Amsterdam Stroll
Had a 7 hour layover in Amsterdam and went for a walk. Found this exactly as is. No staging for this shot. Used an editor to mix monotone with color ...
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Had a 7 hour layover in Amsterdam and went for a walk. Found this exactly as is. No staging for this shot. Used an editor to mix monotone with color
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Aug, 2016Views
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Peer Award
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Behind The Lens
Location
I was on a 7 hour layover in Amsterdam coming home from a work trip. I decided not to just sit at the airport so I went into town and snapped away. I found this simple image that spoke volumes of the city as there are thousands of bikes, and tons of little alleys with no two alike.Time
This image was taken mid morning on August 25th. I had taken the train into town and enjoyed a delicious breakfast, out on a sidewalk in front of one of their many rivers running through the city. After grabbing a pastry I went on my walk in search of the perfect "Netherlands Shot". I found this about halfway thru my walk and I captured many photos but this one was my favorite picture of the day.Lighting
The lighting was subtle due to two major factors. First, it was a mostly cloudy day, by this time in the morning the sun was starting to peek out. The other major factor was being in an alley, the entire image was in the shade at the time of the photo. I used a photo editor to go monotone and reintroduce the color to the focal point of the shot. The color of the bike and the window and shutters, naturally popped right out.Equipment
This picture was shot with a Nikon D3200 18-55mm lens. No flash and no tripod.Inspiration
I was inspired to take this photo after struggling to capture a bicycle/canal picture that I was truly pleased with. I continued my walk away from the water and into the alleys and began to notice the rich character hidden in every alley. The bicycle theme thinned out, but when I saw this bike parked exactly as seen in the photo, I found my image.Editing
I only used a free app on my iPad called Color Lab. I took the raw image and turned it completely monotone and using a tool in the app, I re added the color with a variable size paint brush. The colors brought back into the picture were exactly as originally captured.In my camera bag
I carry my Nikon D3200 body with two lenses, a 18-55mm and a 55-200mm. I carry one starburst lens filter. I have a device that holds my camera tightly to my chest that wonderfully keeps the thick Nikon neck strap from digging into my neck and swinging all over the place.Feedback
Amsterdam is a very friendly city that I wish I could've spent more time getting to know, but even more pleasing for me, it's saturated with culture. I saw so many people from backpacking college students to suit wearing business men and women, to young families. The architecture and cobblestone roads invite nostalgic feelings right into the creative process. This really opened the door wide open to capture simple but telling images. In a city that practically lives on water and is known for its legalities, there are so many opportunities to capture so many great shots. My advice for the photographer to let yourself explore deep into the city. Be patient because one can easily be overwhelmed with photo opportunities that don't quite come together the way you imagined it, but keep an open mind to what you hope to capture and what you are willing to capture, it just may be the next big thing you do.
