Copley Square, a photo from Massachusetts, Northeast

Photographer's Note

The location is Copley Square, in the Back Bay. The tallest building, still known as the John Hancock (designed by I.M. Pei, who also designed the pyramid at the Louvre), is the modernist pivot for an architectural assortment: on the right, the classical revival of the Boston Public Library (McKim, Mead, and White), the oldest free public library in the United States; to the left, the art deco of the older Hancock Building, some post-modernism, and (partially obscured by tree branches) H. H. Richardson's Romanesque Revival Trinity Church.

carod, Matthew-Watt has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

carod (364) 2006-12-19 21:34

Hello Chris,

Très beau cadrage !!

Les couleurs sont superbes...très belle composition.

Bravo !
Caroline !

Matthew-Watt (6035) 2006-12-19 21:35

Hi Chris,
What a great time of day for photography of this kind! Nice to see the festive Christams tree also. Your tower is well positioned and seems very sleek and powerful. I am a big fan of fine architecture, from memory there is a John Hancock centre in Chicago also? The one with the twin masts on the top. According to skyscraperpage.com, this building is 240.7 metres tall. Quite a big one. The image is also clear and void of mistakes.
Matt

batalay (32868) 2006-12-19 23:18

Hello Chris,

Wonderful architectural shot and accompanying note. Excellent light, composition, and exposure.

From the point of view of an artist/matematician, the image displays dramatic three-point perspective. The lines of the buildings' roofs, and windows can be extrapolated and they meet at a pair of vanishing points on the horizon line (at the same height as the viewer's eyes). Meanwhile the very high Hancock Bulding reaches upward, its sides appearing to converge at a great height -- at a third vanishing point. (This can be used to test the linearity of a lens, although one rarely need to worry about modern lenses.)

Warm regards,

Bulent

boonie (779) 2006-12-21 16:23

Chris
I understand that your goal was the building, but personally I would have liked the camera perspective lowered to street level. Having said that I think you have captured a wonderful early evening picture. The blue of the John Hancock against the evening sky is stunning. TFS

Dan