Postcard Exchange Round 55 Comments and Feedback

[George Nova Scotia]

Messages have been sent for round 55, you should have a new conversation from me.
Please let me know if you're sending a digital origin card by replying to my conversation. I'd like to keep track since this is the first time.
As usual this thread is for comments and feedback. Let us know how you are doing and feel free to comment on what you receive.

Please wait a few days for any corrections then let the mailings begin. There have been address changes so check carefully. Please check that your name is the first on your list.

ajmiller (8)
bedrof (12)
Dan McGuire (MAX)
darinwc (MAX)
distributed (8)
Don Heisz (12)
drpsilver (MAX)
gijsbert (15)
hkbenji (MAX)
Howard Earl (MAX)
Jim Christie (MAX)
jord186 (12)
jtk (MAX)
jvo (ALL)
keisisqrl (20)
MattiS (25)
MattKing (12)
mfohl (25)
mikeg (12)
MToma (12)
Oxleyroad (MAX)
tezzasmall (6)
unwantedfocus (MAX)
Wayne Frederick (MAX)

 

[ajmiller]

Very pleased to receive a wonderful print/ postcard from @Dan McGuire today. Thanks Dan.

 

[Don_ih]

It seemingly took just as long to reach me (in the same province) as it did to reach @ajmiller (in a different continent), but I too received a great print from @Dan McGuire today. The church has a great three-dimensional feel to it - it's very striking against the sky. Thanks!

 

[Oxleyroad]

My first card arrived today from Dan. Survived the postal system really well and the franking of the stamp was very clear. Nice parrallel lines. Not a bad effort of Canada Post and USPS to have it delivered 6 days after the postmark. Thanks.

 

[mfohl]

I also received Dan McGuire's church today. A very nice old style wooden church in Ontario. Complete with churchyard. Nice white church, nice dark sky owing to the orange filter. On an Ilford post card too. There's a sticker with *all* the pertinent information on the back. Finally, a question. It's a 5x7 negative; did you contact print only a part of the negative, or did you use a long lens to print it? Thanks Dan!

 

[MattiS]

I received Dan McGuires "EST 1836" today, too. I like the way the church shines against she dark sky. The tree branches in front add extra depth to the image.

 

[Jim Christie]

I received my first postcard from Dan McGuire which depicts a church in Ontario. The composition of this photo is quite interesting — in particular
the relationship of the largest gravestone to the shape of the church windows. Reminded me of some churches near where I grew up in New England. Really nice photo.

Mine will be out tomorrow, so should be arriving in the (hopefully) near future.

 

[Oxleyroad]

2nd post card arrived today. Vertical railing from mfohl. I can understand why this is a favorite subject of yours. Picture pulls you in, and my kids pointed out they had to look hard for where the rail ended and the shadow began. Thanks.

 

[Howard Earl]

Received Dan McGuire church in Ontario this week.Excellent start for PCX55. Keep em coming.

 

[tezzasmall]

I have also have received a print from Dan of a church. A very upright church study with a great darkened sky, achieved by the use of an 'Orange #2' filter - although I had to get a magnifying glass out to read this and the other details, but I'm glad to see it all, as I often wonder how some prints are achieved.

Hopefully my prints will go out soon.

Many thanks for being the first card to be received for this round Dan.

Terry S
UK

 

[Oxleyroad]

Got my third post card today. Jim Christie. Amazing. The blue tint immediately made me think toned, but an inkjet print. Paper weight and texture is perfect fo this print. It survived the USPS mail system really well.

 

[MattiS]

Received "Heath Mynd Hill" from mikeg yesterday. Although shot on film and printed digital, it feels quite analogue - maybe due to the slight vignette. I love these hilly english landscapes. And the mark on the tree for the walking path looks like in our "Stadtpark" - quite international.

 

[mfohl]

I received Jim Christie's "Sculpture Abstract" today. A nice (closeup?) shot of sculptural detail. Very nice, I like structure shots like this. Nice inkjet paper. The postcard itself is interesting too. My last name was totally scraped off, while the Mark is untouched. Does someone want me to be incognito? Also, the stamp is interesting: a very minimal picture of an open window by Emilio Sanchez. Nice total package! Thanks Jim.

 

[Oxleyroad]

My 4th postcard has arrived. Don Heisz - Boat in Farmer's field. Very interesting photo and it keeps drawing the viewer in.

 

[Jim Christie]

A couple more cards came in. mfohl’s “Vertical Railing” arrived in good shape. It’s an interesting study in shadow, and I would imagine its character changes quite a bit depending on the light. I also have a few subjects I return to from time to time to photograph, and they look a little different each time. Thanks also for your comment on my card. You had wondered whether it was a closeup. These sculpture pieces stand about 14 feet tall, and the zoom lens I used was set to (the 35mm equivalent of) 80mm; so I was probably about 15 feet away, or thereabouts.

Don Heisz’s card also arrived and depicts Statues at St. James. I think the grain and contrast look just right for this — sounds like it followed a long path through the darkroom, but the result is worth it. I had to look up the 3A — that’s an interesting camera for sure, and I wasn’t aware that Kodak made those. Learned something new.

 

[MattiS]

Don Heisz´s "Statues of St. James" arrived yesterday. The melting snow and the bit of sky make a nice contrast to theStatues and the dark, leafless tree branches. Strong grain, fits the mood of the photo perfect.

 

[Don_ih]

@Jim Christie -- the camera is the boxy one from about 1910 or so. Taking it out to get a photo is a one-shot thing. The previous postcard exchanges, I have sent everyone different images from 35mm. This time, I took three photos using that camera and made contact prints.
I'm glad people are liking them. Thanks Jim, @MattiS and @Oxleyroad !

 

[mikeg]

I received my first card of the exchange today. An enigmatic photo of a parking meter from @mfohl The card made it to the UK relatively unscathed, just a slightly bent bottom left corner. Thanks very much. I like the slightly surreal nature of the shot and the unusual building behind.

 

[drpsilver]

18 Feb 2022

I have yet to select a negative to print for this round. Maybe this weekend I will get into the darkroom to print. Here are my comments on the cards I have received to-date.

The card from Dan McGuire titled "EST 1836" is well done. You managed the range of tones well. This card was accompanied by a wealth of data about the photo. The card from mfohl titled "Alien" is magical. I wonder what reflection could create such a pattern. Nicely captured and printed. This is my favorite card for this round so far. The card from Jim Christie titled "Sculpture Abstract" is very interesting. I was initially uncertain to the correct orientation of the print - it soon became obvious. I really like the repeating patterns and sharpness of the print. The photo "Statues at St. James" by Don Heisz required some work to print - requiring creating a copy negative. I agree with you that the "grittiness" adds to the feel of the image. I commend you on using such old film for an "outside" project.

I look forward to receiving more cards.

Regards,
Darwin

 

[mfohl]

I received Don Heisz's "Truck in Farmer's Field", a nice shot of a rusted out old truck. Some trees and a fence in the shot. I love these rusted out old hulks, and one of my cards last round was an old car. It's not a complete clunker unless there is vegetation growing through it, as there is in this one. Thanks Don!

 

[Don_ih]

Thanks, Mark. Coincidentally, I received your alien yesterday (It may have come the day before but so did a foot of snow, so...). It's very cool. Without the truck to the side, it would look like a total abstraction. The truck makes you think the alien is a projection of something real, somehow. Very cool!

 

[MattiS]

Yesterday I received "Building Structure" from mfohl. I like the way the wooden facade is transformed in geometric objects. just by the light. Calm subject, but still full of details!

 

[mfohl]

I received bedrof's "Shadow", a nice print of some leafless foliage through a rainy window. Nicely conceived and executed. The sparkly raindrops on the window are tack sharp. Thanks Ilya!

 

[mfohl]

II received mikeg's "Heath Mind from Linley Beeches". It is a very nice minimal landscape featuring (I assume) a beech tree in the foreground and a large rock formation in the far background. Nicely composed and nicely printed on an Epson printer. Thanks Mike!

 

[Jim Christie]

I received jvo’s postcard titled “Stella, surreal.” On first glance I thought it was a collage (and in a way I guess it is). After reading the description I realized that it’s also a rather amazing portrait. It arrived intact although it seems to have had an interesting journey through the postal system. Postmarked on the front oddly enough, but then again maybe apropos a surreal theme! The Edmonia Lewis stamp was a thoughtful touch.