Seeing Textures: Once again, trying to see what's beyond the obvious and commonplace. Shot for the theme: Textures Your opinions and feedback would be much appreciated. 1. "Smooth...

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Once again, trying to see what's beyond the obvious and commonplace. Shot for the theme: Textures

Your opinions and feedback would be much appreciated.

1. "Smooth Texture, Contained."

2. "Warning: Sticky When Wet" (tree sap)

3. a mountain of discards waiting for recycling

4. shot through a store window, this is a dress for Quinceañera (a celebration of a girl's 15th birthday that is common in Mexican and other Latin American cultures)

Thanks for your time!

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UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Your great eye at work, Linda! #2 really appeals to me.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

UTMike wrote:

Your great eye at work, Linda! #2 really appeals to me.

Thank you, Mike!

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

Suggests to me Linda that you really do view the world with a photographers eye.
No 3 is a great composition to me, there's beauty even in rubbish.
And motivational.
Critique? No 1 I might have cropped 'a bit" top and right.
2 & 3 lovely.
No 4. Mmmm. Yeah, nah, yeah. In the eye of the beholder of course but doesn't hold my interest.
Really do admire your technique and different captures.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

TonyP wrote:

Suggests to me Linda that you really do view the world with a photographers eye.
No 3 is a great composition to me, there's beauty even in rubbish.
And motivational.
Critique? No 1 I might have cropped 'a bit" top and right.
2 & 3 lovely.
No 4. Mmmm. Yeah, nah, yeah. In the eye of the beholder of course but doesn't hold my interest.
Really do admire your technique and different captures.

Thank you so much for your time and extensive comments, Tony!

I did several crops and pp looks with #1. Ultimately, for the texture theme I decided on the one posted to make the sure the shape of the container is clear. A closer crop just didn't look right. However, I'm attaching a totally different pov as another of my loves: graphical, harsh b&w.

I'll also show you what the stacks look like after they've been shrink-wrapped - complete with a swallow photo bomb

I get your reaction to #4. Even though I loved the dress, I couldn't get a decent angle (the headless mannequin didn't help), so this view is slightly awkward.

Again, many thanks!

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Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

Fun set Linda. Being a lifetime birder, I immediately lose any focus on the overall image when a bird is involved. I really like the last one

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Curmudgeon wrote:

Fun set Linda. Being a lifetime birder, I immediately lose any focus on the overall image when a bird is involved. I really like the last one

Thank you very much, Jack! The second pic I just posted for Tony shows some of the stacks after they've been shrink-wrapped. I watched the couple of swallows flying and discovered they had nests between some stacks! Hope those stacks aren't scheduled to be moved anytime soon...

carlysue Loc: Columbus

I understand why you showed the container's structure in #1. and you certainly showed ultra smooth texture but..
what a cool shot of that bird ! I'd keep just the 8 boxes surrounding it as it looks into nothingness! I'm certain there is an allegory/apologue here.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Linda From Maine wrote:

Once again, trying to see what's beyond the obviou... (show quote)

No. 2 and 3 really say "texture" to me. My favorite photo of this bunch, with the theme in mind, is number three because that is just all about texture. No 1 and no. 4 are very fine photos; but I don't necessarily associate them with texture. No. 2 is helped by the title; but you can see the sticky mess on the fence so it does definitely convey "texture" as a theme. Tough subject to hone in on. We all see and comment about textures "in" photos; but it is a different challenge to make the photo "about" texture.
Erich

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

Linda From Maine wrote:

Thank you so much for your time and extensive comm... (show quote)

Amazing the difference emphasizing the contrast (and the crop maybe

). Okay, so you've spoiled your theme of textures, but as a pic I reckon that's a winner.

Love it.

And the shrink wrapped stacks. You not only have an astute photographers eye, your timing with the bird was perfect. Another

from me

Edit: Just had another look at 'The Pallets'. I would have waited about a 1/30th sec before shooting, just to get the swallow centred. But guess thats being a bit picky

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

carlysue wrote:

I understand why you showed the container's structure in #1. and you certainly showed ultra smooth texture but..
what a cool shot of that bird ! I'd keep just the 8 boxes surrounding it as it looks into nothingness! I'm certain there is an allegory/apologue here.

Thanks very much, Carla!

The stories of nature-impacted-by-humans are endless, it feels.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

ebrunner wrote:

No. 2 and 3 really say "texture" to me. ... (show quote)

Thanks very much for your thoughtful comments, Erich.

It is often difficult for me to restrict a composition to "just" the theme, even with textures, and even though this theme was one I came up with (I was asked to host this week)

What I've enjoyed about themed threads, even going back to FYC in 2015 into 2017, is the variety of interpretations and styles and interests of the participants.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

TonyP wrote:

Amazing the difference emphasizing the contrast (a... (show quote)

Thanks Tony!

Swallows are ridiculously fast flyers, and quite small birds. It flew into the frame as I was pressing the shutter button - strictly an accidental capture

After that, though, the one that sat on the wire stayed that way for about four shots.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Nice shooting, Linda. I believe the first is my favorite, and your texture exercise was an absolute success.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

jaymatt wrote:

Nice shooting, Linda. I believe the first is my favorite, and your texture exercise was an absolute success.

Thank you John! Right now it's more challenging and fun for me to go beyond the "obvious"

.