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The Crossing Guard
The Crossing Guard
Coley


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Street Photography III (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Nikon D200
Lens: Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
Location: Yonge and Dundas Toronto Ontario
Date: Oct 25, 2008
Aperture: f22
ISO: 100
Shutter: 2 sec
Galleries: Emotive, Black and White
Date Uploaded: Oct 25, 2008

This was a very expensive set-up for me
In order to get my model (My wife) to stand in the middle of one of the busiest intersections in Canada dressed like death, I had to make a deal (like with the Devil) :D

She keeps saying "YOU OWE ME !!!"

I want to thank Sandy my model for not only modeling but also for the help with the shoot and the title. BTW she enjoyed the lunch and the shopping following the shoot.

I love the shot we had fun with the traffic and the crazy looks.

Thanks for looking

Coley

Statistics
Place: 4 out of 146
Avg (all users): 6.6879
Avg (commenters): 8.5556
Avg (participants): 6.3818
Avg (non-participants): 6.8305
Views since voting: 4752
Views during voting: 452
Votes: 173
Comments: 44
Favorites: 19 (view)


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AuthorThread
11/23/2009 08:32:56 PM
Great shot. Is that the crossing guard to "crossing over"?
11/12/2008 01:14:30 AM
I can't believe you got Sandy to do that! Very oool concept. Congrats on another top ten!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/08/2008 10:12:20 PM
Greetings from the Critique Club
by strangeghost

The first three parts of this critique are written based purely on examination of your photo. "Final thoughts" is written after reviewing your score, photographer's comments, and voter comments.

I recall looking at this one after the challenge concluded and am happy to have a chance to inspect it closely!

TECHNIQUE
Technique shows considerable effort. The focus is sharp and the motion blur on the background participants creates a striking contrast. Your exposure created a dilemma though, since capturing sufficient motion also required the sky be pretty overblown. I wonder if this is what prompted your decision for BW or if that was pre-planned. I'm assuming it was planned since that seems to enhance the mood.

COMPOSITION
As always for your shots, you've spent considerable effort and paid close attention to the composition. I think the blurred participants are maybe just a bit too blurred. A tad shorter exposure maybe would have left them fuzzy and impersonal, but a bit more recognizable as individuals, but retained the feel of anonymity. Your intent is evident, but I wonder if you considered moving in on your Reaper a bit and bringing him to the fore with the blurred pedestrians forming more of a background? Just playing let's pretend; your composition was well thought-out and the purpose is evident.

EMOTIONAL IMPACT
The busy street scene with moving people, speeding cars, and the rock-steady grim reaper form a scene of great interest, dynamic movement, and instant tension. You manage to provoke your viewers to question, and your title adds a bit of tension relief; Ah! Suggestive of the wait for the inevitable auto-person collision and then assisting the victim to the great beyond. It's an unusual shot that invites speculation and inspection.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Nice score and great comments. ;-) I'm surprised the DPC crowd didn't pound you for the blown sky, but at least a few let you know you were shoe-horning a shot into the supposedly "candid" street challenge. Keep shaking them up Coley. Nice job. I enjoyed the chance to study yet another of your creative efforts!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/08/2008 02:31:36 PM
Excellent shot, congrats on the 4th place!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/06/2008 11:40:17 PM
Totally cool as usual. Love your work. Congratulations on your HM.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/06/2008 10:02:08 PM
This was my favorite in the challenge. Too bad you didn't get a ribbon, I think you deserved one - possibly could of if it were submitted in the Blur challenge?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/05/2008 12:18:50 PM
I think this is a cool idea very well executed. Maybe you didn't ribbon because it doesn't looks as candid as street phography needs, and it's a pity. Anyway, Bravo :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/05/2008 10:06:44 AM
Excellent shot but better story :) Good job
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/03/2008 02:41:42 PM
This is going to my favorites... and I "favorite" very few!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/03/2008 02:25:35 PM
Love the story behind this. Wonderful shot with tons of energy and emotion. congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/03/2008 01:36:34 PM
Brilliant!!! Love it...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/03/2008 12:00:46 PM
Classic!! Selling your soul, to your wife, was well worth this shot. It would've been great to have someone else around to shoot the expressions on peoples faces. If this had been an expert challenge you could've changed the street sign to Styx.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/03/2008 09:49:48 AM
Cole, you never cease to amaze me with your creative genius! Especially in realizing the truth that behind every great man is a great woman (with a great name) :)

You DO owe her, and I hope she was compensated hugely for this, in the compensation of her choice :) But congratulations to you for an honorable mention for your efforts!

  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/03/2008 08:50:20 AM
This was one of my challenge favorites. Great use of long exposure. This could easily have ribboned, but congrats on your runner-up status! Funny story, too.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/03/2008 08:08:04 AM
This is a hoot! As usual, you're going off the reservation to fine effect :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/03/2008 04:21:14 AM
Pleased to see this do well, and Hi Sandy! :-) Most importantly, you guys seem to really have fun doing this stuff - that the outcome is so good is just icing on the cake.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/03/2008 03:11:55 AM
WOW .. this is so amazingly good coley .. your imagination knows no bounds ...
if i'd been the only person voting this would'v got the blue ..
CONGRATULATIONS on 4th and a photograph that has depth and dark meaning .. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/03/2008 01:27:03 AM
COLEYYYY!!! YEA! always rooting for you man, its great to see your work ehre again! Your wife is so sweet, lol, i wish i could have seen here there in real time! great job once again, keep it up!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/03/2008 12:35:13 AM
I absolutely love this. Incredible shot. Congrats on 4th, Coley.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/03/2008 12:09:01 AM
Cole
Oh soo close! Great shot. Your wife must really love you.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
11/02/2008 09:56:31 PM
A nice catch around Halloween. Ton ten material, IMO. Also a fave.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/02/2008 09:33:50 PM
well executed effect. nicely humorous, too.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/02/2008 05:07:30 PM
Awesome work!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/02/2008 12:08:11 PM
looks he got the photo by chance
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/02/2008 06:47:49 AM
i like the play on long exposure here.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/01/2008 07:35:27 PM
Did they all eat Salmon Mousse?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/01/2008 04:00:16 AM
What to say in the face of this crossing guard? Spookily done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/31/2008 08:52:05 PM
Meets Challenge:3
Technical:3
Interestingness:3
Extra Credit:1
TOTAL: 10
What can I say? Way cool!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/31/2008 04:04:20 PM
a winner 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/31/2008 10:52:31 AM
very effective, on many levels. 8 from me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/30/2008 07:35:47 PM
creepy and well done
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/30/2008 06:22:08 PM
This is an incredible, dark moody shot. Very well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/30/2008 11:09:55 AM
Well, I guess it is at least shot on the street; although of course the posed shot, and the overly portentous subject are probably too much of a push for the genre really.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/29/2008 10:12:28 PM
it's a wow....& a 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/29/2008 09:08:05 AM
Fantastic idea! Very cool, and pulled off well, though I'll have to admit that it doesn't fit the stereotypical idea of street photography.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/29/2008 03:06:21 AM
hand this guy a scythe and he'll look like Death himself, waiting there for the next poor soul whose time has arrive :P nice catch
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/29/2008 12:49:34 AM
Clever! This could have worked in the Motion Blur challenge too.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/28/2008 03:19:59 PM
I rather like this. Has sort of a ready made story going for it, but in addition to that, I like the motion blur against the crispness of the background. The crossing adds a nice strong graphical element to it. An alternate title might be "Time Stands Still" - almost as though Time (or the Grim Reaper) is always there, we just move around it without seeing it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/28/2008 08:00:48 AM
this picture grabs me... absoultely great!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/27/2008 05:10:03 PM
a surreal image, probably not a candid portrait but a very good image. In the motion blur challenge should be a killer image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/27/2008 09:13:12 AM
Very great compositional study. I'm surprised people didn't stop walking when they saw you taking the pic. I'm trying to decide if a square crop with the reaper perfectly center might have been stronger with a light vignette to keep the eye from wandering to the edges of the scene. Overall I really like this image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/27/2008 08:56:35 AM
Very ominous...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/27/2008 01:57:38 AM
Well set up. I like the work and thought you put into this. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/27/2008 12:32:32 AM
I love this shot! Very creative.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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