Winter, almost a dream

Excellent photograph that stands very well for the whole week or even more. Well chosen

Congratulations, Alexei, on your POW. The shot definitely portrays the atmosphere very effectively, and makes me glad I'm sitting in a nice warm building as I type this. I don't particularly like the "tunnel effect" as it's been applied here. I think the blurring on the left side of the screen in particular is too exaggerated, as the closest car seems to abruptly disappear. Also, near the end of the street, it looks like a ledge of snow has fallen from a rooftop, and is crashing down on some poor pedestrian. Regardless, I admire you for even getting out in this kind of weather to take shots. Keep up the good work.

 

Bill

Wonderful! I can see the troika and a samovar in my mind. Elicits memories of my childhood and the wonderful stories my grandparents told. Thank you.

A wonderful photograph. It has appeal from a distance and upon closer examination the eye is treated to an array of interesting features. It sure works for me.

 

Keep up the great work.

I like the details in the foreground pedestrian. . . . items carried,

hat, flapping coat. I, too, wonder about the white line at the point

of convergence.

 

I'll add my name to those who are curious to see what it would

look like without the blurring. It seems to have been added to

counterbalance the strong lower left shadow

I liked the mood of this image the first time I saw it... I still love it. As carl points out, the flapping of the coat really adds life to this image... The composition is simple but perfect to me. The details in the snowy parts are wonderful, and would be even better I'm sure, on a print...

As for the blur, it is my understanding that it is due to the cold on the lens and not to any post-production, and I certainly feel it is appropriate, as it adds depth to a shot which is already all about depth... Why does the blur add depth ? Imo, it appears to add to the feeling of distance between the camera and the walking person in the foreground...

In a way, I would say that it "includes" the photographer in this cold world, and therefore also suggest that there is an observer to this beautiful scene... Which makes me feel that this scene is secretly captured by a person who feels cold as well. That's a distanciation effect which strongly contributes to the picture for me.

Really beautiful. Congrats.

It sure would be nice if the response form showed the image so we could see it while we comment. Ah well.

 

Excellent, obviously. I'm partial to St. Petersburg streetscapes alongside canals or curved streets or odd corners and desolate squares, myself, but this is nice too. The wind-lashed woman is the real story. It's obviously very, very cold. The body language comes through loud and clear.

I already commented this photo, but couldn't resist commenting again. I believe it to be a good example of what great photo is. It excellently seizes frosty Russian winter and delivers it in beautiful composition.

Well done!

The blurring seems to be complementary here, not as heavy handed and overpowering as we are used to seeing around here. It feels like the stinging winter wind in my face, making my eyes water, and blurring my vision around the edges. Tastefully handled. Lots of interesting details if you look at this closely. Nice cold toning. Great Image.

It is a crying shame that they no longer make this film. Agfa really blew it there.

I'm with Scott and Marc on this one... I felt like the blurr was very possibly condensation on the lens.. Having shot lots of film in below freezing conditions.. I can tell you that it happens.. It may be an "effect" .. but still - it also makes me feel like I'm there and the water in my eyeballs are frozen from the wind and cold.. That is what makes me really "feel" the cold in this shot.

I happened to look at the ratings list after I posted my first "comment" and noticed a scattering of 4s in both aesthetics and originality .... I suppose it takes all sorts, but to think that there are people who believe this image is only average in any respect makes me long to see what they regard as above average. Perhaps they could give an example or two ... I for one would love to see them.

It's so good I'm worried about what we will fight and bicker about all week.

I agree, a wonderful image. The person in the foreground doesn't seem to leave any foot prints in the snow.

It needs cropping from the top (see the attached). Otherwise, it's not a bad effect. Honorable.

Doug Burgess: "It's so good I'm worried about what we will fight and bicker about all week."

 

Hmm... I don't know -- the figure looks kind of waxy to me ...

 

I am, however, curious about how the blurring was accomplished. I think it is effective -- and in fact essential to the photo's mood -- but I wonder whether it was (1) a filter; (2) lens fogging; or (3) ... Photoshopping ...

 

I disagree with the suggestion to crop it. The square format is lovely. This one deserves to be printed big (and hung on my wall), especially if printing would pull some detail out of the coat.

I love this image - and have since it was posted. I am now ashamed that I didn't comment at the time. The elves' comments were spot-on, an as others have said, this captures a sense of place and season wonderfully. I can feel the snapping cold, and I love it. Reminds me of the two winters I spent in the Baltic area. Brrrrr!

A wonderful picture! Not sure why Worf thinks it needs cropping. Actually I think the original version is excellent as it is. The open sky adds a feeling of distance. As for the blurring around the edges, I think it is a beautiful effect - no matter whether it was done with vasaline on the filter, cleaning off the condensation from the center of the filter/lens, or Photoshop. The photograph has excellent composition, great tonality, and is chock full of emotion. The very things we all strive for but seldom get. Congradulations on a great POW.

I disagree strongly with the above cropping suggestion. It loses all of it's dramatic flair with it that tight.

Wonderful shot. Absolutley stunning. I also think the suggested cropping destroys much of the beauty and power of the photograph. Alexei... Please post more!

A Hassy shot that looks like a Holga.

 

Great shot.

To me, the best part of this photograph is that there is nothing specific that gives away its time period or its location. Certainly one could make arguments based on the "feel", but like Wes Anderson's film work [Rushmore, Royal Tenebaums] there is a sense that this could be anytime, anywhere. That sense helps me relate to the image on a much more personal level than I otherwise could. I live in Boston, and this image made me think of Beacon Hill during the winter.

Haunting. A Jung symbol of our collective unconscious. The cropped photo reduces the twisted dreamy "ceiling" similar to a previous photo.net presentation a few weeks ago. Leave it uncropped! It needs no more cropping to increase the graphic impact. Comment from San Francisco where it is 60 degrees! One of my favorites!

Thanks for the wording. Yes, I was instantly reminded of some WW2 and Korean War photos, of a nasty hike I once made back from high-school in New York, and of a particular ice-storm in Alabama.

 

It's a very evocative picture.

truly a great picture!!

 

I am curious though, why the shadow's of the people don't seem to be consistent. The shadow of the person closest to the camera seems to be almost in front of them, but the shadow of the next closest person (down the street)seems to be more to the left (with respect to the photographer). What causes this (if in fact this effect is real, and my eyes/mind aren't crazy)?