Leuven Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

This is the Flemish town of Leuven famous for it's University, it's Gothic architecture, and of course for being the home of Stella Artois beer.

Being flat and full of students there are bicycles everywhere.

This was taken around 10PM on a Sunday evening, without flash, using my old compact camera, on a little tripod balanced on the window sill on the left.

PP quite a bit of cropping to get this composition and rotation to correct some tilt.

feather, wishlist, pelin, siolaw, stego, jvachon, Clementi has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

feather (49848) 2008-08-10 11:45

Ah! You are having a go at B&W. If not for the black sky it could be during the day as there is so much light. It looks deserted apart from the bikes telling us there are people about somewhere; probably sampling the Stella! :D Good conversion. Well done
Kath

snunney (34186) 2008-08-11 2:26

Hello Leon,
An interesting and moody composition that well suits the black and white treatment.

wishlist (4133) 2008-08-11 7:00

Hi Leon,
the choice of the b&w brought in a beautiful atmosphere, thanks to the empty street and the lonely bike. The Stella is a good focus point and I can see you managed to deliver good details throughout. Well balanced and presented this compo, good job!
Cheers,

Igor

pelin (2765) 2008-08-11 10:22

Hello friend, yes the breeze at our sea is really.. DISTURBING ;-) Leuven sounds french but as I have heard people in belgium speak two languages, also in french. A good shoot with this bicycle, well choice B&W.
Thanks,
cheers
~pelin

siolaw (25702) 2008-08-11 21:49

Hi Leon
The black and white fits this scene quite well and adds to the somehow gloomy atmosphere, amplified by the emptiness of the streets. The wide DOF keeps everything in focus...
Interesting experiment!
Greetings
Laurent

John_F_Kennedy (30723) 2008-08-12 1:38

Good sharpness, tonal contrast, in this superb b&w image. Well done.
Best wishes,
Achim

stego (22340) 2008-08-14 12:26

Hi Leon,
Maybe you would have done better if you had an Hasselblad, but the quality is very acceptable for a night shot taken in the circumstances you describe. I like very much the compo and the light.
Regards, José.

jvachon (542) 2008-08-26 14:55

hello Leon,
This shot reminds me so much of Holland, where I spent a lot of time while a youngster. I was always on a bike like the one perched on the wall.
Very good B?W with great tones and light in a well composed shot.
Well done. Joni

Dorota (728) 2009-01-05 7:50

Hello
This photo looks like from old film ! It is very nice B&W photo ! When I look at it I really wait for somebody to appear :) I guess I will wait long ...:)
Regards
Dorota

Clementi (43023) 2009-04-19 22:26

Ciao Leon,
very nice B&W composiction, I like in the foreground the wheel of the bicycle, on background I see hidden publicity...
good job
Giorgio