The minute I saw this in your portfolio I knew I wanted to take a closer look. I really like what you've captured here. The title is perfect, I can easily imagine the nearest statue whispering to the next and that information making its way on down the line.
The subjects themselves are all extremely interesting in their craftsmanship and detail, that is an added bonus. Your choice in composition - position of the camera, lighting and all that helps lend another dimension to something that already has a classical beauty and historical draw.
Speaking of lighting, I like the light here, particularly because it does a good job of centering the attention on the "active" portion of the image and the "reaction" to that action. Granted they are stone statues so they aren't inherently in motion, but the two nearest have their heads turned towards one another and with your title you can infer a sense of action.
The light then starts to drop off as you get further down the line, yet there is enough that the details of a few of the more distant statues are still visible and there for the viewer to examine. That brings us to the focus. I think for the most part the focus is pretty decent. I can enjoy some of the detailing of the statues, primarily the main subjects, and a bit of some of the ones further back. I do think the focus is softer than I'd prefer however. In the example of the first two figures, the focus should be ultra-sharp, really picking up on the textures of the ringletted hair and facial features. If that same focus could be extended to the next figure that'd be great, but as you get further back the details of course do not need to be nearly as clear and in fact as they blur out that adds to the feeling of the figures waiting in line to hear the latest news, so that's a plus, IMO.
I like the B&W nature of this image - I don't know if you converted it to B&W or if the coloring of the shot is inherently B&W. I really think this aspect of it should be played up though. I think increasing the contrast a bit and really bringing out the shadows, adding some starkness to the shot would help draw out those texture details and make some of the features stand out a bit more. I think running with a deeper B&W would also add some more drama to the image, which though it has a great subject and excellent idea behind it, could slip a bit into dullness.
I mentioned that I liked the lighting, but one of the downsides of the lighting is that it is pretty much an even wash over everything. Normally that's something I would think is a good thing, but with the detailing available and the potential of using the shadows to great effect, the even light starts to wash everything out.
I think with a bit of adjustment, either using Levels or Curves, would start to draw out a more dramatic light vs shadow play on the statues and add that extra dimension I'm envisioning in my mind. I don't know how to dodge or burn to save my life, but I'd imagine fiddling with those options could help as well.
As it is, the image immediately caught my attention both for its composition and the clever way you interpreted and then captured it. I think just a bit more adjustments would really draw out everything this photo has to offer, though you've clearly provided an excellent jumping off point. |
Add photograph to your favorites
Add photographer to your favorites
Photographer found comment helpful.