Wikipedia:Picture peer review/ChancellorsvilleBattlefieldCannon.jpg

Chancellorsville Battlefield Cannon

This is a photograph of a preserved cannon at the Chancellorsville Battlefield in Spotsylvania, Virginia. Portions of the battlefield are now preserved as part of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.

This is the only modern photograph of the battlefield in the Wikipedia article on the Battle of Chancellorsville, so it has encyclopedic value. It is clear, with good sunset lighting, and of high resolution. The composition is pleasing, and the angle dramatic.

This is my own photograph, though, and I hesitate to nominate it myself. I'd appreciate peer comments and a possible nom by a third party.

Nominated by

MamaGeek ^{(talk/contrib)} 16:34, 28 January 2008 (UTC)

Comments

• FP voters tend to be really harsh on blown whites in the sky. Is there a chance of returning to this site and shooting in the morning instead of the early evening? Durova^Charge! 22:05, 29 January 2008 (UTC)
• As pretty as this photo is, it would stand little chance on FPC. The sky, as Durova mentioned, with the blown white section at top right would work against it. Composition would also work against it with the lower part of the cannon stand (what is that part of a cannon called?) cut off. There looks to be some lens distortion too, but I'm not certain about this. Given that a shot like this would probably be quite easily repeatable I think it would get a hard time. Thanks for putting it up here though. --jjron (talk) 08:30, 30 January 2008 (UTC)
  • Thanks, both Durova and jjron for your feedback. I really appreciate it. The photo is not actually as repeatable as you might think. A sunrise photo wouldn't work, since the sun comes up from the other side, and the cannons face towards the field, not the ugly road and overgrown patch of land on the other side of it. A nice sunset photograph requires a good distribution of the clouds, and that's chancy at best. This time of year the trees are all barren, too. I'd have to wait until next fall when the trees are all changing to get anything like the right timing for a similar photograph. Maybe next year I'll try again! MamaGeek ^{(talk/contrib)} 16:35, 30 January 2008 (UTC)
    • Well, getting an early morning shot from this angle was the idea because you're going to have trouble with the levels otherwise. Maybe if you're very careful in late afternoon and position the camera so that the sun is blocked just behind some part of the cannon, the result might work, but that kind of shot is very tricky to nail. Spring or summer might work fine, as soon as the trees are out. See you in April/May? Meanwhile please keep submitting other work. :) Best regards, Durova^Charge! 23:51, 30 January 2008 (UTC)

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