#171 - Formal Architecture

Enter our forum competitions here
User avatar
John
Iconic Photographer
Iconic Photographer
Posts: 5020
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:34 am
Contact:

#171 - Formal Architecture

Post by John »

This challenge is to produce an architectural image. A picture of a building. It should be a record, totally literal in every way. So no fancy filters or HDR techniques, just a straight, high quality building image as we might find in a glossy book from the National Trust.

My winning image from the last competition would not qualify for this one, by the way, because it was processed through Photomatix and tone mapped.

So let's see what quality we can find, and the deadline will be midnight on Sunday 24th July.

Happy Shooting!
Best regards

John
User avatar
Tracey McGovern
Iconic Photographer
Iconic Photographer
Posts: 1237
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:09 pm
Location: Hindley
Contact:

Re: #171 - Formal Architecture

Post by Tracey McGovern »

Hi John

Are we not able to edit at all? Are you talking straight out of the camera?

Tracey
User avatar
John
Iconic Photographer
Iconic Photographer
Posts: 5020
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:34 am
Contact:

Re: #171 - Formal Architecture

Post by John »

To clarify, normal processing by all means, but the brief is to produce a high class, quality architectural shot that you could put in a glossy coffee table book.

Normal processing means things like cropping, levels, curves, sharpening, etc. but not unrealistic fantasy-HDR.

Hope that helps!
Best regards

John
User avatar
Paul Jones
Iconic Photographer
Iconic Photographer
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 5:35 pm
Spam Protection: No
Contact:

Re: #171 - Formal Architecture

Post by Paul Jones »

John wrote: .... not unrealistic fantasy-HDR.
Proper, real photography. 8)
Paul
================
http://www.PaulJones.org


"As usual Paul is absolutely correct."
"In short, Paul is an absolutely brilliant mentor."
al c field
Elite Member
Elite Member
Posts: 134
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2014 9:41 am
Spam Protection: No
Location: Atherton
Contact:

Re: #171 - Formal Architecture

Post by al c field »

This i
fun house.jpg
fun house.jpg (246.48 KiB) Viewed 11266 times
s a real building
Stbourne
Elite Member
Elite Member
Posts: 143
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:37 am
Spam Protection: No
Location: Hindley Green

Re: #171 - Formal Architecture

Post by Stbourne »

The Pig & Whistle (Liverpool)
Attachments
Pig&Whistle-F.jpg
Pig&Whistle-F.jpg (355.72 KiB) Viewed 11240 times
User avatar
Janice Freeman
Iconic Photographer
Iconic Photographer
Posts: 607
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2011 1:43 am
Spam Protection: No
Location: Astley
Contact:

Re: #171 - Formal Architecture

Post by Janice Freeman »

Roof detail - Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele - Milano
Milano 20 9 12 (47)resize.jpg
Milano 20 9 12 (47)resize.jpg (201.76 KiB) Viewed 11208 times
"A good snapshot stops a moment from running away" Eudora Welty
User avatar
Paul Jones
Iconic Photographer
Iconic Photographer
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 5:35 pm
Spam Protection: No
Contact:

Re: #171 - Formal Architecture

Post by Paul Jones »

John wrote: ... a straight, high quality building image as we might find in a glossy book from the National Trust.
Ardchattan House

Image
Paul
================
http://www.PaulJones.org


"As usual Paul is absolutely correct."
"In short, Paul is an absolutely brilliant mentor."
johnjm
Initiate
Initiate
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2014 1:48 am
Spam Protection: No

Re: #171 - Formal Architecture

Post by johnjm »

Maritime Museum at Falmouth

Imagemaritime museum by john merritt, on Flickr
mikeaspinall
Master Photographer
Master Photographer
Posts: 492
Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 10:18 am
Spam Protection: Maybe

Re: #171 - Formal Architecture

Post by mikeaspinall »

CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE.jpg
CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE.jpg (277.17 KiB) Viewed 11108 times
GRAHAM OTTY
Elite Member
Elite Member
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2016 10:13 am
Spam Protection: No

Re: #171 - Formal Architecture

Post by GRAHAM OTTY »

Rievaulx Abbey,Helmsley,N.Yorks
Attachments
comp.jpg
comp.jpg (356.08 KiB) Viewed 11107 times
Gordon Armstrong
Chair
Chair
Posts: 241
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 9:02 pm
Spam Protection: No

Re: #171 - Formal Architecture

Post by Gordon Armstrong »

Orangery Dunham Massey.jpg
Orangery Dunham Massey.jpg (302.53 KiB) Viewed 11097 times
The Orangery at Dunham Massey
"People say that nothing is impossible, but some times I can do nothing all day"

Gordon
User avatar
John
Iconic Photographer
Iconic Photographer
Posts: 5020
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:34 am
Contact:

Re: #171 - Formal Architecture

Post by John »

Many thanks to everyone who had a go at this. What I had in mind was high quality architectural photography, such as would grace the pages of a coffee table book. Interpretation varies quite a bit of course, all equally valid, and as always we've had some very interesting and excellent entries.

Alasdair kicked things off with an extraordinary building. I had this image in my mind of the architect dropping his model on the floor, it ending up upside down, and the concept being seized upon as pure genius....It is an amazing structure, and I'm also very sure that Alasdair has got his horizon creditably straight on this one.

Shaun gives us the Pig and Whistle, but it's that incredible backdrop that catches my eye. The contrast between old and new is brilliant, as is the inclusion of the “Police” reflection. Very well crafted all round. That bird helps the composition as well....

Janice knows what to do with converging verticals, that is, if you can't avoid them then embrace them. This upwards view does just that. It's a very interesting building, although I would have liked to see a bit more “bite” to the overall sharpness.

Paul has chosen a great day for this image and a great point of view. The building is shown off at its best and it totally fulfils the brief. There is little else to say about it as it's sharp, well presented and will sit well in our imaginary coffee table book.

John has got the angle just right, the only downside being the lack of light on the building. This would be transformed by some nice after-storm lighting to pick out the detail. It's often the way though that we're there, we need to shoot the image in less than ideal light, and we may never have the opportunity to return and capture the fleeting magic of some dramatic lighting.

Michael has captured some very unusual lighting in this very formal, straight on view. I can see the edges are not quite vertical, so that could be tweaked in Photoshop, but otherwise this is an excellent approach and has been handled extremely well.

Graham has made something out of a building that is actually quite difficult to photograph effectively. The idea of framing part of the abbey works well. The only question mark for me is whether or not there should be enough depth of field to put that framing into sharp focus. I think that would need to be tried to see if it works any better or not. It's so easy as a judge to suggest changes, but sometimes the suggestions may not actually work out in practice. Worth trying though.

Gordon has produced a formal, square on image of great precision. The composition has included the pampas grass and that balances everything up very nicely. The verticals are straight. All is as it should be for this brief.

So the winner is without doubt Gordon Armstrong, a brilliantly precise shot and certainly “Formal Architecture”.

Second place goes to Shaun Bourne, a beautiful composition full of interest and a fantastic counterpoint between old and new.

Third place goes to Paul Jones, a well visualised image (not “well seen” Paul!) in terms of its composition and presentation.

Also a special mention for Alasdair Field for turning our world upside down!

Thanks to all, and I now invite Gordon to set the next competition.
Best regards

John
GRAHAM OTTY
Elite Member
Elite Member
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2016 10:13 am
Spam Protection: No

Re: #171 - Formal Architecture

Post by GRAHAM OTTY »

Thanks for the feedback John,everything is always welcome
Gordon Armstrong
Chair
Chair
Posts: 241
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 9:02 pm
Spam Protection: No

Re: #171 - Formal Architecture

Post by Gordon Armstrong »

Thanks John. A good selection of pictues, I really like "the Pig and Whistle".

I will return soon with a new topic.

Gordon
"People say that nothing is impossible, but some times I can do nothing all day"

Gordon
Post Reply