Rescue Chopper, Hospital Helipad
by GeneralE

Comment by tyt2000:
The helicopter is cut off, I think including more of it in the frame would have been better. Also, the view here doesn't help show the helicopter. The composition is somewhat busy and distracting, thats because of where you were standing. My advice is to find a better view and put some thought into your composition before taking the photo.

Good luck...

Rescue Chopper, Hospital Helipad
by GeneralE

Comment by penaphoto:
I think this could have been improved on if we saw more of the helicopter.

A Watched Pot ...
by GeneralE

Comment by GeneralE:
Thanks everyone for the comments. In particular ...

Originally posted by postaltheclown: Aww 'com on.... it's great. They really didn't get it...

Thanks! As you can read below, at least a few people "got" it. :)

Originally posted by Dave Gordon: The gas flame is so clear it makes it hard to see this as a pot with depth. Great idea, though, and great colors in the flame, metal and glass.

First time I've had a problem with excessive optical clarity, but you are right. I was expecting there to be more rippling or bubbles or reflections but it didn't happen (see further below).

Originally posted by skylen: Pretty cool. But I can't tell what I see... is it looking down on a burner with a glass pot?

I see you can see perfectly well. This is the bottom half of a Pyrex double-boiler ... about the same as a 4-quart saucepan; the handle is exiting the frame tot he lower-right.

Originally posted by photom: While others had the same idea - no one else captured it so graphically. Perfect idea to use a glass pot and a gas flame. It makes a very unusual but pleasing image. Not sure I like the "dirty looking" area to the left of the flame and in the bottom / top right corner areas.

No one else (including me) much cares for the dirty stove (mostly stray coffe grounds) either, but I was up against both the submission deadline and getting dinner made, so, since I wanted to isolate the pot anyway, I (mostly) covered up the worst of it in the corners with the white vignetted border. Hey, maybe with a can of white spray paint ... :)

Originally posted by undieyatch: Like an eye! A interesting gas burner beauty... a circle shape and near abstract elements seen through the water would be a common view, but this makes me look. Apparent strong daylight mixed with the burner flame is a different take to this often used theme. To me very good colour and composition. Excellent work.

You even see more in it than I did :) I just wanted it to look like a pot waiting to boil. I took this at about 6:30 pm with an east-facing window, so it was more diffuse sunlight (coming from the direction of the handle) and overhead incandescent lighting. The color came out surprisingly well -- it was on complete auto-exposure/white-balance. It probably looks "brighter" than it really is because of all the white border I added.

Originally posted by Kolya: Clever - I assume its looking down at a glass bowl on a gas stove. Well done. Perhaps waiting a little longer to see some of the boiling...

I REALLY wanted to wait for some tiny bubbles! I was 1) up against the photo deadline and trying to make dinner at the same time; 2) Too chicken to stick my camera into the path of that much rising water vapor.

My original idea was to shoot from the side, just as the bubbles started to form, but it didn't look good.

A Watched Pot ...
by GeneralE

Comment by postaltheclown:
Aww 'com on.... it's great. They really didn't get it...

Rescue Chopper, Hospital Helipad
by GeneralE

Comment by Philos:
I barely can make out the helicopter. Sorry for this, but I am being honest. I'm not a good photographer myself, but had to give this a 2

Rescue Chopper, Hospital Helipad
by GeneralE

Comment by redmoon:
unlucky on the timing front - did you just miss it landing? the majoy problem i have with this is that the helicopter is not prominent or even obvious enough in the image - it's far too hidden and the eyes are drawn to the steel posts supporting the helipad. i would have possibly cropped out the fence at the bottom and the tree on the left (these are distracting, more so as they're the only bits not in focus). the sky, a nice blue, is good and should fill the image more... it has promise - if only you arrived a few minutes earlier...

Rescue Chopper, Hospital Helipad
by GeneralE

Comment by peete:
sorry, but choppers werent in this one.

Rescue Chopper, Hospital Helipad
by GeneralE

Comment by wwwavenger:
Interesting concept, but poorly executed. The objects in the foreground are very distracting. The theme doesn't shine through here either.

A Watched Pot ...
by GeneralE

Comment by notonline:
interesting shot/take on this challenge. well done. I really like the colors

Extreme Bridge
by GeneralE

Comment by blemt:
This had strong potential to be one of you highest scoring images. It was just in the wrong challenge. :( This is a solid 8 atleast in the right challenge. Great DOF, clear, sharp, and excellent composition.