From the Kremlin

[Copy_Kot]

I'm a newbie hoping to learn a few things here. Just thought I would add a picture which was taken during my visit to the Kremlin (April 2006). Any comments would be appreciated.

[Don Schaeffer]

An unusual angle. You can see how the thing is held together.

[jdugger]

The ambient light (diffused) gives this picture a slightly somber feel. The towers walls are striaght with the edge of the photo which is good (no convergence). You might try seeing what this image looks like in B&W or sepia. You could also push the contrast up a little and see if a brighter sky changes the mood of the photo to your liking.

[Copy_Kot]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions

Here is the same picture in B&W

[Copy_Kot]

..... and in sepia

[yakkosmurf]

Having seen this building for myself, I prefer the first image. The mellow gold dome really sets to the mood for the image, and I feel that's missing from the B&W and Sephia images. I do like the detail you captured, being able to see the flaws in the dome's coating. I would love to see some of the other Kremlin shots you took. I was there in June.

[Copy_Kot]

I would love to see some of the other Kremlin shots you took. I was there in June.

Unfortunately I do not have any other pictures from the Kremlin that I would like to share here. Most of the vertical lines on the buildings are very 'distorted,' any advice on how to get straight lines in the future would be greatly appreciated. I will share one as an example of what I mean by distorted (lol, I'm sure most people here know).

The distortion is most noticeable on the right side of he picture. Also, it was very hard taking pictures without a large number of people in them, and the militzea made it very difficult to take pictures from good angles. I love Moscow (I was there again for ten days at the beginning of this month, July 2006)

There are other reasons why I do not like this picture.

[Coastal Flyer]

Copy Kot,

I was in Moscow in 1985, so it is great to see these photos. I am not crazy about either b/w so speaking of the color, I like the closer view, it has a nice perspective and framing with good detail. I also like the shot from a longer view but I would have cropped out half the foreground. Otherwise, these a nice shots. Thanks for posting.

CF

[jdugger]

Distortion occurs because the camera's lens is not perpendicular (90 degrees) with the surface of the subject of the image namely the vertical wall of the building. Obviously we can't get the entire building in the shot by hold the camera level with our eye so we tilt the camera upwards causing the lense and the film/sensor plane to be at an angle to the subject. Because the top of the building is farther away than the bottom the sides converge due to a perspective affect.

The only way to compensate for this at the camera is to use a shift lense, or a view camera with an adjustable bellows. For those of us that don't have or want to invest in this kind of equipment, digital post processing can solve this problem. In the July/August issue of PCPhoto magazine in the How-to section there is a article called architecture by Ibarionex Perello on using Photoshop to correct for perspective problems.

[Copy_Kot]

Thanks jdugger, and wow! There is so much great information here!

[yakkosmurf]

I like the second shot as well. It's definitely interesting. What don't you like about it?

I hope to be going back to Moscow in a few weeks.

[Copy_Kot]

I like the second shot as well. It's definitely interesting. What don't you like about it?

I hope to be going back to Moscow in a few weeks.

About the second shot, it's mostly the way the buildings look as if they are leaning in on each other... and the number of people in the picture. I wish I could have been the only person there while I was taking the pictures All of the pictures I took at Red Square have a large number of people in them and it is very distracting, except for one picture with a young couple in it who gave their best smiles when I took the picture (maybe they thought I would send it to them, lol).

Moscow is my favorite city, I can't wait to go back for my third time. The architecture pre Soviet Union is absolutely beautiful. I hope you have a haroshie time there yakkosmurf.

[GB1]

CopyKot - I like the photo you don't like. Being a stickler for technically lined up shots, I understand that you dont care for distortion. However, in this shot, at least the tilt is consistent leaning in one direction. In many of my lenses, I get barrel distortion which *really* sucks.... I often find myself not taking any architectural shots for that reason. But this isn't bad.

Also, I think the people add to the shot here. They do seem a little dark, but they work - it adds life to the shot and definitely seems like Russia .. I always thought their dress was monotone, and this seems to show it (even if they're tourists?)

GB