Steel Town Rises Photo

Photographer’s Note

Only my third image on TE from this year so far.....and i know I said I would concentrate on B&W but only if colour were not really important to the composition. Well here I think it is.

I go to the once famous English steel city of Sheffield to work once or twice a year......I see it change in the gaps......the run down of the steel industry and the process of re-generation which has slowly yet inexorably emerged in terms of economic revival has more and more visible signs each time I visit.

This particular manifestation is part of the new 'entrance' to the city from the main station ......waterfalls cascade down to this fountain.....the walkway along its side is bordered by a sinuously curved steel wall......the theme of blue light leads you on and up towards the city centre and the fantastic new development around St Pauls. Along with new galleries and other arts and cultural buildings near the station I'm really attracted to this part of the city.

I guess people with screens set darker than mine are going to lose an awful lot of detail here......apologies in advance but I do like making images at that cusp.

Nicou, luisafonso, Angelillo has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

luisafonso (858) 2007-02-10 13:14

Yes, color indeed. Although a b&w with a red filter would produce an interesting contrast... Just dreaming loud of course because I didn't try it myself. Like your composition quite much with that red glowing pole in the middle of the frame. Both sides are well filled with different elements. Like how you waited for the woman to be in front of that water spring to provide some contrast. Nothing is here by chance I can see... Great!

rigoletto (26762) 2007-02-10 14:55

Though being an expert on B&W daily life, Kev has also perfect sight for attractive colors of industry. The glazing steel and clear fountain shadowed with the human factor create attractive compo. However i totally agree with the author concerning those bright colors, the pinky-reddy and the darky dark blue are eyecandies or what? My only question: Should Kev have centered that oval "?" in the photo in order to include the fountain, which imho has very little to do with the main subject of attention?
Thanks to Kev's eyes.
Deniz

Furachan (0) 2007-02-11 2:30

Yes, a ovely shot along the vertical, and I throughly "get" the STEEL reference in the visual, but I always imagine Sheffield shruded in smoke and B/W somehow.
this is a new and very modern take on all that.
best,
Francis

Angelillo (9065) 2007-02-12 16:05

Hi Kev,

It's a shot with very stunning lights, playing with the forms, and with the fantasy, very well. I like the mix of the two scenes in the same shot: at left, the real life, with straight lines, more understandable because more ordered, at right, the world of lights, fantasy, curves and straight lines, the world of incomprehensible because there is no codes. Finally, I like a lot the red well saturated in the center. Beautiful shot very well compsed! Thanks,

Angel.