The Competition Photo

Photographer’s Note

I headed down to one of my favourite spots to get pictures of the city. It was a great morning, with a light mist over the city and the sun was doing some great things. When I arrived, I saw another photographer in 'my' spot. Of course, the spot doesn't belong to me, but it can bother you to see someone trying to get the same shot as you. I took some shots down beside him, and as I was leaving I took this one, which turned out to be my favourite of the day. Now I'm sure I got at least one shot that he didn't get!

Photo65Net, nwoehnl, lasscor, brevbrev14, pady, PJE, zeca, Yffic, PixelTerror, ChrisJ, wilkinsonsg, jhm, kLe, cessy, pboehringer, keribar, Bien, banyanman, bibiweb, kmarscher, smash2707, atilgone, vesalius, pierrefonds, atlantida, leo61 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

martusia (512) 2006-10-01 11:31

Wow, that's amazing...No need to say more!
Truly amazing...
Thanks for sharing and congratulations!
Marta

Photo65Net (43084) 2006-10-01 11:33

Hi,
Incredible pic !
Very nice use of the other photographer as a foreground, and of the haze in the background.
Very nice.
JB.

sothy81 (8520) 2006-10-01 11:34

This is a wonderful capture of "Man" and "Beauty." A portrait of, like your title said, competitiveness of man nature: achievement and hardwork. I like this picture a lot. Well done Alvin. TFS. Sothy

[workshop] [compare]

greg64g (11193) 2006-10-01 11:42

Hello Alvin
superb exposure and escpecially in foreground, colors are perfect, thats was a great morning for sure.
cheers
greg

besnard (30526) 2006-10-01 11:45

Bonjour Alvin
Très belle composition avec les immeubles qui se devinent dans le jour qui fait son apparition. Beaux reflets, belles couleurs.
Merci pour le partage et bonne soirée.
Nicole

vedra (0) 2006-10-01 11:45

Hi Alvin,
A nice little story. Sometimes things are not as they seem to be... You captured very beautiful light here, a city awakening through the mist. Water surface is so still, it looks as a mirror. I like masts of the vessels - they give some abstract quality to your phooto.
Vedrana

nwoehnl (118) 2006-10-01 11:57

Hi Alvin. Wow, this turned out really nice. The haze is adding a mysterious twist to the scenic view of the skyline across the marina, and the photog with his tripod-mounted camera provides a well-placed foreground interest. Beautiful mood created by the light. Greetings from Austria.

sebinho342 (18736) 2006-10-01 12:16

Hi Alvin, i'm speachless seeing this masterpiece, wow, all my sincere congratulations, huge picture, really great ... thanks for the moment :)

teutza (10562) 2006-10-01 12:19

Hy Alvin,
great shot of "the place stealer":))
very interesting mood!it was a nice day:)
hugs
teo

Fis2 (45657) 2006-10-01 13:28

Witaj Alvin!
Interesting photo. Super colors and key. Very impressive picture. Well done.
Regards
Krzysztof

colinbrenchley (6133) 2006-10-01 13:31

Alvin
I'm Jealous - What mist and what stillness you have captured in this beautiful silhouette. This is the sort of atmosphere I just wish could be ordered for photography.
Regards Colin

lasscor (7637) 2006-10-01 14:05

Hi Alvin,
Wonderful composition, all in softness.
Soft morning light, soft pastel colors.
Great misty atmosphere.
Wonderful reflection effect in the wather.
The photographer in foreground adds a plus to yoiur composition.
TFS,
Corinne

jaywalker (12190) 2006-10-01 14:11

Hi Alvin, WOW a superb photo with great lighting, you have caught the haze fantasticly & the photographer in the foreground finishies the photo of so well, i just love it, kind regards Wilson.

lucinka (9902) 2006-10-01 15:30

Alvin, another great shot from this place. You've been lucky for very mysterious mood this time. I like the composition but maybe I would have chosen to give more space to the other photographer, maybe to make his photo from bit lower point of view. Great shot anyway :) Lucie

Guillem69 (4) 2006-10-01 15:38

No hay mucho que añadir a los comentarios ya hechos, pero es una espectacular imagen, que añade un elemento singular con el fotógrafo en primer plano que consigue equilibrar la composición. De otro modo no sería lo mismo.

nico51 (274) 2006-10-01 15:39

Alvin,
Très très belle image. Elle m'a sauté aux yeux et en même temps elle dégage beaucoup de tranquillité.
Bravo!
Nicolas

veronika (6022) 2006-10-01 15:42

Hi ALvin,
this one is amazing! Great compo, great great.. everthying :)
Vero

PJE (19405) 2006-10-01 16:19

Alvin when I opened up this photo I knew right away this is a winning photo. Scenes like this is one reason why I love Vancouver in the morning. You lucky fella you!
Whats so interesting in this photo is the color transition from the blue sky down to the pink morning mist in the sky and in the reflection. Adding to that this photographer in a beautiful silhouette againest the morning stillness. On the technical side it looks like he is holding a ND graduated filter for this photo. I do think you got the best shot Alvin. Very well composed and presented!

euryan (8345) 2006-10-01 16:19

I think you did well to include your competition in this photo. It creates another dynamic to an already beautiful scene. The light and the mist were certainly very beautiful on this morning, and you captured it all very well.

Angelillo (9065) 2006-10-01 16:53

Hi Cormac,

You has got here an ambiance really spectacular and mysterious. The fog (?) hiding the buildings, the vertical boat masts, the soft light, and the photographer. It's a great idea, as you say in the note! Thanks.

zeca (20026) 2006-10-02 0:15

Hello Alvin!
Nice to see someone like us in action here! The picture quality is 5*! Excellent sharpness and beautiful colours! The lights are amazing!!
Cheers!
Zeca

brevbrev14 (372) 2006-10-02 3:29

Hi Alvin great shot here!FAntastic idea to includes the man in the shot!i think in this way it is more original!!Also without....but with the man is fantastic!Great colours, tones and atmosphere!
BRAVISSIMO!!
CIAO!

Valeria

Yffic (6106) 2006-10-02 4:38

Hi Alvin

Superb shot.
I love the misty atmosphere on the background.
Story with the other photograph is interessting.

Regards.

Yves

PixelTerror (86038) 2006-10-02 4:44

Hi Alvin,
A very nice one, I the overall golden dominant and how the skyline fades in the remaining fog, our "colleague" is a nice addition to build an action in the depth and if you met him on that day it's probably because you were... late ;-)
Have a nice day,
Jean-Yves

ChrisJ (70099) 2006-10-02 5:20

Hi Alvin

Fantastic reflections, graphism, & silhouettes, & a good catch of a photographer at work. Tfs!

ndb1958 (9248) 2006-10-02 8:19

Hi Alvin,
what a great shot. it is a capture with amazing tones and wonderful reflections. Nice, the photographer in the forground.
Such a beautiful place.
Nino

darrasin (2860) 2006-10-02 11:27

Greetings Alvin! Great idea here, I always love to see the photographer in the shot type of pictures especially when they are captured as well as yours. I think you exposed this perfectly, just enough light to give us some details in the shadows of the photographer while capturing some very nice colors. The sharpness of the reflections on the water is particularly impressive.

Very well done!
Doug

pady (4800) 2006-10-02 12:00

Very great light. You captured a good moment of a photographer's life.
Very well seen.
Greetings
Pierre-André

wilkinsonsg (8646) 2006-10-02 12:14

Excellent exposure, subtle light and great reflections - eell done :)

jhm (82297) 2006-10-02 13:42

Dear Alvin,

Today I browsed to your gallery and I found different lovely pictures, I remain near to this last post, this is a very spectacular picture certainly through the silhouette of the photographer and his tripod, also the background gives a very well composition, my compliment for this one!

Have a nice week,
John

kLe (2039) 2006-10-02 15:52

I can understand what you felt when you saw an intruder invading 'your' spot. And when that happens to me, I use to get revenge in the same way as you did.
I am sorry but I can not find nothing wrong to help you to improve next time.
Everything is perfectly placed: the mysterious mist, the dock in the center for a better simetry and the photographer on the spot where he does not disturb the reflection.

vapours (7913) 2006-10-02 23:49

It's a stunning scene Alvin, the fog and the sunlight helps make this look like a real magical place. Well done.

cessy (13647) 2006-10-03 6:37

hehehe.. nice capture of the photographer, Alvin
beautiful view of the city, love the subdued colors of the buildings and the reflection combined with the strong and light on the boats

pboehringer (770) 2006-10-03 11:37

The shot is stunning for several reasons and most of them were already pointed out by previous TE members. The learning point for me was your experince that I share completely. At the beginning I got irritated with other photographers or people standing in the way of my objects. Passing time I enjoy it and learn more and more by looking what they do, how they shoot, what angles they take, what kind of filters and at the end we engage in exchange and sometimes I leave the place with a picture that they are unable to get - just like you did it here.
Best Regards, Peter
P.S. Your intro is excellent! TFS

danyy (68572) 2006-10-03 12:16

Bonjour Alvin,
teintes délicates et reflets 'miroirs'. Je trouve que tu as capturé les lumières difficiles avec professionnalisme.
J'aime ces buildongs dans la brume, une ville endormie.
Cadrage parfait avec le photographe placé à gauche.
Best regards.
Daniel.

keribar (42742) 2006-10-03 23:04

Hi Alvin,

This is the reward of getting up early and going after pictures. You did well to get the other photographer inside the frame it adds a lot. A photo with may assets.

Best wishes- Izzet

binita (464) 2006-10-04 3:58

very well taken. the colour tone is just supeb. thanks for sharing.

Ann75 (0) 2006-10-06 0:12

Hi Alvin,

Wow, what a shot! The calm water is absolute incredible with the strong reflections on the water. Great atmosphere due to the fog and the light is fantastic. Great composition with the use of the other photographer in the shot. Excellent work, Alvin!

Greetings,
Ann

Bien (4727) 2006-10-06 8:05

Hi Alvin, He will have to do a 'damn' good job to be competition for you. I wouldn't be surprised if he saw your images somewhere, which inspired him to do the same. I can imagine this place being your favourite spot; you always manage to get some amazing results; this one even being sublime. Those peach and pink tones are so attractive, giving a city skyline a very peaceful look. The morning fog gives the right mood to the scene. The reflection in the water is one of the prettiest I've seen. Sabine

Stepan (27175) 2006-10-07 3:33

Wow !!!
The reflection is perfect.
The cropping and the pov are perfect.
The light management is perfect.
The moment was the best.
The result is one of the best technical compo I've seen here for a while !
Stéphane

john_c (24635) 2006-10-08 11:34

Hi Alvin,
Actually, you made superb use of the other photographer to capture his silhouette and tripod to balance the area to the left. The lighting here is special, almost golden, and I like to think the mist is not actually a haze of pollution...Very nice tones and lighting on the boats to the right. A great capture, Alvin. Well done.
John

krysia (3878) 2006-10-09 12:00

Hi Alwin,
I think that every aspect of this photo is great: the composition, the theme and reflections in the water.
What I like most is the wonderful light and the magic fog.
Very, very good photo.
Congratulations,

Teten (582) 2006-10-10 13:41

Superb, you really have a total control over the shine and shilouetes at your photos, great frame!
Well done!
Tetén

banyanman (7716) 2006-10-13 9:50

As soon as I saw this I thought "What a good shot for the 'Photographing the Photographer' theme" so I've added it for you Alvin. Your exposure is perfect to capture this beautiful soft morning light and mist - and well composed too. Cheers . . . David

dcawker (5667) 2006-10-18 10:10

Funny story (and yes, I've had this experience as well) and excellent shot! Having him within the frame really changes the whole meaning and I really like it! Regards, Doug

sebcz (2345) 2006-10-19 3:57

Hi Alvin!
Thank you for sharing this interesting story and none the worse photo. No wonder the site is so popular among photogs.
Regards
Seb

ancevski (3334) 2006-10-19 5:36

Alvin,

this is excellent photo. I like the colors and the reflexion.

Great job,
Dragan

bibiweb (8) 2006-10-20 15:07

Hi Alvin,
After having taken a bit of time off from TE, I'm now back and just had a look at the latest posts in your gallery. This shot is just beautiful with the early morning light and the buildings appearing in the background through the mist. The presence of your "rival" in the foreground is really a plus and I really enjoyed reaing your note.
Have a nice week-end.
Brigitte

Bluejeans (32053) 2006-10-25 8:47

Ola Alvin fantastica foto !!!!
Um reflexo perfeito ,bonitas cores, bom enquadramento.
Parabens!!!
Um abarço Gonçalo

kmarscher (2881) 2006-10-25 20:20

Perhaps we all picture ourselves here? This is such a unique shot and I like the story behind it. Never give up the hunt, it may just be behind you...

To me, the moody stillness creates a compelling contrast to the detailed color values and it is this that makes your shot so spectacular.

smash2707 (2516) 2006-10-26 21:42

Hi Alvin. I love the way the buildings look through the mist and the reflections on the water. The inclusion of the silhouette of the photographer was an excellent idea. Congratulations, Yvonne

ramesh_lalwani (3209) 2006-11-02 1:58

Great shot taking advantage of morning mist.Lovely reflection and sunlight on building and boats.Congratulations
Ramesh

vesalius (857) 2007-01-10 16:30

Hey Alvin,

I've never seen the water that still before, very nice. The mist adds a feel of serenity. Thanks, Don.

pierrefonds (26137) 2007-07-20 4:38

Hi Alvin,

A nice photo of downtown Vancouver in the fog, of the reflection of the buildings in the water and of the other photographer, the photo has a very good composition, DOF and nice colors. Thanks for sharing.

Pierre

leo61 (43282) 2008-11-06 22:06

Hi Alvin!
I had a look at your "best shots" and found this great one.
A very good composition with excellent quality.The photographer and the tripod are perfect positioned and the reflections are perfect,too.You where lucky to have this mist to see these wonderful pink.
Regards,Leo

Photo Information

Copyright: Alvin Brown (Cormac) (26449)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-09-29
Categories: Architecture
Camera: Nikon D200, 17-55mm f/2.8
Exposure: f/8, 1/200 seconds
More Photo Info: view
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Photographing the Photographer, Member's Favourites [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-10-01 11:29
Favorites: 6 [view]