Fort Point

[WPalank]

Just underneath the southern most span of the Golden Gate Bridge, Fort Point was built during the American Civil War to protect San Francisco from an enemy that never came.

Leicas M8 and 50mm Lux ASPH with B+W IR cut filter.

[Rolo]

The composition is good, but I find the highlights need more control for me. Is there detail to be brought out in the original ?

Fabulous modelling location and well worth a re-visit I suggest.

Rolo

[stuny]

William -

Terrific angle and patterns.

[jmr]

William,

I love the quality of the reflected light on the arches.

[WPalank]

Stuart and John, Thank you so much for your comments!

Originally Posted by Rolo

Is there detail to be brought out in the original ?
Fabulous modelling location and well worth a re-visit I suggest.Rolo

Rolo, I have downloaded another "take" exposed more for the highlights, although I had to do quite a bit more dodging in Screen mode to bring out the small bit of light spillage onto the arches.
Soon as I walked in there in the, the first thing I thought was to bring a model with me the next time. Only the hours are a bit dodgy, Fri, Sat. and Sun, 10AM to 5PM. I got there at opening when it was nice and quiet, but by 10:30 AM, darling little children were yelling and screaming defiling it's hallowed space. Also, now that I have revealed the highlights a bit more, you can see I will have to bring a broom and dustpan for my girls (possibly a shovel)!

[Rolo]

William,

I'm responding to your private mail.

I've played with the imge for just a few minutes and offer this rendering as an alternative.


You'd already recovered the highlight detail and I've pushed it further to discover that there is sufficient for you to recover as much as you need. I've taken it a little further than is necessary just to prove a point.

For me the image is lacking a focal point to design the composition around, which is why I first mentioned the need for a model. That point could be children, or a bicycle, of a nude, or monk ..... I suspect that you could get many variations at this venue and select what works best for you.

The model could be in the shadows or in the highlights and alternatively just head and shoulders close up, or half way down the scene. You could have some fun for a couple of hours posing in this superb venue. See
http://www.leica-camera-user.com/lan...omb-kings.html

I'd also shoot here on a dull day, or in evening light. You do need the highlight separation, but white-out is not good for you. Imagine a model in a white summer dress swirling in the 3rd archway. Put some movement into it with a slow shutter speed, maybe.

Once you have the composition sorted, you can then emphasise the focal point by burning and dodging (not with the burn and dodge tools by the way) to 'isolate and emphasise' your subject. Your current image is difficult for me to do that with due to the lack of a focal point.

I found that I was reading the image from right to left and I find that uncomfortable. For me this image works better by flipping it horizontally so you rad into the image and onto the dancing lady .....

Finishing the image is very important to me and I usually apply a degree of toning to give a third dimension and I always frame the picture in a simple mount to control how it is viewed. The LUF grey background is far from ideal in presenting prints and I don't understand why so many choose to use it, but that's ther decision.

Spend time with your images and work them hard in PS. If the consequence is that you post fewer, so be it - those you do post will be better for it. Your speed will increase. For me, it's the struggle to get a better photo from a frame that teaches you what you want out of your work. The current tendancy to post as-captured digital images is not doing the users a favour, IMO.

Hope that helps. I look forwardto see you submitting variatons.

Rolo