Union Station, Los Angeles

[Angelo]

A link posted in "Wide Angle" directs us to the work of Mark Tucker http://www.marktucker.com/r_saltonsea/source/unionstation.html

where I found an image from Union Station which I also shot recently. Identical view except for a slight variation in orientation.

I originally wrote this off as insignificant but Mark's image made me rethink myself. So I'm opening myself up to your kind, tender, nurturing advice and critique :D

With this shot I've only done some minor curves adjustments. I have posted several other versions in the "other cool shots" forum to which I applied different effects.

RAW, ISO: 400, 18mm, f8, 1/80 sec, WB: Auto, EV: 0
.
http://angelo.smugmug.com/photos/26581625-L.jpg

[John Mueller]

Love the reflection on the floor:thumb

[DeanMcM]

I like this picture, maybe shooting it closer to the floor, and pointed up on an angle a bit, may give it a better - less normal perspective? :dunno

[Khaos]

I love the lighting on this. Very nice exposure to bring out the colors and reflections without overdoing them.

The only thing is that my eyes stay on the right side following the pews and walkway to the door and don't take in the windows and the beautiful reflections as much as they should.

[erich6]

:agree I think the problem is that the heavy tones on the right give it a lot more weight in that area than the light tones from the windows. Even though the windows are relatively big they don't seem to counterweigh the right side. Maybe it's because there are a lot of darker tones in the rest of the image.

It also seems like the door and frame are a bit too soft. Maybe a smaller aperture would help (or maybe it's the JPEG conversion....).

The frame on the right doesn't seem to help the composition and the glimpse of a window on the upper right detracts from the shot as well. Not sure what else you could have done to avoid this but perhaps standing further back and using a longer focal length might help.

I think the exposure is very good and the color and tones contrast very nicely between the floor and the wall on the left.

Erich

[Angelo]

Love the reflection on the floor:thumb
Thanks for stopping by and commenting John. I love the tilework of this floor.

[lynnma]

Hi Angelo,

what an interesting shot. It seems a little dark on my monitor and I find myself holding up something to crop out the wall to my right bringing the doorway and tiled floor into the right third. I find the wall distracting. I'm also wishing the second window was not cropped off at the top. I love the reflections and the theme. Please show us more?

[Angelo]

I like this picture, maybe shooting it closer to the floor, and pointed up on an angle a bit, may give it a better - less normal perspective? :dunno
That's an interesting thought. I was probably too concerned with capturing the tilework of the floor to reorient and look for a different angle. Thanks for looking and commenting.

[Angelo]

I love the lighting on this. Very nice exposure to bring out the colors and reflections without overdoing them.

The only thing is that my eyes stay on the right side following the pews and walkway to the door and don't take in the windows and the beautiful reflections as much as they should.
I think I can address that with a bit of cropping. Thank you. I'll repost ASAP.

[Angelo]

:agree I think the problem is that the heavy tones on the right give it a lot more weight in that area than the light tones from the windows. Even though the windows are relatively big they don't seem to counterweigh the right side. Maybe it's because there are a lot of darker tones in the rest of the image.

It also seems like the door and frame are a bit too soft. Maybe a smaller aperture would help (or maybe it's the JPEG conversion....).

The frame on the right doesn't seem to help the composition and the glimpse of a window on the upper right detracts from the shot as well. Not sure what else you could have done to avoid this but perhaps standing further back and using a longer focal length might help.

I think the exposure is very good and the color and tones contrast very nicely between the floor and the wall on the left.

Erich
Hey Erich thanks for commenting. You echo some of what Khaos said and as I look at this more I realize I can crop some off the right side of the pic, cleaning up a bit. I hope you'll look again when I get that new version posted.

[erich6]

Hey Erich thanks for commenting. You echo some of what Khaos said and as I look at this more I realize I can crop some off the right side of the pic, cleaning up a bit. I hope you'll look again when I get that new version posted.
You bet! It's a nice shot...worthy of more work! :D

Erich

[Angelo]

Hi Angelo,

what an interesting shot. It seems a little dark on my monitor and I find myself holding up something to crop out the wall to my right bringing the doorway and tiled floor into the right third. I find the wall distracting. I'm also wishing the second window was not cropped off at the top. I love the reflections and the theme. Please show us more?
Hi Lynn - You also address the right side of the photo which I've now cropped out and am about to post. I hope it looks better.

With the windows: I was not able to move further into the room. If I had aimed my camera higher I would've brought the edge of the archway in which I was standing into the picture. This is why I chose to include the partial first window as well. I could have easily cropped past it but to my eye the "stepping" adds to the depth of the picture. Am I wrong to see it this way?

[Angelo]

cropped the right side:

[lynnma]

cropped the right side:I think the crop really makes a difference.. I may have cropped it even a little more. I agree about the windows.. I don't know if it's right or wrong.. it's just something I noticed.. It look very "rich" Angelo :D Ya know? I just looked at it again and I think I would have brought out the color/tones of the tiled walk a little more.. just to make a wow.. just my 2 cents.. I often "overdo" things so I may be wrong.:D

[Angelo]

I think the crop really makes a difference.. I may have cropped it even a little more.

Please give me an example of what you mean?

I agree about the windows.. I don't know if it's right or wrong.. it's just something I noticed.. It look very "rich" Angelo :D

Thanks mucho :lust

Ya know? I just looked at it again and I think I would have brought out the color/tones of the tiled walk a little more.. just to make a wow...

Actually I agree but when I tried some of the other elements in the photo became too "hot". As I learn more about layers and masks I'll be able to isolate elements for treatment.

Thank you for taking the time to look and comment. It means a lot to me.

[erich6]

Angelo,

The cropped version looks great! Nice job. :clap

Erich

[Khaos]

I agree the cropped version is better.

[Angelo]

Erich, Khaos - Thank you again

[wxwax]

Angelo, I think the thing that would make a huge difference would be to have a person in the shot. They'd give it perspective and give us something to relate to. Need a model? :evil

[Angelo]

Angelo, I think the thing that would make a huge difference would be to have a person in the shot. They'd give it perspective and give us something to relate to. Need a model? :evilSid - you couldn't be more right... I have another version with a janitor walking along the counter but I haven't worked it because it's not straight and looks odd when I try to rotate it. Anyway, he lends a great sense of perspective because you can instantly appreciate that the windows are nearly 30' high (approximately 8.5 meters for our non-U.S. friends)

I do think you get some sense of the height by the 3 banks of doors under the windows.

thank you for your input.

[Phil U.]

cropped the right side:

Angelo - yes, I think the crop helps it a bunch. It removes the distraction of the tiny bright spot of the window on the right side. Also removes the "heavy" darkness that was on that edge. My eyes tended to move more over the picture instead of getting sucked into the right edge.

:thumb

[Angelo]

Angelo - yes, I think the crop helps it a bunch. It removes the distraction of the tiny bright spot of the window on the right side. Also removes the "heavy" darkness that was on that edge. My eyes tended to move more over the picture instead of getting sucked into the right edge.

:thumb
Thank you for revisitng Phil. I appreciate the pat on the back and the great advice offered by the happy, peppy people at dGrin :rofl