[Zig]

Hi gang. As you might have guessed, my nose has been down trawling through all the Italy shots.
I'm only in the beginning stages of assembling these but here are 3 advance previews from Rome, all in this instance with the 70-210...which I have to say performs even better without a polariser and having exchanged the former x2 converter to a x1.4.

I saw little or none of the Great Touristy Attractions, as most were inside, cost money and I could get a postcard easier than taking a shot; I was happier out a-snapping in the open.
Subjects: a street performer outside the forum, a between the pillars snap near Trajan's column and a long-stretch tele shot from the Spanish Steps.

[NT73]

The first I like, more because of the 'magicball' than the strange hairstyle.
The second and third, well I am more into colour . It seems the romans knew a thing or two about faux marble.

[Toad]

#1 really grabs my eye in particular.

[Zig]

Oh yes, of course; I had to shoot in black and white as I'd run out of. colour.

[Toad]

Oh yes, of course; I had to shoot in black and white as I'd run out of. colour.

You can order some online....

[matthew]

My preference is for #2 and #3; they show a lot of creativity and are well chosen. The first one, while well done, is something of a gimme.

I'm looking forward to seeing more.

[Zig]

What's a gimme?

[matthew]

From the all-loving Wikipedia: "In golf, a gimme is a shot that the other players agree can count automatically without actually being played."

[Zig]

I'm not being obtuse, but I still don't understand. No matter. If you're implying that the shot was easy, it was not. The small crystal ball was in constant motion, being flicked and gyro'd up the guy's arm, across his nose, and in this shot caught between being flicked from his finger/thumb, with his right hand at full stretch to wow the crowds with his touch of the melodramatic. My failing is that I do not obviously convey this.
Now, far friom expecting plaudits every time I submit a shot, I find it frustrating that out of all the comments that could have been made, one has been an inanity about faux marble and whatever else: totally unhelpful if I were to bother to unravel its meaning. And, "I am more into colour"...er..what is that supposed to mean, for goodness' sake? Another has suggested this shot was some kind of free giveaway: yet have any of you thought how this was lit, given that the light source is from top right..or just why/how the ball is not actually touching the androgynous-looking guy's finger or thumb?
Honestly, posting any shots in what the "showcase" has devolved into is frustrating enough, as it has become a place where a host of photographers just do not expect to see much of merit or depth.
I thought I was submitting to this gallery in a way that contributes to the raising of its standard: posting thoughtfully-taken and skilled work...and with polite infrequency coupled with helpful tips. So, without hiding behind someone else's definition when I have something to say or coming out with an unhelpful inanity myself, tell you what:I'll cut down on my contributions and just pop the links to PBase in the General section below. It'll stop my work getting in the way of important shots of cats, seagulls or oversharpened boats.

[Toad]

Hey Zig:

Matthew's comment about a "gimme" does not imply that the shot was easy. What is being said here is that the shot is very good - and everybody can see that - so he prefers to discuss the other photos rather than dwelling on the one that he suspects everybody will like. Its easy to forget that idiomatic expressions like this do not necessarily translate well when you are speaking with someone not accustomed to that expression.

I apologize for not having submitted a comment with more depth to it. Since I returned to Shuttertalk, I have been making an effort to respond to as many threads as I can - and I suspect that I have erred on the side of quantity rather than quality of comment.

I realize that it is very frustrating to submit work that you are proud of and receive fleeting remarks in return or worse yet - silence. I shall try to submit comments with more merit in the future.

[NT73]

I'm not being obtuse, but I still don't understand. No matter. If you're implying that the shot was easy, it was not. The small crystal ball was in constant motion, being flicked and gyro'd up the guy's arm, across his nose, and in this shot caught between being flicked from his finger/thumb, with his right hand at full stretch to wow the crowds with his touch of the melodramatic. My failing is that I do not obviously convey this.
Now, far friom expecting plaudits every time I submit a shot, I find it frustrating that out of all the comments that could have been made, one has been an inanity about faux marble and whatever else: totally unhelpful if I were to bother to unravel its meaning. And, "I am more into colour"...er..what is that supposed to mean, for goodness' sake? Another has suggested this shot was some kind of free giveaway: yet have any of you thought how this was lit, given that the light source is from top right..or just why/how the ball is not actually touching the androgynous-looking guy's finger or thumb?
Honestly, posting any shots in what the "showcase" has devolved into is frustrating enough, as it has become a place where a host of photographers just do not expect to see much of merit or depth.
I thought I was submitting to this gallery in a way that contributes to the raising of its standard: posting thoughtfully-taken and skilled work...and with polite infrequency coupled with helpful tips. So, without hiding behind someone else's definition when I have something to say or coming out with an unhelpful inanity myself, tell you what:I'll cut down on my contributions and just pop the links to PBase in the General section below. It'll stop my work getting in the way of important shots of cats, seagulls or oversharpened boats.

Feeling a lot of this is part my fault and bear in mind I do not have your word power :-

I implied that the ball was moving by denoting 'Magic Ball" as I could see it was not being held in the guys fingers.
I mentioned Faux Marble, meaning the marble effect (of the Romans) was a false effect denoted by the brickwork showing in places behind. This was just a comment on what I saw.
'I am more into colour' means that having spent 30 years with black and white, I was ready for an improvement of technology. You obviously being much younger than me and not having had everything in black and white at an early age, would see it as a 'new' ( loose definition) medium.
In my case I prefer to move forward rather than backward, and I am not being sarcastic. I always thought a comment on a photo was better than no comment at all.
I was not meaning to upset you, and I hope there is no ill feelings.

[Toad]

Well, I know that this isn't the critique forum, but perhaps more in-depth analysis is required.

#1. This is a gimme as Matthew would say. First class in every way - subject, crop, timing, DOF and processing. Admittedly, the street performer is already pretty dramatic - but there are a million bad shots that could be taken here, and this isn't one of them.

#2 is my least favorite - not because I don't appreciate the depth of field shown - but the woman looks like a tourist. Maybe if that had been a priest or some suitably dramatic tortured soul, it would have resonated more.

#3 is pretty cool. Hard not to like that sliver of humanity in the wall of haute coiture. Well captured. I am still wrestling with the deliberate over exposure / blow-out on some of these. I get it, and I like it intellectually, but I don't love it yet. I think it will require experimentation to know exactly where this works and where it doesn't.

[Zig]

Ah.
Points all noted. In addition to any of your "culpability", I confess that I inadvertently allowed my present acute sensitivity to rule me and have certainly misunderstood the intent of at least 2 of you. I was indeed going to "rage and run" so am grateful to Our Toad for your PM; furthermore, where my reaction has caused equal offence and misunderstanding, my apologies for having lashed out.

[NT73]

Well it clears the air don't it. :o

[Irma]

Welcome back Zig... I hope you had wonderful time in Italy....

I see in all your pictures something to admire.

#1 I love the color.... It reminds me some statues I have seen... Maybe they were made of marble and with the time they get their own color because of the moss and dust. Makes me think about what kind of performance was that. He looks like a tree and the marble give so much light to the image and story.

#2 Well thought composition, I also think you exposed really well to get all details and textures, specially in the poles(?)

#3 I see this picture as a very characteristic of your style. I see the window and then I see something unpredictable. Something I wouldn't expect to see... (the people!) I like this one very much because of the dynamism the people gives to the image. Sweet detail of the birds too..

Looking forward to seeing more of your pictures...