Postcard Exchange Round 60 Comments and Feedback

[koraks]

I just got @koraks ' Gourd in the post.

Hey great, thanks!
I just received word from @Todd Barlow that my card to him didn't make it - that is to say, the actual print detached from the cardstock to make it sturdy. I assume this will happen to some other cards as well, as they've all been produced in the same way. I used spray glue to stick the print to the card, and apparently that isn't a reliable way to mount RC paper to matte board. Darn!

If you receive a blank card from me, please let me know and I'll ensure you can at least get to see the image in some way.

 

[mfohl]

I just received koraks' "Gourd" today. Complete, intact, stiff, just a small scratch to let me know it's been through the post ... Nice subject, nice shot. Thanks Raphaël!

PS - thanks for the good words ...

 

[koraks]

Great to hear, Mark! Thanks so much!

 

[Todd Barlow]

PCX#60 gems received as of Dec 6:

Dec 6 - Jim Christie - Forgotten Things - Beautiful! Combines some of my favorite things, doors, peeling paint and lines! Nicely done!
Dec 5 - SJC1952 - Four Young Men - I have always admired street photographers and street photography - something I have never really done. Nicely seen and executed, loaded with detail!
Nov 30 - koraks - Ganoderma - Had a mishap with the image detaching from the cardstock in the post...
Nov 23 - bedrof - A winding road - Well seen with classical composition elements. Beautiful layering from foreground to the distant background!
Nov 22 - Ansel Mortensen - Scotts Valley - Lovely bokeh and composition, I walk by fields of these everyday and have thought to photograph, motivation arrived in the post!
Nov 15 - KitosLAB - Mill and Wooden Temple - I used to pass a Boykos style Ukrainian Church in Brampton Ontario, just beautiful! Never stopped to photograph. Motivation to photograph is returning! Added double exposure, nicely done!
Nov 10 - mshchem - Man in Tree - My wife and I are debating where the man is, I actually see a large cat climbing the tree, never the less well seen and executed!
Nov 8 - Daniela - An Overthinkers Dream - Great title for this shot full of "Easter Egg" questions... what does the lawn sign say and what is the black image to the left. Well seen!
Nov 7 - KRNOW - Gunnera Leaf - Beautiful and inspirational to try!
Nov 6 - DRPSILVER - Tiger Beetle Tracks - I love black and white - tone and texture and the abstract, nicely done!
Nov 3 - Tel - Lunch - This is my second PCX and like the first I find motivation from images of others. Opportunities for shots are everywhere, why am I not taking my camera everywhere, thanks!
Nov 3 - JVO - hah-rumphf - Great shot! Especially the slight head tilt that adds to the whole dismissiveness!
Nov 3 - Michael Howard - Ghost Last Supper - The contrast difference between the figures and the hill side really grows on me every time I return to the photo, nicely done.
Oct 27 - mfohl - Why so serious? - Well seen! - why are the wipers up, why is the oil filter gasket on the ground, why is only the passenger side sun shade down, why....
Oct 25 - negativefunk - I was going elsewhere - Beautiful image with the fog!
Oct 20 - Don Heisz - Bean leaf - Love the detail of the photo but also the story on how it was made.

 

[mshchem]

@koraks I received your beautiful color print, "Gourd" came through in LN-, . Lovely glossy color print on Fujifilm DPII real color paper. Mount is holding up nicely. Thanks!
Best Regards Mike

 

[koraks]

That's great, Mike! I sent out 4 different images and I think most of the 'Gourds' have made it now!

 

[Don_ih]

Got a nice 5x7 from @Tom Taylor in the mailbox yesterday - a very nice view of Lake Virginia, with peaks in the background. Thanks!

 

[Tom Taylor]

Thanks Don. I enjoyed your White Van as well.

That was my first time developing with D-72 and after mixing it I discovered that I had both of the carbonates out. Did I screw-up like last time and use the wrong carbonate? Nope, I used the correct one this time.

Beginning a new photo project this weekend photographing the solar photosphere in white light with my Pentax 80mm spotting scope and F6. The weight of the scope w/eyepiece and camera is well within the 11lb payload of the tracker and I would like to get a good 11x14 print for the wall. I have an eyepiece projection adapter coming in tomorrow which will allow me to shoot 480mm prime focus and through a 30x eyepiece. The solar filter that I got for the Pentax also fits the 300mm AF Nikkor so it will be interesting to see what set-up works best.. The sun is very active right now and Thursday I thought that I could make out solar prominences.

 

[drpsilver]

10 Dec 2023

Two new cards arrived over the past week. "Lake Virginia" from Tom Taylor is a photo of a characteristic alpine lake in the Sierra. It reminded me of my hike to the Sally Keyes lakes near Kings Canyon NP. I hope the backpack trip was as enjoyable as possible.
"Clouds" from koraks arrived with photo attached, although a little scuffed by the post office. A very nice color print of clouds that give the them a sense of motion. I like how you just included the grasses as a "reference point". I am please that you liked "Tiger Beetle Tracks".

Regards,
Darwin

 

[mfohl]

I received Tom Taylor's nice card about a week ago. It was in an envelope, and it got mixed in with the Christmas cards. "Lake Virginia (10,300)" I guess that's feet above sea level. Anyway, it is a nice landscape / sea scape of a lake with mountains in the background. Yes, consistent with my view of northern California. And what a nice view it is. I can imagine spending weeks photographing the great scenery. Very nice, Tom, thanks.

 

[Jim Christie]

Received a number of cards over the past weeks:

• Scotts Valley from AnselMortensen. I really like floral photographs, and this one is beautiful. The old Kodak postcard paper (I wasn’t even aware they made that) certainly seems to be working just fine.
• Tiger Beetle Tracks by drpsilver: I’ve seen some of the discussions earlier in the thread about this, and it’s certainly easy to see many things in these patterns. I like how the different levels of shade on the background provide a sort of separation between the beginning of the track and as they trail off.
• hah-rumphf by JVO: Looks like a serious character. I know it’s sitting on a flat surface, but if you look at it long enough it almost seems like he’s the apex of a pyramid.
• Man in Tree by mshchem: I read once that the human brain excels seeing certain patterns, something that was apparently beneficial long ago. My daughter and I looked at this for a while, and we saw a lot of forms, faces and shapes — great fun.
• Rock face abstract by Todd Barlow: Continuing on the theme of patterns, this image captures a section of a larger rock face with interesting shapes and contrasting lights and darks.
• Ghost Rider by Michael Howard: Hopefully that’s a sculpture ! We have ’ghost bikes’ (sadly too many) around here, but nothing quite like that.
• Grain Elevator Pattern by mfohl: Simple and interesting pattern of silo rings. Having been raised on a farm, I recognized those right away.

The PCX has been great fun this year. Thanks to all and best wishes for the holidays and new year!

-Jim

 

[koraks]

I received Tom Taylor's nice card about a week ago.

Me too! Thank you @Tom Taylor for taking me on your fantastic trip! The card is a classic beauty for sure.

 

[Rob Skeoch]

These are the latest ones that I've received...
Ganoderma by Koraks, this one arrived in good condition. Very nice tones in this interesting shot.
Forgotten Things by Jim Christie, I think their going to have to repaint that door, or at least sand/chip off some of the old paint to make it new again. Nice shot.
Lake Virginia by Tom Taylor, such a beautiful photo of that wonderful area.
Gunnera Leaf by KRNOW, that's a very interesting photo. I'm guessing you make a digital negative with an Epson printer and then make the Cyanotype contact print. Very nice.

 

[AnselMortensen]

The two I have received most recently:

"Lake Virginia" from Tom Taylor, a nice atmospheric landscape study,
and
"Clouds" from Koraks...a very nice minimalist color skyscape.
Unfortunately, it arrived damaged by Post Office equipment rollers. I think thickness/rigidity might have been the cause.

 

[George Nova Scotia]

Thanks everyone for playing along - the sign up thread for Round 61 is active.

Postcard Exchange Round 61 SIGN UP

Yes, it's time for a new round with a new year as well. Please join in and keep postcards alive. Sign up lasts all of January. In early February I'll send you a list of wonderful people who like to send you postcards custom made just for you. Digital shooters are welcome, I believe we only had...

www.photrio.com

 

[koraks]

For the curious: all 4 of the prints I sent round in PCX60 are viewable here: https://tinker.koraks.nl/photography/photrio-postcard-exchange-pcx60/

 

[Daniela]

For the curious: all 4 of the prints I sent round in PCX60 are viewable here: https://tinker.koraks.nl/photography/photrio-postcard-exchange-pcx60/

Beautiful! The monstera one's colors are exquisite

Just received the first postcard of 2024, what a great surprise! @MattiS 's "Chasing trains". Are you sure you didn't take it in the 1900s? I wonder what those people in the back were thinking when they were looking straight at you...Also, I really like the glow effect from dodging around the train. Thank you!

 

[koraks]

Thanks @Daniela, much appreciated!

 

[mfohl]

The postcard says PCX 56, I'm going to comment on it here. It was postmarked December 23 of '23. It is Howard Earl's "Please Help", a nice street scene. A homeless person asking for donations, and of course, most people just passing by. Good catch on this one, a common situation. Thanks Howard.

 

[Ajven]

Ho, hooo. Today I received @MattiS 's "Chasing trains" postcard. I was a little perplexed by glowing effect in front of the engine for the first time I really like the steam engines and this is very cool photo. Thank you!

 

[koraks]

Today I received @MattiS 's "Chasing trains" postcard.

Me too - it's beautiful!

 

[negativefunk]

I got @MattiS one too, arrived in perfect shape. I like trains in general and older ones even more . Thanks for it!

 

[Todd Barlow]

PCX#60 gems received as of Jan 6:

Dec8 - Tom Taylor - Lake Virginia - Endurance...carrying a F3 and some kit on a multiday multi thousand foot elevation gain backpacking trip! Nice reward! Great capture of a beautiful vista!
Dec 6 - Jim Christie - Forgotten Things - Beautiful! Combines some of my favorite things, doors, peeling paint and lines! Nicely done!
Dec 5 - SJC1952 - Four Young Men - I have always admired street photographers and street photography - something I have never really done. Nicely seen and executed, loaded with detail!
Nov 30 - koraks - Ganoderma - Had a mishap with the image detaching from the cardstock in the post...
Nov 23 - bedrof - A winding road - Well seen with classical composition elements. Beautiful layering from foreground to the distant background!
Nov 22 - Ansel Mortensen - Scotts Valley - Lovely bokeh and composition, I walk by fields of these everyday and have thought to photograph, motivation arrived in the post!
Nov 15 - KitosLAB - Mill and Wooden Temple - I used to pass a Boykos style Ukrainian Church in Brampton Ontario, just beautiful! Never stopped to photograph. Motivation to photograph is returning! Added double exposure, nicely done!
Nov 10 - mshchem - Man in Tree - My wife and I are debating where the man is, I actually see a large cat climbing the tree, never the less well seen and executed!
Nov 8 - Daniela - An Overthinkers Dream - Great title for this shot full of "Easter Egg" questions... what does the lawn sign say and what is the black image to the left. Well seen!
Nov 7 - KRNOW - Gunnera Leaf - Beautiful and inspirational to try!
Nov 6 - DRPSILVER - Tiger Beetle Tracks - I love black and white - tone and texture and the abstract, nicely done!
Nov 3 - Tel - Lunch - This is my second PCX and like the first I find motivation from images of others. Opportunities for shots are everywhere, why am I not taking my camera everywhere, thanks!
Nov 3 - JVO - hah-rumphf - Great shot! Especially the slight head tilt that adds to the whole dismissiveness!
Nov 3 - Michael Howard - Ghost Last Supper - The contrast difference between the figures and the hill side really grows on me every time I return to the photo, nicely done.
Oct 27 - mfohl - Why so serious? - Well seen! - why are the wipers up, why is the oil filter gasket on the ground, why is only the passenger side sun shade down, why....
Oct 25 - negativefunk - I was going elsewhere - Beautiful image with the fog!
Oct 20 - Don Heisz - Bean leaf - Love the detail of the photo but also the story on how it was made.

 

[Don_ih]

I, to, received the card from @MattiS -- there is a steam train that operates in this town as a tourist attraction. I have yet to chase it, though. A very nice print!

 

[drpsilver]

07 Jan 2024

WOW, 2024 already and this is going to be a "wild year" for those of us in the United States. Now to a much more enjoyable topic - postcards.

"Please Help" from Howard Earl has a story that unfortunately is all too familiar in large cities. You have captured the parson and his plea with grace and mercy. (I just noticed that this print was for PCX #56. I will copy this post it the appropriate thread.)
"Casualty" from rcphoto also has a story to tell. Unfortunately, this scene is repeated in many parts of California.

I look forward to seeing more images, and Round #61

Regards,
Darwin