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High Tide on the Thames
High Tide on the Thames
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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Urban Landscapes (Classic Editing)
Camera: Nikon Coolpix 5400
Location: London
Date: Oct 4, 2003
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1000
Date Uploaded: Oct 5, 2003

 It's a surprisingly awkward thing to photograph, the London Eye. This view is from the new bridge at Hungerford, with the Palace of Westminster on the right. It's a view I see a lot, as it's where I cross the river on my way into a regular place of work. It's also a 'new' view - the bridge has only been opened this year: previous to that this could not be seen.

Not completely happy with the shot - not that there's anything wrong with it as such, but I feel it's a litle un-inspired in terms of subject. It does give a good idea of the size of the wheel, and it does give an idea of the width of the Thames too, and perhaps something of the quietness of London early on a Saturday morning.

Levels played with a little, and it's sharpened - the 5400 has an annoying habit of producing slightly soft focus images, and can take some work to come up with good detail.

Statistics
Place: 43 out of 279
Avg (all users): 6.1680
Avg (commenters): 7.1667
Avg (participants): 6.0222
Avg (non-participants): 6.3486
Views since voting: 1292
Votes: 244
Comments: 20
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
 11/26/2003 12:30:31 AM
Hi again!

Actually, having looked at this shot again and again, I'm finding that I like it more and more. In fact, it's going into my favourites. The blue sky really sets it off. Change my vote to a 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/17/2003 10:27:24 PM
=critique club=

Before starting, I'd just like to say that after quite a long break from doing this, I read a forum thread a few minutes back re-urging folks to continue producing critics - started by you! Then this photo comes up! Talk about co-incidence.

You seem to be contrasting the openness of the sky with that of the water as your two key elements. These work with the cityscape silhouettes and the challenge is met well. I don't know if you intended this, but I like the idea of the city/ man controlling the water but being dominated by the much greater force of the sky. Man has always tried to conquer the sky by building bigger, taller, wider building, by creating machines that challenge the dominance of the sky. In this photo, you've shown a new ferris wheel (?) extending right into the clouds, as if saying that this is man's latest attempt. This is a nice idea. A further irony is present in that the buildings on the right were, at one time, serious challengers in the contest 400 years ago.

In terms of colour, there's an overall feeling of darkness. Maybe you meant to protray London's bleakness, but, for me, the resulting image is not entirely pleasing. Possibly that's because the ferris wheel is backed by the darkest cloud mass (detracting from its presence somewhat), whereas the parlimentary buildings have a little more open space. Certainly the bright areas don't add to the composition in terms of placing, although they do in terms of shape.

A question about the silhouette: there are shades of grey and light discernable in them. I'm not sure whether or not you aimed for a true silhouette or simply underexposed the buildings. I feel that doing either 100% would have resulted in a stronger entry.

So, on the whole, I think that this is a good idea which could be usefully reworked. It scored over 6 in the challenge, but I would give only a 5. Sorry.

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
10/14/2003 08:40:41 PM
a tiny bit dull, could have contrast more with a tweak of the levels maybe, but nonetheless, lovely composition and view :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2003 05:17:56 PM
I don't know if you could have captured London any better than this. Perfect composition. I really like the almost silhouetted buildings, and there's great subdued colour in the sky and water. Another one that gets lumped in with all the 10s only because I can't give it 11.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/13/2003 06:46:47 PM
Its very beautiful! Great urban landscape picture I think it could mabey use a little more contrast Or more lightning Then again the sky would be brighter But the sky loooks perfect like this. Good job - 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/13/2003 06:21:56 PM
Great clouds, I like the reflections.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/13/2003 12:32:27 PM
Nicely composed but the landscape is too dark.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/13/2003 12:20:33 AM
I love the cropping on this, the ferris wheel draws you in and the bridge draws you across. But the lighting and the hues really leave a lot to be desired
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/12/2003 10:05:51 PM
This shot looks a little underexposed to me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/10/2003 11:46:09 AM
That ferris wheel looks like it's going to fall into the water at any time!!! I LOVE the sky, and the silhouettes are beautiful. Very good entry. ~9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/10/2003 02:08:07 AM
Slight underexposure - deatils lost in the dark portions of the image. Can be fixed through levels. Composition is very good, sharpness OK. Great dof and perspective too.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/09/2003 04:27:25 PM
well this just about sums up the weather in London. gloomy.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/09/2003 02:13:21 AM
I Love this photo very clever use of light
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/08/2003 11:36:49 PM
Nicely done. The blue in the sky is very pretty. The skyline is terrific with the ferris wheel off to the left.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/08/2003 04:56:23 PM
Very nice compisition - the lovely sky colours on top and the visual interest of the ferris wheel to the left with older London on the right - I love it. I might have cropped out some of the foreground - not sure it adds anything.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/08/2003 03:04:17 PM
I really like the composition of this image. Nice light as well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/08/2003 12:09:57 PM
Nice sky and silhouette, pretty composition.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/08/2003 10:22:54 AM
beautiful shot. i'm not a fan of that wheel at all but it's actually sort of attractive here.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/08/2003 10:22:05 AM
Very nice capture and beautiful clouds. The fact that the bridge blends into the cityscape is a bit distracting. I think a higher vanage point that would have isolated the bridge with water above and below it could have added something to the photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/08/2003 08:56:30 AM
Nice, nice composition.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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