David walking - TFCD thing, I was working on portraits, thought I'd try this too though.

Not my usual thing, trying TFCD to get some portraits and figured I'd

play a little.

I think you should have approached this differently, as it stands it's a portrait photo confused with a landscape image, I understand that you wanted to include the surroundings, but they're a little drab - a higher shot with more green, and most importantly, all oh his head in frame would have been far better. Given the lighting you've done well to expose his face, but with the landscape framing you've reduce him, the strongest element of the photo, to only a fraction of the image. A portrait framing would make him fill the frame more giving us more detail in his face and bringing his character out more.

 

 

It's the young man's stance that is important, not where he is (forgive me!) "stancing". It's the loose hips, the limp hands, and the attitude that make this a good portrait - has nothing to do with the surroundings or the light or whatever. I'm frankly disgusted with the low ratings this got: people too often look at photographs without seeing them. Perhaps its the sheer volume of photographs that we rate on this site that leads to low ratings because we can't or don't or won't take the time to look at the photograph and see what's there. blather blather blather...

Rich Huginine,

 

I've not missed the point at all, his stance is clearly what makes him work as a subject. However, his surroundings and the framing of the photo, in my opinion, distract the viewer from him.

 

It was my opinion, it still is, the photogrpaher asked for a critique, I thought this work strong enough to merit one (not that I value my critique more than others), and hoped that my comments may be helpful. I'm quite offended that you chose to indirectly link me to the low ratings and 'quick' consideration of this photograph by choosing to group those words into a comment with my name in it's subject line. The fact that I took the time to write something constructive ought in itself to be an indication that I did not fit into the 'herd mentality' rife on this site. I apologise in advance if you did not intend this.

 

Pablo, I'd be interested to know your thoughts on this.

Ben Anderson -

 

While we agree that the stance clearly makes him work as a subject, we do disagree on the surroundings and framing: you cleraly find these distracting while I find them inconsequential.

 

I did not at all intend to "link" you to the low ratings and, as you say, quick considerations: I AGREE with you completely that low ratings are rife and that quick considerations are all too common on this site. Rather, I meant simply to provide Pablo counterpoint to your stress on the setting /framing by pointing out that he captured the young man's character *regardless* of the setting / framing.

 

My apologies for offending you - that was certainly not my intention.

No worries, I think in essence we agree on the main subject of this photo, which afterall is the most important thing.

It's good to see two people more or less of different views act civil and find a common ground.....Jim

Hope it's not too late to continue this discussion, I didn't expect so many comments. First, thanks everyone for the comments and criticisms. Second - I'd like it if people liked my work but low ratings aren't going to hurt my ego.

 

I'm more inclined to post photos that almost but don't quite do it for me because I expect there's more I can learn from them than ones that I know are as good as I know how to make them. On reflection I'll need to start posting those so I can learn from the mistakes I can't see myself.

 

With regard to his head: I had one where I didn't cut his head, but I erased it because it didn't get his attitude quite as well, and I wanted that line down the middle to be unbroken. Having a few days away from this shot - I still like the line. If I had it to do over I'd try again with a higher cut and one that almost but doesn't quite cut his hat, about like his toe.

 

Space - I like the converging lines and the way it creates something that I could cut in half (break from the rule of thirds). I hate the statue sticking out behind his arm and the tree and building behind his elbows. I was worried about them when I shot but hoped it would be worth having things converge an balance evenly.

Thanks for sharing with us Pablo. It makes a big difference to understand why you did it the way you did.