Lakescapes
 

https://i.imgur.com/3MiAHQA.jpeg

Thursday 13th January 2022

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https://i.imgur.com/sZsE3sn.jpeg

Friday 21st January 2022

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George Swan appears in both photographs :)

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Has George got a new mate?
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Hi Fliss,

They're both pretty. I love the colours in the top one.

I'm not great with photography or the technicalities involved in composition (I know the basics), but if there's specific feedback you'd like around a particular aspect of the images please let me know and I'll do my best to offer useful feedback (if I can).

For now, I guess I'd ask where they fit for you. Are they part of a long photo-essay, where you photograph the same space each day at a different time (because that would be amazing) or are you storytelling George through them?

Sarah-Jane

I feel like these are from my own photo album. My family often goes for walks in parks with bodies of water where swans and gees hang out. Here is a random example from my album:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/MqqVq6xVBb6qxMRMA

Oops, the picture isn't showing. I can't figure it out. Here's a link that I hope works better.

Hi Jim, Sarah-Jane, Roger,

Sorry I'm late to respond; thanks for your comments :)


Jim

Well, Jim, George continues to show interest in one of his daughters, but the breeding age is 2 to 3 years, so I suppose she can't really be thought of as a mate yet. There have been no visiting pens since Maisie, who flew back to her own mate, Max, after just a few days at Pittville. Max managed to find a quieter home than George, at Ellenborough Park, a luxury hotel with a lake in its grounds. I should probably write a poem about that too :)

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Sarah-Jane

Thanks, Sarah-Jane; I'm pleased you find the photos pretty, yay. I don't know anything about technicalities either; I'm just experimenting, really. With a few Pittville photographers, I have in mind a charity calendar, so I'm just wondering which photo would be better for an audience of people who like Pittville, specifically the swans. I do have stronger swan photos, I suppose 🤔

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Roger

Thanks, Roger; unfortunately I get a 404 error when I click on the link. I'd like to see your random example; perhaps there's another way?


Best wishes,
Fliss

Hi Fliss -

Aha! A Calendar! What a nice idea, and it sounds like a fun project, too. I think, for things like that, it'll all be in a kind of 'final selection' - so it depends what other images you get, because (I'm assuming) you'll want a variety of styles and perspectives of the lake and swans. And you'll want things that roughly echo the seasons, too, perhaps?

So, I'd just wait and see how both images fit with the other images put forward before you make a final decision.

(glad you are out of hospital, albeit temporarily - let's hope you aren't in for long if you have to go in again)

Sarah-Jane

Back again :)

Hi Roger; all I can see is two No Entry symbols in grey, I think. I wonder what anyone else is seeing. Anyway, no problem if it's just too difficult to post things! I use Imgur, following Sarah-Jane's instructions somewhere in General Talk. Perhaps Sarah-Jane could assist you?

Sarah-Jane, yes, a nice idea for a fun project, certainly with scope for season-specific images. I think the two I've posted here show just how much the weather can vary through one month; there was ice through the week ending 21st January, hence the mallards appearing to stand on the water. I have an interesting photo of a mallard drake somewhere; I might post it over the weekend, assuming I'm home. Thanks for the kind words re. hospital. We're hoping things go to plan tomorrow.

Best wishes,
Fliss

Hi again,

Here's my mallard drake on the ice. The photo quality is quite poor, but one of my photographer friends said it was an interesting image :)

https://i.imgur.com/7h5QNnh.jpeg

Hi Fliss,

It sounds like you're starting to take your photographs quite seriously! As you know I'm not a photographer, but I do know of some books that might be a useful as a next step.

For technical support and advice
Freeman, The Photographer's Eye might be useful.

For a start around thinking about the image, then I'd recommend Berger's Ways of Seeing and for something more image-specific, perhaps Sontag, On Photography?


You might (or might not) want to get a sense of what contemporary trends are in photography in your area - if you do, your Arts Council funded regional network is a good place to look - I think you're in the Southwest - a quick filter of 'photography' shares some interesting work.


And I'd recommend Colossal (Julie often posts links to interesting things from Colossal on here, too) and It's Nice That to get an idea of wider contemporary trends in the visual arts?

I hope these help,

Sarah-Jane

(Apologies, as these are Amazon links. I'm not keen on Amazon, but you can also buy these second-hand and they're only a few pounds on kindle, if you find e-readers useful)

Hi Sarah-Jane,

Thanks for your response; I'm not sure about 'quite seriously', as I feel I'm just wandering around the park and seeing things I like. I am enthusiastic, though :)

At the moment I don't really have time to make a serious study of photography, but thanks for the suggestions. It might be something I can do properly come retirement, although it's unlikely I'll live that long. That's why studying poetry is hard too. I prioritise what brings me the most happiness, which happens to be creating, among other things. Creating with the aim of bringing happiness to others, increasingly. I'm a simple soul.

Best wishes,
Fliss

Beautiful photographs. I like the blue tint you have used to it.

Many thanks, Ramya :)

Best wishes,
Fliss