The Red Bicycle

[PRB]

This picture reminds me of MANY that I have seen in magazines at one time or another where there is an open cafe or restaurant with something out front being photographed, very centered, for the interest of the magazine article. There may even be a name for the style of such a shot. Any magazine stylists in our midst that know??? At any rate, I think that this is very well done.



My Best to You,
Penny

[draymorton]

This picture reminds me of MANY that I have seen in magazines at one time or another where there is an open cafe or restaurant with something out front being photographed, very centered, for the interest of the magazine article. f[/IMG]

I agree. My first thought was that it looked like a magazine shot.

[GB1]

Hmm. I really like the folks in the background and think they add enormously to the photo. The red is good. The bike is actually less impressive than the tables and people.

G

[SmartWombat]

polarbeardiggers, I disagree with almost everything.
cathathome, I don't get pulled to one spot.
draymorton, I don't agree with the B&W
DrRoebuck, I'm not sure the "entirely different" way is different
Frog, I don't
chaman, another one I disagree with
Seb - good point !
Ridgetop, it seems it is focussed on the bike (technically) and centred on it - your comment of it not being the focus is a good one
chaman, inevitably there are also people who don't really know about photography, how do you tell the difference?
Penny, bingo !
GB1, I almost agree


Phew - that's my thoughts on the thread so far.
Not that they're worth more than anyone else's - mostly different !

So, how about the image?
I like it.

When it's printed, mounted, framed, this may look completely different.
On the forum it's against a white background, has compression artefacts, and the colours might not be as intended.


Overall the subject is the bicycle, despite the competing attractions in the background, because of its centred placement.
I think an image that allows your eyes to wander, has more places for it to settle, has attractions all around the image, is a stronger, more complex image than just a photo of a bike. I like that, I'm trying to do it more myself.
The background has enough interest to justify its being there, it's clear enough to see the action - though I think not perfectly focussed - there has been some control of the DOF.
If the background had been put out of focus with narrow DOF on the bike, I don't think the image would work. There would be no elements in the background, because they'd be OOF.
Cropping at the tabletop level people removes all the action, and doesn't leave an attractive image.
The different shades of red are important, and help the bike stand out from the red tablecloths.

I think that some details are lost in the shadows, but without serious light modification that probably can't be changed.
The front tyre merges into the shadow under the tables. The black cover on the lock merges into the shadow below the central plant trough. The waiter and the three people on the left have dark hair that merges into the background.
My monitor is profiled and I think I'm seeing it as intended.

I read, and look at the image, from left to right.
This flow is assisted by the bike pointed left to right, and my attention directed by where the bike is looking.
Oh that may not make sense, but if the bike had a headlamp, then its eye would be pointing at the table on the right.
My eye tends to start on the left, because it's lighter there, partly assisted with the only white tablecloth on that wide - it's an obvious starting point after leaving the bike.

I wonder about the framing. The leaves on the right help to frame the image, and there's nothing similar on the left. It looks lighter and more open, but as I normally scan from left to right my eye doesn't escape.
How would it seem to someone who normally reads right to left - do they see it the same?

Just as an exercise, flip the image horizontally. I know writing's not legible and there are lots of left-handers (BTW look at the Dutch masters and ask yourself why there are so many left handers in Vermeer's paintings?).
Once it's flipped, I get a feeling of darkness on the left, and my eye is arrested by the bike's front wheel coming from the opposite direction. The lack of colour on the right in the plant trough is more obvious. The waiter is now taking my eye to the right again, following his eye/face direction. But they immediately stop at the menu board.
The image now feels cut in two.

OK after that digression, back to the original.
I think perhaps half a step to the left may have made a difference.
It would put the handlebars of the bike in front of the tablecloth, not partly over the chair.
But it may have removed some of the parallax in the image that gives the sloping line from left to right - so it may not be a wholly good thing.

Oh and to those who want to remove the bike from the centre, and invoke the rule of thirds, why is it better?
Not just because it follows the rule, why would it be better?
If it makes the image look like other images that also follow the rules, is that conformity a good thing?

I can see a crop that I think improves the image a little.
Crop left to the dark vertical pillar, cutting the left hand table in the foreground in half.
Crop from the right to about the thickness of the chair back from the chair back.
The bike is now slightly off centre, and I'd want to correct that.
So I think about a step to the left, to re-centre the bike.

That's probably more than I think about my own images !
I should analyse mine more, perhaps

[Grandpaw]

Paul, I think you went over and beyond the call of duty on this one! By the way, I think I smell something burning LOL Jeff

[draymorton]

Holy schnikies. Mr. Coleridge, is that you? Talk about an epic reply.

A lot of great observations therein, though. It's refreshing to see someone look that deeply into it.

And for what it's worth, I hereby retract my call for a b/w. Looking at the image again, the lietmotif of red, red, red is part of what makes it sing.

[Guillermo]

I suppose, in a way, it has been what would be called an epiphany. My poking and prodding has resulted in turning my deep (long developed) disenchantment about this place into a sudden reaffirmation of what I always thought should be there. Your patience, compassion and willingness to nourish a beleaguering soul is admirable. I humbly salute all of you.

[BenWA]

....edited....

[sun622]

" The color is repeated evenly and often throughout the shot - tablecloths, woman in the back, man in the front, waiter, flowers, bottom of menuboard. There is very good symmetry and balance in this shot, and I'd bet that a lot more thought went into the setup than most realize. If I didn't know who took this, I would guess Yoyo Setzo or PhotoWillem to be the photographer (and Guillermo, that's a pretty damn big compliment)."
The colors got my attention. The first thing I saw was the rider of this bicycle is a big fan of red. Put the bicycle in any other setting and it doesn't work. The picture is called the Red Bicycle so it's common sense to put it at the forefront and let the actions in the background serve as a connection to the subject. Guillermo-muy bonita foto!!

[Overbeyond]

I suppose, in a way, it has been what would be called an epiphany. My poking and prodding has resulted in turning my deep (long developed) disenchantment about this place into a sudden reaffirmation of what I always thought should be there. Your patience, compassion and willingness to nourish a beleaguering soul is admirable. I humbly salute all of you.

Wonderful use of the English language.
Guillermo. Who's Guillermo?!

Red Bike is good; No? Yes?

[jetrim]

Red Bike is good; No? Yes?

AHHHH!!!! This is for you to decide, grasshopper Is it brilliant, or is it garbage? Many have stated their opinion already, what's yours?

[Overbeyond]

AHHHH!!!! This is for you to decide, grasshopper Is it brilliant, or is it garbage? Many have stated their opinion already, what's yours?

Ok let me think on this ... am am amm I think it could be brilliant or possibly garbage .. The photographer might prefer that.
More serious opinions have not been taken on board you will have noticed

[draymorton]

I suppose, in a way, it has been what would be called an epiphany. My poking and prodding has resulted in turning my deep (long developed) disenchantment about this place into a sudden reaffirmation of what I always thought should be there. Your patience, compassion and willingness to nourish a beleaguering soul is admirable. I humbly salute all of you.

Punk'd!

[polarbeardiggers]

A photo buddy of mine,who has taught me alot about composition and showed me a print of his, a cowboy on a bucking bull with its head arching backwards feet in the air and the complete evil in the bulls eyes, no matter where you place the picture in the room those eyes stare you down, even when you close your eyes and re-open to view the large picture frame,your eyes are drawn to those eyes, the title of your picture represents where your viewer is to be directed, compositional with the subject at hand,this title " The Red Bicycle " is meant to be the subject,perhaps if the title was reflected more to the people eating or say the laughing waiter, the bike would be nothing more than a prop in a perfect picture, Title's can be very important in selling a picture to a viewer, As i mentioned before i love the title for its simplicity factor, but when you close your eyes and reopen ,question is where are you lead to the most ? this is my opinion,not a slam ,a observation.