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Old Panes
Old Panes
Kavey


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: March Free Study (Advanced Editing I)
Camera: Minolta DiMAGE 7i
Location: Chapel of former Royal Naval College, Greenwich
Date: Mar 13, 2004
Aperture: f 6.7
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/500 second
Galleries: Emotive, Black and White
Date Uploaded: Mar 14, 2004

 PRINT AVAILABLE ON DPC PRINTS.

Taken during the recent DPC GTG in London.

I was fascinated by the patterns of light thrown by the textured glass windows inside the chapel but I only took this single shot... I didn't take more because I was convinced my exposure would be thrown by all that light and was feeling too lazy to use manual settings to compensate... though I did use the spot meter and meter off an interior wall. Since Pete and I were sharing the camera and had only one CF card each to fill - 45 images maximum - I didn't want to waste frames on something I didn't think I'd be able to capture faithfully.

You might be wondering why I haven't included more wall at the left to display more of that shimmering light pattern. That's all there is; the wall at the left is actually perpendicular to the window panes though it's hard to see that in this image; it's the inside of the a small bay in which the window sits.

I can't imagine this will score too highly. I probably like it more because it's a record of a beautiful moment and I can see more in my mind's eye than is captured.

Still, it will be fun to receive comments and check my score again, first time for a long while!

ADDED NOTE: I just now decided to become a member so I could enter this one into the March Free Study and enter a different shot into Parallel Lines. I think this image will do better in a Free Study than it would have in the PL lines but am still really unsure as to whether others will like it or not.

Statistics
Place: 122 out of 310
Avg (all users): 5.7582
Avg (commenters): 8.1429
Avg (participants): 5.5954
Avg (non-participants): 6.1765
Views since voting: 1872
Votes: 182
Comments: 23
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
 07/14/2005 11:10:29 AM
B&W Club

OMG, I forgot to comment on this one! I really like this, especially the patterns on the window, forcing the viewer to try to interpret it. AS to "blownout" areas. B&W is ok with some blowouts to attract the eye and make it connect-the-dots, as it were. And that blowout in this pic looks like a wall, the casement of the window on which the sun is shining. It's perfectly fine in this image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/11/2005 11:28:07 PM
B/W Mentor Group.

Hi Kavey,
I think you are correct in the fact that this is a classic subject for monochrome, the lines are stark and contrast very well against that textured glass. Its the lines which provide the structure, whilst the whites and greys provide the detailed infill, and its these areas which the eye drops onto and explores.

I can't decide whether I would like to bump the contrast in those swirls and textures in the window, I'd be scared of losing too much detail. If you look through the window at the left hand side you can see that there is no grey in that section becasue of the window jamb on the outside. That area would need some special treatment to not simply blow out.

Do you know what this image calls out for?
Something in silhouette on the window cill at the right hand side. A candle maybe, just something simpe to balance those textures.

Falc
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/11/2005 05:59:32 PM
B/W Club
Forgive me Kavey if I do this wrong. :)

First, I love the texture of the panes, it reminds me of brushed ice. I also think that it did lend itself to B/W. I think it would have lost some of it's WOW factor otherwise.

Not crazy about the 'whiteness' to side of panes, but read your comments, so understand why it's there. I do however, like the reflection of the textures onto the wall.

I'm not sure how well it would do here, but to me, this could pass for a low-key image.

The textures obscuring what is on the other side, just make me want to keep looking to see if I can figure out what is there. Without reading that it is buildings, I get to use my imagination as to what is hidden.

-Christine
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/11/2005 04:17:08 PM
Oh my goodness, Elvia, I can SEE HIM!!!

To answer some questions:
The white area to the left side of what one sees through the pane is the outside half of the very, very thick wall that this window is in. I don't think it's blown out (though I may be wrong) so much as the fact that it is one of the palest areas within the image. It's one of the points I like least about the shot.
The reflection on the interior wall to the left is the whole of the reflection, I haven't cropped any out, it reflects the thickness of the wall. Just outside of frame to the left is a 90 degree corner turning into the interior wall of the chapel.
What one can see through the window are various buildings that form part of the naval college estate.
 07/11/2005 03:51:26 PM
Great Shot. Does everyone here not see the picture in this?? Let your minds eye see an old man with long wind swept hair and beard blowing across his face. The eyes and nose are in the third row from the top,eyes are in the 4th and 7th pane left to right. His head is tilted slightly to the left. His mouth is in the 4th row and 6th paneI I love this shot...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/11/2005 03:32:34 PM
B/W Club!

(ignoring all the great elements of this shot - compostion, artistic feel, etc. in favor of B&W focus) :)

This shot really works in B&W - it keeps it simple. The lack of color forces the attention on the light (isn't that one of the best things about windows) and shadows. The boost of contrast drops a bit of detail in favor of cleaner lines between the shapes further highlighting the geometric and architechtural quality in the shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/11/2005 02:48:48 PM
B/W Club!

i really enjoy the lines in this shot. it DOES look like the reflection is cut off to the left, but i understand why. i think a bit of a wider shot showing the reflection tapering off might help "explain" that to the viewer.

i don't know what's under the window, but i keep finding myself wondering. and i like the texture on the glass but would like to make it a bit more prominent. at this point in time, i can't see if it's etched or if there's like a grassy hill back there or what. and it seems rather gray. i think you could bump up the contrast a bit in the window to make the whites "whiter."

overall i love a good window shot, which this is.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/11/2005 10:41:19 AM
B/W Mentor Class
Everything looks great to me, except for not being able to see a little more detail under the window pane. A little more detail would have made this really stand out. It is a little blown out on the bottom left corner of the glass.

Message edited by author 2005-07-11 10:54:35.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/14/2004 08:23:28 AM
Greetings from the Critique Club
Hi Kavey!

Composition
I like the short amount of wall on the left. It doesn't compete with the main glass that way. The very tight crop is also nice.

Lighting
My one real bit of concern is the brightest part of the glass - the left side - is definitely blown out. If the glass pattern showed through there as well, the picture would be more complete and 'finished' feeling. It's not the first thing I noticed, but it's there.

Overall
The patterns are fantastic here. I really love the surreal painted quality to this. A great shot - probly would have been better with a "study" part of free study (if you'd had the memory and time to take a few more shots and explore the idea).

Mav
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/14/2004 07:53:15 AM
Kavey,

I really like this image, and you have captured the feeling of the moment perfectly. I agree with you on the shallow DOF, it draws your eye to the texture of the glass. I am not so sure about the B&W, but without seeing this in color, I can not be sure. I think the tight crop does the window justice, and just enough of the wall to give perspective to the image. Nicely done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/14/2004 07:42:18 AM
Bill, thanks for your comment. I must admit to being a fan of shallow depth of field but I know that many others prefer a wider depth of focus and it's useful to know how others find my DOF choices. Thanks for commenting, and to all who commented during the challenge. I did send thank you PMs that I hope everyone received OK.
 04/14/2004 05:58:27 AM
Kavey:

Not in the CC, but I like this. Contrast was mentioned before as well done, and I agree. Perhaps a bit more DOF would give just a little extra sharp detail in both the panes and shadows on the wall?

Best
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
04/04/2004 12:51:52 PM
Very interesting image. Like the use of Black and White and high contrast.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/03/2004 09:11:28 PM
Whoever you are you have the only good march photograph I have seen the rest look like they were made for post cards or don't have much to them. Thank you for the staying power of your image
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/03/2004 08:35:31 PM
Interesting texture. from the title I was expecting people, and was plesantly supprised when it was not.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/03/2004 03:58:42 PM
10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/02/2004 03:50:01 PM
I think I've seen this one somewhere before... :o) The mood of the shot and the patterns of light are great - makes it looks like a sunny day as viewed from a dark room. Wonder if you can spot my entry ;o)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/02/2004 01:50:29 PM
Stunning. Good luck.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/01/2004 08:40:28 PM
Nice shot - 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/01/2004 04:28:49 PM
Great eye and great subject matter.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/01/2004 09:58:46 AM
Nice. Looks like frost on the panes.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/01/2004 05:53:37 AM
Nice tight crop.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/01/2004 12:59:14 AM
Very artistic and dramatic. -9
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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