Here are my self indulgent ramblings concerning this weeks images at the PF gallery found at http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery.html. Elson T. Elizaga (Teapots) - Nicely lit product shot although compositionally I would prefer it without the black pot at the left but then again I like the reflection of the flame on that pot so if you could get that reflection on one of the other pots that would be great. But then again the reflection is at least in part due to it being in shadow and the other pots aren't casting strong shadows. Actually I really like the relationship of the spouts of the other three pots. Hey, I did say I was rambling. John Mason (Bethany Baptist Church, Brunswick County, Virginia) - Length of title aside, a very simple, almost graphic geometric design but with two touches of reality being the small tuft of clouds and the slight tilt to the church (or camera). The tuft of cloud helps me believe this is a real scene of a real church and not just a series of shapes. The slight slant of the image prevents the anal feeling a symmetrical image like this can easily take on. I like this shot mostly because its not exactly level. Marcin Truchanowicz (Cracow - Pub Singer) - Intriguing image Marcin and an equally intriguing title. Of course the Singer referred to is a sewing machine but my question is why is it in a pub? And perhaps more importantly where is this pub with such awesome lighting? I really love the lighting and actually the whole image. Very nice. Dan Reeves - Now this appears to me to be just a simple light bulb and perhaps it is or perhaps I am missing something. However, I have made several attempts to shoot a single light bulb looking for this kind of result but I've not succeeded yet. It doesn't seem to me that it should really be difficult to get the exposure but I think my poor calculations. So you have my respect Dan. Angela Turnpaugh (Rascal Flatts) - Not bad Angie. I suppose the light shining directly into the lens has contributed to the low contrast or do you use a cheap scanner like I do? Nice shot though although the people on stage look to me like Lee Majors and that actor that played the recovering alcaholic on Seinfeld. Kostas Papakotas (when iron meets wood n.2) - If I remember correctly you submitted another image from this non-series before. I think I remember incorrectly complaining about your choice of focus. Anyway onto this image. I would leave the crop as it is. To have the bottom of the diagonal hit the corner of the frame would be too much for me. The subject is extremely simple - one vertical and one diagonal. Having the diagonal run off two sides as opposed to one adds another edge (and more interest) to the diagonal. Hey, who did you piss off at the gallery staff? Again you have last week's details tacked onto your image. Rob Miracle (Butterflies) - WOW! That's almost unnaturally sharp except for the larger butterfly). The blurry guy is sort of freaking me out but I really like the pattern of the shapes in this image. It would make a great fabric/tile/wallpaper if you shrunk it down a bit. Marilyn Dalrymple (The Toy Bag is Empty) - I like the composition. I like the tree filtered lighting and I like the color balance. Despite the feeling that my eyes are watering and I'm going to start sneezing from getting too close to Fluffy, you have once again impressed me with a cat photo and that's not an easy thing to do. jIMMY Harris (TOADS) - While waiting for my ISP to show me the thumbnails I read your title and expected to see crumbling concrete and stained walls. I was actually surprised to see a real toad. It does look like you need to crank back the flash though when you shoot slippery subjects. This guy is glaring quite a bit. I'm not really sure how I feel about the composition though. There is a lot of tree between the toad and the moss and both things appear to be almost equally important. Just how much time do you spend looking for these type of subjects? Christopher Strevens, LRPS (My Street) - Nice street and as you say, an ordinary subject. I like seeing other people's lives as it helps me block out my own. Thanks for sharing a slice of your world. Is that your green convertable? King/Arthur (Summer Tourists) - There is something weird here. The people seem to be ghosting like TV pictures during a storm. Its not exactly blurry but there's a distinct fuzziness. The post and tree on the left are distracting me. In fact the cured tree looks like its pushing all the people to the right since they are all leaning slightly to starboard. I prefer the other similar images you have submitted. Alan P. Hayes (Passerby) - OK so the one handed, slippery road, night shooting is too easy for a guy like you now you've taken to drive by shooting which come to think of it is probably a natural progression. Now if you do wreck your car not only will you have the accident to contend with but you'e got some guy breaking your fingers and prying the camera from your hands to prevent you blowing his witness protection cover by taking his picture and he'll be damned if he's gonna let those corporate head office bastards find him and make him pay for squeeling to the feds about the 'indiscretions' at the '94 company Christmas party. How do you pick your drive by subjects? Thanks to all contributors this week. Greg Fraser http://users.imag.net/~lon2251/Gallery
