Postcard Exchange Round 44 Comments & Feedback

Black Dog · Aug 31, 2018

MattKing said:
Nope - the lists overlap.
Sometimes that (and the postage stamp used) is the only way I can figure out who a card is from .

If you go to the Postcard Exchange section of the Forum, there is an explanation of how it all works-senders in the PCX aren't secret like in the Blind Print Exchange, I always put my real name and my screen nameon each card just to be on the safe side, also my scrawl on the back is probably a bit of a giveaway!
I've just received a lovely subtle card from ianandvaag- enjoyed the contrast between the delicate flower forms and the Mondrian-like grid of the blocks in the wall behind them (all in all, we're just another brick in the wall). While I'm pleased with the portrait of Julie and Jessie, with hindsight I didn't place the point of focus quite right. Julie needs to be either sharper or more out of focus if that makes sense . I'm going to make a larger print some time and see how that works.

Oxleyroad · Sep 1, 2018

Mine are in the post today. Late but out there.

Black Dog · Sep 4, 2018

Recieved two more cards today
Success Rice by Howard Simmons-as a fan of photographers like Robert Adams, the Bechers etc I always enjoy pictures like this. Success rise sounds like the latest piece of management speak as well!
A moody street scene by Laurent-good use of contrasty lighting and shadows;draws you in and then you notice the two figures placed in just the right position near the bottom left. A
also you've cleverly used the wires to fill up what could have been an empty area of sky. Works well as a square too.

tezzasmall · Sep 4, 2018

Laurent said:
I just dropped my cards in the box, so in a few days they should reach their "targets".

I've received three cards in the last few days, with today being Tuesday 04 September 18.

On Friday past I received a card from Lars. Despite a little mark on the picture, made during its transit, it shows a great view over a river, bridges and buildings, taken from up higher with a border on two sides of trees and shrubs. I love views like this.

Saturday, I received a card from Iandvaag. Previously commented on, it's an interesting, almost portrait like, picture of some plants directly in front of a peeling painted wall. Great contrast between nature and us.

And then today, I have received Laurent's card, just a few days after the posting of it. It shows a gap between two buildings. Steep stairs, shadows and wires all add interest.

Note that the cards are much better than my descriptions and the variation of the postage stamps on each card, is always a bonus to look at as well.

Thanks to all for the cards so far.

Terry S

tezzasmall · Sep 4, 2018

Black Dog said:
...as a fan of photographers like the Bechers etc I always enjoy pictures like this.

I was never a real fan of the Bechers work in the past, until a few years ago, when I went to see an exhibition of their work in London. I was an immediate convert, for as we all know, a print in the hand / on a wall, is so much more powerful and in many cases more beautiful, than any representation on a screen. This is why I try to see as many photographic exhibitions as possible.

Terry S

Black Dog · Sep 4, 2018

tezzasmall said:
I was never a real fan of the Bechers work in the past, until a few years ago, when I went to see an exhibition of their work in London. I was an immediate convert, for as we all know, a print in the hand / on a wall, is so much more powerful and in many cases more beautiful, than any representation on a screen. This is why I try to see as many photographic exhibitions as possible.

Terry S

It was good to see a whole room dedicated to their pictures at Tate Modern last year (might have been 2016)-their work makes much more sense when you see a big group of their images all together.

mike c · Sep 5, 2018

Just sent my cards off, a little late,been a rough year for me so far, but looking forward to PCE #45

Black Dog · Sep 6, 2018

mike c said:
Just sent my cards off, a little late,been a rough year for me so far, but looking forward to PCE #45

Me too!

Laurent · Sep 7, 2018

Black Dog said:
Recieved two more cards today
A moody street scene by Laurent-good use of contrasty lighting and shadows;draws you in and then you notice the two figures placed in just the right position near the bottom left. A
also you've cleverly used the wires to fill up what could have been an empty area of sky. Works well as a square too.

tezzasmall said:
I've received three cards in the last few days, with today being Tuesday 04 September 18.
And then today, I have received Laurent's card, just a few days after the posting of it. It shows a gap between two buildings. Steep stairs, shadows and wires all add interest.

Thanks! It took me years (litteraly) to accept wires as an important element in the picture. In my younger years, I'd move endlessly until I could eliminate all wires (not very successfully of course) and would never print images with that many wires and poles "polluting" them. Nowadays, I tend to look for them (easy, they are everywhere!) and my life is MUCH easier !

Oxleyroad · Sep 8, 2018

8th and 9th postcards arrived. Laurent - View from Marseille. Another square picture that really suits the scene. Larsac - Pittsburg Westend Overlook. I love the clouds in the picture.

Oxleyroad · Sep 8, 2018

Today's post brought in another postcard. Howard Earl - 'Success Rice'. It is interesting looking at the words painted on the silo complex. They almost appear to hover over the silos.

Laurent · Sep 12, 2018

Hello,

I've received three cards this week:

Oxleyraod's "Waterfalls", nice landscape,with an interesting point of view.
Howard's "Success rice", great industrial landscape (somewhat "Becher-esque")
Mike C's Curb fence and beach. It's nice the delayed trigger was too fast, I like the motion impression from you walking in the picture

Thanks!

mike c · Sep 12, 2018

Thanks Laurent, thats me trying to get in position in front of camera, did not make it , but I do like the "slow" motion it made.

Black Dog · Sep 13, 2018

mike c said:
Thanks Laurent, thats me trying to get in position in front of camera, did not make it , but I do like the "slow" motion it made.

I've just recieved this one, loved the dreamlike feel. I don't mind a bit of blur every now and then!

mike c · Sep 13, 2018

Thanks Black Dog, I like it better also due to the blur, think I will start using that more. I'm always trying to get everything in focus and sharp , gotta relax a little.,

Black Dog · Sep 14, 2018

Take a look at Louis Faurer's work some time, you'd probably like it.

Oxleyroad · Sep 16, 2018

11th Postcard is in from mike c - Curb, Fence and Beach. As others have mentioned the blur works really well.

bedrof · Sep 25, 2018

received this week:
Success Rice - Howard Earl - interesting industrial view! I just checked New Topographics, which arose in my mind after looking at the card, and found already mentioned here Becher family among the participants.
Street scene - Laurent - human figures, tree shadows and electric wires are all there to present a view into everyday life of Marseille. Nicve tones.

kraker · Sep 29, 2018

I still haven't had a chance to print my cards for this round: unfortunate and sad family business is keeping me busy. But eventually I will deliver, rest assured.

I did receive a bunch of cards since my last update, in random order:
mike c, Curb, fence and Beach, or, if you allow me to update that title a bit: Curb, fence, beach and photographer. Nice view that unexpectedly turned into a nice action shot as well, I really like it!
Laurent, seaside town, lots of details, lots of things happening. Nice one. I might find the answer if I scroll up a bit, but what camera did you use?
Oxleyroad, Waterfalls, nature offers us such great opportunities for great photos. Again, another very nice print.
Black Dog, The Rockpoolers, great shot of a family going through their beach findings. Absolutely lovely!
iandvaag, Lychnis, great juxtaposition of the flowers against the wall. Very nice.
MattKing, February reflected, yes, you really caught the mood in that one, stunning!
Howard Earl, Success Rice, wow, if I would know of any of these structures near me, I would go there with lots of film and lots of cameras. Great! (US and Dutch postal services managed to put stickers over your name, but searching through this thread shows me that this is your postcard).

Laurent · Sep 29, 2018

kraker said:
Laurent, seaside town, lots of details, lots of things happening. Nice one. I might find the answer if I scroll up a bit, but what camera did you use?

I'll spare you the effort: I used my Rolleiflex 3.5B (a.k.a M-EVS), best camera for street and candid I think

mike c · Sep 29, 2018

kraker said:

mike c, Curb, fence and Beach, or, if you allow me to update that title a bit: Curb, fence, beach and photographer. Nice view that unexpectedly turned into a nice action shot as well, I really like it!

Click to expand...

Thanks kraker, how about clumsy photographer stumbles over curb and falls into fence at the beach attempting a selfie ... film at !!:00.

bedrof · Oct 5, 2018

received also
Curb, fence and beach - mike c - nice geometry of lines. That's an oil platform off the shore, right? shadow of the photographer makes it alive
Pittsburgh view - LarsAC - interesting cityscape, lot of details, worth exact viewing.

drpsilver · Oct 8, 2018

07 Oct 2018

Here are my comments on the cards I have received since my last post.
The card from mike c shows a familiar effect to me. I to have a camera with a "fast" mechanical self-timer. It can be quite frustrating at times. Worked to Mike's advantage in this case.
The photo from Laurent has a lot of subject matter for the viewer to look at. It is an interesting juxtaposition of old and new, light industrial and store fronts, ... The two people in the image give it "life".
The photo from LarsAC looked familiar. My wife and I did some campaign work in Harris County, PA in 2004. We visited Pittsburg during that trip. A very nice overview of the city. I like how you "framed" the city with the foliage.
The card from Oxleyroad shows a place with a lot of "photographic possibilities". I like the composition (using repeated patterns), but find the print a little too contrasty (but you are the photographer, so print to your aesthetic).
"Success Rice" from Howard Earl is well photographed. Howard controlled the converging lines nicely. This is a sight I do not see much less traveling in the central valley of California.

Thanks to all for some really nice prints, even though the post office "left their mark" on some of them.

Regards,
Darwin

Black Dog · Oct 9, 2018

I enjoyed the picture from Lars as well-yes the use of the foliage as a frame was a nice touch.

aluk · Oct 11, 2018

As I've just received my first postcard for round 45 I figured I'd better catch up with this round. Since my last post I've received excellent postcards from: bedrof - great shot and great printing, it really conveys the rural nature of the place... and an uncommon (at least here in Canada) paper as well, always nice to see something different. Howard's Success Rice - would love to see that shot printed much, much larger; all those fine lines on the building really draw the eye in. Laurent - also a great shot, nice contrast and perspective. And thanks for sharing your philosophy of power lines, I'll have to give it a try myself! mike c - also a fan of the blurriness, and although you said it's early morning, my first thought on seeing the image was that night was falling, and so that, the blurriness, and the glowing oil rig off in the distance give the shot a certain eeriness/atmospheric sense (at least for me). The last two I've received are both shots from up high - a lovely waterfall from Oxleyroad and LarsAC's sweeping view of Pittsburgh - one an urban scene and one in nature, but both showing, in different ways, river landscapes; I enjoyed pondering the unexpected thematic similarity between these. Thanks to all!

Postcard Exchange Round 44 Comments & Feedback

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