Turn and Turnby
clickodakComment by Garry: Greetings from the Critique Club!
I think for the choice of right angles for the challenge, the decision to go with a staircase was a solid one. In fact it was the first idea that came to mind when I considered entering. So, I think your concept was great. It just lacked in the execution a little in my opinion.
The really great stairway shots typically have a lot of space between levels to look down over the railing, but here the space looking down is very small and cramped (as most emergency stairwells are), and so the viewer loses the ability to see a nice staircase winding its way down. We see just a fraction of the stairs, which is a pity. So, more space between the flights would've been so much more powerful.
The other thing is the very tight crop. You used a wide-angle lens and shot at 24mm, so you've obviously cropped quite a bit which makes the composition look very tight and "uncomfortable". I would've liked to have seen more of the stairs, since they'd give nice details, but also they would provide some more right angles to the railing. So a double-benefit!
Lastly, I felt the processing was a little bland. No real highlights or shadows, very flat. Would prefer a much more dynamic B&W treatment.
I'll be glad to discuss my comments with you via PM if you so wish. Hope you found this review helpful!
Kind regards,
Garry
Photographer found comment helpful.
