City Scape

[Sailor Don]

Except for some perspective correction using PS, this is an unaltered photo. Any comments or critique would be welcome. As can be seen in the reflection in the mirrored windows, it was a "blue sky" day with scattered white clouds. But I didn't have time to wait for the blue sky to show between the buildings. Perhaps I should fake it with some more PS editing.

http://users3.ev1.net/~sailord/CityScape2_sm.jpg

Camera Model Name
Canon PowerShot Pro1
Shooting Date/Time
9/11/2004 11:52:29 AM
Shooting Mode
Aperture-Priority AE
Photo Effect Mode
Vivid
Tv( Shutter Speed )
1/320
Av( Aperture Value )
4.5
Metering Mode
Center-weighted averaging
Exposure Compensation
0
ISO Speed
50
Lens
7.2 - 50.8mm
Focal Length
11.0mm
Digital Zoom
None
Image Size
3264x2448
Image Quality
Fine
Flash
Off
White Balance
Auto
AF Mode
Single AF
Color Space
sRGB
File Size
2496KB
Drive Mode
Single-frame shooting
Owner's Name
Sailor Don

[chris.bailey]

Maybe its my eyes but it looks to me that in trying to straighten up the vertical you have introduced a few "wobbles".

[Sailor Don]

Chris,

After reading your reply, I noticed the "wobble" at my perspective cut line, which was a horizontal line at the top of the church steeple. The frames for the mirror windows in the building behind the church show obvious distortion at my cut line.

I was concentrating so much on getting the edges of the building to be vertical with the edge of the photo that I forgot to check the rest of the image for perspective discontinuities.

l will make another try with a cut line down in the grass. Hopefully that will solve the problem.

Thanks Chris

[dtrayers]

When you do perspective correction do you turn on the grid lines? It helps me to keep things vertical and horizontal...

I also think you should make a closer crop and lose some of the sky. I took the liberty (I hope you don't mind, my apologies if you do):

http://home.comcast.net/~dtrayers/photos/CityScape2_sm.jpg

[Sailor Don]

Dave,

Thanks for the suggestion. I haven't used grid lines in PS. (Didn't even know they were there :oops: ) I'll experiment with them tonight. Seems like it should help me improve the perspective correction.

I like your cropping modification. No objection. This is what the "critique corner" is for.

I have been experimenting with panoramic shots, like this one.

http://users3.ev1.net/~sailord/houstonarts/img1.jpg
I was trying to get away from that, but perhaps I overdid it.

[whowie]

I think the first image tells a great story. Nice relaxing foreground, harkening back, maybe, to even simpler times, and then the intimitading, cold, lifeless, concrete and glass jungle in the background. Nice job. A real artiste would leave the wobblies in. I think they elude to the fact (agree or not) that our modern lifestyles, cultures, structures, and rat races just don't give us the feeling of "solidity", comfort, and dependability, that times past did.

Bet you didn't know the image said that, eh! :wink: :D

[Sailor Don]

The grid lines are great for working with perspective. Here is the fix
http://users3.ev1.net/~sailord/CityScape3_sm.jpg

[dtrayers]

Much better! I like it! I also like your other pano shot. It's just the sun is in the wrong position.

I like city scapes too. What city is this?

[Sailor Don]

Dave,

Thanks again for the grid suggestion. I haven't taken the time to explore the many features of Photo Shop. The grid tool works really well.

The city is Houston, Texas. Currently the record holder for the smoggiest U.S. city. Cough, sputter, gasp. :cry:

[edsarkiss]

hey don -- neat photo -- though i think compositionally it can be stronger.

for me, the idea of this image is to show this little old-timey church in the midst of these huge, modern, faceless, styleless corporate giants. this tension makes for an interesting composition for me.

by including so much grass along with the gazebo, you are taking away from this david vs. goliath (pardon the pun) composition.

how about this crop to strengthen the concept (if this is what you were thinking too, of course!)

http://nobot.oceanairflightservices.com/CityScape3_zs.jpg

i'd have moved a bit closer to the church, shot vertically, and used a wide angle lens to get more buildings in the photo. taking advantage of the perspective distortion of the wide angle to make the buildings appear to be "falling" on the church may be effective too.

then again, you may have something completely different in mind for this picture!

[Sailor Don]

edsarkiss,

I never would have thought of the "David and Goliath" theme, but with your cropping, it could certainly apply.

I was thinking more "Green Space vs. Concrete & Glass Jungle".

Either way you look at it, there is contrast. (I'm not referring to Photo Shop contrast. :) )