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Author Topic: Hong Kong  (Read 3957 times)

Andres Bonilla

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« on: March 02, 2009, 06:52:50 pm »

What do you think?

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francois

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« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2009, 08:33:52 am »

I like the first one although a looser crop might also work. Colors are well rendered and distortion (vertical converging lines) is well contained - a trip to Photoshop would fix the very small distortion issue for good.  I also like the light beams.

For the second photo, the one with dried food, it sufers - in my opinion - from a tilted horizon. You could also have played with different framing options. It's a pretty busy scene but I guess that it's alos the impression you get when you look at it through your own eyes.
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Francois

Billwaa

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« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2009, 05:49:59 pm »

I like the night shot, remind me of home when I used to live in HK. I think a panoramic shot will fit better for the cityscape of Hong Kong though, since it run along the Victoria Harbor. I don't know why, but when I look at your picture, it seems like its missing something.

I also like the one from the dried food shop. Is this taken in Hong Kong Island? Somewhere near North Point?
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Andres Bonilla

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« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2009, 11:34:40 am »

Quote from: francois
I like the first one although a looser crop might also work. Colors are well rendered and distortion (vertical converging lines) is well contained - a trip to Photoshop would fix the very small distortion issue for good.  I also like the light beams.

For the second photo, the one with dried food, it sufers - in my opinion - from a tilted horizon. You could also have played with different framing options. It's a pretty busy scene but I guess that it's alos the impression you get when you look at it through your own eyes.

Thanks Francois!A looser crop meaning a wider shot? With the vertical lines I would use free tranform, right? Some people don't care for distortion in these type of photos, some love the distortions of wide angles.

In the second photo how tight would you crop it? Please feel free to upload your version of these photos!

Thanks!
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Andres Bonilla

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« Reply #4 on: March 04, 2009, 11:37:55 am »

Quote from: Billwaa
I like the night shot, remind me of home when I used to live in HK. I think a panoramic shot will fit better for the cityscape of Hong Kong though, since it run along the Victoria Harbor. I don't know why, but when I look at your picture, it seems like its missing something.

I also like the one from the dried food shop. Is this taken in Hong Kong Island? Somewhere near North Point?

Thanks Bill. Yes, I would like to experiment with a panorama, I have never shot one; this would have beeen a perfect location for one.The cityscape is awesome! The dreid food was in HK island, most of the shops were close because of Chinese New Year.
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John R

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« Reply #5 on: March 04, 2009, 11:52:13 am »

It seems since Digital took off, correcting vertical lines is like a fashion. I personally see nothing wrong with tilted buildings unless your aim is documentary. In the slide days only achitect photgraphers bothered with exact straight verticals using tilt-shift, very expensive, lenses. It is a beautiful striking shot, and the colour and design is well balanced. Since the image is pictorial in nature, I like as it is. With regard to the second image, to me, the oblique angles of the lines of the baskets-shelves combined with the bold colours give the image a dynamic quality.

JMR
« Last Edit: March 04, 2009, 11:55:20 am by John R »
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francois

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« Reply #6 on: March 04, 2009, 12:13:21 pm »

Quote from: Andres Bonilla
Thanks Francois!A looser crop meaning a wider shot? With the vertical lines I would use free tranform, right? Some people don't care for distortion in these type of photos, some love the distortions of wide angles.

In the second photo how tight would you crop it? Please feel free to upload your version of these photos!

Thanks!
Andres,
Yes a loose crop would mean a wider photo. It's not always possible, it would be an alternate view... Free transform is one of the tools as is perspective. I mentionned that distortion is minimal. I don't think that you should spend too much time on that. As John R says above, some like to have straight verticals and some others simply don't care. Converging lines can also give a more dynamic perspective to photos…

For your second photo, I wished that you either had an horizontal horizon (more conventional photo or descriptive) or would use more angle (more dynamic or creative photo). Colors are very pleasant.

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Francois

Andres Bonilla

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« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2009, 12:23:12 pm »

Thanks guys for your comments!
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rgs

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« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2009, 01:04:27 pm »

Quote from: John R
It seems since Digital took off, correcting vertical lines is like a fashion. I personally see nothing wrong with tilted buildings unless your aim is documentary. In the slide days only achitect photgraphers bothered with exact straight verticals using tilt-shift, very expensive, lenses. It is a beautiful striking shot, and the colour and design is well balanced. Since the image is pictorial in nature, I like as it is. With regard to the second image, to me, the oblique angles of the lines of the baskets-shelves combined with the bold colours give the image a dynamic quality.

JMR


As one who has spent many years correcting converging verticals with view vamera controls (not tilt/shift lenses on 35mm), I welcome the opportunity to do the same with my digital files. I don't think it's just a fad to correct vertical lines. It's just a lot easier and less expensive so it gets done more often and by more photographers.

However corrected verticals create their own distortion and sometimes crop too much from the top of the frame. Sometimes leaving the lines uncorrected can create a dynamic sense of perspective that works very well. It's not always best to correct them and sometimes better not to.

I think I would like to see this one corrected but maybe not because it's going to take a lot from the top, especially the light beam from the tallest building. I would definately want to see it both ways before deciding if I were the photographer.
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John R

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« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2009, 07:10:22 pm »

Quote from: rgs
As one who has spent many years correcting converging verticals with view vamera controls (not tilt/shift lenses on 35mm), I welcome the opportunity to do the same with my digital files. I don't think it's just a fad to correct vertical lines. It's just a lot easier and less expensive so it gets done more often and by more photographers.

However corrected verticals create their own distortion and sometimes crop too much from the top of the frame. Sometimes leaving the lines uncorrected can create a dynamic sense of perspective that works very well. It's not always best to correct them and sometimes better not to.

I think I would like to see this one corrected but maybe not because it's going to take a lot from the top, especially the light beam from the tallest building. I would definately want to see it both ways before deciding if I were the photographer.
I agree with most of your well reasoned arguments. But in my experience, I have yet to see a seasoned photographer who will not point his camera up or down to get a better composition. In so doing, it almost always creates distortion or tilt. If the nature of the image permits, noone can tell. In others, involving horizons, verticals, etc, it may become apparent. But again in my experience, unless the convergence or tilt is such that it draws undue attention to itself, noone really cares that much, especially, if as you say, "[it] can create a dynamic sense of perspective that works very well." Anyway, not to be argumentative, I hope, I just wanted to relay my experience in photoclubs for many years. I certainly agree it is easier now, more than ever, to correct one's images in PP and appreciate your take on the whole matter. BTW would you consider the second image as having a problem with horizontal distortion?

JMR
« Last Edit: March 06, 2009, 07:17:52 pm by John R »
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rgs

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« Reply #10 on: March 08, 2009, 03:45:51 pm »

Quote from: John R
...BTW would you consider the second image as having a problem with horizontal distortion?

JMR

Yes, I think so. But it does give a kind of motion to a very static shot, doesn't it?

RGS
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John R

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« Reply #11 on: March 08, 2009, 06:40:13 pm »

Quote from: rgs
Yes, I think so. But it does give a kind of motion to a very static shot, doesn't it?

RGS
I personally don't see it. Hundreds of travel and food magazines show images of food in baskets and boxes, and most, are depicted as diagonals. A painter could paint the same shot at a diagonal and noone would suggest the baskets are not perfectly horizontal. IMO it's just a matter of perspective and what one wants to convey. I certainly agree, the image is more dynamic because of the oblique lines.

JMR
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