Steps and Pillarby
jjbeguinComment by karmat: CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
jjbeguin -- I am honored to have the opportunity to "study" your picture and offer my evaluation of it. As I feel you have much more knowledge and skill in photography than I do, I am abandoning my normal form of critique (composition, technique, overall effect), as I honestly don't think I could tell you anything that you don't already know! :-) Instead, I am going to offer to you my impressions of your picture. I did not get to vote in the "From Above" challenge, so my introduction to your shot was when it was selected from the queue for me to do this critique.
My first impression, honestly, was what am I looking at??? When I saw that it was for the "From Above" challenge, I looked closer and still could not figure it out completely. At this point, while I like the colors and textures, it had a "flat" look to me, and wasn't distinguishable. Then, when I saw that you were the photographer, I knew that there had to be something there, so I looked some more. Upon this third, carefully scrutinizing look, I began to make out the steps. Until then, I had just noticed the strength of downward "thrust" that the lighter areas provided, with a sharp contrast to the upwards diagonal. I was also impressed by the "conflict" of the light vs. dark areas.
This picture to me was kind of like one of those illusions that you study and study, then when you figure out what it is, it is so obvious you want to hit yourself in the head. I suspect in trying to vote on around 200 pictures, people don't have time to study every shot for the 20 or so minutes that I had for this one! As a result, your score is lower than you usually receive. I think those that "got it" voted you high, and those that didn't just didn't get it.
Photographer found comment helpful.