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Canon DSLR Challenge | all galleries >> Canon SLR Challenges - FAQ >> CSLR - Best of... >> Best of 2005 > #63 *
4th Place
by Michael Puff
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14-SEP-2005 Michael Puff

#63 *
4th Place
by Michael Puff

Canon EOS 20D ,Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
1/125s f/2.8 at 50.0mm iso400 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time14-Sep-2005 09:08:11
MakeCanon
ModelCanon EOS 20D
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length50 mm
Exposure Time1/125 sec
Aperturef/2.8
ISO Equivalent400
Exposure Bias
White Balance (-1)
Metering Modematrix (5)
JPEG Quality (6)
Exposure Programaperture priority (3)
Focus Distance

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Canon DSLR Challenge18-Sep-2005 19:52
I love the color and composition of this abstract image right down to its black border!! shu
Canon DSLR Challenge18-Sep-2005 02:14
Thanks for the details. I agree with you about the corner. I think it adds more interest to not to into the corner since one would expect it to go into the corner. That would completely bisect the image and that can be annoying, making half the image bland and boring. With your crop, you've given us a bit of unbalance, which adds interest and makes the plain area a slightly larger perctentage of the image, which gives it importance, instead of just being an empty side of an image. ~ Lonnit
Guest 17-Sep-2005 05:33
Fun to stop by and find a conversation.

First, the facts: this is a stairwell in the theatre at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. I shot it through the plate glass window which forms one wall of the stairwell. While it would be physically possible to gain more distance, I doubt that it's practical since glass reflections take over once the lens is more than an inch or two from the glass. The reflections could add an interesting dimension to an image, but it wasn't what I was after. I would guess the railings of the stairs to be 4 to 5 feet apart.

Choices: My primary reason for choosing a shallow depth of field was because I noted that it had the most effect on the luminance of the foreground and background staircase parts. The background railing became softer and more grey while the foregound was sharp and highlighted.

Phil: Yup, I thought about total symmetry and running corner to corner...several of the shots actually had that composition. Something just prevents me from complete symmetry...I just can't do it most of the time.

It's nice to see this type of discussion. I think that presented with the same scene, each photographer might well choose to approach it very differently. It's only been recently that I have actually approached a scene like this making very conscious choices about what I wanted to accomplish rather than just shooting away. The upside is that I'm often getting exactly what I was going after...the downside is that I must now push myself to experiment and see what happens outside of my preconceived notions. But hey, it's all fun. -Michael
Canon DSLR Challenge17-Sep-2005 05:18
an awesome graphic photo. great eye picking this one out.
-Techo
Canon DSLR Challenge16-Sep-2005 20:40
Ooops! I see now what I didn't realize before. I thought I was only seeing a staircase with a railing only on one side. I see now that it is indeed a two separate rails, presumably 3' apart, but f it's commercial it could be 5 or 6 foot wide. When I said inches, I was referring to the width of the handrail itself. It was the two-dimensionality of it that threw me. I was trying to say that something that is only 2-3" wide to begin with isn't going to really be affected by a longer lens. Of course, if the rails are 3-6 foot apart, that would show an effect. As for your idea of one handrail eclipsing the other, that is how I would have shot it too. I love this though, but that's just the way I think.
~ Lonnit
Canon DSLR Challenge16-Sep-2005 20:32
Hi Lonnit, I'm not sure how you know the width of the stairway to be two-foot and four inches; regardless, the two stairway railings are set apart, and the placement of the vantage point nearer or further from them will respectively make that distance more or less noticable. This is such a great two dimensional image - almost Mondrian-like - that I was thinking of pushing that aspect even further. And as long as we're talking about moving the vantage point, the other thing that might be fun just to see what it looks like would be to lower it just enough so the more distant top hanrail is eclipsed by the nearer one. This certainly isn't a nit - just a thought ;) - Kelly
Canon DSLR Challenge16-Sep-2005 16:30
Great color! theFly
ctfchallenge16-Sep-2005 13:46
Oh Michael, this is a wonderful graphic image! It makes your compliments on my shot even more powerful! This is a fine image. Kudos!

Kelly - Could you please explain why? I don't understand how that would impact the image since the entire depth of the subject is only 2-4" and it's just a solid color background which leaves no clue or matter to DOF. Apparently I'm missing something so this could be a good learning moment for me. :) Thanks.

Phil! I will certainly take THAT as a compliment!! Feel free to confuse us any time. :)
~ Lonnit
Canon DSLR Challenge16-Sep-2005 10:07
Interesting space Michael - great colors and capture. If it were physically possible, which I doubt that it is, it might have been fun to distance the vantage point/ film plane as far from the subject as possible and go after it with a long lense. - Kelly
Canon DSLR Challenge16-Sep-2005 07:13
Ooh, thought it was another Lonnit.
Again, like the strong colours. Composition is good, but did you consider cropping the top so the top rail was right into the corner to?
Phil