So, as you say, you don't know whether or not you can support the thread's deletion.

A sizeable portion of this thread has consisted of asking the mods for a rationale, which might have been persuasive, but it seems easier to get blood out of the proverbial stone.

'Wholly irresponsible' to offer in public a reason for the thread's removal? Hogwash. Sounds like a press release from an embarrassed government ministry. Jittery about libel? Then say so. Enforcing a 'photography-only' decision? Then say so. The decision to remove the thread and the prolonged ensuing silence is discreditable.

Unimpressed.

Still no word from any of the mods.  I think many of us have held off final judgement waiting for more information, but it is increasingly looking as though the mods are keeping quiet deliberately, perhaps in the hope that the fire will burn out.

Such a strategy would be almost as reprehensible as the deletion of the original post, so it would be nice to be wrong on this occasion.

This is explored a bit on the US forum:

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/7-pentax-compact-cameras/233928-question-mx-1...

Would whoever deleted the thread like to offer their explanation to those of us who are puzzled by such a seemingly uncaring action? Of course it is possible the OP herself asked for it to be suspended. It would be good to know.

They are good, but in the end I gave up on them since I use a tripod as often as I hand-hold, and having to detach the tripod quick-release plate (which is normally always attached to my camera) in order to fix the wrist strap securely was a faff too far. But if you normally hand-hold, the straps are great.

Naive me. I thought a glitch was responsible. The thread disappeared as soon as I posted a response.

In a way, it seems that a glitch was responsible, even if one with a human face. Common sense and a little empathy might have let it be.

PS Recommendation of a suitable medium depends greatly upon how you think your brother-in-law will want to display the picture. If in a frame, I'd go for semi-gloss or pearl. Otherwise, what about stretched canvas?...

Loxley is usually v good - I print my own, but have used them to do some 'specials' (eg aluminium prints). They are not cheap. I have also used DS Colour Labs - for a stretched canvas print - which (by the nature of canvas's surface) does not put their printing under a severe test. That said, of its sort it was excellent and very keenly priced. I had tried to do my own - made an A2 print, built a frame, and glued/stapled everything in place. It looked great for a day, but I hadn't allowed for contraction/expansion. It's given me some respect for the result DSCL achieved!

Chris

Your instinct to go for details has paid off. For my taste, too many of your buildings have problems with subsidence. The technique is easily overdone. The first of the Ferrari shots in particular is arresting. I'm not quite sold on the exposure for Bartok: it has suppressed detail. The exposure on 13 might have worked if the sun had also caught the figure on the pedestal ... the underexposure elsewhere wouldn't then have seemed odd.

As a group, not as inventive as your wooden tops (which I admired as a concept), but there's none the less plenty of interest here.