My Study...

[Celt64]

In some of what I've read about learning photography, it is said one should pick a subject and continue to photograph it through all the seasons, times of day and various conditions, to learn about how to capture a subject from all angles and all conditions. Well this building, which is some how fairly important to the Virgina Museum of Fine Arts, is one of mine. I met the engineer that designed the road approach to the new wing of the museum and he said it was very important that this building be seen upon entering. Unfortunately, he couldn't elaborate as to why. Funny, I picked it as my study long before I knew this. I do want to learn more about what's so important about it. I just thought it was beautiful.

I've been photographing it since the beginning of the year. For as important as the building is suppose to be they have it obstructed by trees for the majority of its views.

This was a beautiful evening to shoot anything. The air was still as you can see by the water in the reflecting pool.

This shot was from what I thought the best perspective. I cropped the same shot viewable herehttp://pdmurphy.smugmug.com/Photogra...52_9n6nP-L.jpg. The third was where I settled on being the best to capture just the subject without all the clutter. Again, link here...http://pdmurphy.smugmug.com/Photogra...10_moqr4-M.jpg

I guess I'm curious as to what if any of them is appealing and idea that I might want to try.

Lord knows I've got plenty of photos of this building I can share...



Ex Info:

Camera Nikon D 90
Exp. 1/20
Ape F 14
ISO 200
FL 16mm (35MM)


Thanks for looking...

Paul

[LeeR]

What you are doing is a time honored tradition followed by many famous photographers, most notably Edward Steichen. It's important in this kind of shot to learn the effect of time of day, quality of light and season of the year have on image quality. I read once about a famous photographer who was asked to shoot an image of an important building in New York City. At the appointed time everyone met at the building. The photographer took one look at it and said, "I'll be back in two hours." Sure enough, he was back in two hours; when the light was hitting the building just the way he wanted. There's only one way to learn that and that's by loads of practice. Then again, you could use TPE to give you a helping hand.

[windrider86]

Please take a peek at the guidelines so you know what should/or not be included in your posts. Thanks!
Should you need help just holler!

[Celt64]

Originally Posted by windrider86

Please take a peek at the guidelines so you know what should/or not be included in your posts. Thanks!
Should you need help just holler!

Thanks for the Dope Slap... Amazing what happens when you read.... I saw how your morning started out... Nice if you just had a Ditto Key.

Thanks again...

Paul

[Krusty79]

I think you have some beautiful colors in this shot and an interesting subject, but there are some elements that distract me from the subject. You have a lot of diagonal lines here, but most of them do not direct the viewer's eye towards the subject. I find those lights on both sides of the building distracting, but the area where I find my eye going to the most is that gorgeous reflection. Not sure how to fix that when your foreground is too interesting, other than trying a different angle. Anyway, that's one guy's opinion.

[Celt64]

Thank you for your reply. You ever have something that you liked but it bothered you for some reason. I love the colors and the subject like you say but can figure out how to capture it right. I love the reflecting pool and what I can do with it if I can get the correct perspective.

This is what I wound up with from a different position and a little cropping.



I intentionally tried to keep the green stuff in the corner to anchor it.

Paul

[Krusty79]

You've definitely cropped out almost all of the distracting elements and my eye goes right to the building now. I just wish that walkway over the water wasn't there! I don't know what else you could have done to eliminate the distractions, because there are a LOT of them near the building. Sometimes, it may not be possible to get a really "clean" shot because it is just not there.

I often times have a feeling that something is not quite right about an image and I think this Critique section forces me to analyze the image and try to break down the elements of the image that help/don't help it. It gives me another perspective when I review my own images. I think my ability to articulate what works/doesn't work in an image has improved as a result.

[Celt64]

Again, thanks for the input. That's why I posted this photo here. There are elements that contribute and those that don't.

To me, right now, photography is leisure. Yet, I have always looked at something from the perspective, ' If I were required to...' I've learned celestial navigation, mechanics and other things using the same philosophy.

This angle, this shot, is one of many I've taken. Maybe it was the color ( little to no PP ). Maybe it was what I thought I saw or wanted to see.... I don't know. I'm still at work or I'd post another photo from a different angle and ask, " What do ya think..."

But that's for later.

Happy Friday

P