Shots of the chapel on campus.
I'm really just wondering how the angle, the crop, and the sky might be improved.

I realized, after the fact, that I chopped the top of the tower off in one of them, but I put it in here anyway to see if y'all thought the color was better in it.

The brick is jagged too, and I've heard people say things about compression having something to do with that.

But, my big questions are, when are clouds a bad thing? And what could I have done better with the angle of that tower?

1st, I prefer the colour one here.

As far as the crop goes, I would've liked either a tighter crop or more room.

This to me is in the middle somewhere. Not tight enough to strongly suggest your point of focus and not wide enough to accentuate the skies by showing more of the clouds vs. skies dynamic that was going on that day. I think the angles are fine, but I'd know a better angle only if I see one. :) Also, it would've been nice if the bells where better lit doable by waiting for a better time of the day when the natural light is hitting them in a way that illuminates them better.

Every carillon tower I've seen begs to be photographed. There's one on the UW campus that I take a shot of once in a while, but it doesn't have the exposed bells that this one does. I think the clouds are OK but could use a curves adjustment in the color shot to bring out the detail captured in them rather than be mostly blown out white. Does anyone play the carillon there?

Amithi, I think the angle of the tower works for me. It gives a "towering" looming quality and feel to it. I like your b&w version, and the leaving the blue in the sky is an interesting effect. Also, the clouds look stronger and add more in the b&w version. I feel the picture is fine and I could not offer much for improvement unless there is something different that you had wanted from this picture, but you would have to further explain what you wanted to achieve. Good

I agree, a great angle for the whot and a wonderful background for the shot. I'd personally prefer this purely black and white with a little more contrast, but I think you did well with the shots you provided.

Good job,

Jared

Nice shot, terrific angles. If you re-take see what it looks like with a bit more of an angle to the top right

I like the B&W but did you try leaving the colour in the bells?

So many ideas keep popping into my head with this one.

Wish I could improve this quickly.

Roger

Thanks Leels, I tried to crop it tighter, but I wasn't feelin it :) I don't mind if you work with it some so I know what you're talking about. And I'll try to remember about the lighting next time I shoot...

Ha, Chunk, I have no idea what you're talking about when you say curves adjustment... I've GOT to get some good photo-editing software! Oh about the carillon... I suppose I'd have to know a little something about a carillon to answer that one... There's an organ and these pipes inside the chapel, would they be hooked up to the bells? I don't know what I'm talking about :)

By the way Gary, it gave me the looming feeling too...

Thanks Jared, I tried to take the blue out of the sky and add some contrast... this is how it turned out...

Roger, thank you :) I'll definitely try it with just the color in the bells next time I shoot. The chapel's also really beautiful at night, all lit up... I want to try to get a shot of that too.

Thanks for all your help!