[Toad]

The gallery that handles my stuff is having a new group show this month - the theme is Regional BC photos - this is one of my submissions...



Nikon F100 - Velvia 50 transparency

[EnglishBob]

Great shot... few thousand tons of steal floating around close to each other. The colors seem a little subdued for Velvia?

[Toad]

The colors seem a little subdued for Velvia?

It was about 5:00 in the morning - sun not yet up - overcast. Thanks for comment.

[Irma]

The colors are very nice, I love those colors in the sky. The composition is very interesting, nicely cared in the details.. It looks so calm... I like very much your seascape, Toad.

[Petographer]

Fantastic image Toad. This really signifies Vancouver. Excellent!

[Toad]

Thanks Colin, Craig and Irma.

[EnglishBob]

What is the object in the foreground BTW? it's kinda intriguing.

[matthew]

EB, it is called an Inukshuk, about which more can be found: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inukshuk

From wikipedia:

An inunguak forms the basis of the logo of the 2010 Winter Olympics designed by Vancouver artist Elena Rivera MacGregor ... it is widely acknowledged that it pays tribute the inukshuk that stands at Vancouver's English Bay, which was created by artisan Alvin Kanak of Rankin Inlet, Northwest Territories. ... Friendship and the welcoming of the world are the meanings of both the English Bay structure and the 2010 Winter Olympics emblem, with Kanak's creation having the additional represenation of the strength of his people and the modes of communication and technology before modern Canada.

[EnglishBob]

Thanks for the Info Was curious.

[Toad]

Couldn't have said it better myself - thanks M.

[matthew]

I got a talking-to from my mother when I posted a photo of much smaller versions on my website, and then didn't include the correct name for them when she told me it.

There's also an inunguak (which seems to be the correct term for the people-shaped ones) in Inukshuk park in Toronto, which was built for the Pope's visit in 2002.

With the 2010 games in Vancouver, these landmarks are going to get a lot better known.

[Toad]

With the 2010 games in Vancouver, these landmarks are going to get a lot better known.

...and hopefully develop a market for this photo and others like it...

[matthew]

You never know... it's a great shot, and now is a good time to be taking photos of Vancouver. There are a lot of stock agencies out there, and a lot of foreign newspapers and magazines that will need good depth of coverage... and once more attention is focused on Van., it can only increase the interest in the galleries for iconic images.

Maybe Toronto will get the Games in my lifetime... (nah.)

[Kombisaurus]

Hey Toad,

An interesting shot.. and well worth posting for a crit.. Overall I certainly like it, but I'm not quite sure what to make of it all.

There are some really good elements to it (especially when Matthew explained the meaning of the Inukshuk).. The string of ships is a striking image, the colours (esp. the sky) is lovely, the relationship between the rocks and the ships, and indeed the "message" of the rocks welcoming the ships are all great ideas.

But for some unknown reason there is just something about this image that doesn't make it "click into place" for me. It just doesn't sit completely right.

* Maybe the fact that we can't see the base of the Inukshuk makes it look a little "stuck on" rather than an integral part of the scene?
* Maybe the way the ships are heading away from the Inukshuk seems to contradict the welcoming message?
* Maybe the dead-centre horizon leaves the image feeling a bit too static?
* Maybe both the ships and the rocks lose their impact because they are actually quite small?
* Definately I think the two buoys in the water are distracting.. but this is a simple and minor thing.

I say "maybe" to these suggestions because I think they have just as much chance of making the image worse as they do of making it better. To be honest I really don't know what it is preventing this image from really jumping out and grabbing me.

I can see there are reasons why you chose the composition you did to emphasize the bold general shapes in the image.. and normally I'd be thinking "Yes! Great!", but in this case I think the composition doesn't really suit the content as much as it could, and the image is a little vague in what it is trying to say.

But... I do still like the image for all the reasons I stated at the start of my post, and I could imagine that a local (or anyone who appreciates the meaning of these inukshuks more than I do) might love it.

Its maybe worth another visit next time there are some ships out there and there's some nice light.. and just have an experiment with loads of different shots and ways to get these elements to work together. I think it has a lot of potential if you can nail it.