Natalia Mamaeva  


The Shapes of Lines by Natalia Mamaeva

July 2026 - The Shapes of Lines

About the Image(s)

Saint Petersburg is most renowned for its architecture of past centuries. However, it also features modern buildings made of steel, glass, and aluminum. One of the most famous modern architectural complexes is the group of buildings belonging to the "Saint Petersburg" Bank. Not any straight
lines! Not any right angles!

However, it would be fair to say that this is a very unusual
architectural style for Saint Petersburg :)

Canon EOS 600D + Tokina AT-X 107 Fisheye 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 DX


9 comments posted




Sophia Schade   Sophia Schade
The extreme fisheye distortion creates a dramatic and energetic perspective, but for me it is so exaggerated that it becomes visually unsettling and distracts from the architecture itself. Cropping some of the empty sky would give the buildings more visual impact, and a stronger focal point or slightly less extreme viewpoint would help guide the viewer's eye while preserving the creative intent.   Posted: 07/06/2026 01:05:18
Natalia Mamaeva   Natalia Mamaeva
Sophia, thanks for opinion and for ideas :)   Posted: 07/13/2026 06:43:56



Suzanne Wacker   Suzanne Wacker
Hi Natalia. I like the way the larger building is dominating the smaller ones. It does feel unsettling but if that's the feeling you are going for then it works. Maybe you need to make it even more so. I agree with Sophia that the perspective distracts from the architecture but that might be the point! I wonder what black and white would look like? That might give you an even more dramatic mood. You do have some obvious dust spots that could be easily removed or cloned out.   Posted: 07/06/2026 03:24:52
Natalia Mamaeva   Natalia Mamaeva
Suzanne, thank you! Indeed, minor retouching is needed... It is strange that I did not notice it myself...   Posted: 07/13/2026 06:52:06



Mark Burgess   Mark Burgess
Hi Natalia, the fish eye lens has created a very interesting effect especially in the right hand building where the lines virtually swirl their way up the building. In color I would raise the shadows but that a black and white conversion would be worth a try. Noted there is a lot of sky but in black and white, where the sky could be rendered very dark, it could become a strongly graphic element due to its interesting shape   Posted: 07/10/2026 04:49:15
Natalia Mamaeva   Natalia Mamaeva
Mark thank you for the advice and the idea! I have left home until the end of July, but when I return home, I will try to find other versions of this shot :)   Posted: 07/13/2026 06:58:13



Mark Burgess   Mark Burgess
I just looked at the sky and noticed how it looks like a curved arrow pointing left. If you have any more of the image raising the crop a little would enhance that idea   Posted: 07/10/2026 05:11:03



Richard Siersma   Richard Siersma
Hello Natalia, I rather like this image of an abstract city skyline. However, for me, many of the details of the buildings have been lost to the shadows. If you have a raw version of this image, may I suggest trying the following adjustments? Increase clarity & micro-contrast to help emphasize the edges of the buildings and the crisp geometry of the architecture. Selective contrast on the building facades to boost the contrast on the glass surfaces while keeping the sky smooth. Pull back any blown highlights to preserve detail in the reflections. At the same time, try increasing the exposure on the dark office/appartment windows exposing more detail.   Posted: 07/11/2026 14:45:21
Natalia Mamaeva   Natalia Mamaeva
Richard, thank you for the advice on post-processing the shot. When I return home, I will try to apply it :)   Posted: 07/13/2026 07:00:36



 

Please log in to post a comment