Scat Lounge

[chris h]

Hi all,

Thought I would start my first post with a chance at a critique. I'm mainly a dabbler and a hobbyist. I shoot film, mainly medium format. Ok, almost all medium format. I also do very little, if any, work in photoshop. However, that doesn't mean I don't want to improve my technique and I am open to ideas. I want to learn.

Taken with my Ricohflex TLR. Early in the morning, ISO 400, 1/4 sec, f16. Used a tripod with a spirit level. However, that alleyway isn't exactly level.

Thanks for any and all critique!

[GB1]

First of all, welcome to the forums. I get a lot of good advice here and try to give a little back whenever I can dig it out of learning experiences from disasters

I do like the scene and think that your vision was good in selecting it. However, I am not sure about the way the geometry plays out. The left side wall seems to take up a disproportionate amount of space. The tilting effect (quite normal) seems to bother me a bit too. I think if you had used a fisheye lens with its obvious distortion that it would have been better (but who has a MF fish eye eh?). The fire escapes , sign and all that are all good, but somehow they seem distant and overpowered by the walls. I do like how you shot from a low angle, alas the distortion creeps in when you do so.

Anyway - hope to see more of your shots. I really like the BW film's tonal range here. I haven't gotten that from digital yet.

G

[danic]

When I see shots like yours Chris H, it really makes me want to go and buy some film and develop it myself. For ISO 400, it seems to be very fine grain, what film did you use?

Like GB1, there is some nice tones there, and the signs draw me in really well. I'd love to see more of your shots!

[Frog]

I like the way the walls angle in to pull my eye farther in. Then when I get to the bright space and fire escapes, I come back to the sign.
Well done in my book.

[Xia_Ke]

HI Chris, welcome to PR. Nice to see another TLR user out there I think GB1 summed up this shot nicely. Great first post and I hope to see more

[chris h]

Thanks so much for all the great comments.

Now for my follow up comments:

GB1, I can see what you're saying about the geometry. Do you think it would have made a difference if I had moved over to the right about 3 feet? It would have "shortened" up that left wall a bit, but I was afraid there would be too much light creeping in on the shot from the alleyway behind it. I was facing South, sun was rising.

Oh yeah, fisheyes are hard to come by for TLR's. Especially with a 34mm lens.

Frog, that was the effect I was hoping to achieve. However, as GB1 stated... I might have overdone it a bit. I might try a reshoot at the same time when I'm in that area again at the same time.

Danic, thanks very much for the compliment. The film I was shooting was Ilford Delta 400 B&W. About all I shoot. Every now and then the odd roll of Tmax will find it's way into the mix, mainly because 120 isn't exactly dropping in my lap these days. I love the quality of the Delta films.

Xia Ke, I appreciate the compliments. I've got about 30-40 shots I'd love to throw on here... but I thought it might be a bit rude to spam the forum with critiques so suddenly. I thought the trickle effect would be more subtle!

[Xia_Ke]

...Xia Ke, I appreciate the compliments. I've got about 30-40 shots I'd love to throw on here... but I thought it might be a bit rude to spam the forum with critiques so suddenly. I thought the trickle effect would be more subtle!

No need to tip toe, jump right on in :thumbsup: