Oops!, a photo from California, West

Photographer's Note

I've shown the Oakland Waterfont Cranes on many occasions and from many angles. It seemed only fitting when I came upon a huge stack of brand new, brightly painted containers behind a row of cranes, to take a photograph. I have no idea why this one container was turned around, but I saw the graphical possibilities and took this shot. We can all muse together about the reason for this alignment... a crane operator that is color blind, or who perhaps had one too many drinks the night before... ;-) Your guess is as good as mine.

Whatever the reason, the display is there for all of us to enjoy. Have a wonderful weekend everyone. Tomorrow I take my camera into a birthday party for the three year old son of a friend. What delight! Wish me well...

FParkus, KevRyan, Rinie_Hoff, Isabelle, hayu has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

AnimeshRay (9089) 2005-07-09 2:28

what an abstract and interesting pattern! Very good eyes. Sharp, sharp! Great color.

FParkus (1) 2005-07-09 2:32

Great colour and composition. very memorable, I will remember this photo for a long time. Well Done!

kinginexile (2598) 2005-07-09 2:44

Good graphism, good color saturation, good eye.... Cool picture Curtis!

eco (112) 2005-07-09 3:00

Hi
very orginal photo
unique compos
colors, sharpness is perfect

great shot
regards
rafal

davido (1982) 2005-07-09 3:02

Very very good :^)
This shot is very clever. I first tought it was a kind of computorial instrument.
The compo and colours are excellent.
Congratulations !!
David

drymd29 (448) 2005-07-09 3:11

Nice graphical, I like that.
It shows cold and heavy and problaby it is.
The turned around container is like the queen of the bees in here.
Huub

jinju (14265) 2005-07-09 3:25

Fantastic. I think these kinds of details are so much more interesting than the larger views. The pattern of lines and texts is like an abstract painting, and you have really shot the colors well, a rarity on TE lately. The white jumps off the blue background.

RGatward (20108) 2005-07-09 3:27

Absolutely brilliant shot Curtis, I wonder how much you had to pay the crane driver to set this one up for you :-) IMO your very best of this subject.

oddhelge (50) 2005-07-09 3:34

Great picture and nice colors. And of course very well observed

Rinie_Hoff (9340) 2005-07-09 3:42

Great shot, Curtis, the freshness and the colors and the lines are simply great to look at. All the logos are so nice to see.
And on top of that, your age on the turned around container ;-)

I once tried a huge wall of containers the ones with a freezer, they got nuce stuff on the back, but I couldn't get the barrel or lens distortion right, so I gave up.

Have fun tomorrow

dom_inik_m (1717) 2005-07-09 3:46

What a sight when you've just woken up, as I do!
Well, I guess everything must have been already written, judging from the names of the commenting TrekEarthers and the keenness of their perception!
Chance is one thing, of course. But spotting what was there to see and catching it with brio* are totally different matters. Good for you, good for us.
Thanks for being here, Curtis... ;-)

* Well, I might nitpick a little about the "almost" perfect geometry here...
Here's a splendid addition to my theme, Exploring shapes and colours. And I'm sure you don't mind... do you? *o)

gaudi-spirit (187) 2005-07-09 4:07

Colored and original shot curtis :D The eye needs a moment to understand the picture. Well done.

KevRyan (22956) 2005-07-09 4:16

Wonderful observation and a stunning photograph for all it's simplicity Curtis - really nice! As for the party - good luck mate - a three year olds birthday party sounds hair-raising to me!! lol

best wishes Kev

Coyotyto (1305) 2005-07-09 6:23

Hi Curtis,

Very coloured and graphical !
That's what I call being at the right spot at the right time ! :o) So many lines and repetitions, I like it !

Maybe just a tought about the cropping in the left side: why so close to the white line ? as it is not vertical...

Well seen and well executed, congrats !
Cheers,
Youssef.

mauricio_matos (417) 2005-07-09 6:49

What a beautiful shot!!! And a very funny title as well :)

The graphic result is amazing and the strong colors help a lot. But for me the most important thing in the photo is your eye. Your capacity to see it

rbcy1974 (20758) 2005-07-09 6:54

WOa,
By looking at the thumnail, I did not know what it was, not it becomes clear, what a nice abstract pattern.
Regards
Daniel

erdna (5713) 2005-07-09 13:20

Geeez, terrific! I like it very much. The only correction i can think of is "perspective correction". Hey, that container means it is empty. Just kidding.

Andre'

pamastro (7296) 2005-07-10 1:26

Hmm... Maybe he got bored of putting them all the same old way and decided to put one the other way. It certainly was well spotted by you and photographed for its graphic appeal. All I can suggest here is just some more tweaking to get the lines a bit more vertical and horizontal. Especially the vertical on my left. But it is something very well photographed and with really vivid color.

Isabelle (9046) 2005-07-10 10:16

it took me half a second to realize they are containers, Curtis, even with your note I am mesmerized by the size of the crane driver´s mistake :)) they´ll probably have problems to upload it in the truck.
I am learning to admire frames of a single subject. It´s funny, really interesting.
colors are stupendous, sharpness, the almost perfect simmetry.
kiss to you. enjoy your sunday!

hayu (646) 2005-07-12 3:57

Hi Curtis,
First, thanks for your comment on my latest submission and for welcoming me to this wonderful site. I'm really impressed with the number and quality of the work uploaded here. And yes, there seems to be a lot of Dutchman here. Please feel free to check out the few others I've uploaded.

Looking through your folder I see that you have a broad interest in subjects. On this photo's thumbnail it looked like it was a closeup of a computer's motherboard or something like that. Now I see it's stacked sea containers. I like the colour and the narrow crop. It makes this a great abstract. The one reversed, it must have been one of those mondays I guess.

I'll make you a favorite!

Regards, Huub

keribar (43841) 2005-07-19 1:32

Hello Curtis,

Here is something we may look at but seldom actually see, let alone shoot for pleasure.
This is why I enjoy it so much.. You are praised for this main reason. Yours friendly
Izzet Keribar

GrahamB (939) 2005-07-19 9:19

Hi Curtis,
What a great graphical shot with vibrant colours and repeating patterns.
Maybe the crane driver is a photographer and now has a very similar shot hanging on his wall?
Graham

olli (2091) 2005-08-23 4:43

Very graphic shot, Curtis. I´ve always liked containers as a subject of shooting and you´ve found very original and interesting view. Great example of interesting repetiton and how a breaking object can make the image even better. And a great example of excellent choosing of title, too.

BTW, I like a lot your B&W shots posted lately.