RFF POSTCARD PROJECT Part Deux...

[jippiejee]

The photo of my postcard was taken in Istanbul beginning of this year. I wanted to escape the cold rainy days at home and my friends were sending me postcards from Madrid and Rome. Sunny reports about beers and food. So I expected Istanbul to be just as warm. Wrong, it was a depressing frozen city when I arrived there without much happening in the streets. I wanted to try my M8 for street photography but couldn't really find the frames. Sometimes you just have to surrender to the city then. Sit down for a smoke and see what comes to you. I liked the old woman in that strange tent selling tickets so focused my camera on her and waited for something to happen in the frame. Somehow I shot my most-watched photo then.


istanbul7 by aad_b, on Flickr

[jcrutcher]

My photo of the Prickly Pear Cactus was taken in March during a nice evening walk around the neighborhood in Phoenix Arizona. The Prickly Pear does not flower very long during the spring, once the flowering is completed the pods are available for fruit that some people make Jam from it. The camera I used was a Leica M7 with Porta 160. It was my first day with the Carl Zeiss 50mm c-sonnar lens. Thank you for any comments you may have. I will shot my collection of all postcards this weekend. I received 54 plus mine for 55. It's fun to read about them and where they came from. I used Moo for the cards, happy with them however next time I'll turn up the saturation a little. Let's do this again!



Cheers! Jim

[Pherdinand]

stratcat, i got it!! thanks. very nice one

[Pherdinand]

here's my card.



It's from Ilha Grande in Brazil, on the bestest beach of the globe (Lopes Mendes). Some 170km south-west of Rio. In 2010, my second visit to Brasil.

You can take a 2-2.5 hours walk there from Abraao, the only village of the island, through the atlantic rainforest and meet caymans, hear the howling apes and juggle with coconuts on the way.
Was a windy day; toe amazing roar of the waves was audible half an hour before we've actually could see the beach.

The image was shot using a bessa r3a and a summicron 90/2, on maco up25, developed probably in rodinal.

I've decided to make it more postcardy by adding a cursive printed "warmest wishes!" under the image on the vistaprint site (so you can;t see it here on the original). The "warmest wishes" expression is courtesy of the girl on the shot

The stamp was special ordered using a strongly cropped part of the main image.

During the image selection it was a horrible weather here in Holland (summer was nowhere to see) so i was definitely picking an image to fight the 13 centigrade and rain.

[jw52tx]

My photo was made last June at the Great Sand Dunes National Park in south central Colorado. The highest dunes are 750 feet tall and the largest dune field covers over 30 square miles. I had intended to spend time out in the dunes but the high winds and very abrasive wind blown sand changed my mind on that! As it turned out I came away with a set of images very different from what I had envisioned - but that I am pleased with.
More of these are on my Flickr site under a set entitled Sand Dunes.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2509930...7627002337219/

This is my first time to participate in the post card exchange. I have enjoyed the images I recieved and look forward to being involved again.
Thanks to Rob and each of you for sharing!
Jim

[randolph45]

Candy dispensers from the M&M store.
Canon G11-F2.8-1/30th-6.1mm ISO 250 12/06/11
I liked the the way the toys were grouped together on the tables.Shot at waste level with the articulating back screen facing up.

I am not much of a shopper,but my wife and her sister love to go here and the Coca Cola store next door.

We come to L.V to exchange Christmas and birthday gifts for the year and attend the National Rodeo Finals/Cowboy Christmas show.If it's Western they have it.

Getting an upload error,will try again.No thumb nail but here is the link from gallery

[kxl]

Mine was from a recent trip to the Philippines (March 2012) where I was born and raised - it was only my second trip since I left in the 70's. I primarily used my ZI and ZM 25/2.8 with Neopan 400 for most of the shots I took. Been so busy I still have not developed all of the rolls I shot.

March was the onset of summer in the Philippines and the weather was just beautiful - I really feel for everyone going through one of the most severe flooding in their history and ask for everyone's prayers for the Filipino people.

[ricnak]

Here is my card.



I took the photo in December while visiting Caloundra. I used a Ricoh GXR with the Leitz 135mm Elmarit. The child was at the beach while her dad was fishing. This card was from the first round of the postcard project. I made an error when ordering and ended up getting two sets. I was glad when Rob announced a second round for the postcard project. I still have many spares, so let me know if you did not receive one. I am happy to send out seconds.

I used a local company called Martin Print for the postcards. The upload process was simple and you had an option to see a proof before it was printed.

It was nice to see even more people get involved in this round. I really enjoyed the variety of images from all over the place. I liked reading the nice comments and stories. I especially liked seeing the fatigued handwriting.

Thanks to all that got involved and double thanks to Rob for organising it all.

Cheers

helen

[kdemas]

Mine was shot at the San Francisco Chinese New Years Parade earlier this year. I usually shoot this with my M8 but decided to sport my M5 and 50 'Cron on this night. I was trying very hard to work through a 100' roll of HP5+ so I pushed it it 1600 and above as the light dropped. I was pleased at how the Ilford film handled the push and got a number of keepers that evening.

It was a great night with an assortment of friends also shooting, including some other RFFers.

Enter the Dragon.

[stratcat]

Originally Posted by Pherdinand

stratcat, i got it!! thanks. very nice one

Great, thanks! I wonder if participants in Australia already received it too...

Great stories behind the pictures, I'm enjoying reading about each one very much. Post some more!

[Don Parsons]

I took this in April, 2010 when I was flying for an International Freight Carrier (Not FedUP).

We had arrived in Addis Ababa the night before and as this was my first time there. wanted to go sightseeing. After breakfast, my Captain, engineer and another engineer headed out of the hotel compound.

Once out of the compound, I learned what 3rd World countries look like. We had just passed thru a small neighborhood, when this young boy, Bengm, came running up. "Captain, you're back!" It turns out my Captain knew him and invited him along in search of coffee. He brought along his friend, Honeck.

After a few blocks, I felt I could trust them and they showed us to a good coffee shop. On the way back, we stopped and got a Coke and then headed back to the hotel. Bengm asked if we wanted to see where he lived and we agreed as it was on the way back.

We stopped in front of this tin and wood and wire one-room shack. When Bengm turned and exited, I saw this beautiful light on his face and asked he and Honeck to pose. There was reflected light coming off his neighbors shack, 3-feet away so I squeezed myself up against the outer wall sideways, with the camera out to my side and took this shot.

Shot with a Sony W-350 point-n-shoot at the wide end, 26mm.

[intheviewfinder]

Here's mine...



As I noted on the card this is from a long term personal project 'Carnies & Carnivals.' Taken in early June on the beach in Revere MA (USA) with a X-Pro 1, 35mm f/1.4 lens (f/4, 1/300 sec, ISO 3200).

I've been shooting the project in B&W. Most everything has been digital though there is some film work. When I use a digital camera, the LCD is set to display in B&W, the import does a basic B&W conversion and then I'll do some Lightroom adjustments. This way the process is in B&W (i.e. I get to think the whole way through in B&W).

A few I reset back to the original RAW data, this is one. I thought it would be interesting and fun to include an image from this camera in color. I think at postcard size it's pretty cool but if you put a loupe on the carnie you'll see there's some breakdown of the image. This may be due to the high ISO, or likely due to the fact that LR4 cannot handle the Fuji raw file. In the end this shot has missed the editor's cut and will probably be a reject. If you want to see more there's a group on my website "along the midway"

[intheviewfinder]

I also want to say that I am glad to have participated in this round. I have received many a fine photo from folks here at RFF. Many of them from your 'neighborhood' some from places you've visited, and some of those I know well and quite appreciate your view.

I'm enjoying these photos and I'm humbled to be included.

[motion_runner]

I chose two different subjects for my cards, both from my favourite destination in autumn: the Maritimes in Canada. I love Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island in particular.

As for the technical details, I took both pictures with a Leica M3 camera and 50 mm Summicron lens (tabbed version). For the motel sign picture I used Fuji Astia, for the dramatic light scene before the storm Fuji Provia 100 ISO slide film.

I am going to E-Mail my list showing all dates of arrival/departure of your/my cards later this month. At the moment my count is 52.

Thank you all for participating in this great project.

[tomtofa]

My photo was taken in January of this year on Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay, looking across to the city.

The statue in the foreground is 'Bliss Dance', built for the 2010 Burning Man and transported to Treasure Island afterwards. Some posters have wondered whether the perspective in the photo is due to the size of the statue or the choice of lens. Well, it's the statue: it's 40 feet tall: her raised foot is about 8 feet from the ground.

[astro8]

Originally Posted by stratcat

Great, thanks! I wonder if participants in Australia already received it too...

Yes, just arrived home and your card is here...and well worth waiting for!

[sojournerphoto]

My photo was taken when I was visiting the area in North Derbyshire where I grew up, with my wife and girls. We stopped in at a local village hall where a lady was demsontrating making rag rugs and other craft items. She was also selling some of her production, which she operates as a small craft business. After a cup of tea we spent some time discussing the craft with her and I made this exposure as she was explaining some details of the process or technique to her daughter (left of frame) and my girls watched on.

ZI, propbably the C-Sonnar and TMax 100. The card shows the full frame.

Thanks to all for the variety of interesting and inspiring cards.

Mike

[mgchan]

Taken on February 4, 2011, it is of the TKTS discount Broadway tickets booth in New York City. That day the sun was pretty intense. Originating from the right, it reflected off the building and electronic billboards on the left, casting the shadows behind the pedestrians.

This shot came from my first test roll taken with my then new to me Yashica Mat TLR, using Ilford HP5 Plus 400 B&W film. I had never used a TLR before.

[unixrevolution]

I really want to get in on the next one. This looks fun!

[ricnak]

Oscar - your colourful postcard has arrived in Oz. Many thanks. I also have cards from Mike, Philipp, Gareth, Ralph and Robert in the last week. Wonderful images.

[lynnb]

I wanted to send something that was recognisably mine, so it seemed logical to make it a wave photo, as I take so many of them! I live 10 mins walk away from the beach and rock platform where this was taken. I walk there most days and always carry a camera.

The best photos are when the weather is wild after a storm front. I always keep an eye on weather and wave forecasts so I can be there for any big wave action. Storm-generated waves can reach a height of 20'-30' before they hit the rocks and the spray height can easily reach 80'. It is exciting and spectacular, but also very dangerous - fishermen have died after being swept off close to where this picture was taken, through carelessness or ignorance of the dangers. I always treat the ocean with the respect it deserves, never turning my back even when changing lenses.

This was taken in May 2011. It was mid-morning but there were dark storm clouds behind to provide contrast for the white spray. The waves were only moderate, but sometimes one gets lucky with a wave like this. The wind was offshore, allowing me to get very close without getting wet. It was taken with my 5D and a 24-105/f4L IS set at 60mm, 1/125 at f11, ISO 50. Post processing was in Lightroom.

I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did; and thank you for all the wonderful post cards. Special thanks to Rob for organising it all.

kind regards,
Lynn
Sydney

[stratcat]

Originally Posted by astro8

Yes, just arrived home and your card is here...and well worth waiting for!

Originally Posted by ricnak

Oscar - your colourful postcard has arrived in Oz. Many thanks. I also have cards from Mike, Philipp, Gareth, Ralph and Robert in the last week. Wonderful images.

Excellent! Thanks for the heads-up and for your kind words.

I guess I can now post about the image I sent. My picture was shot on April 7, 2012 downtown Mexico City. I travelled for the weekend to visit my parents and siblings and I suggested we went for a walk and beer/coffee downtown. I naively thought I'd be able to photograph at leisure and carried my cameras.

This is really the only shot I got from that trip among all the family snaps . It was taken using my Yashica MAT 124G on Fuji Provia 400X film while walking between the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral and the remains of the Aztec Templo Mayor.

TLR's are so unlike other cameras that most people don't know they're being photographed and that was just the case here. The intense colors of the pre-hispanic motifs in the painted wall, the street vendor, the improvised merchandise stand; all called my attention and I took just a little while to compose, focus, shoot and catch up with my impatient group.

I chose this image because I wanted to send something that was representative of Mexico but without resorting to the obvious (pyramids, indigenous people, charro sombreros, etc.). I used moo for the printed cards and decided to crop the image to make the most out of the card surface.

Thanks to Rob for organizing this project and thanks to everyone for your cards, I enjoyed receiving, reading and beholding each and everyone of them and I'll miss seeing them in my mailbox (I'm sure my postman will too!)

See you in part trois!



Vendedor de flautas por Stratcat 74, en Flickr

[dboxer]

The Occupy Seattle event on October 15, 2011 in Westlake Center, downtown offered many photo opportunities. This was just one of them.

This was the first time I walked up to strangers and asked if I could take their photo. For whatever reason, I felt more comfortable under these circumstances, to ask than I might have on any other day walking around downtown. Maybe it was because the protesters were intending to draw attention.

I did get some odd looks from other people, but these folks were not bothered by my photographing them.

I was shooting a lot of Neopan 400 at the time. Almost exclusively with the M6 and 50 Summilux. I believe that's what this is.


Occupy Seattle by Boxer Bicycles, on Flickr

I've really enjoyed all the cards I've received and it's always a treat to learn a little more about the images. Thanks everyone for participating and sharing these great photos!
And three cheers for Rob for organizing this once again.

Hip Hip Hooray!
Hip Hip Hooray!

Hip Hip Hooray!

[merciless49]

Here is my image, "Treading Water".

It was taken at the Monterey Aquarium last December as part of my road trip through central California Coast. This orange Puffin kept on swimming in my direction and basically kept in the same pose for a few minutes treading water the entire time. I liked the contrast that the curved glass of the enclosure gave, on top of the water partitioning effects and the angle of view exaggerating the proportions of the Puffin.

Panasonic GF1 with 20mm f1.7 lens, set on high saturation. Honored to be part of this round and hope to be able to participate in the next round, as well! Loved all the postcards that came in. Thanks Rob, for organizing this!

[victoriapio]

Valentino
I got your postcard from the 1st RFF postcard project. Very nice image, I like it a lot. Sorry I'm late responding, being absolutely swamped at work.
OC