Verticality by taffy

Verticality

In all the years I've lived here, I'd never really noticed the beautiful stairs and fountain at the lower level of the Hancock building -- the iconic black tower. With the tower behind me, I photographed this looking west toward the "Bloomingdale's building."
I used HDR (maybe over-used) combining three photos, then did some tweaking in Color Efex and Aperture.
Awesome pov
September 21st, 2014  
@golftragic @newbank @pamknowler @888rachel @sullivar
HI Marnie, Ruth, Pam, Rachel, and Ryan. He's my 'consciously architectural' shot with our group in mind. I wanted to capture the architecture of a Chicago skyscraper and its setting, but where one building was the clear focus. Thanks to our group's focus, I noticed things this week that I hadn't ever really paid attention to before.
I think we have consensus...2 weeks on architectural elements starting Monday, so that no one feels rushed. And b&w or color is just fine.
September 21st, 2014  
What an awesoe pov Taffy
September 21st, 2014  
this is awesome Taffy - love everything about it
September 21st, 2014  
great pov
September 21st, 2014  
Great shot!
September 21st, 2014  
Nice work. GReat lines
September 21st, 2014  
lovely architectural shot!
September 21st, 2014  
Stunning picture and processing. Congratulations on making the Trending Page. Well deserved.
September 21st, 2014  
That's totally fabulous! Love the lines! Isn't there a Cheesecake Factory down there? I think we ate there when we visited. FAV!
September 21st, 2014  
@homeschoolmom Yep -- that's where the Cheesecake Factory is -- good eye! In all the years I've lived here, I've actually never walked down there, and I'd not really paid attention to it when going in and out of the Hancock building. It was a 'find' today that I was quite happy to have stumbled on.
September 21st, 2014  
great perspective
September 21st, 2014  
Is this what they call the "Concrete Jungle"? Love the lines and arcitecture and the POV!! FAV!!!!
September 21st, 2014  
@cashew Heehee!! I think the high rent folks would not like to refer to it as a concrete jungle, but it's FILLED with concrete everywhere! Though I was hoping that while they are subtle, there are trees lining the street. They just look very tiny next to the buildings.
September 21st, 2014  
Awesome shot, love it
September 21st, 2014  
Wow...what a shot! Super pov and composition. Fav.
September 21st, 2014  
I can't wrap my head around what you did but It is FANtastic! ANother major FAV
September 21st, 2014  
Fav! What kind of lens do you use for this shot?
September 21st, 2014  
@epcello Thanks Erika! I have the Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 wide angle. It's quite a super lens with great optics. Probably the best lens I own. It did take me a few years to learn to use it well enough as the distortion I found to be really tricky to make it work for the photo.
September 21st, 2014  
@taffy Definitely a concrete jungle by my standards, albeit an expensive version of same. I think this is a wonderful shot Taffy, I love the way you've left the lens distortion in the shot to accentuate the clustering of buildings. I also particularly like the (relatively) small church building which contrasts so well in several ways with the angularity and architecture of the taller buildings. Then there's a plethora of wonderful detail in the shot which keeps the viewer's eye wandering around and discovering more, and more and … Magic!! I was very interested to hear you'd used a wide angle lens to take this shot, I tend to be welded on to my 16-300 for reasons that are partly laziness/convenience, and partially ignorance of how best to use my UWA 10-24. Having seen this shot, I'll now give it a go and see what happens.
September 21st, 2014  
Amazing shot and perspective!! And, yes, those trees look miniscule compared to the buildings. And, that underground "plaza" reminds me of that New Yorker cartoon where the contractor runs up to the guys digging this hole all the way to China, and cries out "stop digging!! We have the plans upside down"..... ;-))
September 21st, 2014  
I love this Taffy. I haven't a clue how you'd use three images to make one, but whatever it's brilliant. The trees really add a sense of scale. I love the steps and the tables and chairs, from a cafe I presume, in the bottom right. I've spent ages looking at every detail and I'm sure I'll be back as there's so much to see. Fav
September 21st, 2014  
Very creative, love the show of all the architecture.
September 21st, 2014  
Wonderful pov :)
September 21st, 2014  
What a fantastic image Taffy! So much to look at and take in! Love the way you have used the distortion caused by the wide angle lens. So interesting to see and just shows the variety you can get from that lens. Sometimes you need to correct it and other as in this case you use the distortion for effect. The buildings, the scale, the composition, the fab processing, another top shot once again. Making me want to visit Chicago! You should sell your images to the city to use in their holiday brochures! Fav!
September 21st, 2014  
Amazing. The steps lead you in and then you are taken straight up to the top of the big building. Fabulous composition.
September 21st, 2014  
I like the way the lens exaggerates the shapes of the steps and the height of the sky scrapers! Makes Chicago look like a futuristic city. The HDR adds so much detail. I'd like to learn more about that in the coming year.
September 21st, 2014  
I don't think this is too much HDR. Well it isn't viewing it on the ipad... Agree with Pam. The distortion works well. I love your view point with the steps leading your eye up to the buildings. I like all the people that give a scale to all the buildings that are built to serve them. Great architectural shot. And thanks for suggesting this theme, I'm very much enjoying it.
September 21st, 2014  
I really like this in so may ways/ Great capture and processing
September 21st, 2014  
I love that you have added the foreground element (steps, people, trees...). The building looks much more impressive because there is context. The lens is really working for you in this one... I like the neutral tones and the enhanced detail. The highlights are quite muted, a conscious choice ? Takes me to Gotham City a bit ... :)
September 21st, 2014  
I really love the way that the stairs lead you up into the image. The small church just emphasizes how tall the building is. Great processing, this would be an amazing postcard. Fav
September 21st, 2014  
Amazing capture of a majestic view. You did some great processing here. FAV.
September 21st, 2014  
Trying to capture this all in one shot must have been a trick. Also that there must be all kinds of shadows to deal with but they don't take over the photo. I think you see the grandeur that the planners wanted us to see in this spot.
September 21st, 2014  
The stairs are super cool. So is the capture. HDR used very well here. FAV
September 21st, 2014  
fab wide angled shot. love the colour and all youve managed to get it. fav
September 21st, 2014  
Very interesting stairs to the city A Fav
September 21st, 2014  
Sue
Fabulous processing, brilliant shot!
September 21st, 2014  
Wow! That is so impressive, fabulous perspective.
September 21st, 2014  
Wow indeed a very interesting POV it gives a wonderful perspective and such an interesting scene. I'm a sucker for HDR so feel it is right and do not think it is over done.
September 21st, 2014  
Great capture and PoV with the stairs leading you in to the frame. The final image seems well balanced so the HDR is not overdone in my opinion.
September 21st, 2014  
Interesting how the world sometimes changes when you turn around! Your composition is very neat and strong, and the end result is fairly natural in spite of all you have done. Great image overall.
September 21st, 2014  
Lovely lines and shapes in this.
September 21st, 2014  
Wonderful shot. Fav!
September 21st, 2014  
This is wonderful Taffy! Love you POV. Fav
September 21st, 2014  
brilliant Taffy! fav
September 21st, 2014  
Tom
Love the pov and the overall composition
September 21st, 2014  
another great comp.
September 21st, 2014  
Great pov, leading lines, composition...Fav
September 21st, 2014  
oh that is so cool! all it needs is Superman! love it!
September 21st, 2014  
I almost got vertigo looking at this for too long. lol. Super shot!
September 21st, 2014  
Whatever you did it works. One day i'll do more than point and click! Fav
September 21st, 2014  
Great perspective!
September 21st, 2014  
Wonderful capture...Fav
September 21st, 2014  
Wonderful !! and a great perspective !
September 21st, 2014  
Awesome!!
September 21st, 2014  
brilliant, perfect architecture shot - fav
September 21st, 2014  
great pov and details nicely composed
September 21st, 2014  
I love this! The perspective is amazing. I don't usually like HDR, but this is so well done!
September 21st, 2014  
Lovely staircase leading your eye up to the towers!
Great pov and comp.
September 22nd, 2014  
Wow that's awesome shot!
September 22nd, 2014  
Fantastic job, Taffy. So impressed!
September 22nd, 2014  
The perspective gives the viewer a true sense of the immensity of that central building. All lines lead up. Fantastic! Fav!
September 22nd, 2014  
Just a super shot and processing. The more I see of your shots the more I want to get to Chicago! Love the highlighting of the stairs and lower regions.
September 22nd, 2014  
@888rachel Thanks Rachel. The tiny church is where I took the shot of the arches in b&w (I think the title was about where I saw the rodent). It's such a beautiful few blocks for photographing and filled with contrasts.
September 22nd, 2014  
Impressive!!! Beautifully captured, composed and processed!!! Instant fav!!!
September 22nd, 2014  
Excellent pov!!
September 22nd, 2014  
Nice shot! I love the pov and composition. I also like the effect these tall buildings have when being compressed into the size of a picture (like they're falling on top of you). fav
September 22nd, 2014  
I like those stairs! My son and I also like that little church you've captured as well. Fab shot.
September 22nd, 2014  
Wonderful scene!
September 22nd, 2014  
Fabulous shot or shots!!! Very cool and fav!!!
September 22nd, 2014  
Love the pov....so pretty,Great capture
September 22nd, 2014  
A fantastic array of patterns, heights, and shapes well captured! Fav.
September 22nd, 2014  
This is great!! I love everything about it! FAV!!
September 22nd, 2014  
Fabulous shot! So creative! Fav
September 22nd, 2014  
Wow Taffy this is a great architectural shot, the HDR works well and I don't think you have overdone it. I love the sweep of the stairs and the way they lead you into the buildings and that impressive skyscraper. The church gives a great sense of scale too. The clouds also work well here. A superb image Taffy.

Next time you take this scene could you possibly add a tad more sky to the top of the image. Do you have an ND Filter?
September 22nd, 2014  
Great pov, so many great lines and angles in this. The architect had great vision and must have imagined the view from the same viewpoint!
September 22nd, 2014  
Terrific composition and POV. Fav. Love the lines
September 22nd, 2014  
This picture has such depth, and not because of the stairs leading downwards. It just seems so expansive, so huge! Your architectural images never cease to amaze, impress and Wow!
September 22nd, 2014  
wow, indeed - what a cool image :)
September 22nd, 2014  
Congratulations on making the PP. Well deserved.
September 23rd, 2014  
@lyndemc Thanks Denise -- your comment made my day!
September 23rd, 2014  
Surreal beauty! Fav!
September 23rd, 2014  
amazing POV
September 23rd, 2014  
This is probably one of the most amazing shots you have ever posted, Taffy. I love the angle of your shot, all the detail and the fabulous sky. FAV
September 23rd, 2014  
So amazingly dramatic! I've gone down there before -- years ago -- and before I began "seeing" through a camera perspective. Well spotted and captured, indeed!
September 23rd, 2014  
Fantastic! I love the way the stairs lead your eye right up to the side of the building and to the top of the photo. It really gives a sense of scale to the buildings too.
September 23rd, 2014  
What a marvelous spot from which to take your photo! I wish that I might never miss your photos, and get around to other favorites as well...and still have time to take pictures...post pictures, keep in touch...etc etc... How do you do it all and teach as well! You've certainly got the skills in order!
September 23rd, 2014  
Jo
Wow what a shot, it really leaps off the screen, excellent work Taffy, a big fat fav from me.
September 24th, 2014  
Love the way it all looms out at you.
September 25th, 2014  
Congrats taffy on your TT shots this week.
September 26th, 2014  
@newbank Thanks Ruth!! It was great to see your note come through on email during my meeting. Made my morning much better!!
September 26th, 2014  
I love this capture and am very glad to see it make TT. Congrats on a great week!
September 26th, 2014  
Fav! Congratulations!
October 1st, 2014  
N-i-c-e...! Now I'm even more impatient to get my new 10-20mm into my hands... :-)
November 12th, 2014  
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