Boy in the Shadow

[Tuna]

Boy in the Shadow
Arcos de la Frontera, Spain

All comments and critique greatly appreciated.

Tuna

[Tuna]

or,... better with the contrast bumped up a little, the window behind the boy's head removed for a more defined silhouette/profile and a little selective burning in to keep the highlights from blowing out too much?

Tuna

[Dzerzhinski46]

Dear Tuna,

I like the composition of this shot, a narrowing of vision to the center/left of the street. I can't help but think that if the boy were more defined that it would be a little better. But as it is, I like the feel of the photograph. Kind of reminds me of W. Eugene Smith and his Spanish picutres. Very nice. By the way, what kind of film, and camera? Just curious.

Dzerzhinski

[Tuna]

By the way, what kind of film, and camera? Just curious.

Dzerzhinski

Thanks for your comments. This was shot on Konica 100 color film and converted to B&W. Camera used was a Leica IIIc rangefinder.

Tuna

[walterick]

Hey Tuna

It almost looks to me like you've got 2 shots here - one of the city street with the silhouette of the boy and the other is the upper portion of the frame which is a city/rural landscape. I say this becasue I feel the upper half of the frame is too distracting from the bottom half. I would say to crop it immensely but that would take so much away from the picture. I like the shadow of the boy in either shot but I feel the darker shapes in the upper portion compete for my attention with the boy. I don't know of a resolution - just giving thoughts.

Excellent capture and heads-up to grab the moment!

Rick

[Steph_B]

Hey Tuna

It almost looks to me like you've got 2 shots here - one of the city street with the silhouette of the boy and the other is the upper portion of the frame which is a city/rural landscape. I say this becasue I feel the upper half of the frame is too distracting from the bottom half. I would say to crop it immensely but that would take so much away from the picture. I like the shadow of the boy in either shot but I feel the darker shapes in the upper portion compete for my attention with the boy. I don't know of a resolution - just giving thoughts.

Excellent capture and heads-up to grab the moment!

Rick

I think Rick is on to something here. I wonder whether this pic would have worked better in color. The white walls would have contrasted quite well with the (supposedly) green/yellow of the fareway hills. This may have helped to keep the viewer's attention on the boy+street.

just my two cents.

[gahspidy]

Looks better with the window behind boys head cloned out. There just seems to be a busy feelinmg to the shot. hard toditinguish the landscape in the bg from the buildings in the foreground. Maybe color? or less dof. or maybe walterick is on to something with the 2 pics in this shot. i like what your going for though, and as with all your shots i see a real intent and effort in the composition.

[Tuna]

Thanks for the outstanding replies, guys.

I passed over this image over the last few years I've had it because I was uneasy about it. I liked it and wanted it to work but didn't know how. I guess that's what happens when you think you've got something special after you have triggered the shutter. But I agree that it is a little busy and I don't think anything short of extreme cropping will change that. Thanks for helping me to see that.

Tuna

[mattp]

Tuna, it may be a bit busy, but I think that problem is excerbated when you see an image on a computer screen and it is all squeezed up! On a larger scale, what was previously just 'busy' can become interesting detail. Even on the screen though, this image was held my attention, I like the unusual silhouette of the boy with his arm on his hip, and you really get a feel for one of those hot days when you hug the shadows to avoid the sun.

I like this, it was a good moment to capture.

Regards,

matt

[ckozo]

... and I don't think anything short of extreme cropping will change that. ...
Tuna

IMHO, an extreme crop produces a great photo with the boy as the main subject.

cut off the top 50% (removing the cityscape that competes with the boy for your eye) and cut off about 10% on the right (removing the dark shadow in the right lower corner which competes with the shadow that leads your eye to the boy). you are left with the dark path leading your eye to the dark boy, who is in the middle of white buildings.

[92135011]

Tuna, you wouldnt even have to say and I would know you are a Leica shooter.
Street photography is almost typical of Leica users and is sometimes even termed the "Leica style"
I sure like the photo
I say dont crop it because the rest of the photo gives the sense of depth and height