Remnants of the first banking drive through I ever experienced.
Boring-techture. By demand.
For those not into architectural photography Ezra Stoller was a giant in the field as
far back as the late 1940s. He used an 8x10 view camera to photography buildings and residences of note. He liked all of the vertical lines to be perfect.
So wonderful that we demand exactly the same geometric constraints here in 2023.
It's as though styles never change.
Bonus: An interesting video about Monochrome sensor cameras by one of my favorite BW photographers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDxHq3Zlbz8
Getting the verticals parallel through choice of lens or camera position is one thing. Wrenching things around in Photoshop to achieve a similar result can be hazardous. Too often the result is what I “broccoli buildings”. Even though the vertical lines are made parallel - provable by measuring - tall buildings seem to spread out at the top. They appear to bloom, like a stalk of broccoli seen cut in cross section.
ReplyDeleteEverything that rises must converge. It’s a law.
Too boring. I like my buildings falling on top of me in rainbow colors with fluffy clouds.
ReplyDeleteAdd a Luminar giraffe for good luck too.
Don't appease the masses Kirk. Your more fun to read.
Working on flattening out my contrast to conform better to all the standards set in stone in 1958...
ReplyDeleteConverging verticals are more sexy.
ReplyDeleteR.A.
I have a painting that I really like, a woman in a street scene, except that the end building on the street just *slightly* leans out over the street. Just a tiny bit. It drives me crazy. I have another painted maybe a hundred years ago, a scene of old Santa Fe. The building is not square -- but the building is adobe, and some adobe buildings aren't, so it doesn't bother me. Leaning buildings in photos don't bother me because I blame it on the lenses rather than the photographer. My basic rule is that buildings that are actually square should be shown that way, unless they can't be for technical reasons. None of those reasons apply to painters.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I like it that way. And I think Julius Shulman was the greater photographer. Also, my hero. He retired in his 80s, got bored, and went back to work until his death at age 99. getting around with a walker and an assistant to carry his camera.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the straight lines. Kirk
ReplyDeleteRoy Benson
In the end, all lines curve.
ReplyDeleteThank you for bringing to our attention the photographer Ezra Stoller, I did not know of his existence; so another body of work for me to explore. I actually find most architectural photography where parallel vertical perspective is maintained soothing to look at. But if this parallel vertical line goal is going to be broken (in architectural photography), then break it boldly. (IMHO)
ReplyDelete