Father and son

Really good documentary style photo. I think it goes beyond that. My only nitpick is the upper right seems out of place. I would have moved a bit that way and framed the scene away from the trees if that makes sense. A really good capture none the less.

Good composition, and great B&W

Thank you!

Joseph you are in right. But they talking about new gate, and I want that old gate on image... You can see gate right behind tree.

Perfect shot

I like it tonality

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This is very interesting POW, more than just a photograph where a lot of real living atmosphere all arond this work.
A story telling image and with amazing well balanced light and fine composition, thanks to he elvis again for another great selection.

I've been sort of hanging back because of some uncertainty as to my own mind about this one. My first impression was that some cropping would help. I also thought the chairs could have been closer,
but this picture has an atmosphere of tension that is communicated by the picture, exactly as the photographer composed it or at least presented it.
Here is the crop I tried out, just to see for myself. To present it this way, however, makes it into just another conventional picture, so after all, I'll go with it as it is and also applaud the Elvii for picking what is a complex and interesting picture.

a family affair, two thumbs up from me!

Forgetting the title for a moment (and forgetting what the photographer has said about what is going on in this photo)...what do we have? One man appears to be showing a somewhat older man something on a pad of paper. The setting is most likely rural and certainly low tech. There is an ease in the body language of each of the men. Even if the title did not tell us this was father and son, one would get the impression that these two know each other. There is a story here and this falls easily within a "documentary" category. The choice of b&w echoes the history of documentary images. But there is a digitally processed quality to the tone and detail that places it firmly in the present. I don't know whether micro tonal and detail adjustments were actually made, nor am I praising or condemning the image if they were. When all is said and done, it is an interesting image. The communication between the two focuses attention on the men, where it should be. But then the eye can wander and take in the details of the chairs, the wood, the shovel, the men's shoes...all giving a sense of place and a sense of the two men. Because of the clear interaction between the two men, the details do not detract, they only help us to know more about the men, where they live, and how they live.

Great to see a photograph win photo of the week. I have little to say about it other than its the type of photograph , if documenting that I would like to take. It does more than capture the details for the sake of recording them but carries an intimacy that reminds me of my own rural upbringing therefore I can empathise with it. Two hardy earth men who maintain a distance from each other as is potentially the local custom but who relate to each other in their own way ,, "look pop " and the inquisitiveness of the father ,, neigh a respect. Will the son cherish that photograph in years to come , pretty sure he will. If life changes in that part of the world will it remind people of it , pretty sure it will. It is the type of photograph where the conversation can focus on whats going on and rise above the technical jibberish. Bravo.

With due respect to the artist I want to say the canvas is slightly large.The middle highlight portion is distracting,in certain region it is blown up,it attracts eye ,it should be edited.The right part of the father's face is merging with the middle highlighted space.

For me, the obvious star of this image is the older man, his posture and intensity elevates this image to something other than the ordinary. With full attention to his drawing, the other man helps create the sense that we are viewing a real moment, not one staged for the camera.

Steve has described how the setting informs the image very well, but missed something I think is very telling, the clothing of the older man. We can see that there is a solution to something being discussed, but there is no doubt in my mind that this elder man is not going to be passive in transacting the solution. His spattered clothing and shoes, loafers that have served their original purpose, tell us he will be integrally involved in whatever they are discussing. Then, there is that oil lamp next to the one drawing that asks a question I can't even start to answer, unless possibly one of those insect repellent type.

Overall, the composition is pretty good, but as noted before, it is a bit loose with the amount of room between the two. The older man's posture does help the movement of the eye, but even though I like the image as it is, I think there are some things that could be considered in making it come a bit more to life.

The space between the two is not terrible in and of itself, but it is probably the brightest area in the image. This sort of pulls the eye immediately to it instead of to the men. Compounding this problem a bit is also the fact that the younger man's tonality is a bit depressed, pushing him a bit back in the composition. Again, the elder man sort of saves us from getting lost in the middle with his white hair, brighter skin and t-shirt. Again though, that bright center area pulls at us, and the plastic bottle fronting his face tends to merge with it a bit.

I believe that pulling down this central area, including the bottle in front of the older man's face, the top of the table and all the way back to the dark opening next to the younger man helps push the attention back to the men. Additionally, and this always takes some playing, brightening the younger man a bit, especially his face and right arm(his right) helps keep the attention between these two. I am not talking massive moves here, but subtle changes that will help shift the tonal emphasis to the two men and not the bare wall in the center.

Finally, although it isn't terrible, I would probably play with reducing the vignette in the upper right corner. This area is a bit muddy and probably could be opened up a bit without the loss of containment and bring a bit more of the same clarity we have on the right side of the image.

Overall, though, this is a very nice image to have for the week here.

I really like the original view point and the b&w tones.The shot induct us so many nice details and good atmosphere with b&w.Nicely done,also.
Best regards(Bobby).

This is no doubt a very powerful image. As said by a lot of people before me it tells a strikingly real story, it kinds of depict a whole relationship in one gesture. My opinion is that such a "true" picture should have its natural shadows. In this one the light coming form behind the son enlightens the father's forehead but casts no shadows. If it had, it would have probably erased much detail on the son's face. Thus it was righteously removed. Maybe I'm a obsessive old-timer but this unnatural lighting - technically done close to perfection - marrs the general sense of truth coveyed by the subject. Marco

The idea is good but I think in reality the father should, at that age, be placed closer to the son to be able to see the details without glasses. It also looks like you are trying to show the photographer what's on the pad of paper. I don't see the need for the garden candle on the ground. Maybe the two should be closer to or leaning on the the table discussing the sketch with the surroundings taking up about the same percentage of the scene. Sorry to be so cruel but I found it average.

Cheers, Bob

the picture tells enough of a story, with enough detail, that I find myself being drawn in and wondering about small details. With the perfect lighting, what purpose does the small tiki lamp on the floor between the two men serve? citronella for bugs? And where is the son's left hand? I can't determin how he's holding what appears to be a pad of paper without any portion of the hand showing.

There is a story, surely.
As I see it, it is unposed and spontaneous, so there is no chance to move the persons and objects around. I don't have particular issues with the distance between father and son.
What I absolutely don't like is the postprocessing. It gives the photo an artificial flavour which is unpleasant to me. The photo also lacks depth. Don't know if it's the postprocessing, but both men seem pasted onto the background which looks like a flat backdrop.
The profile of the man on the left is confused with the similarly toned background. One step left would have helped.

An interesting subject. Seems, as noted above, to call for a crispness that is wanting, for some personal choice or desire that I can't relate to. For this type of subject matter which has a whole lot in the frame to digest. I mean I would like to figure out what the big bottle on the table is. And the lamp. The wires. the contents of the shelf. Maybe there was a signal purpose in "obscuring" the details. I can't imagine what so it bothers a little. Could have been, I suggest, even more appealing if raw, bold and "unfiltered." This has style for sure and the question for me then- Is the style compromised by the handling. I say it was. Some.

I agree with Luca as regards the post processing. It looks unnatural in a manner reminiscent of hdr software . Squashing the highlights and bringing up the shadows has left far to much mid tone in the scene which is in part why everything lacks distinction and a sense of separation. The sameness flattens the image, robbing it of the depth which was most likely there in the original file. A shame really since this artificial look is at direct odds with the natural and organic feel of the father and son and their surroundings. So for me, a somewhat interesting image spoiled by heavy handed post processing.

redux

Although I don't doubt there has been some processing of the tonal range(vis a vis all of Bojan's color work which exhibits the tendency to do this), I do think some notice of the light we are dealing with does explain much of the "unreality" that is being mentioned here. (by the way, that lamp's flame is not large enough to be a light source here)

I have read this image as one with fairly hazy sunlight, but the men under some sort of cover--probably a fairly small one. Both the hazy sun and the open shade environment can explain why the shadows aren't as deep as some think they should be. This open skylight, a bit brighter due to the hazy conditions, providing a rather strong fill light on these people. I suggest hazy because there is no indication anywhere in this image of a strong, directional light source, like from the sun on a clear day. But there also seems be some other light source in the image, either a reflection or ?. If you note the board in the background leaning against the wall, the shadow is straight down the wall and fairly long while the shadows of the old man's chair and legs push off down and away to the left. This isn't the expected result from one light source (a natural one anyway)--shadows would be the same direction or in purely indirect light, not as distinct or long--as we see off the younger man's feet. There obviously appears to be a more direct light at the old man's feet than say what is hitting the burning lamp or the leg of the stool behind it (short shadows with quick fall off. And little or no shadow off the younger man's feet--characteristic of being in open shade)

Overall, I guess I just don't see the extent of inconsistencies that others are mentioning here.


Oh, and you can see the thumb of the missing hand holding the pad of paper right in front of the pinky of the hand with the pen(cil). The folded over paper does make an odd tangency with the arm that took me awhile to decipher as well.

Dear Bojan, yes there been a lot of things said here but if I was you, I will proud that the Elvis picked this image to be a POW, it is by all means deserve so, I sure the Elvis are real great captains and they are in full command of their ship, it is just unfortunate that they going through rough Sea, that why they deserve to be thanked more than just once.
I understand that this image having a lot to discuss because it is a real original image with great story behind its sense, even if there is some post processing, it is not obvious here and having no much of effect on degrading the over all appearance of your work.
I liked this image the moment it been selected and posted as POW and still I like it and I am happy for you, wishing you all of the best.

The photo has a remarkable exposure revealing details in every corner, with strong contrast , like if it was made up with HDR procedure.Nice work Bojan

A good story telling PJ shot