The Helical Stair, a photo from Ile-de-France, North

Photographer's Note

"This winding, gyring, spiring treadmill of a stair is my ancestral stair."
- W.B. Yeats

The helical stair is also called the spiral stair, winding stair, circular stair, elliptical stair, oval stair, geometric stair, vis, vice, vis de Saint Gilles, St. Gilles screw, belfry stair, turret stair, caracole, turnpike, cochlea, cockle, corkscrew, and ascensorium. Helical is possibly the least poetic but also the most accurate generic title.

"All rising to great place is by a winding stair."
- Francis Bacon

Source:

Templer, John. 1992. The Staircase: History and Theories. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press.

Pic: I.M. Pei’s helical for the Louvre Museum

timecapturer, Kofman has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

JFS (32459) 2011-09-23 4:20

Hello May!
Very elegant cut of this staircase. I like the human touch, it gives a good reference. Interesting play fo shadows. Good work!

Enjoy the WE!
Juan

delnaja (2056) 2011-09-23 4:25

Hi
I really like how you shoot the stairs of the pyramide du Louvre. I never think of it.
Good position of the person.
the choice of the b&w is perfect.
Regards
Fred

es841 (2113) 2011-09-23 5:32

Très joli cadrage et graphisme. Le personnage apporte énormément à la qualité du cliché.
La conversion en noir et blanc est excellente car le contraste donne un beau relief à la composition. Très bonne gestion des hautes et basses lumières.
Toutes mes félicitations pour cette bien belle réussite.
Luc.

siudzi (34141) 2011-09-23 6:23

Hi May,

You have chosen a great place to take this image and present it in b&w. Wonderful visual effect was created. Bravo!

Cheers,
Malgorzata

Juzo (2151) 2011-09-23 7:33

Hi May,
Great sense of geometry, it is like dream, an infinite metaphor. The B&W works well as does the person in the scene, which brings perspective and life to the shot.
Cheers
Justin

prasun984 (5590) 2011-09-23 13:49

Hi May...
nice framing by this staircase with a nice top viewed POV...the walking man through the stairs add a fine touch for this image...like the textures of the staircase...
nice DOF controlled with nice B/W tone & sharpness...

Prasun

dkmurphys (79209) 2011-09-24 2:42

Hi May,
I like this graphical effect. A little bit dizzy but very attractive. Well seen scene, have a great weekend.

timecapturer (49288) 2011-09-24 4:49

Hello May
love the way you have composed and cropped this, it is so effective. Works well in B&W and the symmetry is just wonderful. A clever and imaginative image and presentation.

Enjoy your weekend - regards Brian.

batalay (41261) 2011-09-24 5:16

Hello May,

I like very much the composition in B&W of the person walkind down the logarithmic spiral staircase, and I like also your poetic essay.

Have a good weekend,

Bulent