STILL LIFE 215 – SHADOW OF A BUS SHELTER (MONO + COLOUR)

 

 

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Hard winter sunlight producing shadows as it shines through a bus shelter.

The image has been rotated 90 degrees clockwise, so that the shelter’s supports are at the top of the frame, while the shadows of its structures are thrown out across the now vertical, rectangular slabs of a pale pavement.  The image has quite high contrast, and a thick black border has been added to provide a firm container that separates the strident patterns of the image from this blog’s plain white background.

Click onto the image to open a larger version in a separate window, and clock onto that image to further enlarge it.

Technique: X-T2 with 55-200 Fujinon lens at 150mm (equiv); 400 ISO; Lightroom, using the Velvia/Vivid film simulation; Silver Efex Pro 2, starting at the Architectural preset, adding a thick black border, and selectively restoring colour; rotated 90 degrees clockwise; Broad Quay, central Bristol; 15 Dec 2017.
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ARCHIVE 349 – IN THE HARBOUR (MONO)

 

 

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In the harbour, West Bay, Dorset; 23 Apr 2015.

Click onto the image to open a larger version in a separate window.

D800 with 70-300 Nikkor lens at 300mm; 800 ISO; Silver Efex Pro 2, starting at the Low Key 2 preset.

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PEOPLE 328 – GOING TO WORK 60

 

 

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Early morning on the main road in from the south.

Earlier images from this series can be found here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28,  29, 30,  31,  32, 33  34  35  36 37  38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45  46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 .  Each will open in a separate window.

Click onto the image to open a larger version in a separate window, and click onto that image to enlarge it further.

Technique: X-T2 with 55-200 Fujinon lens at 290mm (equiv); 6400 ISO; Lightroom, using the Velvia/Vivid film simulation; Temple Gate, Bristol; 2 Feb 2018.
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PEOPLE 327 – GOING TO WORK 59

 

 

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Just before the sun rises, and the drive through the rush hour’s traffic is over.  Sitting in her car, she is illuminated by the light from the screen of a mobile device – a last check, perhaps, before going in to work.

Earlier images from this series can be found here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28,  29, 30,  31,  32, 33  34  35  36 37  38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45  46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 .  Each will open in a separate window.

Click onto the image to open a larger version in a separate window, and click onto that image to enlarge it further – recommended.

Technique: X-T2 with 55-200 Fujinon lens at 305mm (equiv); 10,000 ISO; Lightroom, using the Astia/Soft film simulation; near Temple Meads railway station, Bristol; 15 Dec 2017.
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STILL LIFE 204 – LOOKING AT CHAIRS 14 (MONO)

 

 

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Two sunlit chairs outside the Hurtwood Inn Hotel in Peaslake, Surrey;  25 Mar 2012.

Another image from Peaslake’s blazing sunshine.  I focused on the nearer chair, and made sure that it exits the frame through the top right corner.  The second chair is left semi-focused, and is reduced to three elements – its rear, left hand leg, which casts a shadow on the ground; the lit but unfocused wickerwork of its left side; and the shadow cast by its upright back.  All structure (ie detail) has been taken out of the backdrop, to remove any distraction from the chairs.

The result is a combination of two, featureless black areas (the shadow from the unfocused chair’s back, and its black leg), the variously lit and textured, illuminated parts of the chairs, and the shapes made by the creamish (toned), negative space between them.

The first post in this series on chairs, which contains context and an image, can be found here.  Subsequent posts are here: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8  9  10  11 12 13 .  Each will open in a new window.

Click onto this image to open a larger version in a separate window.

Technique: D700 with 24mm-120mm Nikkor lens at 120mm; 400 ISO; converted to mono, and toned, in Silver Efex Pro 2.

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PEOPLE 318 – GOING TO WORK 51

 

 

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What is this picture looking at?  Well, one aspect of the packed in and claustrophobic nature of Modern Humanity.  Here is the daily movement of human beings from the warm, insulated and comfortable womb of the home to the stark and absolute, exposed reality of the workplace.

Here is each day’s otherwise shadowy and tranquil awakening being polluted by congestion, engine noise, vehicle horns, exhaust fumes, emergency sirens and the glare of head and tail lights.

Does the phrase a necessary evil describe it, I wonder?

Details: the sun has yet to rise, and a main road going southeast out of the city – the road to Bath and to Wells too – is already filled with traffic.

Earlier images from this series can be found here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28,  29, 30,  31,  32, 33  34  35  36 37  38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45  46 47 48 49 50 .  Each will open in a separate window.

Clicking onto this image will open a larger version in a separate window, and clicking onto that will further enlarge it.

Technique: X-T2 with 55-200 Fujinon lens at 305mm (equiv); 6400 ISO; Lightroom, using the Astia/Soft film simulation; Temple Gate, Bristol; 2 Feb 2018.

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PEOPLE 316 – YOUNG GIRL (MONO)

 

 

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One of our friends’ daughters; growing up very fast now. 

Click onto the image to open a larger version in a separate window, and click upon that image to further enlarge it – recommended.

Technique: D700 with 105mm Nikkor lens; 3200 ISO; centre-weighted metering; Lightroom; Silver Efex Pro 2, starting at the Warm Tone Paper preset and adding a moderate coffee tone.
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PEOPLE 315 – GOING TO WORK 49

 

 

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The walk to work, in November: warm breath, cold air, the dazzling but icy gold of sunrise.

Earlier images from this series can be found here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28,  29, 30,  31,  32, 33  34  35  36 37  38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45  46 47 48 .  Each will open in a separate window.

Click onto the image to open a larger version in a separate window.

Technique: X-T1 with 55-200 Fujinon lens at 305mm (equiv); 800 ISO; Lightroom; Bristol Bridge, central Bristol; 11 Nov 2016.
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PEOPLE 313 – GOING TO WORK 47: APOCALYPSE (MONO)

 

 

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This is obviously not a representation of reality – or, if it is, then maybe you shouldn’t be thinking of Bristol for your holiday this year ….

What’s here?  Well, spot metering for the highlights has produced a low key image, and this effect has been enhanced by further darkening during toned black and white processing.  What was in reality a clear, sunny morning has been converted into something less comfortable – we are conditioned to be afraid of the dark, right?

The huge, backlit double-decker buses, their headlights on, tower above people walking passively – perhaps even hypnotically – towards them, while the Tin Type tone spreads its cold, lifeless glow through the highlights.

The more I look at this picture the more it has an apocalyptic feel.  Just what is this – the End Of Days?  Some appalling human cleansing operation?  Just where are these vast metal and glass machines carrying these people off to?  Have Bristol’s retail emporia finally emptied of merchandise in the run up to Christmas, and are these the Lemming Specials that take shoppers on cold turkey to the nearest precipitous cliffs???  >>> LOL! >>> sheer fantasy! >>> the churnings of an over active mind! >>>  but then that’s what photography – and especially black and white – can do for you.

Earlier images from this series can be found here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28,  29, 30,  31,  32, 33  34  35  36 37  38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45  46 .  Each will open in a separate window.

Click onto the image to open a larger version in a separate window, and click onto that image to enlarge it further – recommended.

Technique: X-T1 with 55-200 Fujinon lens at 305mm (equiv); spot metering; 200 ISO; Lightroom; Silver Efex Pro 2,  starting at the Tin Type preset; Broad Quay, central Bristol; 11 Nov 2016.
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PEOPLE 312 – GOING TO WORK 46: CONFRONTATION (MONO)

 

 

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People in the rush hour at Broad Quay.  I cannot now remember whether there was actually any interaction between the man with his back to us and the man on the left – and also the figure whose leg shadows are up at upper right.  But the stance of the man in the foreground – legs set firmly apart, semi-clenched fist hanging loose – does not seem, to me anyway, to be that of someone completely at ease with this meeting of souls.

Earlier images from this series can be found here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28,  29, 30,  31,  32, 33  34  35  36 37  38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 .  Each will open in a separate window.

Click onto the image to open a larger version in a separate window, and click onto that image to enlarge it yet again.

Technique: X-T1 with 55-200 Fujinon lens at 305mm (equiv); 200 ISO; spotmetering; Lightroom; Silver Efex Pro 2, starting at the Architectural preset and adding a selenium tone; Broad Quay, central Bristol; 11 Nov 2016.
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