I stumbled across this scene during White Night last weekend. I found it interesting, but I'm having trouble figuring out whether anyone else would. Maybe it's interesting with what I've shown in the frame. Maybe it needs a series/photo essay. Maybe it plain isn't interesting enough.
In both cases, the scene shows a "keystone effect" where because of camera angle the building appears to be leaning backward. This should be attended to.
In addition to the keystoning, I'm wanting to see more of the people dynamic, but the mass of the upper building dominates / commands a lot of attention, kinda dwarfing the folks. I think you are a bit in "no man's land" stuck 1/2 way between architecture vs. street @ trying to do too much, and coming up a bit short on each.
Cropping down to more of a street focus (even a pano) might have some merit to help convey the people / night-life aspect.
RustyBug wrote:
... the mass of the upper building dominates / commands a lot of attention, kinda dwarfing the folks.
That was exactly what I was trying to convey, which was one reason I left the keystoning. What I found bizarre about the scene was the contrast between the restaurant and the general neglect of the rest of the building, down to an old neon sign from a former Chinese business still there but not lit, stuck incongruously on a Victorian era building.
Cropping down to more of a street focus (even a pano) might have some merit to help convey the people / night-life aspect.
IMO there's nothing notable about that, and I wasn't interested in it. And as you may have noticed, most Australians have no dress sense!
Here are two more edits of the second one, 078, which I like better than 075. This time they've been processed using Adobe (the first two were with DxO). DxO does a much better job with the noise, but destroys the colours and much of the mood. 78A is as framed in camera apart from lens corrections, and 78B has the keystoning corrected. I managed to keep one end of the Chinese neon in 78B and at least some of the dead space behind the lady at left.
Mexican restaurant, Lonsdale St. 201702_WNMEL_078A
Mexican restaurant, Lonsdale St. 201702_WNMEL_078B
I can imagine it might be the sensory experience of "being" there - sights, sounds, aromas, etc...
For me, not having that experience, I see and am pulled between the facade and people, so there are competing components, but I'm totally missing, and not perceiving, the connections you list above.
Afraid I have no suggestion of how to incorporate those into the image. To remove one of the two elements, might try mono version which would bring folks to the people aspect.
Bob Jarman wrote:
What other aspects of the image interests you?
I can imagine it might be the sensory experience of "being" there - sights, sounds, aromas, etc...
For me, not having that experience, I see and am pulled between the facade and people, so there are competing components, but I'm totally missing, and not perceiving, the connections you list above.
Afraid I have no suggestion of how to incorporate those into the image. To remove one of the two elements, might try mono version which would bring folks to the people aspect.
Best,
Bob
Agree with Bob's comments about your photo not conveying to the viewer what you "saw" and "felt." that we only learn through your commentary. Technical considerations aside (keystoning, wb issues, etc.), your photo seems like a random street shot without a sharply honed theme or "focus". The fact that there are many people surrounding and enjoying the mexican restaurant undercuts your theme about the building being decrepit.
