Twin Cousins
by ambaker

Comment by aliqui:
Those cameras are so interesting!

I'm not sure if it's the cameras that give the old-time feel or what, but this photo just feels old to me. I feel there may be a lot contributing to the older feel. Lens choice, composition, DOF, B/W (obviously), etc. Your score for the challenge isn't too bad, but I feel the voters may have missed some of that nostalgic warmth the photo gives. To me you were able to capture that old "film" feel with a modern digital camera. Something that the film purists say just can't be done.

Oh, and I love that shing of light reflecting off the leftmost camera's chrome!

Seriously?
by ambaker

Comment by aliqui:
You may not do many portraits, but you've done a fine job here capturing her sweetness. Her expression and positioning are engaging. It's hard not to look at this photo, smile, and tilt your head to match hers.

I will say though that there does seem to be a slight motion blur, which I would attribute to your shutter speed being slightly too slow for your focal distance. The side of her face closest to the window also seems a touch hot in terms of exposure. I understand that this is likely to create an acceptable exposure on the other side. For those reasons, as a voter, I'd score this lower.

However, if I were a proud pappa, I'd certainly feel differently about the photo. A proud pappa would see this as their beautiful little girl illuminated with a warm sun glow. You can see her youthful skin and her rosy cheeks. That warm sun that may have blown highlights to a voter also is at the perfect angle to illuminate those rich brown eyes.

Sorry We Missed You... Please Come Again
by ambaker

Comment by aliqui:
I have family in Missouri, so I checked this place out. It's nowhere near them, but it looks like quite a remarkable little town. Remarkable in the fact that it's tiny! Wiki says its area is not even half a square mile.

With that said, I completely understand the drive-by photo of this abandoned gas station. I don't even see an operational gas station in Qulin from Google's maps. Wait, found one! It's absolutely the kind of place that you only stop in if you live there or know someone. Otherwise, you just drive through, as your photo represents.

The town also seems very proud of their past. I found mention that some say it could be compared to the old west with murders and trials to be had. Again, I feel your photo represents this too, even if you didn't intend it. Everything I've read about this little town is about their history, not their present or future. Their census data shows them to be relatively young, but the Google map shows little life to it. There's little in the way of new construction. Even the gas pumps are all the old 80s style pumps. All the local businesses seem like they've been there 50+ years, and don't look very well maintained. I did just find an elementary school building with a bright purple roof!

Maybe this little town is on the verge of a boom, and maybe in a few years your drive-by may show a completely different Qulin. For now though, your photo is very representative of the recent state of this little town in many ways.

Rain
by ambaker

Comment by jomari:
What a lonely, forlorn little picnic table. I wonder if it will succumb to the flood?

image
by ambaker

Comment by Ann:
Beautiful. It looks cold.

image
by ambaker

Comment by tnun:
like a memory.

image
by ambaker

Comment by Bear_Music:
Gorgeous!

image
by ambaker

Comment by jomari:
Winter Wonderland! Lovely scene.

image
by ambaker

Comment by Neat:
Should of entered this into the 'corner of your world challenge'

Dancer
by ambaker

Comment by Ann:
Wait! Last week, it was snowing like crazy, and this week...dancing in the sunshine?

This is great. A lot of life.