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Life in the Big City
Life in the Big City
StOlafPhotographer


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2008-11 (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Nikon D200
Lens: Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8
Location: Chicago
Date: Nov 8, 2008
Aperture: 22
ISO: 100
Shutter: 20 seconds
Galleries: Cityscape, Urban
Date Uploaded: Nov 24, 2008

I was in downtown Chicago for an entrepreneurial conference for my business, [lumen] photography. Anyhoo, I went out one night and did about 8 hours of street photography and got some really cool stuff but unfortunately I don't think that the voters here would appreciate photos like this as much.

Statistics
Place: 280 out of 417
Avg (all users): 5.3694
Avg (commenters): 6.0000
Avg (participants): 5.2736
Avg (non-participants): 5.5686
Views since voting: 757
Views during voting: 223
Votes: 157
Comments: 9
Favorites: 0


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AuthorThread
12/08/2008 01:32:53 AM
You requested an honest critique, so here's mine... :)

I find the scattered lights a distraction from the main subject. It's very difficult to get shadow detail, so the floating lights don't form any coherent objects - they are just visual dirt on the background. Similarly, the shadow detail is lost on the tower, making it rather disconnected and insubstantial as the main subject. Some less contrasty editing, and possibly some HDR treatment might help to connect the building back and get it to be clearer in view.

The light trails have about the right level of shutter speed, although the colours are washed out. The red trails are a washed out grey/orange colour, and the green traffic lights are blown-out cyan. Getting vivid natural colours is quite difficult in a night shot like this, particularly in wet weather, where everything is so high contrast.

Composition wise, the light trails and the building are competing subjects - both are hovering near the edges of the frame, and neither are strong enough to own the picture, and neither is supporting or adding to the other. Possibly standing in a different view point, you might get a better angle of the building, and get the light trails to lead to the building, so that they complement each other.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
12/06/2008 09:46:12 AM
Edgy & mysterious. Great mood....7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/05/2008 09:44:11 AM
I enjoy the colors of this, and I like the floating windows in the upper right.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/03/2008 04:37:18 PM
nice lights!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/03/2008 12:18:39 PM
My Kinda Town!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/02/2008 09:57:17 PM
This is lovely. The sprinkling of lit windows in the buildings in the distance are like stars... or glitter. (not voting yet)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/02/2008 08:07:37 PM
The treatment and colours are a little odd.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/01/2008 03:23:45 AM
Interesting edit...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/01/2008 12:47:43 AM
love the little light sparklies. just lovely
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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