Staircase to Spring

Hi len

I liked the reflected light from the wetted stairs as well as the horizontal view with the curvature of the up stair. Best regards

the ice thaws and the sun smiles down on the seeping water... it beams with pleasure... pleasant thoughts, Len

Those were the very elements which first drew my attention.  Quickly framed, while on route to another location for photos, I felt this one was worth at least one frame.  The original has great detail throughout.  This higher contrast offering was a result of exercising my artistic license.  Best, LM.

After a long uncomfortable winter, hints of spring's arrival are always welcome grist for my photographic mill.  Thanks for stopping by.  Best, LM.

I like the graphical composition here..The bw. also works well...congrats

Thanks for your input.  The graphic nature of this one appeals to me too. No choice in the monotone presentation.  Film was T-Max 100.  :-)   Best, LM.

is a pleasure to see a so well worked light. lovely title, too

Thanks for your thoughts.  Yes, the light is all important.  Specular highlights make this one different.  It wouldn't have the same appeal in heavy overcast.  Best, LM.

Len, admirable composition,light and tones. Your caption is poetic.

Your visits & insights are always appreciated.  The melting snow made the title seem appropriate.  Best, LM.

I've been back and forth looking at this image for days now, and every time I'm composed my thoughts someones interupted them grrrr . So at last I have time to type them in my own slow motion two fingered painstaking style. What immediately "speaks to me" is the dampness and cold of the stone steps, despite the sunlight, the rough hewn steps still look freezing cold. This is perhaps born out by the barely melting chrystalised snow in the foreground. The little glimmers of light here are i think another essential element in the success of this image. The B & W tones are to be envied I can't honestly suggest any ways that this could be improved except perhaps the use of a wider angled lens, that might allow a landscape version where the far left of the steps are also visible. Just an alternative view, but probably not a better one.

Sincere Compliments

Alf

Many thanks for your thoughtful critique.  The 'cold' feeling of which you speak is fairly accurate as the dampness is indeed primarily due to the melting snow seen at the top of the frame.  I was thinking an alternate title of  'A Hint of Spring' could be considered appropriate.  I had a 50mm on at the time & still had to crop a bit from the right to minimize the excess amount of snow in that area.  Also, a wide angle lens would have had the effect of making the foreground appear larger while minimizing the impact of the stairs furthest away from the camera.  But, to tell the truth, I didn't even think of using a different lens at the time.  This was my first experience using T-Max 100 but it won't be my last.  Very satisfying.  I submit the original scan for your interest.  Best, LM.

Thanks for sharing the original scan, and pardon my ignorance of film and scanning. I only picked up a digital camera a few years ago, so information relating to film and scanning can be lost on me, hence my next observations / questions. The scanned image looks really pale and bright, and gives the impression that maybe some of the detail has been lost, whilst the processed  / finished image tells an entirley different story with great detail evident. Did you simply apply darker levels to the scanned image in photoshop, or is it a bit more complicated than that?

Yeah I see what you mean about a wide angle, now I think about in the terms you describe, it would lose some front to back impact applied as I previously suggested.

"A Hint of spring" not a bad alternative, though I like the original better. Or how about "Spring in our Steps".......yeah ok I'll shut uip now : - )

Cheers Len

Alf

Thanks for moving this discussion a bit deeper.  I'm sure it'll increase our mutual understanding of a few techniques.  I respectfully disagree that the original has less detail than the finished product.  I see details in the original which are clearly missing from the posted image. Except for the highlights!  And those are the elements I chose to maximize,  allowing some of the details in the steps to go dark in order to increase the drama (contrast).  I did this primarily through 'Curves' with perhaps some 'Levels' adjustment as well.  I feel that I properly (biased in favour of the large shadow areas) exposed the negative which leaves me many options.  Had I exposed for the highlights only they would have been fine but then I'd never be able to recover any detail in the steps if I so desired.  The info simply wouldn't be there! 

Your point about at least THINKING about using a different focal length is valid & should be a consideration for any static shot.  Although a wide angle lens may not have been a prime choice for this shot for the reasons I stated previously, a mild tele (ie: 100m) might have done the scene more justice with it's ability to compress a scene.

Always interesting to hear your views.  Best, LM.

Many thanks for the further information, much appreciated. I didn't communicate my thoughts too well in the last post. I can see that overall there is quite a lot more detail evident in the original, particularly in the shadow areas. My reference to possible lost detail, derives from the bright snow, though it is clear that these details were not in fact lost in the posted version. My intrigue revolved around how you processed the scanned image and I appreciate your explanation. I am amazed at the transition though, such a marked difference between both images. I sometimes get the opportunity to go out for the day with a fanatical film photographer, and through his example I have leaned to be a lot more selective than I used to be about composition, light and timing. He would perhaps take about 8 shots on a good day, whilst I would return home with 160 RAW images to sort through. I have since reduced the amount of shots I take to some degree, but further control of my shutter button finger needs to be excercised.

Cheers Len!

Alf

Are we film shooters more discerning or simply cheap?  Each film frame costs us money but the digital shooters don't have that concern.  They've paid it all up front.   It could be argued that digital shooters are trigger happy but I won't go down that road.  Like you, when I have a digital camera (my wife's P&S) in my hands I tend to take many more shots than the 36 each roll of film allows me.  It's the nature of the beast I'm afraid.  A well exposed film frame is like shooting RAW.  All the info is there and the artist is then free to manipulate it as he\she wishes.  If either is grossly over or underexposed the amount of successful manipulation is likely to be severely limited. Taking too many frames & having to edit on the computer should sooner or later have you editing in the field as you are taking the photos.  It's called DISCIPLINE.  :-)  Happy snapping.  Don't be a stranger.  Best, LM.