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Pol
30-09-06, 10:51 AM
This was shot from inside the De la Warr Pavilion to show the stairwell, which overlooks the sea. My entry in this weeks salon was shot from beneath the light fitting.

I'd aimed to capture the 'S' shape of the stairs and also include the light fitting. Curves and lines fascinate - so I converted to B/W in an attemt to draw attention to those features.

Comments are very welcome. Maybe DTD has a similar shot?

http://dpnow.com/galleries/data/500/copy-0779-02.jpg

Pol

Stephen
30-09-06, 05:51 PM
Pol I really like this picture. I think you did right to make it B/W, the tones and the light within the room are great. However its the curve of that staircase which I think is sublime, and the fact that it is contrasted with the grid lines of the window gives a slight tension to it. The chairs too facing out and towards to see are nicely positioned, even though it was likely enough not your doing. Wouldn't it have been nice too to have had someone moving quickly down the stairs is a slight blur, just to offer that human interest.

Pol
30-09-06, 06:12 PM
Pol I really like this picture. I think you did right to make it B/W, the tones and the light within the room are great. However its the curve of that staircase which I think is sublime, and the fact that it is contrasted with the grid lines of the window gives a slight tension to it. The chairs too facing out and towards to see are nicely positioned, even though it was likely enough not your doing. Wouldn't it have been nice too to have had someone moving quickly down the stairs is a slight blur, just to offer that human interest.

Thanks for your comments. Much appreciated as it's the first time I've tackled anything like that. :)

I did in fact have one with someone on the stairs but he wasn't moving fast enough for a blur and he wasn't well positioned to inlude in a 'static' pose so I binned that one.

I agree about the position of the chairs. The chairs were another reason I converted to B/W as they were plasticky with colours that didn't look good against the more tasteful interior decor of the building.

I also have one or two from the outside looking in. Managed to get the full length of the light fitting + a couple of curves of the stairs but every time I tried to include someone on the stairs I always ended up with half a body, either head or legs but never both. :D

I'll have to go back and have another go at it. I'd also like to see what I can get from the top of the stairs. I couldn't manage the climb this time so that's something else to work on another time.


Pol

JonMikal
06-10-06, 05:16 PM
i love this shot. b&w was a great choice...the tones are dead on! i like how the curve is placed against the vertical/horizontal lines...makes for an interesting composition. excellent exposure and dof as well for this one.

just curious if you did any PS 'levels/curves' post work.

Pol
06-10-06, 07:25 PM
i love this shot. b&w was a great choice...the tones are dead on! i like how the curve is placed against the vertical/horizontal lines...makes for an interesting composition. excellent exposure and dof as well for this one.

just curious if you did any PS 'levels/curves' post work.


You have no idea how especially thrilled I am to know YOU like this shot. I confessed to Stephen only the other day that it was YOUR work that influenced and inspired me when I went for the shot and chose to process it as I did. I even plucked up my courage and asked for official permission to take photographs inside the building, signed the disclaimer etc. (something I'm usually very shy about doing) because I wanted at least one good interior 'JonMikal' quality (what I refer to as "a posh shot"). Hand on my heart that's the truth. :o

Stephen could bear me out assuming he's not creased up laughing at me for being so 'girlie' :D

As for the post processing - yes I did indeed use PS levels/curves, though I didn't need to do too much on this particular shot. I always work with layers - start with the basic conversion, which was done with OpticVerve Virtual Photographer - then levels/curves done with adjustment layers and using the eye-dropper tool from the levels/curves. Layers then set at a transparency level visually - a setting that pleased my eye.

Thanks again for your comments. You made my day!

Pol

Stephen
06-10-06, 08:05 PM
Stephen could bear me out assuming he's not creased up laughing at me for being so 'girlie' :D


Pol

ROFLMAO Actually I had a look on their site this afternoon and there are some rather nice shots they have used themselves. One which was taken on an upper floor of the staircase with people on it, a few too many IMHO but its still nice. The windows behind are clear of any clutter too which concentrates attention on the interior