Postcard Exchange Round 49 Comments and Feedback

[Black Dog]

One more card I haven't commented on so far; Iandvaag's Orchids. A wonderfully moody image weighted towards the darks. It can be really rewarding to experiment with tonality and different approaches to printing an image.

 

[Paul Ozzello]

After a tumultuous month of March and scrambling back to Canada before the border closed I finally got my cards printed/signed & stamped and sent out last week - enjoy !


I returned home to some wonderful cards :


@mfohl – a foreboding and dramatic landscape of a tree against an ominous sky

@Howard Earl – a barbershop scene straight out of the 1930's, beautifully printed with lovely shadow detail.

@iandvaag - Phalaenopsis orchids with incredibly rich tonality in the shadows.

@Luis-F-S – White Fence, almost abstract , nice.

@MattiS – The Zeiss planetarium, with some really nice shadows from the trees.

@calphotography – lovely portrait of a young girl riding a scooter, great composition and use of motion blur and high-key lighting.

@Lucid – To Osa’s Island, The high contrast and dark tones remind of a Bill Brandt landscape, lovely.

@drpsilver – Gooseberry Falls. Beautiful print of waterfalls frozen in time. The waterfalls almost look like they were painted in, beautiful.

@rob – great shot from midtown Manhattan, I almost expected to see a reflection of Vivian Maier.

@BSP – ripples in time. Beautiful abstract of moving water.

@Oxleyroad – “Moss”. Could be a crop from Wynn Bullock, Child in Forest, very nice.

@blackdog – A walk in the dunes near Carteret. Love the composition, My eye keeps turning clockwise and stopping each time at the furry sleeve wondering who this stranger might be.

@hwv “3 cubes, 3 lines, 1 arc” love the contrast of the graffiti against the white granite cubes.

 

[Paul Ozzello]

Lately there are rarely postcards delivered to my mailbox. All the more I was happy I found fatso's beautiful card "Northern Exile". Thank you very much.
Disused technology meets frosty nature. A very nice and fitting panorama format. Was the picture taken with a panorama camera or was it cropped later when printing?

Glad you liked it

I took the image in an Inuit village in the Canadian Arctic with my Noblex 150 (a MF rotating panoramic camera). I then drum scanned it and digitally printed it using Piezography Pro inks using a split tone.

 

[Black Dog]

After a tumultuous month of March and scrambling back to Canada before the border closed I finally got my cards printed/signed & stamped and sent out last week - enjoy !


I returned home to some wonderful cards :


@mfohl – a foreboding and dramatic landscape of a tree against an ominous sky

@Howard Earl – a barbershop scene straight out of the 1930's, beautifully printed with lovely shadow detail.

@iandvaag - Phalaenopsis orchids with incredibly rich tonality in the shadows.

@Luis-F-S – White Fence, almost abstract , nice.

@MattiS – The Zeiss planetarium, with some really nice shadows from the trees.

@calphotography – lovely portrait of a young girl riding a scooter, great composition and use of motion blur and high-key lighting.

@Lucid – To Osa’s Island, The high contrast and dark tones remind of a Bill Brandt landscape, lovely.

@drpsilver – Gooseberry Falls. Beautiful print of waterfalls frozen in time. The waterfalls almost look like they were painted in, beautiful.

@rob – great shot from midtown Manhattan, I almost expected to see a reflection of Vivian Maier.

@BSP – ripples in time. Beautiful abstract of moving water.

@Oxleyroad – “Moss”. Could be a crop from Wynn Bullock, Child in Forest, very nice.

@blackdog – A walk in the dunes near Carteret. Love the composition, My eye keeps turning clockwise and stopping each time at the furry sleeve wondering who this stranger might be.

@hwv “3 cubes, 3 lines, 1 arc” love the contrast of the graffiti against the white granite cubes.

That was my niece-glad you liked it!

 

[Howard Earl]

Just received another card. Rowreidr, Tugboats on the Hudson. Looks nice.

 

[Oxleyroad]

16th postcard arrived in the mail yesterday. Fatso - "Norhtern Exile". Great panorama, the white boarder works really well. love the feel of the card as well. The family here advised me this is the new postcard for the fridge.

 

[mfohl]

I'm a bit late on my acknowledgements, but here are the latest two.

Black Dog's Fugitive Light. Nice! First color postcard in a long time! Thanks Jake!

And rowreidr's Tugboat on the Hudson. At first I thought that was a navy battleship photo. Cool. Thanks Patrick! Patrick? I think!

 

[Black Dog]

I'm a bit late on my acknowledgements, but here are the latest two.

Black Dog's Fugitive Light. Nice! First color postcard in a long time! Thanks Jake!

And rowreidr's Tugboat on the Hudson. At first I thought that was a navy battleship photo. Cool. Thanks Patrick! Patrick? I think!

Thanks for the appreciation-BTW you should definitely visit Ingleby Gallery if you're ever in Edinburgh as it's a spectacular building, in addition to hosting some interesting exhibitions.
A couple more cards arrived recently:
Washington and Jefferson by Jvo- A pleasingly different take on what's no doubt a much photographed scene, which reminds me of Lee Friedlander's work (like him you've tried to go beyond the obvious).
Northern Exile by Fatso-Merry Apocalypse to you too. That looks like a serious winter; we had similar conditions in Cumbria when the 'Beast From The East' hit in early 2018.

Thanks again to everyone for your cards!

 

[George Nova Scotia]

Yes it's time for round 50. Sign up thread is active.
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/postcard-exchange-round-50-sign-up.174916/

George

 

[mfohl]

I just received fatso's Northern Exile. Either an arctic junkyard or a rather nasty coming together of vehicles on a northern Canadian highway. Very cool. And where did you get that cool paper: panoramic postcard paper? I would definitely buy some of that!

Thanks Paul!

 

[hwv]

In the meantime four more postcards have arrived at my place:

DRPSILVER's beautiful Gooseberry Falls. A place where I would like to be right now. Very contemplative.

A card without name with a simple wooden gravestone, photographed at a cemetery in East Austin. Because of Austin, Texas, I think the postcard is from kingbuzzie. Very well printed.

A big postcard with a nice scene of tugboats on the Hudson River. Many thanks to Rowreidr!

And also jvo's card from Washington. I love the unusual cropping and the contrast between architecture and nature.

 

[mike c]

Sent off my 49 niner cards today, hope they all land to there addressed locations.

 

[Rowreidr]

Glad you liked it

I took the image in an Inuit village in the Canadian Arctic with my Noblex 150 (a MF rotating panoramic camera). I then drum scanned it and digitally printed it using Piezography Pro inks using a split tone.

Wow! I've read about the Piezography inks but to actually see (and hold) the grays and details from a drum scan. Excellent! I was a little concerned about sending matte fine art as a post card, but it arrived in good condition with minimal scuffing and edge tearing. Finally, smart use of your paper. I hate cutting paper to size and wasting little strips.

 

[Lucid]

Oh, great, I'm very glad the card reached you!


And last week I received two nice cards
"To Osa's Island" by Lucid - a somewhat dramatic card which reminded me of "The 39 steps" by Hitchcock. This new MG V looks wonderful when toned in selenium.
"Gooseberry Falls, MN" by drpsilver - an interesting view of a waterfall. And an unusual variety of stamps didn't come unnoticed
Thanks!
Stay well

Thanks for the compliment bedrof! I'm glad to hear the postcard made it to you.

 

[Lucid]

Some more cards I haven't commented on yet:
Moss by Oxleyroad-It's always interesting to look at the little details under your feet that you might otherwise ignore. Being a photographer really makes you look more closely at the world around you.
Niece Riding Scooter by Calphotography- I've spent a lot of time photographing my niece and nephew, so I know how hard it is to capture moments like this. You operate on instinct a lot of the time and get all kinds of interesting surprises when you look at the negs and contact sheets.
Zeiss Planetarium by MattiS- Another nice bit of Surrealism which shows how the camera can record well but transform better.
Osa's Island by Lucid- Good use of your respite from the weather (everywhere you go, always take the weather with you).Nice blacks in the print as well.
Gooseberry Falls by Darwin- The magic of rocks and water as you say. Spot on printing!

Thanks black dog! I've always been keen on reaching max black in my prints. Though I still have a ways to go on my highlights....

 

[Lucid]

Hi all. Mine will finally be in the post tomorrow! Actually my first time printing BW on inkjet metallic paper. It doesn’t have the same pop as color, but still does give an interesting effect of a change in overall tone based on angle of viewing light. This one is the whitest (on a white to silver scale) and the most glossy metallic paper I have, as I was out-voted on this one. I hope to darkroom print my postcards someday.

I think I have received 15 cards so far. There is a chance a card or two may have been misplaced, but not thrown away, during spring, unemployed, quarantine, house cleaning. As a family, we sat down and reviewed the entire batch of cards, most of which went directly from the mailbox to a dedicated postcard shoebox. So here we go, in no particular order.

@Howard Earl. I’ve walked by Rafaels and you did a great job keeping that vintage look. Wife though it was something from the wild west and was shocked it was a real barber shop in the city.

@calphotography. Niece Riding Scooter. Wife appreciated the crop. We may do something similar of the boys in the future. Made the kids reminisce about the pre covid days

@tezzasmall. There is a similar synchronized fountain/playground for kids on the west side of NYC, just south of the USS Intrepid museum. Couple in the back gives the season away.

@jvo. Jefferson and Washington. Everyone loved how the clouds came out.

@Tmfohl. Church Window. Rei picked up on the cross and realized it was part of a church.

@BSP. Sliced and Diced. Wondering if their destiny is a fireplace or something else.

@hwv. 3 cubes, 3 lines, 1 Ave. The cubes stand out so nicely compare to the ground and background.

@Black Dog. cells of life #2. Such an interesting looking park. The kids and I want to walk on that strip of grass.

@iandvaag. I think you have mastered “How to make orchids look sexy”.

@Luis-F-S. White Fence. Row, “It’s just a fence.” Rei, “No, its a WHITE fence!”

@graciemansion. Midtown 5th Ave. Nicely composed with reflections. Looks like a multi-exposure.

@Oxleyroad. Moss. That looks like a very big chunk of moss. Row had the scale wrong and thought the clovers were trees and the shadows in the moss were dark caves.

@RSImages. Flower. The bee in me got VERY excited!

@MattiS. Zeiss Planetarium. Nicely framed and is that your shadow in the bottom corner?

@Lucid. To Osa’s Island. Kids have never seen a bridge like this, made of bricks. Is that a road sign at the bottom of the stream?

If we have (temporarily) misplaced a card sent to us, I apologize, and hopefully it will pop up in the next few weeks. After the fun this evening, I think the kids and wife will be more diligent with putting round #50 directly into the shoebox. Again, thanks for the cards and for some analog family time!

- Patrick

Hey Patrick, you have a sharp eye! I was wondering if anyone would be able to make it out. If you ever visit Oxford I recommend you take a guided tour for the various architecture.

 

[Lucid]

transformed! - from piled high to "I can actually see some clear spots" on my table!!! the last of my cards went out about a week ago, regrettably, some of the later ones were going overseas - please excuse the further delay.

meanwhile i've now had the time to look at the ones i've rec'd from...
bedrof, "vertigo", hitchcock would be admire the height, the photograph and artistry
fatso, "northern exile", great tones and depth, wonderfully printed - hopefully not prophetic
black dog, "after the rain", from the "how'd he do that" school of photography
hwv, "3 cubes..." i like the contrast, well done
iandvaag, "phal... nah, orchids", mysterious, well-lit and printed, a little gem
terry s, "southend seafront", odd, empty, fountain running in colder months with people in heavy coats
luis-f-s, "white fence", when i see a matt paper i always admire the print, "i gotta try matte surface"
mattis, "zeiss plan...", what impact, not sure what makes it, the building, the shadows, the shape, the solitary figure
mfohl, "tree, pinhole", why do i keep looking at this, layers and unexpected - very attractive!
calphotography, "nice riding scotter", kids, always moving - and fine capture!
bsp, "damage", it wonderful when all the elements come together for a wonderful photograph - you even arranged the storm
rsiimages, "flower", the alter image, one well-worn flower!
drpsilver, "gooseberry falls", depth, contrast, layers - printed small makes it intimate
graciemansion, "window reflection", brings to mind the apocalypse now ever present - perfect use for the holga
lucid, "osney town", good copperation from the ducks and people, really do give it life
howard earl, "barbershop", now there's a man whose proud and satisfied, nice emotion - very nice
oxleyroad, "moss", nice thanksgiving pastime - walk and photography.

i also rec'd "willard beach" from howard earl, from pcx48, done with and old camera, film and wooden kodak developing tank - a very interesting result.

thank you all for an enjoyable and rewarding experience in a very unusual time!

p.s. i read witold's comments and the response... there is one other reason i enjoy the postcard exchange... i don't have a scanner, and don't plan to get one. you can do great work with a digital camera and for me a scanner would be the "gateway" drug to the digital world. i simply enjoy making photographs through the analog process. i understand it's shortcomings and challenges and enjoy overcoming them and see how others do it as well. the postcard exchange has been very rewarding.

p.p.s thanks again george.

Thanks JVO, I'm glad that the postcard reached you safe and sound.

 

[Lucid]

After a tumultuous month of March and scrambling back to Canada before the border closed I finally got my cards printed/signed & stamped and sent out last week - enjoy !


I returned home to some wonderful cards :


@mfohl – a foreboding and dramatic landscape of a tree against an ominous sky

@Howard Earl – a barbershop scene straight out of the 1930's, beautifully printed with lovely shadow detail.

@iandvaag - Phalaenopsis orchids with incredibly rich tonality in the shadows.

@Luis-F-S – White Fence, almost abstract , nice.

@MattiS – The Zeiss planetarium, with some really nice shadows from the trees.

@calphotography – lovely portrait of a young girl riding a scooter, great composition and use of motion blur and high-key lighting.

@Lucid – To Osa’s Island, The high contrast and dark tones remind of a Bill Brandt landscape, lovely.

@drpsilver – Gooseberry Falls. Beautiful print of waterfalls frozen in time. The waterfalls almost look like they were painted in, beautiful.

@rob – great shot from midtown Manhattan, I almost expected to see a reflection of Vivian Maier.

@BSP – ripples in time. Beautiful abstract of moving water.

@Oxleyroad – “Moss”. Could be a crop from Wynn Bullock, Child in Forest, very nice.

@blackdog – A walk in the dunes near Carteret. Love the composition, My eye keeps turning clockwise and stopping each time at the furry sleeve wondering who this stranger might be.

@hwv “3 cubes, 3 lines, 1 arc” love the contrast of the graffiti against the white granite cubes.

Thanks for the compliment fatso. Glad to hear the postcard reached you safe and sound.

Glad you liked it

I took the image in an Inuit village in the Canadian Arctic with my Noblex 150 (a MF rotating panoramic camera). I then drum scanned it and digitally printed it using Piezography Pro inks using a split tone.

I received you card a few days ago and I've really been enjoying it. A quality image with a good sense of humor on the back!

 

[Howard Earl]

I’m really enjoying receiving “Northern Exile” from Paul (Fatso) Ozzello. Enjoyed reading about your camera and printing process in above post. Just a Merry Apocalypse to you.

Howard

 

[hkbenji]

This is my first postcard exchange - I'm enjoying the experience a lot! So far, I have received 14 cards. They are all great. My top five favourites at this stage -

Paul (Fatso) Northern Exile - Fantastic image, elevated even further by the print quality. I am curious - if you don't mind sharing, what paper is that?
mfohl Downtown Columbus - Great lines and contrast. Love it.
calphotography Niece Riding Scooter - Great action shot. I love how close you must have been.
Darwin (Drpsilver) Gooseberry Falls - Classic waterfall shot, beautifully executed. Thought it was MF or LF when I first saw it.
Iandvaag Phalaenopsis - Love the glowing edges of the orchids. Beautiful.

I sent out my cards a few weeks back but could only mail most of them via surface (boat..) mail. Hopefully they will get to you eventually.

 

[mfohl]

I received mike c's pole climbers. Nice silhouette shot! Thanks!

 

[Laurent]

My cards are finally ready to leave, they'll be in the box tomorrow (good news, the cards for next round are already printed!)

In the meantime I received many nice images:

• Fatso's Nrthern Exile, a wondrful panoramic image.
• Iandvaag's Phalaenopsis, very nice close up of an orchid
• Blackdog's Fugitive light
• Darwin's Gooseberry Falls, nice landscape
• Bedrof's Grand bazar. I love street photography more and more, and this one is a nice sample. I visited Istambul too many years ago, and really loved it.
  
• Lucid's To Osa's island.
  
• Luis's White fence, nice geometric image!
• Jvo's view of Washington, DC.
  
• Calphotography's niece.
  
• Mattis' Walk in the park. Lovely set of intricate shadows make mee feel the early sun.
• Heinz-Willi's 3 cubesn 3 lines, 1 arc. Almost abstract, well done.

Thanks to all of you!

 

[Black Dog]

My cards are finally ready to leave, they'll be in the box tomorrow (good news, the cards for next round are already printed!)

In the meantime I received many nice images:

• Fatso's Nrthern Exile, a wondrful panoramic image.
• Iandvaag's Phalaenopsis, very nice close up of an orchid
• Blackdog's Fugitive light
• Darwin's Gooseberry Falls, nice landscape
• Bedrof's Grand bazar. I love street photography more and more, and this one is a nice sample. I visited Istambul too many years ago, and really loved it.
  
• Lucid's To Osa's island.
  
• Luis's White fence, nice geometric image!
• Jvo's view of Washington, DC.
  
• Calphotography's niece.
  
• Mattis' Walk in the park. Lovely set of intricate shadows make mee feel the early sun.
• Heinz-Willi's 3 cubesn 3 lines, 1 arc. Almost abstract, well done.

Thanks to all of you!

Thanks- I've still got a bit longer to master arc welding btw woohoo!

 

[bedrof]

Thanks- I've still got a bit longer to master arc welding btw woohoo

Oh God, so that is the key to your enigmatic card!
I received your "Fugitive light" about a week ago and since then I've been trying to decipher it
An unusual play of tones.
Thanks Black Dog!

I also received the jvo's Washington DC card.
I thoroughly checked it expecting to find some more wildlife yet unknown to orthodox science. Found nothing of the sort, but got the idea
Thanks!

 

[Oxleyroad]

Card 17 arrived on Saturday. mike c - "2 Linemen". Thanks. I like the silloetting of the linemen by the sun behind the pole. Was this picture framed and taken or just snapped.