Cleopatras Needle

[gahspidy]

This is a monument built in Egypt around the 1600's, I believe and was given to N.Y. as a gift in 1855. It has Hiergliphics wriiten all over the sides of it, with it's translations on a plaque on the base. Converted to b&w. Your thoughts . . .

[Steph_B]

This is a monument built in Egypt around the 1600's, I believe and was given to N.Y. as a gift in 1855. It has Hiergliphics wriiten all over the sides of it, with it's translations on a plaque on the base. Converted to b&w. Your thoughts . . .

Sorry Gary, somehow your photo has not succeeded in getting me hooked...

At looked at it this morning and once again now. The light is too harsh (maybe too much contrast). And even though you seemed to have respected the rule of the third, somehow the overall composition lacks in punch. It may have been way better with some clouds to give some shape to the sky (maybe?)....

I wonder if the color version would be better (gray on the right, blue on the top and green on the bottom left). It might add some graphic quality to it.

I believe that obelises (spelling?) can be very cool (and tough) photo subjects when taken up close with a wide angle and a diagonal composition. But that's just me...

Cheers,

History Trivia: the one in Paris was stolen by Napoleon, and returned to Egypt by the French government after WWII. But it was so much of a hassles to get it back there that the Egyptian gov. decided to offer it to us as a gesture of good will between our two nations!

Steph.

[Lava Lamp]

This is a monument built in Egypt around the 1600's, I believe and was given to N.Y. as a gift in 1855. It has Hiergliphics wriiten all over the sides of it, with it's translations on a plaque on the base. Converted to b&w. Your thoughts . . .

I like it. You're on to somethign with your black and white conversions. The folige balance sit nicely inthe frame and the extra contrast gives it an old-timey feel, which is jsut right for the subject, I think. Of course I wonde rif it would be a better pictute if we could see the hierolglyphics.

[opus]

History Trivia: the one in Paris was stolen by Napoleon, and returned to Egypt by the French government after WWII. But it was so much of a hassles to get it back there that the Egyptian gov. decided to offer it to us as a gesture of good will between our two nations!

Steph.

Here is its twin, the one in Paris, taken approximately 3 January 2003.

I took this picture simply as a memory shot. BUT, in the spirit of this thread, I just had to go dig it out.

[villenadecorte]

This is a monument built in Egypt around the 1600's, I believe and was given to N.Y. as a gift in 1855. It has Hiergliphics wriiten all over the sides of it, with it's translations on a plaque on the base. Converted to b&w. Your thoughts . . .

Your composition/framing is excellent, b/w conversion is clean, but I think in my own preference I would have liked to see this from another angle all together, perhaps banking on the enormity in size, and the awesome clouds... standing under and shooting up? Just my preference. The pic is great just as it is.

[FadderUri]

I have to agree with Steph. Technically, the picture is great. Good focus, great lighting, clear subject... but it just doesn't "grab" me. I think it's all the vegetation around it... not that you can go in there with a bush hog and clear it out, but that's the only thing I can think of that keeps it from reaching out and grabbing hold...

[gahspidy]

Thanks all for the comments. btw,Steph_B, the sky is full of clouds in the scene. But I get the point and realize it may not be as impactful as I thought the shot was. . . or hoped it would be.

[gahspidy]

I like it. You're on to somethign with your black and white conversions. The folige balance sit nicely inthe frame and the extra contrast gives it an old-timey feel, which is jsut right for the subject, I think. Of course I wonde rif it would be a better pictute if we could see the hierolglyphics.

Thanks LL. . .I still like the shot as well, but realize it probably isn,t all that I thought it was. About the b&w. . . I find myself really in it as of late and think about it when shooting or going for an image. When you say I'm onto something with the b&w, do you mean the conversions are good or do you feel the subject matter is better in b&w? Just want to know exactly what you see as it helps me alot.

[Clicker]

I agree that this makes me want a different angle... maybe a close up with the texture of the writing on it pointed upwards like others have suggested...
Really good conversion and Framing, Except for the bare tree limbs sticking out on the left hand side.. and my eye is strangely drawn to that area, since the clouds seem to be *staying* away from the limbs !

[gahspidy]

Your composition/framing is excellent, b/w conversion is clean, but I think in my own preference I would have liked to see this from another angle all together, perhaps banking on the enormity in size, and the awesome clouds... standing under and shooting up? Just my preference. The pic is great just as it is.

Rebekah,
I'm surprised at myself for not doing as you suggested about standing underneath and shooting from the base up into the clouds. I was pondering for a while for a good shot and took several but none from the base looking up, which is a perspective that I would normally try. Thanks for pointing it out.

[Lava Lamp]

Thanks LL. . .I still like the shot as well, but realize it probably isn,t all that I thought it was. About the b&w. . . I find myself really in it as of late and think about it when shooting or going for an image. When you say I'm onto something with the b&w, do you mean the conversions are good or do you feel the subject matter is better in b&w? Just want to know exactly what you see as it helps me alot.

I mean you should follow your black and white path because the results are good. I did a lot of black and white conversion about three years ago and thought it really helped me learn to be a better photographer. I was really into it for a while and it sort of went away - hard to explain why, but I know it did get me thinking more about contrast and "structure" in my pictures.

It seemed to me that maybe that was happening for you. It's neat to see people go on different paths and look at what they do well (at least in my opinion.) Old Timer, for example, has been doing some great macros, Speed really seems to shine at astro photography, and we've seen some great sports shots from Gmen.

[Steph_B]

Thanks all for the comments. btw,Steph_B, the sky is full of clouds in the scene. But I get the point and realize it may not be as impactful as I thought the shot was. . . or hoped it would be.

Yeah... I realized that as I was clicking on the submit button... Somehow, I was left with the feeling that the sky was either empty or overcast. I should edit my post while looking at the pics on a different window.... my bad...

Actually, I toyed with your pic in PS. I was curious to see whether a darker sky would bring more punch to the overall pic... I kind of liked the result... it was more dramatic... kind of straight from a Twilight Zone episode...

Cheers,

Steph.

[gahspidy]

I mean you should follow your black and white path because the results are good. I did a lot of black and white conversion about three years ago and thought it really helped me learn to be a better photographer. I was really into it for a while and it sort of went away - hard to explain why, but I know it did get me thinking more about contrast and "structure" in my pictures.

It seemed to me that maybe that was happening for you. It's neat to see people go on different paths and look at what they do well (at least in my opinion.) Old Timer, for example, has been doing some great macros, Speed really seems to shine at astro photography, and we've seen some great sports shots from Gmen.

Yeah, I think I'm experiencing that as well with the b&w. I find myself thinking about lighting and textures a little differently than before and am thinking about how subjects and choosing them now foir their b&w appeal. Thanks for clarifying for me.


Thanks Clicker for the comments

Steph_B. . .understood, been playing around with it a bit like that as well. . . has some mystical appeal potential which I may try to take advantage of. Thanks again