Lee Ann Stamm
May 2023 - Shadows – Lath House Pavilion
About the Image(s)
While walking the streets of Phoenix, Ax, we came to an area called Heritage Square. The Lath House Pavilion was designed for community activities by architect Robert Frankenberger and finished in 1980. When we were there, several groups of high school prom-goers were fidgeting in the shadows. I had to wait a while to get my shot. This is one you have to take with some daylight to get the full effect of the architecture.
This was taken with my Canon EOS 5D Mark II at 1/250, F10, ISO 250, Aperture priority.
11 comments posted
Lee Ann, I lived in Arizona for only two years and love anything that makes me reminisce about my time. I'm glad that you waited for the prom kids to leave, as there is no distraction, only the fascinating lines and shapes and shadows. I like your composition. If anything, I would have liked to see more. There is a lot of movement with the varying degrees of lines and spaces. The visual elements are strong. I think it's a very energetic image. Posted: 05/08/2023 18:30:24
Thank you, Joan. I can't really remember what was to the right of this image, but at the time, I felt there were probably too many distraction lines. Posted: 05/15/2023 16:31:03
It is amazing how many shadows can exist in this one photo! From a composition viewpoint, I do feel the center post almost visual stops me from looking deeper into the details. Which started me wondering if walking past the second post, the shot towards the stairway, wall and ceiling would be amazing as well.
p.s. If I ever make it to Phoenix, I'm stopping by here. Posted: 05/10/2023 21:29:38
p.s. If I ever make it to Phoenix, I'm stopping by here. Posted: 05/10/2023 21:29:38
Hi Chane: I guess I never noticed the middle post until you pointed it out. Now I can't get past it. My best location was probably lying on my back, past the two big posts and aiming at the wall and ceiling. Too bad I didn't think of it at the time. When you are out there, take the perfect shot and show it here. Thanks for your comments. Posted: 05/15/2023 16:35:45
This is a fantastic catch with lots of straight lines and their matching shadows. I love the color of the wood, too. The striped ground is also interesting. The tree in the back is distracting to me, and even though the ground is interesting, I am wondering if I might like to see just the top left quadrant? Posted: 05/13/2023 11:16:21
Hi Barbara: You are right, and I think the image cut in half, then cropped at the left stairway definitely has the best shadows. However, you would lose the perspective of a building, which wasn't necessary for this assignment. I wouldn't know where to start to remove the tree other than shooting in a different direction. Maybe Chane can remove the tree too if he gets to Arizona! Posted: 05/15/2023 16:47:39
Distractions can be caused by a color. The green tree is a good example. When I turned the photo into a black and white, the tree no longer distracted me. Posted: 05/19/2023 13:53:19
The first thing that popped into my mind was the one time in my life I have seen such a plethora of wood slat shadows. It was at the Tucson Botanical Garden many years ago. I loved seeing it then, too. Amazing feeling to see them and be among this kind of shadow pattern. I'm happy you found this and could experience it. I think it's hard to make a photo of such shadows that I wouldn't consider too busy. This full view is a good record shot. It serves to remind me to "work the subject" in order to have a choice of images to use as a whole or to crop. I could end up with some good images if I shot a variety of compositions of this scene. For example, the top half seems to have more impact for me. Posted: 05/19/2023 13:51:11
Hi Carole: I agree that there are many different compositions within this image. I may experiment with some. I like the black and white image; however, it seems busier than the color one. Posted: 05/23/2023 09:44:44
Images like this with so many shadows often get to look like a jumble. Perhaps it is the subtle colors or the strong support beams, but this one makes sense. The architect probably planned the placement of the trees, but your angle puts that one tree in just the tight place, giving the viewer something to anchor on. While Carole's suggestion of B&W is good (B&W is often the best choice for shadows) I prefer the color version. Posted: 05/20/2023 08:38:20
Hi Connie: I think I like the color version, too. Even though the tree has been mentioned by several people, it doesn't bother me. There are too many shadows first that leave the tree as a secondary aspect. Posted: 05/23/2023 09:48:54