out a window in Manhattan

[Michael Haspert]

 I had to shoot through the window. I tried to turn that from a disadvantage into an advantage.
What do you think?

[RSL]

I think it's definitely an advantage, and I think #1 is very good. Good catch, Michael.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I agree. The first one is very nice.

[Christoph C. Feldhaim]

Agreed - very nice shot - works well.

[Tony Hubcaps]

Sorry to be a bit brutal...  I'm not suggesting for a moment that I would have done
better, or even different.

BUT:-

Missed opportunity?

No.1 clearly works, No.2 doesn't - image/focus quality?? and the microphone looking thing
over on the right needs the space denied it by i2.  Which rules out further work like
cropping out the curtains, etc.

For years I have banned myself from shooting in portrait orientation.  Unless it actually is
a portrait.  However, I'm recently discovering that 'portrait' can work in the landscape.
This is a good example.  A 'portrait' shot would have 'breathed' in the way that i1 fails to
do in my very humble, and unfairly critical view... time for a smiley... 

Perhaps more importantly, the red in top of i2 would really have lifted i1.

This is critique we're offering here, right?
I hope you won't take my rather direct expression of opinion the wrong way.

TH

[Rajan Parrikar]

The first image is striking, with its illusion of depth.

[Michael Haspert]

HI Hubcaps:
Let me see if I understand. Is this what you mean by my missed opportunity?
Take a shot with the angle, focus, exposure, and color of #1. But take it in portrait orientation and step back far enough to include the red of the sign at the top of #2.
Well, hell. I guess hindsight is 20/20. I think you might be right. It might not beat #1 but would certainly be an improvement on #2.

[Alan Klein]

I like number 1.  But tell the truth.  Were you trying to focus on the window or on the buildings?

[Rob C]

I like them both, but feel happy I don't live there.

At the very same time I wish I'd lived there as a young man for all of the other reasons.

Rob C

[brandtb]

I wouldn't say they are great shots...but If I was there...I would have gotten the cameras out and done exactly the same. The softness of color and light is very nice...and the point of view is not the "obvious New York shot"...I live in NYC...and it's nice to see "alternative takes". I like the first better...but would have tried to move fraction to the left so I could get a little more separation from the left edge of water tank and right corner of central building face...if possible.  With shot as is...you might try to take some of the contrast off the water tank...looks a bit like metal.  The regularity of the drops on window and the sharpness of them detracts a little from the oof background subjects...you might take some sharpenss/clarity down and see what happens.  /B

[Tony Hubcaps]

HI Hubcaps:
Let me see if I understand. Is this what you mean by my missed opportunity?
Take a shot with the angle, focus, exposure, and color of #1. But take it in portrait orientation and step back far enough to include the red of the sign at the top of #2.
Well, hell. I guess hindsight is 20/20. I think you might be right. It might not beat #1 but would certainly be an improvement on #2.

As I say, I think the interaction of the patch of muted red with the patch of muted green in i2 works really well
in the context of the muted tones, and would have added some extra 'zing' to i1.  Whether it was even physically
possible to get such a shot I have no idea.