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San Francisco, Harbor & Alcatraz

© Peter K. Burian

San Francisco, Harbor & Alcatraz

Uploaded: June 30, 2005 08:35:19

Description

June, 2005

Comments

anonymous A. December 30, 2005

Hard choice: the wall or the horizon: I think I would have opted to keep the horizon straight, although that black line (is it a causeway?) is quite a strong horizontal element.
A nice picture either way. #366580

Peter K. Burian December 31, 2005

Thanks, David; yeah, it was a tough decision. I could have fixed the slanting horizon in Photoshop but then other aspects of the image would have seemed off-kilter.

Peter Burian, Instructor
Mastering the Digital Camera and Photography
www.betterphoto.com/photocourses/PBN01.php #2237765

Michael J. Walters December 31, 2005

Maybe if the composition didn't include Alcatraz it woul be stronger. Perhaps the street leading to the Harbor, or the Harbor and Alcatraz, but not all three. It is a busy image with all three elements.

Regards,

Michael #2238649

Dennis Flanagan level-classic December 31, 2005

I like the composition. My only suggestion would have waited a few seconds to take the shot to get rid of the white van with her headlights on. There is a conflict with the road heading to the harbor, but cars heading towards the camera. The cars heading away from the camera would compliment it better. #2239747

Peter K. Burian January 01, 2006

Dennis and Michael: I shot several frames of this scene, some without the van. But somehow, when the street was almost empty, the central area of the image seemed empty.

I should have waited until something really interesting (like a Ferrari) drove into the scene. But my wife was getting bored waiting.

Without Alcatraz, this would be a photo of a steep street.

But overall, it's not a great photo. Now, I wonder why I added it to my Gallery.

Peter #2240525

Pam M January 01, 2006

LOL So, maybe it's not the greatest ... maybe it snuck in during a multiple upload.

But still I love it. I went thru San Francisco, really fast, once! This harbor is beautiful ... it could be more beautiful without that huge bridge ;-D ... no ok ok I loved the bridge too.

So to me ... the real subject is the harbor out there and it's not getting enough play time. Maybe that's the problem?

When I was in Dallas this last time, I went back to a spot that has a great view of the Dallas skyline that few people ever use ... I found out why ... it's full of telephone poles and above ground wires, etc.

But moreover, like you, I also found out that the shot that I thought I had waited for ... sans cars ... actually turned out horrifically boring.

BUT one of the shots ... my daughter got all excited about ... I think she said it was a lamborghini ... I don't know nut'n 'bout them cept it was yella an' perty an' fast! so my shot of it is too much street and too little skyline ... someday i'm going to do some photoshop layering and get the shot I really wanted!

which brings me to my first thought about your picture ... why not level the land and fix any building tilt with photoshop? And could you crop it into an interesting view of the harbor? I personally wouldn't miss the street.

But really ... back to that sneaking in idea ... I think this one snuck in either because of a mis-grab during an upload ... or ... because, like me, you're in love with the area. Or ... maybe you just needed an example for one of your classes ;-D

have fun,
pamElise #2241345

Peter K. Burian January 01, 2006

Pam: I added this image to my gallery when we got back from the Alaska cruise. (It started in San Francisco.)

I was in love with the experience.

Some of the photos are not ideal but at the time, I did not notice that.

A good reminder for me!

Peter #2241503

anonymous A. January 01, 2006

I think your initial judgement was OK, Peter: this belongs in the gallery: look at people's response to it!
If the horizon vs street is an issue, how about a little perspective control allpled to the horizon while keeping the verticals and foreground framing? Quick, effective option.
Happy New Year everyone,
David #2241779

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