photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Canon DSLR Challenge | all galleries >> Challenge 73: Structure(s) (host: David Willis) >> Challenge 73: Eligible > Summer Fun
previous | next
27-JUL-2006 Lonnit Rysher

Summer Fun

Roslyn, Long Island, NY

Please view this one in it's full glory at:
http://www.pbase.com/lonnit/image/64431732
I tried to upload the larger size here, but
it couldn't handle the compression.

Thank you.

Canon EOS 5D ,Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
1/200s f/3.5 at 30.0mm iso100 with Flash hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time27-Jul-2006 09:17:40
MakeCanon
ModelCanon EOS 5D
Flash UsedYes
Focal Length30 mm
Exposure Time1/200 sec
Aperturef/3.5
ISO Equivalent100
Exposure Bias-2.00
White Balance (-1)
Metering Modematrix (5)
JPEG Quality (6)
Exposure Programmanual (4)
Focus Distance

other sizes: small medium original auto
share
Canon DSLR Challenge11-Aug-2006 00:50
Thanks, Rob. Yes, there is an intimacy to the pic. I think b/c we're contained with them under the canopy. ~ Lonnit
Guest 09-Aug-2006 20:53
Gonna need the cliff's notes for all the commentary below ;-), but I do like this one. It's like I'm under the tree with the two subjects, taking part in the summer fun activities. compositionally, the ladder visually leads me up the tree trunk to the adult, who appears to almost be looking down at me (though it's obvious he's looking at the child being hoisted). Nice submission.
Canon DSLR Challenge04-Aug-2006 18:39
Thanks, Nico. I completely understand what you're saying, where you're coming from and I can't say I disagree. I think the reason that I felt it's one of my best is b/c this one gives me feelings. I don't feel emotions coming from most of my work. :( I shot my first party two weeks ago. Not so proud of the pix technically, but I did capture a lot of the emotion in the room. There was so much love there and everyone was having a great time. I've not shown any of them to you guys, b/c, frankly, the grand majority are embarrassingly poor, wreaking of snapshot. I don't know how to get more emotion into my work. I do often get comments from people saying that they can see how passionate I am about photography, and in shots of my kids, they say they can see the love, but that's not the same as having an image evoke a feeling or connection within the viewer. How do I do that - somebody please reveal the secret! If I can't do that, I'll never get anywhere!! ~ Lonnit
jnconradie03-Aug-2006 20:12
Lonnit,

When I reflect on all the posts/correpondence about this picture, it makes me think about some shots in my own collection which, for a variety of reasons, are pretty special to me and would always be in my own personal "favourites" collection... BUT these same pictures leave some others totally untouched and they just look at them blankly, sort of expressing, "We have no clue what Nico sees in that one...!" :-)

And you know what, I think I see that as simply "part of life"... I like those pictures and that makes them special... no matter who else agrees and who does not.

So, with that whole "speech" as background, I would say this: I think it is a beautiful picture and the composition and colous do work for me. Yet, I would not immediately have said, "One of Lonnit's best ever..." or something like that, to be honest.

Yet... the fact that I happen to have that view need not distract at all from your fondness of your work, your delight with what you achieved, etc. and if you regard it as special, so it shall be. :-)

I hope the ramblings made some sense. Keep up the good work! Regards ~jnconradie
Canon DSLR Challenge03-Aug-2006 05:09
Who cares about technicalities anyway? It hit a soft, warm, place of fondness and contentment in your heart. That's what art is supposed to be. You looked at this and you felt something. That's what I feel; the carefree joys of summer. It captures a mood! In my book, that's a successful image. I appreciate the criticisms, of course, b/c the next time around those things come to mind when I'm shooting. So, even if it doesn't cause me to alter an image, based on such comments, that doesn't mean I don't put it towards the future. As for the centering - well, that's probably adding to the feeling of peacefulness and joy in the image. I wouldn't want to introduce any tension here - that's anti-moodal to the image. The ladder? It adds to the sense of ease - it's not a picture of a daring feat, it's relaxed summertime fun, so it goes along with the peaceful, easy feeling, that these people didn't even have to struggle hard to get up there. It's a story of summertime relaxation and fun. In that, I beleive it's a story told well. So far, nobody is deny a sense of charm about it, which is validating enough for me. ;) Thanks! ~ Lonnit
Canon DSLR Challenge03-Aug-2006 03:11
I've read the criticism of this image and I still like it...however this is because it touches a place in me about summers lost, a happy time in my life, on the plus side I think that the image would do the same for many people. The colors are a little unreal and on the yellow side...but that adds to its distant in time charm. Stick by your guns...not technically the best...but still very good and evocative. Best Wishes, Traveller
Canon DSLR Challenge01-Aug-2006 20:00
Thanks for appreciating it, Traveler. I really love this one. As I was processing it, I went wild when I saw the final result. It does have, perhaps, somewhat of a Readers Digest illustration look to it, but I was crazy about the composition, colors, and particularly, the golden sun bespeckling the trunk. To me it has a nice, fresh, clean look - a very happy picture. I guess you're the only one appreciating it so far. LOL! Me, I think it's one of my best. Thanks! ~ Lonnit
Canon DSLR Challenge01-Aug-2006 09:45
This is wonderful, Lonnit, in spirit, color, and texture. Fabulous. Best Wishes, Traveller