Posted by drphoto (Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom) on 13 March 2008 in Cityscape & Urban.
You may recall me saying I was away from home for a week or so mid feb. I was visiting friends in Edingburgh and Dublin. I had hoped to get some nice shots of these placed while I was there (as this was my first time visiting) but unfortunately, foggy weather followed me to both places =D(
This shot was taken on the Royal Mile, you can see the fog hanging in the air and everyone wrapped up against the cold. These red telephone boxes used to be all over England but they are rare now so it was nice to see these three huddled together in Edingburgh.
I had set myself a challenge, thinking the flat light would only suit detail shots, to shoot with only my 70-300mm lens. I was backed against a wall with my zoom set to 70mm (I don't know why it says 119mm in the data on this page?!) trying to fit the boxes in and get some street detail. In the end I took one vertical and one horizontal shot and have merged them in photoshop, hence the cross shape.
I welcome all constructive comments, compliments and criticisms. I am here to learn. the fastest way for me to learn is for you to be really unforgiving and articulate in your criticism =D)
If you don't have time to comment don't forget to give a star rating as you pass through!
Dan
P.S. You can find my fashion and portrait work here: http://www.modelmayhem.com/drphotographer
I really like the angle that you choose to capture these three phone booths. Their color just pops and the fog in the background just adds to the mood of the picture. Great photography here. Clear, sharp picture.
13 Mar 2008 12:31am
@Marion: Thanks for such a kind, considered comment
perfect composition... nice shot.
13 Mar 2008 3:21am
@Faramarz: Thanks Faramarz!
I like it. The boxes appear to be the only sign of life in a dreary city.
13 Mar 2008 3:53am
@Michael Skorulski: Unfortunately that was pretty much the case... If you want dreary wait til you see tomorrows shot!
mmm Neat city life shot, love it :)
13 Mar 2008 4:16am
@Lorraine: Thanks Lorriane, glad I could pull something pleasing from such a horrid day! (photographivally speaking)
I like how you brought these two photos together. The red is a pleasing contrast to the grays.
13 Mar 2008 4:57am
@GJC: Thankyou, I'm quote pleased with the result myself lol! Although I have overexposed the tops of the phone boxes =D(
nicely done. Love the colour, and the man on the left side makes this more cool shot.
13 Mar 2008 5:38am
@pLusOne: Thanks, yes I was glad I caught somebody entering the frame. I had such a long lens on he probably didn't realise he was in the shot - although he does look very suspicious ha ha!
My favourite author hails from Edinburgh. He is very graphic about his descriptions and so far I had only my imagination to paint these pictures for me. Thanks to this picture I now know for sure where his descriptions stem from. Very Edinburgh!
13 Mar 2008 6:05am
@Kleos: Well I'm glad I could help =D) I'm afraid tomorrow's picture won't be of much use; the fog obscures everything! Do you mind me asking who the author is?
Nice capture. The red pops from the background and the man adds visual interest. Well done.
13 Mar 2008 6:46am
@Tracey: Thanks Tracey =D)
that is a good idea merging a horizontal and vertical - I've never tried that before. Will have to give it a go next time I'm out shooting and can't get wide enough.
13 Mar 2008 8:55am
@Jason Kravitz: Yeah, it just occurred to me -its the first (but probably not the last) time I've tried it. I find myself thinking more and more with the digital darkroom in mind!
It's unfortunate the pay phone has been replace by the cell phone. Especially these beauties.
13 Mar 2008 11:58am
@reneemudd: Ha ha ha! You technophobe! We still have payphones in England but, except for the old, picturesque cities, they are all ugly, square metal and glass concoctions.
Very well done - nice urban photo... Wys
13 Mar 2008 4:10pm
@Wysterior: Cheers Wys =D) I tried moving the fog with my mind but no joy lol!
Great adaption...the shot turned out well.
13 Mar 2008 8:25pm
@Dylan Tucker: Thankyou Dylan for all your comments =D)
FABulous really!! That red really pops. And with the way you merged these images, it's just a way cool image. Quite like it!! As to the exif data: it has to do with the difference between the digital and how it is in 35mm. It's a 1.5 difference. So at full focal length of your 70-300mm (300mm) the exif is going to read 450mm. There's more to it than that but that's the basics of it that I can recall about it.
13 Mar 2008 8:38pm
@amy: Thanks for the info amy; you're fast becoming my fountain of knowledge =D) Glad you liked the shot, it was worth breaking the rules of my self imposed challenge for!
great capture...well done:)
13 Mar 2008 9:38pm
@Will: Hey! Thanks Will and thanks for dropping by.
Of course I dont mind!! Its Ian Rankin with his famously infamous John Rebus series!
14 Mar 2008 5:44am
@Kleos: Ah! I suspected as much =D)
Yup.................the dreaded x1.5 factor on a non full-frame sensor! Great for zoom photography, but a pain when wide angle is your choice!
I nice solution to the problem though.
3 or 4 portrait shots stitched in photoshop would have worked well also.
14 Mar 2008 5:30pm
@Paul: Well its a 1.7crop factor on the Sigma's! I was in a rush (we were looking for food lol) so I didn't spend the time shooting for a pano stitch, but you're right - that would have made a more elegant solution =D)
Interesting approach. I too have gone using just my 70-300, but never in such quite restrictive places.
16 Mar 2008 10:46am
@Twelvebit: ha ha! Well I failed my challenge! I did not get many detail or macro shots. I did better a few days later in Ireland though =D)
Very nicely done. Interesting to think of merging a horizontal and vertical for it. I would definitley say it gives it more interest.
16 Mar 2008 10:56pm
@Bonj: Thanks Bonj, its the first time I've tried it so it is a little sketchy but I may well use this technique again =D)
Interesting.. you know as much about books and authors as you seem to know about handling the camera :)
17 Mar 2008 1:43am
@Kleos: I'm a big fan of books - much better than TV =D) My favourite author is Milan Kundera. Not quite as bleak as Rankin and his stories never really have an definite path but I would recommend you look him up.
I most certainly will!
If nothing else a read always ensures you fall asleep :p
17 Mar 2008 9:42am
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SIGMA SD101/80 secondF/5.0ISO 200119 mm
redurbanphonecityscapefogbosedingburgh
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