Rooftops up the street

A view from my apt. roof up the street.

Somt things to think about.

Are the rooftops actually tilted like that? What is the subject of the image? Why did you shoot this time of day when the car headlights would be the brightest part of the image drawing the viewers eye to them first? Is there a time of day when the sky would be more interesting? Could you have gone for a longer exposure making the head and tail lights streaks instead of points?

I don't think that this image is all that good but there is a lot of potential here with the various rooflines.

Hmm, I guess I didn't think of a subject in the shot, but I'd like it to be the two rows of rooflines to be the subject, flowing and complementing each other. The time of day was not the most ideal, I must agree, but I do believe it allows for two aspects -- you can see the different colors of the roofs (something that is difficult to achieve at night without proper lighting) and you can also see the orange glow of the streetlamps.

The houses are tilted like that because there is actually a hill that slants downward to the right. If you look at the horizon and how the sidewalks are layed out the camera is actually straight.

Thanks for your input! If it wasn't so damn cold and snowy here now I'd try again. Soon though.

Very cool picture.

Interesting shot. There's something very urban northeast about it alright. I would probably have preferred less of the bottom area and more sky above. The headlights do draw my eyes over to the left. The roofs are unusual btw, but would be more so with some Xmas lights :)

G

I think MB asks some very pertinent questions here. Things that we should all think about before and after shooting a scene and subject that made us stop for the grab in the first place. Your subjects being the roof tops of both the far and near houses is a worthy cause, but is also a very difficult one to gather in a way that can make the viewer appreciate what it is that you are bringing.
I do not think that dusk or dark would be the right time for this shot as the rooftops are dark and the street lights and cars lights are gathering all the attention. Try this during a time of day when the sunlight kisses the roofs and sets them off with hard contrast. Try different crops as well with different focal lengths. Attack it again and again until you get the message across.I like what your seeing . . .

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by seifen

Hmm, I guess I didn't think of a subject in the shot, but I'd like it to be the two rows of rooflines to be the subject, flowing and complementing each other.

---

If that's the case than you'd probably need a decent telephoto, which would isolate the rooftops and compact the field of view.

I hope you don't mind, but this is sort of what I was thinking.

Hi All:

Thanks again for all the input. I am still waiting for a chance to shoot the roofs again, but since there's been quite a nasty series of storms around here I haven't gotten the opportunity to do so. I will post when I get the chance!

Hi All,

This is my retry attempt, but a slightly different set of rooftops this time (these were right next to the previous set). I thought these were better accentuated by the sunlight and geometrically interesting.

This is alot better at bringing these subjects to the viewer. The composition isolates them and shows us the edges and angles. Also the shadows of the roofs across the street displaying on the fronts of the houses is very good at bringing the message that there are more lined up like this nearby without actually having to have them in the shot. Try this with lighting from different positions to see what you get.
Good work