Buying books

Click on the photo to view it in large size on black background.

This might be one of the best of my photos ever taken. It's just one of the few (2 or 3?) that I'm really happy about and really satisfied with the result. I wouldn't change much in it. Colors, light, mood, composition - everything is quite nice.

Here is the story behind the picture: I saw this man in front of that very book store and thought it would make a great photo. I set up my tripod quickly and just hoped he won't go away nor won't he give me strange looks thus ruining the composition :) He didn't. When I was taking my 7 brackets (about 1.30+ minutes in total) he was just moving slightly, looking at the books at different angles. Was he choosing a gift? Maybe.

Some of you complained that this photo is unrealistic. Yes, it is. I didn't want to be ultra-realistic because such post-processing doesn't suit this scene very well. I wanted it to be sort of painterly, to resemble an illustration or cover of a book for children.

Technical details:
Camera: Canon 5D MK II
Lens: Canon 24-105 f/4 L IS USM
Focal length: 24 mm
Aperture: f/11.0
Exposure time: 4 s ("middle" exposure)
ISO: 400
Number of exposures: 7
E.V. Step: 1 E.V.
Flash used: no
Tripod used: yes
Filters used: no
Software: Photomatix Pro 4.2.5, Magic Lantern, Lightroom 4.1, Photoshop CS5