Critique Welcomed After Hours

[Chris Dodkin]

The last latte has been served, and the baristas have all gone home

Pannikin Coffee House - Encinitas

X-Pro1:f/8:1.6":18.0mm:ISO 200


It's an interesting old railway station building, originally built in 1888, that's been moved to a new location and repurposed as a Coffee House. The station was picked up for just $1 from the Santa Fe Railway in the 1970s to become a center for arts and crafts shops.

It wasn't until 1980 that the building took on it's new role. Bob Sinclair, the founder and owner of the Pannikin Coffee and Tea in San Diego, took over the spot, converted it and restored it to its original beauty.

The yellow paint color is the original color the railroad used on it's stations.

Used my new Sekonic spot meter to make the exposures - and it illustrated to me just how 'wrong' in camera metering can be when presented with a challenging scene.

The camera would have exposed for somewhere between 12-16 seconds for the second shot - where as the 'correct' exposure was actually 6 seconds when metered with the spot meter.

The camera would have blown all the highlights, even with the RAW file being used.

 

[Ralph Thornton]

I really like these.

The first shot has so many interesting lines. The prairie style grills in the windows, the siding on the building and the lines on the steps and benches. Add the view of the interior and it makes a really nifty photo.

The second one is also superb love those curved architectural details. The building characterizes history yet the computer screen in the window brings it up to date.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Thanks Ralph - not too many buildings of this age in these parts, so it's nice to shoot something with old word charm.

The place is packed every day, so it was a good investment back in the 70s!

 

[Ahmad Bhai]

I looooove historic, interesting, quaint coffe, tea houses.
If they do a Chai Latte (cinnamon & spices) im there in a hurry.

Interesting about light meter. I got spoilt by Ep1, Nex5 liveview, exposure was a doddle.
Buuut for over a second exposures they ddint always meter accurately.

 

[Paul Lange]

Nice, especially the first one but thats more to do with my preference for photos of windows and doorways. Interesting what you say about the spot meter. I have a small basic Sekonic meter and maybe should give it a go. I think on every digital camera I have had the EV is almost always in the negatives When I use the cameras auto exposure metering.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Very nice, Chris. Never understood how you can move an entire building to a new location. Vague memories of rich Americans moving Scottish castles to the States. Weird.

Love the first, especially.

 

[Beth Carter]

love the first one, nice framing. love all of the vintage details like the window panes.

the local railroad station here was turned into the town police office. coffee house sounds better.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Thanks Beth

Strangely enough this coffee house seems to attract a lot of local policemen...

Must be a railway station fetish