You're right, I can see where the title would be, and how it would look. Very fancy

Shuter, not shutter, but I kinda like the slip of the finger.
Great sky! I wonder what the picture would be like if you cut out the lower quarter of the sky. No longer a book cover, but as a photo maybe a better composition. (Although the bird would be lost)

Very good contrast and framing.

I don't think that's too much black. You can still see the difference between the steeple and the sky and it creates a nice diagonal in the picture. I quite like it.

For some reason this picture is very vivid. I can almost hear bells tolling. Great Job!!

For some reason that picture is so striking. I wish it were a landscape so I could use it as a background.

I'm confused about the word "shuter" - is it the street name? And how you get a bird in almost every one of your pictures is beyond me. ;-)
This picture seems like it should be chilling, but it's not.

I know it's fashionable not to use capitals, but I still cringe when I see the word "I" written as "i" (oops!) But as long as it doesn't interfere with legibility I can live with it. In the case of "shuter" it leads to misunderstandings, and we write to be understood and not to be misunderstood. You probably mean Shuter street. Today's picture is not bad, but a bit uninspired. Nice composition though.

I think the dark space is great. Too often we start to think there are rules to this photography thing ;-) The photo is dark, dramatic and intriguing. It can't be that without the dark space. Plus, I find it unique to have a silhouette against dark space rather than light space.

I like it!!

But i wonder where the bird is that people are seeing? Perhaps it's lost in the darkness and i can't see it?

I think the dark space is perfect -- I think the dark space on the right very nicely complements that in the top left hand corner!

Uh oh, i should have looked a tad closer! I've found the bird!

Very nice picture. I would seriously think about moving the bird into the bright area of cloud, though!

Its wicked cool. I also think the darkspace is okay. As a cover or as a photo its great. I simply like it and thats really what its all about. Just enjoying the great imagery.

I find the photo chilling and grim. It conjures feelings of anger and death. I also think of vampires when I look at it.

I can't believe a stared at this photo for like 5 whole minutes looking for a bird. Glad I found it though. Great framing Sam.

I like this, the technical aspects of it. Great photo and it would be perfect for a poster for sure...

I've often approached many of my photos in the editing stage from the perspective that they could be easily used in a poster or book cover format. My only question is why you didn't try to do a mock-up? It really might work well that way, I think.

I'm trying to remember the architectural name for that portion of the church that the cross is on. Can anyone help? Yes, it is Shuter Street.

I think that cropping about an inch (or maybe a bit less) from the right hand side of the composition would improve what I think is a very cool picture. I just think that would get rid of some dead space and maybe point out the subtle shape of the lower part of the steeple more.

Ophelia where are thee? Very Hamletish, very dark.

I like this very much but I think it would be a little more satisfying if there was some detail in those shadows in the lower-right corner. Not tonnes, but just something for the eye to focus on. Well done, as usual!

Very nicely done. wonder if it wil look beta if theres lesser clouds esp on the left side of the pic.

i've been trying to refrain from posting comments here due to some astronomical (both in nature and magnitude) complications in my own philosophical principles, but i can't resist to say that you should definitely try to make a poster out of this photo and the contrast should be such that the building in the right bottom corner and the bird are visible but not trivial to be found (the way it is now). that would be a poster for people who look and not just see....cheers.

...and i can easily see the title of the book with this cover to be "The Omen" ;)

btw, I meant a fall-colors picture soon, and I was just kidding... be moody forever if you like...

btw, I just noticed the bird... you are great at catching birds in your shot... this one is a detail that re-stunned me.

there's a balance here, a dramatic balance. but, then again, you know what you're doing, and this is clear, every day...

The black space certainly is overwhelming, but it draws the eye --right after the lit clouds-- and you realize that YES, there are objects in the enveloping mass! Quite intriguing.
Definately Sam-Worthy.

kudos
--
moscon

That part of the church is often called a "steeple."

And as for the darkness of the lower right corner, I think it perfects this image... darkness turns to light!

As for inspiration, I suppose it depends on who sees it. I personally am a believer (a Christian) and this photo very much inspires me. There is a scripture that immediately came to mind when I saw it:

Isaiah 9:2
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.

It's perfect... probably my most favorite photo so far. It's the idea that we have all dwelled it utter darkness and separation from God (lower right corner) but in believing in Christ as savior and Lord, we are given life, or "light." Good stuff.

Great shot, I love the contrast between the so called "bad" black corner, and the clouds. This is why i check your site daily. Much better than yesterdays photo of dinosaurus liberalus.

it made me think of ingmar bergman.

Maybe, you should put "Daily Dose of Imagery" at the dark corner. =)

One of the top ten thus far. Breathtaking. To bad Blizzard of Ozz is no more, would have made a great poster for the band.

about a quarter of the way up out of the black i can see a hand. did anybody else pick up on that???