the way I see it Photo

Photographer’s Note

one of the most recognizable installations in Chicago is Cloud Gate, a public sculpture by British artist Anish Kapoor. because of its legume-like shape, the sculpture was immediately nicknamed "The Bean", and I can attest that the effect of 168 highly polished stainless steel plates is fascinating. people walk, run, crawl around and under it, take photos at the rate of about 50 shots per minute, admire the distorted reflections of themselves and of the city skyline, and generally are inevitably drawn to the somewhat alien structure that looks like a giant drop of quicksilver.

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RAW, ISO 100, 15mm focal length, pattern metering.

clio, sevy, macondo, dareco, pauloog, jwmunro, kokoro-zukai, patdeph, adores, Sistercosmo, danos, gunbud, feather, belido, Angshu, romanaa, vasilpro has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

clio (22324) 2009-06-17 3:45

Hi Kristine,
Great idea to put on the same image towers and reflections in the sculpture.
The sky shared in diagonal between blue and cloud brings a new distortion!
I like very much, Bravo!
Diane

sevy (12819) 2009-06-17 3:57

Hello Kristine,

I have already seen lany photos of this 'Bean' on TE, but this one is surely one of the best. Mainly by the composition of the photo with the distorded reflection and the reality in background with alsi the frontier built by the clouds in the sky making twice the opposition. Then, we have the saturated colors which are good to increase the graphic impact of the photo.
Bonus, we are seeing you taking the photo; I guess you weared a red jacket?
I have to participate to a small contest and the theme for the photos is 'reflection'. It is a pity Chicago is so far from France, this photo would have been perfect for this :-)

Yves.

macondo (12933) 2009-06-17 4:16

Hi Kristine.
Great composition and very striking result from your exposure with the CPL. I like this kind of distorted view, looking up into the sky, and having the reflection in the 'bean' is a bonus, especially as it shows the human element in the shot. Love the strong contrast and the light, too. Great work and good note.
Regards,
Andrew

npecanhuk (12947) 2009-06-17 4:17

Hello Kristine!
Wonderful picture!
The low pov was an excellent choice! Sharpness, exposure and colors are very good! The reflection is great and the whole image is quite attractive! In addition to the beauty of the architecture of Chicago downtown, the sky also looks fantastic!
TFS - congratulations!
Best regards,
Neyvan

Bartleby (4618) 2009-06-17 4:56

Hi Kristine,
I remember turning around that 'bean'. But at the time I only owned a small compact canon...Wish I could go back and try my new gear...and especially the 10-20 which you really put to good use here. Like others said, I like the fact we can see both the actual buildings and the reflection. The polarized sky is magnificent and these cloud formations eye-catching. Well done.

All the best,

Philippe

Haymotion (1793) 2009-06-17 5:09

Excellente composition !!
POV original
Couleur, intensité et qualité de l'image très bonne..
Bravo
Bien vue
Vince

rlrad (1187) 2009-06-17 5:54

Hi Kristine,

Wonderful capture of "The Bean" - I've got a lot of shots of it myself, I was one of those tourists that took about 100 pictures of it, even when they were polishing it up - still had scaffolding around it. We'll be back up there in about a week and a half, don't know if we'll get by Millennium Park or not. This one outdoes any of the ones I got, except maybe a panorama which still doesn't have the impact that this one does - I think the 10-20mm really enhanced your pov by magnifying the distortion and coupling it with it's own. Really great capture!

Regards from St. Louis, Missouri,
Reed

Bruno40 (6440) 2009-06-17 6:07

very, very smart coposition, together with great colors.
I like it a lot
cheers
Jorge

zmey (7242) 2009-06-17 6:37

a double-whammy of chicago? ;) ok, ok, not a whammy, but an impact shot indeed, doubling up the city scape in the reflection and the background.

me gusta.

best
k.

dareco (17024) 2009-06-17 8:45

Fantastic reflections, colors and detail. Awesome composition!! I love it! TFS

quillo (7060) 2009-06-17 8:52

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Hola Kristine .......:

Marvellous perspective, creative, original and of good taste ..... also a technically perfect photo.

My congratulations .... a work to learn.

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Estupenda perspectiva, creativa, original y de buen gusto ..... además una foto técnicamente perfecta.

Mis felicitaciones .... un trabajo para aprender.

Un abrazo y feliz día.

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MarianneS (14262) 2009-06-17 12:26

Hi Kristine,
I love this sculpture! And the way you present it is excellent.
I never saw it under this angle, very well done!
Regards,
Marianne

pauloog (6278) 2009-06-17 13:56

Hello Kristine,
A fabulous view, well composed and the cloudy sky playing its role to add more life to the view and to realise a good diagonal in the photo. Fine clear colours.
Regards,
Paul

yquem46 (7682) 2009-06-17 14:14

super original idea and amazing compo kristine
No need to mention quality ! splendid
Cheers
patrick

jwmunro (6853) 2009-06-17 15:49

Hello Kristine -

An interesting perspective of Chicago with the buildings in front of you defining the sky line and the refections of the building behind you reflecting a completely different scene. A two-for-one (twofer) type of image. All of the technicals are spot on, but the composition is the winner here. Well seen and presented.

Thank you for sharing.

John

eversmile (5906) 2009-06-17 16:26

Hi Kristine!

I like very much your composition here, specially for the cloud in diagonal. Cloud gate, you said? Hmmm... you provide the proof it deserves the name. Great volume and inventive POV, bravo!
Regards
Marine

Greg1949 (8499) 2009-06-18 3:05

Kristine, interesting, all the technicals are perfect as always and the composition is other worldly. I like the reflections in the silver, very nice post.

Greg

Wandering_Dan (3169) 2009-06-18 10:07

Hi, Kristine -

Great mix of the bean and the buildings, and nice placement so that the bean is in the corner where it dominates but doesn't really dominate, if you get my drift.

At first I was going to say the polarizing was overdone, if only because I always say that. But. on reflection - :-) - I think it contributes to the overall surrealistic quality of the photo, something that any good shot of the Bean should have anyway.

And that cloud pattern is definitely surreal!

Best,
Dan

gneufeld (14979) 2009-06-18 11:03

Hi Kristine,
A top drawer idea presented in excellentl ight, stunning details, and a most unusual reflection in the mirrored globe. Excellent work and TFs. Gerald

yaya13baut (2217) 2009-06-18 11:57

hi Kristine,
good POV of this famous Chicago's place, I like the angle of view you have chosen.
a perfect sky to which the building lead ; the "bean" as a perfect curved mirror.
Yannis

kokoro-zukai (277) 2009-06-18 22:41

Hello Kristine,

I guess you're the one in red? I like the angle you choose with a wider 'rear/side' mirror effect.

I'm selective to modern art, but this one has something on its own, it embraces its surroundings by the reflective skin.

Keiji

Waylim (10657) 2009-06-19 0:28

Hello Kristine,
Size doe matter here doesn't it? and you can see yourself in the art work is even better. Interesting, I not sure how I like it but I do liek the reflection of the skyline, it seem darker and richer than the actual skyline. The quality of the photo is great as alway, I just don't know what to make of this thing.
Way

aadilj (17950) 2009-06-19 6:21

Hi Kristine, youve again experimented with such grest results. I love the scene and like the crisp and clear hues. Lovely idea

marietom (31762) 2009-06-19 12:23

hello Kristine,

Magnifique composition tout en reflets et en belles couleurs. j'aime beaucoup.
Bonne soirée
marie

baclama (4485) 2009-06-19 13:11

bonsoir,
tres bons reflets avec un POV parfait
la netteté et les couleurs sont parfaites aussi...
j'admire
TFS
vero

batalay (20654) 2009-06-19 22:10

Hello Kristine,

Thanks for the introduction to the Cloud Gate. I had not heard about it before, but the flat geometric shapes of Chicago skyline in contrast to the smooth spheroidal shape of the "legume" creates an alluring view. The parquet in the plaza resembles a chess board, with the pedestrian with cameras all serving as pawns. The deep blue sky and its reflection on the spheroid all collaborate in creating a surreal work of art.

Have a nice weekend,

Bulent

delpeoples (5272) 2009-06-19 23:35

Salut Kristine, I really like the way you see the world. If I had just ONE shot like this in my Gallery I'd be over the moon, but you keep producing original, graphic and beautifully composed photos again and again. I love this photo. The reflection and the curve of the orb are superb. And I like your POV pointed skywards. Congratulations and thanks for sharing it, Lisa.

patdeph (17332) 2009-06-20 0:49

hello Kristine
the way you see it is a fantastic way,and thanks to the photo to share it!I love the distorsion and the dynamism given by the wide angle,I love this mix of graphism and reflection,and I love the strong colors!Wonderful!Regards
Pascale

chpp (3918) 2009-06-20 5:49

hi Kristine
excellent shot, with perfect light and colours and beautiful reflection in the spehere
TFS
C

jimkil (524) 2009-06-20 15:55

Hello Kristine
This is cool... very cool in fact. Wonderful clouds as usual...... but the cloud gate looks like a shape of someone popping gum...... very nice. The building are a great backdrop and the deep colours are superb, as is the light.
Excellent
Jim

adores (15235) 2009-06-20 17:10

Hi Kristine!
the composition is perfect, I just love the way you show the top of the buildings and the space around reflected on the sculpture. There are really many photographers there.The effect of the CPL is great, colours are really good.

Bluejeans (31449) 2009-06-21 8:07

Ola Kristine,
Belo ponto de visão com esta esfera gigante em primeiro plano , gostei do efeito da lente 10-20 , bonitos tons de azul ,belos detalhes de arquitectura , parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

Sistercosmo (2481) 2009-06-21 14:11

Hi Kristine,

excellent shot - simply amazing. The reflection is awesome and you had a great sky too. I'd love to give you some constructive criticism, but there is nothing to say here except - fabulous!! It's a favorite of mine!

Hope you have a good week!

Regards,
Linda

mikeo (12113) 2009-06-22 4:12

Hello Kristine,

What a great way to show this concrete jungle! Really superb! Excellent sky, in so great colours is an excellent background to this scene.

Amazing!
Greetings,
Mikeo

baba_flies (7913) 2009-06-22 6:10

Hello Kristine! I am slowly checking in, sitting at home with a bad cold :))) Glad it is not the FLU, I was a little worried when I returned from Salt Lake with aching bones. So no more Utah from you but back to the pulse of city life with this great post. Yes I can see some people taking pictures and can imagine a certain hectic that comes up, like in the parks in Utah :))) I am sad how TE goes these days and I see you are all on Flickr now. I have not the energy to start all over again. Isn't it a waste of time in some ways? Maybe I am the TE kind of girl, a little simple but quite happy the way it goes. Oh anyway, what is all the "crying" that comes from me, we all have to find our own ways to be happy within this kind of "environment", with some I might stay in contact, with others it was not meant to be. I hope you still post every once in a while and that NY was not just another blabla but that we can meet in person one day ... Take care + yes I made a lot of pictures but we have again space problems but we have ordered a new drive which should arrive tomorrow. Barbara.

Flavia (10202) 2009-06-22 7:14

Hi Kristine,

Amazing! This globe with the city's reflection is really nice. Great composition!

Regards,

Flavia

danos (31538) 2009-06-22 12:43

Hello Kristine,
nice this modern sculpture with the 168 highly polished stainless steel plates, that reflect with so superb way the opposite buildings.I like the saturate blue sky, that contrast perfect with the skyscrapers.Well done.

Regards,Danos

gunbud (27489) 2009-06-22 16:43

Hi Kristine,
Very imaginative image of you and your fellow photographers goining the Chicago sky line in the polised silver bean.
Beautiful polizered blue sky with the high rise buildings seen at an effective angle and in great sharpness of detail.
Regards, Tom

g_panakia (3962) 2009-06-23 1:25

wow!!!
that's really impressive pov
i love the colours
excellent quality of image
rgds,
georgia

SteveH (3849) 2009-06-23 3:08

Hi Kristine, what an incredible image, a remarkable sculpture for sure, but also an inventive POV and great assistance from the clouds realy make this outstanding. Cheers, Steve

feather (49848) 2009-06-24 15:05

With so many people around with their little digicams it must be difficult to frame something original. You have done an excellent job here and framed the image creatively, helped by the WA lens. I also like the way the cloud effects the composition. It has a kind of silky quality.
Well done
Kath

belido (15963) 2009-06-25 10:09

Hi Kristine,

I recognize this type of photo as part of your work. A nice variation to the landscapes. You found a good angle to make the image reading dynamic. It looks there is a water drop on the photo. Are you in red? :) Nicely done!
Regards,
Carlos

azizbilgili (1714) 2009-06-30 0:47

Hi Kristine,
Great idea to put on the same image towers and reflections in the sculpture. I like very much.

TFS

darek1978 (11070) 2009-07-01 9:24

Hi Kristine,
What a excellet fisheye effect;) A superb idea and execution. The view seen in the "mirror" is amazing with a great colours and light. Very creative work! Thanks for sharing
Regards,
Darek

Angshu (33193) 2009-07-02 0:31

Hello Kristine
I have seen loads of pictures of the 'bean', but didn't know (?!) it was done by a British artist of Indian origin! Of the photos I've seen of this structure, they sum up what you said in your note..including venturing below the bean as well! Nice picture with the streaky clouds adding a lot of interest here!
Best Regards
Angshu

romanaa (2551) 2009-08-10 13:01

Hello Kristine,

this picture is striking even among the thumbnails.
If I hadn't know the silver bubble from other shots I would probably think it is only an artificially deformed image.
It is flawless.

Thanks for your nice words and I am really happy I haven't lost all the people I used to be in contact with. The baby is so good, sleeps well, I hope I would be able to pop up here, though, the older one will start school in September, so I will lack free time even more.

Best regards

Romana

vasilpro (7895) 2009-10-21 10:37

Hello Kristine,
Another wonderful artistic and colorful composition, great reflections, lovely sky and colors, beautiful perspective and POV.
Kind regards, Vasilis.