Handout

[ACArmstrong]

I was waiting in the drive-thru for my Egg McMuffin this morning and happened to have my camera in the seat beside me. The line was long, so I popped off a few shots. When I got home to look at them, this one really stood out to me for some reason, and I can't put my finger on it.

Honest opinions please. What do you think of this photo? What would you do differently?

Sony F717, F5/ -2.0VE

[ACArmstrong]

Don't be sorry - that's what this is about. I've always liked confusing, artsy-fartsy crap, so I didn't notice any of that, but it makes total sense.

I guess in my mind, I captured that moment of completely zoning out while in line at a fast-food joint before work.

Thanks for the honest opinion.

[Clifford_Sax]

I like the hand and the way the light catches certain elements such as the hand and the yellow metal things. Top left is too dark and I find my eyes roving all over the image looking for a subject. Unfortunately I find the image confusing and without you having explained where it was I wouldn`t have known. I think the wing mirror is too prominant and just looks like a bright white square in the middle of the image. I`m also having issues with the composition - hence the confusion I guess. Sorry to be so critical.

[mtbbrian]

I like the lighting a lot...
It is a pretty good photo.
It would have been better if you had shown a bag in the guy's hand instead of it being empty.
Brian

[PuckJunkey]

Interesting idea, but I think had you not told us the place where this was photographed, we might've had a hard time guessing. Could be a bank, and Walgreens pickup window, etc. I would say that an extra visual clue about the place this is, and perhaps a wider angle would make it more interesting. Perhaps one where we could see the server looking out the window, but only see the person's hand (from the car) hanging out?

There are a number of different ways you could do it; maybe try a few more shots out and see what you come up with... I'd be interested to see them.

[Photo-John]

Andy-
I'm honestly not sure what to think of this. I'm sure it has some meaning to you. But for me it looks almost entirely random, as well as too dark. You say this one really stood out but you can't put your finger on it. And Brian chose it as the Featured Photo, so it must be working for him on some level.

I think you need to really break it down and figure out what in this photo makes it meaningful to you. Once you can start to identify what elements are speaking to you, you can begin to understand and refine the idea. Then, maybe you can reshoot it so that it's more focused and apparent. Of course, I'm only one person and maybe I'm the wrong person, in this case. But photography is a form of communication and this photo isn't communicating very well for me.

I give you credit for posting the photo and asking for our opinions. I understand having a photo that moves me and not quite understanding why. Asking for other people's opinions is absolutely necessary if you want to become a better photographer. Especially with a photo like this. Hopefully other people's comments will help you identify why the photo is meaningful to you.

[Elysian]

Serious, the idea is good, the execution isn't. A quick (dark) shot of the car and without some luck you get results like these that hardly have any impact on the viewer.
I would like to know why this image is a Featured Photo? I must be missing something

You need to give an image like this something special, something unique, to make it rise above the average snap shot, that's my opinion.

[ACArmstrong]

Ya know, I was wondering the same thing, JoeD. I've got much better work floating around the forum and this one ends up being a featured photo. Go figure.

OTOH, I'd like to go back and really work on getting this shot. I wonder if Mickey D's would kick me out of their parking lot if I set up shop there. hehehe

[Elysian]

I'm happy that you understand that I wasn't putting you down as a photographer AC, I just didn't like the photograph ;)
I agree with you, lots of your other shots are way better and they DO show what you're capable of.

It's just that I like to be honest to avoid that others believe that this image is an example of the way to go in photography, although the idea behind it can be very useful to fellow photographers.

[plchung]

I am new to this forum, and inexperienced. Here is my opinion.
I think the attraction of the photo is "interaction" - that something is about to happen, but what is it? The hand shown in the picture induces imagination but there is insufficient "sign" to anchor the meaning and dramatize the impact. Maybe as other people say a bag or another hand from the vehicle may help.

Anyway, nice picture.

[mattdanielson]

I do like the picture, and also cannot quite say what it is about it that I like. I do think that it is a little dark, but as you say, if it was just a quick snapshot, then hey, that's ok. One thing I would like to see is more of the sticker on the back of the Datsun. It looks like it could be something pretty interesting...a subject in disguise possibly. I think that i like the seeming randomness of the picture, it's a very common situation, but how often do people take photos of it?