Lovers of the Arctic Circle, a photo from Ontario, Central

Photographer's Note

Well, not quite, but almost... (I refer to the title)

During a chilly, windswept walk yesterday afternoon by the frozen river, I was amazed how long this couple were sitting arm in arm on the icy bench in the minus 20s, waiting for the sunset. Love surpasses all, they proved to me, while my index finger, getting purple and increasingly painful, was trying to press the frozen shutter release button...

For colour lovers, the colour version again is in the Workshop.

Title taken from Julio Medem's 1998 film Los Amantes del Círculo Polar.

noahsark, sanalytis, tcht, robiuk, luisafonso, sergio1, Nicou, bach37, eleparc heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

noahsark (1092) 2007-01-29 17:50

Hi Sarolta,

lots of varied, original stuff in your gallery. Great, atmospheric snap here. Details are crisp and your choice of BW fits the shot well. regards

composition*****
subject*****
colors and light*****
sharpness*****
overall aesthetics*****

well done!

Mahmut K.

Miks (1717) 2007-01-29 17:52

I like the BW better. The textures in the snow and the grapgic effect of the trees and shadows are much more striking. The exposition is really very good. Especially considering that you're shooting into the light. The composition is also good. One thing that would have improved it would be if you had picked a lower angel such that the couple would 'break through' the horizon. As it is they are a little peripheral compositionally speaking. Still a fine shot though.

Best,
mikkel

[2] +

sanalytis (1634) 2007-01-29 17:53

Hi Sasa,

I don't have much time here..I'm at work :-(
Just wanted to say this photograph is exceptional. The composition is outstanding.
I guess Ottawa can feel like the Arctic circle at times :-)

Spiros

cessy (13647) 2007-01-29 17:56

love the light and shadow
very nice moment captured
I like the BW more the one in colors, perhaps because the shadow over the couple more visible

MKING (3054) 2007-01-29 18:13

Hey Sasa, this one is neat. All I see along the Toronto waterfront are dogs! At least there are some people brave enough to resist the freeze and enjoy the scenery, which you've captured remarkably well here with the long shadows and the texture of the snow. In spite of the temperature there's still a sense of warmth and intimacy in the shot, nothing sinister, nothing remote.

I'm finally planning to go to Ottawa! I'll be in town over the weekend of the 10-11 February... it's just not cold enough here in Toronto... :)

elkab (3780) 2007-01-29 18:20

Nice light and shadow, great sharpness.

regards e

robiuk (10807) 2007-01-29 20:15

You did it again, Sasa!
Well spotted composition, and absolutely lovely conversion to b/w - the texture of snow is so fine & palpable and every uneven square foot casts its own shadow at that low light.
Smashing lines all over - very pleasant viewing experience!
Thank you!
I admire your bravery to go out on this cold & feel sorry for your finger on -20°!
aiiiii!!!!
:-(

SamB (1948) 2007-01-29 21:24

Hello, Sarolta--
Nice work, i really like the B&W version, it feels like the geometry of the shadows and benches all converging toward the sun loses some of the impact in the color version. The long shadows have incredible impact, really giving the impression that the couple is surrounded by a scene of grandeur.
Thanks!
sam

Ralfhar (732) 2007-01-30 2:50

Bonjour,

Très belle photo bien composé.
Les lignes formé par l'ombre des arbre crée un certain graphisme.

++
denis

jakafahrial (213) 2007-01-30 3:05

wow #1, bravo!

s10001in (0) 2007-01-30 3:16

Hi sasa,

PRO work :D
Love to see this on Huge size wall paper.
:D

luisafonso (862) 2007-01-30 3:55

This time I can't really decide myself... The duotone version is very good, for its contrast, for its graphical mood, for the deep black shadows and that gentle silky sky. But the color version conveys a lot more of that cold mood, snow is real snow here and the overall blue haze really cast a frozen romantic atmosphere to the scene. I love both but probably would print and hang the color version in my walls. The composition is brilliant Sasa. I don't agree quite much with Mahmut. I think the couple is in the right spot since the shadows are so important to the compo. If you had took a low pov they would be gone... Beautiful!

sergio1 (12152) 2007-01-30 5:48

Hi Sasa

Lovely compo and perfec image. I like the b&w becose it's very romantic shot. The larg shadows are good too.
Also I like the colour version.

Well done
Sergio

brevbrev14 (140) 2007-01-30 6:01

Hi Sasa...i am shocking from the cold and the temperature in Ottawa....
ANd this image is ismply wonderful for me...Here there is all your style and eye...shadows, great composition, poetic impact..., texture...
ABSOLUTELY GREAT!
ciao!
Valeria

delkoo (68) 2007-01-30 7:15

hi sarolta
wonderful one ,the texture of snow is well rendering and the long shadows divide the foreground in an interesting graphism.

cheers
didier

recepyuksel (18640) 2007-01-30 7:30

Talking shadows...very atractive and poverful...congrats

coco (30439) 2007-01-30 8:22

Hi Sasa.

Very nice film and also the relationship between Otto and Ana.
This time I cannot chose between this one and the colour version. I love both.

Light, composition and all things that we say about photography are good... but that's not important.
What is important is what can suggest the photo. And really does.

So lovely. So romantic.
The less than you can do is sent to them a copy, isn't it?

Regards.

vapours (8264) 2007-01-30 12:35

Beautiful. Once again creating a dramatic look to the scene with your take on it in photoshop. Love the shadows and contours of the ground.

AmiBe (6042) 2007-01-30 13:15

Hi Sasa,
I like when the sun shine in Ottawa, because you play so well with long shadows :)
I like the poetic and romantic atmosphere...
For me both version are good but my choice will be the b/w.
rgs

tcht (7565) 2007-01-30 14:10

Hi Sasa
Great light in this one with your usual elongated shadows of lines plus the human touch. It's less chilly to me probably because the snow's grey (more like a desert :p) and I focus on the warm interactions of the couple. Very well composed and taken.
Best,
CheukHin

nwoehnl (122) 2007-01-30 15:38

I think the b&w treatment was the way to go with this one, Sasa, it really enhances the stark and cold winter ambience. Yet the couple on the bench seems to defeat the circumstances, great to have them in this scene. A fine play of lights and shadows, too.

sothy81 (9646) 2007-01-30 20:09

Excellent b/w here. It shows the lonelienss feeling in here with the only 2 persons sitting. Very sharp. it is to me a magazine photo. Well done. Sothy

jinju (14265) 2007-01-30 22:03

Sasa,

this is another one of your gems. Again you show us how to shoot into the sun and get away with beautiful exposure all the time. The sky is just perfect, no blow outs at all even with direct shooting into the sun. The composition is top notch too. Again, for me the b/w wins hands down.

siolaw (38294) 2007-01-30 22:07

Hi Sarolta
Great 'into the sun' compo... nice details and superb texture of the snow... excellent exposition !
Fine work
Laurent

faubry (35447) 2007-01-31 3:59

ouahhhhhhhhhhhhhh genial these two lovers in snow... beautiful light; really again a beautiful shot, bravo
take care
francine

filidor (56) 2007-01-31 4:05

Very simple but thats the point! - dancing shadows of the trees balanced with two person sitting opposite to them - result is fantastic. regards

Furachan (0) 2007-01-31 20:03

I swear I love your BW landscapes precisely because they allow you to show off your considerable tonal savvy. I might not say too much if they were in color but they are simply stunning in these contrasty BW renderings of yours.
Love your title too!
A warmish (so far) Tokyo good morning to you,
Francis

Elaine_Blath (8471) 2007-02-01 5:51

Hi Sarolta,

you´ve created amazing atmosphere here, full of melancholy and calm...love this monochrome and play of light and shadows...well done!

Take care, Ivana

arindam_thokder (3987) 2007-02-01 7:47

Wow....this is great light captured sasa, I love both the b/w and the color image.

rertan (32) 2007-02-01 15:12

I love this picture. Lights, shadows and composition are great.

rbcy1974 (20758) 2007-02-01 17:58

Hello Sasa
This is sublime: This storng light creating these nice shadows is wonderful. The details on the landscape, ground and snow are very very clear.
Really well done
Regards
Daniel

michel_r (1118) 2007-02-02 18:09

Beautiful Sasa, and so very peaceful. This is such an amazing shot. Everything's in place here. Nothing to complain about. You do display that love surpasses all....How do you do that?
amicalement, michel

Polonaise (5802) 2007-02-02 20:30

Stuningly beautiful and romantic.
And warm (:-)))) (surprisingly warm sepias - they are able to warm almost anything).
Color version - cold, very cold. Zhivagovian cold.
At least - that's the way I see it.
And who am I to....?
Warm greetings for getting colder and colder - Toronto.

sohrab (7439) 2007-02-03 1:18

beautiful photograph sarolta.
i just wonder why most of the "love" photographs are slow and dreamy and not spontaneous like this
take care :)

KevRyan (22956) 2007-02-03 4:12

The pull of those deep shadows to the base of the trees sets up a very strong focus on the top left third and perhaps breaks the rule of avoiding competing thirds - the couple to the right lose out to my eye by the strength of the left ...but then we have this band of horizontals that take the eye to the right - an guess what - there they are just waiting for us to discover them.......an interesting set of simple but effective geometric relationships across the frame ....'competing thirds' nicely united by the eyes' desire to read the horizontals..........the strength of tone and shadow in this one is fantastic.....

nice one Hobbit!

GtW

everlasting (19680) 2007-02-03 12:11

While the B%W version with its elongated shadows create a graphichal mood, the pastel colour version suits the mood better here, I believe, after you read the story. Either way, another gem(s) in your gallery.

eleparc (24063) 2007-02-04 18:18

do you remember the end of titanic?? love surpasses all... indeed! a very chilly but meaningful photograph ;-)

vesalius (861) 2007-02-11 1:51

Hello Sarolta, I like the b/w version here. The exposure is outstanding, given difficult conditions. Also, the composition is excellent with the people giving perspective to the shot.

TAke care,

Don

bantonbuju (51815) 2007-02-11 1:51

so much to see....good to be back home :-)))
and good to see you frozenhobbit performing so well...
finally i found some decent winter in...italy, but had no much time to digest it profoundly in a photographical sens...
------------
this photo is all about light, and mood... no need to say much about this masterpiece...simply love it...
best wishes, j.

SQUARE (6) 2007-06-25 12:46

WOW, Sasolta, I'm amazed by this picture, honnestly, it's one on the 'beautifullest' picture i've ever seen, the colors are awsome, the place is just wonderful the river looks like she's moving, the snow is frozed in time and it's just amazing!!! You got huge TALENT!!!!!

Cedrique