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Church ceiling
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Hi –
I popped the camera on the floor on its back and set it to timer. Standard kit lens at its widest setting, 15th/sec. The disorienting angle is accidental, but I quite like it. The light blasting in the windows works for me too.
Let me know what you think.
cheers
BenCould patterns Ben! I like it, but I do think it would look a bit better straightened?
Yes this has great potential. It is a wonderful roof. Straighten along the ledge below the windows and crop to show the roof and the window arches. Adjust curves too. This gives quite a pleasing image.
Cheers.
John
Hi –
Thanks for your feedback, guthrij and proach.. I’m curious why you think it would look better straightened? (I won’t bore you with my own justifications, I’m keener to hear yours!)
I’ve straightened the photo here – obviously the way it was originally framed means that to crop it to a rectangle would mean losing so much of the image as to render it useless.
regards
BenI have taken the liberty of modifying your image to illustrate what I mean. However at the end of the day, it is what pleases you that is the most important. Cheers, John
Hi John (guthrij) –
Thanks for taking the time to do that. I appreciate your input.
I’m curious as to why you reckon the image looks better straightened and with more saturated colours – do you think the skewed angle is too ‘accidental’ looking? Perhaps it’s too static straight?
Also, I’m torn between thinking of this picture (or any of my pictures) in terms of impressionism (by which I mean “this is what it feels like to me”) and straight documentary (“this is what you’d see if you were here”). As you say, it’s a question of what feels right to the viewer, but I’d appreciate it if you could cast some light on your own aesthetic thinking process.
Regarding the colour boost or curves adjustment you suggested; I generally avoid Photoshop – I’ve seen too many photographs photoshopped to hell (and I wonder how many Photoshop users are actually compliant with the software license :? ), but being a Linux head I do use the Gimp to fix white balance and adjust contrast when it’s necessary. Maybe this is something I should look into more.
Please don’t take any of this as criticism of your input; I’m here to learn and your comments are very welcome.
regards
BenThe more saturated colours are certainly a very personal issue. I think they give the image a little more punch but it is easy to over step the line. I guess it may just be me but I have an obsession with symmetry. It is probably the scientist in me but the most elegant things in nature, molecules or butterflies are symmetrical. If the shot had been a little wider the image would have a perfect line of symmetry running through the horizontal.
This is probably a load of old bollocks and it was a pretty good shot to start with. :D
Cheers, John
In the original, the diagonal of the roof points down to the right – supposedly this has negative connotations [see Stock market indices!]
How about mirror reversing, so that it points upwards to the right?Ben, I think both the diagonal and straightened versions have their merits but most impressive to me was the originality of the approach to a very interesting subject.
People seem to be mad about straightening photographs, one of the most common critques i read on this forum is straighten this and that.. Some of the best shots i’ve ever seen have been croked somewhat and more often done so on purpose…. I think that subject matter and basic composition are way more important than whether or not the image is straight, most of the time… personally i prefer the original shot….
Hi alancotter –
I can certainly see the reasoning; nothing bugs me more than a crooked horizon. I’m not sure the rule applies to “straight-up” – there’s no horizon above your head!
I bet there’s some minimal angle (greater than 15 degrees?) after which the brain accepts a skewed angle and goes “yeah, that look OK” – think of intentionally skewed TV shots – models on a catwalk listing over at impossible angles comes immediately to mind. A shot in which the horizon off by five degrees looks manky.
cheers
Ben
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