Corner Grape and India

I know that this is unusually cropped and another shot with a blandsky. But somehow I like this picture and don't know quite why.

AsI was looking through my portfolio for something without people (for achange of topic in the Stieglitz circle), I thought, maybe you couldjust help me with this:

Is there anything in or about this picture that you findintersting?

Well, I find the strong and nicely outlined shapes of the signs interesting. And the perspective you chose does them probably the most justice. It won't hold my attention for a long time, but graphically it is appealing. In that light, perhaps a dramatic sky would only have detracted.

Is this close to where you live? Then it would add a host of memories the viewer will have to do without. Come to think of that, it could well be a illustration in a book. There's a certain nostalgic look to it.

 

One small thing, I feel a black frame would "ground " the image. And I attached a crop to the left, because that's the direction both arrows point. I'm not sure which works better. But centered looks a bit static.

I am with Jeroen. It works better with the signals not in the middle of the frame. He let more space in the direction the arrows are indicating which is a clever move.

Simple and mildly interesting. I like the sharp lines and the stark outlines of the signs. The subject itself doesn't have too much grey, which sets it out nicely from the background.

 

I wonder if a bird sitting on the sign would have helped or not...

Is this close to where you live? Then it would add a host of memories the viewer will have to do without. Come to think of that, it could well be a illustration in a book.

Jeroen nailed it.

It's close to the lab where I have my slide films developed, so there are some positive memories,that you don't know about. But the idea that it could be an illustration in a book strikes me as absolutely right.

This is not a picture that holds a lot of interest by itself for a long time, but it could work well together with other elements like text.

Thanks guys somehow I'm more satisfied about this pic now that I know where it belongs.

Jeroen has hit on something which completely changes my perception of this pic. As it was I would have said it wasn't particularly interesting (and cutting off bits of the main subject are one of my pet peeves...), but Jeroens suggestions really put the sign in context, no longer just a set of signs but directions to a location.

It's bizarre, but this simple fact went completely over my head until Jeroen cropped it. To me the change is so dramatic that it's the difference between a "keeper" and "bin fodder"...

I think I am seeing a lot more potential coming out of the "circle" than I first expected.

Updated the pic with basically what Jeroen suggested, plus some tonal adjustment for the sky.

So that's why I don't see much difference between your's and Joerens. You've already modified it...

 

I think this is a keeper...it stands on its own without knowing your story. An emotional person will invent a story to go with it. For example, something about it reminds me of the midwest, where I grew up, and it also evokes the funny signposts where they tell you how far away you are from distant places...in this case it makes me think that India is 2000 miles away, and Grapes (California) is 700 miles to the west.

 

No don't lock me up...its just an example of how the viewer's own emotions and history come into play even in a simple image of street signs.

 

Thanks for sharing.

I like this shot, first because I live here, and know exactly where that is, and second, while on news assignments, I look at these signs a lot! Nice work, great perspective and framing.

Have to go with the boring on this one. My comment has to be taken, however, in the context that I'm not a devotee of this genre, and thus even less "qualified" (and doesn't THAT sound petentious!) than normal to comment. Normally I would not comment, but it is part of the circle deal that we review all, so there it is. No offence intended!

It's simple, bold and striking. So, I like it. I really like Glenn's comment, because that's a similar emotional response I had. Also, the perspective makes me feel a little small, which is how I feel when I think too much about directions in life (and being lost).

 

It's a keeper in my book. Another thing to mention is that the Grape being cut off a bit on the left side makes me a little tense, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

thanks for your comment. The cut off corner of the sign is a bloody framing error. This was the first roll I shot with my then newly acquired rangefinder and being used to SLR's I made that really stupid mistake cutting off part of the subject. Really stupid, not intentional.