Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Shanghai Spirals
I do very few architectual images, but Rex's recent pictures have caused me to recall one image from earlier this year that has remainded in my memory.
Permalink / posted by and copyright of Doug Stockdale : 1:31 AM
Comments:
Rex's photo inspired me to shoot a skylight a few days' ago, and I like the result I got, but this is much more spectacular -- one could get lost in there!
The whole concept of this appeals. I am sure I'd have been wandering round with camera skywards looking for images.
It has a horizontal feel rather than a vertical one. I sense an invite to walk in.
This really does owe something to art deco, particularly those 'bumps' going out to the top right corner. The reflector-like object at the top keeps making me think that it has something to do with a lighthouse and that beam coming downwards adds to that sensation. There must be a lot of architects dreaming up 'solutions' to China's building frenzy. A good exposition of the subject. Although the conversion suits this well, I can't help wondering what this would look like in straight b/w.
Due to the lighting and the decor, the origianl color image is just a multitude of golds and yellows. This is where my selection in toning provides an image that is almost identical to the original, just not as "gold-ish". This is one HUGE hotel attrium (Hyatt), perhaps going up 55 stories, I was getting vertico just trying to photograph this. The top is where the resturant was that we had a fabuous Italian dinner that night with a spectacular view of Shanghai and the river.
I've looked at this quite a few times, but I just now saw the spirals for the first time.
I like this image, but it feels a bit busy, as if the pattern hasn't had enough space to emerge. Instead of being about the grand sweep of the spirals, it's about the rapid progression of concentric rings. It reminds me of my own failed attempts to photograph the corridors where I work; the vistas are never quite long enough, and so the pattern doesn't really have the same impact in two dimensions as it does in three.
I get a single sweeping spiral looking through this. That 'element' at the top is a perfect point to focus on and take me to. I'm not sure of the scale of this building but even though it is very busy and geometric I get a strong sense of space.
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It has a horizontal feel rather than a vertical one. I sense an invite to walk in.
I like this image, but it feels a bit busy, as if the pattern hasn't had enough space to emerge. Instead of being about the grand sweep of the spirals, it's about the rapid progression of concentric rings. It reminds me of my own failed attempts to photograph the corridors where I work; the vistas are never quite long enough, and so the pattern doesn't really have the same impact in two dimensions as it does in three.