Hotel de Ville, Paris (Paris City Hall) winter

This is a winter scene from the Paris City Hall, showing how the

French have utilized their masterwork architecture and employed it

into everyday 'street' life. It also is a study into 'symmetry'.

Your ratings and comments are invited and most welcome. If you rate

harshly and very critically, please submit a helpful and

constructive comment/Please share your superior knowledge to help

improve my photography. Thanks! Enjoy! John

It's interesting that among the hundreds and thousands of comments I have received, no one yet has commented on the composition of this particular photograph, which in my mind is a rare capture that absolutely stood out from all the other captures taken during my Paris visit, for reasons that I invite anyone to guess.

 

For of all the 'face shots' and 'street portraits' that caught unusual looks etc., or other photographs and various juxtapositions, this one stands out in my mind as a favorite -- the skill of previsualization wedded with split-second timing to achieve a result that was only imagined fractions of a second before it was captured.

 

(this photo was cropped slightly for purposes of 'rotation', it was slightly rotated from the horizontal.)

 

Note that the skating rink center was NOT placed truly in front of the center of the chateau-like (castle-like) Hotel de Ville (city hall), which made mirroring left and right somewhat difficult.

 

John (Crosley)

Love the composition here dear John, love that movement made by the right to the left skater! Very unusual is the whole scenery! Love it!

 

Biliana

I took a number of photos (note I was on the 'centerline' of this temporary skating rink' to make symmetry).

 

I tried to make various captures, as one would for a travel magazine or whatever, but the 'old me' jumped in and said 'let's take something that's visually very interesting and unusual -- something that nobody else would take -- not just kids skating around in a circle or people smiling at the camera (which I did take), and this is the result.

 

It took a number of photos to get this, and the photo required some 'rotation' in Photoshop, but i think I got it. I would have liked more outline around the left skater's left arm -- we are forced to guess where it is and our mind fills in the blanks, I think.

 

John (Crosley)

This is an engaging composition. The sense of movement from the skaters is dynamic. It also creates a triangle with the two figures in the foreground positioned right and left, and the one in the background charging towards the front. The lines on the ring lead the eyes to the beautifully detailed building that serves as a majestic background. It's an exquisite picture John and I share with you my sense of bewilderment as to why this piece has been so inconspicuous. I'm sorry it took me some time to notice this. It's hard to just pick one jewel from Ali Baba's cave. ;)

I don't know much about Ali Baba, but I was disappointed at the reaction to this work, but every day there are misunderstood works on Photo.net, and I have had my share, but sometimes an image I feel is hardly worthy is praised to the hilt, so I think somewhow it all evens out in some cosmic way.

 

Don't you?

 

It was just a matter of standing there and pressing the shutter numerous times until I got something I felt would be 'worthwhile'. I can be persistent pressing that shutter; although I don't always get anything worthwhile.

 

This the fabulous Hotel de Ville (the Paris City Hall, in front of which Doisneau (the 's' is silent) portrayed the man kissing the woman.

 

I was ever so surprised to find a skating rink in front of it; what a wonderful way to use it in winter.

 

I'm glad this image pleased you.

 

John (Crosley)

Last year there was a free Doisneau exhibition inside it. The line was wrapping around the corner to my surprise. This was late afternoon. After a lenghty wait I gave up and moved on. Shame on me, but I was in a hurry and underestimated its popularity. Yesterday I saw an exhibition by Chim (David Seymour). It was fascinating. John, I wish you luck in your endeavors regarding the recent problem you encountered with your pics. Sorry to hear about it.