The Window Cleaner

[dkCambridgeshire]

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Yesterday evening, for the second time, I attempted photographing the Alan Sly FRBS, bronze sculpture 'THE WINDOW CLEANER' which stands outside Capitol House, adjacent to Edgware Road Tube Station, London.

 

 

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Leica T with TL 11-23mm; f9 11mm (16mm FF equivalent) 1/400 ISO 400.  Composed with the assistance of a shaving mirror reflecting the ground level monitor image with the camera angled whilst pivoted on its edge, pointing up at the building. Luckily on Sunday evenings, Edgware Road station is not busy - thus very few people passing by. The scene would very different on weekdays - especially during the rush hours. 

 

Best wishes

 

dunk 

Edited May 21, 2018 by dkCambridgeshire

[earleygallery]

Very good! You should try a B&W version also.

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[dkCambridgeshire]

Thank you James  The T is a useful camera!!  

 

dunk 

[dkCambridgeshire]

Methodology:

 

 

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Photos taken by TLF member John Dodkins … also showing wet plate specialist Tony Lovell using his Rolleiflex and looking after my 1979 vintage Billingham bag … we'd been to Photographica where we met up with Leica Forum member Paul Kay.

 

dunk  

Edited May 21, 2018 by dkCambridgeshire

[Michael Hiles]

Methodology:

 

 

29-rslf.jpg

 

 

30-rslf.jpg

 

 

Photos taken by TLF member John Dodkins … also showing wet plate specialist Tony Lovell using his Rolleiflex … we'd been to Photographica where we met up with Leica Forum member Paul Kay.

 

dunk  

 

Nice shots. I also like your signature reference to Mandy Rice-Davies. A terrific and useful quote.

Edited May 21, 2018 by Michael Hiles

[stuny]

Terrific!

[gbealnz]

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Great shot, and background story Dunk.

Different colour cast to the accompanying shots, your image being "quite blue", NOT being critical however.

Articulated screen would have been handy, but you got around that, very clever.

Gary

[Bill W]

I kind of like the methodology shots better than the actual shot...!!! Just me perhaps.

[dkCambridgeshire]

Gary, Ref the 'blue' … it is … but building reflections in the glass are OK … there was some debate about the blueness. Plan to shoot again and try and include statue's facial expression …  One of those situations where an articulated screen would be so useful.

 

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Cropped image to show mirror in use.   Next time will raise the camera slightly by using small wooden block on the mirror's hinged base … it's a learning process and three hands would help 

 

 

 

 

For last year's attempt my Sony A7SII's partially articulated screen would not cover the image in pivoted portrait mode - hence had to lay on the pavement . Last year I used Leica R 19mm Mk II lens on the Sony A7SII 

 

 

Similar subjects need a camera with fully articulated screen. 

 

 

And BTW …  I've long ago given up hope of getting the T to reliably speak to my iPhone's Leica T App … which could offer another possible solution. 

 

dunk 

Edited May 22, 2018 by dkCambridgeshire

[willeica]

Lovely shot, Dunk. I am sorry that I could not get to Photographica to meet up with Tony, John and yourself, and, of course, Paul Kay (pgk). I spent two hours in a Ryanair plane in Dublin on Sunday morning and got off the aircraft when I realised that if the plane took off then I would just about have time to get to Photographica and then turn around and go back to Dublin. I am not sure whether the problem lay with Ryanair or with Air Traffic Control in Gatwick. Next year I will make it a two day trip to make sure that I can get to the show. I found out last year that the social aspect of Photographica is just as enjoyable as the camera collecting side of things

 

As regards the Window Cleaner photo, you are really improving your technique with your usual attention to detail.

 

William

[dkCambridgeshire]

Sorry we could not meet up on Sunday William … will make up for it next time! Tony C. conveyed the news about your flight.  Mike E was there somewhere but maybe left early. Some dealers did not appear to be happy with sales but there was a lot of junk and non-photographic items displayed. 

 

dunk 

[Graham (G4FUJ)]

Gary, Ref the 'blue' … it is … but building reflections in the glass are OK … there was some debate about the blueness. Plan to shoot again and try and include statue's facial expression …  One of those situations where an articulated screen would be so useful.

 

CROP-to-show-shaving-mirror--464.jpg

 

Cropped image to show mirror in use.   Next time will raise the camera slightly by using small wooden block on the mirror's hinged base … it's a learning process and three hands would help 

 

dunk 

And I thought you were praying to the great Window Cleaner God

Love the photos and the effort obviously expended.

[earleygallery]

Dunk, I tried a quick B&W conversion out of curiosity and I think it makes for an even stronger result.

 

I bet Capitol House wouldn’t mind a large print in their reception.

[dkCambridgeshire]

Thank you James … I'll get around to making a usable monochrome version. Feel free to post yours. I have more ideas for another colour image using a wider lens.

 

dunk 

Edited May 22, 2018 by dkCambridgeshire

[earleygallery]

See what you think Dunk......

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[dkCambridgeshire]

See what you think Dunk......

 

 

Excellent James … but would prefer a little space under the boot  …  My sensor needs a clean but the dust specks are not visible in your image. Well done …  You've shown how good a camera the original Leica T can be … especially for B&W images

 

dunk . 

Edited May 22, 2018 by dkCambridgeshire

[earleygallery]

Glad you like it Dunk, I'm sure you can do much better with the original file and some more time tweaking in PP. I seem to have cropped the image a tad (oddly I had trouble posting the image as the file was too big).

 

I may have criticised the T in some aspects but clearly the sensor and lenses are technically excellent, I don't deny that. But it's not the camera, it's the photographer that matters

[dkCambridgeshire]

Glad you like it Dunk, I'm sure you can do much better with the original file and some more time tweaking in PP. I seem to have cropped the image a tad (oddly I had trouble posting the image as the file was too big).

 

I may have criticised the T in some aspects but clearly the sensor and lenses are technically excellent, I don't deny that. But it's not the camera, it's the photographer that matters

 

James, The TL 11-23mm is an absolutely superb superwide zoom lens … As recommended by Don Morley who knows more than a thing or three about lenses. I classify the 'Window Cleaner image as a 'technical exercise'. 

 

dunk 

Edited May 22, 2018 by dkCambridgeshire

[erl]

Dunk, an admirable effort at getting your intended objective.

Whilst impressive, I prefer the third shot as an angle. Had you and the other photographer not been there, I would then slightly angle the camera up to give a suggestion of where the WC is looking. Somehow, despite the angle not being so dramatic, I think it is more expressive about the statue.

 

Somehow, I feel the other pics are more about the photography.

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[dkCambridgeshire]

Dunk, an admirable effort at getting your intended objective.

Whilst impressive, I prefer the third shot as an angle. Had you and the other photographer not been there, I would then slightly angle the camera up to give a suggestion of where the WC is looking. Somehow, despite the angle not being so dramatic, I think it is more expressive about the statue.

 

Somehow, I feel the other pics are more about the photography.

 

 

Erl, As stated in 14<, I've some other ideas for the 'Window Cleaner' and we'll be trying again with different angles. Last Sunday was the third attempt at the ends of days when we'd also attempted other London photo projects.  There are many photos of the statue posted on the internet but TTBOMK none include both the whole statue and full height of the building. Next trip I'll try an idea to include the statue's face and the whole building … it's the charismatic face which will hopefully convey a stronger story. It's a difficult, deceiving, and challenging subject which may require 'stitching' to achieve the desired result; it's a work in progress which requires careful planning outside commuters' rush hours. 

 

dunk 

Edited May 23, 2018 by dkCambridgeshire