Looking for guidance

It's an interesting composition with the dead space behind the reader, rather than in front, but I like the way the carpet draws the eye into the building and the open doorway? giving a hint into the inner sanctum
 
IMHO I do not like all the space to the right. I would have cropped the last 1/4 of the image (just at the end of the wall)
Love the subject and the B&W treatment.
Perhaps a slightly deeper dof?
 
The space doesn't bother me at all. I'd be interested to know if it was intentional or not though, and if so, what prompted Neil to do it.
 
it is a bit tight on the left hand side
?
 
When I took the picture I Sat with this guy for about10 minutes before actually taking the picture. It's just the way I saw it at the time as there was a large bin on the left side
 
I think it works. I'm making some assumptions here, but I think I'm correct (please let me know if that's not the case). As Neil seems to either live or work in Malaysia, we can assume this gentleman is Muslim. If not, then the majority will read him as being Muslim. There's a lot of distrust and paranoia about Islam at the moment, and placing him on the left, and allowing a glimpse into the place (mosque?) does increase the sense of voyeurism and curiosity in this image. While a more critical reading may offer an opinion that suggests this is a negative image, the fact is, the composition works. To ignore the subject matter and just assume that he should be more central, or perhaps at the right, looking into the image would be just judging the image by it's formal values while ignoring the story. There's a lot of that around here.... we look, but we don't see.

I think it's a strong image.
 
David,
This picture was taken in a Mosque in Old Delhi. I am and look like a 100% westerner (Biker kind of guy) but I know from living overseas for the last 25 years that you have to respect each and everyone's culture and religion. So with baby steps I approached the guy in the picture and sat down beside him and just smiled. After about 5 minutes he looked up at me and smiled back, I asked him if he was ok with me sitting near him and he smiled, he asked to see my Leica Camera, he took a look at it and smiled again. I gestured that I wanted to take his picture and again he smiled and carried on reading his book so I took a few pictures and left.........that's how I got the picture :)
 
ndwgolf said:
When I took the picture I Sat with this guy for about10 minutes before actually taking the picture. It's just the way I saw it at the time as there was a large bin on the left side
Click to expand...

couldnt have done better then!

i had to have a tiny crit
 
In a strange way I quite like have a nose around at whats going on through the passage behind him, and he is an interesting subject--I like it Neil , intended on not,

Geoff
 
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