Another contrasty B&W

[stamper]

Perhaps too much contrast?

[KMRennie]

I like it but it is just a touch too dark for me. Anyone would think that you were trying to imply that Glasgow was a grim and forbidding place. We both know that it is not or at least that part is not.
Ken

[Otto Phocus]

It depends on what you were intending.  Did you intend this to be mostly a silhouette composition?

In my opinion, a silhouette should have no interior detail. The observation of some detail in the faces, makes this an incorrectly exposed shot.  Either show the detail or go for no detail.  This resulting "a little too much of both and not enough of neither" I find distracting.

I do like the bands of light though. 

So as the photographer, what look were you intending? 

[RSL]

Interesting, but too busy, Robert. It's your picture, but I think this is what I'd have framed.

[Bruce Cox]

I like the tones and I like the middle.  I think Russ is right about opening the shadows on the sides if you are going to keep them.

[BernardLanguillier]

It works for me as is, nice!

Cheers,
Bernard

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

If we continue cropping along Russ' (gasp!) lines, we might end up like in this joke:

[RSL]

I didn't say that's the way I'd have "cropped" it, Slobodan. I said that's the way I'd have "framed" it. That way I wouldn't have had to crop.

[stamper]

It depends on what you were intending.  Did you intend this to be mostly a silhouette composition?

In my opinion, a silhouette should have no interior detail. The observation of some detail in the faces, makes this an incorrectly exposed shot.  Either show the detail or go for no detail.  This resulting "a little too much of both and not enough of neither" I find distracting.

I do like the bands of light though. 


So as the photographer, what look were you intending?

It wasn't an intentional silhouette but I was deliberately shooting into the light. The light was above the canopy. Shooting into the light meant it was contrasty and I decided the scene was best rendered as such.

[stamper]

Interesting, but too busy, Robert. It's your picture, but I think this is what I'd have framed.

Russ I accept it is busy and your frame/crop is worthy. I wanted the people on both sides of the frame with the subway entrance in the middle because I saw a story. Them waiting to go down or waiting for someone to arrive.

[stamper]

Bright and clean, not "grim and forbidding".

Isaac I read on here that you lived in Scotland? I think your recollection of Glasgow maybe have dimmed. I know Glasgow city centre very well and imo it can be "grim and forbidding". Densely packed streets in a strict grid system means that there is very little space for pedestrian areas. One or two nice squares though. The West End is far nicer.

[stamper]

I like it but it is just a touch too dark for me. Anyone would think that you were trying to imply that Glasgow was a grim and forbidding place. We both know that it is not or at least that part is not.
Ken

Ken this is Buchanan Street and the nicest street imo but always very busy. I am over familiar with the "square mile" so I am possibly too jaundice in my thoughts about it.

[stamper]

I like the tones and I like the middle.  I think Russ is right about opening the shadows on the sides if you are going to keep them.

You are probably correct about the shadows. I am now re thinking my B&W workflow, hence the title.... Perhaps too much contrast?
Thanks to all for the feedback.

[Isaac]

Isaac I read on here that you lived in Scotland? I think your recollection of Glasgow maybe have dimmed. I know Glasgow city centre very well and imo it can be "grim and forbidding". Densely packed streets in a strict grid system means that there is very little space for pedestrian areas. One or two nice squares though. The West End is far nicer.

As it happens, later, I worked and lived in Glasgow for several years - and there's nothing wrong with my recollection.

Your photo is "Bright and clean".

Your photo does not "imply that Glasgow was a grim and forbidding place."

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

While it's certainly not the way I would have processed it, I like it just the way it is. Yes, it's busy, but in a balanced way. and The contrast feels right to me.