Stills

John,

It was dry. (November in Inverness!).

It is a Delta 400 neg so no conversion. I'm brand new to the qualities of the film, so don't know how much that influences the look.

However, I think that the overall look and feel is the result of the lens. An also, new to me, 50mm Sonnar. I know I shouldn't change two things at once...
 

Well, it looks like a powerful combination - back to the laboratory to do better with the bunsen burner!
 

Stresses and strains. Looks like something pretty powerful is pulling on that rope. This image could be symbolic of so many things, restrained anger, fear, turmoil. I wonder, were any of those things in mind when you saw this and took the shot Colin (not that it matters)?
 

It is a very 'grey' image with 95% of pixels below 128, if I've read PS correctly.

I wonder why you chose to leave the image and not adjust levels? Doing so produces a much more punchy image. I do accept it is a different image and may not convey your intent.
 

Rex,

Good questions. I haven't done the numerical analysis that you've done (I don't work that way), but leaving the numbers aside, this is a gray image. It was, of course, a gray subject. This is Inverness in November, in the, well I hesitate to say shade, because that would imply sunshine somewhere, but in the shade of a very big boat.

Processing undertaken included dividing the picture in two horizontally and changing tones to create a differentiation between the top and bottom halves. The other major edit was forcing the ring toward blackness and the paint dab toward whiteness.

Those edits returned the negative to my brain memory of the place. Paint dab aside, that rope was the brightest thing I'd seen all day! And no, it wasn't blue nylon either. Real rope that is.

I didn't do the sort of processing that your question implies that I might have done because it didn't cross my mind to do so.

So, a question to the others. Would you have 'punched up' this shot (you can neatly avoid the question about whether you would have taken the shot in the first place by playing the role of printer)?

I'm interested.
 

Johnjo: As I've just said in the comment to Rex, this was the main tie point for a large boat (dinner/dance cruise ship of some pretension).

My mind was empty of any of the thoughts that you mention. In fact, although this was a chemo day, I had managed a long and involving photo walk. For the current time I was pretty light.
 

This is the sort of image that I would capture.

I would then look at levels and curves to decide how or even if to adjust the image. I will occassionally double process the RAW image. I prefer to do nothing as it is easiest!

I do not know if I would have manipulated this image, probably if I were going to print.
 

I have no problem with the 'look' of this. My main observation was made in my first comment: that the blacks of the metal are too shiny and new-looking, uncommon in anything to do with docksides.
 

I have no problem with the 'look' of this either from a darkness/lightness persepctive. I see strength in that rope-chain-ring conection which contrasts so well with the lack of damage it can do to the stonework.

I much prefer the new version of your prior post - the wall is much better.
 

The tonality has a very post-industrial coal dust and diesel fumes look to it, which suits the subject. I'm not entirely sure about the composition. I'd like the crack to be more obvious, but I can't think of how I would have accomplished that goal.