cards already, I'll try to comment on those soon. In the meantime: thank you all (you know who you are) for sending your postcards.

 

[markbarendt]

Sorry I've been quiet here, can only wrap my brain around so much. The post cards I get are always a fun surprise and a welcome smile.

Mine are all stamped and ready, they'll be in a mailbox in an hour or so.

 

[Trond]

I sent my cards on Friday!

I've also received a lot of great cards, which I have yet to comment on. I'll come back to that!

Trond

 

[kraker]

My cards went out yesterday. Mission accomplished. Now... I still have to find some time to comment on the cards received so far.

 

[piu58]

I received Trond's beach photograph. Very interesting idea, and very fine grey tones too. Thank you!

 

[drpsilver]

25 Mar 2012

This week's mail brought four cards.

The card from kraker makes good use of depth-of-field and repeating patters. I like how the little bit of roadway adds to the dimension of the photo.
The print form MarkBarendt of "The Mittens" is very nicely composed, and has a lot of potential. It would be nice to see a fine print from this negative.
The photo from Trond is quite interesting. I really like how the feet included in the print add so much to the quality of the photograph.
The last card does not have a name attached to it, but the photo was taken at my favorite ghost town - Bodie, CA. This former gold mining town is one of the most fascinating places to photograph in eastern California. The photograph is well composed and printed.

Thanks to all for the nice photos this round.

Regards,
Darwin

 

[markbarendt]

The print form MarkBarendt of "The Mittens" is very nicely composed, and has a lot of potential. It would be nice to see a fine print from this negative.

Thanks Darwin, I'd like to see that too.

 

[George Nova Scotia]

My "cards" are finally in the mail. Thanks for all who have participated, I've received 22 out of 40, so I guess I'm not the only one who struggles with time and life passing at full speed.

George

 

[Oxleyroad]

I have been quiet for a while. I will in the next day or two put together my comments on the numerous pictures received so far. I also still have to print my cards and post off. Please accep my apologises for wing a little tardy in this respect.

 

[Terry Christian]

In the past couple of weeks I've received:
Mark Barendt's beach scene: Strangely gray, but nicely composed.
Trond flipped me a "Bird": The feet indeed do add something to the photo, and I like the texture of the pebbles.
Also, just today I received George Nova Scotia's Kodak tribute. All three images are memorable in their own way, although I'm rather struck by the daylily, even in the small size. George, you do us lesser experienced printers a great service in providing us samples of these paper specimens.

 

[piu58]

> just today I received George Nova Scotia's Kodak tribute

I got the three photographs too. Very interesting! I like the 1957 paper most. It was outdated before my date of birth (1958). Only a slight fog which could be reduced with some more bromide or Farmers reducer. That means the paper is neaerly fully working! Really great.

 

[kraker]

Cards received so far (sorry I didn't comment on them earlier), in random order:

Steelbar, abandoned school, a simply beautiful print, the tones, the shadows, the building; it all fits.
bluejeh, coffee carafe, nice detailed photo of what seems to be a special carafe.
bluejeh2, ghost town, love the dramatic printing with the darkened sky, fits the subject very well.
drpsilver, me, the bean. An interesting, distorted self-portrait. I like it.
Rob Skeoch, old house (a.k.a. Coca-Cola), what's not to like about this? Great motif, I can just keep looking at it. Great print, and lovely paper.
delphine, Brighton marina, magical indeed. I like it upside-down too, with its distorted but not-too-distorted reflections.
mooseontheloose, festival dancer, no HIE this time, but a great shot nonetheless. Action, movement, great DOF; another great card.
guitstik, dew in the pines, a brittle subject, a good find. I was going to ask whether it is toned, but I see it is C-41 B&W film printed on color paper, so that explains the "toning". Fits the subject, I like it!
Trond, bird. Amazing, a great photo. The bird, the pebbles, and the dark trousers in the upper right corner as stark contrast; a powerful picture.
Mark Barendt, Oahu North shore, yes, the season is here again.
George Nova Scotia, triplet of Kodak papers; this felt like a present opening it, reading one description, viewing one photo, reading the next description, watching the next photo, repeat once more. They're all lovely, but if I had to choose one, the Daylily is truly amazing. Not only a great shot (as are all), but amazing to see what is still possible with that paper! Thanks a bunch!
crispinuk, ginger flower, the comments get boring: another lovely shot. The completely black background is a great addition for this print.

12 out of 25 received, and it is another great round! Thank you all, I wouldn't want to miss this!

Now, let's see if I find any more cards beneath or inbetween stacks of mail...

 

[ChristopherCoy]

My list is below. If anyone has sent stuff to me, and I haven't received it let me know. Our rural post office is famous for putting mail in the wrong places.

Andrew.vartabedian
Black Dog
bluejeh - received
bluejeh2 - received
ccross
delphine - received
DerekLofgreen
drpsilver - received
George Nova Scotia
gordrob
guitstik - received
Jon King
Kc2edh
Laurent
markbarendt - received
markrewald
Mike Wilde - received
mooseontheloose - received
Nige - received
ozphoto
Rob Skeoch - received
rst
Steelbar - received
tj01
Trond - received

I received "NYC 1998" but dont know who it is from.

(Matt wasn't on my list, but I traded with him anyway. Thanks Matt!)