Postcard Exchange Round 48 Comments and Feedback

[gijsbert]

I have received 7 cards so far, some already long ago, I'm never too quick with comments:

Intense looking tree from matt king with a lovely brown tone I have to try that some time, I rarely get around to toning even though the results are often nice but I find it tricky to control.

Ficus from vedostuu, very nice rendering, looks like a painting.

Street art by Daniel, intriguing photo of street art in Paris, reminds me petroglyphs, wonder what the rest of the negative shows!

Fibonacci Cactus by Darwin, awesome geometrics, good composition too, not seeing the whole plant amplifies the geometry

Aberdeen Elevator by iandvaag, nice interaction between the building and the clouds, must have been some storm!

Waterfall by Howard, confluence of two rivers, I like the movement in the water a lot - a short long exposure I guess, nice

Bunker van Bill, ik ben nog nooit in Vlissingen geweest dus helaas ken ik 'm niet, ongelooflijk dat het 70 jaar later nog staat en wat zijn die antenna's?

Thanks all, always fun to find these cards among the bills and advertisements. Happy holidays!

 

[BSP]

Mike C's Xmas-ized pickup truck was well received today.
After the well-timed subject matter it was the tonality that really struck me.
I really have to try TMY-400 myself now!

Thanks Mike and a very merry holiday season to you too!

Bill
BSP

 

[BSP]

Bunker van Bill, ik ben nog nooit in Vlissingen geweest dus helaas ken ik 'm niet, ongelooflijk dat het 70 jaar later nog staat en wat zijn die antenna's?

Die "antennes" zijn onderdeel van het kunstwerk Windorgel dat op de bunker neergezet is.Leuk om te bekijken en beluisteren

 

[mike c]

Mike C's Xmas-ized pickup truck was well received today.
After the well-timed subject matter it was the tonality that really struck me.
I really have to try TMY-400 myself now!

Thanks Mike and a very merry holiday season to you too!

Bill
BSP

Hi Bill, glad you like the tonality, that is what got my attention while looking thru my front window at home. I grabbed my Rollieflex and headed out to the front yard, it was then I discovered the antlers, (two palm trees lined up behind the pick up) with Christmas right around the corner and needing a photo for the PCX I got two birds with one shot !!!
Any more TMY 400 is the only film I use for the Rollie.
And guess what?, your card, the Sea, a very nice angle of the pilings in relation to the city shoreline, thanks for the card and comments on my card.

Mike C

 

[radiant]

Any more TMY 400 is the only film I use for the Rollie.
Mike C

Your card has ended up in Finland too, thanks for the card. The tonality is really maxed out, almost unreal. Can you tell more how did you expose the negative & exposed the paper? I didn't know that the postcard paper can stretch to such range :O

 

[mike c]

Hello vedostuu, I used Dektol 1:1 , 1 1/2 mins develop time. Burned in the sky for 30% more. After I had processed them all they looked a little to dark but went with what I had since I was short on paper supple. The film was developed with Xtol 1:1 dilution for the Kodak recommended time .
Mike

 

[Black Dog]

Hello vedostuu, I used Dektol 1:1 , 1 1/2 mins develop time. Burned in the sky for 30% more. After I had processed them all they looked a little to dark but went with what I had since I was short on paper supple. The film was developed with Xtol 1:1 dilution for the Kodak recommended time .
Mike

Thanks for that-I think it looks great and nicely offbeat as well. Happy Christmas to you all!

 

[mike c]

Thanks for the comments Jake, and guess what , your "Cells of Life" wandered into my mail box yesterday. Like the way you approach photography, kind of wandering and seeing, I like to do same thing, I just have to get the motivation and get out there. The little sharp pointed water ponds make an interesting foreground. Like the stamps also.
JVO, I have many questions about where you hang out and what you do there. I did not partake in PCE #46 so missed the opportunity to view your "captured" dinosaur, however having consulted with Dr. Borenstein,P.F.H.oF we both agree your captor of this 6mm tall creature has been accurately captured on film in its natural dark murky habitat , good show.
Mike

 

[mfohl]

I got two nice postcards yesterday. One was an "alien" by jvo. The other a Scottish garden, in color, no less. Thanks, Folks, good stuff.

 

[jvo]

ole st. nick treated me well today, including some much needed down time!

rec'd more cards, from...
bill, the netherlands, a good negative... , interesting juxapostion and message, nciely printed
tezzasmall, uk, "white flower...", shapes, lines, tones, and interesting on satin paper!
mike c, christmas antlers, great print of well seen image... very impressive negative
gijsbert, "old tree...", great lines and tones to look at.

thank you all - and happy new year!

 

[tezzasmall]

rec'd more cards, from...
tezzasmall, uk, "white flower...", shapes, lines, tones, and interesting on satin paper!

Good to hear that the first card has arrived, especially as I'm trying out 'ordinary' photo paper for this round. The paper is a lot thinner than the postcard paper, but also a lot cheaper! I'm presuming that it arrived a-OK, with no creases or folds?

I also found it interesting that you picked up on the Ilford satin paper surface that I used. Prints that I've sent to people have usually had the same feeling of surprise, as they've obviously never tried the paper themselves.

I've come to love this paper and prints made small, like for this postcard round and as 12" x 16" prints, always look great! It's well worth a try if you haven't do so yet.

Terry S

 

[MattKing]

I too like the Satin surface. In addition to its appearance, it has one further advantage - Satin surface prints scan well too.

 

[BSP]

@tezzasmall / Terry's nice study of a white flower in a square composition found its way to my doormat today.
I have set my wife the task of identifying the flower in the picture. That will keep her busy of a while

I also really appreciate the shooting and developing info you included on the back.
Now I finally know what Ilford Satin looks like

Have a great new year Terry and see you on the next exchange-round,

Bill
Netherlands

 

[tezzasmall]

Have a great new year Terry and see you on the next exchange-round,

Bill
Netherlands

And back to you Bill and all the other members of this forum.

Cheers to 2020!

Terry S
UK

 

[tezzasmall]

Yesterday three cards landed in my mailbox. The second is from bedrof. The increased contrast in the stone walls give the impression of baking hot sun reflecting off very rough walls. You succeeded in your mission to convey a hot day in Cyprus.
Regards,
Darwin

Bedrof's Old house - the composition is so good that it gives me goosebumps. Suddenly out of words. And I really appreciate the hand written story behind (no puns!) behind the picture. Thank you Ilya!

Jouni, I'm very happy you successfully deciphered my handwriting and moreover liked the card. Thanks!
In few previous rounds I occasionally sent cards on Fomabrom double-weight paper without an envelope. Paper gives me an impression of rather sturdy stuff. Hope it got to the recipients in decent shape.
This round I will be late with some cards. That task of spot-retouching is taking more time than I expected, though half of the cards are already on the go.

Well, I've finally received my copy of Bedrof's card, and it was worth the wait.

It's a great print of a section of a building from his summer holiday in Cyprus this year, 2019. The print was shot on a Pentax K1000, showing that it's the photographer and not the most recent model of camera that makes it all happen.

I've mentioned before, but I love the surface of the paper used, which looks and feels like the 'satin / lustre' type surface used decades ago with colour prints. It has that surface which you can run a fingernail over and make a sound! Oh, and it's Slavich FB, in case anyone wonders.

So thanks once more Ilya for a great print for my collection.

Terry S

 

[awty]

My little pictures have been posted, hope some of them make it to the rest of the world.

I have received 7 great cards so far. Mr Simmons lovely cascading water fall picture, with fluffy white water and leave less trees. Mr Williams great picture, not everyday you see someone in gumboots, wearing a fur coat and gloves waving a stick, must be England. Laurent's picture of a sun ray burst over a river with shiney silver water and a girl soaking her feet....hope she doesnt fall in. Mr Andvaag picture of the old wooden Pool silo, never new they kept pools in silos, love the clouds. Mr Mfohl picture looking down street with a large TV antenna in the distance. Im sure reception is very good there. Mr Kings lovely tree branch still with leaves, odd for Canada, must be south, love the toning. Mr Federick MASSIVE postcard picture of the Abbott School with a man hiding behind some netting with his feet hanging down, weird.
Thanks all.

 

[Ariston]

I, too, received the photo of JVO's specimen. I worry that he is sharing this photo so prolifically. There are some governments that may not wish this to be seen by the public.

I also got a cool photo of a wall of buoys from Rowreidr. Very nice!

 

[mfohl]

My little pictures have been posted, hope some of them make it to the rest of the world.

Mr Mfohl picture looking down street with a large TV antenna in the distance. Im sure reception is very good there.

… one would hope ….

 

[mfohl]

I received two nice postcards yesterday! Tezzasmalls nice photo of the white flower in the garden. And rowreidr’s buoys. Might I say that’s a boatload of buoys? The other surprise was that tezzasmall’s postcard came in the same envelope as the BPX 33 print.

 

[MattKing]

I too have received "ALIEN" from jvo - dark, mysterious and interesting.
Happy Holidays to you too!

 

[mike c]

A card from Rowreidr today with many buoy's hanging out, just right before the New Year, thanks for the card.
Mike

 

[bedrof]

Some cards from the pile I received lately:
A very nice and calm portraiture of people resting on a beach according to the caption on the back of the card by Black Dog.
Not completely sure here, but I consider "The Alte und das Neue" by BSP and "Aberdeen Elevator" by iandvaag of somewhat similar manner, though shot far from each other. With an emphasis on architecture both prints give you many details and contrasts.
I like the composition of "Extended shadow" by mfohl very much with all those straight lines and regular brick pattern crossed by the shadow of another rectangular frame.
I also like the very fine detail of the waterfall and surrounding trees in the card from Howard Earl.
Thanks for this varied visual experience!

More cards will get their few words tomorrow.

 

[bedrof]

Well, I've finally received my copy of Bedrof's card, and it was worth the wait.

It's a great print of a section of a building from his summer holiday in Cyprus this year, 2019. The print was shot on a Pentax K1000, showing that it's the photographer and not the most recent model of camera that makes it all happen.

I've mentioned before, but I love the surface of the paper used, which looks and feels like the 'satin / lustre' type surface used decades ago with colour prints. It has that surface which you can run a fingernail over and make a sound! Oh, and it's Slavich FB, in case anyone wonders.

So thanks once more Ilya for a great print for my collection.

Terry S

Thank you Terry for your kind words!

 

[George Nova Scotia]

I forgot to post yesterday, the sign up thread for round 49 is active. Thanks to everyone who participated in this round and look forward to seeing you in the next.

George

 

[Black Dog]

My little pictures have been posted, hope some of them make it to the rest of the world.

I have received 7 great cards so far. Mr Simmons lovely cascading water fall picture, with fluffy white water and leave less trees. Mr Williams great picture, not everyday you see someone in gumboots, wearing a fur coat and gloves waving a stick, must be England. Laurent's picture of a sun ray burst over a river with shiney silver water and a girl soaking her feet....hope she doesnt fall in. Mr Andvaag picture of the old wooden Pool silo, never new they kept pools in silos, love the clouds. Mr Mfohl picture looking down street with a large TV antenna in the distance. Im sure reception is very good there. Mr Kings lovely tree branch still with leaves, odd for Canada, must be south, love the toning. Mr Federick MASSIVE postcard picture of the Abbott School with a man hiding behind some netting with his feet hanging down, weird.
Thanks all.

ISTR that was probably my niece!