Starkness...

[Nieton21]

Hi everyone, I took this photo for the insomnia photo contest sponsored by apple that is going on right now. This was an alternate shot (if you want you can check out the pic I did select for the contest here http://edcommunity.apple.com/insomni...php?itemID=319 But my question about this shot is; do you guyes think there is too much going on in this shot. By the way I was trying to show urban growth. Also I would like any other thoughts on improving this photograph. I particualarly like it in b/w because the colors were pretty plain. I hope this helps!

My setting for this shot are:

Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT
Exposure: 0.04 sec (1/25)
Aperture: f/22
Focal Length: 18 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 2/3 EV

Thanks again guys for your help.

[Teewinot]

Nieton21,

I don't think you have too much going on in the shot. I like that you have 1 crane in the center with 2 lights on either side, achieving 3, an odd number. For some reason I also like the curve of the land below the crane if you follow me.

I looked at the photo you submitted and I immediately fell in love with that beautiful sky! I feel like making the above shot black and white did add a different story element, but it lost the gorgeous color of the sky.

Otherwise, great cropping, nice spacing of your 3 main vertical lines (the crane and 2 lights), great texture in the sky (despite the lack of color), and not too busy in my opinion. Great job!

[Nieton21]

Here is the color version Yeah I do like the sky and miss it in the grey version but now looking at the color version I changed it to black and white because there were stuff distracting me in the foreground. Now that you pointed out the sky I don't know what I like better.

Thanks for the positive feedback

[Teewinot]

I definitely like the color version...lovely sky. You are right, the color brings out details that are lost in the B&W that one might find distracting, especially in a larger version. I think the cool thing is that both shots sort of tell a different story. The B&W brings out the feel of "starkness" and the color brings out a more positive "growth" feel (at least for me). Keep both!

[enc]

I'd do some post-production on this picture. I think i'd leave out blue sky and gray-out everything below horizontal center of the picture via gradient (light blue => greyscale). I'd leave blue sky starting after the top of crane. if course - as much gradient as possible thus leaving both: lovely sky and some other story of grayscale construction site with lights

[Nicole]

Ok, I'm gonna be the odd one out here Somehow, I just don't think of this as stark, probably because I equate starkness with minimalistic shots. To me, I think stark would've been focusing on just the crane / lights against the sky. I think that the B&W version is more stark than the colour version because it does get rid of some of the distraction in the bottom of the picture. That being said, I think it does accomplish your first goal of showing urban growth, so to me, it more accomplishes that than starkness (but they do seem to be difficult ideas to reconcile... starkness + urban growth) PS, I like the shot that you submitted to the contest.

[Saralonde]

I'm with Nicole on this one. B&w seems to suit the subject matter better. If the crane against the sky is the focal point, the color around the base detracts a bit from that. B&w draws my eye to the crane and sky, color draws my eye to the base.

[Nieton21]

ok good to know thanks, Nicole and Saralonde