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Canon DSLR Challenge | all galleries >> Challenge 53 - In between (hosts: Olaf.dk & Ed Hahn) >> Eligible > The Way Out *
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28-OCT-2005 Mikel Featherston

The Way Out *

San Diego, CA

Figured this image was kind of 'in between' on several levels. We have a plant between two doors... we have an indoors vs outdoors boundary, a light vs. dark boundary, and I myself am in between my work and my home, albeit closer to the work end of that journey. Don't trust the EXIF... I put the good data in manually.

Canon EOS 20D ,Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX Fisheye
1/80s f/2.8 at 15.0mm iso800 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Canon DSLR Challenge30-Oct-2005 04:33
Mikel,

I think that this image is better than your other shot for all of the reasons that you mentioned. I personally rarely like seeing the photographers reflection in a shot, good looking or not, I think that the symmetry of this is more pleasing, and to me this angle is more interesting.

As far as in between I think this does represent in between on many levels as you say. And that fact is interesting, and I really like seeing how people interpet the different challenges.

Since you asked the question on why this is better than your first one, I would like to take the time to comment on this in more detail.

I think that technically the image is fine, and it does read as in between. The symmetry is somewhat interesting, although I don't think that the image itself, at least alone is all that compelling. To me it is a somewhat interesting observation, but isn't that strong alone, and seems like it would have interest in a series. Something like a study of exits decorations. Let's say that you have 15 shots, that are all similar but of different locations, some with great plants, some with statues, some with nothing and so on. Alone, this just doesn't say wow to me.

I think also that I find the reflection in the window somewhat distracting, and even though you have included both doors, I am not sure that you really need to show that much, a closer crop of the plant with just some of the doors would have said all of the things that you mention.

The way that this image is currently the plant is the main focus, the doors really are decoration in the image, so your title doesn't fit, I am not sure what I would call this. If your intent (judging from the title) was to illustrate 'the way out' I might have gone wider with the shot, going wall to wall with the plant not the dominate feature in the image.

Chris


Mikel Featherston29-Oct-2005 20:29
But is it better because I'm not in it, because the symmetry (although not perfect) is better, or because the lower angle of the shot makes for more pleasing proportions?
Canon DSLR Challenge29-Oct-2005 15:39
I do think that this is much better than your first where we saw your reflection.

Chris
Edward Hahn28-Oct-2005 14:52
(*) Would ducking remove the reflection of you in the window? (FWIW, I don't know whether that would look better).