POTM Highway Motion - [10/2008]

[ssR]

My design teacher always says: "If you want to get really creative, throw away your first ideas. These are the things most people will think about. Then your mind gets creative". So i decided to start with rather boring and most expected approach to this month POTM. Went to Tel-Aviv and took some shots of Ayalon (main highway line in the city) with the Azrieli Toiwers in the background. Tried different angles and settings and picked the best 2 shots for your judgement. While i was generally satisfied with this session, i left with a bitter-sweet feeling, wishing for a wider lens. Then on my way back home i pulled on the side of the road to take another shot at the subject.

Maybe now i will get more creative after getting rid of the boring stuff

POTM Entry #1


POTM Entry #2




CC is welcomed as always

[Vers]

I think everyone knew (done-to-death) streaking was bound to happen with the current theme being 'motion'. Down to brass tacks. The technique, exposure etc etc is well done, however I can't say I like the angled composition very much--IMO, it doesn't add anything to the scene. The familiar building's are more interesting than what is otherwise meant to be the focal point (streaks) so much so that they steal the show entirely. I hope you got some level shots of the buildings as they are, if so then you've got yourself some very attractive shots.

[Da Dego]

ssR, the more I see from you, the more I like it.

The first shot is a great take on the "boring" idea. The buildings dominate the landscape but the whole Point of view makes "sense" to me. It feels towering, and the buildings being skewed in toward the frame draw my eye down below to the streaks of red and the well-done star halos on the lights and the city beyond. It feels busy, colourful and yet has an order and organization to it because of the framing.

The second is also good as a technical photograph (exposure and such) and I feel more "motion" to it, but I also don't feel the same overall energy from the shot. I feel less abstract over the whole thing, more seeing exactly what it is - a highway and a building. Which makes me feel like saying "straighten out your horizon and make the bog standard landscape shot and move on. The buildings tilted out toward the corner draw my eyes away from the shot, making me see the strip of highway separately and then the building and go "Oh, ok." There's no real emotion, in fact I don't feel myself held into it at all - everything that is a subject is pointing OUTSIDE of the frame. So the gravity is in reverse here compared to the original. The colours are also nowhere near as interesting.

So out of the two, I like #1 way better compositionally. And unlike Matt, I feel that the angles take a boring shot and make something much more unusual out of it. Whether that is good or bad depends on the photo and the artist's intent, and here I think it works well.

As for #3 - not my thing at all. Quite bog standard and even fairly well executed, frankly from you I'm coming to expect a hell of a lot more than this.

Hope it helps.

[yodasarmpit]

I have to disagree with Vers, I like the angled shot, especially the first one.
To me the angle and composition add to the feeling of motion that wouldn't exist in a level shot.

#1 for me.

[ssR]

Wow, thanks guys, wasn't expecting to get answers in such a short time

First thing first. I think we can all respect Vers's opinion on angled shots, it can very much be a matter of taste, i for example really like tilting the camera.

Brett: Thanks for the kind words and the detailed input. It's a new thing to me to get people expecting more from me when it comes to photography . I'll have to agree with you about the #1 being the better composed shot.

Just to give you something to compare those shots, and to Vers's request, some straight angle shots. The first 2 got some perspective adjustment and cropping. The 3rd pic is a shot of the other direction (i was shooting from a bridge)

[Vers]

ssR, I would have liked to see the entire buildings (as in #1) with a level horizon. I know your lens most likely wasn't wide enough for it, but that is what I was referring to. All in all, its simply a matter of taste. Don't get me wrong, I like angled shots, I just don't think the angle does anything to convey motion in the above images...its not right or wrong, just an opinion

[ssR]

Yeah i know what you mean. Sorry, no level shot was taken from that spot . I was shooting from a bridge from 2 spots basically, the one above the coming car flow (left one) and the other with the going flow (right one). After examining the site and setting up for the shots i decided to go with the angled shots from the beginning, the level ones were taken just in case and so that i would have more options later on. And yeah a 10-20 lens or anything in that region would do a MUCH better job (actually thinking of changing my priorities in the lens purchase order, i noticed that i shoot ALOT in wide)

[fathazza]

i really like the first one

and im a fan of funny angles too, (i kinda have to be as i live in a house that doesnt contain a single perfect right angle )

[Da Dego]

Originally Posted by ssR

And yeah a 10-20 lens or anything in that region would do a MUCH better job (actually thinking of changing my priorities in the lens purchase order, i noticed that i shoot ALOT in wide)

Ah, welcome, my young padawan...We have so much to discuss...

80% of my best shots come from the first 20mm of my widest lens... and often, I find myself wishing I could go a bit wider. As much as I lust over that 70-200mm f/2.8 IS, this point and this one alone brings me back down out of the clouds - I shoot wide. My telephoto spends most of its life in my camera bag, and though I will eventually get it at the expense of more than a mortgage payment (that's really sickening when you think about it), that 70-200 will see about 10-15% of my overall use and that's generous. Granted, it'll be a damn pretty 10-15%...

But yeah, I live on wide-angle. The stupid 11-16mm that I've been wanting for ages sold out in like 2 days again from B&H, Adorama and Amazon, or I'd be telling you how great (or not) it is...

[Mother-Goose]

OOOO #2 of the original set at 1920*1200 if thats possible?

[flibble666]

awesome work two yes two thumbs up +1 for the angled shot love it...

[ssR]

Originally Posted by Da Dego

Ah, welcome, my young padawan...We have so much to discuss...

80% of my best shots come from the first 20mm of my widest lens... and often, I find myself wishing I could go a bit wider. As much as I lust over that 70-200mm f/2.8 IS, this point and this one alone brings me back down out of the clouds - I shoot wide. My telephoto spends most of its life in my camera bag, and though I will eventually get it at the expense of more than a mortgage payment (that's really sickening when you think about it), that 70-200 will see about 10-15% of my overall use and that's generous. Granted, it'll be a damn pretty 10-15%...

But yeah, I live on wide-angle. The stupid 11-16mm that I've been wanting for ages sold out in like 2 days again from B&H, Adorama and Amazon, or I'd be telling you how great (or not) it is...

Ahh... i assume you're talking about the Tokina... Yeah it's quite difficult to get your hands on one... especially in Israel and there's quite a few decent options in that field too, hard to decide which way to go... not to mention the new 10-24mm tamron released recently (anxiously awaiting some detailed reviews)

Mother-Goose: There ya go

[Mother-Goose]

thanks SSR

[x06jsp]

number1 cheesecake

Josh

[OleJ]

#1 and #2 are great. I love the tilted action. I prefer #2 though due to the composition.

[UrbanMarine]

ah Tel-Aviv now that was a fun city to party in