Oblivious

[LeeIs]

Security Guard with his back to mother nature constantly. What do you think?

[payn817]

I don't get the feeling that he is oblivious. He seems to be watching something that interests him. The negative space on the right side of the frame bothers me some, perhaps just a little too much of it. Then again, if you want him to seem oblivious to nature and the elements, perhaps it may be a strength.

Just as a candid, I would have liked to see the rail starting in the bottom corner and leading the viewer into the figure, with the rail continuing to the opposite side.

[Overbeyond]

Hello Liban
Is he keeping his eye on the composition of a recent shot of yours?
I like where you positioned him in the frame but overall I think it's lacking in something else of interest. The sea I think melts a little too much into the sky also.
Tom

[Robert Ward]

Have to agree with most of what Leels says. Good attempt and i too like this kind of shot. Maybe if you had zoomed in and got more of his expression ?
Bobby

[gahspidy]

Liban, I like what you have done here and the framing is well done. It is lacking a bit of something as others have stated. I feel that by zooming out more or standing away even further to include a much more expansive ocean on the right and have the security guard look very small and insignificant almost, would have added much drama. The negative space of the ocean on the right could be the strength here as payn suggested. Still, I like your deliberate and very thought out planning of your framing and comps, as I have noticed in many of your shots of late.

[dbutler]

I think it would have been strengthened if he had been facing the water, but reading a book or playing a game (then of course, what kind of security guard would he be???). I like the negative space but I think it's just his position that doesn't quite put this together.

[LeeIs]

Thanks all for your great feedback.

Payn,
yes, the oblivious part might not be apparent to the first time viewer as strongly as it was apparent to me when I first looked at him. Thanks for pointing that out. I was walking about the place taking shots and I've come to this same spot on numerous other days also. He always had his back to the water and facing inwards as is the nature of his job as a security guard to keep an eye on the mall/complex at all times. That's where the title of this came from really. Thanks payn. I appreciate it.

Hi Tom,
Yep, you're correct. It was the same place I shot the Observation deck photo. They had a stair case going down to the lower floors of the complex on either end of it. I agree that there isn't any definition between the water and the skies and it's more a product of the skies lacking any definition within itself really. Thanks for taking the time to comment.


Robert,
I think by zooming in I would've lost the intent a little more than I'd liked. Thanks man.


Gary,
I think zooming out to include more of the water is a good idea and I could've captured more of the water easily, but if I did that I think I would liked to capture yet a little bit more of the left to keep the figure somewhere close the rule of thirds line and that would've been impossible as there wasn't any room on the left side at all due to benches that were immediately to the left of the rails here.
I think what this shot really needed is a whale blowing mist out of his/her blow whole in the water ;)
I appreciate the fact that you think I'm improving that's says a lot to me and I owe everyone here on PR for my improvement.

D,
I remember on one occasion, there was a young couple hanging by the railing just looking out to see and chatting. I sat there for what seemed like eternity waiting for them to embrace or kiss, etc. That would've been a great shot I thought. But nothing!
So yes there was a lot of potential shots on this deck for sure one of which is the person facing the water, reading a book, etc. (not the security guard though ;) ) he'd be an unemployed security guard. Thanks for your comments.



P.S. I think I've exhausted my Lima shots and might be just grasping now. The quality has dropped lately I know, IMO anyways. But I'm still in hopes that I'll post something that might exceed my expectations. So be patient with me and don't hold back on the this sucks replies

[Chunk]

A simple, interesting shot. The abstract lines make the shot I think - I also like how the curve of his body mirrors the curves in the railing's supports.
There are some common rules of composition broken here to good advantage. The curving railing leads our eye out of the frame in both directions - left and down. The subject's facing out of the frame also takes us out there, initially leaving us as oblivious to the sea as he is and has us wondering whats out that way.