# October Photo Challenge -- Discussion thread



## Hex (Oct 3, 2012)

Hi guys -- the October photo challenge is here.

Have a good month


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## alchemist (Oct 3, 2012)

Thank God I now someone called Autumn, cos I'd be stumped otherwise.

Good 'un, Hex.


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## anivid (Oct 4, 2012)

Whou - pea soup.
Irish pea soup


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## alchemist (Oct 4, 2012)

anivid said:


> Whou - pea soup.
> Irish pea soup



And that's a colour shot, believe it or not.

Then again, it's not much different when the sun's shining!


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## anivid (Oct 4, 2012)

alchemist said:


> And that's a colour shot, believe it or not.
> 
> Then again, it's not much different when the sun's shining!


It's magic - even I gather it's a cold soup !!
The mist of Avalon 
A charmed country !


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## anivid (Oct 5, 2012)

A glowing church, Foxbat ??
This surely has been photo shopped


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## Kylara (Oct 5, 2012)

Wow, nice pictures guys...I have an insane desire to enter, and was all ready to this month...but now I shall just hover and maybe try next month, you guys are all so good. (plus I realised all my photos are on the external HDD which isn't with me) Ilove looking at these pictures every month, skillful beauty in a wealth of colours...


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## Hex (Oct 5, 2012)

Gosh. What a start! Those are amazing photos.


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## Foxbat (Oct 5, 2012)

anivid said:


> A glowing church, Foxbat ??
> This surely has been photo shopped


 Photomatix not Photoshop . The picture is a blend of 3 exposures with some level adjustment to accentuate the light. 

The morning sunlight is  being reflected on the red sandstone of the church.


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## Mouse (Oct 5, 2012)

Your second one looks just like it should be in a magazine, Foxbat. Perfect.


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## crystal haven (Oct 7, 2012)

Really great photos.


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## Jo Zebedee (Oct 7, 2012)

alchemist said:


> And that's a colour shot, believe it or not.
> 
> Then again, it's not much different when the sun's shining!



This is not an exaggeration, btw... No wonder we're all, um, interesting characters... Vitamin d definciency explains it. Cool photos all, i have a plan but it means me visiting my allotment and showing my face around my neighbours who are looking at my weedy patch with intent...


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## Mouse (Oct 7, 2012)

I took a few photos yesterday when I was out with Beau but I only had my mobile phone on me. I might post one of them anyway.


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## Talysia (Oct 12, 2012)

Great theme, and there are some lovely entries already.  I really love this time of year, so I was grateful to find some brightly coloured leaves and some conkers to take a picture of.


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## Mouse (Oct 12, 2012)

Taly, what size do you put your pics at? Cos mine always seem abnormally huge, no matter how many times I mess about trying to resize them.


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## Talysia (Oct 12, 2012)

I resize mine to 640 width, 480 height, using photobucket's editing suite.


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## Mouse (Oct 12, 2012)

Ah, mine's 7something by 5something. I should've kept going a bit more. Ta!


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## alchemist (Oct 27, 2012)

Under six hours to go, everybody.


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## hopewrites (Oct 28, 2012)

Alchemist: What a beautiful analogy for how I feel about most of humanity; A burning sun can not penetrate but with the softest and most exceptional of light, while all the world wishes to slumber beneath its clouded glory. Then your puddle of yellow (one of the more neglected autumn colors I believe) is a true delight. I would not be sorry to walk that path any time of year I think.

Foxbat: what can I say but "you had me at 'hello'" the vibrancy of your color gives life to a dying time of year so that even I (who prefers spring) could love it through your eyes. I feel that both your pieces give life to a time of death. the color of the church yard, warm sandstone, vibrant grass are delectable contrasts to the stoic black and grey of the headstones and wall. And I adore how the trees are reaching for that last ray of light and hope. And again in your second the defiant brilliance of the apple amongst the dried and impenetrable seeds beside it shout out to me "Death is not so certain as one would think, enjoy the sweetness of life while it lasts, for as the evidence around me hints, it will not last long enough to enjoy all its sweetness"

Spring: I can just imagine the conversation at that window. "arent you glad we're tucked away in here?" "oh yes, look at those poor devils freezing out there" "where? I want to see?" "oh move your great head! their not dieing yet, but they will. believe me they will" *leafy snickers* of course I imagine the berries to be opposite them and making rather rude faces which are more comical than offensive.

Talysia: what beautiful leaves and delicious looking nuts!! they instantly bring to mind walking home and picking up every pretty thing I saw to give to my mother (who then threw them out when she thought I wasn't looking after forbidding me to bring them inside, but no matter) I always adore how autumn brings to life for all to see the under-hues to all the vibrant greens of spring and summer.

Mouse: a threat of cold on a gorgeous summer day is exactly how I remember autumn from my youth. exactly what you captured in that 'smidge of autumn.'

Hoopy: what an extraordinary angle on an extraordinary tree! I feel as though I'm caught in a whirlwind of fire and being swept up to the sky, with great snakes undulating around me. not sure exactly how I got that out of such a lovely tree, flashing its autumn finery, but there it is. and I enjoyed it.

Abernovo: I see you climbed upon a roof to get a shot of the surrounding valley, a climb whose view is well worth the effort I would say.

Hex: I absolutely adore your doorbell!! That it's just clear is so welcoming, and that it's surrounded says to me that the warm home it belongs to invites people in before they need ring it. Perhaps because its 'neglect' is so beautiful I cannot suspect it of coming from a cold or unfeeling nature.

Alex: in both your shots I find the comforting perfection that is Home autumn in the evergreen lands is a beauty those on the fiery coast opposite us can not truly appreciate. The promise of a winter that is not devoid of life or beauty, the towering stoic promise of undying, unyielding, love *gets chocked up* where else is a time of death more tolerable than in a garden of life?

Stormfeather: the warm inviting cheer of a fire says "Autumn" to me in so many ways. as the days begin to shorten and the nights to grow colder, my family would always clear the floral displays and candles out of the fireplace and set the grate in ready for winter use. how many cheerful nights we sat around laughing and talking, enjoying just being together. more recently my parents have hosted SMORE parties around the family fire place. The mess four delighted grandsons can make of SMOREs cooked indoors is wondrous to witness and _almost_ impossible to clean up completely. I highly recommend it.

CyBeR: *contented sigh* sweeping panoramic views, yes, I can see how impossible it would be to reduce such grandeur to something manageable.


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## alchemist (Oct 28, 2012)

And the challenge is... what, reviews?



hopewrites said:


> Alchemist: What a beautiful analogy for how I feel about most of humanity; A burning sun can not penetrate but with the softest and most exceptional of light, while all the world wishes to slumber beneath its clouded glory. Then your puddle of yellow (one of the more neglected autumn colors I believe) is a true delight. I would not be sorry to walk that path any time of year I think.



Thank you very much, hope. Come on over and I'll show you around 

Here's the poll http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/538430-october-photo-challenge-poll.html


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## hopewrites (Oct 28, 2012)

be delighted to! anytime i'm in the neighborhood i'll let you know shall i?


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## alchemist (Oct 28, 2012)

Aye, fire away. Maybe after 6.30 in the evening, though, because I always like to watch a whole Simpson's episode after dinner.


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## Hex (Oct 28, 2012)

There was lots to love this month -- alc's gaelic mists, springs' pumpkin shed, hoopy's brilliant tree... but I couldn't get past Foxbat's church. Stunning.


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## Foxbat (Oct 28, 2012)

A difficult choice but in the end, I went with Talysia's leaves and nuts - full of colour and texture and very effective.


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## Talysia (Oct 28, 2012)

Thanks for the vote, Foxbat!  What a nice surprise.

Great entries from everyone this month, but after some consideration my top three is alchemist, Foxbat and Hex, with my vote eventually going to Foxbat.


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## Mouse (Oct 28, 2012)

I just want to say that I _hate_ my entries this month. They're awful and I can only apologise for my laziness. I did take way better photos out and about but unfortunately, I'd already posted crap here. 

Anyway, I really like Hex's second piccy, Foxbat's second shot and Taly's and Cyber's... 

Vote goes to Foxbat.


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## alchemist (Oct 28, 2012)

It was between Foxbat's first and CyBeR's first but I went for Foxbat's church.



Mouse said:


> I just want to say that I _hate_ my entries this month. They're awful and I can only apologise for my laziness. I did take way better photos out and about but unfortunately,* I'd already posted crap here.*



*slap*   Enough of this self-deprecation!

I quite liked your first one.


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## Mouse (Oct 28, 2012)

It's not self-deprecation, tis true fact. I can take a decent photo, but this time I didn't! Once voting's over I'll post the photo I should've waited to post to show that I can do better.


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## hopewrites (Oct 28, 2012)

we had a hay truck go up in flames next to an unharvested field, the fire raged mostly unchecked and barely contained for about a week (a few weeks back) and tragic as all that is, I was caught by the very orange look to the sun. Like someone had lit up a pumpkin and veiled it with gray silk. (breathing was problematic too) I tried to get pictures of it, but it was with my phone and all it got was the haziness of the sky, no pumpkin sun at all.

then last week I took two shots of a rain storm rolling in, one over a cleared field with a view of the mountains (same view as in my "rain rain" entry for the Nursry Rhyme contest a few months back actually) and one over the parking lot at work with some nice fall trees underneath.

both picts are still on my phone because by the time I made time to get over here I'd calculated the contest as pretty well closed (I may have had 15-20 min) so I did reviews instead.

I have such a hard time this time of year, the color and abundance don't make up for the feeling of loss I have when all (or most, where the evergreens have moved in) of the green is gone.
It's been nice for me to see so much beauty captured, helped to mend my perspective a tiny bit, so I just wanted to reiterate my thanks to the contestants this go round for reminding me to keep a positive eye on things.


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## Alex The G and T (Oct 29, 2012)

Thanks for taking the time to post your thoughtful assessments each and every one of this months's entries, Hope.  Nicely stated, on all accounts.

I, too,  have been extra-ordinarily, otherwise occupied, over the last couple of months.  I, too, have sad stories about missed photo ops and unrequited expectations.

But.. I'll save the lame excuses until after the voting is done.

As always... Voting is Haaaaarrrrrrdd. The entries are all too good.


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## Abernovo (Oct 31, 2012)

A vote! Thanks, crystal haven. 
I wasn't expecting any.

Some wonderful pics, again, this month. I voted for HoopyFrood's beautiful leaves.


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## Hex (Oct 31, 2012)

Abernovo said:


> I wasn't expecting any.



Can I slap him? Can I? Can I?


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## Abernovo (Oct 31, 2012)

No. Not that I get any say. 

I didn't mean it like that.


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## hopewrites (Oct 31, 2012)

Maybe just a little slap then Hex


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## Abernovo (Oct 31, 2012)

Huh, I'm getting bullied again. 

Hope, thanks for your kind words in review. As it happens, I wasn't on the roof. Those tiles are my garden wall. Because it's an old-fashioned style, almost dry-stone, they traditionally put tiles on the top of high walls here, so that the rain runs off and keeps the wall dry and solid.


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## hopewrites (Oct 31, 2012)

Fair enough. I'm still going to imagine you up on a roof with a thermus of hot coffee, an beloved leather bound book, and your trusty camera enjoy an evening of tranquility while waiting for the perfect sunset. After which you'll climb down to supper by the fireplace, and a perfect nights sleep in an enormous teak framed bed.


Don't spoil my fantasy of your reality. Please?


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## Abernovo (Nov 1, 2012)

Okay, Hope, you saw the reality of my life.


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## alchemist (Nov 1, 2012)

And with over half of the votes, congrats to Foxbat!


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## Talysia (Nov 1, 2012)

Indeed, congratulations on the win, Foxbat!


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## Abernovo (Nov 1, 2012)

Congratulations, Foxbat!


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## Hex (Nov 1, 2012)

Well done, Foxbat. Those were amazing photos.


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## Foxbat (Nov 1, 2012)

Thanks for the votes folks. It's the first time I've won anything other than a tin of biscuits in a raffle

I'm trying to think of a challenge for this month and will (hopefully) post it tonight when I get home from work.


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## Alex The G and T (Nov 2, 2012)

Nicely done, Foxbat.  Both stellar shots.  Congratulations.


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## Mouse (Nov 2, 2012)

Congrats Foxbat!

This is the shot I should've posted if I'd had more patience. Just wanted to share this tree with you lot cos it's stunning. I've not tweaked this photo in any way.







And the leaves are all dropping off it now too, so the ground is _covered_ in red! This is at Wayford - my favourite place ever.


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## anivid (Nov 2, 2012)

Real good Mouse 
- and plus points for not being manipulated.
Congrats


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## Foxbat (Nov 2, 2012)

Lovely shot Mouse. Is that a Maple (Acer)?


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## Mouse (Nov 2, 2012)

Thanks, anivid. I usually do fiddle with the pics a bit, but I just wanted to point out the tree really was that red!

Ta, Foxbat. Yeah, it looks like a maple. I go to these woods at least once a week and it's like this red one suddenly appeared out of nowhere! So pretty. I do love maples.


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## hopewrites (Nov 3, 2012)

*makes note to plan on walking in mouse's woods as well when on that side of the world*


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## mythmaker (Nov 3, 2012)

Beautiful pictures.  I love this time of year!  A time for introspection and creativity.

If only I was able to take a single photograph without the looming spectre of my thumb obscuring the landscape, then I'd have a go myself.

As it is, I can thank Geoff Capes (or whichever other god has an influence) for people with this talent.

Keep it up guys.  I love what you do.


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## Mouse (Nov 3, 2012)

hopewrites said:


> *makes note to plan on walking in mouse's woods as well when on that side of the world*



I think you would especially love it, hope. There are lots of little fairy doors hidden at the bases of some of the trees and the kids leave little diaries and toys inside. And there's a bridge, and a lake, and a statue (who was headless, but someone found her head and restored her) and a meadow and a waterfall and the most fantastic trees and plants. Oh, and there's deer and kingfisher and heron too. 






(I tried to attach the pic from my PC but it was too big, so here tis from my DA account instead.)


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## hopewrites (Nov 3, 2012)

Mouse if you ever need a flatmate.... *reference states Hope likes to do laundry and vacuum and is very quiet when she isnt singing*


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## Mouse (Nov 3, 2012)

You're on.


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## Alex The G and T (Nov 5, 2012)

So... the thing about the "Magic Maple."  Years ago, we used to make an annual pilgrimage, about this time of year, to this solitary Maple, huddled amid this  towering grove of Redwoods.  In the Autumn, the Maple would glow a golden aura, over a Faerie glade.

I hadn't been out there in 15 years; but I made time to take the trek; remembering that magical Golden Glow.

Well... an unseasonably early storm had stripped the tree of it's golden leaves and left only such live greenery as had survived the storm. 

Meanwhile, some questionably weird trimming, by park attendants, had transformed this benevolent Faerie Glen into something far more sinister... indeed, even Cthulhoid.


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## Alex The G and T (Nov 5, 2012)

And a just-for-fun note on my second entry... (I just flat ran out of time last month.)  The only thing "Autmnish" about my second entry was the angle of the sun at noontime.

Anyway... parts of the _Speeder Chase_ on _Endor_ were filmed in this very grove of Redwood trees.


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