Saturday, April 21, 2007
Untitled (03620021)
Comments:
Just back and sorting myself out and I had a quick peek.
This looks a tad oversharpened to me. I can see a halo round the periphery of the buildings.
The composition links the background to the folk at the foreground very well. The inclusion of the clouds shows where the long shadows originate.
Woops. Made the web version from the file that had been sharpened for printing. Uploaded a copy with more appropriate sharpening.
What a great walkway/bridge and a lovely view here down it. Looks like a church spire at the end. No doubt not planned, but the groupings of tower blocks and other buildings in relation to this walkway works well and the composition makes the most of them. Funny, but I preferred the view as all land before I realised that there was water! The split-level forking coming out of the picture gives both interest as to where they go and is a lively part of the lower half of the composition. One must be spoilt for shots to take around there.
That bridge goes on for miles - and to where the interest is. The two people up front do intrigue me somewhat given their silhouetted appearance but I'm much more interested in what is at the end of the walkway. The two ramps either side add a sense of togetherness as if this picture needs to be viewed in a group. Beautiful clouds.
I'm mostly seeing this as a landscape and am uncertain as to what I think about the figures. That maybe because I think that the foreground figures add and the mid-ground figures take away again. My eye gets stuck on the central point and I almost miss taking in the rest of the scene.
My first feeling about this was positive in general. A great view, clouds and lighting are very nice, and I like the foreground figures with their long shadows. The bridge is interesting, as well.
I agree with Colin that the mid-ground figures are not helping though -- sort of a sticking point.
Thanks for the comments.
John, this is the French national library in Paris. It's a incredible piece of architecture, although a bit foreboding and depressing on first glimpse. Kate and I spent an hour walking around photographing, but we could have easily spent much more time there.
About the figures. I wish the foreground figures were on the right instead of the left for the sake of balancing out the towers. In a perfect arrangement of elements, I probably would have chosen to forego the mid ground figures, but the crowd just wasn't cooperating.
Thanks Matt - so this is La Defense?
I presume that you have your left and right mixed up! I agree about the foreground figures but the mid-ground ones don't bother me at all; they are part of the continuum to even smaller people further on.
Never could tell my left from my right.
I think La Defense is the other side of the city. The library is east of Gare d'Austerlitz. Apparently, most people think it's an inconvenient eyesore:http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/one?public_place_id=350#
I thought it was quite striking, and it isn't really that far out of the way. Kate and I plan on going back to it next time we are in Paris. It would be a fun place for a view camera.
Across the river is a truly bizare stadium. Not sure what it's called, but it looks like a Fulleresque alien ship from a bad 60's sci-fi movie.
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This looks a tad oversharpened to me. I can see a halo round the periphery of the buildings.
The composition links the background to the folk at the foreground very well. The inclusion of the clouds shows where the long shadows originate.
I agree with Colin that the mid-ground figures are not helping though -- sort of a sticking point.
John, this is the French national library in Paris. It's a incredible piece of architecture, although a bit foreboding and depressing on first glimpse. Kate and I spent an hour walking around photographing, but we could have easily spent much more time there.
About the figures. I wish the foreground figures were on the right instead of the left for the sake of balancing out the towers. In a perfect arrangement of elements, I probably would have chosen to forego the mid ground figures, but the crowd just wasn't cooperating.
I presume that you have your left and right mixed up! I agree about the foreground figures but the mid-ground ones don't bother me at all; they are part of the continuum to even smaller people further on.
I think La Defense is the other side of the city. The library is east of Gare d'Austerlitz. Apparently, most people think it's an inconvenient eyesore:http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/one?public_place_id=350#
I thought it was quite striking, and it isn't really that far out of the way. Kate and I plan on going back to it next time we are in Paris. It would be a fun place for a view camera.
Across the river is a truly bizare stadium. Not sure what it's called, but it looks like a Fulleresque alien ship from a bad 60's sci-fi movie.