Bambo,on Ludlow street . . .

This is another of my entries into the "Chinatown, N.Y.C. . .After hours" series. This is one of the first images i had taken with the Canon 17-40 f4L lens. film was fuji Xtra 400, converted to b&w.
what are your thoughts on this?
Thanks

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/3972715-lg.jpg

I also see Snow-White on Ludlow Street and that's not a good place for a girl to be at that unholy hour of the morning but at least she is not on her own.
The highlights have managed not to be burned out at all so we can examine all the artwork on the wall. But the shadow of the rising handrail is key for me and reminds us not to hang around too long in this place.
But It makes me want to see some more of the shadowy areas above, at the expense of some of the road below, above but then we would get too much from the street light, which we don't want. Everything that you have included in the composition is an asset. I especially like the bike on the right and it's funny load on the carrier.
When I see these excellent shots it makes me feel like an extremely lazy photographer.
These shots cannot be easy either, exposure wise, but you always manage to get great results Gary.
Tom

I like the feeling of a questionable environment. What seems to be lacking is your POV, which is often so very different. Everything looks great here, it just doesn't scream Gary. Your photos have given me a great view of a place I will probably never see, thanks for sharing them with us.

First thing I thought when looking at this is about your other china town shot, where the bikes were lined up in the middle of the shot and going towards the back. (Sorry can't find thread now, I'm on the sauce) There was also part of a car on the right and I remember some posters talking about that. Might've been were there was an over exposed light in the back also, but can't remember at the moment.

Anyway, I thought this was the same shot but taken from the right of that! I remember the escape and the shadow it casted towards the viewer in that shot and to the left in this perspective . I might as well be mistaken but that's the first thing that came to my mind when viewing this.

Anyway, about this shot. I think it's ok, but like payne said, it's just not a Gary shot. For me, it isn't a Gary shot becuase primarily, it doesn't have the great perspective and focus of your shots. This one is quite flat relatively speaking. It only goes from right to left, or left to right and there's no depth beyond that wall.

Now, I don't know if it's a good thing or not for some of us to get so used to your work to think of a certain style to your shots :D I think that's debatable. But as a whole IMO this would've been better had you applied the Gary factor (which is again, debatable).

Gary, the lamppost is about the only thing I have trouble with. It is a necessary evil, though, so my complaint is small. I honestly haven't seen enough of your work to judge the "Gary factor", so I'll have to go to your gallery to get a better idea.
John

Unfortunately, sometimes, we do get caught up in someone's style. However, I think it is some good work, but it doesn't give me the "wow" factor I usually get with your others.

I'm with John. It's the lamppost that's bugging me. It doesn't seem to belong where it is. I'd prefer it farther to the right OR not in the shot at all. That said, I dig this completely.

Tom, payn817, Liban, John, D. As always, these are interesting thoughts and analysis. Liban, yes, this is the same street and scene as the other post, but from the street as opposed to shot from under the stairs.
Tom, your analysis is spot on to my intent and thinking at the time of the shot. I wanted more of the stairs, but also needed to keep the light of the street lamp out of the frame. I then looked at the comp and felt that i liked the stairway cut off at the top as it lended itself to more mystery and interest. I spend much time on setting up a composition, but on the actual exposing and camera settings, not much time. i know i want this sharp and so i stop down one or two stops, and then as for exposure, I pretty much have a good feel for what my camera will do. this was over exposed by one stop from what the camera suggested. I find that for night scenes with bright lights, the camer tends to under expose, and so I always take two or threee exposures of the same comp, one at normal, one at one stop over and another at two stops over. Also, negative film gives me so much latitude in bringing out the shadow detail.
As for this not being "my style of comp" yes, it is unusual for me to shoot a flat scene like this and it is not something that usually attracts me. The shadows and objects in front of the wall here, as well as the art/graffitti on it, gave me the feeling of depth to a scene that is basically flat. Thanks much for the time to comment

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gahspidy

This is another of my entries into the "Chinatown, N.Y.C. . .After hours" series. This is one of the first images i had taken with the Canon 17-40 f4L lens. film was fuji Xtra 400, converted to b&w.
what are your thoughts on this?
Thanks

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Gary, I actually dig the "flatness" of the picture. Perhaps I am biased because I tend to compose some of my shots this way but I think that it is especially effective in this specific case because the stairway that caught the light literally jump out of the picture while the rest of the elements remain on one "level". Beside that picture says "Gary" to me. I just don't get the impression that it doesn't belong to yours or that it isn't your style.

If it was my shot, I guess that I would crop a slight slice at the top of the frame to get rid of some of the flare arround the lamp post. I would crop at the right accordingly to keep the ratio of the picture and bring the lamp post further to the right.

Seb

Seb, Thanks for your comments and suggestions. I think I like the idea of the slight crop on the right to bring the post further towards the side, but I do not like the top of the stairs cut out as i find the grafitti on the wall behind the rails and the darkness there to be a subtle but important nuance to the scene, and the glare of the light I'm ok with. There is a bit much street there and so i think I will crop from the bottom to maintain aspect ratio. Thanks as always for your good points.

nevermind.

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Originally Posted by donkekus

nevermind.

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lol, you can just delete the post... or just not send it, especially if you decide not to say anything :P

;)

Wish i had some kind of a style that people reckognise. Ah well . As everything has been said about this b&w version i would love to see a daytime exposure in colour as i imagine this is lovely in its full glory.
Bobby

Of what you have posted of this series Gary I think one is the best at conveying the mood you are going for.
It shows more human prescence with the graffiti and the bikes.
I like how you work with these series, I for one hope you keep it up!
Brian

Thanks Robert, for the time to comment.
Brian, yes, there are bikes chained to posts all over Chinatown and graffitti written all over as well.
I am pleased with the series , and am very happy about how these pictures are coming out on the new Epson 2400.
Honored to have it chosen as the sticky, and a great way to start the year,
thanks

WOW! Look at you with a sticky!! Congrats! Well deserved.

Great photo to start this year's feature archive! Congrats, Gary!

Congratulations, Gary.
yoyo

Everything right where it should be, Gary. Congratulations on the sticky!

Tuna

I liked this one when first posted it...but now that ya got the sticky, I guess I'll comment ;) :D

Great job. I like the composition. Everything seems to be in just the right place and the tones are spot on. Lately I haven't liked most photos without a person present...but this captures and shows that people do not have to be in a photo to give that presence.
This picture gives me a feeling of a city asleep waiting for the sun rise to start the day, yet with the graffiti added shows that NYC is never asleep.

Great job on this series.
Cheers.