Bare sleep

[centurion_sg]

This picture was taken around Bugis area one late evening after most stalls had closed for business. The sleeping figure caught my attention as he seemed contented with the bare necessities for sleep. There is no feeling of insecurity out in the open as he has no possessions to worry about.

The picture was quickly composed and taken hand-held as there were people around. I hoped to capture the simple things in life - he may be poor but worked hard and deserves a good rest. It also brings to mind this phrase: ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests. But the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head’ (Matthew 8: 20). Who should give this man a roof? Should he strive for it himself even at this age?

I wonder if I should have gone nearer? Yet I do like the surrounding items being captured: the wall fan, stuff lying about, etc. It gives the area a makeshift look. I would like to get comments on composition and exposure, and whether the emotions then were captured and conveyed.

Large version: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1168/526510142_49e9805e46_b.jpg

 

[night86mare]

It's a good scene to capture.

But the perspective is not to my liking. I would think that one where by you are positioned more to the left, thereby rendering the edge of the shophouse front (?) and the table he is lying on to be parallel to the screen edge. Going in closer slightly would also make the picture simpler and therefore give your main subject - the man more attention. But of course this is personal preference.

The picture does have a very "stark" feel about it, but somehow I'm wishing that I could see his face. Would also do well to exclude the shopfront er, shade-thing. I find it very distracting at the edge.

Cheers! =)

 

[Chris Lim]

I think the emotions are well told here. For the fact that you have felt that way and shot it in accordance to how you have felt then, you have managed to freeze that moment in time where the emotions are told from ur eyes translated into a pictograph.

I think it would probably have been hard to take time and think before you compose as this is a street shot and its open to the elements and chances of loosing the moment is high. So Good job in capturing the moment. Hmmm i think no need for words to describe this really, a "pro" photographer once told me that no images has a need for words as long as the viewers look at it and understand the meaning behind it in the way the photographer sees it.

This image lies in the context of a journalistic shot as i presume it to be. I think the subject's gender doesnt play a significant role in this. But instead the harshness of the elements that surrounds the subject. The action of the person lying there in fact tells alot about the person in the manny possibilities of assumptions that we may have. Eg. the fan thats pointing towards the subject. The bright lights that is lited even though the store is closed. It really doest leave alot for imagination. Good job on this.

Lets take a look at location now. The location as seen maybe easiest and best interpreted as a store front. In imagery ( be it photography or cinematography or wat ever else) an "INTERACTIVE LOCATION" is very important to highlight the subject's character and personality. Though it is not certain to what this person is like. We can however assume that the person is either homeless, or caretaker, or drunk.... infinate possibilities. But the location itself puts the subject into place as a desolated person who IS sleeping outdoors. who IS possibily seeking comfort via the fan or lights or flat surface atop the table. And this harshness of the surrounding can be immeadiately interpreted by most people if they decided to take a longer look at this image and not close his/her doors on it immeadiately and call it a non pic.

Hmmm can i assume this is night time? or maybe early morning? or i dunno... evening? hard to tell by the contrast u put in actually. Might want to work on that?

I think in conclusion to this image. i think this image is overflowing with infinite possibilities on the content and information simply because you have chosen to compose it in this way. Very good street shoot i say.

Not every scene can make a good picture but for every click of the shutter an image is created. And by the virtue of an image being created there is room for growth. Keep it up. No image or picture is a bad picture if it is helping u improve. =)

Keep shooting and dun be afraid to provide a write up for us to interpret it in accordance to how you see it. At least we can try to understand the difficulty and problems you face to provide a better critique.

Cheers
Chris Lim

 

[centurion_sg]

Thanks for all the comments here. Yes, I'm actually trying to imitate some street photography styles. [SIZE=-1]Robert Capa's words ring in my head and give me a headache when I try to overcome myself by getting closer to the subject :sweat: I actually had an earlier shot taken as I walked past the man but under low light conditions that was a bad move. I wandered around a bit before standing still at the desired spot, fired, and hoped for the best. One thing I didn't realize was the potential confusion over day vs. night. Am still wondering how to "fix" it :dunno:
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