Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

  New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site
  New Feature: SMS Notification alert
  New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist
  

FM Forums | Photo Critique | Join Upload & Sell

  

Archive 2019 · Paris Monochrome

  
 
visualpauses
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Paris Monochrome


Experimenting with Monochrome, as I was unable to get much enjoyment from the colour version.
Most probably there's also the 3d-2d conversion that causes a let down between what I saw and what I captured.
I remember, that I struggled a bit with where to place Les Invalides (the structure with the dome) in the frame.

Any feedback would be most welcome!



f /11
70 mm
-1 2/3 EV
ISO 160
Aperture priority
Evaluative metering

7D2 + 24-105



May 28, 2019 at 08:48 AM
beavens
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Paris Monochrome


Mahesh,

Initial take is a lot of busyness/chaos with no real rhyme or reason. The dome seems to be your main attraction, both with the relative size to the other structures and the fact that you mentioned it specifically.

When I look at this for direction, I see the largest areas of contrast are the where the treelines break up the buildings. Then I take those areas and with the expansive, sprawling feeling of a city I feel that a pano crop would work best.

That's personally how I would steer the shot, but that's my opinion.

Jeff







May 29, 2019 at 08:06 AM
Camperjim
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Paris Monochrome


From Jeff: "Initial take is a lot of busyness/chaos with no real rhyme or reason."

That is one of the reasons to consider whether or not to convert to black and white. IMO B&W typically adds to the busy, cluttered feeling.



May 29, 2019 at 09:07 AM
VickiB
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Paris Monochrome


Busy? Cluttered? Isn't that the essence of a sprawling metropolitan area? I find this presentation absolutely perfect in what it reveals about Paris. Despite what your critics call clutter, I find that monochrome provides the quality needed to unify the photograph so that Les Invalides provides both the needed focal point and the contrast of Renaissance beauty with modern uniformity.

The amount of detail is also amazing and provides almost a "where's Waldo?" opportunity to find interesting little aspects of the complex photograph.

Kudos!



May 29, 2019 at 09:33 AM
visualpauses
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Paris Monochrome


A huge round of thanks to everyone, for the fantastic feedback! I learnt a lot, going through the comments!

The closely packed nature of the scene is a polarizing aspect, one that has me switching sides as well.
However, I realized that unless one has "been there", the impact of the structural density cannot be felt.

My intent when I took this image was to bring out the demarcations created by the roads between the structures, and also incorporate Les Invalides on one side, with the golden light on the other.

I liked Jeff's crop a lot, the Pano aspect ratio works quite well. Had I studied my maps a little better, I would have (should have) also taken another shot to capture the entire Les Invalides, rather than just a part of it.

Along with the crop, I also took a stab at creating a "golden hour" version of the same image. To make it work, I took a spin in PS followed by the Nik tools. Socrate's past tips about using the LAB space helped a lot here, to achieve better color depth. Jim, thank you for nudging me to venture beyond the monochrome.

@VickiB, thanks a ton for your appreciation of the Monochrome version and the OP! You made great points, about the feel of a crowded city, the efficacy of Monochrome, and about the counterbalance of Renaissance vs modern sensibilities. I hadn't thought about the last part originally, but I'm glad that my error did end up in a happy coincidence Also glad to hear the "Where's Waldo" aspect of it Would love to hear your feedback about the new edits too!

I feel quite satisfied with where both versions have landed, compared to what they started from. Many many thanks to everyone to viewed the image, and offered the feedback!

Original - Added this for reference




Pano Monochrome


Golden-hour version



May 29, 2019 at 12:46 PM
RustyBug
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Paris Monochrome


I'm gonna say this in a left-handed kinda way, so let it sink in a bit before thinking I'm being uber-negative.


Imo, the mono is like having a thousand needles stabbing me in the eye.
NOTE: BTW, that means your technical processing is good ... just the choice to do so might be reconsidered.

By that, I mean that with the intricate detail of the structure, combined with the high level of acutance / contrast ... that's a lot of tiny sharp things to look at that are clamoring to put my eye / brain on alert.

In that regard, you might consider LOWERING the contrast, sharpness, acutance to take in consideration the inherent structure of the image (or print it on a velvet / rag).

Bear in mind ... I'm a detail junkie extraordinaire, and I really dig all the detail. But, it is tough to look at long enough to actually explore the detail.

That said, the SOOC is the easiest on the eyes to look at, and I like the last color version, but maybe take some of the edge off ... either globally OR intermittently selectively to give the eye some relief and the ability to move about via the variance.

As to the exploration of "Where's Waldo" ... if my eyes weren't bleeding, I might be able to find him.




May 29, 2019 at 10:26 PM
visualpauses
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Paris Monochrome


RustyBug wrote:
I'm gonna say this in a left-handed kinda way, so let it sink in a bit before thinking I'm being uber-negative.

Imo, the mono is like having a thousand needles stabbing me in the eye.
NOTE: BTW, that means your technical processing is good ... just the choice to do so might be reconsidered.

By that, I mean that with the intricate detail of the structure, combined with the high level of acutance / contrast ... that's a lot of tiny sharp things to look at that are clamoring to put my eye / brain on alert.

In that regard, you might consider LOWERING
...Show more

That was a very interesting and astute set of observations Kent Thank you for taking the time to explain it
I'm guessing that the excessive detail that's typical of cities is the primary reason many of the best shots are taken at night when the tonality is reversed - the street lights and cars leave a blazing trail while most of the buildings are darker.

I see what you mean when you said that the SOOC was the easiest on the eyes, and also thanks for the printing tips
I'm going to work on a new version with some intermittent lowering of contrast / sharpness, like you suggested.




May 30, 2019 at 03:39 AM
Shasoc
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Paris Monochrome


I have been reading with interest this thread. Seems like everybody is making good points.

One thing that came to my mind was that, may be, due to the size the image is posted we may need to look at the image from a bigger distance than the one we usually look at our monitor. That could explain the thousand needles stabbing Kent in the eyes. Clearly it depends also from the size and resolution of the monitor everybody is using.

Here are, reduced just in size, the last two pics posted by Mahesh.
It is like looking at the images from a bigger distance. It does make a difference to me. They aren't so hard on the eyes.

Socrate












May 30, 2019 at 10:12 AM
Shasoc
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Paris Monochrome


Having said that. This is how I see Mahesh image. (with a bit of exaggeration)
Socrate







May 30, 2019 at 10:24 AM
RustyBug
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Paris Monochrome


+1 @ viewing distance, as I was thinking "print large"


May 30, 2019 at 02:22 PM
beavens
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Paris Monochrome


I doreally like Socrates's last effort - you are excellent at really hitting the 'dreamy' look on the nose.

Jeff



May 30, 2019 at 05:52 PM
sbeme
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Paris Monochrome


+ at Jeff's crop
I prefer the color; seems a bit quieter, tamer, easier. Nice job with the golden hour version and Socrate's rework.
Large helps to compensate for the busy, almost overwhelming detail.
A different vantage point might have tamed the scene, providing more organization

https://goetzphotoz.smugmug.com/Travel/Paris/i-r75xzDC/A

Scott




May 30, 2019 at 07:53 PM
RustyBug
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Paris Monochrome


A different take on things ... harnessing the time of day with last glimmer of daylight, as the low angle begets the dusky onset of imminent nightfall.

Goldenoir, if you will.

An S&P to taste, but you get the gist in striving for presence vs. bright detail. Plenty of options, just depends on what you're trying to convey.







May 30, 2019 at 08:53 PM
visualpauses
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Paris Monochrome


Shasoc wrote:
I have been reading with interest this thread. Seems like everybody is making good points.

One thing that came to my mind was that, may be, due to the size the image is posted we may need to look at the image from a bigger distance than the one we usually look at our monitor. That could explain the thousand needles stabbing Kent in the eyes. Clearly it depends also from the size and resolution of the monitor everybody is using.

Here are, reduced just in size, the last two pics posted by Mahesh.
It is like looking at the images
...Show more

Wonderful point, Socrate, I hadn't thought of it. I'm on an old-ish 15" MBP, so I had assumed that most other would be viewing it at a resolution higher than mine, due to which it would look smaller on most other monitors.
Also another possibility might be that I'm used to the image by now, having stared at it for a lot more than most of the audience

Also great work on the softened look, I'm amazed at the vastly different interpretations possible, between yours and Kent's edits.

While we are on the topic of the level of detail, I think I should have also used the 105mm end of the lens. That would have been a good comparison. Some other time, some other place..
---------------------------------------------

RustyBug wrote:
+1 @ viewing distance, as I was thinking "print large"




---------------------------------------------

beavens wrote:
I doreally like Socrates's last effort - you are excellent at really hitting the 'dreamy' look on the nose.

Jeff


+1
---------------------------------------------

sbeme wrote:
+ at Jeff's crop
I prefer the color; seems a bit quieter, tamer, easier. Nice job with the golden hour version and Socrate's rework.
Large helps to compensate for the busy, almost overwhelming detail.
A different vantage point might have tamed the scene, providing more organization

https://goetzphotoz.smugmug.com/Travel/Paris/i-r75xzDC/A

Scott



That's an astounding set, Scott, loved it. I am still trying to figure out how to isolate parts of a busy scene. Fantastic work by you, one can learn a lot from that set!

Fully agree with your note about the vantage point. In fact over the last couple of days, I "re-visited" these areas using the 3D renderings available in Apple maps I wish I'd spent some more time with such groundwork before the trip, it would have been quite useful, rather than rushing around and trying to get all possible views and then discarding 70-80% of those later. Something to keep in mind before the next outing
I remember trying out the 360 views from Google maps, but mostly those have just the railings of the tower, not a real-360 view that one gets from the tower.

---------------------------------------------

RustyBug wrote:
A different take on things ... harnessing the time of day with last glimmer of daylight, as the low angle begets the dusky onset of imminent nightfall.

Goldenoir, if you will.

An S&P to taste, but you get the gist in striving for presence vs. bright detail. Plenty of options, just depends on what you're trying to convey.



"Goldenoir" - that's a good one, Kent Loved this edit as well. However, I couldn't engage 100% with the faded light look.
However, I did take a stab at something in-between. I started out by reducing the sharpness, and also darkened the entire scene, followed by corrections for the dome, and arrow-shaped cluster of structures on the left. It is entirely possible that this version ends up being neither here nor there

Many many thanks again, to everyone who visited and shared their inputs!





May 31, 2019 at 01:07 PM





FM Forums | Photo Critique | Join Upload & Sell

    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.