"'James Cagney' and 'Friend' at Rest" (Hollywood Boulevard)

America, California and even Hollywood Boulevard are known for being

egalitarian. Here, on famed Hollywood Boulevard with its Stars of the

celebrities -- including the legendary James Cagney -- famous

Hollywood 'tough guy' immortalized in this star on the 'Hollywood Walk

of Fame', one can catch a snooze on a bench in midday during hard

times -- maybe not much different than the hard times when Cagney

started his career on the silver screen. Your ratings and critiques are

invited and most welcome. If you rate harshly or very critically, please

submit a helpful and constructive comment; please share your superior

photographic knowledge to help improve my photography. Thanks!

Enjoy! John

One of your best recent images. Social commentary aside, this one heck of a finely crafted photograph. Beautiful light, well suited to bringing out the textures and the shadows which are so crucial to making this image work. The composition is flawless in its simplicity. Your B&W conversion as well as you original exposure are top notch here.

I admire a photograph when it manages to say so much with so few elements. This one is a pleasure to view.

Thank you for the very nice compliment.

The original capture really wasn't much to look at - it was pretty washed out and lacked emphasis on vital elements --- here the 'star' and the 'white shoes' which seem to complement each other.

Of course, I was not completely sure when I shot it that it would turn out so; I take a lot of photos in a session and 'hope for the best, then review what I have and take a 'second look' in Photoshop 'browser' or whatever other 'browser' I have available to me.

I processed this one in Photoshop Adobe Raw Converter, and it allowed me the leeway to darken the too-bright sidewalk and bring out the essential textures and emphasize the contrast which is essential to making this photo complete. Imagine this photo without the texture in the sidewalk and you understand what I mean.

I think many times rather complex photos can be very successful photos if blown up to full size and the thumbnail presentation here is somewhat tricky -- it fools us into thinking that simple compositions are better than they really are, but they often lack complexity.

On the other hand, you make an excellent point in this particular photo about its minimalism, and I accept it. It was a first choice of recent shooting (delayed by illness) to post. Regrettably raters seem to feel other than you do, at least so far.

But them's the breaks. I post for me (and those who understand what I do -- such as the very good critics such as yourself - and not to get high rates. With so many photos posted (over 1200) it's almost impossible to see my averages climb anyway, though amazingly they actually have climbed significantly in the last half year or so -- an almost amazing statistical feat.

Of course, if I only wanted to post photos with 6s and 7s, all I'd have to do is just trim away the 3s,s 4s, and 5s, and I'd have a photo that rated among the highest; but I don't play that game. I keep posted almost everything I ever posted from my first photo onward (and that is my highest rated ever.)

My best to you, Gordon. Thanks for dropping by and adding your analysis and opinion; it is always welcome.

John (Crosley)

John;

I agree 100% that scale has a huge impact on our perception of a photograph. I have noted that some of my more visually busy photos make dreadfully confusing thumbnails and even at the 800 pixel width I use at PN for the 'view larger' function they still fail to deliver. I am sure there is a science unto itself in figuring out the clickability factor fro thumbnails at photo sites.

I have been making efforts lately to improve my B&W digital results. I usually start out my conversions in Lightroom 2 and finish up if needed in CS4. I am currently working my way through a book which was recommended by a PN member who excels at digital B&W . The book is rather appropriately titled " Black and White in Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop Lightroom " written by Leslie Alsheimer and Bryan O'Neal Hughs published by Focal Press.

For someone of my limited post processing skill this book has been a real eye opener.

Thank you so much.

John (Crosley)

Addendum: I never look at rates before I reply to comments, which keeps my replies more pure, I hope.

I am very happy this photo pleased you so highly. I do not thank for high rates and seldom complain about low rates, so I cannot thank you for your high rate - just thank for taking the time to express your opinion -- and for taking the time to rate (high or low) I am always grateful.

jc

One of the wonderful things you manage with your street photos is maintaining the subjects diginity. You do have a great heart full of compassion and a head full of magic.

Great way you managed to eek out so much from so few elements. You are the master. I still cant get the energy you do in my B/W work. I am learning from you, though. Bravo!

I am just an acolyte to your skills.

You hide behind false modesty (not really false, but you are too unassuming, as your best work is simply terrific.)

I get an interesting one every once in a while.

This was not meant to be 'great' in any sense; just another one as 'grist for the mill' but it has taken on a dignity of its own, as viewers have seen in it what I tried to portray -- a quiet dignity.

Two splashes of white amid a welter of texture and darkness, each representing a 'hidden' individual - individuals we'll never really know.

We'll just see their representations -- one a 'star' which any production company can buy - there are names on the 'Hollywood Walk of Fame' that you would never recognize and were never known by anyone but they passed a minimal test of some notoriety and paid the money for the ceremony and the star on the sidewalk.

The poor man on the bus bench will best be known by his shoes, and he's the better for it -- I hope I have preserved his dignity.

I'm presently pretty ill (temporary) but would welcome a 'howdy' from you, especially if you're anywhere near the LA area where I am.

Thanks for the kind words.

John (Crosley)

At the urging of critics, I have taken a second look at this photo, and what I thought was a more 'ordinary' photo now has taken on new meaning - it is a better, more artistic photo than I thought.

I do now appreciate this photo much more than when I posted it, just as the prior photo I posted -- a photo I had wrestled with about whether or not to post at all, and now I look at that photo as a very good photo. Same for this photo.

I do appreciate very much my critics who help awaken me to the goodness sometimes of photos I do not think so highly of (and vice versa very often).

Thanks so much critics.

Your critiques very often are quite on point, and no matter whether I accept or reject the points you might make, I consider them all.

John (Crosley)