Paris in winter

[nemesis32]

My aim is to capture the beauty of paris during winter. I have selected Effiel Tower as it's a symbol of Paris and used the arching leaves and branches as frame.

Minimum PS is used except for desaturation and cropping.

For your kind comments and critique. In particular, i would like to hear if anyone thinks the framing is effective and the mood is correct. Thanks in advance for the critique and comments.

[LittleWolf]

Originally Posted by nemesis32 My aim is to capture the beauty of paris during winter.

I showed the picture to someone else, and her comment was "Paris in winter". So I'd say you achieved your goal.

Quote: In particular, i would like to hear if anyone thinks the framing is effective and the mood is correct.

I don't think there is a "correct" mood. I'm not sure about the carpark in the picture, but then, that's also part of Paris.

I also think the picture would look much more impressive as a large-scale print, compared to the small online version.

[detrop]

i agree with little wolf that the pic would look more impressive as a large scale print..
i personally think that the composition is not that bad too.. there are actually shapes that reappear or seems to reappear, which of cos, make the whole picture more interesting... and i cant agree more that this pic is best in B/W.. this reminds me of some shots of this particular building that had been shot 3 times by 3 different masters of photography... juz that it lacks some human interest to add more life and also, indirectly, strengthen your title...
im glad to be able to see and critique this photo...

[eikin]

i've been looking at this piece since many hours back and not really knowing what to say. the exposure looks great and the framing rather well done ... but somehow i just couldn't feel anything beyond 'winter in Paris' ... probably because i have never been to Paris. i thought the picture could be portraying the emptiness of the winter, but i do spot some human activities in the background.

some minor things to look out for, the tower is slightly tilted, and i don't quite like the way the tree trunk blocks the nearer bench.

[coldman]

i guess it would be better if the 'antanna' of the tower is not block by the branch.

[detrop]

Originally Posted by coldman i guess it would be better if the 'antanna' of the tower is not block by the branch.

au contraire... i think the top most part is good as it is, because knowingly/unknowingly, the branches actually frame up the top most part of the tower... sorta covering but yet still revealing it..

[mattlock]

to be brutal...(you can take it right?)...
I don't think you've brought anything new to the subject
show a Parisian this image and to him it'll be like an image of the merlion to a singaporean

[detrop]

Originally Posted by mattlock to be brutal...(you can take it right?)... I don't think you've brought anything new to the subject show a Parisian this image and to him it'll be like an image of the merlion to a singaporean

naturally... but i'm not defending this pic, but are we french enough to say that this is juz like merlion-in-comparison?

[mattlock]

Originally Posted by detrop naturally... but i'm not defending this pic, but are we french enough to say that this is juz like merlion-in-comparison?

I don't really get what you mean...I think it's a nice picture but technical aspects aside I think there are more interesting pictures to take...there shouldn't be a "correct" mood

[eikin]

Originally Posted by mattlock to be brutal...(you can take it right?)... I don't think you've brought anything new to the subject show a Parisian this image and to him it'll be like an image of the merlion to a singaporean

hmmm ... don't think it's a brutal comment, that was exactly how i felt ... nothing beyond, just 'Winter in Paris' literally ...

[nemesis32]

Originally Posted by eikin i've been looking at this piece since many hours back and not really knowing what to say. the exposure looks great and the framing rather well done ... but somehow i just couldn't feel anything beyond 'winter in Paris' ... probably because i have never been to Paris. i thought the picture could be portraying the emptiness of the winter, but i do spot some human activities in the background. some minor things to look out for, the tower is slightly tilted, and i don't quite like the way the tree trunk blocks the nearer bench.

True... After i came back to SG then i realised i shd have show part of the bench and the branches shd be higher (ie, i shoot lower) and not blocking the antenna.

[nemesis32]

Originally Posted by eikin hmmm ... don't think it's a brutal comment, that was exactly how i felt ... nothing beyond, just 'Winter in Paris' literally ...

Yup... thats all i wanted to portray anyway... To many people, all the see of Effiel Tower and Paris are all bright and sunny pictures taken in summer time. I wanted to try and portray it in WINTER. It's a bit difficult for Western Europe as it don't snow so i try the next best thing, which is to use the tree branches. It helps in my composition as compared to a plain Effiel Tower pic.

As for the desaturation, i am trying to associate it with the mood of winter. Of course, ideally, there should be no cars/people or cars covered in snow. That's ideally lah!

[nemesis32]

Originally Posted by mattlock I don't really get what you mean...I think it's a nice picture but technical aspects aside I think there are more interesting pictures to take...there shouldn't be a "correct" mood

I totally agreed with you on this. I am not a big fan of shooting famous landmarks. However, in this instance, i took this pic (part of more than 2000 shots) during my honeymoon so i wanted to remember paris in winter....or rather my honeymoon.

Of course i took some pics of say street scenes, details etc but they won't work as well as this shot for me.

[varf]

the desat works for me. i like the interesting patterns in the silhouetted branches, but maybe a little more detail in the tree trunk would have been nice though. getting the main branch just clear of the antenna would have allowed the 'complete' shape of the tower to show through.

Originally Posted by nemesis32 As for the desaturation, i am trying to associate it with the mood of winter. Of course, ideally, there should be no cars/people or cars covered in snow. That's ideally lah!

i disagree, i think placing someone (your wife, perhaps) wearing a winter coat in the foreground could have contributed to the mood.

[nemesis32]

Originally Posted by varf the desat works for me. i like the interesting patterns in the silhouetted branches, but maybe a little more detail in the tree trunk would have been nice though. getting the main branch just clear of the antenna would have allowed the 'complete' shape of the tower to show through. i disagree, i think placing someone (your wife, perhaps) wearing a winter coat in the foreground could have contributed to the mood.

Maybe... but not my style in having posed shots.....

[ccube78]

Nice use of the tree branches to add a frame to the picture. Exposure seems to be just nice.

The ground at the bottom seems unnecessary. I would have lower the camera to remove more ground and have more separation between tower and branches. The small tree at bottom left is also a bit distracting.

[nemesis32]

Originally Posted by ccube78 Nice use of the tree branches to add a frame to the picture. Exposure seems to be just nice. The ground at the bottom seems unnecessary. I would have lower the camera to remove more ground and have more separation between tower and branches. The small tree at bottom left is also a bit distracting.

I know what you mean...

When i took this pic, i was actually thinking of using the branches to frame the Tower tightly so did not bother to lower my camera... As for the small trees and the benches, i think it adds some elements to the pic. It actually tell you that it's a park.

[AntiFruits]

my opinion is that the branches seem to be creating a ceiling for the eifel tower and that looks like it's making the tower shorter.... never mind i dont make sense to myself sometimes. perhaps as it has already been said taking from a lower point might be better.

[Kecak]

Composition and framing is well done. Should get some one to walk on the path or sit on the bench for the mood. Better still with an umbrella or a thrench coat. But then again, you may be alone and willl have to wait a long time for people to walk by.

[nemesis32]

Originally Posted by AntiFruits my opinion is that the branches seem to be creating a ceiling for the eifel tower and that looks like it's making the tower shorter.... never mind i dont make sense to myself sometimes. perhaps as it has already been said taking from a lower point might be better.

Nope.... valid comment... When i took it i did consider even though i was in a rush.. but i thought if i shoot lower, i may show too much of the sky and the framing may be too much and obvious...