Greetings

[Cem_Usakligil]

Hi folks,

I have been away from OPF for a couple of years minding my own business, some people call it life I guess. I have very occasionally looked at what's happening, recently more often. I am glad to see all the usual suspects are going on strong, as ever. I hope that life is treating you all well!

Going forward, I may chime in occasionally here and there. Look forward to be chatting with you again.

 

[StuartRae]

Hi Cem, welcome back. I for one have missed you.

Regards,
Stuart

 

[Tom dinning]

You have been dearly missed, Cem, by me at least.
Too often have I missed your support in a good argument with my adversaries.
I hope life has been good to you during your abstinence.

Your eternal friend.
Tom

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Hi Stuart, Tom,

I, too, have missed you guys.

@Tom: you don't need my support in any argument you may get into. I'll support either side depending on with whom I agree. But you know that already. I just tend to agree with you more often than not.

I have had a tough couple of years, photography took a back seat. I am now trying to get back into it. Need to go out to shoot more. May need to visit some new venues to inspire me.

 

[Tom dinning]

Hi Stuart, Tom,

I, too, have missed you guys.

@Tom: you don't need my support in any argument you may get into. I'll support either side depending on with whom I agree. But you know that already. I just tend to agree with you more often than not.

I have had a tough couple of years, photography took a back seat. I am now trying to get back into it. Need to go out to shoot more. May need to visit some new venues to inspire me.

Of course I do. Likewise.

What are you using as a camera? Not that it makes any difference to you images. You could use a shoe box and create great photos.

Post something, anything. I promise you, I'll shed a tear of joy.

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Of course I do. Likewise.

What are you using as a camera? Not that it makes any difference to you images. You could use a shoe box and create great photos.

Post something, anything. I promise you, I'll shed a tear of joy.

I use a Sony A7 Mk II nowadays. Recently I have bought a Commlite adapter for my Nikon lenses, which transmits the exif data and allow AF for some lenses. I go out to shoot with Nikkor 20mm, 35mm & 85mm lenses and a 28-200mm lens occasionally when the image quality is not the most important thing in my mind but the image itself.

Here is a recent picture, which shows "great value". I want to see a proof of that tear of joy BTW.

 

[Peter Dexter]

Hi I'm a newcomer here.That's a very humorous image and in addition to humorous shows a Pop version of a minimalist Judd sculpture. I don't know how you feel about post process manipulation but I wonder how the image would look with the lower most box removed.

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Hi I'm a newcomer here.That's a very humorous image and in addition to humorous shows a Pop version of a minimalist Judd sculpture. I don't know how you feel about post process manipulation but I wonder how the image would look with the lower most box removed.

Hi Peter,

Nice to meet you, I have indeed seen you around for a while now.

I feel very liberated about any form of post processing. The image is mine and I don't have any obligations to fulfil, except for those images which are created for photojournalism and/or documentation purposes. I had a quick play with the image as you've suggested. This is how it would look like. Do you enjoy it better like this?

​

 

[Asher Kelman]

Reminds me of the newly installed fish shop sign that bewilded long term customers who had been loyal in the years he sold from a street cart.

"Fresh Fish Sold Here"​

the sign declared!

"Well," said one, " "Fresh"? Are you serious, that sounds defensive. No need for that. What else would you sell?"

So the painter was ordered to remove that suspicious and obviously redundant word. But this first concession was the shop owner's lethal mistake!

"Sold"? Said another. "You're not giving the bloody stuff away......and ""here", where else would they buy it, across the road?"

So just one word, "Fish" remained and the Shop owner looked up, quite pleased.

""Fish"? Others complained, "You can smell this place a mile down the road!"

So the last word was obliterated too!

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

In that spirit, Cem,

But on a more serious esthetic note, if you were staging this image from scratch, what elements alone would be essential to convery your basic ideas here?

Are all the boxes needed for the image to do its work?

Asher

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Thanks Asher, you've made me laugh!

BTW, you know well that I almost never change my pictures on request. I've done an exception here to show my goodwill to Peter until he gets to know me better, lol.

Reminds me of the newly installed fish shop sign that bewilded long term customers who had been loyal in the years he sold from a street cart.

"Fresh Fish Sold Here"​

the sign declared!

"Well," said one, " "Fresh"? Are you serious, that sounds defensive. No need for that. What else would you sell?"

So the painter was ordered to remove that suspicious and obviously redundant word. But this first concession was the shop owner's lethal mistake!

"Sold"? Said another. "You're not giving the bloody stuff away......and ""here", where else would they buy it, across the road?"

So just one word, "Fish" remained and the Shop owner looked up, quite pleased.

""Fish"? Others complained, "You can smell this place a mile down the road!"

So the last word was obliterated too!

Asher

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

In that spirit, Cem,

But on a more serious esthetic note, if you were staging this image from scratch, what elements alone would be essential to convery your basic ideas here?

Are all the boxes needed for the image to do its work?

Asher

Yes, all the boxes are needed IMO. Also the one I took out. I still need to convey this image of vertically stacked boxes going on in both directions.

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Cem,

Hi folks,

I have been away from OPF for a couple of years minding my own business, some people call it life I guess. I have very occasionally looked at what's happening, recently more often. I am glad to see all the usual suspects are going on strong, as ever. I hope that life is treating you all well!

Going forward, I may chime in occasionally here and there. Look forward to be chatting with you again.

It's wonderful to hear from you.

I hope you are well.

Merry Christmas and best wishes for all aspects of this holiday season.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Thanks Doug, great to "see" you too.
And the same wishes for the season, of course.

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Cem,

Thanks Doug, great to "see" you too.

Here:

Molly Kicklighter, Esq.: Carla and Doug Kerr​

I have hopefully allowed removal of the quotation marks!

This was taken at the Christmas party for the staff and board of directors of a local social services organization; Carla is on the board.

The shot was taken by a young woman attorney who works with the organization. She was concerned that I would, all night, be only on the back side of my Panasonic FZ1000.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Cem,

Here is a recent picture, which shows "great value". I want to see a proof of that tear of joy BTW.

Great shot.

It seems that these boxes have been constructed for the purpose from parts of real boxes. To the artisan: "Nicely done."

Interestingly enough, we often use food of the "Great Value" brand, one of the house brands of the Walmart stores (worldwide, to some extent). It is considered to be the "national brand equivalent" (NBE) brand in the Walmart US branding taxonomy.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Asher Kelman]

......and to your return, my respected colleague, I never felt you ever left as your aura is always around.

Perhaps, your best photographic series were formed here.

Remember the metaphor of OPF as our "tour bus". We're each on our separate journeys, but certain legs we share together, exhanging experience. Every so often, someone new gets on and a good friend must get off for a while.

But taking the long view, the guys return and gradually our work, our independant work evolves.

That's the spice of it all.

Asher

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Thanks Asher, I was around "in spirit".

You are right about my best series being formed here. I guess we can endlessly discuss about causality vs correlation, lol. Nevertheless, I am thankful to OPF and to you as my friend for all you have meant for me; as you did to many others.

......and to your return, my respected colleague, I never noticed you really left as your aura is always around.

Perhaps, your best photographic series were formed here.
...

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Doug that is a wonderful picture of Carla and you. Is she getting younger and younger, it seems?! You don't look too bad yourself either.

 

[fahim mohammed]

Welcome Cem.

Contrary to what Tom says, there are no adversaries here. Just interests

Best to the family and yourself.

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Hi Fahim,

Glad to be chatting with you again. I have recently enjoyed the photos you've shared (both yours and Ayesha's). But the jumping photo of Ayesha was also very special.

Contrary to what Tom says, there are no adversaries here. Just interests

You know Tom, he is jokingly provocating, provocatingly joking. Just friendly banter eventually.

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Cem,

Doug that is a wonderful picture of Carla and you. Is she getting younger and younger, it seems?!

Maybe so!

You don't look too bad yourself either.

Thanks. Not to bad for an old geezer (current age 80.75).

Now, in the interest of quid pro quo (as they say in the legal profession), here we see the skilled photographer of that shot:

Douglas A. Kerr: Molly Kicklighter, Esq.​

She is a criminal defense attorney with the county Public Defenders Office, which as I'm sure you know, provides at public expense legal defense representation to persons accused of a crime who cannot afford on their own to engage a defense attorney.

She had been for a brief while the attorney of the social service organization during an unexpected interregnum resulting from the death of the prior incumbent.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Jerome Marot]

Welcome back, Cem. It is nice to see you again.

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Welcome back, Cem. It is nice to see you again.

I truly missed you Jerome. Good to be back.

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

A lovely lady!

Hi, Cem,



Maybe so!



Thanks. Not to bad for an old geezer (current age 80.75).

Now, in the interest of quid pro quo (as they say in the legal profession), here we see the skilled photographer of that shot:

Douglas A. Kerr: Molly Kicklighter, Esq.​

She is a criminal defense attorney with the county Public Defenders Office, which as I'm sure you know, provides at public expense legal defense representation to persons accused of a crime who cannot afford on their own to engage a defense attorney.

She had been for a brief while the attorney of the social service organization during an unexpected interregnum resulting from the death of the prior incumbent.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Andy brown]

Great to have you back Cem. You really were missed.

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Great to have you back Cem. You really were missed.

Thanks mate

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

BTW Doug, is this a family member of yours? The one on the right, I mean! lol

​

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Cem,

BTW Doug, is this a family member of yours? The one on the right, I mean! lol

​

Well, we Kerrs believe that all Kerrs are cousins, so probably so.

And of course to this day, 112 years later, Kerrs are still performing to indifferent audiences (happens here on OPF all the time).

Thanks.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Hi Doug,

This is a great example of a witty and humorous Doug Kerr answer (re. the indifferent audiences)! If there had been a Turing test for identifying the real D.K., you would have passed with flying colors Doug.