Simon's 52 in 2024

[SimonH]

Not if its RAAC concrete!

Must've been built back in the 60's-70's when concrete was the fashionable building material.

Thanks Stan. The barrage project began in 1994 and was completed in 1999. I hope it's not RAAC or a load of Cardiff could end up getting very wet!

Three good if very different interpretations of the theme, awards for concrete who'd of thought...

Thanks Ryan

Never seen a "Concrete Award" before. Nice set this week and you've picked the best one for the theme for me.

Cheers Pete

That actually made me laugh out loud... I never knew!

Thanks Helen

 

[LC2]

Puts me in mind of the brutalist architecture that is slowly disappearing from London (Barbican excluded).

 

[SimonH]

Puts me in mind of the brutalist architecture that is slowly disappearing from London (Barbican excluded).

Yep, concrete on the whole, is very useful, but pretty grim….

 

[Minx]

Very pretty Snowdrops.
I like the Bunting shot best though, I Zoomed in on Flickr and the Dof is spot on the bird is really sharp and detailed

 

[SimonH]

Very pretty Snowdrops.
I like the Bunting shot best though, I Zoomed in on Flickr and the Dof is spot on the bird is really sharp and detailed

Thank you
I was pretty pleased with the bunting shot. They’re were flitting around very fast

 

[SimonH]

Week 3 - Soft

We're in Austria this week, so I thought some nice SOFT snow would make a lovely shot. Here’s my walking pole plonked in the soft stuff at 2,251 meters (around 7,300ft) on the Stuberkognel above Bad Hofgastein.
PS. I didn’t walk up

Soft by Simon Hiscocks, on Flickr

 

[BobBCN]

Like the three layers of sky, mountains and foreground with the walking stick dissecting them. Maybe intended or not, but it looks good.

 

[Cloudforest]

That's rather beautiful Simon. Love the mountains and using the walking pole was a good idea.

 

[SimonH]

Like the three layers of sky, mountains and foreground with the walking stick dissecting them. Maybe intended or not, but it looks good.

Thanks Bob - yes it was more or less how I planned it

That's rather beautiful Simon. Love the mountains and using the walking pole was a good idea.

Thanks Pete. The pole was a deliberate move. I love the mountains. My sister in law has an apartment in the next valley, so plenty of opportunities for a cheap(ish) break. I’ve been over 4 times now, although this is the first time in the winter. The slopes look very different covered in snow!

 

[Simonbrown16]

I was going to say that's a mighty effort for this week's theme, then I read that you didn't walk up!

 

[Disney93]

What an amazing view! Would like to visit Austria, always heard good things about the place.

 

[SimonH]

I was going to say that's a mighty effort for this week's theme, then I read that you didn't walk up!

Ha ha, thanks Simon. it’s over 3,000 feet from where we parked the car - which itself was over 3,000 feet, so that’s a bit much for my poor old knees. Gondola expensive, but worth it!

What an amazing view! Would like to visit Austria, always heard good things about the place.

It’s fabulous Sophie. The mountains are wonderful, but the whole place is so pretty and neat. I’ll put some more photos online when I get back and have chance to sort and tweak.

 

[nog]

Great scenery and who would have thought a walking pole plonked in the snow would add so much to the picture

 

[SimonH]

Great scenery and who would have thought a walking pole plonked in the snow would add so much to the picture

Thanks Keith. I put the walking pole in shot to try and emphasise the soft deep snow, but you’re right, I think it enhances the overall shot.

 

[SimonH]

Week 4 - Water

A slight cheat this week as I'm pretty stuck for time. This was taken a day before the theme came out, but it first (I hope) quite nicely and is a little different. It's a shot of a frozen waterfall high on the side of an Austrian valley from our holiday last week. It was a full 200mm zoom on my 1" Sony RX100vi in not great light, so quality isn't the best and I've had to apply some sharpening using Topaz AI Sharpen. I hope you like it.

Frozen Waterfall by Simon Hiscocks, on Flickr

 

[Boots]

Nice! It's still water in my book.

 

[SimonH]

Nice! It's still water in my book.

Indeed it is! Thanks Paul

 

[-Oy-]

Nice one. I think I;d have tried black and white too

 

[SimonH]

Nice one. I think I;d have tried black and white too

Cheers Dave. I hadn’t really thought of that as I liked the blueness (is that even a word?) of the ice, but I’ll have a look.

 

[AlanDorset]

Cheers Dave. I hadn’t really thought of that as I liked the blueness (is that even a word?) of the ice, but I’ll have a look.

i’d stick with colour to capture that blueness, adds character and interest

 

[SimonH]

i’d stick with colour to capture that blueness, adds character and interest

Thanks Alan I do like the subtle blue.

 

[nog]

Cold water suits the theme, the blue is quite noticeable and adds to the shot
’bb

 

[Disney93]

I thought I’d walked into Narnia! Absolutely stunning! Definitely keep it in colour, the blue in the ice is just beautiful!

 

[rpn]

Yes, I do like the shot and perfect shutter speed too to 'freeze' the water!

 

[SimonH]

Cold water suits the theme, the blue is quite noticeable and adds to the shot
’bb

Thanks Keith!

I thought I’d walked into Narnia! Absolutely stunning! Definitely keep it in colour, the blue in the ice is just beautiful!

Thank you Sophi! It is quite striking!

Yes, I do like the shot and perfect shutter speed too to 'freeze' the water!

Cheers Stan! Yes, I got the shutter speed spot on with this one

 

[HelenC]

Soft and water: Two fabulous shots, especially like the compostion of the mountain shot with the walking pole. Great addtion

 

[BobBCN]

Lovely. As @nog has said, the blues take it to another level.

 

[SimonH]

Soft and water: Two fabulous shots, especially like the compostion of the mountain shot with the walking pole. Great addtion

Thanks Helen. I’m glad I chose to include the pole!

Lovely. As @nog has said, the blues take it to another level.

Cheers Bob. I agree

 

[Kell]

Nice idea.

I think the blue definitely makes it.

 

[SimonH]

Nice idea.

I think the blue definitely makes it.

Thanks Kell

 

[Cloudforest]

That's very nice Simon.

 

[SimonH]

That's very nice Simon.

Thanks Pete

 

[SimonH]

Week 5 - Snapper's Choice

As seems to be the norm for South Wales at the moment, the weather's pants and just not conducive to photography and looks like staying that way for at least a week. However, there was a brief respite on Friday and we went for one of our regular walks down at Barry Island. The tide was in, and I took the opportunity for a different angle to the shots I usually take, capturing the recently refurbished and repainted Easter Shekter, a splash of colour from the beach huts and the big wheel. A little bit of PP work and I'm quite pleased with the result. I did think about trying to clone out the people and the yellow barriers top right, but it's a big dog walkers beach in the winter and this is how it is, so I left it.

I converted a copy to B&W with a bit of tone mapping which really makes the shelter pop. I like them both so was torn between which one to choose, but have plumped for the colour version.

Barry Island 1 Feb 24 by Simon Hiscocks, on Flickr

Barry Island 1 Feb 24 by Simon Hiscocks, on Flickr

 

[firewireguy]

I like the colour version better. Was down there last weekend and it was very different with the tide right out.

 

[SimonH]

I like the colour version better. Was down there last weekend and it was very different with the tide right out.

Thanks! The tide goes out a long way there doesn't it? A massive beach when it's right out.

 

[BobBCN]

I like both, but leaning towards the mono. Composition spot on!!

 

[SimonH]

I like both, but leaning towards the mono. Composition spot on!!

Thanks Bob. The mono certainly has something about it. Thanks for the comment on the composition. It’s not a spot I usually take shots from, but maybe I will in the future!

 

[nog]

Colour version for me especially with the huts and the yellow of the shelter

 

[SimonH]

Colour version for me especially with the huts and the yellow of the shelter

Thank you Keith

 

[Cloudforest]

Black and white version for me Simon. It seems to concentrate the eye more on the shelter.