Crosswalk
Feb, 2015Views
388
Likes
Awards
People's Choice in The Urban Life Photo Challenge
Winner in Minimal Colors Photo Challenge
Top Choice
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
Absolute Masterpiece
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in downtown Seattle where I had to run some errands that day. I brought my camera with me anticipating that there might be some great photo opportunities.Time
This was late in the afternoon in the sun was getting low. It's also made me think there might be great opportunities for photographs because I knew the light would be good that time of day.Lighting
I really like taking advantage of the early morning and late afternoon, early evening light. There's nothing special about that particularly, But because I knew I would be out in about an interesting area in the late afternoon that the lighting was likely to be pretty good. As it turns out, the lighting work to my advantage, But not in the way that I would've anticipated. The way that shadows fall in this picture really help me with composition. The shadow creates a kind of cone that allows more focus on the man in the wheelchair. Also the the shadow cuts across the upper half of the manikin so only their legs are illuminated. That was all just happenstance that I noticed as I was standing there.Equipment
The camera used was a Panasonic Lumix G2. The lens was a Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-150mm f/4-5.6. I did not use a tripod.Inspiration
I'm very interested at what happens in a viewer's mind when they are made to connect unrelated subjects in a photograph by virtue of the subjects being contained within the frame. What I mean is, people can't help but create relationships. My first thought is that I would go downtown and find a big billboard and then snap a few pictures of people walking by because the right person is going to walk by that would make people connect that person in the picture in the background. I did not find a big billboard, But I saw these manikins in a department store window, So I stood across the street waiting for the perfect person to walk by. I didn't know who that person would be or what about them would somehow tie into the manikin. I also liked the way the light was falling across manakins, But had no idea it would matter so much somatically in the finished photograph. Shortly, This man in a wheelchair rolled by. He sat there on the corner for a minute or so. I immediately saw that he was the person I was hoping would come by. The fact that he was in a wheelchair and the legs of the manikins was illuminated was something I knew would make the viewer make connections. I also made sure to get the international symbol of the walking figure in the traffic signal into my composition. Now all three elements had something to do with walking or not walking.Editing
It's been a while since I took this photograph and I can't remember how much postprocessing I did. What I do remember is that I used the Snapseed app to bring out the red on the wheelchair. I also make sure that it was slightly more and focus than the rest of the photograph so that the viewer's eyes would go right to it.In my camera bag
I don't carry much equipment. I just have to lenses, my 45-150mm zoom lens and my LUMIX G 14mm f/2.5. That's it.Feedback
Well, for me this picture was about relationships and understanding that my background was going to be as important as whatever happened to be in the foreground. I stood looking at the scene not knowing what my picture would be, But only that the right person would come along and pass in front of this background. So I would say people should really pay attention to their background and what kind of impact it can have on the finish photograph. The other thing is to understand where a great photograph is likely to happen. I knew that the lighting, because of the time a day, and the background created a situation that would allow me to get a picture. It's about being aware of how all the elements and photograph Will comment on one another as the viewer makes connections in their mind.
