Building with Simple Design

[Yoyo Szeto]

I was attracted by the building's simple design today. Please criticise the shot.
yoyo

[drg]

Good subject choice and the inclusion of a person for scale allows the viewer to 'grasp' the architecture.

Is there something about the contrast that isn't quite right? It may be from the always problematic time of day issue and how light changes from moment to moment outdoors. The reflections from across the street in the building face need to be emphasized for a street photo type shot or eliminated for an architectural type shot.

One minor technical point, the photo was taken with the lens not 'squared' to the plane of the building. This produces (it is relatively minor in this photo) slope of the sidewalk at bottom and the slight slope of the line at the top of the photo. The lens is out of the horizontal plane and not the vertical. No keystoning but its slightly skewed. You may have intended this and with the sidewalk it producces an effect that isn't at all undesirable.

Overall I like this picture a lot. Is this a bank? I remember a two HK banks that looked very similar to this, but I haven't been there in quite a few years. Like to see more like this!

Best Wishes - CDP dr g

[mtbbrian]

I really like this one YoYo..
I like the boldness of the line from the three columns and the subtleness of the other horizontal lines.
The use and placement of the man, works well, it breaks up things, which is a good thing.
It also makes the photograph a little more interesting than if it were just building.
It is printed well too!
Brian

[Yoyo Szeto]

Hi CDP dr g, Thanks a lot for the detailed analysis. The building was facing south. The shot was taken at around 10:30 am in the morning in an overcast day. There was not any directional lighting during the shooting. I guess the contrast you mentioned may be due to the reflective aluminium surface of the building. You are right about the reflections. I may avoid it next time with a polariser or with a tilt/shift lens. Thanks for pointing out the picture skew, I overlooked it in the PS free transformation. I will reshoot again as I am attracted to the building. The building is not a bank. It is a recently built commercial building in Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island.

Hi Brain, Thanks for the kind words. The selection as the feature was totally unexpected. I am very flattered.

All the best.
yoyo

[gahspidy]

Good work , Yoyo. I like the comp and what makes it for me is the person and the lighting that is hitting his area as if he were in the spot light. Adds to the scale.

[ShotsbyScott]

Great work Yoyo! Even with the doors shown here, the inclusion of the person out front gives the viewer and immediate scale of the building. Nice work.

Scott

[Yoyo Szeto]

Hi Gary and Scott,
Thanks for the insight in analysing the shot.
yoyo

[Nina]

Congrats on making featured photo. I've always enjoyed the timelessness of black and white photographs. You did a great job of capturing that in this shot. Hard to tell what year it is which makes this all the more fun and still makes for a great shot.

[Yoyo Szeto]

Hi Nina,
Thanks a lot for your kind words and comments.
yoyo