Untitled

Comments and suggestions much appreciated. Thanks, Line

Well done ... the stair and the brick wall are certainly the attraction ... but then you see the blind and the reflection ... what nice icing!

Beautiful b/w tones, lines and composition.  I particularly like how the blinds and stairs are repetitive patterns....  Mike

Très "moody", bravo

Impressive graphics!

a pair of the stair steps and a potion of the door and frame seem to be blown out.

Congratulations!
A beautiful image which highlights a perfect composizone, the excellent management of the light and the cut chosen absolutely perfect!
A greeting.
Enzo

Thank you all for your visit and comments. Always much appreciated!

Nice combination of curves.

The light and lines in this photo have a very musical cadence. What I like is that it's an ordinary scene made extraordinary by light and contrast, by means of being a photograph and by means of abstraction. That is, it's not a complete abstract but it relies on abstraction for much of its expressiveness. The repeating lines and spirals are like the point and counterpoint of a fugue. The light seems to come in and out of the scene as if being whispered.

Two of the central highlighted stairs seem blown and I'd prefer they hadn't been. Though graphic in nature, it gives too strong a graphic presence in the center of the photo and it seems like the type of photo where technique is so much a part of the expression that the highlights there want to have retained some texture and detail.

If the the copyright line is meant to protect the photo, it appearing in such a dark corner means any thief could very easily clone or crop it out, so it's not really going to serve that purpose. It is quite prominent, however, and just appears as an advertising logo, much like network logos in the corners of TV screens. It seems superfluous and intrusive.

A very enjoyable and engaging photo.

Line's control of the lighting provides two sets of leading lines/structures. The first - the illuminated stairs - draw the viewer's eye up the stairs, while the second leads the viewer along the blinds to the doorknob. In both instances, this helps to produce a sense of mystery, since there is no clue as to what lies at the top of the stairs or beyond the door. To paraphrase Fred's opening comments, the image is quite successful at transforming something ordinary into something extraordinary.

And by the way, I also wish that the copyright were a bit more subtle.

A beautiful geometrical construction, which is drawn by light and includes a joy of lines and forms and yet is a shot of a brick wall, a staircase and a door. It could be used for inspiration for all photographers who proclaim, that they need to go far away from their daily surrounding in order to find scenes worthwhile shooting. This is photography as I love it. Well seen and well done, Line.

Anyone knowing the photographical works of for example the Japanese photographer Takehiko Nakafuji (especially his series from the Northern island of Hokkaido) might agree that the basic elements of such a similar photographical visions of reality can be found in Line's POW, but that the artistic execution can be further developed.

Nothing to add to the above comments. Very nice. I do agree with Fred though that the blown highlights on the stairs detract a smidgeon. Perhaps a bit of selective burning in would bring them back?

Fred, Robin - Maybe it's my monitor, or my poor vision, but I don't se any blown highlights. I do see bright white highlights, though.

Michael, I see some texture on all the steps up until the brightest two steps, where there is no texture apparent and it looks graphically white as does the supporting post at its brightest.

Robin and Michael, I don't see the blown out either and even it is without texture, hard sun light does in fact produce that effect on metal and fits perfectly well in the composition.

Got it - no texture after and including the brightest 2 steps. Perhaps Line's intent was to show them as bright, shiny, and smooth?

Michael. You raise an interesting possibility. It may have been Line's intent as opposed to a technical glitch or accident or misstep for sure. I would still question the result, though, and the way it looks in the photo, even if this were the specific intent. Plenty of photographers do things intentionally that don't look good to me. Although understanding a photographer's intent can sometimes change my opinion of something and certainly offers insight into choices made, the intent to show shiny and smooth wouldn't really change what I'm seeing and my thinking it could have been a little more nuanced. I'm certainly not making any sort of big deal over it, other than responding to what you've said for the sake of sharing and discussing. I still like the photo a lot and think it's a relatively minor point, but still one I think worth making, while also understanding your take on it and accepting our differences of opinion.

Works for me, Fred.

My first reaction is that this image is interesting almost to the point of being mysterious. A brick wall with a spiral staircase leading to what? Only a hint of what is at the top... A conventional and unassuming plain glass and wood door with a sign over it- saying what? It is hard not to be drawn in by the strong central spot of light, which is there to illuminate what? And coming from what source? There is a strange contrast of elements. Some sharp and some hidden, which makes us want to play with the contrast, but only to solve the questions, not to enhance anything. The strong verticals and horizontal and verticals of a plain door, the obvious entrance, the stacked static of the brick against the very fluid and very strong contrast of the S curve of the staircase. Kind of a symmetry. But on a closer look the symmetry is broken by the misalignment of the half drawn venetian blinds. That is kind of amusing because we all now of how the cords get tangled and we get the messy but interesting result of a curved set of slats. I haven't time to think of the details until I get past the overall balance and yet imbalance, which includes the barred gate way. Inviting and uninviting at the same time. Is this a stairway to someplace transcendent, a parable of sorts. Is this the choice of the door or the stairway with a tiger behind one, letting imagination run wild. Call it perhaps an ink blot test for the photo imaginative maybe. Or is this seeing more than is there?

Sorry all for the late reply. I somehow missed that this was chosen as pow. Your comments and suggestions are very much appreciated! Someone else had pointed out the blown stairs on the original posting. I did not see them as blown, but with Fred's explanation of what he is seeing, and looking back at this image I kind of agree that the lack of textural details on those steps does make them look as blown...So, here is a corrected version.

Anders Hingel /v3graphics/member-status-icons/sub9.gif/v3graphics/member-status-icons/2rolls.gif, Jul 08, 2014; 06:02 p.m.

Some time ago I stumbled on a forum thread here on pn where the author claimed that people who traveled to distant or hard to reach locations should get extra points in rating and that it was what this person was doing and suggesting. I was horrified to think that someone who could not afford to spend 20,000$ on travel and a similar amount in equipment was therefore considered a less talented artist!! My answer to the thread was that it takes far more talent to create a "wow" image out of banal things... Happy to see I am not the only one with this vision!