Urban Shape #21

This was taken on Dago Street, at the intersection with Sulanjana Street, across the Dukomsel building. At that time, I visualize different picture. I put the white wall on the left side (not shown on the frame) to strengthen the curve line. But it turns out to be a major distraction. Big white wall against the gray toned paving are compete each other, very unpleasant to look at. I treat this picture as failure.

Last week I look again to these shots and I see the potential to be a good picture. I heavily crop the image to get the one above.

I don't like cropping. It's like playing cheat. There's something wrong in my process in taking this shot. Maybe I should use 50mm lens instead.

6 Jul 2014
Nikon F3HP
Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI
Kodak Tri-X 400

Urban Shape #20

This photo was taken at the ancient Quinine Factory building, built around 1896 by the Dutch Colonial. The architecture gives a nice mood like those in European countries.

The most difficult thing in making this picture is to wait for the exact moment when the traffic ceased and something interesting happens on the sidewalk at the same time. I spent around 30 minutes here without good result. The decisive moment is very elusive.

Several weeks later I review again these shots and make a little "adjustment"  to get the one presented here. I heavily crop the image to get this not-so-bad composition. A glimpse of car at the lower left turns out to be a good element to enrich the picture, suggesting more ambiguity to create a hypothetical story from this image.


6 Jul 2014
Nikon F3HP
Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI
Kodak Tri-X 400

Urban Shape #19

Simple rectangle with a little selfie. Vivian Maier took many self portrait in her body of work. So why not ? :)
I was expecting passerby to appear across the street to create a nice reflection on the glass. Unfortunately the traffic is too busy, passerby across the street would be blocked by car.

A man showed up carrying his child on a stroller, I took several shot of him when his reflection appear on the right and left glass. The light on the right area was sufficiently bright to create a well exposed glass reflection. But the glass is decorated by drawings that interfere the reflection, renders it unreadable. The left glass was clean but the light was not as good, yields a less than ideal figure to ground relation. Arrgh...


1 Aug 2014
Nikon D700
Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI
ISO 400 - f/8 - 1/125