Historic Honolulu Architecture 1

[ShaneS]

I took a little respite from my early morning landscapes and went for a walk through downtown Honolulu to see what I could see...

This ornate lamp is located at a side entrance to Honolulu Hale (pronounced ha-lay and meaning house or home in Hawaiian) which is our city hall.



For me it was a natural fit for black and white. Of late I am having an internal struggle with the contrast sliders and was trying for a less 'in your face' conversion with nice balance in that regard.

I like the composition and feel like the greenery in the bottom right foreground mimics the arch nicely and provides a nice resting point for the eye and imagination as the viewer decides which way to travel long the walkway or just what might be around the corner...

Any and all C&C welcome.

For those interested in architectural history the building opened in downtown Honolulu in 1927 and was designed by the renowned architect of the time Charles William Dickey. It was Modeled after the Bargello Palace built in Italy in the 13th century.

There are many lovely buildings with pillars, doors, courtyards and lovely details from this era in downtown Honolulu and I have more shots to share when I get through processing them.

Thanks in advance.

[Shadowman]

Nice, would also consider reshooting from a distance, that lighting and ornamentation lends itself to deep shadows.

[FootLoose]

Good composition, Shane. I think the top of the arch is echoed in the top of the lamp and the top of the window. For me the dark foliage offers a nice counterpoint to the bright light.

[IzzieK]

Very nice and simple...I like the composition very much though I would prefer a little bit of crop at the bottom without losing the shadow of the structure too much...

[NorthernFocus]

Nicely done, Shane. Good on you reminding us that there's more to Hawaii than ocean sunsets

[pnodrog]

When you take a photograph so simple and strong you often end up with different crops that work. However I am happy with the composition you have presented.

[TonyW]

That's a nice well balanced simple picture. It's also an example of a style of architecture that I am very fond of. Very restful and comfortable looking.

[Mike Buckley]

There's no question that I want to walk around the corner to the left. That's because I want to see the source of light coming from within that area and see what is being lit by it.

My wife and I saw an exhibit yesterday of Andrew Wyeth art that was all about windows. Every scene had at least one window in it, sometimes the subject, sometimes not. Wyeth would have liked this a lot.

[bnnrcn]

I like the light, texture on the walls and the composition. Very nice Shane

[Brownbear]

Beautiful image! I also adore the light and the composition. It reminds me of Europe.

[Kodiak]

•
A great spot to steal a kiss!

[pnodrog]

•
A great spot to steal a kiss!

Alas I used to have them given to me (Mom) but now I have to try steal them too.

[Mike Buckley]

Better to be able to steal a kiss than to have to pay for it.

[Kodiak]

Better to be able to steal a kiss than to have to pay for it.

Mike for president!

[ShaneS]

Thank you everyone...so now, the version with more contrast...your preference please



It's a bit brighter overall but the shadows and textures are more intense. I like both versions for different reasons but would like to hear what you think and your reasoning if you care to share.

John, there was not much room to move back as I was positioned just inside a sidewalk that fronted a very busy street.

Dan, I hope to share some more of the great downtown architecture with you and everyone else here in the days to come. I just have to find time to process the images which has been a bit of a challenge lately. It is a pretty little city and I have always admired some of the buildings as I drove by but was pleased to see how beautiful some of them are when you get up close and personal.

To all that wanted to see what was going on around the corner...I did not look so I am unable to confirm whether any kisses were being exchanged, stolen or otherwise


EDIT: The first image in the thread seems to have disappeared...not sure why so I will repost it:

[Mike Buckley]

I prefer the second version because I always like the display of texture, as in this case the texture in the walls.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Shane .I prefer the less contrasty (original) shot because of the mood. It reflects a kind of calmness and serenity

[Brownbear]

Hi Shane,

I prefer the original... Soft, dreamy and romantic. I like the 2nd edit but prefer the softer moods in the original and last edit.

[TonyW]

Hi Shane,

I prefer the original... Soft, dreamy and romantic. I like the 2nd edit but prefer the softer moods in the original and last edit.

Me too.

[ShaneS]

Thanks to each of you that voiced a preference between the two edits. I find the words chosen to describe your preference fascinating. Texture vs. dreamy - it is interesting to me that the less textured version evokes a different mood but not overly surprising, I suppose. The words dreamy and romantic rarely come to me when describing my own images and I will take some time to ponder why that is so...