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Under the Overpass
Under the Overpass
djharris


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Leading Lines III (Basic Editing III)
Camera: Canon EOS-30D
Lens: Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
Location: McAllen, TX
Date: Sep 14, 2006
Aperture: f/5
ISO: 1600
Shutter: 1/320 s
Galleries: Cityscape, Water
Date Uploaded: Sep 19, 2006

It's been raining quite a bit here lately. I love puddle reflections so after-rain is a good shooting time for me.

Nothing fancy. Just stood in the mud and looked for best angles. I like this one because the converging lines lead your eyes away from the lone pillar that's "in the way."

Post processing includes contrast boost, some noise removal, USM, curves, channel mixing to B&W, slight rotation, crop.

I would love to have used HDR to combine multiple exposures so the sunlit areas weren't blown out but I didn't think this would be allowed for Basic Editing rules.

Statistics
Place: 86 out of 294
Avg (all users): 5.6429
Avg (commenters): 6.6000
Avg (participants): 5.5789
Avg (non-participants): 5.6833
Views since voting: 773
Views during voting: 262
Votes: 196
Comments: 12
Favorites: 0


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AuthorThread
10/03/2006 04:52:00 AM
Hi from the Critique Club!

I can see why you chose this location for this challenge. I can also see why you made it black and white - it's a relatively complicated scene and the choice of B&W simplifies it and allows the real subject to dominate.

The reflection really makes this image interesting and helps hold the attention of the viewer. It creates another set of leading lines (the roof and its reflection, on top of the leading lines created by the central tunnel of pillars.

I personally like the single pillar to the right. It gives a sense of scale and depth to the image. Without it the image may have looked a little flat and distant?

The eye is naturally led into the image from the left and moves straight to that pillar, then across that wonderful reflection and down through that tunnel of pillars, giving a sense of flow and movement.

Personally I might have liked a squarer crop to eliminate the blown out highlights on both sides of the image, but that would mean disturbing two of your major leading lines in the roof.

A little bump in the contrast would give it the image a little more impact, but with those blown highlights and basic editing that would be difficult.

A really interesting image and perfect for the challenge.
09/30/2006 12:27:09 AM
Thank you, everyone, for your comments. The foreground pillar was part of what I liked in the shot, juxtaposed with an otherwise symmetrical shot (the overhead beams, especially), as a typical version of the shot would be just the symmetry and nothing else.

However, I also would have liked a more symmetrical shot, just to at least have taken it. Maybe I should get some water boots, but it would still be a risky shot...the water is just a large puddle on caliche mud which is about as slick as oil and likes to suck shoes off and will bog down the most aggressive 4x4. Added to that, plenty of pigeons live overhead there and, well, the water stinks of their droppings.

I'm not sure the puddle would be as drammatic if I moved closer in, but I'll most likely get some mud/water boots anyway ;)
 Comments Made During the Challenge
09/26/2006 11:02:59 AM
Nice capture in the reflection as well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/26/2006 06:10:24 AM
Nice pure interpretation of the challenge. I like the column to the right, but I think cropping away the stuff in the bottom left hand corner would be a better choice.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/25/2006 11:14:49 AM
nice abstract, I like the asymmetry of the foreground pillar. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/24/2006 06:21:52 PM
nice use of reflections.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/24/2006 08:19:40 AM
Cool!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/22/2006 03:58:38 PM
cool shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/20/2006 07:38:55 PM
I like this picture a lot. It's not the usual shot. One thing that does bother me is the closest pillar on the right. I find it takes away from the intended focus of the picture. Aside from getting your feet wet, could you have moved a bit closer to remove the pillar from your field of view?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/20/2006 01:55:57 PM
perfect for the challenge, the reflection in the water really makes this one!!! good eye!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/20/2006 10:13:06 AM
Lotsa lines!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/20/2006 10:10:09 AM
Wonderful location for any number of photos.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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