After visiting where Steve and Charlie took their photos in Galveston, and being duly impressed with what they got, I went over to the Galveston Seawall near the old Galvez Hotel to check out where Cindi took a image of the pilings under the hotel. Cindi had sent me her image and asked me what I might do with it. I converted it to a HDR image and did several other changes, but overall, I was not really that happy with what I had done. I really wanted to see what the scene actually looked like. After looking everything over, I concluded that under the pier might produce an interesting shot, but, I think you it would probably be best taken at sunset to help reduce some of the hard contrast and that you would really need to work this one. Again, after seeing what she had to work with, I was more impressed with her photograph.
While down under the pier, I noticed these pink steps. I had never seen them before; but, to my defense, I am not really much of a beach person. I thought that there was a photograph here, but I knew that I would have to deal with the hard light. After looking at the scene for a while, I thought that I need to make it about the colors--pink stairs and blue skies. I set-up my camera at a very low angle and attached a polarizing filter onto the lens. I took several shot, but really did not like what I was getting. I then noticed the people walking-by on the seawall. Immediately, I knew I needed a person walking-by in my shot. I readjusted my camera and then sat and waited for people to wonder by.
As I sat there waiting for people to go by, I would hear: "what you doing down there?" I would explain and most people would comment something like: "that's nice" which I knew meant--"he is a little crazy." One lady was not convinced that I was telling her the truth, so she came down to see. She then offered a few thousand suggestions to help my photograph. I obviously looked like I needed a lot of help at that time. I think I took about 20 different people in the shot before it was all over.
I liked this photo the best because of the complete harmony of colors among the stairs, the sky and the clothing on the man walking on the seawall and the dynamic position of the man.
Enjoy the photo and hope to read what you think of it.
Camera Settings: Nikon D700, 28-70mm f/2.8, ISO 200, f/16, 1/500 of a second with polarizing filter attached and on a tripod.
Post Processing: Photoshop--set white and black points, added mid-tone contrast, used nik Color Efex Pro tonal contrast filter to add contrast to the stairs and seawall, cropped some of the sky from the image.
Interesting angle. Interesting colors. Not sure I get it.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
I shot those pink steps too, with all the interesting drips....they remind me of Pepto Bismal! I do like the addition of the person but I think I would like to see his face, maybe coming from the other direction and closer to the right side a little. It would be even better if you could catch a rollerblader or even a dog up there. I like the angle you composed the steps at, with all the diagonal lines.
ReplyDeleteCindi
Nice shot Larry. With red being a high energy color and the predominat color in your shot you wouldn't expect for the composition to be as peaceful.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind that the person is exiting the shot. Cindi, wasn't that your shot of the child in the tunnel of lights on honors night? Either way I didn't mind the angle there either.
The use of the polarizing filter did what you wanted it to do. Saturate the colors so that colors became the main idea of your photograph. If you had someone walking into your scene and showing their face, you have a different, but equally interesting image. I think seeing or not seeing the person's face just makes the interpretation a little different. Is the image about the person walking and the steps leading to him/her or is it about the step with a person walking in or out of the scene. It seems like that is the choices you have. Nice shot. Like the way you worked the scene until you got what you wanted.
ReplyDeleteThe Professor
I think the point, to my perspective, is Larry had an idea of what he wanted to do before he got there. He wasn't locked into anything in particular but knew there was a photo in it somewhere.
ReplyDeleteThe concept he decided on once he got there was the colors, not the person who ended up in the photo nor what direction he was headed. I don't think it was even the stairs, they just had the colors that really drew Larry's eye to the scene.
I think you should get a lot of credit for having the patience to even get the shot you were looking for once you conceptualized it. Many of us would probably have given up at some point.
I like the concept and the shot, as is. Anything else would be staged and not carry the same feeling for me.
DHaass
Enjoyed your photos. I still enjoy a good black and white, I believe, given the subject matter. The steps, very nice and the color? How?
ReplyDeleteContinued success and fun. Thanks for sharing.
Sandy