Crown Fountain Photo

Photographer’s Note

my version (very tilted one, of course) of Crown Fountain, an interactive work of public art and video sculpture designed by Catalan artist Jaume Plensa in Millenium Park, Chicago. during the day place doesn't look like anything to write home about - a black granite reflecting pool placed between a pair of glass brick towers, which display digital videos of Chicago residents and natural scenes and occasionally spout water through a nozzle located on each tower's front face. but at night it's a different world, as the the song goes...

p.s. I see no reason to bother with the title, since it is not visible in the main gallery page. silly.

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RAW, ISO 500 (yes, I know), 70mm focal length, spot metering. the only pp work that I did was selectively darken the already dark areas to take away all details.

baba_flies, thea0211, Wandering_Dan, dareco, bostankorkulugu, Philippe, worldcitizen, fulvio52, Floydian, stego has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

baba_flies (7913) 2009-05-21 4:53

Hello Kristine ... I have just dropped you a line maybe 15 minutes ago leaving my cell phone in case you have an emergency and I have to save you down in Moab ... guess it will be difficult to meet, obligations in Grand Junction, the water pump has to be understood ... LOL. Interesting piece of work here, love the tilt, it plays a great role, your own interpretation of a special installation. Can't wait to leave ... the countdown began yesterday ... All my best + have a wonderful trip bringing back tons of memories and great photos ... Barbara.

rikko77 (5444) 2009-05-21 5:29

Hello Kristine
I find this pic really interesting. Framing is original, clever..I love those silhouetted figures and the big face behind with reflection in the water. Really, it's something clever.
Well done,
have a nice day
Rikk

thea0211 (1355) 2009-05-21 5:54

kristine,
ISO 500 (and more) is where all the fun begins ;o))) ... don't let anyone fool you (with the contrary ;o) ... how on earth can you appreciate light when you have plenty of it all around you? ... you have to hunt for it, 'grab' it with both eyes, make the sensor fall in love with it!

normal human reaction in such cases is to tilt one's head to the right so that's what i'm doing right now just to be sure i 'see' everything i am supposed to ;o)
but i hope your next one will be a (very) tilted one, to the left of course so i can make a complete exercise ;o)))

black and red combination is almost always a winner, so are silhouettes (in my head at least)
eye appealing sight, i bet it's an interesting live view aswell!
what if you would have kept (shot) it vertical (a stitch of more pics maybe), crop the already dark sides, keep the middle and make it into an LP (vertical, of course - can't remember to have seen a vertical stitch on TE up until now? but someone has to start, right?) (anyways, seems to me proportions would have been right, but i might be wrong of course)

stay well!
teodora

Bartleby (4618) 2009-05-21 5:55

Hi Kristine,
It's nice to see you back. I agree about the title not beeing visible....' hope they're gonna do something about it. I remember seeing that thing in Chicago. Very impressive. I like your take on this one . The tilt and the reflection makes it very attractive. Good job.

Philippe

diegomach (467) 2009-05-21 6:04

Kristine gran idea la de esta fotografía, es muy original. Los tonos rojizos son estupendos, me encana la composición diagonal con las siluetas en negro e las personas.
Felicitaciones
hermosa foto

mikeo (12113) 2009-05-21 6:37

Hi Kristine,
WOW! This is really great photo and so different than your last shots. Superb idea, perfect reflection and those people included here who add life.

Great, modern, superb shot...!
...in a huuuuuge opposition to new TE...
Grrrrr...

Greez,
Mikeo

delkoo (33888) 2009-05-21 6:49

hi kristine
very creative shot, something different of what we see everyday on TE, very artistic way to learn about the world..
well seen and well executed.

didier

zmey (7242) 2009-05-21 6:53

very nice effect. especially i like how the shadow seems to distort the reflection of his face from neutral to open, seemingly sinister laughter.

hugs
k.

ps. for some reason i don't feel sympathetic to the red hair-line in the frame. maybe the new site design causes that feeling.

Wandering_Dan (3169) 2009-05-21 8:17

Hi, Kristine -

I found this photo with the help of that workaround posted in the discussion we are both part of, about not being able to find favorites any more. (They did promise to fix it.)

Anyway, I only recognized what this photo was after reading your note, since I've been to Chicago and seen this fountain. It is definitely an imaginative look - one of typical tilts - and vaguely sinister. In fact, it looks much more interesting this way than, as you say, it does in real life, day or night. (Although in the daytime, the people playing in the water can be interesting in themselves. And without the people in this shot, it wouldn't be quite the same, either.)

One of your best tilts so far!

Best,
Dan

dareco (17024) 2009-05-21 10:35

I love the creativity! This leaps out of the gallery. Interesting slant, and good detail and color. TFS

bostankorkulugu (33326) 2009-05-21 11:14

you did it girl... you went out and took pictures -well at least one pic!- in the city... and you did it so cool... you have the silhouettes, you have the tilt, you have the striking colour... what else is needed!... crazy stuff indeed, i am so jelaous now...

kisses...

korkut

worldcitizen (2189) 2009-05-21 12:06

Hello Kristine,
Really great and innovative presentation of this fountain! I like the tilt, and the mainly red and black color scheme. The silhouettes in front of the giant face are great, too. I'm viewing TE using a link to the old site. I miss the titles with the photos also!!! (along with lots of other stuff!) :-(

Philippe (11645) 2009-05-21 12:06

Hi, Kristine. Since vertical photos don't upload, you've chosen a tilted version ;o). The result is original with a perfect diagonal line linking the two angles. There is a nice contrast between the brick wall and the surface of the water. The silhouettes of the people stand out well against the wall.
Have a nice day,
Philippe

fulvio52 (8314) 2009-05-21 14:14

Hi, Kristine.
One of your vintage tilts, it works absolutely fine for me. Inventive, colorful, pleasantly eerie! Well... have a WONDERFUL time in Utah & come back with stuff to make us all green with envy!. I wish I could be out there with you guys... See ya soon. HUGS,
Fulvio.

ps. I'm unfortunately all out of greens for today, but it's from the heart.

Waylim (10657) 2009-05-21 18:59

Hi Kristine,
Until they make more improvement on the new page deisign, I opt to use the same old look,http://beta.trekearth.com/
I'm used to the way it is and familia with all the feature that I use often. Sure the new page has a more up to date looks, but I still struggling and the text is really hard to read.
Any way, this is a very interesting image, semi abstract and the tilt work well here I think it makes it more interesting and unusal. I like the reflection that is the ripples especially at the transition between the black and light. Not sure about the image on the screen, a little too close for comfort and overbearing. If it were to be something cute or nice landscape image it may have been more appealing. Good quality shot, nevertheless.
Way

sevy (12819) 2009-05-22 0:44

Hello Kristine,

Very strange photo and so very interesting one. Fortunately, the note described what we are really looking for: an big artwork I was not knowing.
The work of PP was meaningful and the framing with the people shared the size. Surely a place to visit.

Yves.

Floydian (30970) 2009-05-22 6:00

Dear Kristine,

I thought the both of you were already in Utah..!!!
Never heard of this place before, never saw any picture from it, and if i did it looked complete different this one. Very high quality creative work...in tilt and colour, very refreshing and from an artistic pov and excellent capture and framing.

Take good care,

Henk

sacavem (8028) 2009-05-22 6:08

Olá Kristine,

I love the effect,a perfect realization.Good work to capture this beautiful image.Wonderful result!
Best regards,
Filipe

aadilj (17950) 2009-05-22 22:47

Thats more like an abstract thats been creatively and boldly handled with lovely warm hues and a nice capture of the darkness and silhouettes Kristine

gokanlam (6399) 2009-05-23 11:51

very eye-catching indeed!
i like not only the dominancy of red but also the reflections, tilt and silhouetted figures so much.. very creative perspective..
rela

archimatica (13128) 2009-05-25 15:22

Great idea.
A very creative composition, excellent achievement.
Brava, Avene, complimenti.
Renzo

sacimar (7029) 2009-05-26 8:45

Hi Kristine,

wow! impressive image, I like very much your composition, it's original and very interesting, you chose a right angle, nice job!

Best regards

Sergio

stego (22312) 2009-05-30 12:43

Hi Kristine,
I don't know the place, but my guess is that your unconventional way of presenting conveys the "spirit" of the artist. Very creative work, graphic and colour wise.
Regards,
José

Cretense (54578) 2009-05-31 4:26

Hello Kristine!

Very impressive capture of a very impressive work of art, your "interpretation" with the diagonal perspective works brilliantly! Excellent light managmetn and beautiful colours! Congratulations!

Hercules

jimkil (524) 2009-06-01 23:32

Hello Kristine
Good to see you again, I wait eagerly for your Utah shots, having seen that place for my own eyes I know you would have taken some serious shots out there.
This is different from your hand, I like the result very much and especially the presentation. Excellent as usual Kristine.
Cheers
Jim

Angshu (33193) 2009-06-06 8:35

Hello Kristine
Interesting work of modern art. I might have had problems in creating a composition here, but here you are, creating quite an unique picture! Interesting from the 'artwork' perspective with the two black bands on either side of the lit up glass brick tower, but the tilt definitely adds to the composition, don't think this would have worked in vertical frame. The silhouette of the 4 people add a lot IMHO. Photographing a work of art is a challenge, because the photographer has to use his/her creativity to add his/her own perspective to the artwork...you've done well here in this count!
Best Regards
Angshu

devimeuxbe (55623) 2009-06-07 0:19

Hi Kristine
this is an interesting cropping. Love the colors, the frame and the tilt
Good idea
Well done
Bertrand

rigoletto (25934) 2009-07-08 12:09

what the...!!!
i can guess that this publicelectronic artwork could be my dream place for photo making!
i can imagine the compos which could be produced there. yours is a fantastic version, it is even more amazing than what the thumbnail suggests!
congrats!
deniz

ps: i love the way how the reflection looks like a wide open, shouting mouth.