Leica SL (601) + Carl Zeiss Biogon 25 2.8 ZM
Very nice.
The Black & white expression works very well. However, you may think of a bit of shadow recovery if shot in RAW. It will breathe a little more life into the image.
Very nice ! Agree with Prabirji. To me, the black verticle stripe is a bit of eyesore.
Thanks Thad, Prabir, Hyvas. Agree shadows can be lightened. Image (like all images I shoot) was shot in RAW, or DNG as Leica refers to it. But while the rest of the architecture can be lit up or brightened further, the vertical black structure remains stubbornly dark. Before I posted the image I did try to recover more detail there but it didn't work. If I pushed it too far then the rest of the image would fall flat. Personally I feel that the vertical structure can be seen in both ways, as something modernistic and incongruous that doesn't quite fit in with the pristine heritage architecture, or the very incongruity and modernity could be seen in a positive light as a counterpoint to the old world charm of the Taj. Shooting architecture and looking for facets normally overlooked (without a camera!) is something I like to do. In the past I have held 14 solo exhibitions dedicated entirely to architecture in Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Bhopal, Pondicherry and Trivandrum.
Lovely perspective ...
Thanks Aroonkalandy
I like this image.
I also agree with other comments that ask for a bit of shadow recovery. While there is no strict rule saying that highlights cannot be blown or shadows cannot be lost in a good image, I feel the strong (the word I would use is weighty) chunk of black going vertically though the frame draws too much attention, an IMO does not add any artistic/creative value. Instead, a bit of detail there might have allowed the eye to 'travel' between the left and right parts of the image.
Thanks bitublack. I would have lightened the image but there is hardly any shadow recovery (in colour or monochrome) even from the 48MB RAW file. The structure seems to be a completely opaque metal cladding around (possibly) a flight of steps. I don't mind underexposing an image but I rarely consider overexposing an image. Personally (for me) focus, exposure, framing has to be perfect or close to perfect, otherwise I don't save the image.