Stair in church

[srobb]

An interesting image. I do like the composition with the shadows of what my be a light which you cannot see. Now if the soft, dreamy feel is what you were going for, I think you may have it nailed. Otherwise, it seems to be very soft and out of focus to me. Still in all a nice image.

[dbutler]

I'm with Srobb. The concept is great. I love the light and shadows and curving stairs. It's the out-of-focus bit that doesn't grab me.

[jar_e]

Ditto to everybody else...though cropping out the handrail of the staircase might fix the blurry/out of focus problem. Shadows play a neat picture on the wall.. nice eye,

Jared

[noahyay]

i really like the lighting on this photograph.

If I were you and was going for the soft look I would have still used a tripod. But used a soft focus filter. Chances are you had neither I'm in that situation a lot.

When I am tryign to blur things with long exposure, I try to make it longer and try to hold steady. Then I get a more even blur/viration and its not just in one direction. Also a longer focal length makes this tecnique easier.

[steaktaco]

I agree with everyone—the camera shake bothers me a bit because it is obviously unintentional but not exaggerated enough. I think a steady tripod and tack-sharp focus all the way around would benefit this shot.

in terms of composition—I think this shot rocks. there are so many lines going through the image yet none of them tangent. a very dynamic still-life if you know what I mean.

one element that strikes a chord with me is silo of the pendants. the past 2 months I've been working on a contemporary lighting catalog and I've shot (directed) them in every possible angle, in many different sets, and on location. I think it is so refreshing to see pendants in a composition where they aren't even there. gives me new ideas. thanks much.

-c

[plchung]

thanks srobb, dbulter, jared, noahyay, and steaktaco's comments.
Yeah, steaktaco is right in that I didn't have anything tripod with me and nor can I control the camera except pressing the shutter as I was using a small GR10 (a fully automatic P&S camera). Like everyone here I was troubled by the shaking at the beginning but gradually feel increasingly comfortable with the shaky image. I wish I had a tripod, but I know I seldom if not never again visit the church and I had to do the best that I can...

Thanks a lot for your comments.