Blackfriars stairs
I was about to take the staircase to the District and Circle line Underground platform at Blackfriars station, in the heart of the City of London.
It was empty. This is a rare pleasure, creating space to take some shots. The stairs and the handrail on the descent are full of lines, shapes, curves, angles and symmetry. Some everyday magic that is a feast for the camera.
I edited the colour shot to emphasise its vibrancy. The stairs and walls were given a soft focus to draw the eye to the ordinary – yet ornate – handrails.
The goalposts shift in this other shot, as it captures two people at the bottom of the stairs. Its editing is a deep, moody monochrome. A case of the camera telling two stories from the same spot.
Which one gets your seal of approval?…
Colored one for me. It’s about the handrail and the rhythm of its construction; fine colours; and the rest of the staircase is a silent, non-distracting background. The B&W is about the staircase; but it’s too tight for me. The handrail is cut off a little, but still quite dominant in the centre; and the two people are almost with their heads against the edge of the frame. Cheers!
LikeLike
Thank you for your assessment, Harris, much appreciated! And I agree. The colour shot is much more pure and better framed. Needless to say it came after the one with people.
LikeLike
I love the b&w with the ppl in it! Great shot. Looking forward to seeing more of your work.
LikeLike
Thanks Eric, much appreciated. Enjoyed your fairground night shots – spectacular. I should try something similar.
LikeLike
I prefer the color one, as it really jumps out and adds to the abstract nature of the shot.
LikeLike
Thank you very much, Claire. I agree, it has much more punch.
LikeLike
Really brilliant, the contrasts, colors and framing are perfect !
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Guillaume. It was a pleasure to edit as well – and push the usual boundaries a little more.
LikeLike
Ooh… Toughie! I like the first one because of the vibrancy of the colours, but the second one works really well too, the people giving it a sense of perspective… Hmmm… Let me come back to you on that one! :)
LikeLike
Hmmm, I quite like to be the cause of indecision! It’s the colour one without doubt for me, clean lines and no figures.
LikeLike
Nice work! A nice mix of sharpness and bokeh…
LikeLike
Much appreciated, Bjorn, thank you!
LikeLike
Great shot!
LikeLike
Thank you :-) Which one do you prefer?
LikeLike
The first one!
LikeLike
Thank you! It wouldn’t be the same with the people in it.
LikeLike
Definitely the colour one for me! And it’s all perfectly centered, too… that only works 1 out of 10 times for me :-)
LikeLike
I think I agree, Kiki. It has an energy to it. The central part of the handrail was a very good guide – and there was no-one around to rock the boat :-)
LikeLike
Reblogged this on At least we made it this far….
LikeLike