To skew or not to skew, that is the question

One photo of the Inside of the Wisconsin State Capitol. First photo is the original HDR second one is skewed using photoshop.

Comments?

http://melottephotoimagery.com/1174x6.jpg

skewed

http://melottephotoimagery.com/1174x6skew.jpg

First one for me, second looks like its falling backwards. I know the columns are straight but just dosen't look right in my opinion.

Peter

I agree - the bottom one makes it feel the REST of the photo is going backwards.

Hi Grinder - Interesting shot! Having looked at both versions, I think that the scene is so complex in terms of verticals, horizontals, curves arcing hither and zither (and truncated trapezoids!) that whatever changes you make the eye is always going to be confused. That is not a negative criticism but a comment on the nature of the scene itself. One possibility would be to tackle the horizontals at floor level and then the verticals at left and right. I don't have Photoshop so I don't know how the perspective software is set up. In the Gimp, the perspective correction tool is very smart and you can see your adjustments in real time before committing the image for transformation. However, I think whatever you do, the image is going to remain perplexing.

BTW, I have looked at classical paintings by the "Old Masters" and they would have used, normally, a more symmetric composition when tackling this type of subject.

Anyway, just some comments.

Cheers
David

i actually liek the first one more...but for the reason that the marble looks darker and richer too me ...the second one looks kinda of washed out or reflected out too much...

I would agree that given a choice, I'd do the floor, our brain knows that must have been horizontal.

If you are going to correct converging verticals, I would say there's an unwritten rule that you always do it to both sides, and if you under correct, then leave a similar amount of angle on both sides (i.e. they would converge to a point half way across the frame if you went high enough).

That said, I can see why you haven't done both sides here - because if you do, you would lose the far corner of the arch wall at the top. This brings me to the other thing I learnt the hard way; if you suspect you are going to do this in PP, always shoot with enough space around the edges at the bottom. With practice, it is predictable.

Obviously I appreciate that's often easier said than done, especially if you don't have a wide enough lens or cannot get back far enough.

I suppose another option is to take two shots and stitch them together as if a panorama. Has anyone tried this? I would imagine it would be best to stitch them together after perspective correction.

Cheers,

David - this is one of the minor shots I'm thinking about - I have a project going for a show (in a Starbucks) from this building and have LOTS of HDR photos and I agree the "symmetric composition" photos are . . . . less stressful?? Easier on the eye.

Dave Humphries - this is the first time I have ever played with that tool in CS4 - I can see how it can be useful. I have another photo I'll post (I THINK I just sold a framed copy 15 minutes ago - woo hoo) where my wide angel created a problem but . . . I don't think I have room to correct it.

So many people walk through the State Capitol but miss just how colorful it is because of all the dark shadows and very bright lighting.

I'm hoping to sell some framed shots to rich politicians! (insert evil laugh).