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30 Floors Up
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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Architecture (Classic Editing)
Camera: Sony DSC-S50
Location: Downtown Los Angeles
Date: Mar 30, 2002
Aperture: F/4
ISO: 80
Shutter: 1/195 s
Date Uploaded: Mar 30, 2002

Looking out my office window a block away

Statistics
Place: 43 out of 66
Avg (all users): 5.1786
Avg (commenters): 4.9091
Avg (participants): 4.9063
Avg (non-participants): 5.3462
Views since voting: 990
Votes: 168
Comments: 12
Favorites: 0


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AuthorThread
01/20/2003 12:08:05 PM
Pictures like this one are incredibly difficult for very many reasons; For one thing, because of the perspective, get a building that is very cartoon-like (narrow at the bottom and wide at the top). This is usually a sin in architectural photography - at least if it does not look as if it is supposed to be that way. So your choices are to over-do the effect (practically impossible, because you cannot walk closer to that building) or try to counter it. Countering something like this can only be done with a Tilt and Shift lens (I wrote an article about these lenses, which you can find here), but these lenses are ridiculously expensive, and only work on SLR cameras. It is possible - to a certain degree - to correct the problem in Photoshop (but that would get your image disqualified, because I believe it probably breaks a few rules)

Barring this problem, you have a good chance at improving this image by going for a tighter crop. Get rid of that tall white bouilding to the left of the image, and you are well on your way.

The most important problem with this picture is the reflection in the window, though; I can see sheets of paper(?) and the reflection of what I think is the photographer. Neither of which pull the image in the right direction. There is a good trick you can use to get rid of these reflections though:

1 - Open the window. (probably illegal and impossible in skyscrapers, so a bad idea)

2 - Put your camera to the window. This means that your WHOLE lens front needs to TOUCH the lens. Barring the reflections from the double (or even triple) pane window, it should rid you of 97% of the reflections.

3 - Building a black box. The black box sounds high-tech, but isn't. Get a circle of black filt (or other non-reflexive textile) , and make a hole in it for your camera lens. Tape the textile to the window, and you have your own little black box. Because your lens is "touching the window" (by proxy, because of the filt), the reflections should completely disappear.

Finally, you might want to up the contrast a little bit (read a guide about that here)

I hope some of these tips will help you for further pictures out of your office window. Good luck!

Haje
 Comments Made During the Challenge
04/04/2002 08:53:00 PM
I like the reflections of the other buildings. Good work.
04/04/2002 08:21:00 AM
stupid
04/03/2002 07:43:00 AM
its high, but what makes it special?
04/02/2002 04:14:00 PM
Interesting to see a huge skyscraper head on. Apparently someone's got a good job too. :)
04/02/2002 10:28:00 AM
If the focus is the MCI building, there was no interesting angle to draw the attention to it. If the focus is the reflection of the other building, crop out the edges of the MCI building.
04/02/2002 08:47:00 AM
not too interesting- everything is too brown!
04/01/2002 10:11:00 AM
This is good because you can also see the reflections of other types of architecture.
04/01/2002 07:40:00 AM
I applaude your perspective there were many cliche shots looking at this scene from the street.
04/01/2002 06:00:00 AM
i like the reflections in the building, but overall the subject is sort of dull. i'll give this an extra point because it has my username on the building.
04/01/2002 02:30:00 AM
cool. needs more contrast, tho
03/31/2002 08:17:00 PM
You got your shadow in the reflection of the window.


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