critique please- lonely road

[Rufio220]

This is my little Brother. I was just wondering if it was good, and if i used the curve of the raod right or the position of mt brother.

[wholenewlight]

This picture has a neat nostalgic look to it. I like the b&w look although I might have added just a little warmth to the picture.

The pic looks a little soft but that isn't necessarily bad. Keeping with the "old" look of the print, it almost has a "brownie camera" look from the 40's. While the bike itself wouldn't fit that era, the boy's clothes do not detract from that feeling.

The composition works pretty well with the curb acting as a leading line out of the frame (and the boy is riding that direction). There is a brighter spot in the curb area toward the left side of the frame. I might use photoshop to brighten that area just a bit. I also might use photoshop to put a little "motion blur" to everything in the frame except the bike and rides. Right now the rider is a static object. A slower shutter speed and a little "panning" with the rider would have conveyed "motion" into the picture. Since the pic was not shot that way, a small amount of photoshp effect might improve the shot.

The biggest problem with this shot is that the rider's cap is missing it's top! That's a problem for me. The shot works but my eye keeps wandering to that spot where the top of the hat is cropped off. There is also one small highlight (fence post?) next to the rider's hat. That can be fixed but probably not the hat top.

Good effort with an "artsy" look to it

[rutt]

I tried to conclude that I liked this picture and I failed. Then I tried to conclude that I didn't like it and I failed as well. The composition works on an abstract level. Other than that, this is not a technically good image. It's soft. The B&W conversion is crude. There is more detail in the pavement than in the subject.
So?

I can't escape the feeling that there is a story here that I'm almost but not quite getting. Is there something wrong with this boy? Lonely, yes, but why? The road he is on is lonely. I don't think this is meant to be exactly literal. He is riding away and it seems unlikely we can contact him...

So, it's intriguing. But I still can't say that it's good. I don't think it stands alone. Maybe it needs to be part of a series. Or, better, an illustration for a little story of some sort. Maybe it only needs a few sentence caption to make this happen. Enough to deepen the mystery but not enough to erase it.

[ginger_55]

Right off, I like it. Just do, don't know why.

However, why "lonely"? That distracts me. If there were more road, I might conclude that it is lonely, but with just the curb showing, I have to take your word for it that it was lonely.

Does the lonely have more to do with you, your brother, or the road? Just curious.......

ginger

[ian408]

There are lots of things to like about this shot. The composition, it's
black and white look and somewhat dreary feel.

When I looked at it, I liked it. If I could suggest a couple of things to
improve it, they'd be framing and focus. By framing, I mean to include the
top of the rider's head--possibly get rid of whatever is next to his head as
well--I'd shoot wider giving myself more at the top and left side of the image.
The picture looks a little soft. Hence the focus comment. You might add a bit
of contrast as well.

Nice shot. Keep 'em coming.

Ian

[Rufio220]

So i called it lonely because it looks dark to me and lonely.

The hat thing is true, i will try it again.

I have a bike that will fit the earlier era and if i can take the picture back at that spot i will.

Thank you for your comets.

Keep them comeing.:thumb

[mercphoto]

This is my little Brother. I was just wondering if it was good, and if i used the curve of the raod right or the position of mt brother.

Cool composition, though the cap is missing, as has been stated. The soft focus for me isn't a big issue. I'm not one to demand photos be technically perfect to be considered a great photo. I've seen way too many great photos that were not technically perfect.

However, this is not a great photo yet. I love the B&W and nostaglic feel. The image needs more contrast however. Things are too much middle grey. A great B&W image needs true blacks, true whites (i.e. blown highlights helps) and shades of grey.

One thing to try would be to keep the color of the child's jacket something rather different from the background colors. That makes it easier in the B&W conversion to make the jacket color stand out against the background.

The idea was a very good one. I would re-shoot and try again for sure.

[Shay Stephens]

I'm diggin' the photo. To make it look like the cap was intentional, try cutting off an equal amount of the bikes tire (crop). That should finish it off. It rocks.



This is my little Brother. I was just wondering if it was good, and if i used the curve of the raod right or the position of mt brother.

[ginger_55]

Yes, I like that, Shay!

g