color version . . . .

I uploaded another version of this subject a month or so ago. It's

B&W . . . and a lot darker. What little shadow detail there was in

the original got lost in compression. The colors are a bit odd in

this one, though they're produced by PS levels adjustments only.

Do you have a preference?

Little note: I was writing my comment just now when my computer hang on me... So, where was I...? :-)

The composition is imo quite perfect. Camera slightly to the left - avoiding the vertical line of the right pillar - could have made sense to, but that would depend on what was on the left of what I see in this frame.

Besides that, I can't help it: I feel this would benefit from even more abstraction... How ? The idea that crossed my mind was based on the fact that the greys are fairly bright here, and as such, detract (to a minor extent) from the rusty tones and nice network of lines in these brown areas. So, why not try to darken all the greys here to the extreme...? It may sound weird, but I'm quite convinced it would result in a very beautiful image...

Not sure whether you are keen or not, but I'd like to try that... Let me know. Cheers.

Marc, did you see this one?

 

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1130469

 

The B&W is a different slide, one stop darker. I am open to the idea of making this one a little darker, but I like being able to read the faint lines, as well as the shadows.

Didn't even look at the name, I just clicked on the thumbnail. Why am I not surprised it's you? I love this image. Your ability to see angles in subjects is astounding to me and something I strive to learn. IMO, under fine art, it doesn't get much better than this. I would love this on my walls. There are many images goin on in this image. I would not make it darker because you would lose the wonderful detail in the shadows. This is a great image... Dave

this is excellent. i like that there are no distractions, even the wall texture would take away from the image. nice work.

I like this one better Carl, and while marc has a valid point, I have to disagree with him on this one. I think the B&W version was more abstract, but this one is my prefered. I would change the angle just a bit to get that vanishing point in the lower left closer to the corner. I enjoy the details that I can see in this one as the B&W version looks more like a line drawing. I think I even want to see the two lines come to a point at the top of the frame. The short version is that I like this quite a bit, and with just a couple very minor picks, would not go for a more abstract look.

... but now I have... and I have to confirm 50% of a disagreement with Scott here... Let me explain... Now that I've seen the B&W, which is exactly what I asked this one to be, I prefer of course the B&W. But, I may want the suggest the possibility that Scott may in fact like this one better mostly because its colors are great...?

At any rate, I like the colors here, but I like the contrast of the Black & White better. So, what about a contrasted color version, as a sort of mixture between both images ? I'll try, and let's see whether it works out or not...

Your call, but this time, I really want to hear your opinion on this. I find this picture absolutely fascinating after working on it a bit in PS... A million possibilies here, and at least half of them are interesting while giving really totally different visual results. Very difficult therefore to achieve "the best", but worth the jouney towards that goal...

Here are 4 versions, just to show you some of the results I found on my way, and which I liked... but this might need fine-tuning, assuming here you like any of these.:-)

The various parameters I have been playing with here are:

1) I wanted to increase the contrast between the grey walls and the light lines, to add drama, and so that these lines would stand out better, therefore strenghtening the structure of the composition.

2) Color: I have been trying to go towards an overall rusty feel, which originally mostly present at the top and left. By reducing color contrast as well, you strengthen the importance of the lines even further imo. So, I looked for an overall ocer base color, but added green in various proportions to try avoiding color monotony.

3) Incidentally, I also tried cropping... Interesting to me, but not necessarily better, just different.

Please note that the overall brightness of the versions I'm uploading here is based on what looked ok on my monitor in PS... So you may need to go a bit brighter or darker to fit your monitor.

Let me know if you want we to delete some of these versions. I realize that I'm taking here quite a bit of space... Sorry for that. :-) Regards.

Version 1.

Version 2.

Then a slightly cropped version - interesting, probably not better...

Finally, a major crop - which results in a totally different image - more like an abstract painting -, but which I like very much as well.

Absolutely the same as Dave Nitsche. This was my pick of the day and didn't notice the name until after it loaded! I really don't have any nits to pick here. I love it just the way it is. The angle and positioning of all lines are just superb. Of all the suggestions posted, I have to say they are interesting to ponder upon and consider..... but I prefer the original. Much of the beauty here is the light. The quality of which is lost on the B&W and contrastier versions. Really pleasing image here Carl.

Marc, I like your ideas, including the crop. (not instead of mine, just as an interesting additional idea :-) ) Clearly a more abstract version and emphasizes the color which is an important part of this version. How did you get the color and shadows so uniform?

I duplicated your image to create another layer, I used curves to darken the new layer. Then selected the top left half, feathered the selection at 100 pixels, then deleted the top left part of the darker layer, then duplicated the half that was left of this dark layer, to create layer 3, then I adjusted the opacity of the 2 dark layers down to 25 % and 35% respectively, after deleting - with eraser at 10 % opacity - a few different imperfect areas on each dark layer.

Then I adjusted the colors with selective color > grey = more cyan and more yellow.

For almost what ever you do in PS, you do it a few times on different layers and it will be smoother and generally seemless... Feathering a lot, deleting selections and erasing with eraser at low opacity all the time...

There are also ways to use "multiply" and such options to do all this, but that's more complicated, and I wouldn't know much about it...

Glad you liked it well enough for an alternative. Which version would you pick ? Cheers.

A pity that you cropped the first arch at the top, otherwise nice pic!

Oliver, the top arch is a problem, I admit. I have a little more room at the top, but as you can see from the shadows on the others, it doesn't come to a clean peak, and besides, you'd end up with a merge which I think would draw the eye away from other more interesting elements. What I did was to make the space between the top converging lines, the lower left space and the lower right space the same.

 

Marc, your colors in the lower left corner are brighter, rather than darker like mine which I prefer. I do like your crop, though. Lack of vertical lines gives it a different kind of balance. I also have a horizontal version of this which has vertical lines on both sides. It's OK, but I think this image is all about the three rising lines (the middle and right one are implied).

As I flash through the many pictures on this site I look for that "thing" that grabs me. I'm not doing this kind work myself, but I do appreciate it in other's work. The cropped top is O. K. with me; I see it as an indication of the continuum of the hallway effect. As I write this my mind is wandering the hallway and visiting the rooms; There is an end to the journey, but it's not in veiw. It is lonely here, but I can tell that others have been here before me. The feeling of fear and of safety are equally balanced. The steeple appearance gives me hope and the darkness is the reality of this life; I'm always on guard against the darkness. I love it. Your work is good, it grabs me.

Cool repetition but doesn't really command my attention overall. The exposure is right on and I like those perfect vertical highlights. Interesting variations by Marc. Marc's 4th cropped variation looks more like a corporate logo to me. There used to be database software by the name of "Alpha 4." Marc's crop of your shot would make a good logo for that product/company. I'm a designer who does logos and such everyday. I guess that is part of what makes me see things in a certain way.

I'm willing to consider selling the rights of Marc's crop for use as a logo . . . . for a hefty fee, of course. :-)

Great composition.

Great lines - and it's abstract enough that your eye keeps looking for the detail that will clue you in as to what you're looking at. Nice shot! rb

Very good.

I like the use of shapes and light. The color balance seems a little off - I can't quite put my finger on it though.

Would have liked to see the foreground lines come together