Hey friends,

I'm stuck on this image would you mind giving me some suggestions? its just not working for me

Rian

I'm not sure which elements you're not feeling with this photo as you currently have it. So my suggestion will be a bit of a shot in the dark. How about making it look like the paint has been sprayed across the foreground on something transparent and then wiped clear to reveal all the critical areas you want displayed? Think of foam sprayed over the camera and then wiped clean wherever you want it clean. Consider moving the fellow pointing skyward to a position where his finger leads more directly to the helicopter. Maybe remove one wall in the background to give you more space to work with in your composition? The fellow on the right of the image looks like he doesn't belong in the image. I think this is mainly due to the lighting in comparison to the others.

Unfortunately, I think part of the flaw of this image you may be feeling comes from the expression/poses of the individuals in it. Two appear in panic, one looks ready for a fight and one looks indifferent or even happy about what is happening. I think as a viewer, I could buy having the guy holding the can with the expression he has... but not both him and the guy with chained fist while two others are freaking out. Maybe the poses/expressions fit their personalities, but this needs to be a more cohesive graphic conveying a strong and unified message to the viewer. I'm not sure if any of this will be helpful, but you have my initial two cents.

Rian,

Big fan of your stuff. The guy with the chain...wrists are a bit delicate looking for a chain handler. Maybe project a reflection of the cell phone image on the cheek for guy on right?

Chuck

My impression pretty much echos J's

Like the concept and I get the story you are trying to tell here - tagger caught in the act by the cops -- but it comes across like individual portraits arbitrarily pasted into the same frame. The only thing that unifies then is the clothing... The guy with the can and the other pointing at the chopper fit the message but the other two don't. The one with the phone is very distracting from the one in foreground painting and pulls attention up and out rather than up and in toward the chopper. My eye moved from the guy with the can to the guy with the phone and got stuck there because he's got the most interesting expression. It took awhile to scan the rest of the frame notice the chopper or the fact they where in an alley with tagged walls because the crop is so tight there's very little context.

It would work better for me if the two guys in the middle were doing something relating to the story line. For example instead of having a chain around his fist and looking tough the one on the left could have an armload full of extra paint cans and the one on the right could have his right hand on the outside shoulder of the guy with the can with his other arm stretched out and also point at the chopper. That would create a more triangular composition with leading lines pointing the center apex where chopper is. Everyone in the photo would appear to be doing something related to the storyline..

A wider shot, showing more of the tagged walls on either side would provide more context and make it feel less crammed into the frame. Also when you add more negative space to a composition it unifies the figures in the middle more because relative to the larger canvas they seem closer together - its a perceptual thing...

I also like J's idea of using a spray painted glass to frame it and moving the can up in the frame so its a bit more visible. If you do the framing thing white will be too distracting on the dark background. I'd suggest black for the edges (representing the blank wall) like a vignette then some color paint spot.

If you wanted to add another level to the story line you might have them wearing some color bandana which is the same color as the tag he is painting (avoid red or blue to prevent pissing off the Bloods and Crips and getting shot). For example they could all be wearing a purple bandana somewhere, around neck, on head, etc. and the guy with the can would be painting purple tag saying (figuratively) it is "purple gang" turf. That would be an idea which could be a clever visual pun if the band had some color associated with its name or one of its songs.. (e.g. Prince ... Purple Rain)

i think you need one theme it is not clear what that is right now - are they fighting, painting, or running from the chopper?
and the guy on the right needs a little help to match the others lighting

very cool with the chopper etc.