Coming together for peace, a photo from Beijing, North

Photographer's Note

Here is another fisheye shot of the Beijing opening ceremony � this one taken from a POV a little lower down than my last post. This image is one of my favourites of the night because I liked the contrast between the black of the sky, the white of the performers in the light-emitting costumes, and all the blue tones in between.

This was part of the performance about 50 minutes into the opening ceremony (my last post was right at the end of the ceremony) when the performers came together to form the shape of a dove of peace. I𠐔e posted that shot in the workshop, but I thought this image had more impact because it captures the performers running in a giant 鷔wirl� which I thought gave it more life than the other shot.

Coming together for peace was one of the themes that came through in the opening ceremony � much in line with the overall theme of the Games: 䭲ne World, One Dream� � although some may be sceptical about how genuine China is in promoting such messages when it continues to support regimes in places like Zimbabwe and Sudan, and sometimes seems to be promoting different messages when dealing with Taiwan and Tibet.

But the opening ceremony was a night to put political differences aside, and at least try to show the world that it was possible for nations to come together and celebrate in an atmosphere of harmony and unity - although ironically that very morning, one of those nations declared war on a neighbour (I guess Mr Putin didn㦙 hang around after the opening ceremony).

I𠐔e posted a few other shots from the opening ceremony in my blog here

The technical details for this image are similar to my last post � an 80% crop, noise removed with NeatImage � but the ISO was higher at 800 because of the lower light.

On the Monday after the opening ceremony, whilst I was hard at work, my wife went to one of the swimming finals and found herself seated right in front of George W. Bush and his family. She took a snapshot with her little Nikon Coolpix over her shoulder, and is now boasting that she has a more saleable image than anything I have taken in Beijing with my 㣃ancy� Nikon D200 and heavy bag of lenses.

I have to confess that I am rather jealous of the photograph that she got � because it𠏋 better than anything I𠐔e seen from the press photographers in Beijing. I keep telling her that even amateurs can fluke it once in a lifetime � but she keeps insisting that she has hidden talents and maybe I am not the only photographer in the family.

Her photo is here if you are interested.

PS: I have been a bit slow in responding to critiques in the past 10 days as I have been very busy in Beijing � but will catch up shortly.

Buin, ManuMay, adores, ktanska, shevchenko, TopGeo, gracious, ruisc_pt, yogi32, pablominto, UlfE, Didi, huahoa, linask, ChrisJ, xavshot, happypoppeye, feather, danos, belido, MLINES, patdeph, AiresSantos, jaywalker has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Buin (42580) 2008-08-20 8:57

Hallo David!
A most impressive photo - and note as well! The Olympic Games more and more degenerate to inconsiderate profiling and megalomania. Well, and peace .. I get a gooseskin thinking about our world just in these days of the games ...
Your photo gives a goose skin too - but in a good way! ;-)
By the way - your wife should become a TE member ...! ;-))
Greetings from Germany!
Frank

ManuMay (36447) 2008-08-20 9:24

Hi David!

Wonderful, great definition and optim point of view!!
Colours, lights and contrasts are superb!

Your wife have good friends!! ;)

We wait for more Beijing picts.
Regards.
Manuel.

pboehringer (770) 2008-08-20 13:33

David,
what can I say about a photograph that you claim to be your favorite night shot? I wan't dare to write any negative critique otherwise our friendship will go sour. Just kidding! The image is good enough to be called your best night shot. But, I already got to see that in the TV too and know I'm, extremely curious to see your wife's shot. Any chance to get to see it as a WS?
The games in China are a real political balance, but as you put it we sometimes need to look over certain things and TRY to celebrate humankind and the immense potentials laying in use humans. This is exactly what your shot is all about!
Peter

maglex (1980) 2008-08-20 15:55

Spectacular shot, as beautiful as the first one...this one I saw on TV. Tahnks for sharing...Alex

adores (46979) 2008-08-20 18:43

Hi David!
This one is really good too, mainly because of the colours, you're right about that, it creates a really good contrast. I also like the pov and those colourful lights. You're wife is right, her photo is very good and it's really "saleable", you can be sure about that:))))!!

ktanska (45030) 2008-08-20 23:45

Hi David,
Alternative title could be "We come in Peace". So much this gives impression of light emitting aliens getting ready for the close encounters of the third kind in their huge flying saucer. Great shot, and I'm glad to see this as I didn't see the early part of the ceremonies.
Bush shot is excellent too. Really being on the right place on the right time. Usually that is a result of tallent and planning, but sometimes it's luck too.
Kari

yaya13baut (3344) 2008-08-21 0:43

Is it a runway for aliens ?
Serious, I saw the ceremony on tv like a lot of people, it was beautiful. And your shot allow us to remember it very well.

plimrn (21344) 2008-08-21 8:29

Hi David,
Oh my, This is just fabulous!! Of course I don't own a TV. However, your detail light management and framing are perfect here; including the two ovals gives a lot of balance and harmony to the shot. It seems a bit trite to talk about details with this great shot; but I suspect that light management and detail under these conditions aren't as easy as you make it look.

My congratulations to your wife, there really ARE two photographers in the family. I expect the coolpix is what let her get away with the shot; we noticed that people tend to come after big cameras.
HLJ, Pat
PS, don't worry about looking at my pictures, I'm going through a really bad patch lately.

acordeiro (155) 2008-08-21 14:54

Exceptional registration.

shevchenko (20560) 2008-08-22 1:14

Hi David,
Just like what I saw in TV live at that night amazing presentations, good pov and good fish eye shoot to include the dome and night sky, distinct image, not easy shooting photos in a stadium full with spectators, well done.
Ally

TopGeo (38220) 2008-08-22 10:45

Hello David! excellent shot!I thank for your visit. I liked a lot of elements from your gallery and in length of time will study him, Love your choices from their O.G. Wishes the spirit and the Olympic idea they lit up again the next time the world
Georgios

gracious (20025) 2008-08-22 11:44

Hello David,
Aba Khabar!
Thank you for this excellent shot from the open ceremony from Beijing!
good wide angle view with great sharpness, wonderful colour and superb details also a good notes that comes with it
Terima Kasih
take care and sincere regards from NZ
Tony

kensimage (8563) 2008-08-22 22:37

To ensure that everything goes smoothly when they and others come together for peace, they repress all protest and opposition with brutal efficiency.

A really beautiful photo here--you got the exposure just right. (Probably you were one of the few people in the stadium smart enough not to use flash.) It must have been an unforgettable thing to see.

Look to your laurels, David, your wife is doing quite well. Please convey a green smiley from me to her, by whatever means you deem appropriate.

Regards, Ken.

Sanderson-Brown (6) 2008-08-24 2:19

HI David,
great capture, bet it was fanatsic being there. Great angel, you couldnt have asked for a better pov of the ceremony. This is where the fisheye becomes pratical other than artistic.
tfs
regards
paul

lousat (139914) 2008-08-24 2:28

Hi David,fantastic shot whit a impressive perfection on the time of exposure,great details and sharpness....and i hope peace like you!! My best compliments,have a nice Sunday,Luciano

Gustaw (21670) 2008-08-24 3:56

Hi, my friend!
Wow! It is very interesting photo about Olimpic Games. I very like your composition. Very interesting colours. Photo have good quality.
Marek

sevy (58) 2008-08-24 6:00

Hello David,

Nice and interesting to see this photo close to your previous one. There is a change in the ambiance with this time blue tones instead of the fire. The exposure is very well managed to show the details and it is nice to see the overall top opening of the stadium: a good use of the fisheye lens which is rarely well used with an artificial rendering. Here, clearly, it is working.
Now you have the first 2 colors of the olympic circles, have we to wait for the 3 other shots of the remaining colors ;-)

Yves.

ruisc_pt (11594) 2008-08-24 8:10

simply great David
I wish i was there too.
great image tfs
R

pablominto (53746) 2008-08-25 0:25

Hello David,

Amazing colours and I notice the fine use of the shapes of the stadium in composition!
The wide angle really does the job here, adding an artistic touch to this fine image...
Maybe your wife's image is more of the documentary kind, but if she did this without using the viewfinder I'm impressed!

Greetings,
Pablo -

:-) OK-

jhm (211738) 2008-08-25 5:17

Hallo Davide,

I looked to your blog and I saw images that I during the broadcasting op TV with President of America.
I am very glad with the first picture about the Olympic Games, the blue colour gives a wonderful effect with the white contrast.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John.

UlfE (14641) 2008-08-25 11:38

Hi David,

A marvelous shot. The blue colour is superb and I am really impressed by the sharpness and detail. Excellent use of fish-eye lense. TFS and have a nice day!

Cheers,

Ulf

Didi (61589) 2008-08-25 11:44

Hi David
Thank's for showing us theese magnificient pictures.
And some of your pictures in your blog should be posted in TE
Thank you again.
Best regards.

huahoa (3698) 2008-08-26 14:08

Hi David,
Very impressive picture from Beijing stadium !
That was a successful organization, i saw both opening and closing ceremonies.
Great sharpness, any interesting details to watch.
Very well done !
Hoa

ChrisJ (172378) 2008-09-19 7:26

Hi David

Wow! I like the red version too. A superb overview of the Beijing Olympic stadium with good colour & sharpness. Contrast is excellent. Tfs!

batalay (41261) 2008-10-17 5:22

Hello David,

Another extraordinary photograph from the Olympic Games. Indeed, a pair of shots from virtually the same vantage point that you should frame as a diptych. As for the superb photograph that your wife took of the Bush family, that is a once in a lifetime photojournalistic opportunity that you should frame, whether you like the President or not.

Warm regards,

Bulent

xavshot (69835) 2008-11-15 13:55

Bonsoir David
superbe photo ! j'aime beaucoup ce cadrage... on sent que ce devait 皻re un spectacle grandiose. Belle image de cet 憝鋝ement.
Xavier

happypoppeye (4819) 2008-12-21 23:50

Hmmm.
Close encounters.
Nice work.
Don't know how you come up with these shots but you do. ...and very well at that.

John

colinbrenchley (6431) 2009-01-11 3:24

David
A wonderful fish eye shot of the ceremony at Beijin. I only viewed it on TV and could only marvel at the imagination and artistty of the whole event that was superbly staged.
Regards
Colin

feather (51130) 2009-01-19 5:51

It was just as I was preparing to write that I noticed just how late I am! Never mind; I'm here now. Funnily enough this is the first shot I have seen on TE of anything to do with the Games. It is wonderful to see and the limited colour palette is perfect to grab the attention. I'm totally amazed at your wife's shot of GWB. I would expect him to be in a box surrounded by bodyguards.
Kath

danos (110407) 2009-01-19 8:24

Hello David,
very impressive the scene of the fish eye shot of the Beijing opening ceremony,with this blueish environment and the whit human silhouettes to cover the scene.Excellent presentation with the 'hole' on the ceiling, to lead the to the infinity.Well done.

Regards,Danos

Giorgio (11279) 2009-01-19 10:26

- Spendid view the Olympics Games in Beijing, we saw it on television but the picture is very successful, monochrome lighting is superb, bravo! For your question about the flamingos, yes, of course, they fly and elsewhere, they gather in large numbers as far from the banks.
Greetings.
giorgio

belido (19934) 2009-01-20 10:58

Hi David,

I remember to watch this wonderful presentation on tv. Really amazing, very emotive! Your photo looks like those ones we see in the magazines. It's such a good composition. Very good exposure management and superb details. Graphically impactant, I like this a lot. Well done!
Regards,
Carlos

MLINES (12516) 2009-01-20 12:29

Hi David, A very professional night photograph. I like this POV showing the curved hole above the stadium. Good job. TFS. Murray.

Angshu (56760) 2009-01-20 20:00

Hello David
After your fabulous image of the opening ceremony, I thought nothing could better that effort....yet this has! Cool blue as against the red hot there & the luminescent people are a delight. Love the specs of light around the stadium...the details are simply captivating. Amazing shot!
Regards
Angshu
PS : It's been quite a while since you posted. Hope you𠆫e keeping fine

totoamoto (1107) 2009-01-22 4:56

Salut
Quelle image, et quelle technique, car les conditions d'嶰lairage ne devaient pas 皻re facile.
Le r廥ultat est superbe.
Cette c廨幦onie � du 皻re un moment magnifique.
Cyril

patdeph (35750) 2009-01-22 8:52

hello David
I've seen this ceremony at the TV while I was in Semporna,and it was maybe the most beautiful opening ceremony I have seen!And your photo remind very me well how it was wonderful!This is impressive how the white people are standing out the blue ice,and the sharpness is so excellent that I have te impresion to see their movments!The luminosity is really superb and enhances the beauty of this scene!I also like the colourful points of the people looking at the show!Magnificent!
Regards
Pascale

brevbrev14 (140) 2009-01-23 1:03

Hi David, i have seen this wonderful show on TV...
another very good image of the event
i add it to my theme blue colour
ciao!
Valeria

jafadabret (56501) 2009-01-23 6:43

Bonjour David.
Quelle chance de se trouver dans un lieu pareil au bon moment !
Ta photo est ici dans les bleus et c'est un r嶲al. J'aime mes petits hommes blancs qui se prom鋝ent dans cet espace.
Excellent !
Jacques

AiresSantos (56155) 2009-01-23 7:52

Hi David
Amazing colours in this fantastic composition. I also like your note. Superb lights and contrasts.
Have a nice weekend
Aires

kevinos (7517) 2009-01-24 3:52

This one is a perfect balance to your previous red scene, David. It is a great way to use the colours of the occasion. Your fisheye was just perfect for this occasion. regards kevin

guillaumejm (0) 2009-01-24 3:57

hello
impressive result with wide angle camera.
Colours are just wonderful. I also do love the colourful points in the public part.
Best regards
JMarc

jaywalker (16105) 2009-01-26 13:07

Hi David, This shot is every bit as good as your other posting & in some ways better, brilliantly managed light & I love the capture of the people on the field of the arena, the blue works wonderfully, TFS, kind regards Wilson.