WE ARE WHAT WE WEAR

Maybe his Che Guevara poncho was at the dry cleaners. :)

Sorry. I'm trying to avoid too specific suggestions because I'm wanting to be more conscious of the variety of visions that can be applied to any image. But I realize I was pretty oblique in wanting to tread lightly.

 

I didn't use the word "contrast" because if you applied more contrast overall, though the mid tones might read stronger and clearer, the darks would likely get too dark and the lights lose even more detail. So some work with levels and curves might provide more contrast without doing so universally. Yes, I think the whites of the poncho and hydrant have lost too much detail and I think the mid-range grays, such as the greenery and perhaps the road (though not necessarily), are pale.

 

The back wall seems like it is rich with possibilities. There's the shadow to the left of the rectangular column and the highlight on the right of it. It seems like there could be a lot of relationships visually established, say between the black and white curved pattern of the second man's jacket and the more square geometry of the tile wall behind. There are lots of textures going undeveloped, as in that back wall and in the two different types of bushes, one with a vertical feel and the other a bit more freeform. All of those are secondary to the main subject, but fine tuning some of the inherent details, I think, will only add to the richness of the story, which could be in the play of subject and environment as much as in the cuteness of the poncho.

Thanks for your thoughts. I'm going to try a bit of a redo on this, because I like it enough to overcome my hatred of reworking an image.

I think I better go change before someone sees me LOL. Another fine street image, his expression is quite entertaining and quite a match. Take care

Your timing,as always, is impeccable, but it is the vision that triggers the reflexes. In other words, you have to see the image first efore the instincts take over.

Thanks.

I'll bet your poncho is emblazoned with Marilyn Monroe's image. lol