NOVEMBER 2019 THIS week's PICTURE

Sidewalk to skyline , Philadelphia : photos by Malcolm Aslett

The attempt here, at the very least, is to reproduce the view at pavement level with the view looking directly above in the same image.

It would have been better if the pictorial meat at the bottom was more than a few signs indicating road work. I console myself that the road narrowing sign implies the shape above and the composition as a whole. Sure, yes, that was all planned. Still, as in other recent photographs taken on a quiet Sunday, the lack of bustle and interest at street level is a wasted opportunity on several levels.

That looks like a Calder mobile at top right. I don't know anything about it and a search online didn't help.

A further thing to watch out for is the very blueness of photographing above. You can see it especially in those from a few weeks ago where the upper reaches become almost monotone in sky and scraper. Obviously in glass faced buildings there is the reflection of the sky though the blue seems to permeate the structure. This is nullified in the black and whites but perfectly obvious in colour versions. It is something to be actively worked against as far as my tastes are concerned. Uniformity is too easy a direction to go in for this subject. No need to bleed it blue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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