Putting aside the name and title - Critique This
- Thread starter ed9119
- Start date
My first impression is that this picture is taken in the changing/locker room of a mine of sorts. Most probably coal mine, or at least a place where the workers are dealing with coal.
The action looks like he just took off his pants and is having a smoke after some hard work. The "soot/dust" has a clear line on the arm because he was also wearing a short sleeved shirt when he did his job.
That is the overall feeling I got.
And yes, the way this picture is composed is drawing me to Locker 138 for some reason.
The action looks like he just took off his pants and is having a smoke after some hard work. The "soot/dust" has a clear line on the arm because he was also wearing a short sleeved shirt when he did his job.
That is the overall feeling I got.
And yes, the way this picture is composed is drawing me to Locker 138 for some reason.
night86mare
Deregistered
yes, that would make some sense. i remember this series of photos of coal workers, they looked like him, though they weren't in undies! :bsmilie:
overall i like this photo but failed to understand the messgae behind it (or maybe there is none to it).
on the technicals - composition (some slight tilt as others have mentioned but otherwise a small matter in the big scheme of things), exposure, color, contrast are all there.
i am actually more intrigued by the message behind the photo.
first thing that caught my eye was his body since it was in focused. moving on, attention was on the ciagrette and his eyes, followed by the outline of dirt.
so i am asking myself:
1. was this sequence intentional? why the focused body and out of focus face?
2. what is the significance of the ciagrette? or is he just sneaking in a smoke break that he is not supposed to.
3. what activity did he perform before the locker room leaving an outline of dirt on him
4. why the locker room? why is the photographer allowed to take a picture in locker rooms?
5. what is the message the photographer is driving at?
on the technicals - composition (some slight tilt as others have mentioned but otherwise a small matter in the big scheme of things), exposure, color, contrast are all there.
i am actually more intrigued by the message behind the photo.
first thing that caught my eye was his body since it was in focused. moving on, attention was on the ciagrette and his eyes, followed by the outline of dirt.
so i am asking myself:
1. was this sequence intentional? why the focused body and out of focus face?
2. what is the significance of the ciagrette? or is he just sneaking in a smoke break that he is not supposed to.
3. what activity did he perform before the locker room leaving an outline of dirt on him
4. why the locker room? why is the photographer allowed to take a picture in locker rooms?
5. what is the message the photographer is driving at?
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a. what strikes you in this image
my 1st response when i viewed the image is "Orang Minyak (Oily man) burglar in locker room caught on CCTV" but the abrupt cut off of the black oil/soot suggests otherwise. if a look down perspective from the ceiling was used instead to give a 'CCTV' point of view some horizontal interlacing lines added, it would complete the look.
the lockers appear too clean considering the suggested 'filth' of the model, some smudged handprints with black oil/soot on the lockers or padlocks would suggest interaction with the environment.
b. does the slightly OOF face matter in the overall interpretation of the image
not for me, i actually think it was be better if it was less sharp with lower contrast to complete the 'CCTV' look
the other way i saw it is a familiar NS sight: birthday "tau-pok" session during NS in the barracks after training. birthday boy here got the kiwi shoe polish camouflage all over and is changing out of his PT kit and smoking a fag while cursing at his mates "#@*!!!". :bsmilie:
my 1st response when i viewed the image is "Orang Minyak (Oily man) burglar in locker room caught on CCTV" but the abrupt cut off of the black oil/soot suggests otherwise. if a look down perspective from the ceiling was used instead to give a 'CCTV' point of view some horizontal interlacing lines added, it would complete the look.
the lockers appear too clean considering the suggested 'filth' of the model, some smudged handprints with black oil/soot on the lockers or padlocks would suggest interaction with the environment.
b. does the slightly OOF face matter in the overall interpretation of the image
not for me, i actually think it was be better if it was less sharp with lower contrast to complete the 'CCTV' look
the other way i saw it is a familiar NS sight: birthday "tau-pok" session during NS in the barracks after training. birthday boy here got the kiwi shoe polish camouflage all over and is changing out of his PT kit and smoking a fag while cursing at his mates "#@*!!!". :bsmilie:
Second rounds of input...
As only his head , neck and lower part of his left arm are being sooted, that indicates that this guy has been stretching his arm in reaching or digging for something in a dark / dirty pit / hole that tell the clear demarcation on his arm and the dirty mark stop around the neck . Legs and shoulder part are clean, so to say.
Most probably it is an illustration shot, show so one trying to steal / recover something from a dark hole and heard some noise /some one approaching but again, can't figure out the cigarette in his mouth.
In normal situation , only when in a leisure condition, then one would smoke and work at the same time, but not likely when one is sneaking around.
Maybe he could have thought that there shouldn't be anybody around.
All this reflections conjure up from looking and studying the picture.
Quite a good one actually, not a direct, you look , you see, you understood type of picture.
More interesting than the previous bikini shot.
A bit too deep for the newbies to understand / appreciate.
As only his head , neck and lower part of his left arm are being sooted, that indicates that this guy has been stretching his arm in reaching or digging for something in a dark / dirty pit / hole that tell the clear demarcation on his arm and the dirty mark stop around the neck . Legs and shoulder part are clean, so to say.
Most probably it is an illustration shot, show so one trying to steal / recover something from a dark hole and heard some noise /some one approaching but again, can't figure out the cigarette in his mouth.
In normal situation , only when in a leisure condition, then one would smoke and work at the same time, but not likely when one is sneaking around.
Maybe he could have thought that there shouldn't be anybody around.
All this reflections conjure up from looking and studying the picture.
Quite a good one actually, not a direct, you look , you see, you understood type of picture.
More interesting than the previous bikini shot.
A bit too deep for the newbies to understand / appreciate.
earthling82
Member
hi
thot the pic needs some pp. Here u go.
Composition is a bit weird. I thot it would be good to ride on the subject's eye direction to point to something on the right. This would balance the whole picture.
My humble take is that
1. Subject is too young. Would be good if u can find someone older, with wrinkled skin.
2. Uneven distribution of soot. Looks like a prank shot taken by NSFs when off-duty in camp.
3. Focus is sharp on the underwear. What is the emphasis on the underwear for?
4. His hands seemed to suggest the photo was taken while he was taking off his pants - caught with his pants down. It might be better to occupy his hands with one of the lockers - where he is "caught in the action" of trying to pry open one.
If the concept is to shoot a "Coal Miner off duty", then do observe the overall condition of the subject. The subject seemed too young - as can see from his skin. Despite the soot and blackened face, we can see he is not too old.
thot the pic needs some pp. Here u go.
Composition is a bit weird. I thot it would be good to ride on the subject's eye direction to point to something on the right. This would balance the whole picture.
My humble take is that
1. Subject is too young. Would be good if u can find someone older, with wrinkled skin.
2. Uneven distribution of soot. Looks like a prank shot taken by NSFs when off-duty in camp.
3. Focus is sharp on the underwear. What is the emphasis on the underwear for?
4. His hands seemed to suggest the photo was taken while he was taking off his pants - caught with his pants down. It might be better to occupy his hands with one of the lockers - where he is "caught in the action" of trying to pry open one.
If the concept is to shoot a "Coal Miner off duty", then do observe the overall condition of the subject. The subject seemed too young - as can see from his skin. Despite the soot and blackened face, we can see he is not too old.
Coal miners are not all old fellas, especially in coal mines in China.
Sorry,,,I have looked at this picture a few times. Yet I could not fathom the message. I must qualify that I am new to photography. Maybe I am missing some key elements.
The OOF gives me an impression of a quick snapshot and that he just stood up. Maybe I under-scrutinized the photo.
My original impression ( I am not trying to be funny). With the cigarette in his mouth, was that he was planning to go to the toliet cubicle for urgent "business". But the snarl in his face + the look seems to indicate that he heard that the cubicle is occupied.
Thus, that is why I am saying that I could not grasp the message.
No intention to offend the photographer.
The OOF gives me an impression of a quick snapshot and that he just stood up. Maybe I under-scrutinized the photo.
My original impression ( I am not trying to be funny). With the cigarette in his mouth, was that he was planning to go to the toliet cubicle for urgent "business". But the snarl in his face + the look seems to indicate that he heard that the cubicle is occupied.
Thus, that is why I am saying that I could not grasp the message.
No intention to offend the photographer.
night86mare
Deregistered
can we get the original photographer to reply us as well, i know he's here in cs (if it's who i think it is) 
Before you get the reply from
the photographer may I give my
humble view on this very interesting
and exciting image which was well
executed.
This is a fine example that a
picture is not worth a thousand
words when there is no caption
or details given by the photographer.
Secondly the image could be
used in an advertisement of some
sort or it was intentionally taken
to be used in a product launch or
executed by the creative group
of an advertising firm as a series
of advertisements for a cause or a
product (obviously for smoking or
cigarette in this case).
Thirdly all images should be
viewed with an open mind
regardless of who/what/how it
was executed until you get
the intended message from
the orginal person who made
the image. (Not everyone will
view the image the same way,
because every human is created
differently)
Viewers of any image (whether
distorted or having morale issue)
should allow the creator a way
for expression under his or her
own physical conditions or
unforseen emotional issues.
Condemning a picture outright
is just light saying, "You've
no right to photograph it or you
have no right to put the subject
in such circumstances" In the
case of real photojournalism,
a caption or a short description
to the image would have put
things in the right perspective
or of its intention to the viewers.
ok....... the image was not posed nor set-up....
It was executed as part of a series of images documenting the little known mining industry in Vietnam
To me, this image and the rest of the series opened my eyes and made me aware of the hard life that a coal miner goes through daily feeding their families and the dangers they undergo for meager wages
This work belongs to award winning Vietnamese Photographer, but more importantly, a humble humanist, Nguyen Viet Thanh. Nguyen has worked for Vietnam News Agency since 1994.
He has also been a Co-trainer for training courses on Press Photo organized by SIDA- Sweden (2005, 2006)
Other accolades ..... just too many to list here...... Google will have more info on him
Hiis portfolio is here PORTFOLIO
Thanks everyone (whether the image worked or did not work for you personally, no worries) for participating in this critique.........
It was executed as part of a series of images documenting the little known mining industry in Vietnam
To me, this image and the rest of the series opened my eyes and made me aware of the hard life that a coal miner goes through daily feeding their families and the dangers they undergo for meager wages
This work belongs to award winning Vietnamese Photographer, but more importantly, a humble humanist, Nguyen Viet Thanh. Nguyen has worked for Vietnam News Agency since 1994.
He has also been a Co-trainer for training courses on Press Photo organized by SIDA- Sweden (2005, 2006)
Other accolades ..... just too many to list here...... Google will have more info on him
Hiis portfolio is here PORTFOLIO
Thanks everyone (whether the image worked or did not work for you personally, no worries) for participating in this critique.........
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night86mare
Deregistered
i think a photograph in a series, is very different from a photograph taken to stand alone
do you get what i mean? ;p
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