Luminous Landscape Forum
The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: Chris Calohan on March 21, 2013, 03:27:35 pm
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Of late, I've been shooting into shop windows along the avenues where the window is open (without blinds). Most times, I shoot with a lens longer than the 100mm I shot this with so as not to be so intrusive. On occasion though, if I see an empty room, I'll get right up to the window and shoot away. On this one, I cannot decide if the color or B&W has the most visual impact. Opinions?
"Daylight Voyeur"
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8384/8576699131_e5a5eec54f_o.jpg)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8108/8576699107_8bb71b1550_o.jpg)
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My vote is for the BW.
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I'm torn. The b&w conceals, to a degree, the completely banal content. It makes it feel a bit more dramatic and artistic, at least. Or maybe that's just my pro-B&W prejudice showing. The color might be what you want though, since maybe "banal" is the point.
There's very little to like here, though. I don't get this at all..
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There's nothing banal about a cluttered shop bench...curious as to what you don't get...I'm merely exploiting someone's mess..they left the window open for me...so why not?
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Sorry, Chris. I have to agree with Andrew on this one. What's the center of interest -- the focus of attention -- in this picture?
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It doesn't have to be evil to be banal, unless you show or at least suggest some narrative for the clutter it's banal to us. It is hard to guess what work if any that stuff is for. My work table is not banal to me, but just barely, and to someone else...
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To me it was the lack of a central focus point that drove me to shoot it...may sound weird, but there was this total dissaray that's connectivity was the hodgepodge of auto parts and not even they particulaly connected. Who knows what we see and why sometimes. To me, it was interesting but I am seeing it is not being widely acclaimed so shall do better next time. ;D
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Let me clarify my thinking!
- I come closer to "getting it" in color, although I don't think I really get it. I'm closer, though. I feel like the idea, if any, is closer to being realized.
- I think it's stronger in B&W as an image, possibly because of my pro-B&W bias. As a graphical thing it's not good, but it's less bad in B&W.
Honestly this might truly underline the problem I have with the picture. The intellectual side of the photograph, the idea, demands the color, but the graphical side demands the B&W.
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To me, the color version gives depth that the B/W version does not and gives a glimpse into why such a shot would be worthwhile. I must say, I don't fully "get" street photography, if that is what we have here, but this is interesting. At the risk of opening a can of worms, this is almost voyeuristic in nature. That's good in my view and I haven't even critiqued the photo ;)
Honestly, I JUST noticed the title: Daylight Voyeur!
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To me, the color version gives depth that the B/W version does not and gives a glimpse into why such a shot would be worthwhile. I must say, I don't fully "get" street photography, if that is what we have here, but this is interesting. At the risk of opening a can of worms, this is almost voyeuristic in nature. That's good in my view and I haven't even critiqued the photo ;)
Honestly, I JUST noticed the title: Daylight Voyeur!
Thus the post, thus the dilemma. I saw the color showing more of the reflective state of shooting through the window, but the B&W has more statement impact and I think to some degree, enhances the sense of being voyueristic withour becoming the proverbial peeping tom.