Winter, almost a dream

A fine shot,I like this vary much, and no it does not need re-cropping.

I am left wondering though if colour shots have been banned from pic of the week.

Alexei,

 

I don't know if because here in Brazil we haven't winter like this, with snow, but this scene is something special. I never get tired to look at this picture. Wonderfull composition! Great shot! Congratulations!

This picture reminds me of how magical 6X6 medium format is. Makes me want to put the digital away for awhile and dust off the old TLR.

Phenomenal. This sounds stupid, but it looks as if it's in colour although it isn't - the tones are so good. I'd be interested to know how the blurring was done around the edges (and disappointed if it was Photoshopped!)

Great details and strong composition in this well-balanced image. I also disagree with the cropping suggestion, since the image works so well in square, but at this point I hardly need to add my voice to that chorus.

 

There's really a lot to enjoy in this image, from the foreground figure, just on the edge of losing all detail in darkness, to the subtle sunstar highlight. Actually, the majority of this image registers quite bright, giving great contrast for the figure walking away from us. The trees are sharply defined like an etching, casting their wonderful mottled light into the emptiness of the walkway. And all of it lives in the strong lines of the long rows of buildings. If it weren't for the cars and bus, this image would seem even more timeless, though none of those modern vehicles hit me strongly upon first glance into this scene.

 

One subtle detail that struck me was that the tree on the right runs straight parallel to the edge of the frame, but that its base isn't square with the bottom of the frame. It might have been possible to square everything up, but it would take away the subtle dynamic impact of the angle that leads us to the figure. In fact, the triangle from the front tree's base to the woman walking to the sunstar highlight and back make a great compositional shape within the square frame.

 

Ok, so I haven't said anything about the blurring. I, for one, can't tell by looking whether it's lens condensation or photoshop. I don't really care, but I would like to see the image without that blurring if it is a post-processing effect, because I'm not sure how important it is to the success of the image.

 

I'm sure this doesn't appeal to everyone, though I did chuckle at Carl's note that the foreground details were pedestrian - the foreground being, of course, an actual pedestrian...

 

Enough ramble from me. Very nice. Enjoy.

I gather I'm the only one here who considers this to be a cliche. That's odd, because it seems a rather standard picture postcard sort of thing, no? Over here (yes I'm also from Russia) with troika and in the USA with jingle bells, it would seem a universal cliche for nations accustomed to snow, as well as a common romantic fantasy for nations without (snow): winter raging outside, fireplace cracking inside. Yes, very nice of course, but surely you have seen so many of such things already that enough's enough? Bee http://www.beeflowers.com

Great use of the lens hood to vinette the image. I love it! What an example of seeing an oppurtunity due to a physical mis matching of the equipment and getting such an amazing shot! Bravo!

This effect does work very well here. I wonder how you did it with a Hasselblad. Is it with vasaline on a filter or some post-pro in Photoshop? Great work. df.

The vignette effect may have been achieved by mounting a short telephoto flash-guard on the lens, exposed in the normal lens rectangular format (for medium format). I don't argue with that. The composition is essentially asymmetrical. To lock it into a square, symmetrical presentation ruinously exposes the vignette. To project the circular irrationality into the square shape, appears distinctly queer. Your posted image wants cropping, to correct the aspect ratio. This is stymied by the prejudiced Western post-alchelmical sensibility. If you want to see an example of what I mean, solicit an e-mail from my home address: mailport@worldnet.att.net. I have a shot of a train on a bridge which has similar dynamic perspective characteristics as this.

In the USA we're not at all swamped with images like this one. It's too dark and chilly for our advertisers to consider.

 

Our winter cliches run towards scenes of warmth and good cheer with all that cold and dark held at bay somehow, even if that feat is managed with a Sears Die-Hard auto battery.

I like this. The placement of the woman in the frame is spot on and the long line of trees and homes is quite beautiful. I'd like to understand how/why the hazy outer portion was done, though.

I've seen this one before and just looking at it makes me want to stay right where I am, in balmy South America. I think the vignette surrounding it is well done and looks like frost that adds to the chill factor. Congratulations.

I'd like to thank "Bee Flowers" up there for ratcheting the praise down a notch. She or he has a point. It is a pretty common subject in St. Petersburg photography, painting and drawing. Like I said in my earlier comment, it's not even the most fetching of streets by that city's standards. It's a nondescript block that doesn't have local flavor to pin it down, and an angular composition that plays up the cold at the expense of St. Petersburg's romantic sweep.

 

I also understand the impulse behind the crop way up there. The main figure is wonderfully expressive, and makes the picture a keeper, but it is a bit distant. Is the photographer blacking out from the cold?

 

It's an excellent photo and a worthy POW and a saleable shot, but it's not the end-all be-all of winter-in-Russia images.

The fact that this one may be a cliche is what I like about it. It is reminisant, it is something we can (most of us)relate to ... it does have a classic winter old timey feel to it. It could be Bedford Falls ("It's a Wonderful Life")

 

 

Not sure if I am expressing it well, but I like that I don't have to guess: is it real, is it wax, is it fake, is it PS effects.

 

It is what it is, a classic winter scene. Well worthy of POW.

Right on Regina! The nondescript street is a plus because it could be any city in Russia, or any other cold country, for that matter, and so the photo, while common in the sense that another photographer has already made a photo of someone walking down the street in the snow (sorry, I forget his name) it's still a well done.

 

We can't have it both ways: If the elves pick a totally new image, then chances are it's been photoshopped into existence and that draws ire. Any other shot is cliche if it's been done before, and we complain about that. At 52 images per year it would be hard to find totally creative, totally new, never been done before shots for every single posting.

 

About the crop, what can we say about a photo that can be cropped many different ways and still retain its essential goodness. This one is like that: I think the difference between the square and the horizontal is minimal.

I'm one that really enjoys the picture but don't feel that strongly about it. Technically I can't see much to fault, though I didn't really like the blurring at first, I thought it looked like one of those Hallmark cards that are blank inside, but after looking for a while I think the blurring has a more organic and natural feel in that it isn't uniform, the upper right and lower left are more heavily blurred. This helps it to not look too staged or cliche.

 

The composition is not particularly fresh and though the foreground figure's silhouette is interesting, and forms an essential element to the intrigue of the picture, it just doesn't really do it for me to lift a nice scenic shot to a different level. With that lighting you maybe had opportunies to catch different shadows, would like to see some other options.

 

Not saying I could do better, I'm sure I couldn't, and sometimes familiar shots are comforting and nice, but it seems like a very above average slice-of-life shot with a lot of commercial value, but lacking some spontaneity.

 

Congratulations

I like this photo for its composition , where the tree tops on the left divides the photo exactly on the diagonal. Such division rarely works, but in this case, the treeline on the right adds enough counterbalance. I am bothered by the inconsistent clarity, and the lack of interesting subject matter. The overall effect of forshortening and mild contrast is somewhat abstract, and adds to the photo's success. I promised Jeremy Stein I wouldn't rate any more photos, so I'll just comment.

I like the effect of the blurred edges, but I do find the dark blurry

branches in the top right a little distracting. I suppose they help

balance the darkness of the pedestrian and the left corner, but it

pulls on my eyes a bit. Still, I wouldn't crop it. Personally, I'm a big

fan of the square format and think it works well for this image.

 

Might be nice to see a little more detail in the pedestrian.

 

Incidentally, why the red filter? Looks like a pretty high contrast

scene already, and the sky certainly doesn't appear darkened.

 

Beautiful shot, by the way. Gives me a chill!

Nice place near DLT :) ... Be wellcome there www.fotopiter.ru

Drug prihodi v gosti ... a chto eto bul za filtr ? soft ?

bufdy rad teba videt chlenom nashego piterskogo fotokluba

Why are the converging lines so interesting in this photograph? First, there is a transition from the manmade buildings to the natural trees on both sides of the road. The trees, each chaotic fractal shapes, also each have a tendancy toward a certain definate shape. Togeather they form a line just as planned and straight as the buildings. There is a sense of distance, an unending world of nature(snow and trees) and freedom, even in the middle of the town. The contrast of the subjects make this photo interesting. The only purpose that the tunnel effect might serve is to remove crisp branches from the foreground, which is probably worthy, although I think overdone.

I like this photograph on several levels. The composition is classic and needs no cropping. The anonymity of the place and figures and timelessness of the struggle against the elements are always attractions for subject matter. Having lived and taken photographs in both Alaska and New England I can appreciate the setting and I love weather like this. It is so gratifying to get inside to a warm fire and something hot to drink to watch it from the inside!

Nice photo, classic it seems. I love that square format. Makes me think the rectangular format is CONSTRICTING! I mean why have the film crop your photos, maybe we would all love an open and airy square format that takes advantage of more of the lens. And then WE choose what to crop. Intriguing the square format, I guess everyone's USED TO rectangular images.

GOSTLY!--(shadows and figure). Wonderful photo! A complete success!

Great B&W photo wiht excellent composition and nice effects. Congratulation for a remarquable art work!

black and white winter scenes are wonderful, and this photo is a fine example. congratulations!