Pastel Tones and Textures

[Guest]

Late Autumn, early winter, the sort of day that the weather didn't know quite what to do.
I was on the old track by the Ovens River where three years ago I walked with Janette in the early morning.
Well, I decided to take along my old XZ1 for a change, it occupies an honoured place in my big camera pack.

At this time of year when the sun is headed north, the silver wattle and soft bush colours have always appealed to me.


The XZ1 has the best macro mode of any of my cameras, it can focus as close as 1cm and renders lovely dof.


The gnarled trunk of this old river red gum with textured 'warts' and 'carbuncles' caught my eye.


The rotting halves of a fallen hollow log made an irresistible composition. Again some crudely added dof.


The pastel pink and 'galah grey' of this trunk was in perfect harmony with its bushland setting.

[Zuiko]

Re: Pastel Tones and Textures

A superb set, demonstrating the quality that the XZ1 can produce in the right hands.

[Phill D]

Re: Pastel Tones and Textures

Certainly different to the usual bright colours of Oz. Really nice set of shots though Mark, I like those muted tones.

[OM USer]

Re: Pastel Tones and Textures

Good pastels in #1 Mark.

[Ricoh]

Re: Pastel Tones and Textures

You should try Portra, Mark.

[Zuiko]

Re: Pastel Tones and Textures

You should try Portra, Mark.

It won't fit in his camera! Also, why use film when digital can do a job like this?

[Guest]

Re: Pastel Tones and Textures

John, whenever I use the XZ1 (rarely these days) I am reminded of you. I remember your perceptive B&W street shots. Its main drawback is its relatively short battery life. Sometimes I think that late model cameras, not only Olympus, have way too many settings that surely lead to user errors. A bit like a lone pilot flying from London to Edinburgh to visit grandma in an A380 rather than a Cessna.

Phill, The weather for this set was overcast but still a warm 22C, there was also a slight haze that diffused the colours. In this light I keep my camera angle low to avoid the photographer's "white sky of death"

Steve, Yeah, sure ...

[Ann1e]

Re: Pastel Tones and Textures

I very much enjoyed viewing the first image, Mark - could almost be a painting!

Regards,
Anne

[Ricoh]

Re: Pastel Tones and Textures

It won't fit in his camera!

Take a chisel to it, bish-bosh.

Also, why use film when digital can do a job like this?

You wouldn't say that if you viewed the amazing Portra images; needs good glass of course but that's true of digital too. I don't think there's any digital in contention.

[Guest]

Re: Pastel Tones and Textures

I very much enjoyed viewing the first image, Mark - could almost be a painting! Regards, Anne

Thanks Anne. Yes indeed, a very suitable subject for painting ... who knows
Yesterday's walk by the river brought back many happy memories summed up in a stanza from a favourite poem.


Taken during yesterday's XZ1 revival.