t37traveler

Tony -  Thanks for the comments.  Lower would have been unique. If I could have shot lower, I would have, but the pond was surrounded by shrubs (and a fence). I was shoot just over the top of the fence. The light seems a little flat in this shot. I have a few ore from different angles. I'll probably upload one or two of them in a couple of  days.

Tony - thanks for the comments. These are interesting birds to say the least!

Pierre - mon ami!   Thank you for commenting.

Yes, you are right,  they are American forces battling Lord Cornwallis at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse (Cornwallis won this battle, but he lost many men; seven months later he surrendered in Yorktown).

Uncropped photo of 2 American Wood Ducks….comments, observations

and/or suggestions appreciated.

PIerre-

I love this image….full of angles and triangles and wonderful geometric shapes within a very simple color palette. It's fun to look at, clean lines and great contrast.  I'd hang this on my finding room wall!

Monte-  This is truly one of the most amazing action shots of birds of prey that I have ever seen. A perfect capture, IMHO. F/8 and be there!

Raymond - 

Thank you for stopping by and commenting. This a a photograph taken at the Transallegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, WV. I added a texture layer to it to create the scratchy effect. I will have the opportunity to take this photo again in a week. This time I'll try focus stacking  and see whether I prefer the front to back tack sharp  photo or the blurred broken glass in the foreground. 

Raymond - Thank you for stopping by and commenting. This one is a "few" years old, taken with my D100 "back in the day."

Raymond -  This striking image is "simply" wonderfully executed... and I mean simple in terms of color, composition, the balance and symmetry... the contrast of vevelt night skies and the bright glare of pavement (that appears to be wet) tht is hyper-illuminated. It is other-wordly and confuses the imagination. Is it real? What is it? The mind creates visions of alien faces with triangular eyes, or perhaps an alien spaceship...   I really like this; I can spend a lot of time looking - and looking - and looking. 

Raymond -

Thank you! I shot this thru a piece of art glass (the kind used in stained glass projects). It's one of my favorite still lifes as well.

Hi Raymond-  Thanks so much for your comments. Actually, no flash was used here. This was taken at J. C. Raulston Botanical Garden at NC State University.I had taken a camera-free walk-about  a couple of days prior to see what photos ops there were. When I saw this, I knew I had to come back at the same time of day to capture the sun angle and get the same dramatic shadows...and I did.

Thank for the comments. It was quite an interesting place.More photos to follow. The person in the doorway is actually my best friend - and she is also my sister.   : )

Andy -

Hey, thanks for browsing and commenting. HDR can be a lovely thing or a nightmare… it all depends.  This was one of my early HDRs, and that technique really saved the photo by eliminating a lot shadow. Looking at the right hand shed wall you can see by the sharp diagonal shadow that there was a light of lighting contrast from the angle of the sun.

Michael -

I like this photo a lot. It is well exposed and composed with lots of textures and richness of color.  But, it has so much potential to be so much more! The only thing it lacks, for me, is a story line… something to intrigue the eye.  If it were me (and this is only me) I would have added a prop or two to create a story and really engage the viewer…. maybe a book (with a red cover) turned pages down on the swing or a pair of sandals left under the swing, a dropped hat …or an empty wine glass on its side on the ground  near the front leg of the swing…. who was there? where did they go? why?  Food for imaginative thought… you have created a fantastic backdrop  to create a "photo-mystery." The viewer writes his own ending.  I hope this is in your back yard so you can play with the potential if you want to.  I'd love to see what you might create!

Taken in an abandoned farmhouse in rural NC. I deliberately tilted the

camera placing the walls at "all the wrong angles" when composing the

photo,it seemed to create a much more interesting perspective given

relative lack of color (and one that was perhaps more authentic to the last

residents..). Comments are always appreciated.

Andy -  You're very welcome… I just showed this photo to my sister, also a photographer. Her comments, "I love this. Look at the personality. I want to write a children's book about this."  Yes, the bird does have a lot of personality; it is a very engaging picture, and one I think any photographer would be proud to hang on his/her wall. Maybe writing is in your future, too. : )

Andy - Thank you for the comments. This was done a few hers ago when I was first exploring the creative possibilities of PS. It started out as a a photo of a spray of wisteria blossoms.  I have another version which is red/orange, green and white...

Tony - thank you for commenting.  I was a little concerned about the angle I had to shoot from… obviously spectators were kept well away from and behind the line of fire. I liked this photo because of the action demonstrated by the horizontal "jets" of gun smoke (instead of just the usual floating cloud of smoke) and the flag that was illuminated by the sun.

Mark and Andy - Thank you both for your comments. It was the hand that grabbed my attention also..the way they look so used and large beside the bread. I was a bit concerned that it might look out-of-proportion or the finger at the end of the knife look weirdly detached to people.  

Andy - I love this shot. Centering the subject is perfect, especially with the there  distinct bright colors drawing attention. The detail in the snow/ice gives the photo depth and  textural  interest as well as framing the subject. Very well done!  The oblique position of the duck enables the viewer to look right into the duck's eye and keeps the photo from being static. It's just really well done in every aspect.

I cruised your animal gallery and enjoyed all the photos (I am a cat lover), but this one I think is the  best in terms of a nature/wildlife shot.

Colorful ad wonderful!

This is just plain cool! Love the smile abstractness, the simple color palette  and cubist feeling you've captured in these everyday objects in an everyday setting. Well done and well seen.  

I recognize that magical lighting that slips obliquely through clouded skies and makes boats and moorings simply glow. The bridge is a great"hand of man" structural element that adds detail interest that keeps the viewer engaged. Without the bridge, this would be just another average photo of clouds, water and mountains. I also like the lone man in the small sailboat relegated to the corner of the photo; It creates the sense of smallness and aloneness in a still where even the railroad bridge is devoid of activity.  Well seen and well done.

Larry - This photo has it all- mood, mist and masts... and do I see snow, too?! This is a classic waterfront shot superbly done.  

Larry - Thanks for commenting.  I was taking so many rapid fire shots I didn't even see the smoke trails until I download the pics onto my computer.