<<< o >>>evening caberet #1 11 comments + add yours
chromasia.com

This is the first of two very similar shots, and I hesitated about putting both up as separate entries but a) I think that they have a different feel to one another, and hence are both worth seeing, and b) I'm trying to post more sequences of images rather than just stand-alone shots. Also, I really couldn't decide whether to post the monochrome or colour versions of these shots so have put up both. The colour version of this shot can be seen here:

.../archives/evening_caberet_1.php

Possibly, if I'd just intended to post this shot and not tomorrow's, I might have gone with the colour version, but I'm not sure. I like the vibrancy of the colour shot but, for some reason that I can't explain, the monochrome version seems more powerful (this may just be my reaction but it gives me a real feeling of claustrophobia). Anyway, the deciding factor was that I was putting both up, and as a pair I think they work much better in monochrome.

Oh, and if anyone's interested, both today's and tomorrow's shot were toned by using the Channel Mixer to extract the red channel and then the Curves tool to i) boost the shadows in the red channel, slightly decrease the shadows and boost the highlights in the green channel, and decrease the shadows in the blue channel. This warms/colorises the darker areas of the image while retaining a fairly neutral colour balance in the highlights.

And for those of you who like urban/people photography I'm pleased to be able to say that Travis Ruse has just re-launched his photoblog. Express Train (which replaces Here to There - recently mentioned at blog.photoblogs) is a chronicle of Travis's daily commute from Park Slope, Brooklyn to midtown Manhattan and features many wonderful shots. To get you started you might want to take a look at this portrait, or this one, this rather futuristic view of Grand Central Station, or a view from the N train somewhere in Brooklyn.

capture date
camera
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metering mode
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cropped?
8.25pm on 21/1/05
Canon 20D
EF 50mm f/1.8 II
f/1.8
1/100
aperture priority
+0.0
evaluative
800
no
RAW
C1 Pro
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3x2 + fylde coast + night shots
comment by Adrian Hudson at 09:15 PM (GMT) on 22 January, 2005

Yet another excellent shot. I like the out of focus bits at the sides. By the way, for us aspiring photoshop users, thanks for putting up the techniques you use.

comment by Sharla at 10:38 PM (GMT) on 22 January, 2005

Monochrome for me! I can't tell this wasn't a shot from the 20's. And I wish if I had been taking the shot that I wouldn't have worked so hard to get the perpendiculars right. Now maybe I won't!

comment by m at 11:31 PM (GMT) on 22 January, 2005

Very topical (in the UK anyway)

comment by nogger at 12:15 AM (GMT) on 23 January, 2005

Mono for me too. There again, I have a thing for mono.

And thanks for the link to Express Train.

comment by Jerome at 12:33 AM (GMT) on 23 January, 2005

Sharla: just be sure that there is a specific intent behind any skew you introduce into the composition. Simply "not worrying about it" often leaves you with something that looks... well, unintentional. :)

comment by Mexipickle at 12:49 AM (GMT) on 23 January, 2005

I definitely like the monochrome shot better. I agree...it has a real 'old' feel to it, lilke something from a Bogart movie. And thanks for your comments on each shot. I like that (almost) as much as the photos themselves.

comment by Alec Long [Shutter And Pupil] at 02:25 AM (GMT) on 23 January, 2005

At first I thought I'd say the black and white version, hands down; it feels very forties, and thus appropriately toned. Then I noticed the two all-male-revue ads, and decided the color version might be more on target, for its back-of-the-city-paper adult ad feel.

Either way, it's an impressive photo.

comment by tark at 01:52 PM (GMT) on 23 January, 2005

Nice theme.

comment by kyle at 02:54 PM (GMT) on 23 January, 2005

hey your photos are great. check some of mine out.. im only 17 but its a start.. how do u get such great color?
kyle

comment by djn1 at 09:38 PM (GMT) on 23 January, 2005

Thanks everyone.

comment by tanner at 06:01 AM (GMT) on 24 January, 2005

Wow, this photo is amazing. I really enjoy the colors, and the clarity of the numbers in the back. The focus is totally clear.

Good work.