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10/03/2002 03:06:43 PM · #1 |
I had a hard time choosing between two shots for last week's challenge, and I'm curious to hear some input about the way I decided. I actually chose a shot I liked slightly less, but it was one I thought would fare better than the other in the challenge.
I should mention that I'm not here to complain about the way my shot finished... it was #9, so I'm quite happy with that! I'm more interested in feedback on my way of thinking here...
I had two shots of Pittsburgh I was choosing from -- one was a night view and the other a day view that included an incline. Frankly, I like the one with the incline better because I think it adds a new dimension to the picture. I think the incline helps "tell a story" a little more than just a plain shot of the city itself.
The competitive part of me decided to submit the night shot, because it simply seems that people take well to shots of cities at night, and that if they're technically fairly well done, they'll beat out a technically well-done daytime shot. Night shots simply seem to have a bigger "wow" factor. Does anyone agree to that? I'm quite curious since I spent a lot of time agonizing over which one to submit!
Here are the ones I was considering (I submitted the second of the two):
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10/03/2002 03:18:12 PM · #2 |
Hardly a technical reply, but I agree with you on both counts. I think the first shot is the "better" of the two in terms of intrinsic interest. However, the night shot has more immediate appeal in a voting situation.
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10/03/2002 03:31:19 PM · #3 |
Originally posted by alansfreed:
Night shots simply seem to have a bigger "wow" factor. Does anyone agree to that? I'm quite curious since I spent a lot of time agonizing over which one to submit!
I know what you mean about the wow factor but, at the same time, there's a certain similarity to many night shots and they often need to be really special in order to put across an individual point of view.
In this particular case, I gave the night time shot you submitted a 6. I would probably have given the other one an 8 - I really like the composition and the way you've captured the light and the colours. And as someone who's never been to Pittsburgh I feel that it gives me a better "sense of place".
But hey, #9 is pretty good, so I'm probably in the minority on this one... |
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10/03/2002 03:32:52 PM · #4 |
I think the night shot is the better. The first shot is interesting but my attention is torn between the city and the bright red. . . trolley car? in the foreground. The night shot is not so ambiguous as to your intent. Both are nice shots but when I scroll both of them into view and turn away when I turn back the eyes are immediately (for me) drawn to the night shot. The colors are more appealing in the second shot also. Hope this 2 cents was helpful.
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10/03/2002 03:49:23 PM · #5 |
Those are interesting (and conflicting at times!) comments... this was one of those cases where I wished I could have submitted two shots just purely out of curiosity to see which one would have done better!
I should point out, Seeker, that the red thing is an "incline"... there are two of them in Pittsburgh, and they carry people up & down Mt. Washington at a very steep slope. They're a popular attraction for visitors, and a lot of commuters park on the hill and ride them to work and vice versa. There aren't a whole lot of these things in existence, I don't think. |
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10/03/2002 05:12:40 PM · #6 |
| I like both and I honestly can't say how I would have voted. I think if you had submitted the day shot it wouldn't have done as well. |
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10/03/2002 07:03:03 PM · #7 |
Trying to comment as if I hadn't seen your night shot.... Hmmm. It is a corner of the world, but is just buildings.
Knowing about your night shot: It is much more dramatic. I think you made a wise choice.
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10/03/2002 07:13:33 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by alansfreed:
I should point out, Seeker, that the red thing is an "incline"... there are two of them in Pittsburgh, and they carry people up & down Mt. Washington at a very steep slope. They're a popular attraction for visitors, and a lot of commuters park on the hill and ride them to work and vice versa. There aren't a whole lot of these things in existence, I don't think.
That's probably a funicular railway; usually driven by a gear which engages a third, toothed rail. I've never been on one; looks fun but scary... |
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10/03/2002 07:42:42 PM · #9 |
I really like both as far as showing a place. The funicular train adds a lot of character that you won't find elsewhere. But the night shot has much stronger reflections and is brilliant with all the lights. The night shot would score well in the current challenge. You chose wisely for the "Corner" challenge. Good job!
* This message has been edited by the author on 10/3/2002 7:43:04 PM.
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10/03/2002 09:06:24 PM · #10 |
That's probably a funicular railway; usually driven by a gear which engages a third, toothed rail. I've never been on one; looks fun but scary...
I've never heard of it referred to as a funicular railway... I guess I'll have to learn more about that! There are two cars involved -- while one is at the top, the other is at the bottom, and they'll meet half way up. There's a cable that connects the two, and the power comes from a large wheel thingy (sorry if I'm getting technical) at the top.
There's another incline in Pittsburgh, one in Johnstown and a small one at Niagara Falls. I'm not sure where else they exist.
There's a web site for the Duquesne Incline here. It's a pretty crappy site, but there's at least some more authoritative information about it here :) |
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10/03/2002 10:04:38 PM · #11 |
| I'm not an expert -- I looked it up in a dictionary. I think I've heard of the "rack-and-pinion" type I described being used in Switzerland or Austria or somewhere. As you describe this one, the two cars counterbalance each other over a central pulley at the top, and the two cars must travel in unision at the ends of a fixed-length cable. Let me know what you find out... |
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