Hi again, That time of month - except it's not! I'm really late for the Feb PUG, it's been a hectic few weeks. I even had five day's leave recently, but you know how it is when you're holding down a demanding job - any free time gets eaten up with zillions of commitments, and simple rest seems last on the list...
Anyway, 'Depth of Field' is the theme, and viewing the thumbnails, it looks like I'm in for the usual treat. I'll only comment on the ones that catch my eye enough to motivate me to start typing. Much as I'd love to do each and every one, the time simply isn't there, unless the PUG collective wants to pay me in which case, how many words on each pic would you like ;-) If you're like me, every time a PDMLer lists his or her PUG favourites, I quickly scan to see if my pic has achieved a comment (well, come on: we all have egos that need stroking now and again). As an unofficial, completely 'on-spec' reviewer, I have no agenda to follow, no toes to step on. It goes without saying that *all* the pics are good, it's just that there are certain ones that catch my eye more than others. I start with a blank sheet, and the only criteria I use is gut reaction. I've always been one to let my heart have the first say, then let the ol' head chip in, but I always go back to my heart. This probably explains why I've got virtually nothing to show for my life so far, but that's another (sob) story ;-) Okay, enough drivel. Off we go. Trax Chris Niesmertelny Lovely image incorporating good use of DOF, as they all are, but I like the composition on this, when clearly there were 101 alternatives that might have been shot. Toladie Well Joseph Tainter A sucker for a child's face, this one tells a nice story. Judging 'pin sharp' images on a web page is a bit of an oxymoron, but as best I can tell, this is one. Nice contrast between the wood and the figures. Bristlecone Pine Bruce Dayton I wanna go to Bryce Canyon one day! Striking composition, Bruce. And excellent DOF to stay on topic, to boot! Capitol Reef Tree Sculpture Jan van Wijk Another vivid composition with plenty of charm. Those tree branches look razor sharp, as is their focus. Nice, soft colours to compliment. Breathtaking West Virginia Vista Kathy Leickly Once again, newcomer Kathy shows that she's switched onto what she's seeing through the viewfinder. Four elements to this pic: sky, mountains, grassy hill, rock. Individually nothing to write home about, but put them all together and give them their own bit of space in the image, and the whole tells the story. Well done. She's a fine-art photographer in the making, and no mistake. Somewhere in Colorado William Robb Pleasing composition, it works for me. The longer the focal length, the more you fight the DOF. William won this battle ;-) Cadaques Juame Lahuerta It's the shot we all want to take one day, just that most of us don't quite make it to these quaint Mediterranean villages built on hillsides. Juame has, and did. And it's a great pic. Interesting contrast with the olde-worlde steps and the modern jumble of wires. Pumping it in or Sucking it out !? Ayash Kanto This has got to be the most bizarre image of the month, and as such Ayash gets the prize for the most gall. I love a mystery. Is the DOF hidden inside the machine? or in the clouds? Makes my head hurt! Gates of the Valley Dick Jones Dick I hate you. I hate you because I want to sit in Yosemite with a medium format camera and take a photograph that wouldn't look out of place in an Adams book. I hate you even more because you did it so well ;-) PS - I camped in Yosemite when I was a teenager, unfortunately before I discovered photography :-/ Partnachklamm in Winter Hans-Bernhard Beykirch Another fine-art example. This looks like a B and W made into a duo-tone in Photoshop, but no - the media was Provia. Simply beautiful. Absolutely love it. CD Cover Michele Pozzi Simply a great pic, Michele. It looks like a CD cover, and by Hell it *is* a CD cover. Mics and dog tags (?) nice and sharp, everything else has gone to Hell. Quite right too. Nice one. Czubajka kania (Macralepiota procera) Maciej Marchlewski Great Scott man! I get the same view on a good day ;-) Frost, 20th November 2001 Jostein Ykesne Fabulous shot Jostein! Beautiful low-key view, with those islands of fantastic colour in the murk. The plant is nice added form, to put it in context. Super. Wood and Wire Darryn Richter I like it. Nice and sharp on the elements you have chosen: the wood and the wire. Everything else is nice and soft, but we know what's going on. I thought 'beach', even before I read the caption, which means your picture has succeeded! White Nights Alexey Tikhnonov Alexey, I dunno what you're on about bridges raised and all, but that pic is a winner in any contest. Love the composition, the elements. As my old art college tutor from the seventies used to say : 'there are areas there that are working for me'. The faces are superb. It wouldn't be the same shot without the bored hand on the cheek. Just an all round excellent bit of colour reportage. Send me a ten-eight, please, mounted. My pic of the month for sure, congrats! Anja in Blue Edward Kreis Another cracker! Those eyes, those eyes. Piercing right to the soul. Stunner. Well done! Eyelash Facit Good shot Facit. And it'll be a few years yet before Federico jabs you smartly in the ribs for this ;-) G.G. and Mari, Thanksgiving 2001 Mike Johnston A shot straight from a mag article illustrating how we all get old and have to start planning for our retirement sooner rather than later ;-) Lovely feel to it. If you hadn't written about the florries, I would have said that was daylight from a window somewhere. Great atmosphere, well done squire. The Event Gianfranco Irlanda Another winner from Italy. It takes a true artist to force away from the centre of attention and steal the reactions. Nice shot. That the Vea Veneto in 1957 ? ;-) Leaf Ed Keeney Ed's first PUG submission and stomps home with a corker! The composition is perfect - it simply cannot be improved. The colours are genuine and beautiful. The texture of the droplets on the glass is wonderful. What a great effort. Superb. Runner up for this month. More please! Red Stitching Timothy Sherbourne Listen to your wife, Tim, she knows what she's talking about. Great shot. Lovely study of the ball's texture. Well done. Through the Looking Glass Bill Peifer Works for me Bill. Love the mono portion of hands and lens. I know what you're trying to do, and you did it! Cube Sherwin Abesamis Nice study of form and colour. The shapes mold into lovely flowing areas, a really good example of the genre. Well, that's it for this month. All the pics are good, and what strikes me is that everyone kept to the theme very well - mind you that's not too difficult, eh ;-) Thanks to the PUGmeisters for making it happen, and all the snappers for putting up a shot. Some names there that one doesn't see posting on the list, which gives us all hope! Lurkers, love 'em! Keep clicking, Cotty _______________________________________________________ Personal email traffic to [EMAIL PROTECTED] MacAds traffic to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Check out the UK Macintosh ads http://www.macads.co.uk - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
