Luminous Landscape Forum
The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: tonysmith on July 23, 2009, 07:52:38 pm
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I would appreciate some opinions on the shot in general and whether it needs more work, esp to remove some of the clutter behind the gentleman's head. What would you do? Russ?
[attachment=15650:Gent.jpg]
Many thanks
Tony
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Tony, Okay. Here's a similar shot I made about a week ago. I'd say it's about on a par with yours as far as quality is concerned.
[attachment=15652:Coffee_a...ewspaper.jpg]
There's nothing wrong with your shot and there's nothing wrong with my shot, but it seems to me that the message I get from both is sort of "so what." It's not that there isn't a story there. There is. The story is that there's a guy sitting there reading the morning paper. Your guy doesn't have his coffee yet, but it's probably about to arrive. I don't think there's anything wrong with the clutter behind your guy. It gives the picture a sense of place, which, I think, is important to the not so important story.
I probably shoot a dozen shots like this over a period of a month, and I may put some of them on my personal web site, which is a sort of visual diary, but I wouldn't consider putting this one on my portfolio site (www.FineArtSnaps.com). When I look at a shot like this, unless something went wrong, like a person walking into the picture from the edge just as I tripped the shutter, I never think, "What can I do in Photoshop to improve it?" I usually think something like "Got to try for better positioning next time." If you're serious about street photography you'll walk miles and miles and miles and shoot a lot of pictures, and end up with very, very few that are exhibition grade. Here's one of my favorites. If I get one like this a year I figure I'm doing great.
[attachment=15653:Denver_Art_Museum.jpg]
Just keep shooting. It's obvious from the shot you posted that you've got the hang of it. It just takes a lot of work.
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There's nothing wrong with your shot and there's nothing wrong with my shot, but it seems to me that the message I get from both is sort of "so what." It's not that there isn't a story there. There is. The story is that there's a guy sitting there reading the morning paper. Your guy doesn't have his coffee yet, but it's probably about to arrive.
Russ, if Tony's chap is waiting for his morning coffee, the glass of wine suggests more of a story than you give credit for!
Jeremy
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Russ, if Tony's chap is waiting for his morning coffee, the glass of wine suggests more of a story than you give credit for!
Jeremy
Jeremy,
Oops. It was pretty late last night when I answered this. That's my excuse. Pretty feeble, huh?
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In a shot like this, establishing an emotional connection with the subject is critical to the image's effectiveness. I have to agree with Russ. My reaction is, "So what?" Because I'm not a street photog, I can't really tell you how to improve it. I don't think there's anything wrong with the composition, but it just lacks that emotional punch.
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Jeremy,
Oops. It was pretty late last night when I answered this. That's my excuse. Pretty feeble, huh?
It'll do. Was your glass empty? That's the excuse I usually use in such circumstances.
Jeremy
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It'll do. Was your glass empty? That's the excuse I usually use in such circumstances.
Jeremy
Matter of fact it was -- it held a perfect Manhattan before it mysteriously emptied.
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RSL - the text above the guy - "please inquire with in"... shouldn't it be 'please inquire within" ? Where was this photo taken?
Tony, Okay. Here's a similar shot I made about a week ago. I'd say it's about on a par with yours as far as quality is concerned.
[attachment=15652:Coffee_a...ewspaper.jpg]
There's nothing wrong with your shot and there's nothing wrong with my shot, but it seems to me that the message I get from both is sort of "so what." It's not that there isn't a story there. There is. The story is that there's a guy sitting there reading the morning paper. Your guy doesn't have his coffee yet, but it's probably about to arrive. I don't think there's anything wrong with the clutter behind your guy. It gives the picture a sense of place, which, I think, is important to the not so important story.
I probably shoot a dozen shots like this over a period of a month, and I may put some of them on my personal web site, which is a sort of visual diary, but I wouldn't consider putting this one on my portfolio site (www.FineArtSnaps.com). When I look at a shot like this, unless something went wrong, like a person walking into the picture from the edge just as I tripped the shutter, I never think, "What can I do in Photoshop to improve it?" I usually think something like "Got to try for better positioning next time." If you're serious about street photography you'll walk miles and miles and miles and shoot a lot of pictures, and end up with very, very few that are exhibition grade. Here's one of my favorites. If I get one like this a year I figure I'm doing great.
[attachment=15653:Denver_Art_Museum.jpg]
Just keep shooting. It's obvious from the shot you posted that you've got the hang of it. It just takes a lot of work.
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RSL - the text above the guy - "please inquire with in"... shouldn't it be 'please inquire within" ? Where was this photo taken?
Custom, It was taken in downtown Colorado Springs in front of a local restaurant that serves breakfast. I'd say their literacy isn't quite up to the quality of their food, which is pretty good.