Second (much better) attempt at urban photography

[elTwitcho]

I'm feeling much better about my results this time out. I've finally narrowed down a specific kind of feeling I want to convey with my photography at this time and I think the results are much better as a result. All of these shots were taken within the City of Toronto, a place that I'm always torn between hating and loving. It can be both very beatiful and full of life, or ugly and monotonous depending on your outlook.


http://www.pbase.com/eltwitcho/image/49615922.jpg
This swing, popped up in the strangest place. It's just a narrow gap between two buildings that you have to squeeze through some iron grating to get to. Among all the garbage and graffiti I thought it was surreal to see a swing hanging where it is least expected.

http://www.pbase.com/eltwitcho/image/49615923.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/eltwitcho/image/49615924.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/eltwitcho/image/49615925.jpg
And this man, is why I quit office work. I WAS this person, and everyday I was surrounded by people like him who would laugh and smile and chat but all carried the same look of hopelessness when not putting on a show of being pleasant. More power to you if the office job brings you happiness, there's alot of sad people working these supposed "cushy" jobs though.

http://www.pbase.com/eltwitcho/image/49615926.jpg

Comments and critique are appreciated. Re-edits are also more than welcome if you feel you can do a better job and don't mind explaining how you did it.

[skyphix]

Fantastic job. I like the feel of them all.

[Croasdail]

First shot is great... the rest don't grab me. It could be their size, somethings just don't translate to small as well, especially if they are busy like the 3rd and 5th shots - you can't see the detail on a small representation.

[flashmat2]

Number three (bikes and pa horn) really grabs me, it's a fantastic angle, and knowing just how much some of my shots have lost when downsizing, I can only imagine how great it looks at full resolution.
I bet it would make an awesome print.

[storeman]

I like all of these although IMHO with the second, the huge amount of silhouette of the building detracts from the dramatic sky. The first one has fabulous colours and although the swing doesn't stand out it is notheless an interesting keeper. The third one is too washed out but the expression on the guys face tells the story. The fourth one certainly caught my attention, trying to imagine the whole scene with two bicycles and a PA horn. Is this rubbish piled up against a pole supporting the horn or is it simply a pile of junk ??

As for the fifth, another picture that tells a story without words.

[AgentNox]

I love the shot of the swing. I'm pretty sure it's the same swing that one of my favourite local Toronto photographers, Rannie Turingan (http://www.rannieturingan.com/), used for a really cool portrait of a friend (as she was flying through the air on the swing.

He's totally restructured his site, so I can't find the shot. It's downtown, though, right?

[DwightMcCann]

Man, I really like that first shot! Colors are superb ... well seen. I also like the third. Thanks for sharing.

[elTwitcho]

First shot is great... the rest don't grab me. It could be their size, somethings just don't translate to small as well, especially if they are busy like the 3rd and 5th shots - you can't see the detail on a small representation.

Glad you liked the first shot, and thank you for an honest critique. Except for the bizarre PA system setup, the rest don't have a ton of detail to them, they're more or less tried to concentrate on form and not so much on texture. The real reason behind this being that my current 28-90 lense is a loaner that just doesn't have the sharpness necessary except at the longer end and stopped down a bit. I think it's the kit lense from the bottom level Rebel EOS film camera or something, plastic mount and all... it's not pretty ;)

The swing which had much better texturing and detail was taken with my good old 50mm 1.8 and the difference I think is quite palpable.

Number three (bikes and pa horn) really grabs me, it's a fantastic angle, and knowing just how much some of my shots have lost when downsizing, I can only imagine how great it looks at full resolution.
I bet it would make an awesome print.

Thanks mat, I'm actually planning on turning that one into a print (1 year of photography and I still have yet to make a single print... really need to get off my ass on that one) so we'll see how that turns out.

I like all of these although IMHO with the second, the huge amount of silhouette of the building detracts from the dramatic sky. The first one has fabulous colours and although the swing doesn't stand out it is notheless an interesting keeper. The third one is too washed out but the expression on the guys face tells the story. The fourth one certainly caught my attention, trying to imagine the whole scene with two bicycles and a PA horn. Is this rubbish piled up against a pole supporting the horn or is it simply a pile of junk ??

As for the fifth, another picture that tells a story without words.

Thanks for the shot by shot critique, I appreciate getting these.

The third one I have post processed three times now, I can't seem to get that elusive right level for that shot. At first it was very dark and contrasty for a brooding mood, but I didn't really like how it turned out. Second time was much much brighter, and this third one was a compromise. Seems I've still got to go back to it as I'm not even fully happy with it myself. Funny how toning is usually semi-straightfoward and then you get a shot that completely stumps you.

The horn and bikes is actually something completely more bizarre than you'd think looking at the photo. That's the top of a storefront (which looks closed down but who knows) and the bikes and PA are part of the display on front of the store, with a bunch of other random things that seem to be welded on there as well. It's pretty bizarre really, can't find another word for it.

I love the shot of the swing. I'm pretty sure it's the same swing that one of my favourite local Toronto photographers, Rannie Turingan (http://www.rannieturingan.com/), used for a really cool portrait of a friend (as she was flying through the air on the swing.

He's totally restructured his site, so I can't find the shot. It's downtown, though, right?

Yep, it's probably the same one. Honestly that was the first time I'd found it, I as just navigating alleyways and was completely floored when I found it nestled between two buildings like that. Unfortunately some people showed up and wanted to use the swing almost right as I got there so I didn't get as much opportunity to play with angles as I would have liked to have had.

Man, I really like that first shot! Colors are superb ... well seen. I also like the third. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Dwight. I envisioned that one in black and white but when it popped up on photoshop there was no way I was gonna chop out those colours.


Thanks alot everyone