Stairway to heaven

[Marko]

I posted this on the blog too but i was curious what people think.

Thx!

Marko

[tegan]

I very much like the uniqueness of the shot which certainly gives it visual impact and the fact that you recognized the possibility. I am guessing that the ladder was on snow and you were stuck with the particular camera angle with trees in the wrong place. Did you consider photoshopping out some of the interfering branches?

Tegan

[Marko]

Hey Thanks tegan,

Actually the ladder was not on snow. It wrapped arond an ENOUMOUS oil drum that was maybe 30-40 feet high. All the white you see in the background is an oil drum. I hadn't thought of retouching the branches in this case, since sometimes i really want to capture it like I saw it.

That said - hard to objective when it's yours...do you find the branches that intersect with the ladder distracting?

Thx
Marko

[tegan]

Hey Thanks tegan,

Actually the ladder was not on snow. It wrapped arond an ENOUMOUS oil drum that was maybe 30-40 feet high. All the white you see in the background is an oil drum. I hadn't thought of retouching the branches in this case, since sometimes i really want to capture it like I saw it.

That said - hard to objective when it's yours...do you find the branches that intersect with the ladder distracting?

Thx
Marko

OK. I was kind of wondering why I did not see any sign of texture in the snow, so I had some doubts. The oil drum certainly explains it.

As to capturing like you saw it, think of it this way. If your shot was trees obscuring what was obviously an oil drum with stairs in the distance it would not be nearly as effective as isolating the stairs the way you did. A photographer and particularly an artistic photographer interprets what he sees for the viewer rather than strictly capturing it.

So, yes, I would try to isolate the stairway even more by taking out some of the major intersecting branches. It will draw more attention to the diagonal line of the stairway which creates some visual interest and tension.

Tegan