Cactus Alley  by vera365

Cactus Alley

The little alley just across our daycare center. I have been walking past it for two years now, and only today I "saw" it. Thank you, 365!

As always, I very much appreciate all of your comments, critique, input and feedback. Thank you very much!
That's placed perfectly. Nice DOF.
March 16th, 2015  
Very nice alley! Glad you saw and shared!
March 16th, 2015  
Like little hidden gems like this. What's at the end I wonder. Good DOF.
March 16th, 2015  
It is fascinating that you can walk by things and not "see" them until you really look with a more imaginative eye. I love the long alleyway ending in the street art
March 16th, 2015  
Neat shot. It looks like the cactus is holding up his hands as if to say, "Stop! Don't come any further!"
March 16th, 2015  
Great shot, leading lines, textures...the window reflections are cool
March 16th, 2015  
Beautiful lines, they really work well here.
March 16th, 2015  
Love the lines, textures and the graffiti at the end! Great capture, Vera.
March 16th, 2015  
Perfect! I love the colours and lines and of course the cactus. And you're so right, I've started to notice things I had not before 365.
March 16th, 2015  
Works on a number of levels, a very strong lead in provided by the path and walls and then the cactus giving a strong focal point, with the whole image being made up of strong colours. I was interested to see what lens you had used as I would have expected to see more convergence but the publish exif information does not give lens details, but I did notice you are using a Sony A6000, a camera I have recently bought.
March 16th, 2015  
Just notice you have to click on exif to see the data :-( What is does not tell me is if the focal length is 34mm as used or 34mm as a full frame equivalent.
March 16th, 2015  
Getting the angle right for these narrow ways is the secret - very good to see it and the picture at the end in focus too!
March 16th, 2015  
Thanks, Bob. I also liked it how it all "lined up". I took a couple of images there with different settings and just went home knowing that I got the image for the day right from the start. Nice feeling.
To the EXIF data - I am still "getting to know" the Sony Alpha 6000, and apart from being amazed at its abilities, I am also a bit "disappointed". Disappointed in the fact that it can do ANYTHING that I wanted it to do so far without any bumps in the road. You want action shots, it does action shots. You want beautiful sunset, it does beautiful sunset. I've been talking to someone at the photo store the other day, telling them that after having had my DSLR Nikon for 3 years now and just learning my ways around it off the auto mode, it feels like I have an aged "professional" in my hands that knows how to do things and approaches them with seriousness. In contrast, having the Alpha 6000, it's like having a spunky genius teenager around that just gets it - without proper training and without appreciating how much skill it takes for others to achieve what it can achieve just in minutes.
I got the Alpha for caring it around all the time, and so far - it hasn't ever put me down. My only complain is - I get lazy thinking about settings, and have to discipline myself not to rely on in-camera decisions too much.
The lens I have on it is the kit lens that comes with the camera - the 16-50mm, so the 34mm in the exif is just what the 34 on that lens is going to be. I am not sure if they consider the cropped sensor when labelling the lens.
Thanks for commenting! I am glad you liked the picture.

@bob65
March 16th, 2015  
Thank you all so much for commenting on the Cactus alley!

Ann, if you wander what's at the end, then my goal is achieved! :) By the way, I looked it up, and it happens to be a youth democracy center (hence "DEMOZ" with "z" for Zentrum in German).

Maggiemae - It took a while to navigate the angles, as I wanted the older windows on the left wall to be recognisable and I wanted a hint of modern graffiti on the right as well. Thank you!

Julienne, I keep being amazed at all the stuff I see now in town that I haven't even considered looking at before. This is exciting.

Thank you all so much!

@klarinettegal @danette @flowerfairyann @julienne1 @desertaura @seattlite @karink @susanalena @kristenrpics @maggiemae
March 16th, 2015  
Great pinpoint focus on that cactus!
March 16th, 2015  
Sue
Lots in this, the lines leading in to the cactus, the colours on the walls, the reflections in the windows. Could be a site worth using again.
March 16th, 2015  
Thank you so much!

Sue, I didn't walk all the way to the end today, just took a couple of shots from the entrance and left, but there seem to be quite interesting graffiti on the right wall, and I want to look closer at that red part of the wall towards the cactus. So you are absolutely right - It would be great checking it out again. :)
@vstap @sueb47
March 16th, 2015  
Cool perspective!
March 16th, 2015  
Great alley way! FAV
March 17th, 2015  
I love how the eye is drawn down the alley to that cactus. Great capture!
March 17th, 2015  
Great shot!
March 17th, 2015  
You have line this up perfectly! I feel like I am standing where you would have been - such a clear image!
March 17th, 2015  
Reward at the end of the tunnel!
March 17th, 2015  
That is very cool.
March 17th, 2015  
Great find
March 17th, 2015  
Great perspective.
March 17th, 2015  
Kim
What a cool alley! Nice capture.
March 17th, 2015  
Great shot. Love the focus and dof.
March 17th, 2015  
nice find.. i like how you've chosen to portray it... at the end of the alley as it were :)
March 18th, 2015  
Fabulous shot, I love how your eye is drawn right into the picture. Got to be a fav. Have been out of touch while we have been away on holiday, but trying to catch up tonight.
March 19th, 2015  
Missed out on thanking everyone for visiting the "Cactus Alley"!!! So, here it is - thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it, I had fun time taking pictures of it.

Barbara, I also liked how all the lines converged at the end of the alley, making it very geometrical.

Babs, welcome back from your vacation! Lots of pictures?

@kellycsva @lindacarol @888rachel @marymacaroni @btwebb @cejaanderson @bonsai @777margo @spooling @kimdavis @oly @northy @onewing
March 19th, 2015  
Nice perspective.
March 20th, 2015  
@californialover Thanks, Ute. That day, the alley just "stopped me in my tracks" asking to be photographed. I am glad I had a camera with me.
March 21st, 2015  
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