Moscow Canal

[Didache]

Hi all

Bear with me on this one.

These (along with a few similar shots) were taken along the Moscow Canal, just north of Moscow. In this industrial region there are a lot of areas where people live, work, and play, all in a fairly small space. It seemed to me that these pictures capture something of that in a way that I rarely (if ever) see in the UK. The first especially, with a background composed of apartment blocks, a middleground of electricity pylons, and a foreground of Muscovites enjoying a picnic by the river.

What do you think?

Cheers
Mike

[Overbeyond]

The dour Soviet buildings are good candidates for Mono treatment. I particularly like the second shot which conveys very well the stern gloom of the architecture. I feel that the sky is a little over the top but not by much. Maybe it is an accurate version what it was like on the day though.

[arne saknussen]

The first photo is more interesting, I should say that it is very interesting. For me, I wish that you could have isolated the people relaxing/playing in the park with trees and electric towers. Though their "smallness" has some poignancy.

[AgingEyes]

I think the buildings...pretty much the bottom half of the photos could be brighter. Actually, I do find the second one kind of dark overall. Perhaps it's just my monitor though. Right now the sky is too good - good color and good contrast - that it likely would get all the viewer's attention.

[Didache]

Many thanks for the comments so far. The sky really was very nice - the light was behind me about the time afternoon slides into early evening. The end of a hot day. Still, I agree that the eye tends to be captured more by the sky than the land. That was a helpful insight, so I will see if I can redress the balance somewhat.

Cheers
Mike

[hminx]

I also think the sky pulls your eye away from the perhaps too dark foreground.
After looking through the Russia images on your web site I'm curious as to why you selected these two. Am I missing something here ?

[Greg McCary]

Off topic but Russia seems like a very clean city. Did you pick up any trash in post?

[Didache]

hminx - thanks for having a look at my site. The reason I picked these ones is, quite honestly, because I found them more interesting. I tend to do more conceptual photography these days and I found the images of where people live and work in close proximity to probably say more about how Russians actually live than the more "postcard" type of shots. Also, from a photographic point of view, they are more challenging to pull off. I don't think I have been asked that particular question before and I thank you for asking it.

Greg - it was terrifically clean. Russians are extremely proud of where they live and I don't think it would occur to anyone in Moscow or St Petersburg to mess it up by dropping rubbish. I don't recall ever seeing a single piece of litter. Even down at the river port (where the cruise boats were) there was a little guy whose job it was to pick up the stray cig butts etc dropped by tourists. There's a lesson there for all of us.

Cheers
Mike

[Tankus]

hminx - thanks for having a look at my site. The reason I picked these ones is, quite honestly, because I found them more interesting. I tend to do more conceptual photography these days and I found the images of where people live and work in close proximity to probably say more about how Russians actually live than the more "postcard" type of shots. Also, from a photographic point of view, they are more challenging to pull off. I don't think I have been asked that particular question before and I thank you for asking it.

Greg - it was terrifically clean. Russians are extremely proud of where they live and I don't think it would occur to anyone in Moscow of St Petersburg to mess it up by dropping rubbish. I don't recall ever seeing a single piece of litter. Even down at the river port (where the cruise boats were) there was a little guy whose job it was to pick up the stray cig butts etc dropped by tourists. There's a lesson there for all of us.

Cheers
Mike

Yeah ...million pound houses in London with bin bags torn open by urban foxes strewn over the floor , and the remains of last nights kebab run from locals down the pub , plus trash from the odd riot ... does make you think !

Did you use a polarized filter twisted for max ?

Great subject

[andymartin]

The second picture could be a little bit brighter, but i like the way there are a lot of different things in the picture that you wouldn't normally find in such a close area. Such as this picture includes The powerlines, a dirt trail, building that go at different angles, and even a little bit of graffiti. But all in all it's a nice peice of work.