Filmwasters
Which Board? => Main Forum => : Flippy April 20, 2017, 06:46:46 AM
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I made the mistake of posting this on a camera forum earlier, so I'm reposting it here on a photography forum.
Syntax in the context of art refers basically to the technical production of a work and its inherent effects. For example: watercolors, oil paints, and charcoal all require different materials and techniques, and therefore the effects each produce are different - even if the same artist working in the same style uses them to record an identical scene. Photography, as should be obvious to everybody on this forum is the same way. There are effects which are inherent to photography, but not to other mediums. Motion blur, film grain, light leaks, etc.
It is interesting to note that in the early days of art photography, many sought to imitate the effects of other mediums in their work - but now we find those working in other mediums often seek to imitate the effects of photography!
Now, every single photograph is a product of photographic syntax, and therefore contains photographic effects. However, some of these effects are more noticeable than others, and what interests me are those which are most peculiar when compared to natural human vision or other mediums. Especially those that make the viewer aware of the mechanism of photography. A lot of photographers aim to avoid these (because they can make the image appear unreal, apparently by reminding the viewer that an actual person with an actual camera made them, some of these effects are considered to be the photographic equivalent of breaking the fourth wall) - but I find many of them more interesting than annoying.
Image dump follows:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7616/28565107021_772f6fc81b_z.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/KwcD8c")Bicycle (http://"https://flic.kr/p/KwcD8c") by Berang Berang (http://"https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/"), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1669/26408188471_0862e4cb91_z.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/GeASok")Peace Street (http://"https://flic.kr/p/GeASok") by Berang Berang (http://"https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/"), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1539/26466662605_0bd60b3509_z.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/GjLyH4")Narita (http://"https://flic.kr/p/GjLyH4") by Berang Berang (http://"https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/"), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1551/25747972220_212993017e_z.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/Feg66w")Tower (http://"https://flic.kr/p/Feg66w") by Berang Berang (http://"https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/"), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5806/23205844584_83062f0f87_z.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/BmC27G")saab (http://"https://flic.kr/p/BmC27G") by Berang Berang (http://"https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/"), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1705/25795569361_8e8d0ef681_z.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/Fit34T")sale (http://"https://flic.kr/p/Fit34T") by Berang Berang (http://"https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/"), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7716/17035275197_eb0ff62139_z.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/rXmePk")Great Wall (http://"https://flic.kr/p/rXmePk") by Berang Berang (http://"https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/"), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7281/16377444568_eec4b9e58f_z.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/qXdFFW")Hero Alarm Clock (http://"https://flic.kr/p/qXdFFW") by Berang Berang (http://"https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/"), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7354/16539101086_1c0b8f5e35_z.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/rcvdxh")wall (http://"https://flic.kr/p/rcvdxh") by Berang Berang (http://"https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/"), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5615/15597315106_e2c5095eec_z.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/pLhjnY")tree (http://"https://flic.kr/p/pLhjnY") by Berang Berang (http://"https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/"), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3940/15344679328_5b13b12e60_z.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/pnXuyG")overpass (http://"https://flic.kr/p/pnXuyG") by Berang Berang (http://"https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/"), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2943/15250655019_77abcface4_z.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/peDApV")water (http://"https://flic.kr/p/peDApV") by Berang Berang (http://"https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/"), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5344/9645487709_ec74af2c3f_z.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/fGkDse")chilled steel (http://"https://flic.kr/p/fGkDse") by Berang Berang (http://"https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/"), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3745/9526217869_6cc329d497_z.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/fvNmFF")Untitled (http://"https://flic.kr/p/fvNmFF") by Berang Berang (http://"https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/"), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8204/8253242000_da2e5baa85_z.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/dzj2iS")foot scratch (http://"https://flic.kr/p/dzj2iS") by Berang Berang (http://"https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/"), on Flickr
What interests me is which effects photographers generally agree are undesirable, and which effects photographers either have resigned themselves into accepting as unavoidable, or have simply brainwashed themselves into no longer noticing.
I would love to see everybody post examples of their own favorite photographic effect "anomalies".
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I find myself separating this into two categories: how I look at the work of others, and how I look at my own.
For someone else's photographs, I am willing to accept a broad range of photographic techniques, from the conventional to the bizarre, if the end result is appealing to me. Many of these approaches are far beyond what I would attempt in terms of deviations from straight photography; the impact of the end result is what matters to me, regardless of how a particular photographer got there. That said, heavy-handed post-processing - a sort of modern-day pictorialism - is almost always unappealing.
In my own work, I'm pretty restrained in terms of using "effects" (not a great term, but the best I could come up with) for the most part. I like to subtly isolate subjects with depth-of-field when appropriate, occasionally shoot contre-jour for flare and low contrast, and maybe a little long exposure motion blur every now and again. Beyond that, my work is relatively straight and focused primarily on form and subject. I'm dissatisfied on a certain level if the photo suffers from technical "effects" that I did not envision and purposely invoke, even if the end result is interesting. "Happy accidents" are always somewhat frustrating to me because they are uncontrolled and thus unrepeatable.
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It's a good question. What is undesirable for me is anything that renders my ideas less clear. For example, I can use a good light leak or an accidental double exposure, but maybe not in the same image - the one might distract from the other.
Here's a double exposure that was certainly not intentional. In fact, I had no idea that someone had partially used the roll before I loaded it - it was from a gift batch of old film.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/cardiff/170330_fuj2_02.jpg)
It's a couple of weird shapes, but it doesn't mask any of the essentials of the photo, and perhaps even assists with a hint of unintended motion.
But then, I still have a real preference for lens-driven focus blur, and these are very much intentional aberrations, whether partial or total.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/bologna%202015/150612_trix_01.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/beckywall/130908_ekt_01.jpg)
The meniscus lens suits my (internal) vision.
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yes, oh yes!
be in odd looking characteristics from the lens with how it depicts things out of focus
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1697/25761062210_6fb36ac067.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Ffqbi1)in a selfie mood (https://flic.kr/p/Ffqbi1) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5655/21994496696_8d977338b9.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/zvzxAh)a walk in the park (https://flic.kr/p/zvzxAh) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
shooting into the sun
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/626/21852043382_079c0d6ab1.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/zhZrbE)Äpple delivery! (https://flic.kr/p/zhZrbE) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5263/5577925326_f4d06cf119.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/9uUjSj)sun is coming (https://flic.kr/p/9uUjSj) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
or showing off the tactileness of the medium in processing
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8750/16947889225_947b639f31.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/rPCn1D)trip kentmere selfie (https://flic.kr/p/rPCn1D) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7429/12757881264_4cb1bc1a2b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/krntC5)driving through the forest (https://flic.kr/p/krntC5) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
not recording a still image but movement over time (things or camera moving)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5741/23056103253_1453d1e978.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/B8oyeB)in the woods (https://flic.kr/p/B8oyeB) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
making wrong feel right in mistreating the film and letting it show
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/648/21317879790_2285674a76.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ytMGXy)LC-A <3 EFKE (https://flic.kr/p/ytMGXy) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
or just going all out :D
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/620/22542057396_ef31caacdb.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/AkXWj1)heatwaves (https://flic.kr/p/AkXWj1) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5534/14227817335_78b9d5f2c7.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/nFghpr)heat waves (https://flic.kr/p/nFghpr) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
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I think I disagree with Sandeha. Not that 'stacking' effects is wrong in principle, but just that I tend to find it desirable. Here is a photo that has color shift, out of focus background with a little odd 'bokeh' spot, some fog at the upper and lower borders and of course my favorite 'film technique', grain. I have to tell you that this is nothing close to what the keyboard 'looked' like, but it is pretty close to how I 'saw' it. I depend on many of the 'brushes' that are at our disposal as film photographers.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/293/32550964566_fbf24aca3c_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/RAqcH1)
K1000-Eterna-017 (https://flic.kr/p/RAqcH1) by James Harr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/), on Flickr
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Like 02Pilot, I will accept more "effects" in others' works which I would not in my own. For example (unlike Andrej) post-processing. I really don't mind some creative post processing or even some (gasp!) tasteful analog effects on digital photos. What I can't abide is HDR, or at least over-the-top HDR (which is apparently the only type of HDR these days ::) ).
For my own work, I normally don't choose to use razor-thin DoF all the time, but shooting in dark nightclubs as often as I do, many of my pictures are close-focused at f/1.7, so I can't avoid it ;D Also on the subject of gig shooting, I do like some blown-out stage lights, and I've come to appreciate the extreme contrast that comes with shooting Tri-X @1600. Other than that, I think the only photographic tropes I use are backlighting subjects, and then of course cross processing and double exposing.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8101/29217075806_3ed2e0edc7_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/LvP9Jj)
Lounge Keyboard (https://flic.kr/p/LvP9Jj) by Satish Indofunk (https://www.flickr.com/photos/indofunk/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7702/26918848793_fc364d80b1_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/H1J8UD)
The Shadow Knows (https://flic.kr/p/H1J8UD) by Satish Indofunk (https://www.flickr.com/photos/indofunk/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5195/30222854315_42ca50657e_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/N3G2D6)
Damn tourists. (https://flic.kr/p/N3G2D6) by Satish Indofunk (https://www.flickr.com/photos/indofunk/), on Flickr
Oh, and I'll certainly take "happy accidents" :D
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1718/25762701300_e40b42a2d6_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Ffyzxb)
Magical mystery cojon (https://flic.kr/p/Ffyzxb) by Satish Indofunk (https://www.flickr.com/photos/indofunk/), on Flickr
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My favorite is the Kodak Hawkeye with a flipped lens:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5635/22923529999_bcbc221d75.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/AVF5PR)Riley Closeup (https://flic.kr/p/AVF5PR) by Bryan Chernick (https://www.flickr.com/photos/60348236@N07/), on Flickr
With the right subject some messed up long expired film can work:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5659/21639188570_70698e428c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/yYbuS7)Drum in a Lake (https://flic.kr/p/yYbuS7) by Bryan Chernick (https://www.flickr.com/photos/60348236@N07/), on Flickr
Sometimes light leaks work but usually I don't like them:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7313/16446890205_d4bc565e8e.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/r4mBsv)Cormorant Drying its Wings (https://flic.kr/p/r4mBsv) by Bryan Chernick (https://www.flickr.com/photos/60348236@N07/), on Flickr
I think this one was better because it has a little bit of grain. Expired color film cross processed in Beerenol:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/332/32254396481_cc696e48d8.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/R9ddma)Grainy Snow (https://flic.kr/p/R9ddma) by Bryan Chernick (https://www.flickr.com/photos/60348236@N07/), on Flickr
Cross Processed expired color film in Rodinal (1:100 semi-stand), scanned in color:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3861/15077771140_66a1e7b3c5.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/oYnw4o)Masts & Rigging (https://flic.kr/p/oYnw4o) by Bryan Chernick (https://www.flickr.com/photos/60348236@N07/), on Flickr
At least the smear was in the right place with this first generation IP film
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8083/8344531752_6524a44ce7.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/dHnUz7)Space Needle (https://flic.kr/p/dHnUz7) by Bryan Chernick (https://www.flickr.com/photos/60348236@N07/), on Flickr
A little color shift and grain from expired film doesn't bother me. This is 24 year out of date 110 film:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8615/16619511200_97bd3332d8.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/rjBkEy)Magnolia (https://flic.kr/p/rjBkEy) by Bryan Chernick (https://www.flickr.com/photos/60348236@N07/), on Flickr
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What a great thread. I don't have images to add but I'm really enjoying looking at, and thinking about, these.
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What a great thread indeed! I enjoy all contributions. That's what filmwasting is about. I appreciate the whole bandwidth from "fine"(?) art to low-fi trash.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5070/5600267898_e73f7f9c83_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/9wSQx5)
eleganza (https://flic.kr/p/9wSQx5) by Imagesfrugales (https://www.flickr.com/photos/imagesfrugales/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5606/15417935918_9a3119594f_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/puqXcm)
green field site (https://flic.kr/p/puqXcm) by Imagesfrugales (https://www.flickr.com/photos/imagesfrugales/), on Flickr
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More lo-fi thrash, shot with The Last Camera using seriously expired and underexposed Konica Centuria 100S.
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I've come to the conclusion that I'm a "documentary" photographer - which was "confirmed" when a nice chap manning the RPS stand at the Photography Show at the NEC had a look at the content of my website. This possibly accounts for the fact that I get annoyed when what I've photographed doesn't come out anything like it looked at the time and/or how I'd visualised how I wanted it to look. This is an example taken some years ago in Cambridge (I think) with a Holga - a camera I've seen other people use very well but with which I really struggle.
This is the best I can muster from a very underexposed negative.
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I love an accident. For me the joy of photography is I don't know what I'll get until the film's processed, and that it's unrepeatable. That's why I started losing interest in photography as digital cameras took over. For me, everything starts to lose its value when it is repeatable without effort. I think that's why I got into playing music at about the same time I stopped listening to it on the radio; when there is more brilliant music than you could possibly listen to in a lifetime available in a little box in your pocket, it's not half as special!
Saying that, I do have an idea of the look I am after when I am out with my camera. And I've recently become aware that my eye for an image is very much constrained by my understanding of the syntax of photography. Recently, I have been going out for photography walks with an artist who makes pieces predominantly in textiles, and has training in fine art.
She knows very little about the technical bits of photography, but some of her images are extraordinary. Perhaps understanding the medium you are working in isn't always an advantage.
Still, here are some of mine.
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Ooh grain!
Well then, I should add what I do if I find that very, very old film has gone on the turn. I just eff it up some more in post-proc. If the shot is a cute one, for whatever reason, then it's a good one whatever.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/loose_change/170111_kppf_31.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/loose_change/170111_kppf_20_bw.jpg)
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in grain we trust...
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6017/5950219754_04f14f9ef6_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/a4Nr2L)
beep beep beep (https://flic.kr/p/a4Nr2L) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
flipped lenses sure are fun from time to time :)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7048/6990523836_2880e84621_z.jpg)
(https://flic.kr/p/bDJgc3)up (https://flic.kr/p/bDJgc3) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
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Ooh grain!
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/loose_change/170111_kppf_31.jpg)
Fantastic shot, Sandeha.
"In grain we trust." Yeah. Amen.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7432/27453997490_b8cc7edbf9_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/HQ1UYj)
sky (https://flic.kr/p/HQ1UYj) by Imagesfrugales (https://www.flickr.com/photos/imagesfrugales/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7597/16943969725_fd5f254fab_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/rPhgT4)
man with horse (https://flic.kr/p/rPhgT4) by Imagesfrugales (https://www.flickr.com/photos/imagesfrugales/), on Flickr
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I really like that blue one with the sun in the sky, Reinhold. Made me think about this shot - from a Filmwasters trip to Dungeness a few years ago - so I did a cyan job on it via Silver Efex Pro and I don't think it's come out too bad.
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Cool thread...
(https://imageproxy.viewbook.com/4672/652063e449c2c10512c35ca634725ab1_hd.jpg?fit=max&h=600&w=1280)
light blur
(https://imageproxy.viewbook.com/60f4298e5539a236384be4f583da8657_hd.jpg?fit=max&h=600&w=1280)
Gakkenflex with the aperture ring removed
(https://imageproxy.viewbook.com/4672/a7e57db56454ffc2a0e19df0d5578e43_hd.jpg?fit=max&h=600&w=1280)
positive scan of Fuji FP100C negative
(https://imageproxy.viewbook.com/947716e1048ebc1d39d7ce3fee3a4cab_hd.jpg?fit=max&h=700&w=1280)
cross-processed montage
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This thread is loads of fun.
My contribution: Palimpsest.
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Yes, it's an amazing thread. Sharpness is a bourgois concept (HCB)....
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6028/6008203422_36383fffe3_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/a9VByb)
triathlon impressions 1 (https://flic.kr/p/a9VByb) by Imagesfrugales (https://www.flickr.com/photos/imagesfrugales/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8185/8090115334_6e9d03776e_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/djTXr9)
roaming jazz gang (https://flic.kr/p/djTXr9) by Imagesfrugales (https://www.flickr.com/photos/imagesfrugales/), on Flickr
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Yes, it's an amazing thread. Sharpness is a bourgois concept (HCB)....
So is shadow detail.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/613/31901473605_b029184811_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/QB2oEZ)
N2020-BWCN-004 (https://flic.kr/p/QB2oEZ) by James Harr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/), on Flickr
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...and "natural colors" too? :D
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3778/11050671605_a82c0367dc_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/hQvzEM)
traveler (https://flic.kr/p/hQvzEM) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
more unclean negs...
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5474/10870880643_731f558c6f_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/hyC75B)
Barcelona preview (https://flic.kr/p/hyC75B) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
and distorted views of the world
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3888/14523895303_9556c5d0b2_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/o8qL4Z)
Our little world (https://flic.kr/p/o8qL4Z) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
and why settle for just one or a few exposures? I heard color neg likes overexposure :D
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7767/26796754846_dbf477b4d2_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/GPWnCA)
Guess how many shots! (https://flic.kr/p/GPWnCA) by jonas lundström (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasfx/), on Flickr
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This is one of my favorite threads on any photo forum now. I'll add two more contributions.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4160/34342195250_3c1fe9e7c9_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/UjGJbE)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/UjGJbE) by Berang Berang (https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4155/33916539253_d92c0a4cc0_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TF68ua)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/TF68ua) by Berang Berang (https://www.flickr.com/photos/berangberang/), on Flickr