Description: This image was taken in Cologne Cathedral during my visit to the city. It's a popular destination for both tourists and locals alike. I opted to capture the scene from behind a mother and her children to convey the sense of congestion caused by the visitors and also to avoid showing the faces of the children. In this image, the partially revealed facial profile of the mother appears devoted to lighting a candle, accompanied by the curious gestures of her two children.
Camera: Lumix G9 with 12-60 mm Lens
Parameters: 1/25 sec at f/4.5, aperture priority, spot metering, ISO 3200, focal length 31 mm.
Post Processing: Lightroom and Photo AI. The image was adjusted in Lightroom for tonal, color temperature, and color saturation then adjusted in Photo AI to remove excessive noise. The final image was cropped into the desired composition.
This round’s discussion is now closed! 7 comments posted
Michele Borgarelli
Tom, this is a very nice intimate scenery. You have use the bokeh effect well so that the observer can focus only on the mother with the two children. There is a head just behind the mother that to me create some distraction. Maybe if you could wait few seconds or change slightly the shooting position that element would have been hidden.
Also, I am not sure if this image would qualify for a "travel" photo. This scenery could have been taken anywhere in the world where there is a church. To me is more a "street" photo. Good work, regardless.
best wishes
Michele Posted: 02/16/2024 11:41:11
Tom Lee
Thank you Michele for your observation and I agree this image is not quite suitable in Travel category. Posted: 02/22/2024 08:05:07
Adrian Binney
Tom - it's I nicely seen image but I agree that many judges will not be able to conclude that its location can be identified. Posted: 02/22/2024 16:02:51
Tom Lee
I agree both you and Michele. Thanks! Posted: 02/22/2024 16:29:22
Stan Bormann
The lighting on the mom and her kids is so good and they are so prominent that any distractions have a minimal impact and they can't be removed in travel exhibition photography. This image clearly shows a cultural event, but it is of a religion spread across much or perhaps most of the world. Their clothing limits the place, but it probably would not do well in exhibitions. It is a beautiful image. I think I would take out that head and keep it as an excellent image, but not for travel exhibiting. Posted: 02/23/2024 18:20:21
Sherry Weinstein
Tom, most importantly, I must repeat what the others have said about this not being appropriate as a travel photo. It does, however, hit the viewer with the emotion that comes from religious belief and/or practice. Further, the warm lighting from the candles adds to the overall essence of this custom and practice. If you were to use this in some category other than travel I think it could be exceptional, especially if you could darken the crowded area in the background, bringing all focus to the family at prayer. Posted: 02/24/2024 01:10:12
Nancy Axelrod
Tom, This is a well-done image. You have balanced the lighting well so as to highlight the face of the woman and the hair of the daughter, but not to blow out (as it were!) the lights of the candles. It might help to darken the people in the background a bit, but the depth of field is handled so well that it may not be necessary. Incidentally, I note that you applied noise reduction at the end of your post processing, but I have read (not sure why) that it is better to do noise reduction at the beginning of the process. Do you have strong feelings about this one way or the other? Posted: 02/24/2024 17:53:47
