weekly GarethB's 52 challenge for 2020 - Week 4 - Discarded

[GarethB]

Hi Gareth,

I remember that from over 25years ago, We much preferred Gorleston-on-Sea at that time with my girls being young. So Many places I haven't been back too..

I don't have a preference for the colour or B&W version, they both work well. Is that a monorail cut off at the top?
Good tones/details in the sky. Nice one for the theme.

Pete

Thanks for the comments Pete!
You're right about Gorleston-on-Sea...much posher there!
I always think Gorleston invokes a feeling of the golden age of holidaying in the UK back in the Victorian era - it's just promenade walks and the beach.
It feels like Gt. Yarmouth is trying desperately to be like Las Vegas...and that's not necessarily a good thing in my opinion!

And yes that is a monorail...you'd never get me up on that thing though!!

Nice shot Gareth, liking both of them but have to pick the colour as just like it more.

Thank you kindly Dave!
Yes, I think I prefer the colour one too...not quite mastered my b&w processing yet...(mastering is perhaps the wrong word...more like struggling!)

My original idea is also a Pleasure Fun Park and like yours, it is closed for the winter and they also removed the cars from the fairly wheel for maintenance.

Looking at the two images, I prefer the colour vision a tack more. Image wise I think there is a better angle but not having been there I just don't know. I find the post on the right and the two lamp posts on the left a bit of a distraction.

Many thanks Stan for the constructive criticism.
I had looked online before visiting, to see opening times, and according to the googles, it was supposed to be open.
I was hoping to get a better angle from inside, but it was gated shut all the way around, so the only 'decent' angle I had - in order to get the big 'Pleasure Beach' sign in shot - was the one here.
The whole park is surrounded by high mesh (with barbed wire) and heavy steel fencing, so the angle I had was perhaps the best on offer that day.

Colour shot all the way. Great take on the subject.

Thank you kindly David - I appreciate the time taken to look and comment!

 

[rick448]

Colour shot for me too, nice shot there Gareth.

 

[BobBCN]

Both versions are cool shots. Leaning to the bw as it dates the image.

 

[Cobra]

Ah yes the pleasure beach, who could forget childhood memories? (Seems I did )

Nicely captured Gareth Colour all the way for me.

 

[GarethB]

Colour shot for me too, nice shot there Gareth.

Many thanks Rick - most appreciated!

Both versions are cool shots. Leaning to the bw as it dates the image.

Thank you kindly Bob, for the positive comment!

Ah yes the pleasure beach, who could forget childhood memories? (Seems I did )

Nicely captured Gareth Colour all the way for me.

Thank you Chris, very kind of you to say!

[**Sarcasm mode enabled**]
It's a wonderful place where childhood dreams come true!
[**Sarcasm mode disabled**]

 

[LC2]

Colour version for me Gareth. Your colour shots are always vibrant, this is slightly more muted than usual, but still nicely colourful

 

[Minx]

colour version for me.

 

[Shugpug]

Colour for me too - although my take would be a vintage / washed out look, which whilst perhaps accurate with the season and the age of the pleasure Beach, wouldn't necessarily hit the brief...

 

[DowntonMini]

Great image for Pleasure Gareth the colour version gets my vote too.

 

[HelenC]

For those that have been to Gt Yarmouth, you may understand the irony of this image!!

I won't mention Lowestoft then

Definitely prefer the colour version - adds something quite poignant to the closed fairground.

 

[daveferguson]

Really like your 1st 2 images Gareth[emoji106] definitely colour for the pleasure beach image. Loved your local interest sunset.

 

[Bebop]

Colour for me too Gareth. I don’t think there’s anything lacking in the B&W processing, for me it just suits the subject better.

Interesting take on the theme, well done. I’m still looking for inspiration!

 

[Baloo]

Hi Gareth, i am trying to improve the critique(will be posting about it in the main discussion thread) I give and since I am an admirer of your photographs both here and on flicker I thought you might be a good guinea pig for my dubious attempt without being offended.

I find the composition of this one confusing with strong leading lines that take you out of the picture.When reading your description especially about the Roller coaster I am not sure the composition focuses you on either the pleasure park or the roller coaster.
For me the interest in this shot is all on the pleasure beach "tower" and then you are taken away from it.
The picture is spot on theme, with good exposure throughout but if I am honest then I really want to see more of that Rollercoaster.

 

[Nostromo]

They've both got something going for them, the first one is very colourful and the second is good tones in the Black's and white. Maybe a more moody/dramatic sky would help the black and white version.

 

[GarethB]

Colour version for me Gareth. Your colour shots are always vibrant, this is slightly more muted than usual, but still nicely colourful

Thank you Tim, very kind of you to say!
I managed to fight the urge to tickle the vibrance slider!
Or maybe it was just the weather!

colour version for me.

Many thanks Alison, I appreciate the time taken to look and comment!

Colour for me too - although my take would be a vintage / washed out look, which whilst perhaps accurate with the season and the age of the pleasure Beach, wouldn't necessarily hit the brief...

Many thanks for commenting Shugpug, appreciated!
That's a good point, had I been more selective with the contemporary features, I could have perhaps chosen to portray an image that invokes a 'ye olde pleasure parke' feel from the good old days!
My inability to gain access to the park somewhat scuppered my plans unfortunately!

Great image for Pleasure Gareth the colour version gets my vote too.

Thanks Mark, most appreciated!

I won't mention Lowestoft then

Definitely prefer the colour version - adds something quite poignant to the closed fairground.

Thank you kindly Helen!
Ahh yes....Lowestoft....in that Suffolk!
I can't help but have fond memories of Lowestoft, having passed my driving test there over thirty years ago!
On a side note, I've been reliably informed by a Lowesoft resident, that one apparently pronounces it 'Loo-stuff'!
Not sure if there's a hidden message there though!!
I haven't lived in Lowestoft, but I have lived in Gt. Yarmouth a number of years ago, and I can say without shadow of a doubt that it is indeed a complete toilet!!

Really like your 1st 2 images Gareth[emoji106] definitely colour for the pleasure beach image. Loved your local interest sunset.

Many thanks Dave for looking and commenting!

Colour for me too Gareth. I don’t think there’s anything lacking in the B&W processing, for me it just suits the subject better.

Interesting take on the theme, well done. I’m still looking for inspiration!

Thank you most kindly Bebop, most appreciated!
I find inspiration a struggle too...I'm sure we're not the only ones!
One thing I can be certain of, and that is whatever your image will be, it's sure to be excellent.
I've just been scrolling through your previous 52, and there's some superb images there....you have a very good eye Bebop!

Hi Gareth, i am trying to improve the critique(will be posting about it in the main discussion thread) I give and since I am an admirer of your photographs both here and on flicker I thought you might be a good guinea pig for my dubious attempt without being offended.

I find the composition of this one confusing with strong leading lines that take you out of the picture.When reading your description especially about the Roller coaster I am not sure the composition focuses you on either the pleasure park or the roller coaster.
For me the interest in this shot is all on the pleasure beach "tower" and then you are taken away from it.
The picture is spot on theme, with good exposure throughout but if I am honest then I really want to see more of that Rollercoaster.

Thank you kindly Roger, I appreciate the positive and detailed critique!

You make several very good points:
Indeed the diagonal line/leading line doesn't actually 'lead' anywhere...it's something that I wasn't too happy with either.
I would have very much liked to have chosen a different composition, but as I couldn't gain access to the park interior, I was 'stuck' with photographing it from the outside of the fence, which has somewhat compromised the overall image.
I would have liked to feature more of the rollercoaster, but again due to lack of access, I wasn't able to.
I will admit that I was being a bit lazy that day, and as my original plan had been spoilt, I wasn't in the right frame of mind (and it was very cold that day) and rather hastily took this image...a kind of 'tick-in-a-box' image if you will...and I'm not proud of admitting that!!
I think it's a worthy location, and worth revisiting one day later in the year...when it's open that is!!

They've both got something going for them, the first one is very colourful and the second is good tones in the Black's and white. Maybe a more moody/dramatic sky would help the black and white version.

Thank you kindly Dominic, for the positive comment.
I agree that the sky in the B&W image could have been better...I played around with some overlays in PS etc., to try to extract some more dramatic appeal, but ultimately it ended up looking overprocessed, so I left it mostly un-messed-with!

 

[Bebop]

Thank you most kindly Bebop, most appreciated!
I find inspiration a struggle too...I'm sure we're not the only ones!
One thing I can be certain of, and that is whatever your image will be, it's sure to be excellent.
I've just been scrolling through your previous 52, and there's some superb images there....you have a very good eye Bebop!

You're too kind @GarethB. I think it's a major challenge trying to get something on theme during the timeframe, and we all try and get the best we can. I think photographing something with 'pleasure' written on it was clever. Nice story there too.

I managed to get to the local zoo and get something, although I was tempted to photograph a cake... not that I like cake really, but I know lots of people do

On to week 3 now

 

[GarethB]

You're too kind @GarethB. I think it's a major challenge trying to get something on theme during the timeframe, and we all try and get the best we can. I think photographing something with 'pleasure' written on it was clever. Nice story there too.

I managed to get to the local zoo and get something, although I was tempted to photograph a cake... not that I like cake really, but I know lots of people do

On to week 3 now

Gosh...I'm so behind on commenting...I haven't yet got to the image threads, so I didn't see that you have posted your 'pleasure' image yesterday!

And I was right...it's superb!
Comments incoming presently!

Thanks again Bebop!

(From one 'cake-not-liker' to another)

 

[Bebop]

Gosh...I'm so behind on commenting...I haven't yet got to the image threads, so I didn't see that you have posted your 'pleasure' image yesterday!

And I was right...it's superb!
Comments incoming presently!

Thanks again Bebop!

(From one 'cake-not-liker' to another)

thank you but don't worry too much about commenting, just 'like' posts if you don't have time. I found it all a bit overwhelming when I did it last time keeping up with comments. I have time at the moment, but I might not in a week or two. Don't let it be a burden, just enjoy.

 

[Manxmaid]

Colour for me, Gareth What I like a lot is the sense of irony in the prominent word PLEASURE while the scene itself looks cold, empty and a bit desolate. I'm not keen on the line of the track heading out of the frame but if the place is closed you were probably restricted in where you could go and it does enclose the main tower, which is the main subject, so all in all I like this a lot - it's a great choice

 

[GarethB]

Colour for me, Gareth What I like a lot is the sense of irony in the prominent word PLEASURE while the scene itself looks cold, empty and a bit desolate. I'm not keen on the line of the track heading out of the frame but if the place is closed you were probably restricted in where you could go and it does enclose the main tower, which is the main subject, so all in all I like this a lot - it's a great choice

Thank you most kindly Andrea!
Indeed, the diagonal bothers me a bit too...I will kick myself that I didn't spend more time there to find a better angle, but it would always have that horrid fence in it however.
I think it warrants a return visit when it's open...but then again, it will be full of people, and my desolate, ironic message would be lost!
You just can't win!!

 

[Manxmaid]

You know what they say about photography being the art of compromise, or just another word for compromise (something along those lines) and it's absolutely true. I do really like the image and the sense it conveys, and especially the sad humour of the word Pleasure in that setting. In the summer with sunshine and people all around it would be a completely different scene - and a different challenge for the photographer It looks like a great spot for photography.

 

[Cloudforest]

Cracking shot Gareth - I much prefer the colour version. I might have been tempted to crop out the lamposts on the left side.

 

[GarethB]

Cracking shot Gareth - I much prefer the colour version. I might have been tempted to crop out the lamposts on the left side.

Thank you for the positive comment Pete!
Good point regarding the lamp posts...they are nice and vertical though...not often I get that bit right!!

 

[GarethB]

Week 3 - Tool(s)

(Click here to go back to the contents page)

I thought I'd go back to what I know this week....macro with some flashes!
Not that I know a great deal about that though!
Anyway, as some of you may know, over the last year or so, I've become very involved with Arduino/hobby electronics, and recently decided to invest in some new tools (luckily!)

These are a brand new pair of CK wire cutters - specifically to cut copper wire.
I wanted to show the crisp, sharp edges, and the machining 'grooves'.
As it turns out, they actually look quite rough when you look closely enough...no surprise I suppose.
I'm very happy with them nonetheless.


TP-52-2020 wk-3 - Tool(s) by Gareth Bellamy, on Flickr

...as always, thanks for looking folks.

 

[CliveH]

Nicely done Gareth, a bit of a contrast to my old pair from the 70s, one thing about tools from Carl Kammerling is that they are made to last.
The machine lines detail is excellent.

 

[GarethB]

Nicely done Gareth, a bit of a contrast to my old pair from the 70s, one thing about tools from Carl Kammerling is that they are made to last.
The machine lines detail is excellent.

Thank you Clive!
Indeed they are very well made...I got sick of the cheapo ones wearing out...although now I have to be careful, because they're so sharp, bits of wire go flying everywhere!!

 

[Shugpug]

That is an excellent photo - lovely detail on the jaws (?) of the snips. Great subject for macro and B&W.

 

[Fuji Dave]

Great detail plus crisp and clean shot Gareth, good angle taken at and bang on.

 

[rick448]

Great shot there Gareth, really good lighting which shows the detail nicely.

 

[Baloo]

Great shot

 

[Tilz]

Nice shot Gareth with good detail in the blades

 

[-Oy-]

Nice and sharp of nice and sharp!

Great tones and detail in this!

 

[mdpF2]

That's a great shot, excellent detail in the machined steel, plus bags of contrast.

 

[seaodyssey]

Hi Gareth

Another great Image, love the close up details on those sharp blades. good exposure and good B&W Tones.

Pete

 

[LC2]

I do like the way you've captured the machining striations. A nicely put together shot Gareth.

 

[Minx]

They do look sharp and so is the image great detail on the blades

 

[Nostromo]

I think you've done well with going black on black. The careful lighting (or was it just luck ) has managed to separate the cutters from the background. Very good detail in the shiny bit.

 

[rpn]

That's a fabulous macro shot, Gareth. Perfectly lit, sharp detail and composition. Very simple and very effective.

 

[GarethB]

That is an excellent photo - lovely detail on the jaws (?) of the snips. Great subject for macro and B&W.

Many thanks Alex, very much appreciated!

....jaws (?)

...I think that's what they're called...all I can say is "We're gonna need a bigger boat!"

Great detail plus crisp and clean shot Gareth, good angle taken at and bang on.

Many thanks Dave!
As always I appreciate your kind comments!

Great shot there Gareth, really good lighting which shows the detail nicely.

Thank you kindly Rick!

Great shot

Many thanks Roger!

Nice shot Gareth with good detail in the blades

Thank you Craig for looking and commenting, most appreciated!

Nice and sharp of nice and sharp!

Great tones and detail in this!

Thank you kindly Dave, appreciate your comments...always on point, word-play-wise!

That's a great shot, excellent detail in the machined steel, plus bags of contrast.

Thanks very much Mark, most appreciated!

Hi Gareth

Another great Image, love the close up details on those sharp blades. good exposure and good B&W Tones.

Pete

Thank you Pete, I very much appreciate the positive comment, as always!

I do like the way you've captured the machining striations. A nicely put together shot Gareth.

Many thanks Tim!
I do enjoy striations...fun to look at and indeed to say!

They do look sharp and so is the image great detail on the blades

Thank you kindly Alison, very kind of you to say!
(Yes they are sharp...a bit too sharp to be honest...safety glasses are a necessity due to bits of wire being flung all over the place!)

I think you've done well with going black on black. The careful lighting (or was it just luck ) has managed to separate the cutters from the background. Very good detail in the shiny bit.

Thank you most kindly Dominic!

....careful lighting (or was it just luck )

Probably a bit of both.
(Maybe more the latter though if I'm honest...you called it Dominic!!)

I toyed with placing them on my big white, shiny tile for some extra 'punch', but elected to stay with the old favourite black, shiny one instead, for the low key look.

That's a fabulous macro shot, Gareth. Perfectly lit, sharp detail and composition. Very simple and very effective.

Thank you very much Stan, I really appreciate the positive comment!

 

[Daysleeper40]

Well you definitely achieved your aim of showing the clean sharp edges - that is sharp as a sharp thing!