Creative photography

[Mike54]

I decided to visit the great city of Hartford, CT. Darn near froze my behind off so I figured I'd let you view from the comfort of your keyboards. Each is linked to a larger version for your viewing pleasure.
From Great River Walk under the Founders Bridge (left side)

From the right side.

Here's one from the middle of the bridge.   I want to crop this one square but can't find the sweet spot, any ideas?

And one last one, it might look familiar but I swear it's from this morning.

[Deb]

Hey, those are neat! You photograph cityscapes so beautifully!

As for where to crop the third image, here's my suggestion. Since water levels itself, I'd use the waterline visible up against the innermost support. It looks like you've pretty much already done just that (intentionally or not).  

[Mike54]

Deb, do you find the "outside world" that's visable on either side of the second arch distracting? (see larger image)

[Deb]

On a very large print, I might. But short of reshooting the scene using a different aperture, you can't get around that. (You're asking someone who is rather a purist when it comes to photo retouching. You won't find me suggesting "erasing or cloning out" those elements.) If anything, I would eliminate some of the foreground by cropping OR burn it in some. The landscape proportion of this image is attractive. I'm afraid if you crop it too much the farthest most background elements would become too prominant. Overall the dim tones of the foreground wall are a very nice frontdrop to the middle water element and bridge support.  

[Mike54]

You're asking someone who is rather a purist when it comes to photo retouching. You won't find me suggesting "erasing or cloning out" those elements.

I rarely use anything more than what I can do in DPP and I usually limit that to a touch of sharpening (+1 and never more than +2) and a boost in saturation. I'll use the clone tool if I need to remove a stick that's stuck somewhere it shouldn't be too. For the most part PSP is only used for resizing and applying USM afterwards (except when I'm playing ).
That said there is an experimental crop here, I gave up on "square". It's got a touch of extra processing in that I did some selective blurring of the "outside world" to slow the eyes jump to it. Not much, just a touch.

Oh, I did rotate the image left .10 of a degree (yes point 10 degrees) as it just bothered me.

Gail, if you peak in, I know I broke the rule.

[Deb]

I rarely use anything more than what I can do in DPP and I usually limit that to a touch of sharpening (+1 and never more than +2) and a boost in saturation. I'll use the clone tool if I need to remove a stick that's stuck somewhere it shouldn't be too. For the most part PSP is only used for resizing and applying USM afterwards (except when I'm playing ).

That's what I thought but just had to mention it. Wouldn't want ya expecting a suggestion to add a clip of a boat or something.  

That's perfect! The minimal touchup is subtle and, yes, "pure".   Very nice image Mike! I love it!!

[pentachris]

Deb, do you find the "outside world" that's visable on either side of the second arch distracting? (see larger image)

Not at all.  I'm no art critic with any qualifications to speak of (I like what I like ), but I think that it adds just the right touch of "this is a real photo of a real place" to an otherwise interesting view of just geometrical figures.  In other words, it gives a little bit of context to the arches.

I especially like the first picture - the twinkle of the street lights on the bridge, the moon, the reflections...  all around pleasing to the eye.  There must have been a fair amount of sunlight in the sky (right at the break of dawn, perhaps?) to get that much blue behind in the sky behind the lit buildings.  Very nice.

[Mike54]

There must have been a fair amount of sunlight in the sky (right at the break of dawn, perhaps?) to get that much blue behind in the sky behind the lit buildings.  Very nice.

Thanks for looking pentachris. It was actually a little before dawn break - 5:38 (the last image was taken some 46 minutes later - 6:24 as the sun broke the horizon). The richness of the blue is a result of my using a circular polarizer.

[bdery]

Mike, these are great. I really wouldn't crop the third one at all, I find it just right that way. If anything, I'd crop some of the bottom out, to make a real 2x3 out of it.