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$3 Apathy
$3 Apathy
Citadel


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Street Photography (Advanced Editing V)
Camera: Nikon D50
Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED
Location: Downtown Calgary, Alberta
Date: Feb 14, 2007
Aperture: f/8
ISO: 800
Shutter: 1/500
Galleries: Urban, Black and White
Date Uploaded: Feb 14, 2007

As with many pictures in this challenge this shot has a story. With the weather being -20 degrees celsius, I noticed this homeless man across the street. Despite being by a busy crosswalk, no one took notice of him. In fact people were going out of their way to pretend he wasn't even there.

After taking a few shots, I crossed the street and dropped three dollars into his hat. He looked up, smiled, and said "God bless you". I imagine he would have said the same thing had it only been a quarter.

As I walked across the street the sense of pride I felt melted away and turned into guilt. I hadn't given him the money because he needed it. I gave him the money because I needed a picture. If I didn't have my camera with me I would have dealt with him the same way everyone else had: with Apathy.


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Export to Tiff
Crop
RGB Channel mixer to B&W
Noise Removal
Resize
USM
Save as JPG

Nikon D50
2007/02/13 14:56:12.8
Compressed RAW (12-bit)
Image Size: Large (3008 x 2000)
Lens: 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 G
Focal Length: 55mm
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern
1/500 sec - F/8
Exposure Comp.: -3.0 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 800
Optimize Image: Sharper
White Balance: Direct sunlight
AF Mode: AF-S
Flash Sync Mode: Not Attached
Color Mode: Mode IIIa (sRGB)
Tone Comp.: Auto
Hue Adjustment: 0°
Saturation: Normal
Sharpening: High
Image Comment:
Long Exposure NR: Off

Statistics
Place: 249 out of 288
Avg (all users): 4.9372
Avg (commenters): 5.1429
Avg (participants): 4.8000
Avg (non-participants): 5.0708
Views since voting: 728
Views during voting: 372
Votes: 223
Comments: 11
Favorites: 0


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AuthorThread
03/01/2007 09:41:00 AM
Hello from the Critique Club!

First impression is that the focus is off. It appears that your camera focused on the building in the background, and that is what made your subjects so soft. I also think a tighter crop would help pull the eye to the three people. If you removed some from the top, enough to completely remove the crosswalk light, this would dramatically improve the composition.

The B&W treatment works well here. Colors would be too distracting. I also really like the balance you captured with the two pedestrians. The almost look like they are marching in step.

I really think you have caught apathy going both ways. It is obvious that the pedestrians are ignoring the homeless man, but he is also ignoring them! That in itself is an interesting commentary on how people just go through the motions of their daily lives.

This really is a powerful picture, and I think it would have scored much higher if you had captured the viewer's interest by correcting the two items I mentioned above.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/26/2007 08:07:18 PM
Great shot. I knew there would be a story behind this. I think the lack of sharpness is a plus and was unnecessary. One of those 8's was from me.....should have placed much higher.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
02/25/2007 09:40:50 AM
This gives a good sense of being cold and miserable, and a nice capture of ignoring the man in the middle. I wish he were a little sharper.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/24/2007 09:52:22 AM
I think this shot could use color, I dunno, something's missing for me. I like the concept of the pic, it's just so dark.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/21/2007 10:04:42 PM
details are a bit lost in the heavy processing. nice to at least see a photo with some kind of message. your composition seems very random to me, as the passing cars with distracting headlamps just happen to be there and you said oh well, rather than hanging around for another go.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/20/2007 01:01:42 PM
You had a golden opportunity to really get some gritty shot here but stayed too far away to be effective. Sure the folks are passing by the beggar but is there a sign or.....? I think you should have moved in closer for a more effective shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/20/2007 09:38:21 AM
nice contrast of the men in suits ignoring the panhandler
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/19/2007 04:46:02 PM
Don't center your center of focus like that unless they have a distinctness (color, shape, contrast, closeness, etc.) that makes them stand out from their surroundings, and even then it is not always the best thing to do, but besides that good subject and portrayal of apathy. It is also not good to (if you do) have multiple subjects, unless they are all together.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/19/2007 04:23:49 PM
I think this is a nice shot but I would just like to see it a little sharper.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/19/2007 06:48:21 AM
great story in the image but not very sharp at all. It's also a bit hard telling that that is a person on the ground but he is huddled up so you really couldn't help it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/19/2007 02:21:04 AM
Nice inversion of tones.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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