There was something mysterious about this abandoned bicycle left outside a ruined building on a hilltop outside Murmansk. A foggy afternoon added to the atmosphere.
I like this image and the dark, eerie atmosphere it carries. Well spotted! Maybe some of the cyrillic on the wall says "Free Candy" ;-)
One idea on the composition, though - please do not take it as criticism on the image but merely as a creative suggestion: While the scene itself tells a good, mysterious story, this image seems to be shot at eye-level - which is, of course, the perspective we all are used to.
The little bicylce feels small and forgotten, yet a bit insignificant. Though the bike is in the middle of the frame, the story feels a bit like "eerie house with a bike in front".
I wonder if there would have been an even more mysterious atmosphere and a greater connection between the house and the bike, if you lowered the position of the camera - I am thinking something along the lines of this great image by William Eggleston https://www.moma.org/collection/works/51630
Surely, that perspective would have been far too extreme for your image, as the house deserves to be seen better.
Anyway, nice image as it is - I am just now noticing the wide aspect ratio, which works really well for it!
Hi Sascha, thanks for the interesting critique. Yes, you are correct that the shot was taken at eye level, or very close to it. I am kicking myself now for the opportunities missed here, but basically I was going from A to B and was in a rush - had other people in the car - and just wasn't in a photography frame of mind at the time. I really wish I had taken the time to try a few other perspectives - or even look in the building for that candy - but I was wet and cold and already thinking of the tasty caribou with lingon berries and mashed potato at Grishka's.
Cheers, Brett. Yeah, I don't think it would quite work as well in colour but I may have a go at doing another edit to compare. It was a grey, miserable, day so the colours would be quite desaturated and close to some kind of monochromatic look anyway.
I really like the idea behind this photo, contrasting the abandoned building and the bicycle. I think the water highlighted on the right detracts from the image. Since the urge to edit is one of the stronger urges, I've taken the liberty of doing the crop (attached). I also think you could use a curves adjustment to increase the mid-tone contrast in the building.
Thanks Steve. Yes, I agree about the water but for some reason that quite escapes me now, I was more concerned with keeping the bike centred in the foreground. As for the tonal range/contrast, quite possibly. I've done quite a few variations and at some point my eyes probably said 'enough'. I may go back and look at it again at some point.
Almost sinister- nice capture.
It just needed 'Free Candy' painted on the walls to be complete...
I like this image and the dark, eerie atmosphere it carries. Well spotted! Maybe some of the cyrillic on the wall says "Free Candy" ;-)
One idea on the composition, though - please do not take it as criticism on the image but merely as a creative suggestion: While the scene itself tells a good, mysterious story, this image seems to be shot at eye-level - which is, of course, the perspective we all are used to.
The little bicylce feels small and forgotten, yet a bit insignificant. Though the bike is in the middle of the frame, the story feels a bit like "eerie house with a bike in front".
I wonder if there would have been an even more mysterious atmosphere and a greater connection between the house and the bike, if you lowered the position of the camera - I am thinking something along the lines of this great image by William Eggleston https://www.moma.org/collection/works/51630
Surely, that perspective would have been far too extreme for your image, as the house deserves to be seen better.
Anyway, nice image as it is - I am just now noticing the wide aspect ratio, which works really well for it!
Hi Sascha, thanks for the interesting critique. Yes, you are correct that the shot was taken at eye level, or very close to it. I am kicking myself now for the opportunities missed here, but basically I was going from A to B and was in a rush - had other people in the car - and just wasn't in a photography frame of mind at the time. I really wish I had taken the time to try a few other perspectives - or even look in the building for that candy - but I was wet and cold and already thinking of the tasty caribou with lingon berries and mashed potato at Grishka's.
Awesome contrast between the destroyed building and the child's bike. Nice shot!
Thanks, Scott.
It's awesome how the black and white really capture the 'eeriness?' of this
Cheers, Brett. Yeah, I don't think it would quite work as well in colour but I may have a go at doing another edit to compare. It was a grey, miserable, day so the colours would be quite desaturated and close to some kind of monochromatic look anyway.
I really like the idea behind this photo, contrasting the abandoned building and the bicycle. I think the water highlighted on the right detracts from the image. Since the urge to edit is one of the stronger urges, I've taken the liberty of doing the crop (attached). I also think you could use a curves adjustment to increase the mid-tone contrast in the building.
Thanks Steve. Yes, I agree about the water but for some reason that quite escapes me now, I was more concerned with keeping the bike centred in the foreground. As for the tonal range/contrast, quite possibly. I've done quite a few variations and at some point my eyes probably said 'enough'. I may go back and look at it again at some point.