Voss

...is never alone.

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jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Nice work. You could have closed in on the man but leaving that empty chair in the photo accentuates the "never alone" feel.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

I am with Jay on this. I would not have cropped a tightly. I think the background gives context to his solitude. The picture is a bit flat so I would increase the contrast a tad and then add a little negative vignette.

AZNikon Loc: Mesa, AZ

Good example of storytelling photography. I could write a book from just looking at this photo.Great shot!

Voss

Hey, thanks, Guys. Yes, I also feel the empty chair is essential. Without it, it's just a guy reading a book.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

I agree with you. I wouldn't increase contrast either, as it's already perhaps just a bit too much (his pants lack detail in the darker shadows). Instead I might think about making the color a little less brownish-warm and a bit of a cold blue-black tint. (I didn't try it that so I'm not sure it would be okay, but this looks like an image to print on glossy cold black paper.)

I think cropping more, and for that matter less, would lose a great deal of the effect of the composition. The "empty space" of the adjacent chair isn't empty! It's a pretty huge and significant symbol. The crop right where it is, leaving nothing past that chair and even trimming the chair slightly, just emphasizes that space as a balance to the gentleman. In this case it isn't just a visual balance, it's much greater as it emphasizes the guy is only there physically, but that chair is not where he is emotionally. It is enhanced by having the entire Figure framed with the context of all those vertical and horizontal lines in the Ground (see Gestalt Theory).

In addition to never being alone, a guy with a book never need be in a dull place, and that context being a very busy but very structured texture puts that notion into a viewers mind too.

Voss

Thank you, Apaflo.