#681. Monday Post (25 Dec 2017) – Eclecticism

jean pierre (pete) guaron says:

Sigh – I shouldn’t have said to Sant that I was happy to talk to him, but I really didn’t think it was appropriate for me to sit on his knee – so I didn’t get the Sigma Quattro H that I’d been hoping for. Never mind, a friend gave me a canister full of biscuits that are to kill & die for, so I mustn’t complain.

Paul – I love the photos – and thanks to all of the team at DS for sharing them with us. But can I put up my hand for one thing? – the meta data? I do find it interesting to know what gear was used to take the photos – the ISO – in some cases (Bob Hamilton’s bird shots for example), the lens, focal length & shutter speed. It goes a bit further than that – sharing that kind of information is actually useful to someone thinking of trying their hand at similar shots.

Philippe – your shot of “winter in Paris” reminded me. I once spent Christmas and the New Year in Paris – maybe things have changed, but it was most assuredly an “un-destination” that year – unless I found a reflection of myself in a shop window, there wasn’t a tourist in sight anywhere. No queues at the Tour Eiffel or the Louvre – deserted sidewalks/footpaths/whatever/who cares anyway. And a remarkable un-noisiness to match its new status as an un-destination. Even the ducks found it disconcerting.

Steve – you have better eyesight than I have – I shall have to take your word for it, that the figure on the right is a girl. The photo is sensational, regardless of the sexual content.

Adam – I sense irony in the caption – underscored by the troubled looks on the youthful contingent, on the left, contrasting with the happiness of the people with an accumulation of experience and the wisdom that comes with age, on the right.

Bob – I am torn – on the one hand I recognise a truly great photo in your shot of the kingfisher – on the other, I have love puffins since I first saw a photo of one, over 65 years ago, and one carries those love affairs from youth right through to the other end of life.

Adrian – although someone else took the photo (I was merely the object of it), those shots have reminded me of one taken of me aged 40, in the veteran section of the Mr West Coast here in Oz, many long years ago. Only this afternoon, over Christmas drinks at my brother in law’s, I was reminded of how many of the “greats” in body building I was privileged to meet in those days, and what remarkably nice people they were.

Dallas – you surely get around – I’ll pass on the invitation, but Gritviyken, South Georgia? – how the hell did you manage to even get to such an outlandish place? I hope you have an abundant supply of thermal underwear!

And Paul – “Sort of selfie (unnumbered)” takes me back in time, too, to 1967 – half a century ago, when I first came to Western Australia on a brief two week holiday with an English friend who was a passionate steam train enthusiast. We went all over the place and one morning I found myself in a forest with a timber train dawdling past. I waited for the shot I wanted – the train winding through the trees, taken from the rear end (after the train had passed) with the steam engine in the distance, at the other end. Every railfan who’s ever seen it has thrown up their hands in horror, and told me that I took the shot from the wrong end of the train.

All the very best to all of you, for today, and for all the days and years to come. And to everyone else in the group – teachers with no students would be totally disfunctional – they’d probably just end up fighting among themselves. So the rest of you have at least as much importance.

John W says:

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You to the Dear Susans for a most enjoyable year. As an ex writer I know all too well of the scrabbling around that goes on behind the scene to make deadline. Its nice to have some faces to go with the names and the selection of image is a guilty pleasure to spend time with.

Steve – The seascape with the girl is a sleeper. You have to stop and really look to see what’s going on and the more you look the bigger the story gets. No “visual pablum” here.

Adam – I’m a “streeter”, so “looking to the future” speaks to me. I really like the “contre temps” of the two/three groups joined by the band of sunlight. Lot’s and lot’s of visual metaphors here. And that black cat! That is one very SPOOKY cat. I WANT ONE!!! I know some alleys in downtown Vancouver that would go sooooo well with that cat.

Bob – Puffin shots always remind me of my one non-experience with puffins. I’d booked a trip from a workshop on Gran Manan Island in the Bay of Fundy (highest tides in the world) to the bird sanctuary on Machias Island – about 18 miles by boat. The morning came up hazey with no horizon, six foot rollers and a two hour ride in a lobster boat. Everything you’ve heard about seasickness is a lie. It is much worse. When we got to the island I stumbled up to the light keepers house who graciously let me die on his living room rug for a couple of hours. Got back on the boat and off home. Puffins??? There were Puffins??? Really??? I’m still waiting to see a Puffin in the flesh. Oh yes, and the lobster dinner back at the hotel was excellent.

Art – Panupong Prateep is a stunning image. Amazing lighting. He looks like a bronze statue.

Paul – My “drop-dead hang it on my wall” favourites are “Stockholm Morning” and “Make the Call”. Visually DELICIOUS images!!!

I keep coming back to Dear Susan because its very much like my “Photo Friday” print group. Collegial, open ended, unstructured and just slightly chaotic and off the wall. There’s no end of surprises and new discoveries. I’ll be back … again, and again.

To all of you Susans and my fellow readers A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year. I look forward to seeing you in the comments.