seminary ceiling

[Wendy Kates]

I was in Chicago over Thanksgiving, and went to University of Chicago (my alma mater) to photograph a few of its many architectural gems. One is the former Chicago Theological Seminary, a beautiful building that has just been renovated and transformed into the Saieh Hall of Economics, complete with a new Starbucks outpost. (Some view this as a transformation from the sacred to the profane!) I am posting an image of the ceiling in one of its rooms...I'll probably post an image of the entire room as well, but I wanted your comments on this first. This is the composite of three, bracketed images, taken with a Canon 7D, 17-55mm lens at 42mm, f/2.8, 1/6s, ISO 200, tripod. Comments and critiques are welcome.

[Don Railton]

Hi Wendy, this looks pretty good to me.. Like the symmetry and exposure. no suggestions.

DON

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Wendy...love the ceiling and love the colors too...this scene may also look interesting as a B&W conversion.

[Diane Miller]

Gorgeous color and detail! My eye always wants to see a perspective correction on architectural shots -- verticals brought to vertical -- but that's just me. The first thing that I notice is that i really like the hints of texture in the FG, but the BG is missing it. I'd actually experiment with adding some grain there -- but, again, just me...

Only been down there once -- a scary trip on the EL and beyond on foot.

[Dvir Barkay]

Nice exposure and good symmetry, maybe dark the door/archway at the bottom.

[Wendy Kates]

Hi all...thanks for your input and helpful suggestions!

[Don Lacy]

Really nice symmetry and color, I am having two issues with the crop, the first is I wish there was more of the doorway in the back of the frame as is it feels stunted to me. Also I wish the leading lines at the top of the frame had had come to together as is they also seem incomplete. Here is what I had in mind

[andresleon]

I like Don's composition a little better that the original. I think that the colors are a little over saturated. Like Andrew, I think a B&W would look very nicely as well.

[Wendy Kates]

I cropped the image as Don suggested, and converted it to black and white. I think I prefer the color image but would appreciate all of your thoughts on this. Thanks!

[Diane Miller]

I think it works both ways but I get more of a sense of depth in the B/W.