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Author Topic: Hellgate  (Read 2506 times)

John E

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Hellgate
« on: February 02, 2013, 01:26:46 pm »

Newly retired yesterday, after 37.5 years of civil service, so I've been taking time to go back through shots I took when I first entered the digital world in '04. This one is of a high school auditorium in Missoula, Montana, on a gray, overcast summer day.

My primary interest - have I overcooked the contrast?

(I have another color version where I transformed all the black to red, and it has more of a 'gates to hell auditorium' about, but I really did that just for giggles.)

Thanks.

John

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nemo295

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2013, 01:50:38 pm »

I like the shot, but I would have gone in closer or used a longer lens for a tighter composition. More like this.
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nemo295

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2013, 01:54:58 pm »

Or maybe even tighter still. There were multiple options for shooting that scene, all good--including yours, of course.
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RSL

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2013, 02:16:11 pm »

Just ignore the croppers, John. They're always buzzing around LuLa like circle flies (q.v.)

That wet street is a very important part of the picture, and the contrast is just fine for the subject.
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John E

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2013, 02:18:27 pm »

In this case, Russ, I believe Doug's intent was to give other ideas for original framing. Don't know if I'll get up that way again, but his versions do give pause for thought. As for the wet street, I agree it's rather integral to the pic. Thanks for looking.

John

EDIT: Course, if I go back, I'll probably need to bring my own bike to use as a prop :P
« Last Edit: February 02, 2013, 02:32:38 pm by John E »
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32BT

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2013, 02:33:43 pm »

Just ignore the croppers, John. They're always buzzing around LuLa like circle flies (q.v.)

That wet street is a very important part of the picture, and the contrast is just fine for the subject.

+1

and the interplay of the different types of windows forming rhythms, as well as being architecturally relevant. I seriously wouldn't know why one would even want to crop this further?

One thought: what were the original colors like? I can totally picture this in red bricks, gray pavement, black street, which would kinda support the Hellish theme going there...
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John E

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2013, 03:03:52 pm »

Sorry, Oscar, as you can see in the original (after cropping to 8/10 - oops - and doing basic Lightroom work), it's really not all that hellish looking, without a bit of help. In my defense, I cropped it to 8x10, as that perspective worked better on this subject. Plus which, I wasn't all that good at composition then, just more of a point-n-shooter (not that my compositional skills are any great shakes these days either).

John
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32BT

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2013, 03:08:52 pm »

Certainly isn't hellish looking. Makes the B&W definitely the right choice and the correct contrast and rendering imo.
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Eric Myrvaagnes

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #8 on: February 02, 2013, 05:46:21 pm »

The B&W version is just right. Don't change a thing!
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nemo295

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #9 on: February 02, 2013, 11:01:04 pm »

Just ignore the croppers, John. They're always buzzing around LuLa like circle flies (q.v.)


For the record, my posts were not about cropping John's photograph, Russ.
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Jeremy Roussak

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #10 on: February 03, 2013, 03:41:51 am »

The B&W version is just right. Don't change a thing!

I agree. The contrast is harsh but it works well.

Jeremy
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francois

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #11 on: February 03, 2013, 04:55:00 am »

The B&W version is just right. Don't change a thing!


The color version is nowhere as strong as the B&W.

Bravo!
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Francois

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #12 on: February 03, 2013, 06:17:35 am »

For the record, my posts were not about cropping John's photograph, Russ.

Since your posts included two crops of John's photograph you certainly could have fooled me.
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Chris Calohan

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #13 on: February 03, 2013, 09:43:52 am »

The B&W really personifies the feelings I had when I visited Missoula on my way to Condon. I have a friend who lives there.
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David Eckels

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #14 on: February 03, 2013, 10:01:33 am »

I agree with Francois: Bravo!

John E

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #15 on: February 03, 2013, 10:16:25 am »

Thanks to all who have taken the time to look and comment. Little did I know that a photo I've hardly even looked at over the years would draw such attention. I think that this is a good reminder that I don't always have the ability to assess photos I've taken. That conclusion is bolstered by the response of co-workers, who have responded well to other framed works I displayed in my office, works which I did not hold in the same regard (changed my photos out often in my office, just to change things up).

John
« Last Edit: February 03, 2013, 10:19:52 am by John E »
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nemo295

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #16 on: February 03, 2013, 02:10:14 pm »

Since your posts included two crops of John's photograph you certainly could have fooled me.

This isn't an example of you being fooled. You didn't bother to read my posts. Your reaction was a non sequitur.
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RSL

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #17 on: February 03, 2013, 02:59:38 pm »

Of course, Doug, Now that you've explained the problem I can see those weren't crops after all. You must have gone there on a day with identical weather conditions and made your own shots. Thanks for clearing that up.
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Russ Lewis  www.russ-lewis.com.

nemo295

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #18 on: February 03, 2013, 05:49:06 pm »

Of course, Doug, Now that you've explained the problem I can see those weren't crops after all. You must have gone there on a day with identical weather conditions and made your own shots. Thanks for clearing that up.

No problem, Russ. I know better than to suggest a crop on this forum.   :D :D :D
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RedwoodGuy

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Re: Hellgate
« Reply #19 on: February 04, 2013, 10:50:04 pm »

The photo I am looking at - the first B&W in this thread - has a nice emotional punch to it. And several interesting contrasts. You see the name on sign and may think something dark inside, but then there's the bike, a sign of children. There are white windows on top playing against black windows on the ground floor, and the asymmetric rhythm is pleasing. There's a bit of mystery shapes in the middle windows. The big wet street provides a deep black base for the building to rest on, and gives it a real solid standing.  I think it is showing something of the photographer.
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