I shot "Hallway" with an inexpensive 35-mm Pentax film camera in 2003.
The problem with shooting low is that, given dimensions of the hallway
& limitations of my zoom lens, I wanted, at all costs to include the
tops of the arches on the left, with some space above them. They could
not be cut off.

For a lower shot, I would have had to tilt the camera upward, resulting
in the pyramid effect, narrow at top, wide at bottom. You may have
wanted that effect, & in fact, it may have introduced more drama into
the picture, but people, when they see that, assume the photog didn't
know what he was doing.

To avoid the pyramid effect when you shoot architectural subjects, you
must keep the film/sensor plane parallel with the vertical lines.
That's why most architecture is shot with view cameras, because while
the back must remain parallel, the front can be raised or lowered (not
tilted) to include as much height as possible at that camera location.

It was a challenge for me, wandering those halls where people like
Einstein and Hegel walked, with only my Pentax, to get this photo. I
raised as high as I could on tip-toe, keeping the film plane parallel
with the verticals, & getting the tops of those arches. I just exposed,
as I usually do, with what the camera's meter told me.


I think are right that it would not have worked just to shoot lower,
but as soon as I saw the photo I knew that I wanted it to make me feel
small - like a child. After you mentioned the big E. was there I feel
that way even more.


what's wrong with a
little soft-focus in a photo like this, even if I didn't intend it?


I have found that it is always a bad idea to let others see work with
technical problems. Especially if it is peers or someone that could
feel threatened or intimidated by you. Their attention will be drawn
immediately to the flaw and it will dominate the conversation no matter
how you try to move on to a better photo.
Notice how competently and successfully you were able to respond to my
criticism of 'Halway'.

Keep up the good work,
Ron