Hi Bjørn,

What a fantastic place you live in. I visited once for a weekend one summer when I was working in Oslo. I couldn't sleep. It was before I was into photography seriously so I'd love to go back one day.

The light in the sky and sea is lovely and there is a real feeling of tranquility. I too find the foreground darkness much too much. In the first photo I like the potential hidden in the foreground - the texture of the cragged rocks and the patches of snow. I brought it out a little bit and restricted the foreground to the rock shapes I found interesting:

[IMG]http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q185/adrianpmills/20100721-Ringvebukta_1_LR.jpg[/IMG]

With the second image I really like the sweep of the little spur and I like it in silhouette. I think there is interesting detail to be had in the boat house and the rocks it sits atop - but I don't like it in silhouette. And the bottom third doesn't hold much either way. So I've come up with two basic takes on the scene:

[IMG]http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q185/adrianpmills/20100721-Ringvebukta_2_LR.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q185/adrianpmills/20100721-Ringvebukta_2_LR-2.jpg[/IMG]

I hope you don't mind me taking liberties with your images. I don't know if these can be rescued, but if not, then definitely worth a revisit.

Number 2 for me. The log has a almost tactile quality and the richness of the colours is great.

Breakfast




My father-in-law's start to each day.

Today.

K20D
DA*50-135
Exposure 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture f/13.0
Focal Length 50 mm
ISO Speed 100
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash On, Fired

Sounds familiar. I hope it isn't the same problem, but try searching "vertical banding" on this forum. From my personal experience with my K20D my advice would be to get this camera replaced as rather than repaired if you can.

Despite living in a very scenic part of the world, landscape photography is something I'm finding quite difficult. I'll be off on some tours shortly to practice, so I'd appreciate feedback on these recent efforts. I can't decide whether I really like them or not. I'm not sure if the coloured ones just look a bit murky and the b/w too false.

My first attempt at fireworks, so c&c appreciated.

The first batch are from the display over a local lake on Tuesday night:










And these from the 14th in the centre of a small local town. The fireworks were very close to the onlookers, so we were showered with embers and the odd wayward rocket. I've been to displays all over the world but this small but imaginative and highly enthusiastic effort was right up there with Sydney and Rio (seriously):
















I've probably posted a few too many photos recently so I'll try and calm down for a few days.

I only looked at the colored until just now. Nice, but the mono is sumptuous. Got any more?

Personally, this is the most enjoyable set of yours I've yet seen. I feel like I've been there now. I really like the metal containers. The slates at the window (subject to a crop to the left of the second windowframe) and the coat rack I'd happily have framed.

My vote is for mono as well and for a lighter touch on the contrast. Regarding the selective colouring, it looks a bit smudgy. Might it be easier to desaturate everything but the red of the carriage?

This runs a few tourist trips over summer from Limoges to the back of beyond and back. I'm afraid I know nothing about the engine: