Hosts Note: Are we loosing some interest in this thread lately? I see lots of new members and it would be great to see whatever you are shooting. It doesn't matter if it's your cat or some odd ball experiments. Just take a moment to show off your stuff! Everyone is welcome.

Welcome to Potw #39 01/12/08 - 14/12/08

This week's photos will cover these dates: Sunday Nov 30th till Sunday December 14th.

Let's keep up the high standard of shots we have seen over the past weeks.

Rules as before:

1) No theme just your favorite stuff.
2) Let's keep it to about 4-6 images per post just so the thread doesn't get too big each week .
3) Any Pentax camera is fine, film, P&S, DSLR (or Samsung DSLR)
4) Runs for 14 days. Sunday Nov 30th till Sunday December 14th.
5) Enter anything you shot last week or this current week until the thread closes.

Previous hosts: 1 Peter Zack, 2 Eaglerapids, 3 rmtagg, 4 Peter Zack, 5 daacon, 6 Bramela, 7 mtnbearhug, 8 dantuyhoa, 9 gawan, 10 roentarre, 11 daacon, 12 Kris, 13 mtnbearhug, 14 SCGushue, 15 daacon, 16 maxwell1295, 17 dantuyhoa, 18 daacon, 19 maxwell1295, 20 Bamela, 21 Syb, 22 & 23 maxwell1295, 24 dantuyhoa, 25 Gawan, 26 Peter Zack, 27 borno, 28 daacon, 29 gawan, 30 Damn Brit, 31 & 32 maxwell1295 , 33 dantuyhoa, 34 daacon, 35 Peter Zack, 36 Damn Brit, 37 Borno, 38 Kevint, 39 Peter Zack

Thanks for hosting last week, Kevint

So to get things going this week, I have a few experiments. These were taken on Saturday in -4 with a brisk wind off the ocean. Fortunately the salt water doesn't freeze as fast as fresh water. It was just at dawn with all that the great light at that time of day offers.








This last one was part of the reason I took the 3 above. I was contracted to shoot a group of cottages for a web gallery (they are rentals) and wanted a dramatic opening shot to get the customers attention. So I shot some sunsets at the location (the cottages are on a low cliff overlooking the ocean). Then I turned and took some outside building shots. The image below was a layered composite of 2 images to give a more dramatic look. I tried HDR versions but I'm less and less 'sold' on HDR. it's so tough to get a natural looking image from that type of software IMO. Maybe I'm just not good enough at it.


So I hope everyone joins in and posts lots of images. I for one always enjoy everyone's work and like to see what interests you.

[Jimbo]

Oh... I like those two Tom. JIMBO

[virgilr]

Well, just had a bit of clearing for all of 1 hour this morning, so I quickly grabbed a few shots of the tree outside my upstairs window. Love the way the sunlight plays in the ice- of course, it's freezing cold (-15 C)! I soo wish I had my camera this morning in downtown Montreal- that golden morning light in some areas was absolutely glistening in the trees and bushes! I don't think I could have parked my car, though- they were doing snow removal, it took 1/2 hour to go 4 blocks!

Anyways, here's the trees, shot with a tamron 28-200. Had to remove a bit of CA in LR, but only really annoying when pixel peeping. TONS of exposure adjustment. Should have used matrix metering instead of center weighted average...

[Bramela]

John, love your shots of the derelict street scenes etc. Great work.

Gary : What a great drive to work. You need to have the camera with you every time I reckon.

D: a great series of close ups etc. It's fun doing that kind of photography eh!

VirgilR : A top shot, i love it. YYou could think of a lot of very original names for that photograph.
# Great winter shots. Makes me feel very cold just looking at them.

Tom : congrats on more top bird shots. That one in flgiht is a top photo!

[Marc Langille]

Tom, those are sweet shots!! You had the light gods on your side...

Well done...

Regards,
Marc

[jaws]

Like your inside shots Duh Vinci, I'm getting the 50m 1:1.4 soon should be fun.
Cheers,
John

[dantuyhoa]

Welcome to the Dark Side . Same shoot . Same gloomy theme . It was supposed to be sunny .



Tran

[borno]

I like that Tran, on first glance it looks like a scene from an old Hitchcock movie

[timbo13]

one of these weeks I will post in this thread early on!

some thoughts on images already posted -

Peter, thanks for hosting and a great series to open! I really liked the
sand and water shots

Dave K - well done duck shots

Tom - fine bird shots, just like always! the sunset is nice, too

Ken - interesting to see political demonstrations from another country

James, I enjoyed your beautiful scenic images. Everything is so green!

Jim - cute shot, all he needs is a tin cup to rattle on the bars!

Bruce that is a beautiful lily!

Brad your eagles are good too, I like #2 where he's checking you out

Dave - your weather looks more like mine

Jimbo - nice sequence although the last seems a little dark on my monitor

Tran - first one is maybe too much PP for my taste, I like the "film noir" look of the last one a lot!

Marc, welcome to POTW I'm enjoying the images you've been posting of the re-enactment, thanks!

John, I liked this series, something different and a side of Australia that doesn't make the tourist brochures

Gary, what a view and wonderfully captured!

Steve, from a running car at 1/125?? these are well done!

Duh Vinci, interesting interior shots

Virgil, interesting clock, your practice is paying off. I like the first ice shot as well

(pause to catch my breath, didn't realize quite how many folks had posted this week!)

We had a ice storm come through, lost power for about 9 hours, my mother in law still doesn't have power so she's staying with us.
Here's some I took yesterday before the sun came out and melted it all.
(click for bigger)

ice on a pine tree



crabapple tree

[Peter Zack]

It was a busy week so i'm just getting back to check on the shots this week. Very nice group of images this week!

Dave K. Looks like you got a great Christmas present. The duck shots are super. The reflection and sharpness of that first one is great.

Borno. Excellent 1st and 3rd eagle shots. You should use that squirrel as a subject more often. He looks great and that's a very cool sky in the last one. Well done.

Ken. I was wondering if someone was around the GG's place. I like the 2nd hot best.

James. beautiful series and the 2nd is my favourite. Intense colours in all. You are the waterfall guy for sure. Great stuff!

Jim. The prisoner doesn't look too happy. Fun shot though and well done with the flash.

Bruce. Always love your flower shots and this one does not disappoint. Love the colour.

Brad. Very good series. I really like that last one and If I may suggest, lighten the body a little and you have a real winner there. Great colour in the sky. Nice exposure and sharpness.

Dave. Looking a bit frosty there. We're in for it soon I suspect. Maybe crop and add a bit of contrast to that leaf shot and you have a good image there.

Jimbo. Nice series. Almost an HDR quality to them. The 1st is the best as the other 2 are a touch dark but all are good.

Tran. I like the shot. Nice pose and she looks great but I find it too dark around the eyes. A woman that good looking should have her eyes more visible IMO.

Marc. Very good shot. These guys are serious aren't they? With the possible exception of the sunglasses, everything has an authentic period look. This shot also screams B&W/sepia treatment. Great series Btw and congrats on the museum work.

John. Very good street series. I like the shots and the final PP job on that last one. The first would look great as a B&W. Excellent series.

Gary. Sucks to be you and have this great vista at your feet. Well captured.

Steve. The Egret shot is quite good under difficult light. Love the expression from the Hawk.

Duh Vinci. Love the eyeglasses. Well done and the model car is very interesting. I like it a lot. Good treatment too.

Virgil. I like the 'texture' of the clock face. Very nice.

Tom. those last 2 are some of your best and well done! I'm impressed you are getting results this good from an MF lens.

Virgil. The first ice shot is a very nice capture

Tran. The second shot is great. Love the look and pose. Great PP treatment as well.

Tim, nice shots. Love the 2nd one. Seems the time of year for ice storms!

[Elle]

Just one I took Thursday night...

[Marc Langille]

I had it ready perhaps 5 minutes after the original post...

You are correct about the sunglasses! To be authentic, glasses of the period cannot have nose pieces... that must have been a little uncomfortable!



BTW, the museum thing is getting more interesting...

Cheers,
Marc

[bbpa103]

Hi Peter. Yes, shots were taken while the PM was having his fireside chat with the GG morning of 4 Dec. I kind of liked the flag on the hockey stick in background. A few more from that morning. Ken.

Although I've already posted this one on the forum, It is definitely my "Pick of the Week" for the period.

[xs400]

Here's a couple of flowers from my backyard.
K100D + A 50mm f/2.8 macro

[daacon]

A good revival of the POTW thread wow ..thanks for those that commented on my meager entries (too dam cold to get out much now)

Brad - those eagle isolation shots are wow. #2 he definatley has you in his sights.

Jimbo - something about the dark scenary and water that just works very well.

Tran - nice shots - I do prefer you last one

Marc - cool shot and great angle the sunglasses or transition glasses on the one guy takes a bit away - all your others were so authentic.

John - I enjoyed this series - very well photographed

Gary - on a clear day you sure have a few Nice. As for the cats well they appear relaxed haha

Steve - great bird shots I am envious

Duh Vinci - nice variety - I am thirsty and hungry now !

virgilr - looks like a keeper - nice detail and nice ice !

Tom - great captures as always the one in flight is perfect

Tim - nice ice as well. Don't get that here often but it sure plays havoc with the trees when we do. (and powerlines!)

Elle - cool I like the OOF on this one. Almost see Vincent Price appearing...

bbpa103 - a flag on a hokcey stick now throw in a timmies and a Molsens now that is Canadian eh

Ed - great lanscape - love misty mountains

Frank - great closeups - nice to see some color in my cold world.