Luminous Landscape Forum
The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: Slobodan Blagojevic on August 21, 2013, 11:16:04 pm
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I guess this will be one of those that "only mother could love" :)
I do not know about you, but I was strangely attracted to a shadow of a ubiquitous NY water tower. There must be a certain symbolism in it that I am still trying to figure out. A relic of the past against the modern architecture? A twisted shape standing out among the straight geometric pattern? The graphical element of the warm morning sliver of light against the cool shade? A lone, dissenting element? All of the above?
Speaking about NY water towers... they are a staple of NY roof tops. There are between ten and 15 thousands of them there. They still look like they've been made hundred years ago, even when new (because they are made of wood, without any chemicals).
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I think you're a little too critical. It seems to be a bit more than a shot only a mother (or a Slobadan) could love.
I'm not sure that the left most side of the image contributes much (the left building and gap between the buildings - and maybe the upper right corner too) but other than a possible crop, it appeals to me quite strongly (and also appeals without the crop).
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Oh my goodness! I really don't think I'm your mother, Slobodan. But I like the picture.
I, too, am quite fond of those NYC water towers.
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What's the old adage? Choose your subject and fill the frame with it? Just a thought.
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continuing on the theme of the comments...the subject area of the image is very interesting. The remaining area on the left side and generally around the edges of the frame contribute very little. The water in the space between the two buildings pulls attention away from the cool shadow.
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Very nice, Slobodan.
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I agree with David. Too much NYC and not enough water tower.
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I'd crop something like this.
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It's fine just the way it is, Slobodan. Don't crop. You need the left part of that picture for balance. You already did your crop when you framed and tripped the shutter.
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Absolutely don't crop; the balance of the 'blues' is perfectly set in counterpoint to the shape, weight and colour of the whole and the warmth of the lit bit. One's first instincts are right - such things usually are, until, sometimes, it comes to women: I walked past a small speedboat today in the marina with a young lad sitting on the quay and his older sister (?) mucking about in the boat, a few feet below the walkway level. Perfect tan on every piece of beautiful skin visible - and pretty much all of it was. The cellpix machine was burning a hole in my pocket, but instinct told me no. If she looked seventeen, she was probably a couple of years younger. Who needs the grief, the explanations... sadly, she must have been the most wonderful creature I've seen in years. On the bright side - it tells me that I'm still alive, just starved of opportunities! But the original instinct today would have been a mistake.
Also saw a black Cadillac there: looked interchangeable with every other black Landcruiser-type vehicle you ever saw. How could the makers of the '59 Coupe de Ville do that today? Should be classified a crime against heritage. Even the Van Cleef and Arpels jewellery has vanished or shrunk, replaced by a silly, rectangular little thing a couple of centimetres across at the rear and a miserable little badge on the front; not a V in sight.
What's the world coming to, I have to ask? Chevvy loses its proper bow, Caddy its V? Surely those little economies can't make the difference between profit or loss? There must be more to life than this!
Rob C
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I think you could improve on this a trifle by bringing out the water and shoreline visible between the buildings on the left there, to create a little balancing pattern to hang about with your water tower shadow. I see some black and white masses back there that are trying to echo the shape of the tower shadow, but they're too muted to pull it off at the moment.
Perhaps something like the attached.
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I like it as is. The title, combined with the image as shot is the most interesting (and not 'too obvious') overall treatment....IMHO.
Lovely!
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I guess this will be one of those that "only mother could love" :)
I do not know about you, but I was strangely attracted to a shadow of a ubiquitous NY water tower. There must be a certain symbolism in it that I am still trying to figure out. A relic of the past against the modern architecture? A twisted shape standing out among the straight geometric pattern? The graphical element of the warm morning sliver of light against the cool shade? A lone, dissenting element? All of the above?
Speaking about NY water towers... they are a staple of NY roof tops. There are between ten and 15 thousands of them there. They still look like they've been made hundred years ago, even when new (because they are made of wood, without any chemicals).
Something of Kafka's Amerika in the actual America.