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Really good view point and camera angle with nice composition and showing this place...A beautiful rural shot and many positive points.
Regards(Bobby).

Living in a very hot , different weather zone ((especially in those months of summer ), this scene appeals to me .The old man walking in the heavy weather of "raining" snow with his cane, the heavy snow on the roofs, the striated snow in the FG , all are expressing the struggle of human in a heavy winter. I like the composition, despite some of the nits that were already mentioned and can enhance the composition. I like the grayness of the frame vs. the dark figure of the man .

I thank the elves that chose this photo and so I have met Orhan's beautiful/interesting other works, especially his files of the charcoal workers which are very special.Congratulations to Orhan.

Really very effective photo, and it has the impact to freeze viewer paging and attentively examine the photo details. The B&W work very well in reflecting the hardness of the atmosphere. The curvature of the snowy road add a very beautiful motion to the composition.

Tebrikler Orhan Bey, selamlar..

As the fellow is probably walking into a curve in the road, and I see him as not looking directly at the camera, the "portrait" comments do not seem germane.

It looks to me as if some work has been done to separate the trudger from the background, and the lightness behind and below his right arm create a "cut out" flatness in the focal point of the image. If the separation work was worth it, so would be the anachronistic panels on the roof, although my underlying attitude is one of "where found, as found". I'd have liked the roof peak included, as well.

The photograph speaks to me, and its messages would have been a bit easier to find and accept with slightly different framing. Thank you, Orhan, for the opportunity.

Frank S

Congratulations on capturing a scene that was significant to you, and I also want to thank those who take the time to post such constructive comments.

I'm strictly a hobbyist that has some basic skills, but just reading through these comments is so instructive - I feel like I am sitting in a private lesson with a fine craftsman.

Again, a beautiful shot that elicits many emotions, and thanks to those who can help us all become better artists and takes the time to share.

Personally, I envy the old man in the photo after suffering through the heat of this summer!!! Give me winter any day!

A lovely evocative photo but the accent is more on the roof structure. I would have liked a shorter depth of field focussed on the man. Also a bit of lightening of the mans face with the dodge tool would bring the face to life too. There is the also possibility of cropping the image to a wider shot by deleting the top roof structure.

There's a load of abstruse and irrelevant analysis going on in these over-long critiques. A picture either captures a moment or it tells a story (or both). Here, there is no moment and no obvious story, just the possibility of deliberate contrast between an old man, cold weather, and solar panels. It raises the consequent queries about his relationship, or not, with the modernity of the solar panels. If that question was not part of the reason for the picture, it needs massive cropping to eliminate the whole of the top (garret) building and the solar panels, to leave us with a romantic picture of the man, the old low buildings, and the snow. Perhaps Orhan can tell us? My guess is that because the composition's inclusion of the garret and solar panels destroys the integrity and balance of where the eye is taken (the man), then the contradiction of him and solar panels must be the aim of the picure? Meanwhile therefore, the image seems ambiguous in its intentions and so is not great.

You "experts" with your hyper-criticism, nitpicking this/that/etc. Why don't you all go OUT of the house on a miserably cold winter day and still come up with something like this - you couldn't ! This is a very good photo. It does alot. Tells alot. Makes you feel something. The man having to make his way speaks of endurance.

DF,
 
I've been trying to unravel the mysteries of the wisdom you have left us with and  this is the best I can come up with.
 
If a photo is as you say " very good" any thoughts regarding the technical aspects of the photo  or suggestions as to how it could be improved upon would surely only come from talentless hacks who never go outdoors if it is snowing...... that's an interesting set of conclusion you've drawn there.  Thanks for the insight,  I'll throw away my winter jacket since I won't be needing it any longer.
 
 

Dear Orhan Brother ,this is a very good photograf and tells a lot.The old men is not only sturagling with the snowy weather which he is not very used to but also resisting to the weight of time.It is very natural that he is looking to the camera and the cameraman .It is not the most perfect photo may be but which one is that ? and who wants that .It gives me a good feeling to look at ,the texture of the wall ,curves on the road and the tones .The old man makes me thing about the human life.So for me it is a nice photograf..But some people ,whom born to be negative and probably no potansial of doing a possitive thing easly critisies other peoples work.Why ? I dont know..Any way in my oppinion this picture of yours in parallel with your portofilio is very good.Gongraculations and best regards. Yalcin.

What I particularly noticed first about this picture is the jagged but delicate texture of the roof line across the image. It works with the curved tracks in the snow to create the illusion of space. I enjoy the image for its graphic qualities.
I'm reminded of walking under similar conditions, and maybe, given a hint of my needing a cane to stay balanced further on down my own path.

A nice moment, dramatic not just because of the snowflakes but also because of the dynamism captured through the posture of the man striding forward. I can almost feel the man's bounce as he takes the next step. I think the photo has a good tonal range but the small digital file does not do justice to the photo.

Congratulations for the POW.

this shot tells a story/many stories could be written from this shot; which to me presents the case for calling this a great shot, i wont buy into the technical hoopla as i like what i see and my thanks go to the author of this shot for creating something that i enjoy
cheers mick

I don't think this image should be cropped in such a way to remove the building or the solar water heater. That would only remove the gentleman from the context of his environment and much of the charm would be lost. My only wish with this photo is for an expanded view. More environment, more building, more snow, more road, more everything. You could crop it to show only where the man is going, but why not crop it to show where he came from (rhetorical question, so don't anyone freak out about photographic philosophy here)?

The whole modern concept of art was born and owes allegiance to the ancient Greek idea of craft. When they referred to what we'd call the art of making pottery, they didn't even have a word for "art." They used techne, which is obviously about technique.

Now, it is true that we can overemphasize gear and technique, and many do. But those who denigrate discussions of technique in favor of such an utterly romanticized and mythological view of art seem to me to be missing the point just as well. Photography is a craft. If you don't have the craft down, you're generally not making art. Art is often used merely as an excuse for not paying attention to one's craft. And our "art" often shows glaringly the level of respect we have for our craft. The art of photography is not just in the photographer's or the viewer's heart. It's in the print, hanging on the wall, or lit up on the monitor.

Fred, Thanks for the well measured voice of reason.
 
 In a considerably less measured style I will add that on a forum where the explicit instructions regarding intent include:
 

The amount of bad mouthing received by any comment which does not reek of gob-slobbering gratuitous praise is indeed disheartening.
 
Couple  that with what appears to be an utter lack of moderating by the administration and you get  a forum  which was at one time somewhat educational  now becoming  fully in line with the rest of the commentary on this site........ increasing not worth the effort.

Congrutulations!

Gordon, at least we don't self validate like those who bashed me on Nature Photographers Online Magazine did, in response to my critique of Kah Kit's POW. Ha ha!

http://www.naturephotographers.net/imagecritique/bbs.cgi?a=vm&mr=58483&CGISESSID=fb655aaa183a9a48519d7a5b27a5ee94&u=7127

Personally, I'm not much for sycophantic praise. I came here to learn, and while I'm by no means super duper awesome amazing incredible, I think I have something to offer. Too bad most people on here prefer pretty pictures. The person I learned the most from so far is the one I butted heads with the most harshly, John A. I appreciate what he, and others, have to say even if I don't agree. People can disagree, get mad at each other, and even hate each other on here, but what's the point of a critique if people can't STILL respect the other person's opinion?

Forgive me, I don't post my credentials in my bio, and I don't feel I have anything to prove on here. My work speaks for itself. Just like everyone else on here. Like it or not. I agree with you Gordon, I'm just a bit more cynical I think.

I read that other post David and I guess I missed the specific part about anyone in particular. But I have noticed over the last few weeks that someone comes in on the last few days of the POW and bashes those who criticize the images here and yet is someone with little or no history on the site. It is all curious to me.

We have said it before and it has been reiterated here again, that the POW is a forum to raise issues and to be over critical, even when you like an image, it is, as David said, about learning. I don't always find an image that I suggest is nicely done to be great nor one I find great to be without something we could think about that might change or improve it. Even raising an issue about a genre being boring, which I did purposely, is part of what discussion should be about--thinking and questioning. It is a shame that people feel they need to run off somewhere else to get validation, but that is a sign that they are not ready yet is all, otherwise you don't need that external validation, you are at peace with your own viewpoints and understand your own work.

I said it before, this forum is about discussing things and as long as someone is willing to discuss their point of view and add to what is being said, it doesn't matter where they stand on an image. Nothing should be taken personally when it is presented in a well thought out manner, to do so is to ignore anothers effort and respect given your work even if it isn't a positive critique. If they didn't respect you, they would just say it was awful and leave--which some certainly do. Just sayin.....

On the whole it is a good photo. However, it would have been better if the direction of the smoke coming out of the chimney should have matched the direction of the falling snow :-)

David, If you truly are more cynical than myself you may be in need of professional help.
The thread you linked to is a bit sad, some legitimate responses were made but the threads author had a clear cut and narrow agenda which precluded any meaningful discussion.

If you look back in the critique forum archives , say a couple of years back or more, you will find that this forum used to be home to some lively and intelligent discussions. The kind of idiocy the forum is now rife with was in the past deleted from the threads to keep the conversation on topic and constructive. Back then I complained that the moderation was too heavy handed since getting emails that my comments had been edited happened often. Now in hindsight I miss the good ole days when people who came onto this forum merely to slag contributors or pass arrogant judgment on what does or does not add to the conversation were swept under the rug where they belong.