Some from Paris

Flyinggina · October 4, 2009

Here are few taken since we arrived in Paris and one taken at Logan Airport on our way over.

1. Boulevard Ménilmontant under construction (pano)

2. Alsleep on the métro

3. Photo exhibit of photos taken along the Mékong river at Luxembourg Gardens. The woman and child walked into my picture and I didn't realize it until I downloaded my photos for the day.

4. Taking a rest break at Pere Lachaise cemetery.

5. Untitled

6. And one from Logan.

Virginia

catspaw · October 4, 2009

love the colors in #1 and her expression in #3. great shots! I like this side of Paris....

Richard · October 4, 2009

Very good series, Virginia. It's remarkable how the iconic metro sign still commands attention despite all the urban clutter. Now that's good design. If it weren't for the sign, it could easily be mistaken for Madrid these days. Excellent reflection in #2 and I like the way you processed it. #3 is one of those rare cases where somebody wandering into the shot just makes it perfect. There's just something so French about it. And the cemetery shot is wonderful.

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Nikolai · October 4, 2009

Awesome series Virginia (gosh, I miss Paris)!

Love love love the "asleep in the metro" shot!

Flyinggina · October 4, 2009

Thanks Leah, Richard and Nik! I'm so glad you enjoyed the series.

Richard, I agree with you that the woman who just walked into my picture #3 makes it work. I love how her smile is almost like the one in the photograph on the fence. Couldn't have set that up in a million years.

#2 is my favorite too, Nik. Just one of those wonderful times when you see a shot, know you've got to have it, and then you get it. That's the kind of experience that keeps me taking photographs.

Va

dlplumer · October 4, 2009

Great set Virginia

I love #4 without a title.

bdcolen · October 4, 2009

Flyinggina wrote:

Here are few taken since we arrived in Paris and one taken at Logan Airport on our way over.

Virginia

Two, three, four and six are the keepers, Virginia, though I would definitely lose the treatments on two and six. Both are strong images - two being by far the stronger - but in both the weird colors distract. I love the couple in the grave yard, but I'd definitely crop in much closer on them - we're beginning to lose them in the present composition.

No. 1 isn't anything - and I know that you know that.

Nor is five- two guys and a kid walking along. Accident or no, there's a wonderful whimsicality to No.3.

Flyinggina · October 5, 2009

Hah BD. I knew that #1 would not be your cup of tea! But, you know, I do like it. It is chaotic and full of life and it captures a significant (if mildly so) moment of development and change in the neighborhood. To me, the treatment complements that, which is why I used it. I do concede that perhaps the picture and its treatment don't fit in this forum.

As for the two men, the kid and the bagette (#5), it is a picture of life in my neighborhood. Maybe it is ordinary and common and uninteresting to some. I believe, however, that it has documentary value. That said, I agree that it isn't as strong in composition and framing as it needs to be to be a really good capture.

Thanks, BD, for taking the time to comment. I always learn from your critiques of my work and the work of others. Your reactions help me focus on why I take the photographs I do and how I can improve my work while staying true to my vision of the world around me.

Va

Flyinggina · October 5, 2009

dlplumer wrote:

Great set Virginia I love #4 without a title.

Thanks, Dan!! I really appreciate your comments.

Va

Richard · October 5, 2009

Flyinggina wrote:

I do concede that perhaps the picture and its treatment don't fit in this forum.

Au contraire! This forum is all about urban life, or at least that's what we're aiming for. While traditional street shooting is fine, pics don't have to look like they were shot with a Leica and high-contrast Tri-X to have a home here. They don't even have to be about people. Urban scenes, like your first shot, can be full of interesting details, and are well worth looking at. Paris is a gold mine for street scenes, so by all means get out there and dig.

Mr. Quiet · October 5, 2009

Number one is WAY to distracting for me, there is no place for my eyes to rest.

#2 is a keeper. I love the way you PPed the colors! B.D., what is wrong with that, IYO?

#3 has to many distracting elements in it too, sorry.....

#4 is great, but IMHO, it be a lot better if you would have gotten closer to the couple?

#5 IMHO again is a snap shot that you took on the spur of the moment and did not even have time to think about, right?

#6 is very good, but like B.D. said, the first one is stronger.

B.D., again, why does the color distract?

Flyinggina · October 5, 2009

Hey Aaron, thanks for your comments.

Never be sorry for not liking something. It is YOUR opinion, YOUR response. You are entitled to it!! I appreciate your sharing your views, whether positive or negative.

Re the couple in the cemetery. I made a conscious choice to include the tomb on the upper left knowing that the couple would end up being smaller in the picture than I would want for a strictly people pic. I probably should have tried it both ways (worked the scene), but hindsight is 20/20!

Virginia

michswiss · October 5, 2009

I enjoy seeing the shots using square crops. It's a challenge to work in that format. It's hard to comment on all the images, but #3 is enjoyable. The woman's expression juxtaposed against the smiling face in the poster works well. #4 is interesting and I can see what you're going after in #5. The rest don't do much for me.

damonff · October 5, 2009

#2 is beautiful.

Wil Davis · October 5, 2009

The reason that #3 works is that the woman is looking directly at the camera; she's seen me and she smiles…

…and I smile back; it works - best of the bunch by far! (IMNSHO

)

The graveyard: I would have waited for the shot of the woman hitting the DOM over the head with her handbag… (anyone remember "Laugh In" ???)

The ones where the printer's about to run out of ink don't do anything for me… (sorry)

#3 - that's The Keeper!

- Wil

PS: I don't know about the cropping of #4; I think it works as is. The problem is that if you crop, the picture becomes just any anonymous graveyard; as you have it, it is a very specific place, and those headstones and monuments are really very interesting.
#5: Ah, it's a baguette! I couldn't see that to start with and was confused (should have realized what with it being in Paris, an' all…)

Flyinggina · October 5, 2009

Michswiss, thank you so much for commenting.

Damon, I agree with you re #2. It is my favorite!

Will, what a great idea!! I definitely should have waited for the pocketbook to be brandished. Now THAT would have been a wonderful capture.

Thanks all for taking the time to comment.

Virginia

cerf · October 6, 2009

Marvellous
I agree that 2, 3 and 4 are keepers. As for the whimsical woman in 3, even if you didn't know your "decisive moment" was in the can (did you need to tell us ;-), it is far and away the best, the more so because she and the Mekong guy on poster behind make an intriguing "twosome". As for 1, yes, isn't the road work a mess! It looks like your photo. I nearly wiped out a bicyclist trying to negotiate that circle yesterday.

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cerf · October 6, 2009

Marvellous (2)
Virginia, I went back to the photos and comments and discovered how much I like 4 in Père Lachaise. Whereas 2 is a good photo and 3 is fun, 4 has a human dynamic to it - a story if you will - that lifts it from the ordinary.

First the placement of the couple almost slipping off the lower right corner of photo, in contrast to those thoroughly static monuments behind, sets up the dynamic. Even the bench appears tilted to right a couple of degrees. Making this a square image seems imperative.

The couple seem to be negotiating whatever it is he wants while she decides if she wants to accede. Who knows, it could be about splitting a sandwich, or about something FAR, FAR more important. Therein lies the mystery and the fascination of this image.

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Flyinggina · October 6, 2009

Thank you so much for stopping by to comment, Cerf. Much appreciated!

Almost took out a bicyclist, huh? Glad you didn't succeed.

Virginia

Some from Paris

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