[Dorian Gray]

The theme for this challenge is simply Night.

Yesterday was St. Martin’s Day, which in some countries signifies the beginning of winter. The nights are getting longer in much of the world, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take interesting photos.

The Night theme is broad: just make sure your photo looks like it was taken at night. You can interpret what looks like night as broadly as you wish! A brightly lit interior, a dark landscape, an urban setting: all are valid.

Entries should be taken during the period of the challenge, which runs from now until the end of 12 December 2012, French time. Keep the Photoshop wizardry to a minimum so everyone can compete on even terms. Black and white photos are fine.

Good luck!

[AWR]

To get the ball rolling, this is a shot from the village Escalade march, an annual festival held in December in Geneva, Switzerland, celebrating the defeat of the surprise attack by troops sent by Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy during the night of 11–12 December 1602. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L'Escalade

We marched, with torches, to the town hall/middle school, to celebrate for hours with four-village locals; kids dress up, sing and play, and adults, errr, do adult things, like drink and be merry. Everybody turns up; I guess there were around a thousand. It was cold and there was snow and it was night.

(Thanks to photobucket and my short attention with such matters, the image seems a bit small; will try to rectify sometime.)

[turtle]

Oh my. I completely forgot about this challenge! So sorry Dorian, maybe let's let this one go until Jan?

[PB PM]

Yikes, never even saw this thread.

[Chinney]

More time please.

[Dorian Gray]

Thanks for starting this AWR, in the absence of any leadership whatsoever from the thread starter.

I’m happy to let it run for another bit. Tell you what: we’ll go until the end of January 3rd (French time, for the sake of argument). I’m away over the New Year so I can’t finish it at the end of December.

This means you’ve plenty of opportunity to shoot the various Christmas-related night scenes that are popping up. Get snapping!

[GSpotter]

Bump.

The chimneys of the old powerstation of the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg are used as advent candles each year.


A HDR version of this shot is on my flickr page.

[PB PM]

I'm planning on taking my shot tonight. Nice one GS.

[Chinney]

I intend to take mine the night of Jan 1 or 2.

[PB PM]

Here is my entry, with a holiday theme to boot.

[Dorian Gray]

Any more? Tonight’s your last full night!

[Chinney]

I will take it and post it tonight, Ottawa time.

[Chinney]

Ghosts in the Trees



No ghosts here really. The location of the pic is the side of the arena where my son's hockey team play their home games. Go Ottawa Centre Panther-Snipers! (Undefeated so far this year in the Atom C Division!). It was -23℃ when I took this picture. Thanks to my daughter Charlotte for accompanying me on the cold expedition to get the shot.

[Dorian Gray]

Seven and a half hours remain for any stragglers to shoot and/or process photos for entry.

[Dorian Gray]

Thanks for the entries, all.

I like AWR’s story and photo, though I’d personally prefer a bit more sharpness or a bit less (to make it look more deliberate). And since I’m judge this time, that matters! I do appreciate it’s very hard to shoot people in the dark.

GSpotter’s photo is characteristically excellent, with the long exposure blurring the moving smoke/mist nicely. It looks great, but I’m deducting points (unfairly) for having seen the subject from him before (maybe last year? The year before? Can’t remember). Could I commission a series of five photos as the ‘candles’ are lit next year?

Chinney’s shot looks as cold as it was. I like the snow and strong verticals created by the trees and their shadows. Black and white was the right choice.

But I’m going to give the win to PB PM. The Christmas decorations are so over-the-top they’re almost eerie, but they certainly grab my attention (is that a throne for Santa?). The baroque detail is accentuated by the hard light, but since large parts are in shadow and the windows are dark, it’s clearly nighttime. I like it.

Over to you, PB PM.

[PB PM]

Thanks DG, I already have a few ideas for the next challenge!

The shot was taken at a residence where they have put on large Christmas display for many years, this particular image was shot inside a castle they made. I went to the location on new years eve, when no one was around. I shot at this location because I learned that this was the last year the display would be up, and it fit the theme.

Here is a shot of the area.

[GSpotter]

Originally Posted by Dorian Gray GSpotter’s photo is characteristically excellent, with the long exposure blurring the moving smoke/mist nicely. It looks great, but I’m deducting points (unfairly) for having seen the subject from him before (maybe last year? The year before? Can’t remember). Could I commission a series of five photos as the ‘candles’ are lit next year?

It was already in 2009 (my first winter in Wolfsburg). At that time the weather was much worse (snowing like crazy), so I decided to redo this picture.
Here's the old one for comparision:


Regarding the 5 shots: Good idea, I already tought about this myself, but just forgot to bring my camera and tripod with me (and having the motivation to walk over to this area after work instead of driving home for dinner )

[Chinney]

Congrats PB.

[AWR]

Good one, PB. Thanks, DG.

As for

I’d personally prefer a bit more sharpness or a bit less

....



Caught out. Me too, but I was barely paying attention! Anyway, deliberate can be overvalued.

[Dorian Gray]

Originally Posted by AWR Anyway, deliberate can be overvalued.

Yes, I often think so when I miss the focus a bit in my own photos.

Thanks for reminding me how long ago you took that photo, GSpotter. Doesn’t feel like three years ago!

[AWR]

It wasn't me who missed the focus, it was the camera!! Piece o ....

[Dorian Gray]

Originally Posted by AWR It wasn't me who missed the focus, it was the camera!! Piece o ....

Yeah, what plonker advised you to buy that 40D?

[AWR]

I have a process server hunting him down! He/she has already tagged (mistakenly) several young gentlemen based on the colors of their striped socks.