Sorry for taking so long to set the next competition. To be frank, the news was getting me down. I am usually a right little Pollyanna but all this nonsense was getting to even me and my Jockish bedrock was beginning to poke through.
So, yesterday my short-list of subjects for the next photo competition included ‘Despair’, ‘Doomed’, ‘Disaster’ and ‘Apocalypse’.
Still, today is another day as Scarlett O’Hara said yesterday if you see what I mean. Pollyanna is back in the ascendant. We must not let these feral scum win, in my opinion, and life (and photo competitions) must go on.
I’d like to suggest that entrants each submit two photographs illustrating the contrasting themes of ‘Work’ and ‘Rest’. From the heights of her degree course in ‘History of Art’ and the depths of her birthday bath, Mrs M assures me that this is called a diptych.
Here’s one I did earlier. Taken at an animal refuge run by a friend of my brother-on-law. She goes out to kangaroos or wallabies that have been killed on the highway and rescues the Joeys from their pouches. Once old enough, they are re-introduced to the wild.
I managed this after about five minutes with a free program called Photoscape but there is no need to link them if you don’t want to. Two separate photos will be fine.
Deadline extended by popular demand (valzone, me. Ara, Bilby and OZ at the moment) to 31st August 2011 at midnight (BST).
PS Just for the avoidance of doubt, Mrs M does bathe more than once a year and not just on her birthday.
Boadicea's Chariot 
That reminds me … its time for my monthly bath. Work and rest? How about if I take a shot of a youth reclining on a sofa at the local JobCentre? Two in one eh?
Right, I’ll see what I can do, John. Yes, life must go on, and I’m planning on spending the next few weeks out and about, so I’ll remember to take my new all whistling singing and dancing, idiot proof (?) digital camera.
I am surrounded by builders and decorators and I’m not enjoying it much. Only day two, but I think I can safely leave them to get on with it, and retreat to a quieter and dust-free environment!
Backside says bathing is like housework: you’ve no sooner done it than a few weeks later you have to do it again.
I infer, JM, that Mrs M’s name is not Josephine.
Since I’m on holiday, JM, I feel slightly detached from the problems, except for worrying about my children in London. So at the moment there’s a lot of rest and no work. But it might cheer you up to think of a few bars of “Scottish Soldier” drifting outside the Rainerova Chata in the High Tatras where we were having a wee refreshment today.
For these green hills are not Highland hills
Nor the island hills,
They’re not my land’s hills.
And fair tho’ these green,foreign hills may be
They are not the hills of home.
Interesting idea.
Not an entry. Just two pic’s to get the ball rolling.
That’s a bit of a challenge, Mr M! But despair would have been even more difficult and like you I am Polyanna-ish because the vast majority of people are still decent in good old Blighty and will help others in trouble.
I like the joiny-uppy effect. Did you use this Photoscape thing too, Toc?
I see only one picture, Toc?
Aha, now the second has revealed itself!
Sheep at Work
Sheep at Rest
Bilby: Your pictures reminded me of an old Forest of Dean expression concerning sheep (or ship as they would say).
They only have two states “yut” (eat) and ‘kip” (sleep). I’m sure JanH will know it.
🙂 Sounds about right, LW, although I did find a ewe in a third state, dashing excitedly up and down the lane. I popped her back into the field whereupon she went immediately into “yut” mode.
One day to go and only two entries (I’m taking Toc’s as an entry whether he wants me to or not). That top giraffe is definitely working the tourist’s camera in my opinion.
Probably my fault for being a diptych dipstick in setting the subject. Is it worth extending the deadline to let other entries flood/trickle in?
John. I would like to have contributed to this but have failed to find anything to match the requirements, not because it was a difficult task, more because I ain’t got anything worthy of an entry just now. I didn’t want you to think I’d ignored it. Good luck.
Oh dear, I’m sorry, John. I failed miserably. 😦
Hi val and Ara.
Thanks for commenting but I I blame myself. It was probably my choice of subject that dried up the entries.
The subject may have been the problem, but I think you deserve another crack at it. If everyone else is in agreement, may I suggest you choose another subject, and give everyone 7 days to submit. Just a thought John.
Howzit JM
I did give it a go and published my effort here, obviously too late for this thread, but I did try, just messed up on the timing 😦
Good evening fellow cherished authors.
If Boadicea consents, I intend to extend the deadline for the current competition to midnight (BST) on 31st August 2011. The catalyst for this is Soutie’s post:-
https://charioteers.org/2011/08/29/diptych/
Valzone also suggested an extension, albeit with a different subject but I like Soutie’s take and maybe FCAs could go along the line of diptychs portraying contrasts if they can find time to enter.
Just for the record, and to assist future winners in picking their subject, the subjects and winners to date are:-
13th ‘Contentment’ set by Janh1 and won by JM
12th ‘Unexpected or Unusual Reflections’ set by Pseu and won by Jahn1
11th ‘Cropped Photos to produce unusual views’ set by Ara and won by Pseu
10th ‘Joy’ set by Janh1 and won by Ara
9th ‘Age’ set by OZ and won by Janh1
8th ‘Wild’ set by Soutie and won by OZ
7th ‘To produce or suggest through artistry or imagination a vivid impression of reality’ set by LW and won by Soutie
6th ‘The Force of Nature’ set by Pseu and won by cwj who passed to Low Wattage to set competition
5th ‘Patterns’ set by Bravo and won by Pseu
4th ‘Civil Twilight’ set by cwj and won by Bravo
3rd ‘Contrasts’ set by Ara and won by cwj
2nd ‘Forest, landscape or horizon that might interest a wolf’ set by OZ and won by Ara
1st ‘Sunlight and Clouds’ set by Pseu and won by OZ
Me again John, just wanted to draw your attention to a small update on my diptych entry, solely for the sake of clarity on the subject matter, I’m sure that you’ll understand 😉