weekly Manxmaid's 52 for 2017 - Week 51 & 52 Festive & Weather added (and COMPLETE!)

[Fuji Dave]

Arch is a lovely shot of this 400 yr old market hall, like the stone walk way too, if it was mine I might try a slight crop from the rhs, still on theme and good

 

[nickbee]

Like Dave, I think I might have cropped it to make the arch central but you've done a great job of capturing the various textures in the stone.

 

[granddad john]

I think you've captured the texture of that floor well Andrea, and the shape of the arch is reflected in the roof as well. Lovely colours in the stone too. That street must look a lot like it did originally, if you took away the cars of course

 

[Tilz]

Nice arch with some good textures of the stone

 

[Dark Knight]

..... As for You, I'd forgotten that the previous image is my avatar. That was taken in the USA, with a Canon so I think my next task should be to change it to the up-to-date version

Now that sounds like a plan... so what you waiting for

Arch - Oh yes wonderful colours and textures, crop hmmmm if you did that you would lose a lot of the building so yes kept in to add context

 

[Manxmaid]

Arch is a lovely shot of this 400 yr old market hall, like the stone walk way too, if it was mine I might try a slight crop from the rhs, still on theme and good

Thanks Dave, the cobbled floor was in great condition and it was amazing to imagine traders laying out their wares and selling them from that floor 400 years ago.

I already lost a bit of the frame around the edges when correcting verticals so I was loathe to crop any more, although I did consider that RHS. I didn't want to lose that big arch and the building opposite by going for a symmetrical crop, but I do know what you mean and I did consider it

Like Dave, I think I might have cropped it to make the arch central but you've done a great job of capturing the various textures in the stone.

Thanks, Nick, it is the most amazing building, especially just sitting at the side of the high street as it does. I take your point about the RHS and centralising the aisle and arch, but I'd already lost a bit around the edges and didn't want to lose that big arch.

I think you've captured the texture of that floor well Andrea, and the shape of the arch is reflected in the roof as well. Lovely colours in the stone too. That street must look a lot like it did originally, if you took away the cars of course

Thanks John, the stone floor and the vaulted ceiling are wonderful features, and so photogenic. I think you're right about the street, too.

Nice arch with some good textures of the stone

Thanks Tilly.

Now that sounds like a plan... so what you waiting for

Arch - Oh yes wonderful colours and textures, crop hmmmm if you did that you would lose a lot of the building so yes kept in to add context

Thanks Dean, that was my thought process, especially after losing some around the edges already when correcting verticals.

As for the avatar, well reminded - I'll go and do that now

 

[michael23]

Nice building for arch Andrea, I do like the colour and texture in there

 

[Nostromo]

Occupation
I like this, I would just like to have seen a bit more.
You
I'd though about doing a shot like this, but that would have meant cleaning the wing mirror. There's enough of you in the photo to make it on theme.
Arches
Great arches, nice colours and textures, especially on the cobbles.

 

[susiejb]

Occupation ...love how natural that one is Andrea...what a great way to while away a few hours.
Great idea for You...really nicely done too ...I like that a lot.
I love the Cotswolds and that looks like a really interesting building, I guess it was difficult to find the right angle I would like to see more of that fabulous arched roof it looks amazing.

 

[sirch]

Arch - Cotswold stone is a lovely colour that you have captured well, I also like the detail in the stones in the floor, good choice for the theme

 

[Manxmaid]

Nice building for arch Andrea, I do like the colour and texture in there

Thanks, Michael. It was a really lovely structure, and in such good condition for its age.

Occupation
I like this, I would just like to have seen a bit more.
You
I'd though about doing a shot like this, but that would have meant cleaning the wing mirror. There's enough of you in the photo to make it on theme.
Arches
Great arches, nice colours and textures, especially on the cobbles.

Thanks, Dominic. I have wider shots of the punts and chauffeurs but there was a lot of background clutter there with parked punts, a grotty river bank/wall and people waiting, so I decided to go tighter on the actual subject. With a bit more planning I would have picked another spot, but we were leaving Cambridge straight afterwards. It's an excuse to go back again some time

Occupation ...love how natural that one is Andrea...what a great way to while away a few hours.
Great idea for You...really nicely done too ...I like that a lot.
I love the Cotswolds and that looks like a really interesting building, I guess it was difficult to find the right angle I would like to see more of that fabulous arched roof it looks amazing.

Thanks, Susie, it did look like a great way to see the colleges that are not open to the public. It's odd that despite all the time I've spent in Cambridge I've never been on a punt; definitely an excuse to go back now I do have more of the roof, which was indeed amazing, but the wide-angle made some of the cross beams look wonky so I decided to go with the wider shot. I'll post the other one tomorrow.

Arch - Cotswold stone is a lovely colour that you have captured well, I also like the detail in the stones in the floor, good choice for the theme

Thanks, Chris, I agree about the stone and the floor. It was my first time in the Cotswolds and I can see why it's such a magnet for tourists. We only scratched the surface this time but I'd like to go back for a longer visit.

 

[Manxmaid]

Week 38 - Display


38 Display by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

For the second week running, the new theme came at a great time for me. I was just about to start a garden tour at this country house in the north of the island, so I was confident I would find something suitable. Although it's late summer and the gardens are not as colourful as a few weeks ago, the gardeners have ensured that something is in bloom from early Spring until now, and these flower beds looked lovely under the sunshine. With the trees on either side, the lovely house in the background, and blue skies breaking through after rain I thought it was a very pretty display

 

[Tilz]

Really nice shot Andrea

 

[Fuji Dave]

What a lovely display of all the nice colourful flowers Andrea, and what a house it is too in shot

 

[granddad john]

Really lovely display Andrea. Wonderful sky too

 

[sirch]

I do wonder if you had stepped slightly to the right would we have seen all of the path leading through the flowers but that is being incredibly picky, it is a lovely display, great colours and a good sky all set off by the bright white building, very nice.

 

[susiejb]

Excellent choice Andrea, that garden still looks lovely, the sky is the icing on the cake.

 

[Manxmaid]

Occupation ...love how natural that one is Andrea...what a great way to while away a few hours.
Great idea for You...really nicely done too ...I like that a lot.
I love the Cotswolds and that looks like a really interesting building, I guess it was difficult to find the right angle I would like to see more of that fabulous arched roof it looks amazing.

As promised, @susiejb , here's one showing more of the ceiling. It was a fascinating building with all the old wood and the worn cobbled floor.



Market Hall, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

 

[Manxmaid]

Really nice shot Andrea

Thanks, Tilly

What a lovely display of all the nice colourful flowers Andrea, and what a house it is too in shot

Thanks, Dave, it's a lovely location and really well kept.

Really lovely display Andrea. Wonderful sky too

Thanks, John, we got lucky with the weather breaking at just the right time

I do wonder if you had stepped slightly to the right would we have seen all of the path leading through the flowers but that is being incredibly picky, it is a lovely display, great colours and a good sky all set off by the bright white building, very nice.

Thanks, Chris. Funnily enough, my original view was straight down the path but the flowers are finishing now and there wasn't much colour, so I stepped to the side and took a low angle to make the most of the remaining flowers on both sides at this end.

Excellent choice Andrea, that garden still looks lovely, the sky is the icing on the cake.

Thanks, Susie, I was lucky to get there last week as it's been very 'Autumnal' and grey since then!

 

[Hertsman]

Lovley garden, and as Chris said, would have been nice to see the path a bit more.....you have just held the highlights in the white building...

 

[Manxmaid]

Lovley garden, and as Chris said, would have been nice to see the path a bit more.....you have just held the highlights in the white building...

Thanks, Mark. As I replied to Chris above, that was my original intention but there was very little colour further along the path so I moved to this angle to make the most of the flowers still in bloom at this end. Yes, the building is pristine white and was a challenge under the sunshine

 

[Hertsman]

btw, I love the textures in the roof and flooring of the pic you posted for Susie....

 

[Dark Knight]

Lovely clouds and a strikingly designed and bright building too, surrounded by them huge flower beds, what great surroundings to casually wander through

 

[Manxmaid]

btw, I love the textures in the roof and flooring of the pic you posted for Susie....

Thanks, Mark, it is an absolute gift for photographers

Lovely clouds and a strikingly designed and bright building too, surrounded by them huge flower beds, what great surroundings to casually wander through

You'd never know it had been pouring with rain a couple of hours earlier, would you? Thanks, Dean.

 

[d00d]

Arch ... amazing colour and texture, what a floor! And ceiling too as emphasised in #2.

Display ... pleasing image with flowers, brilliant white building and sky of interest. Nicely shoehorned in.

 

[Manxmaid]

Arch ... amazing colour and texture, what a floor! And ceiling too as emphasised in #2.

Display ... pleasing image with flowers, brilliant white building and sky of interest. Nicely shoehorned in.

Thanks, David, the market hall was fascinating and a gift for photographers (there were a few cameras out when I was there).

As for a shoehorn, pffft, you Doubting Thomas - I took that image specifically for the theme! There wasn't a great deal of solid colour left in the flower beds but this angle made the most of it, and the house and sky were the cherry on top.

 

[LC2]

Hey Andrea,

Occupation - You've avoided any issues with the river background looking pants by avoiding it totally. You're border patrol is far better than mine

You - Plenty of detail. The eternity ring you're wearing looks a lot like @minx's
The crop works well on the mirror. Nicely done.

Arch - Not in bad nick for 400 yrs and being out in the open. The verticals look alight to me, you're always going to get a bit of perspective and something that old is never have going to have remained plumb.
Critique would perhaps be the uncontrolled highlights in the distance. Did you consider a little bit of HDR? (though then there would be worries about ghosting of people / cars, so maybe not).
ETA - Wow, that roof is something else ! I can see why you exposed it the way you did from the second image

Display - Absolutely loving the riot of different colours you've captured in this Display image, and even a leading line to the building

 

[Manxmaid]

Hey Andrea,

Occupation - You've avoided any issues with the river background looking pants by avoiding it totally. You're border patrol is far better than mine

You - Plenty of detail. The eternity ring you're wearing looks a lot like @minx's
The crop works well on the mirror. Nicely done.

Arch - Not in bad nick for 400 yrs and being out in the open. The verticals look alight to me, you're always going to get a bit of perspective and something that old is never have going to have remained plumb.
Critique would perhaps be the uncontrolled highlights in the distance. Did you consider a little bit of HDR? (though then there would be worries about ghosting of people / cars, so maybe not).
ETA - Wow, that roof is something else ! I can see why you exposed it the way you did from the second image

Display - Absolutely loving the riot of different colours you've captured in this Display image, and even a leading line to the building

Thank you very much for the big catch-up. Tim. Much appreciated! I'll have to go and hunt down a picture of Minx's ring I agree with your comments about the market hall and I went through quite a thought process and tried a few things. I was frustrated that I don't think I really did justice to it, and I can't easily go back, but I do have the RAWs and will definitely revisit the images again to see what else I can do with them. I need to work on my post-processing ability now the evenings are getting darker!

 

[Manxmaid]

Week 39 - Bent


39 Bent by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

On reflection I realise this may be regarded as more of a 'bend' than 'bent', but it was the best idea I came up with. As you can see, the road is very bent here!

I chose monochrome as the light wasn't great and B&W brought out the textures of the road surface and trees and also accentuated the road markings. I was restricted in the angle I could choose as a car was parked awkwardly just to my right - very inconsiderate!

This is Ramsey Hairpin, which forms part of the Isle of Man TT Course for the motorcyle road races, and marks the beginning of the steep climb out of Ramsey and up onto the mountain.

 

[sirch]

Bend, bent, what's a letter between friends? Well captured, I like the composition with the bend right across the frame and the mono works well.

 

[Fuji Dave]

Bend/Bent, I like this too Andrea as something that bends can be bent. Goes very well in mono and reminds me of a bend in some of the F1 tracks, nice camera too

 

[posiview]

Best one so far. Great POV, processing and detail. A car on the RHS driving out of scene would also work.

Cheers.

 

[Dark Knight]

Yep I like that bend Andrea, liking that it is going uphill left to right, pleasing to my eyes, theme wise fine too, the road is 'bent' for sure

 

[Hertsman]

As a TT lover, thats a very welcome picture of bent track, love the details in the mono conversion....

 

[Tilz]

Nice shot, I like how it fills the whole frame and it looks good in black and white

 

[d00d]

Really like this Bent Bend Hairpin.

... the low POV and pano feel.

 

[susiejb]

Definitely a great POV on that one Andrea ...very bendy/bent, it works really well in the b&w too.

 

[Missycat]

Arch - Fab old building, think I prefer the second shot you put in for susie. shows off the more of the lovely wood in the ceiling.
Display - Lovely Milntown, I like the angle and the house sat in the middle and you made the best of the flowers too
Bend - I like this a lot. The B & W, the hill rising on the right and how it all fills the frame

 

[Manxmaid]

Bend, bent, what's a letter between friends? Well captured, I like the composition with the bend right across the frame and the mono works well.

Thanks, Chris, as bends go it's an interesting one with that steep slope as well as the sharp curve

Bend/Bent, I like this too Andrea as something that bends can be bent. Goes very well in mono and reminds me of a bend in some of the F1 tracks, nice camera too

Thanks, Dave, it's similar to F1 in the sense that the bikes race round there twice a year although, as you can imagine, it's one of the slowest sections of the course whereas in other places they're doing over 200mph

Best one so far. Great POV, processing and detail. A car on the RHS driving out of scene would also work.

Thanks very much, Andy. It's not very clear but there's a car creeping into the scene on the right hand side at the very top of the bend, just about to drive down the hill Very small though I did get a few frames with cars rounding the bend but preferred this one because of the emptiness of the bend and the clear road markings.

Yep I like that bend Andrea, liking that it is going uphill left to right, pleasing to my eyes, theme wise fine too, the road is 'bent' for sure

Thanks, Dean, I think it's just about on theme

As a TT lover, thats a very welcome picture of bent track, love the details in the mono conversion....

Thanks, Mark, it will be a familiar scene to you then. Yes, I think it suited B&W best.

Nice shot, I like how it fills the whole frame and it looks good in black and white

Thanks Tilly.

Really like this Bent Bend Hairpin.

... the low POV and pano feel.

Thanks, David, I agree about the low POV and pano look; I think it suited the scene best.

Definitely a great POV on that one Andrea ...very bendy/bent, it works really well in the b&w too.

Thanks, Susie

Arch - Fab old building, think I prefer the second shot you put in for susie. shows off the more of the lovely wood in the ceiling.
Display - Lovely Milntown, I like the angle and the house sat in the middle and you made the best of the flowers too
Bend - I like this a lot. The B & W, the hill rising on the right and how it all fills the frame

Thank you for the comments It was hard to choose between the different images of the market hall but the verticals were bending in some of them. It's a super building though. I think it would be hard to go to Milntown and not find a pleasing view, and I'm glad the Ramsey Hairpin worked so well as it was a long way to go

 

[Manxmaid]

Week 40 - Wood/en


40 Wooden by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

This is possibly a recipe for disaster, processing a contrasty image from an unfamiliar camera on an unfamiliar laptop, but I won't be home for a week and as I have the image and want to post it in the relevant week I'll chance it. If it doesn't look right I will reprocess it once I'm home.

Anyway, this is the 'Tirena', a replica of a 16th Century merchant galleon that carries tourists around the harbours and islands near Dubrovnik, Croatia. She is powered by modern engines but the surface construction is mostly beautiful wood and she seemed perfect for the theme.