Assignment #14: Stairs

[Nikolai]

OK, running through the autumn fields (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=46398) with the heavy dslr was fun, wasn't it guys?

This week let's try something more urban and less flat: stairs.

Stairs, stairways, staircases, "Stairway to Heaven", Staircase of Giants, inside or outside - your call!

As always: fresh pictures only, no massive PS compositing, etc.
For the rest of the basic rules and index please check out this sticky (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=41800).

Let's stair!

[truth]

No dice Nikolai! I hate stairs. My legs uber cramped walking down them on my way out of the gym tonight. :D:D:D

[Antonio Correia]

Mt stairs, so far. :D
:thumb
http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/109393673-M.jpg Aperture: f/13.0 ISO: 200 Focal Length: 16mm (guess: 24mm in 35mm) Exposure Time: 1.3s (13/10) Colour balanced corrected with gray card.

[Nikolai]

Mt stairs, so far
Congrats on the very first entry to this class! :thumb

[Nikolai]

01: IMG_9950: Office entrance:

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/109424119-L.jpg

02: IMG_9949: Office main stairway:

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/109424171-L.jpg

03: IMG_9954: Office back door:

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/109424209-L.jpg

04: IMG_9951: Office back stairway:

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/109424258-L.jpg

05: IMG_9952: Office back stairs:

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/109424372-L.jpg

06: IMG_9946: Wet steps:

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/109424531-L.jpg

[Antonio Correia]

Stairs by the sea. This afternoon. :thumb
http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/109552805-M.jpg

[Swartzy]

Like this?

http://Swartzy.smugmug.com/photos/94745486-L.jpg

[Nikolai]

Stairs by the sea. This afternoon. :thumb

Nice!:thumb

[Nikolai]

Like this?


Like this - anytime:-):D

[Antonio Correia]

Sunday morning stairs.

http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/109777846-M.jpg

[Antonio Correia]

This afternoon stairs

http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/109809263-M.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/109809329-M.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/109808991-M.jpg this one is the way to Heaven and, returning to this morning:
http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/109804977-M.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/109805613-M.jpg

[Nikolai]

This afternoon stairs


Nice stairs! :thumb

[AZsnapper]

Waterfall Trail, Tonto Natural Bridge, Arizona

Nikon D80 ISO 100, 1/13, f8.0 12-24mm@17mm handheld

http://newriver.smugmug.com/photos/109823435-O.jpg

[Antonio Correia]

Nice stairs! :thumb Nikolai,
How about the stairs to Heaven ?
A little difficult to climb but ... the reward is great !

[Antonio Correia]

Waterfall Trail, Tonto Natural Bridge, Arizona

Nikon D80 ISO 100, 1/13, f8.0 12-24mm@17mm handheld

Was this wood from the rails ? ...
:thumb

[AZsnapper]

Was this wood from the rails ? ...
:thumb

If you're asking if these are railroad timbers, probably. Used RR ties are used for all sorts of things.

[Antonio Correia]

If you're asking if these are railroad timbers, probably. Used RR ties are used for all sorts of things.


Yes. I thought so. They used them in Portugal also.
I got some in my house for steps.:D
Not anymore. They are in concrete these days.
:thumb

[El Kiwi]

My first submission... I plan to play more in the future. I just saw this now, but here's some stairs I took today:

http://photos.colinfleming.net/IMG_1466.jpg

http://photos.colinfleming.net/IMG_1593.jpg

http://photos.colinfleming.net/IMG_1602.jpg

http://photos.colinfleming.net/IMG_1630.jpg

[El Kiwi]

Like this?

Just like that! Great shot!

[Richard]

OK, Nik. I'll play. This is right outside my front door.

http://rsinmadrid.smugmug.com/photos/110093903-L.jpg

I love assignments that I can do close to home. :wink

Cheers,

[Antonio Correia]

http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/110162167-M.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/110161310-M.jpg

CPFilter ! Good results :D

[LiquidAir]

I just took this one a few days before you posted the assignement:

http://liquidair.smugmug.com/photos/110014367-L.jpg

[Nikolai]

My first submission... I plan to play more in the future. I just saw this now, but here's some stairs I took today:


Great stairs:-):thumb

[Nikolai]

OK, Nik. I'll play. This is right outside my front door.



I love assignments that I can do close to home. :wink

Cheers,





Great entry, thanks for the entry! :thumb

[Nikolai]

CPFilter ! Good results :D

Great steps! :thumb

[Nikolai]

I just took this one a few days before you posted the assignement:


Nice stairway :-) :thumb

[Antonio Correia]

http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/110833073-M.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/110836143-M.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/110833904-M.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/110835389-M.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/110840340-M.jpg

[Nikolai]

Beautiful stair collection! :thumb

[ivar]

I'm a newcomer to the whole asignment series, but today, I actually went on the hunt for stairs!

I actually took a whole bunch, but they need to be processed, so expect more :D except i was so excited about the stairs I wanted to post one already. It's a little noisy (shot at 1600iso, it was getting dark already), but I like it i think. Except for a little exposure upping, it's a straight conversion.

It's downtown Utrecht, my city.

http://www.smugmug.com/photos/110958314-L.jpg

Okay, so I'm really posting 2 shots, this one is not a great one, and I could not get a better angle on it, but I like the stairs.

http://Ivar.smugmug.com/photos/110963550-M.jpg

[Nikolai]

I'm a newcomer to the whole asignment series, but today, I actually went on the hunt for stairs!

I actually took a whole bunch, but they need to be processed, so expect more :D except i was so excited about the stairs I wanted to post one already. It's a little noisy (shot at 1600iso, it was getting dark already), but I like it i think. Except for a little exposure upping, it's a straight conversion.

It's downtown Utrecht, my city.


Okay, so I'm really posting 2 shots, this one is not a great one, and I could not get a better angle on it, but I like the stairs.



First of all, welcome to the Class, great to have you here! :clap
Second - nice stairs! :thumb
And, finally, on a personal note - thank you for bringing back memories of your beautiful country! I spent 3 months there in 1996 in a little town called Rijswijk (between Haage and Delpht) and was fascinated with it.:lust

Cheers!

[shawnc]

.

Let's stair!
I am always late for these, But as you say, better late than never, Huh?
I was with Karl (AZsnapper), @ Tonto natural bridge which has what seem like never ending steps. The first thing we both thought about was this thread of stairs assignment. So here is my contribution from the Tonto Bridge.
http://ShawnCarden.smugmug.com/photos/110969327-M.jpg

http://ShawnCarden.smugmug.com/photos/110969511-M.jpg

[ivar]

First of all, welcome to the Class, great to have you here! :clap
Second - nice stairs! :thumb
And, finally, on a personal note - thank you for bringing back memories of your beautiful country! I spent 3 months there in 1996 in a little town called Rijswijk (between Haage and Delpht) and was fascinated with it.:lust

Cheers!Thanks for the welcome :D

I haven't been to Rijswijk a lot, so you'd probably know better how it looks then I do :D


I've got a few more stairs. Well, photos with stairs on them somewhere.


Cropped, otherwise not touched:
http://Ivar.smugmug.com/photos/110990686-L.jpg

The stair is a little small in this one, but I liked the photo :D
I toned down the white a bit, that's it.
http://Ivar.smugmug.com/photos/110990825-L.jpg

I like this one, I think the stairs show a lot better than the above one. Saturation +10, no other processing.
http://Ivar.smugmug.com/photos/110991312-L.jpg

[evoryware]

Grand Central Station
http://evosphotos.smugmug.com/photos/111056159-L-3.jpg


I blew this one Bank of America
http://evosphotos.smugmug.com/photos/111056124-L-2.jpg

[ChrisJ]

Not a technical shot, but amusing to me, anyway.

http://chrisandjoy.smugmug.com/photos/110445394-L.jpg

[Nikolai]

Thanks for the welcome :D

I haven't been to Rijswijk a lot, so you'd probably know better how it looks then I do :D


I've got a few more stairs. Well, photos with stairs on them somewhere.


Cropped, otherwise not touched:


The stair is a little small in this one, but I liked the photo :D
I toned down the white a bit, that's it.


I like this one, I think the stairs show a lot better than the above one. Saturation +10, no other processing.


Thanks!
Great reflection!
Man, I miss water...:cry

[Nikolai]

Grand Central Station
I blew this one Bank of America


Nice ones:-)

[Nikolai]

Not a technical shot, but amusing to me, anyway.


Looks like a "feline liberat.." ... never mind :rofl

[anwmn1]

http://aaronnewman.smugmug.com/photos/112589965-L.jpg

http://aaronnewman.smugmug.com/photos/112591369-L.jpg

Aaron

[Nikolai]

Bleachers, and what seems to be a nice entry for the current silhouette challenge! Shweet! :ivar

[Shima]

This picture is fantastically disorienting (to me at least). I took it while sitting under the stairs that go up to the second story apartments (my husband and I live on the first floor)

http://shima.smugmug.com/photos/118078936-M.jpg

[Nikolai]

This picture is fantastically disorienting (to me at least). I took it while sitting under the stairs that go up to the second story apartments (my husband and I live on the first floor)


While it's a nice shot and a totally valid entry, I wonder if you could avoid the skewing either while shooting or in post :scratch

[Shima]

While it's a nice shot and a totally valid entry, I wonder if you could avoid the skewing either while shooting or in post :scratch

Could you elaborate a little more on this so I can figure out how / what it is you'd like me to fix. These are right outside my door, so easy to try reshooting, I'm just a little confused what the "skew" is that I'm looking for. :help

One of these days I need to take a real photography class, heh.

[Nikolai]

Could you elaborate a little more on this so I can figure out how / what it is you'd like me to fix. These are right outside my door, so easy to try reshooting, I'm just a little confused what the "skew" is that I'm looking for. :help

One of these days I need to take a real photography class, heh.

I mean all those angles being non-equal and not "right"... The whole image looks "askewed"...:dunno

[Shima]

I mean all those angles being non-equal and not "right"... The whole image looks "askewed"...:dunno

Hmm.... must figure out a way to shoot this and get rid of that... maybe sitting right under it isn't going to work... will play around with it later... thanks for the clarification

[Nikolai]

Hmm.... must figure out a way to shoot this and get rid of that... maybe sitting right under it isn't going to work... will play around with it later... thanks for the clarification

The recipe is quite simple in fact: hold your camera truly horizontal (use the level if needed, tripod would also help) and try to obtain a position exactly in the middle of the staircase, so the A1 and A2 angles would be identical.

HTH

[Antonio Correia]

The recipe is quite simple in fact: hold your camera truly horizontal (use the level if needed, tripod would also help) and try to obtain a position exactly in the middle of the staircase, so the A1 and A2 angles would be identical.

HTH

Nik.
Sorry my friend, but I have to disagree with you in certain parts - or I have misunderstood your point -
If Shima does that - center the staircase, iqual angles from both sides - the photo will be much flat.

On the contrary, I propose she twists/tilt the view, either by twisting the camera or, twisting/tilting the staircase partially.
I mean, alight the staircase by one side and the other side will twist/tilt.
That would be of some interest.

I hope I made myself explain.

I do know that you, Nik, don't take this statement as an offense (?!) or whatever... :D

Nice Christmas people !! Many gifts: lenses; cameras; filter; etc.. :D:thumb

[Nikolai]

Nik.
Sorry my friend, but I have to disagree with you in certain parts - or I have misunderstood your point -
If Shima does that - center the staircase, iqual angles from both sides - the photo will be much flat.
On the contrary, I propose she twists/tilt the view, either by twisting the camera or, twisting/tilting the staircase partially.
I mean, alight the staircase by one side and the other side will twist/tilt.
That would be of some interest.


Well, that's a possibility, if the tilts/skews are rather bold. Currently it looks like a second-rate snapshot...:dunno


I do know that you, Nik, don't take this statement as an offense (?!) or whatever... :D

Why would I?:-) Opinions differ, especially in such a subjective area as art, so yours is as good as mine..:-)



Nice Christmas people !! Many gifts: lenses; cameras; filter; etc.. :D:thumb
Now you're talking:-):thumb

[Stan]

I Played with this, Rotate, crop (prespective) Lens correction, and finally got this. Most of the angles work, but not all anyway shoot it if it's no good

Merry Christmas
Stan

[Nikolai]

I Played with this, Rotate, crop (prespective) Lens correction, and finally got this. Most of the angles work, but not all anyway shoot it if it's no good

Merry Christmas
Stan

I defenitely appreciate your friendly help. :thumb

However, for the most of our Class assignments the primary idea is not to learn how fix an image in post, but rather how to shot it in a way that it does not need much of of the fixing. Basically, in this case I'd like our lovely Shima to learn how to shoot straigt :-) :wink
Merry Christmas, man!:lust

[Stan]

I defenitely appreciate your friendly help. :thumb

However, for the most of our Class assignments the primary idea is not to learn how fix an image in post, but rather how to shot it in a way that it does not need much of of the fixing. Basically, in this case I'd like our lovely Shima to learn how to shoot straigt :-) :wink
Merry Christmas, man!:lust

Understood Nik. I had time on my hands and thought I was an interesting shot to play with. Fixing in post is no substitute to shooting straight in the first place. Especially with this level of straightening. Fun to work on though.

Stan

[Shima]

How's this? Took it last night:
http://shima.smugmug.com/photos/119760301-M.jpg

[Nikolai]

How's this? Took it last night:

Better:clap :thumb :-)

[Antonio Correia]

How's this? Took it last night:

:scratch

[Shima]

:scratch

They are stairs photographed from the first floor, underneath the stairs. I was trying to fix my not shooting straight on.

[jopapeca]

Hi,
some stairs from Oporto


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2006/2591166092_62fcf42946.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/jopapeca/2591166092/meta/)

[Nikolai]

Hi,
some stairs from Oporto

Awesome stairs, I like this!:thumb

[TexPhotog]

Sorry I forgot to post these earlier...

http://www.pmaphotovideo.com/photos/319657185_MihBH-M-2.jpg

http://www.pmaphotovideo.com/photos/319656453_YPmnj-M-2.jpg

http://www.pmaphotovideo.com/photos/319656623_TVwUa-M-2.jpg

[Nikolai]

Sorry I forgot to post these earlier...

That's pretty good!
I would suggest to combine this theme with "Crowd control", take a very long exposure, thus eliminating all the people and leaving stairs only:-)

[TexPhotog]

That's pretty good!
I would suggest to combine this theme with "Crowd control", take a very long exposure, thus eliminating all the people and leaving stairs only:-)

Oohhhh... I likes it... I'll try to have that by next week... :clap

[CWSkopec]

I shot a cool spiral staircase a few weeks ago with this thread in mind and got distracted after I processed them, so they somehow ended up in "Other Cool Shots." :dunno

Anyway, I could have probably reposted them, but here's a fresh-fresh staircase (of the moving variety) taken from the mall this evening before I was told that photography was discouraged in the mall... Oh well, at least I got a couple before I was warned!! :rofl

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3271/2669861573_8b33961c8b_b.jpg

[Nikolai]

I shot a cool spiral staircase a few weeks ago with this thread in mind and got distracted after I processed them, so they somehow ended up in "Other Cool Shots." :dunno

Anyway, I could have probably reposted them, but here's a fresh-fresh staircase (of the moving variety) taken from the mall this evening before I was told that photography was discouraged in the mall... Oh well, at least I got a couple before I was warned!! :rofl


Nice escalator! :thumb

Yeah, shooting in the mall can get you in trouble fersure :wink

[CWSkopec]

Nice escalator! :thumb

Yeah, shooting in the mall can get you in trouble fersure :wink

Yeah, and I understand it's private property and all but still is a bummer, it's one of the coolest buildings around...

[Nikolai]

Yeah, and I understand it's private property and all but still is a bummer, it's one of the coolest buildings around...
Next time go with the younger crowd and shoot with cellphone/p&s, they don't care about those:-)

[CWSkopec]

Well, I guess I'll just follow up on myself... :D

I had to go back and shot this staircase again (inappropriate camera settings & camera shake the first time) so I figured I'd share this shot here... looks a little soft still... well I guess there's always NEXT time!! :rofl

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3257/2759449506_e790b2c611_o.jpg

[Nikolai]

Well, I guess I'll just follow up on myself... :D
I had to go back and shot this staircase again (inappropriate camera settings & camera shake the first time) so I figured I'd share this shot here... looks a little soft still... well I guess there's always NEXT time!! :rofl

Thanks! Yeah, soft, I agree! But nice framing! :thumb