Other side of the tracks

[2stroke]

My job brings me to many industrial areas around Los Angeles. I dont normally carry my camera with me but I happened to have it today. I havent shot any city/urban but I spotted the graffiti wall and thought Id stop and grab some shots. I know lighting is not best as it is in the middle of the afternoon, but I dont think I would like to visit some of these areas while in "good" light. I used a polarizer and iso 200 was a mistake should have been 100.

I would like to start trying to get some of the LA street/urban so any input would be appreciated as this is out of my norm.

How is the composition?

Do either do anything for you?

I tried to isolate the paint can in both focus and post processing. Does it do anything for the pic? or is it lost?

Exif data

Camera Sony DSLR-A300
Exposure 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture f/5.6
Focal Length 18 mm
ISO Speed 200
Exposure Bias -0.7 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire


DSC08115 by 2_stroke, on Flickr

Exif data

Camera Sony DSLR-A300
Exposure 0.008 sec (1/125)
Aperture f/11.0
Focal Length 18 mm
ISO Speed 200
Exposure Bias -0.7 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire


DSC08127 by 2_stroke, on Flickr

[Bruce A]

Good shots!

In the first one I would like to have seen the paint can much closer in the foreground, but good captures both of them.

[Krusty79]

Nice shots, I prefer the 1st one. Like Bruce, I would also like to see the can placed more prominently in the foreground.

[Gulf Coast Girl]

I like the 2nd one best. I get a true sense of just how much graffiti is there and also a better sense of atmosphere. I can almost picture kids hanging out there near the tracks in the evening drinking, smoking, painting. The first picture looks like it could be on the side of a freeway pass... doesn't depict the true setting like the second one does.

[2stroke]

Thank you, for the comments! Totally agree about the spray can, I was using live view and holding the camera very low, I didnt lay down on the rocks, but could have gotten a better look at it had I done it.

[patnam]

The browns of the rail hooks are a great contrast to the rails. Those and the graffiti blues. great shot.

[milosh]

I like both photos! Regarding the first one: I find it weird to see that building post leaning, IMO it would be much better if it was straight. Next, like others, I would like to see that can closer in the foreground. I think your focus is good (spot on the can, and the wall being slightly blurred but still clearly understandable). Also, I find the rocks in front of the can to have weird colour, I think that happened during your pp-ing.

[2stroke]

Good eye milosh. I did desaturate the rocks some because it was chaotic combined with the harsh midday sun and the noticeable "burn" that is making the rocks go wonky. This one warrants a re-shoot maybe a cloudy day for better light and "mood".

Something I rarely do but maybe a manual focus and positioning myself closer to the paint can would help, my a300 has 9 focus points and on this shot was using the bottom right corner point.