Marlow Mill

[ChrisH]

I don't normally go in for black and white, but I felt that this shot cried out for it. These houses were built in the 1970's/80's, however to me the image has more of a feel of the 1940s/50s. I have tried to keep the white facades under control but have I succeeded? I would welcome your comments.



Aperture: f/10 Shutter Speed 1/125 ISO: 100

[Donald]

I have tried to keep the white facades under control but have I succeeded?

I think you have - and have done so very well.

It's absolutely got a 40s/50s feel to it, or even older. There's almost an art deco feel to the architecture. And you've got the sky working perfectly with the rest of the image.

The one thing going against it, in my view, is that strong vertical (is it part of a lock gate?). It really hits you between the eyes. But the problem with tryign to suggest that you moved to up beside to gate the shot and thus eliminate it, is that the inclusion of everything else in the foreground gives the image a solid base (maybe clone out the handrail of that little platform at the extreme left).

So, it one of those that sets a dilemma. And I don't know the answer. It's about getting the right angle. And you've got it, apart from, in my view, that post.

[ChrisH]

I agree entirely Donald. I was on a boat speeding into a lock when I shot this. Unfortunately with little time to take the shot I didn't see the post through the viewfinder. The scene behind the post is too busy to be able to clone it out successfully, I suspect the only solution is to go back and do it again.

[KeithH]

Oh that post really is a pain Chris but other than that it is a lovely mono shot and you have controlled the whites ok. I thought of cropping it out but the square'ish format didn't suit so then I thought you could stretch the image a little like this:



Cheating? who, moi?

[ChrisH]

Perhaps because I know the Mill so well Keith's stretched version doesn't work for me.

Unfortunately it has been pouring with rain all morning so the chances of getting another shot are remote. I have come up with two solutions: -

1) Cropping the offending post out, which slightly reduces the extent of the rear wing of the buildings, but I think this dramatically alters the feel of the picture...



2) Add some interest to the top of the post. In this example I have used an owl as I had no other bird to hand. Perhaps a heron or cormorant would be more suitable....

[KeithH]

Three different versions and none of them really work for me Chris so its back on the boat for you I'm afraid