A Sanctuary Found? Nikon D700, 24mm 1/100 f/3.5 ISO 400 Have your wicked way with me. All I say is that it is a documentary image, intended to provoke thought, perhaps prick a...

Graham Smith Loc: Cambridgeshire UK

Nikon D700, 24mm 1/100 f/3.5 ISO 400

Have your wicked way with me. All I say is that it is a documentary image, intended to provoke thought, perhaps prick a conscience. I would like thoughts along these lines as well as the more technical and artistic aspects.

I hope the above comes within the definition of critique used here. If it doesn't, Nightski, could you set up a "Documentary" section please ;-)

Graham

Nightski

Graham Smith wrote:

Nikon D700, 24mm 1/100 f/3.5 ISO 400

Have your wicked way with me. All I say is that it is a documentary image, intended to provoke thought, perhaps prick a conscience. I would like thoughts along these lines as well as the more technical and artistic aspects.

I hope the above comes within the definition of critique used here. If it doesn't, Nightski, could you set up a "Documentary" section please ;-)

Graham

Graham, this is the kind of gutsy, down to earth photos you take, and I do enjoy them. I think you need to crop quite a bit though. If you just have the stairs and 2/3 of the church doors, people will get where he is. I know you probably wanted that sign, to show the viewer where he is, but it is a distraction away from the subject, and not needed. IMHO As far as the b&w..I cannot comment. I am not a good judge of how to do b&w.

Heirloom Tomato Loc: Oregon

Graham Smith wrote:

Nikon D700, 24mm 1/100 f/3.5 ISO 400

Have your wicked way with me. All I say is that it is a documentary image, intended to provoke thought, perhaps prick a conscience. I would like thoughts along these lines as well as the more technical and artistic aspects.

I hope the above comes within the definition of critique used here. If it doesn't, Nightski, could you set up a "Documentary" section please ;-)

Graham

Graham, I don't know if you are addressing Nightski only here, but I saw this and read the cropping suggestion. I didn't agree, but I cropped it as Nightski suggested to see how it would look. In my opinion, the crop eliminates some of the richness of the complete story told in the way you originally framed it. To crop it, the image became virtually square and shows a simpler message. I prefer the original.

Tomato

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

I also prefer the original. The original, is compositionally correct, if there is such a thing. I like that finding him in the doorway is a surprise to the eye. At first glance you don't see him. Probably similar to walking the street and being surprised to see him there. The black and white add to the sense of cold and aloneness. It makes me ask why the keepers at the church don't open their doors and let him in.
Very thought provoking photo.

lighthouse Loc: No Fixed Abode

I like this a lot.
I find that any disjointedness in the composition suits the subject perfectly.
The starkness of the contrast and toning work for me too.
Beautifully processed.
I like b&w street work.

Nightski

A novice watches and learns Graham. I got this one wrong, and not I can reassess how I look at these types of photos. :-D

lighthouse Loc: No Fixed Abode

I don't know if you are wrong nightski.
Just see it differently so far.

Nightski wrote:

A novice watches and learns Graham. I got this one wrong, and not I can reassess how I look at these types of photos. :-D

winterrose Loc: Kyneton, Victoria, Australia

Nightski wrote:

A novice watches and learns Graham. I got this one wrong, and not I can reassess how I look at these types of photos. :-D

Perhaps it would be wise to include in the rules that novices preclude themselves from attempting to provide advice so as to avoid a situation of the blind leading the blind. Rob.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

winterrose wrote:

Perhaps it would be wise to include in the rules that novices preclude themselves from attempting to provide advice so as to avoid a situation of the blind leading the blind. Rob.

The purpose of this section is for all to learn. Much learning is done from looking at and evaluating both yours and others work. We want to include all in this. Often the novice has much to offer that the pro, who has been doing this for a long time overlooks. No one will be excluded.
It is up to the poster to sort out what they want to listen to and what they don't. It is easy to look at a posters previous posts and figure out where they are in their photography. If they have no posts then take all they say with a grain of salt.

Graham Smith Loc: Cambridgeshire UK

Nightski wrote:

A novice watches and learns Graham. I got this one wrong, and not I can reassess how I look at these types of photos. :-D

We all see and want different things from an image, you said what you thought and they are valid comments. Thanks Nightski.

Graham

Nightski

Graham Smith wrote:

We all see and want different things from an image, you said what you thought and they are valid comments. Thanks Nightski.

Graham

Yes, but I'm starting to see this with new eyes, and that's what this section is all about. :-D

Graham Smith Loc: Cambridgeshire UK

Nightski wrote:

Yes, but I'm starting to see this with new eyes, and that's what this section is all about. :-D

Hi Nightski,
Perhaps if I give you my reasons for the way I presented the image?. Including the sign was important in that I think the viewer should know that it was church steps, sanctuary and church are inseparable. I didn't want to crop any closer into the rough sleeper as I was trying to emphasise his insignificance, his invisibility to the passer by. I often get comments about the cropping of my street images, most of which seem to want them cropped into a "street portrait" in the style of those that Pale Images (Russ) does so brilliantly. I try to portray "street life" by including the environment of the subject, to provide context.

Thanks for listening ;-)
Graham

Nightski

Graham Smith wrote:

Hi Nightski, br Perhaps if I give you my reasons f... (show quote)

Graham, Thank you. I love your unique vision for this. You know, Russ often gives a little explanation of what he did and why when he posts. I think you should have posted the above comment with your photo. The part about the rough sleeper being insignificant and invisible is something that was picked up on by everyone here but me. I suppose it's because I have lived in rural areas most of my life. So for people like me, it would help to understand the meaning behind the photo. I am looking at this in a whole new way, and I just love it!

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

Nightski wrote:

Graham, Thank you. I love your unique vision for t... (show quote)

By not posting that though he made us all think. :mrgreen:

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Country's Mama wrote:

I also prefer the original. The original, is compositionally correct, if there is such a thing. I like that finding him in the doorway is a surprise to the eye. At first glance you don't see him. Probably similar to walking the street and being surprised to see him there. The black and white add to the sense of cold and aloneness. It makes me ask why the keepers at the church don't open their doors and let him in.
Very thought provoking photo.

I do not wish to be redundant, so I will simply state that I agree with the above. :-D