Joey: Project 7 marked my first contribution to the 52 Projects Project. It only seemed fitting for Project 8 to go one step further and feature some of my own photography. Together, we both have compiled five images each that illustrate the theme weather-worn. We have different perspectives, different interpretations of this theme, and thus our work varies.

We are also going to give each other feedback. Below each image is a small blurb, a tiny commentary containing our thoughts and impressions on the images. If you have any feedback you would like to share with us about an image in this series, please do so in the comments section below.

Rey: This is a mood setter, the kind of image I would hang in a room to evoke a sense of calm.  I was with Joey when he shot this and witnessed the meticulous manner in which he set it up, waited for the wave to encounter the shell and the care he took in creating the composition, adjusting the camera (and himself) to accommodate the vision.  As for the theme, weather-worn, there is something timeless about the sea’s cadence, the relentless drubbing of water onto sand.  Yeah, weather-worn.

Rey: We watched the tide come in, witnessed water rise upward on our tripod legs, approach this large sea stone and then surround it.  We’ve been on that beach when swimmers bravely reached this and then dove off of the four or five inches that elevated above sea level.

We were there this time during golden and then falling light.  The images posted on this blog over the past few days are just a few of what we were able to witness and capture there.

I appreciate the interplay between deep blue and warmer sandstone, colors that compliment each other beautifully under pleasing light.

Rey: And then just a half day later, the snow came and changed the color palette to white and tan, snow on sand.  This image lies next to our favorite river and beach area, such that this stretch of fence typically receives little attention.  Cameras usually point in an opposite direction.

The leading line moving to the right and backward in the scene draws the viewer’s eye away, forward.  This is my least favorite in this series, not because of the composition but because it doesn’t convey the project’s theme as strongly as the others.

Rey: A different take on my own #4 below.  Joey and I stood next to each other and saw this scene differently.  I saw the posts, wrapped in rope, as leaning upon the rocks while the subjects above are more aligned, like neighbors or peers.  The background of beach and ocean, while blurred, are very much a part of the scene while my background below are compositional aides only.  I also like Joey’s post-processing here; the richer sunset lighting feels muted to me adding to the nostalgic feel.

Rey: Ok, this is my favorite of the bunch.  For a few reasons.  First, the composition is simple but conveys a balance, a symmetry between photographer and camera.  The grasp is solid but suggests a symbiotic relationship between both.  Also, this is my Fujifilm X-T3, a camera I am growing more and more fond of each time I use it.  The size, the functionality, the sensor, the appearance (yes, appearance) all converge into a completely modern yet reminiscent design.  It’s 2019 when I hold it but it just as well could be 1979 when I used a Pentax K1000 film camera.

And the droplets of water are important because while the camera is weather-sealed, the lens is not.  So, it was a bit of a risk to take this electronic mass of technology onto a snowy beach for the shoot.  The lens, a manual focus Rokinon 12mm, is winning me over, converting me from the more convenient (and still very capable) Fujifilm 10-24 zoom lens.  Speaking of which, check out Project #9.

All together, that this says “weather-worn” is meaningful to me in ways only Joey could understand.  And understand he does.

Joey: Weather-worn? Indeed it is. This rundown garden center has seen better days. I like the flare of sunlight peeping over the top of the building. The sky is stark white, making the subject (the building) almost feel as if it had been cut out of another image and glued to a white piece of paper. The wood in the bottom right corner also adds to the sense of weather-worn.

Joey: Broken and being recaptured by the sand; this lobster trap has trapped its last lobster. I like the rough footprint in the top right corner, and the swirling lines in the sand made by the changing tide. How long has this contraption been here? I couldn’t tell you.

Joey: Oh, I like the colors in this one. There is a pervading sense of purple strewn across this composition. I like where the sea and sky converge; the subtle clouds stretch from side to side. The subject, the large rock, could have been deposited on this beach by a glacier. It clearly has seen many tide changes and many stormy nights.

Joey: This image is interesting. As written about earlier, we both took an image of this subject and yet created very different photographs. I focused on having the sea and sky as key ingredients while this image is much more focused on the rope and wood. The wide-angle lens really allows you to see the surrounding area.

Joey: Wow, I didn’t know time-travel was allow for this project! Doesn’t this photo scream of a tired and forgotten west? It does for me. I love the faded color and the use of grey. Look at the border of the image; the ripped and worn edges really add to the photograph and help establish it as a true weather-worn image.