Beijing

[raven15]

OK, snot ( like abbreviating "it is not"!) in the photo thread, but I felt like making a new thread for some reason. From my recent trip to Beijing, which I finally finished going through. Sorry if I have a hard time choosing just the best one, that's normal for me :D.

Naturally, if you have any comments or suggestions I really want to hear! I'm always looking for ways to improve. Processing, technique, composition, equipment, whatever! Even if you just say one or two that are exceptionally good or bad.

All with E-620, 9-18mm, 25mm pancake, and 50mm f/2 macro (which has replaced my now-retired 40-150mm).

First, the Mandatory Great Wall Pictures.

Most were with a 2 stop screw in split neutral density filter. These things are NOT optional equipment at The Wall.
1 Panorama
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2695/4173146179_e81d2e46cc_o.jpg
2 Collage
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2517/4173902680_32df80ae89_o.jpg
3 Vendor
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2713/4173903294_73c6e370a2_o.jpg
4 Masonry
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2659/4173146151_8cdf2dae09_o.jpg
5 Misty Hills
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2630/4173148161_1d797f27ec_o.jpg

[raven15]

And a few vertical ones. Not as Great Wallish :rolleyes:, but still there.

6 Arch
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2440/4173146357_02ff24f8c6_o.jpg
7 Question
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2740/4173901960_24eb0bc1ab_o.jpg
8 Flashback
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4173903852_a79e85aa64_o.jpg
9 Snapshot
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2609/4173148141_e9bb1a831f_o.jpg

And now a short break while I go do other things.

[TheWengler]

1) Meh, not crazy about it. Not much stands out from the haze
2) Love the warm light hitting the bricks. Undecided on that tree dangling down into the shot. I think I would probably adjust the comp, to leave out the tree and to avoid having a huge blue area up there.
3) Probably my favorite of the bunch. A very nice shot. Don't like the guys head poking into the bottom of the frame.
4) I like the shot. Maybe include more of the stairs to lead the viewer up the wall.
5) Try tungsten WB to add some interesting color to the layered hills. ANP had some success with that one.

Not too crazy about anything in the second post. The question mark is clever though.

[raven15]

Thanks!

1) Meh, not crazy about it. Not much stands out from the haze
I like the haze. I have a feeling this one could be better though, but I can't put my finger on it.

2) Love the warm light hitting the bricks. Undecided on that tree dangling down into the shot. I think I would probably adjust the comp, to leave out the tree and to avoid having a huge blue area up there.
I have some of those, but I thought they were boring :D. I liked the disparate elements more.

3) Probably my favorite of the bunch. A very nice shot. Don't like the guys head poking into the bottom of the frame.
Thanks. It has been my impression it was my best shot of the day. I took several over a few minutes, moving my camera around and trying different focal lengths. I liked this composition best, so I had to deal with the people. I already cropped and cloned to get one out, sometime I might try cloning that guy too :eek:.

4) I like the shot. Maybe include more of the stairs to lead the viewer up the wall.
Good idea.

5) Try tungsten WB to add some interesting color to the layered hills. ANP had some success with that one.
Ok. What is ANP?


Not too crazy about anything in the second post. The question mark is clever though.
Yeah, they're there mostly for variety.

[raven15]

Temple of Heaven & Park

10 Playing Music. It'd be better with no clipped highlights :(.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2650/4173904068_fe48c2cb0c_o.jpg

11 Temple of Heaven
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2751/4173904122_a7613928e3_o.jpg

12 Park Lane
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2747/4173904836_709a8bc3f0_o.jpg

13 Temple of Heaven Park
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4173149125_da5d5744b8_o.jpg

14 Fuzzy Moat
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2571/4173149185_eec73bbe12_o.jpg

15 Hazy Shade of Winter (or possibly air pollution)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2708/4173904982_dc4b39154d_o.jpg

[raven15]

Temple of Heaven & Details

About this time I became obsessed with roof decorations.
16 Dragon #1
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2732/4173148395_fc1bff1c2a_o.jpg

17 Dragon #2 Dark Side
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2702/4173904294_41c8d55c42_o.jpg

18 Dragon #3
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4173148519_c9e84ccb2e_o.jpg

19 The Green Dragon
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4173904398_e2d95e774c_o.jpg

20 Happy Dragon
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2589/4173148607_9e835ab8ef_o.jpg

21 A What?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2500/4173148727_5427484bf1_o.jpg

[TheWengler]

Ok. What is ANP?

Not what, who.
http://www.dcresource.com/forums/showpost.php?p=396345&postcount=12193

[builder24car]

Your pics are nothing short of fantastic Raven! I'd love to visit there one day. The panorama and theTemple of Heaven Park shots are my favorites. I love the way the sun hits the tower in the wall and the rest of the wall kind of fades into the fog, very cool. Time appears to stand still in the Temple shot, I love that! Thanks for sharing them, I appreciate it!

[raven15]

Other shots in the city:

22 Roofs
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2684/4173900936_e8a48e4894_o.jpg

23 Almost Sunset
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2561/4173905352_f3f9c4c4ce_o.jpg

24 Expat Coffee Shop
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/4176028019_6e0036e0a5_o.jpg

25 Killing Time
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2520/4173905316_08e5fcab6f_o.jpg

26 Beijing
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2542/4173904028_9c05fdc84f_o.jpg

[raven15]

Your pics are nothing short of fantastic Raven! I'd love to visit there one day. The panorama and theTemple of Heaven Park shots are my favorites. I love the way the sun hits the tower in the wall and the rest of the wall kind of fades into the fog, very cool. Time appears to stand still in the Temple shot, I love that! Thanks for sharing them, I appreciate it!
Thanks. I'm always looking to improve though. Let me tell you the story of the emperor and the artist. One day the emperor went to the best artist in all the land asked him to paint a perfect rooster. The artist said he would gladly do so, but it would take several years. A year later the emperor sent a servant to check the progress, but the artist still wasn't ready. This happened again several times. Finally the emperor himself visited in a great rage, intending to kill the artist. He had the artist dragged out, and asked for the painting of the rooster. The artist had an assistant brink his paints and a blank sheet of paper, then painted a perfect rooster in five minutes. The emperor was happy, but was definitely going to kill the artist. "Why did you take five years to do something you did in five minutes?" he said. The artist replied, "majesty, it took me five years to learn to paint a perfect rooster in five minutes."

I've still got a few years to go ... :D.

China's OK, but normally this place is coated with tourists. I happened to visit on an off day in an off season. It's not always that nice :(.

[kgosden]

Raven,

I agree on the 3rd Great Wall shot, easily my favorite. On the first one and other hazy ones I might try going monotone or duotone, blue probably to accentuate the haze and then punch up the levels to highlight the foreground against the background.

In the Temple of Heaven park series I like the trees, but would crop out the fence to focus on the pattern or the trunks themselves.

[raven15]

Raven,

I agree on the 3rd Great Wall shot, easily my favorite. On the first one and other hazy ones I might try going monotone or duotone, blue probably to accentuate the haze and then punch up the levels to highlight the foreground against the background.

In the Temple of Heaven park series I like the trees, but would crop out the fence to focus on the pattern or the trunks themselves.

Thanks. My favorites are actually some of the later ones from inside the city. My personal preference on the wall is for #1, except that #3 is more interesting. Really, I'm trying to learn to put together a set of images, which can't all be the same. I still have a lot to learn about that part.

And now for some signs! (Don't C&C these ones!)

27 KFC
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2743/4173149543_c0723afaa1_o.jpg

28 If only he had paid attention!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2785/4173147677_a51918486e_o.jpg

29 The Throne
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2730/4173144815_959c807815_o.jpg

30 The Pedestal
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4173900432_effc181acb_o.jpg

31 Don't Jump!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2436/4173900318_07c21a8442_o.jpg

32 Use Caution Around Thrones and Pedestals
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4173144347_252e5fa256_o.jpg

33 What's in Here?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2789/4173900052_e0e11930d3_o.jpg

[builder24car]

Very cool story about the emperor and the artist Raven. I'll never paint a perfect rooster. Maybe a chicken one day? LOL


Expat coffee shop really caught my eye. The reflection, what the guy might be thinking about, etc is just cool! :)