<<< o >>>lighting up time 32 comments + add yours
chromasia.com

Well, I totally ran out of time this evening so am really glad that I took this on my walk to the train station, and while I'm quite pleased with the vaguely surreal feel to this shot I think the composition could have been a bit stronger.

capture date
camera
lens
focal length
aperture
shutter speed
shooting mode
exposure bias
metering mode
ISO
flash
image quality
white balance
cropped?
4.49pm on 26/10/04
Canon 20D
EF 17-40 f/4L USM
40mm (64mm equiv.)
f16
1/60
shutter priority
+0.0
evaluative
100
no
RAW
auto
no
 
3x2
comment by miklos at 10:43 PM (GMT) on 26 October, 2004

You must've just updated because I opened this window about 5 minutes ago, minimized it, now came back to it and refreshed... Anyway, this is nice. I'm sure it'll be popularly liked.. WOO FIRST COMMENT.

comment by bob at 10:46 PM (GMT) on 26 October, 2004

Dave -- looks like a very tasty Tootsie Pop! Just in time for our Halloween! -- I love the sky in the background, too... great grab... I think the lampost in the distance adds to this one...

comment by Carlos at 11:00 PM (GMT) on 26 October, 2004

Followed all the rules. Great shot dude.

comment by Jason Wall at 12:01 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

Perhaps, but it is strikingly simple. A lot of balance, in terms of the weight the elements have, and in color. I like it.

comment by Luke Winter at 12:03 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

That doesn't look like a streetlight, it looks like a ball of fine thread or something. The composistion makes you feel confused and lost. i like it and hate it. Undecided about this one.

comment by tristan at 12:34 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

I would like to set up a photolog using MT, but I have no idea how to do it. Am I in for trouble? Or, should I give it a try and just follow the instructions? Would you have any hints or tips on this?

comment by oscar at 01:20 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

looks like the light is trapped inside, waiting to be unleashed come night time.

wish i can do these things. now i know why you're #1 in photoblogs.

comment by nariman at 02:49 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

the second light adds to the photo, especially that it is different in shape...the asymetrical separation is also very nice...composition works very well...the sky is boring...but color schema is nice...I also like the contrast between the sharp light bulb and semi-blurred sky...

comment by CPD at 03:39 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

It looks like a vanilla Chupa Chup.

comment by Shannon at 03:50 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

I've been stopping by to look at your photos for a week now...I must say I've been real impressed with your shots.

comment by P at 05:09 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

very nice. the other light in the bottom left corner is a bit distracting but overall i like this one.

comment by Kayleigh at 05:15 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

Looks great! I agree that a different composition could have made it better, but it is lovely as it is!

comment by Lyle at 07:49 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

To me this is a kind of hyper-real image, almost as though it were one created through something like Bryce. I love the way the clouds appear to have taken on the light from the streetlamp, which adds the colour-theme to the entire picture.

As for the light in the bottom-left? I'm going to be crass and admit I didn't even notice it 'til other people mentioned it - I was looking at the main light, and the clouds/sky. Still living up to that Oscar Wilde quote I guess...

comment by Rene Grassegger at 08:11 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

For me it looks like a very big lollypop, or a big pumbkin, or doe you know those gyrotwister-things? :-)
Nice shot.

comment by roozbeh at 08:42 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

great shot!

comment by Andy (SensorChip) at 09:06 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

This is great and also rather freaky...I've just done my daily upload and then come round here (as I always do). You should see my site today, kinda makes me feel inadequate and freaked out at the same time.

Andy

comment by Ali at 09:23 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

Look at the details on the ball thing. 8mp is really serving you well.

comment by djlight at 09:49 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

It's wonderful, simply wonderful... How could have this amazing color? What's the secret?
Great shot.
Matteo DjLiGhT.
See my photoblog at djlight.net

comment by djlight at 09:51 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

It's wonderful, simply wonderful... How could have this amazing color? What's the secret?
Great shot.
Matteo DjLiGhT.
See my photoblog at djlight.net

comment by doc mabuse at 12:09 PM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

found your site today, so this was the first shot I saw from you...
...and I was instantly completely amazed...wonderful shot!

comment by Turfdigger at 01:53 PM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

Holy smokes, man!
This is such a compelling shot, I cannot go on - simply awesome!

comment by angelocesare at 04:05 PM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

Wonderfull semplicity (angelo from Italy)

comment by Seth Thomas Rasmussen at 04:46 PM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

Wow, I love love love it. How do you get such wonderful color and texture... le sigh.

comment by ren at 04:52 PM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

great shot dave! i love the contrast, and the angle.

comment by Silver Plated Boy at 05:38 PM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

I have been quietly visiting your site for the last 3 months. Quietly as this is my first post.
Your ability to capture the shot and maybe even more importantly, your abilities in the post processing aspect of your work flow and the final results that you acheive are inspiring and many times breathtaking. Thank you...
My own humble offerings can be viewed here.

comment by twb at 06:33 PM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

I think it's very striking and I'd say you seem to have figured out the new camera alright. Your photos lately have been very impressive. Keep it up!

comment by Liisa at 08:11 PM (GMT) on 27 October, 2004

the art to be at the right place at the right time and to see something different from the usual - very well done!

comment by djn1 at 12:03 AM (GMT) on 28 October, 2004

Thanks everyone.

tristan: MT is a powerful system, but it has a rather steep learning curve. If you're already familiar with HTML and CSS I'd say it's worth it, if not then you may well struggle a bit.

Rene: no, I'm not familiar with gyrotwisters, at least I don't think I am ;-)

Andy: I like your shot.

djlight: the secret, such as it is, is that I selectively increased the contrast of the sky. Other than that though I didn't do anything else to this one.

comment by tiffany at 05:27 AM (GMT) on 28 October, 2004

Something about this one is a little uneasy feeling - something in the composition. The graphic designer in me wants to rotate it 90 degrees counter clockwise, and then crop in closer. I know you're not a big fan of cropping so I'm not suggesting that you actually do that but maybe that urge points to the issue I'm having. I think the problem is that the way the composition is now, everything pulls straight down from the upper left corner to the lower right - it's like arrows pulling down almost. I feel like it could knock the pole and the light over almost.

If you turned it upright and cropped in a little bit, the pole might feel like it had a fighting chance of staying upright. I don't know... maybe not. I'm tempted to download this and draw arrows on it to explain what I'm thinking. Would you mind if I tried it?

But! The light itself and the colors are beautiful. Love the texture of the lamp fixture. It's also hard to tell the scale here, which is kind of cool.

comment by elenuzzy at 02:09 PM (GMT) on 28 October, 2004

wonderful photos :-) (all!!!)

comment by Lollipop at 09:10 AM (GMT) on 13 December, 2004

Oh my god, it looks exactly like a Chupa Chups lollipop! Very nice!

comment by rµin at 08:25 PM (GMT) on 30 January, 2005

you stole my idea ;-)

i've seen a similar potential shot but didn't have my camera with me ... great to see what it would have looked like :-)