reproduction Little Italy, NYC

I tend to pass up these kinds of pictures, because they've been done

a lot. But I couldn't resist trying to do something with those white

rectangles on the wall. It was frustrating because I had a certain

composition in my head, but the three guys never lined up the way I

envisioned it. I momentarily considered giving them some stage

direction, but that kind of violates my photographic principles so I

stayed passive.

nice balancing act captured here. everything is evenly weighted left and right.

Fantastic! I mean, I will sometimes change my mind about pictures and temper my initial enthusiasm when I revisit them later but here, I'm just going with my gut feeling, my immediate reaction. And that's one of excitement, I'm excited about this picture and it makes me excited (further) about photography. If I had to nitpick and offer anything that remotely resembled a critique, I would say I think it could have been even better if you had framed it a little bit higher, that is to say, less of the foreground, well, ground, and more of that wall there, more upward space. As it is it's a framed a tad too tightly for my taste, for my sensibility. But, that is an entirely subjective piece, I am well aware, and if anything more a product and informant of me being more a 35 guy and you being more of a 50 guy. Between this and your latest 'Central Park, NYC', some great photography there Beau.

I really like the overdeveloped look of this shot,The greys

look cool.

Sometimes things don't happen as expected and that is good...

I like the way you see and the way you think about what you see. And I like the way you envision what the photograph is going to finally look like. Your timing and your composition is artful and effortless, which is to say graceful and matched by the grace of these guys, each one a dancer-athelete-streetkid. In their rumpled clothes and perfectly positioned in this Ben Shahn-like field, they explode with energy. There is action interesting to look at in the foreground, midground, and background. And the ball is the vector, moving along the diagonal through the 3 planes, that takes me with it into your picture.

great capture, good sense of timing :)

7 7

I think you are being a bit harsh on yourself(I guess thats good, though). I love the composition, and in its presence, I think it would be hard to beat it. I see what your saying about the image development, but it sure as hell doesn't detract from the image from what I can see here. sweet.

I'll echo the sentiments of the prior commenters. The timing was outstanding in this shot. This has got a lot of energy and movement. The placement of three guys also gives it a hell of a lot of depth. Its the essence of good street shooting to me: it catches the spontaneous moment very well. Good work.

wow, very nice composition

 

Thanks for the positive comments, everyone; just goes to show I'm not always right about my own photos (usually I'm wrong in the other direction, though...). One thing I wish was clearer is that the ball is a football, and the guy in the middle is holding a baseball and bat, and all of it's happening underneath a basketball hoop. A funny mix of American sports in one picture...

Arriving late, I can only voice my agreement with the above. As you say, a huge pity that the 'mixture' of sports iconography isn't clearer, but there's enough going on here to hold the interest anyway.

I think it's one of the best in your folder.

Good movement capture, nice tonalities and good retouch of the local contrast around the three men.

I don't know what kind of alignment you had in mind... but the ball... gosh... that's just perfect!

Great photo, Beau. What appeals to me about it is the texture, form, and sense of movement. The squares of the blocks on the wall, the bb board, and the court floor have a geometric predictability about it, but the boys and their movements are unpredictable and exciting, especially the one in the foreground. With the grainy texture, this picture has most to do with form. I think if the baseball ball and bat and football were more apparent, it would be a different kind of a picture. A bit more literal, perhaps. I don't think it's necessary. You're thinking sports. I'm thinking urban and life in it.

 

Another person, commented on losing more foreground and getting more of the height of the wall. I wasn't sure I agreed when I first read it, but now I see that it would emphasize the boy in the foreground, which I think is the most interesting part of the picture (not the football} and the blocks on the wall which you made you take the picture in the first place.

I meant "geometric predictability" and elegance. :)

"I tend to pass up these kinds of pictures, because they've been done a lot"

Really? Where? More like they've been tried a lot. This one succeeds.