First post in here, give me your best shot.

[gluwater]

I've never posted in here so I thought I'd give it a try. I'll be honest, I don't have any training and not much experience. But isn't that what this is for? I like this shot but I am wondering if it is interesting and well taken or not. Don't hold back.

Click for Exif

http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/30464635-L.jpg (http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=30464635)

Thanks

Nick

[erich6]

I think the leading lines are great. They definitely provide a nice geometry and strong hold...it's just that they don't lead to anything interesting. I almost feel let down when I finally look at what the lines converge to. The wall on the side seems a bit too dark compared to the rest of the image...this makes the image a bit unbalanced to me.

Erich

[gus]

Perspective shots are always a favorite of mine but this shot is way too dark on the left & has no real point of interest on the right...the rubbish bin should not be there at all.

No exif details for me to see....

How wide is the shot ? mm wise.

I would go down to the pillars in the distance & wait for some good morning or afternoon light & shoot straight up at them from underneath as wide as you can go.

Gus

[gluwater]

I think the leading lines are great. They definitely provide a nice geometry and strong hold...it's just that they don't lead to anything interesting. I almost feel let down when I finally look at what the lines converge to. The wall on the side seems a bit too dark compared to the rest of the image...this makes the image a bit unbalanced to me.

Erich
The wall on the left is actually black stone that has water running down it. The sun was to the left of the wall so it had nothing to give it any light. I tried to brighten the wall but it really didn't work, I'll try again and see what happens.

Perspective shots are always a favorite of mine but this shot is way too dark on the left & has no real point of interest on the right...the rubbish bin should not be there at all.

No exif details for me to see....

How wide is the shot ? mm wise.

I would go down to the pillars in the distance & wait for some good morning or afternoon light & shoot straight up at them from underneath as wide as you can go.

GusClick the picture to get Exif in a new window.

It was at 22mm, 1/60, f/9, exposure at -.67 on the 10-22mm.

If I took the picture closer up, say in line with or in front of the garbage can so the building in the distance (Field Museum) was closer and the right side started with trees, instead of the trash can (Oops), do you think that would be more interesting or is the Museum just a boring building?

Thanks Gus and Erich for your comments, they really help.

[Davidoff]

Yes, that's it, they don't lead to anything interesting. If you can reshoot this, try getting the sun from the right or from behind you, from the right would be better tough, because it will lighten up the dark wall and create some shadows out of the trees. Also, if the sun sets or rises in any of those two directions you could probably use a low shutter speed and get people all blurred. If you added someone still between the lines it would add quite a bit of interest... IMHO

[gluwater]

Yes, that's it, they don't lead to anything interesting. If you can reshoot this, try getting the sun from the right or from behind you, from the right would be better tough, because it will lighten up the dark wall and create some shadows out of the trees. Also, if the sun sets or rises in any of those two directions you could probably use a low shutter speed and get people all blurred. If you added someone still between the lines it would add quite a bit of interest... IMHO
Thanks for commenting David.

The sun rises on the right and sets on the left. I thought of getting someone in the between the lines but they turned out too dark also. I like the idea of going earlier and getting some light from the right, I'll have to try that.

I tried this shot with two girls reaching out for the wall of water but you can't make them out very well because of the shadows and I don't like the guy on the right at all.
http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/30465154-M.jpg

Maybe I'll try some PSing and see if I can get rid of the guy and brighten up the left and the girls.

Thanks
Nick

[Davidoff]

That's better imo, but it'll be hard to expose people there because they'll always be in the shadow, as long as that particular time of the day is concerned. Only now I noticed that there was water on the wall. While you're at it ( trying to slow down the shutter and other sun positions ) try flashing the water to freeze it in time and then merging it. Having frozen water and people trails in the same picture would be really cool IMHO

[JimM]

They both have a great use of leading lines, but the second is a much better, more intriguing shot! I don't mind the man, as he is looking at the wall (which is your subject). The man in the second one also does a good job of distracting our eye from the building on the right.

[gluwater]

I did two exposures in post this time and overlaid a lighter left wall. Do you think this is better?

http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/30680636-M.jpg