A Simple Feast

[Kisuke]

Hi.

I'm a newbie in photography and i just started... would like to know how to take better photo

1. in what area is critique to be sought?
is the composition and colors ok?

2. what one hopes to achieve with the piece of work?
to show the old uncle enjoying his simple bowl of noodles after a whole day of work

3. under what circumstance is the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions)
This photo was taken at 9+PM at night in Taiwan in december. it was quite cold at around 12 degrees celcius.
This was a dark alley with no one around, and this old man was sitting all by himself eating. he didn't notice me until i took the second photo, which is this one.

4. what the critique seeker personally thinks of the picture.
i feel that it is ok? but something seems off?

 

[one eye jack]

There is a great deal of flexibility in street photography from well composed to blurry pictures.
The essential thing is being there and being in the moment so all this is happening in fleeting
time and sometimes you have to make the best of it or lose the moment.

Do not worry too much on composition but knowing when to capture a slice of everyday life.
Exposure wise your picture has some blown highlights in the white areas like stuff on the table (over exposure) otherwise the grey scale tonality is good.I think the meter was fooled as usual because of the dark environment.You can tell by the uncle's posture that it is cold. Whether
you feel it is off or not does not really matter does it given the situation?

 

[Kisuke]

thankew.

it was very bright behind the old man, and the streets were very dark

i was using shooting with the A7R at ISO 2000. F2 and 1/100s. shooting in manual. i had to increase the brightness, and pull back the overblown highlights in LR5.

 

[one eye jack]

thankew.

it was very bright behind the old man, and the streets were very dark

i was using shooting with the A7R at ISO 2000. F2 and 1/100s. shooting in manual. i had to increase the brightness, and pull back the overblown highlights in LR5.

So the meter would have underexpose the scene and hence your action. Next time anticipate the meter's
tendency and adjust EV compensation to bring back the details.

 

[zaren]

i think this has the potential to be a powerful portrait. would prefer to greatly simply the composition though, with a tighter framing.

 

[one eye jack]

i think this has the potential to be a powerful portrait. would prefer to greatly simply the composition though, with a tighter framing.

I had the same thought but feel that was not TS idea as the environment or context would be missing
as a portrait per se in street photography.

 

[thoongeng]

thankew.

it was very bright behind the old man, and the streets were very dark

i was using shooting with the A7R at ISO 2000. F2 and 1/100s. shooting in manual. i had to increase the brightness, and pull back the overblown highlights in LR5.

Good catch, agree it's a tough situation to take this candid photograph and get the exposure right... I like the context / environment around, but think the bicycle wheel on the right is a bit distracting. I would probably crop out the wheel, and cheat a bit by adding a vignette heh.

Just my 2 cents hehe and thanks for sharing!

 

[Kisuke]

Good catch, agree it's a tough situation to take this candid photograph and get the exposure right... I like the context / environment around, but think the bicycle wheel on the right is a bit distracting. I would probably crop out the wheel, and cheat a bit by adding a vignette heh.

Just my 2 cents hehe and thanks for sharing!

thank you

 

[nitewalk]

Go in closer, maybe not as tight as Zaren's suggestion. You can keep the landscape orientation framing, but i would personally go with excluding the bicycle which does not add to the context. Leave just enough for people to figure out this is an eatery (?) and that would be fine. I'd like to see more of the man's face.

 

[albertsy2]

Try using the Rule of Thirds

 

[Kisuke]

Go in closer, maybe not as tight as Zaren's suggestion. You can keep the landscape orientation framing, but i would personally go with excluding the bicycle which does not add to the context. Leave just enough for people to figure out this is an eatery (?) and that would be fine. I'd like to see more of the man's face.

if i went closer and he would have noticed me. before i cld take this final shot. anyway this was shot on a FF with 35mm lens. so this is just to show you how close i was to this old uncle already. also even if i move close, a part of the wheel will be inside that i cannot crop off, leaving me with lesser of the background which is also what i wanted to capture to show that it is a eatery

also correct me if i'm wrong... one thing about blown highlights is that... i think sometimes some places are just way too much more brighter than others... so quite difficult to control that part... not every part of a picture need to be perfectly exposed i think

 

[Kisuke]

Try using the Rule of Thirds

uhmmmmm. how would you place d uncle inside with the rule of 3rds? can show me?

 

[nitewalk]

if i went closer and he would have noticed me. before i cld take this final shot. anyway this was shot on a FF with 35mm lens. so this is just to show you how close i was to this old uncle already. also even if i move close, a part of the wheel will be inside that i cannot crop off, leaving me with lesser of the background which is also what i wanted to capture to show that it is a eatery also correct me if i'm wrong... one thing about blown highlights is that... i think sometimes some places are just way too much more brighter than others... so quite difficult to control that part... not every part of a picture need to be perfectly exposed i think

Nah, it doesn't always have to be perfectly exposed. It can appear flat. But it depends on what highlights you blow. Doesnt always work as well. As for being noticed, the split second he notices u, it could yield the interaction with subject u need. But then, bettter run after that! Hahaha. Anyway there is an unwritten rule that one in 1.5 critiques will have someone asking u to try rule of third. Many people are obsessed with the third.

 

[kei1309]

Nah, it doesn't always have to be perfectly exposed. It can appear flat. But it depends on what highlights you blow. Doesnt always work as well. As for being noticed, the split second he notices u, it could yield the interaction with subject u need. But then, bettter run after that! Hahaha. Anyway there is an unwritten rule that one in 1.5 critiques will have someone asking u to try rule of third. Many people are obsessed with the third.

1. sometimes the highlights are way brighter and you end up with way overblown highlights, just to expose a subject
2. sometimes, what people want is the uninterrupted, natural state of things and not an interaction with the subject. and why would you run? no confidence in your skill? :think:

 

[nitewalk]

1. sometimes the highlights are way brighter and you end up with way overblown highlights, just to expose a subject 2. sometimes, what people want is the uninterrupted, natural state of things and not an interaction with the subject. and why would you run? no confidence in your skill? :think:

Haha well, the running part isnt in all seriousness, then again im glad for you no one ever confronted you! As for highlights, i did mention that i agree that it can be appropriate to blow highlights. Then again i cautioned about it, someone as experienced as u surely knows what i mean by "doesnt always work well"?

Oh and just remembered, where's your dear friend Rashkae?

 

[nitewalk]

1. sometimes the highlights are way brighter and you end up with way overblown highlights, just to expose a subject 2. sometimes, what people want is the uninterrupted, natural state of things and not an interaction with the subject. and why would you run? no confidence in your skill? :think:

While we are at it, there are street photographers who walks off straight after snapping.