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In the Shadows
karmat


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Photojournalism (Classic Editing)
Collection: Black and White
Camera: Sony DSC-F707
Location: Georgia's Branch, Candler, NC
Date: Nov 19, 2002
Aperture: 5.6
ISO: 100
Shutter: 10/5000
Galleries: Portraiture, Photojournalism
Date Uploaded: Nov 19, 2002

This is one of several "homeless" men that camp out around the Interstate adn take turns begging money and food, and stuff. He agreed to let me take his picture, and I paid him $5.00 for it. Does that make him a professional model now?

Statistics
Place: 25 out of 147
Avg (all users): 5.9779
Avg (commenters): 6.3600
Avg (participants): 5.9455
Avg (non-participants): 6.0000
Views since voting: 1614
Votes: 271
Comments: 26
Favorites: 2 (view)


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AuthorThread
12/02/2002 01:40:00 PM
~~~~Critique Club Comment~~~~

*Composition (content)*
The composition is not ideal. I suppose that the picture reflects the title, the life in the shadows. But the position of the man in relation to the sun is far from ideal in my personal opinion. The difference between the dark and bright area of the jacket is too big and detail is lost in the shadows. The shadow over the eyes takes some of the emotional aspects away.
I don't think that is was necessary to change the position, this might also have been overcome with a bit of fill flash. Keep most of the shadows, but brings also some detail back.
As already mentioned by someone else: Shoot from a slightly different angle or position the subject in a different place to get a better position in relation to the traffic lights and to get rid of the sign in the upper right corner (or include more of it).
The position of the subject in the frame is good.

*Background*
The background is not bad, but it also doesn't tell much about the subject.
You might also want to try a wider aperture (F4-F2.x) to blur the background, to focus the attention more on the man. It also blurs the trees that are not very interesting at this time of year.
The lines in the background provide good perspective/depth.

*Camera Work (Technical)*
Already mentioned: Try fill flash (and perhaps exposure compensation in combination with the fill flash or on the flash itself). Try to shoot with a wider aperture to get a narrower depth of field, blur the background.
Otherwise the exposure is good, focus good, perhaps a bit oversharpened (could also be the result of post processing).

*Digital Processing (technical)*
Perhaps a little less sharpening.
B&W is good.
Compression is good, no Jpeg artefacts.

*My opinion*
Interesting subject, but the background is a little bit boring. Can be improved technically.
There is no direct story and the subject expresses little emotion.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
12/01/2002 04:24:00 PM
Strong image, strong content.
Minor point - positioning of yourself and/ or subject means that the traffic lights appear to be coming out of his head.
Exposure and/ or (deliberate?) contrast treatment/ dark tones don't appeal.
8, Kavey
11/30/2002 07:39:00 PM
Not obvous what this is about.
11/30/2002 05:04:00 PM
Okay, but composition kinda sucks. Lights comin' outta the guys head. Sleeping bag behind his knees. Etc. These things are MORE of a problem in black in white. Probably not a problem at all in color.
11/30/2002 04:19:00 PM
I think this would be better if you could see the sign he's holding. Or if he was looking toward traffic instead of the camera. Great camera work, though. muckpond.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/30/2002 02:38:00 PM
Good BW.
11/28/2002 09:17:00 PM
Love it. Jacko 9. Great use of B&W
11/28/2002 05:22:00 AM
Great B&W shot. Love the shadows. 8. byetko.
11/27/2002 03:01:00 PM
A good dignified portrait. Certainly better that you can't see his cardboard sign.

The lighting on his face is really harsh with the shadows - not sure if you wanted that or not. Maybe taking it from a direction with either sunlight full in his face or full not in his face would have let you expose more for him ?

Another thought in general - pay attention to the background - even though it can be hard to do. He has a traffic light poking out of his head.

I realise this is a very difficult and emotive subject choice and is difficult to think of all this sort of stuff while dealing with just taking the picture. A very good entry.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/27/2002 02:29:00 PM
I thought the garbage bags were part of his pants, and I was wondering what was wrong with his legs, but really he's just standing in front of them, but this mass confusion causes me to dislike the shot! What is he holding too! Is he a sex offender!? What a weird hat!
11/27/2002 01:42:00 AM
If youa re going to title this at least show more shadow.
11/26/2002 10:02:00 AM
Not sure what this is meant to convey.
11/26/2002 09:02:00 AM
I like this very much. That it is B&W really adds to the feel of the picture of this man. However, I think if you had been able to get a candid shot of him it would have had even more impact.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/25/2002 09:34:00 PM
Awesome job! One of my two top picks this week (three if you count my own! :) This is just great -- I can easily picture this in a newspaper along with a feature story... perhaps about how this guy just hitchhiked cross country or something. Again, congrats -- a big fat 10 from me! -- alansfreed
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/25/2002 07:53:00 PM
The hanging traffic signals behind his head distract from the compostition as does the back of the sign in the upper right corner. I don't know what was to the left in the background, but it might have been a better angle and better light on the subject. Overall not bad but could be improved.
11/25/2002 07:09:00 PM
I wish those stop lights weren̢۪t in the frame, otherwise this is a very interesting picture.

Greg
11/25/2002 05:59:00 PM
I like the b&w, but his face is a bit too dark and the sign on the right could be cropped out. Also it looks like the light signal is growing out of the top of his head.
Over all I like the shot, I'm not slamming it. Really it scores well with me and is sure on topic!! Justine
11/25/2002 05:56:00 PM
Wish the light wasn't coming off his head and that the eyes were more visible.
11/25/2002 05:19:00 PM
When using the term photojournalism, you would think that most photographers would be able to grasp this concept...though in most of the pictures I have viewed I didn't see much of an essence. This pic. makes a statement that most would be afraid to make...people seem to only like pictures of happy things of naked things...I like this pic. Ilike the black and white contrast
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/25/2002 09:52:00 AM
Makes you wonder what the story is about this guy. B&W works well
11/25/2002 09:07:00 AM
Composition: Subject Placement, Cropping, Background8,
Technical: Focus, Exposure, Lighting, Processing7,
Appeal: Is it Interesting, Motivating, Etc.? 7,
Total Averaged Rating7. Autool
I see a story here butyour title doesn't support it well. IMO the relationship between the title and picture are key elements this challenge.
11/25/2002 06:49:00 AM
Who is that man? What does he do? It's a great portrait of a man - thats for sure! Guess there's a reason, I just don't know! So - 8 for a good portrait! KAOS
11/25/2002 02:00:00 AM
this could be for a story on homeless people, but you should always try to catch "moments"
11/25/2002 01:39:00 AM
I would change the light hanging over his head, but really like the photo anyway.
11/25/2002 12:56:00 AM
Great subject, but he looks posed. Also the lights growing out of his head are bothersome. Good try though!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/25/2002 12:38:00 AM
Looks like a real "on the road" journalism shot. Definitely not staged. Has a few technical difficulties like hot spots (to be expected), but it fits the topic well. Like the B&W. ~indi


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