Shadowland

[stamper]

The streets of Glasgow,Scotland.

[RSL]

I like it Stamper. Very much. I guess if it were mine I'd try bringing the guy's face and body up just a tad -- not enough to make him recognizable. On the other hand, I'm not sure. I'd play with the original raw and then decide.

[seamus finn]

That's a great shot - shadowland is right. I think Russ is correct here- a little more detail, just a smidgen, would add a lot, or maybe not, but would you try it and let us see?

[Harald L]

Film noir, Sin City. Great shot, I like it as it is.

Harald

[francois]

Superb, I like it as it is…

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

A well seen, fine shot.

I wonder, however, (this isn't a weasel word for criticism though, I am genuinely curious) if the grocery bags need to be the highest highlight in the image (or there at all - given that the image is already cropped), when all other highlights are rather toned down? I guess, if it were mine, I would either tone it down significantly or crop it out completely.

Let the defense of the grocery bags begin (notwithstanding their destructive impact on the environment )!

[RSL]

I had the same reaction when I first saw the picture, Slobodan, and I'm still not sure. If I were playing with the original and bringing up the guy's face and body a tad I think I'd also see if it works better with the shopping bags toned down a bit. I surely wouldn't get rid of them. The proper level of the bags would depend on the level of the guy's face.

[Bruce Cox]

At this point, the tabloid like bag is something of a stand in for his face.  And as you say, one way to play it.

[stamper]

Thanks for the feedback. I think the shopping bag is an important part of the image. If you think about the darkness going towards the light? I will try to lighten the face tomorrow but I think it will probably be noise that will come to the fore?

[seamus finn]

Well, as far as I can see, the shopping bag is in the hand of a passer-by, probably a lady, and therefore, this guy is not alone - plus the bag balances the whole image and adds mystery. As Stamper says, it's an important part of the scene - it anchors a lot of things. Would your eye go back to the dark man if the bright bag wasn't there to distract you?

[stamper]

I looked at the original raw. It was taken on my Lumix G7 at 400 iso. In good light iso up to 1000 - imo-  looks OK but not shadow detail. I tried to dodge the face and body but there wasn't any detail to lighten. With regards to cropping. The left side was cropped to leave out a concrete wall but the right side where the bag is isn't cropped.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

That is a fantastic photo!

And I finally have a chance to disagree with both Russ and Slobodan.

The man's necktie and shirt are clearly visible, so the black just above it sufficiently suggests a face even with no detail there at all.

And there is this delightfully creepy tension between the black face and the white bags, as if the bags are some kind of magical lure. Without that tension, the image loses much of its power. (I did try cropping the bags out, and the image almost dies without them).

I think it's one of your very best that I've seen, Stamper. Bravo!

[stamper]

Thanks for the feedback.

[RSL]

I'm not sure you actually disagreed with me, Eric. Remember, I said I'd try it and see what I thought. Considering what Stamper's told us about the original it's pretty clear I'd have decided to go with the original. I do think toning the shopping bags down a bit might improve the picture, but I'd NEVER eliminate them.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Well, I had to try, Russ. Because I get a little tired of just replying "+1" to most of your posts. 

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... And I finally have a chance to disagree with both Russ and Slobodan...

Not so fast!

It is kind of hard to disagree with me when even I do not (fully) agree with myself (in this case, and often otherwise). Remember I said "I wonder..." and "I guess..."? 

And just to clarify, I do see a compositional merit for the bags, as a graphical counterpoint to all the darkness in the image, but I still think they should be toned down, if ever so slightly.

[Jeremy Roussak]

Great shot! I find myself half way between competing views here: I wouldn't touch the man but I would tone down the bags: they draw the eye just a bit too much.

Jeremy