COMMENT THREAD for the April photo contest. Theme: MAKING CONNECTIONS

[regnaD kciN]

Comment on the photos being submitted here.

[F.Gordon]

1. The people have spoken

I'm goin' with the populist pick. Thought about doin' a little switch-a-roo with something very different but my brain said nay-nay.

Excellent job hosting regnaD kciN.
:yourock:

[usedtobesick]

2. Birds of a Feather

the picture is poor but the subject was too interesting... I would have loved to photoshop it to clear up the haze in the background...

[Ms. Toad]

3. Eskimo Fish Kiss

(My daughter Feli's self portrait.) Air breathers and water breathers meet nose to nose.

Darn fish attached itself to her for most of her 45 minute to an hour snorkel just offshore in Cozumel.

[JeffR]

4. Cash Machine Available Here

Was out taking pictures of churches one afternoon, and saw this scene. I was troubled that the image might be seen as exploitative, but overcame my misgivings, since the man's face was hidden from view.

The juxtaposition that presented itself here haunts me.

This was shot with my old but beloved Pentax SP1000, using an 80-200mm Konica zoom. After scanning, I cropped the top of the pic to tighten the composition a little. Other than that, I left it as is.

[Blue_In_AK]

5. I love that shot, JeffR...

It really tells a story.

[JeffR]

6. Thanks, Blue-In-AK

I only hope this man's story has taken a better turn since the day I saw him.

[Blue_In_AK]

7. It reminds me a little of this one

I took in Venice Beach last year. I'm not "certain" that the disdainful looks on the two women at the left are directed at the man, but it sure looks that way. In the immortal words of Rod Stewart :) "Every picture tells a story, don't it?"

[JeffR]

8. Good work

Maybe those women were on their way to buy "handbags and gladrags"...

[bvar22]

9. Great shot,

and a very strong juxtaposition.

[JeffR]

11. Thanks, bvar22

[RoyGBiv]

13. That's excellent ...

Takes my breath away. You've got a novel all wrapped up in that single photograph.

[FM Arouet666]

33. I stopped at your photo

I was quickly scanning over the photos, too busy to shoot myself, heck too busy to look over my old shots. Great photos, but nothing really stood out until I clicked on 'Cash Machine Available Here.' I always go with my emotional response to a photo, the technical aspects are interesting to learn, but I am too much the amateur photographer to get carried away in the details. Art is a meld of expression and emotion. You have my vote. :evilgrin:

[FM Arouet666]

34. Nice shot, but I would have altered the photo a bit

The photo is over exposed and needs to be cropped. In my amateur opinion. ;) I played around with photo shop and got this.



Still a bit grainy, but a great shot nonetheless.

[JeffR]

35. I really like the tight cropping you've done

In retrospect, I wish my cropping hadn't been so conservative.

This is the original scan, before any cropping.


I played around with the contrast a lot on this, finally opting to lighten the whole thing just to capture more midtone detail, even though that overexposed the sign. The original 35mm was too contrasty, so it constrained what I could do with post-processing.

I also experimented with several Virtual Photographer filter settings, but none of them worked for this pic. Found out about these filters on this forum, BTW, and can't recommend them highly enough. They're available at www.optikvervelabs.com and are totally addictive.

:)

[FM Arouet666]

36. Wow, I like the original

I am not very good with cropping. I like the extra detail that photo mags tend to dismiss as a distraction. The original has the shadows along the sidewalk, the Lottery sign, the Cash sign reflection in the window. The eye wanders, but the point is made. Anyway, great pic. You have my vote.

Thanks for the link I will have to give the filters a shot. ;)

[regnaD kciN]

10. I must say...

...my fear had always been that, with a comparatively-esoteric theme like "juxtaposition," we'd get relatively few entrants and I'd wind up looking like a :kick: for suggesting it.

Imagine my surprise to log on barely twelve hours after posting the submission thread, and find half the slots already filled! And with such great photos, too...

:yourock:

[Ms. Toad]

12. Alpha and Omega

I was struck last fall by the juxtaposition of the spring "helicopters" still hanging onto the trees while the fall leaves were preparing to let go.

If it looks familiar it is because I included it as a potential for one of the fall contests last year, but ended up entering a different photo.

[JeffR]

14. The color and composition are just wonderful

Over and above the photo's relationship to the contest theme, it's just a pure visual treat.

[Ms. Toad]

18. Thank you! n/t

[intheflow]

15. CC...

:spray: You're killin' me and usedtobesick! :rofl:

[CC]

16. Glad I could make

you laugh, was pretty much my reaction to them when I took the picture. We had a running commentary between the turtles and ducks. The turtles trying hard to teach them how to get in a proper row. I wish I had video because some of the ducks kept turing in circles.

[intheflow]

17. I'd have loved to see that video.

As it is, this photo is my new desktop image! :D

[F.Gordon]

19. This little group is getting too good

And nice to see some newbies. Hey!!! Where the frug are the Norwegians? I miss our dear photogs from across the ocean.

[RagingInMiami]

20. I like your picture, CC

There's a story in there somewhere.

My picture was taken a few years ago in Los Angeles when I lived out there. Back in my film days when I packed a Canon Elan IIe. A young woman comes home and finds her apartment had caught on fire.

Here are some other pictures from that day. I initially wanted to use the photo of the firefighter downing a soft drink because I like that one better. It's one of my favorite shots.

But I figured the other one is better for "making connections". What do you guys think?

[ConsAreLiars]

21. You do stunning pics of people living their lives.

They deserve the "front page, above the fold" status you have earned. As for which is better, well, the loungers have that vote on this forum.

[RagingInMiami]

22. That's a hell of a compliment coming for you

Cause I know your work is way above average. Thank you.

[Blue_In_AK]

24. I agree, Cons...

I've always been totally in awe of Raging's "people pictures."

[CC]

25. Thanks and these plus you contest entry

all great. I think you used the right one for the contest though this last one is powerful too. The firefighter drinking the soda is a great shot, kind of reminds me of the coke commercials with the women drooling over the construction worker.

[RagingInMiami]

26. That was my thought too when I took the photo

[intheflow]

23. ChinaCat, you've sunk us all.

Any kitten photo is almost sure to win in the Lounge! LOL! Cute shot! :hi:

[regnaD kciN]

27. Oh, really...?

Any kitten photo is almost sure to win in the Lounge!

From my review of every photo contest ever held on DU, I can't find a single example of a photo that included a cat or kitten ever winning.

OTOH, there was one dog photo that won not too long ago... ;-)

[Blue_In_AK]

37. Check this thread...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x5052179

Kittens and puppies seem to be winning the day on this poll, at least.

[neweurope]

28. The bird and the rose. It's funny,and I love the composition and

the colours.

-------------------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[MissHoneychurch]

29. Thanks neweurope

now why I am not surprised :)

[neweurope]

30. Said so from the first - it would makea nice greeting card :)

Even if I do know where the picture was taken :)

----------------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[Whoa_Nelly]

31. Am so excited!

This is my second time to enter this fun contest :)

I LOVE all the great submissions, and also the camaraderie of all involved in the contest, as well as in this forum.

What a great group! :loveya:

[regnaD kciN]

32. Six slots still open...

...with a little more than 24 hours remaining.

Get those submissions in now!

:kick: