Liverpool Architecture

A couple of shots I took at Christmas and only just gotten round to looking at. These are examples of the new architecture in Liverpool as a result of the Capital of Culture year.

C&C please

[IMG]http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i296/Father_Ted/PHOTOS/Liverpool1Resized.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i296/Father_Ted/PHOTOS/LiverpoolMuseumResized.jpg[/IMG]

In all honesty, Father, I think you should reconsider your signature. These shots are certainly not blurs. Interesting architecture, and well exposed too.

Thanks Terry.

You're the second person to say that about my sig. so I might just do that. I heard it in a comedy show and stole it from there.

Glad you liked the shots

Ted.

Brilliant shots,Looking forward to visit Albert Dock and maritime museum this summer.

I like #1, I'm sure that's a difficult subject to photograph -- two leaning sides, glass, etc.

It's actually three angles; two sides converging and the whole front leans out like a ship's bow. So trying to get it straight was really fun

In the spirit of the recent thread regarding C&C I'd say number 1 has the most potential but has scuppered you with all those damned trees. For me the essence of the shot are the clean sweeping lines of the building, the lovely blue sky and the complexity of the windows. Then along come those trees and inject a load of fussy detail.

Could you get an angle where you lose some of the base of the building but still get the majestic sweep upwards into the blue sky? You can clone out some of the detail like the street lamps and wires (if that's what they are) but the trees would be too much for me anyway.

Forgive me for being blunt compared to number 1 the second one is not in the same league.

Then again I'm probably wrong!

Mike

interesting point Mike, but all I noticed was the fabulous building. Which has to be good.
I agree that 1 is the best, great exposure on the sky and it dominates the picture 'properly'.
There's bound to be a more dramatic angle somewhere, but it may compromise this picture's ability to describe the true shape.

I beg to differ, with the highest respect of course

On first notice I would agree. But I keep thinking about the potential of NR.2. I like to suggest to the OP, to turn back if possible, with the same lighting conditions. And then concentrate on the framed glass and it's reflection. Go in close, play around with your viewpoint, use the outer side of that building as a frame and skip everything else. IMO that would make a absolute stunning image. Just a thought, of course.

Martin.

OK Martin, yes the building has potential, the shot as taken (begging the good Father's grace) is not in my opinion anywhere near as good.

In both cases I think we'd advise get closer and crop tighter? Certainly I feel both pictures have too much extraneous details that dilutes the impact of the composition. But as always it's totally subjective!

Darmunk - personally I think the building lends itself to losing the lower levels as the taper of the building is pretty consistent most of the way up and you'd keep the true shape with luck.

Mike

Agreed Mike,
But you know me by now, I always try to look at a different angle to submitted pictures. And think about what the Photographer had actually in mind, before he pressed the button , and how he managed to get the message over to the viewers, or himself for that matter.

Martin.

Thanks guys. Mike, you don't need to beg my grace , I asked for C&C and let's face it, it's the C&C here which has got me this far.

Looks like a trip back to Liverpool. I like the ideas you've had and I agree, getting in closer would have made for better shots. I might see if we have a decent evening next week, I pass near here on my way home from work

Watch this space.

And that, my friend, is what I find hardest of all.

An old guy, years ago( I was in my twenties, and impatient and arrogant as youth can be) tried to give me some tips on seeing "things", worthwhile to photograph. In short he said: The first picture you take, always should be the weakest and end up in the bin. People tend to be overwhelmed by the greatness or grandeur of a subject, be it a landscape, city scape or flowers. It doesn't matter really.
And afterwards, when reviewing their work, disbelief and disappointment hits hard. How is this possible.
It resembles in nothing like I remember it :

During the course he gave, he teached me to explore a specific scene and force myself to take at least ten pictures of the same subject by getting closer with each shot I took.(expensive lessons in the film days :shock But as a result I learned a valuable lesson. Eliminate everything that doesn't add to the picture. And thereby end up, with only that, what matters. I think he was absolutely right. but still, even now I keep on binning a lot of first pictures.

Happy shooting,
Martin.

Martin - I recall seeing similar advice by some famous photographer. I always think it's Peewee but I'm told it isn't, it's probably Capra. If the shot isn't good enough get closer.

I find it's so easy to see what you imagine in the viewfinder not what's actually there. Something I found with a rangefinder was that you could have both eyes open a lot of the time while composing which helped me anyway.

Mike