Critique Beginner Street Photography - opinions please

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Mauri3205

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Mo
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To give some context, my wife and I were out after dropping our son off at a birthday. During that time we walked into a shop and she bought a blue dress and she put it on before continuing our day. I thought it was a lovely dress and thought to isolate her against Turnham Green Church (Chiswick, London) as we were walking by it.

https://flic.kr/p/2kXutfw
View: https://flic.kr/p/2kXutfw


The 2nd photo is me messing around with the red filter for the stop sign and by accident catching that beauty of a car on the right. I thought it balanced really nicely to the left and right of the photo.

https://flic.kr/p/2kXxV8g
View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/192943262@N04/51168105601/
 
Spot colour (the name of this effect) has a bit of a bad reputation because, like so many effects, it has been horribly over-used at times in the past. That may be why no-one has commented yet.

Opinions. ;)

The first image works for me because the subject (your wife) stands out well thanks to the effect, even though she's a long way off to one side, and the cyclists are't so bright that they dominate while still adding interest. It's OK that your wife is facing away because we 'know' we're following her and she's standing out very effectively in the frame. Stuff I'd change would be the sleeve/arm on the far right hand side (crop it out) and to just level the image a little with the RHS seeming slightly higher than the left.

Second image doesn't work for me as it is. The most important part (the person in the foreground who is the largest item in the scene) blends in too much and is facing away, while the red slign and car both demand our attention without telling us anything. Our 'eye' knows the person here is most important but is continually drawn either side and the picture loses cohesion and narrative. Stuff I'd change would be to either lose the spot colour completely, or to divide the image in 2 with the pole carrying the Devonshire Road sign as the dividing point. The right hand image then has some nice leading lines and a strong motoring interest, while the left hand side then has the much more significant subject walking into a shopping area (not necessarily exciting, but certainly a stronger image and better without the spot colour).

Now this is just my opinion - feel free to note or ignore as seems appropriate.

HTH
 
Thank you for taking the time to write this response. I will keep my answer short, :agree:all points noted and taken onboard.

:ty:
 
I think this is why colour popping gets a bit of a bad rep. My eye is drawn to the colour and little else. It's almost like the photographer is asking no questions of me as a viewer. Here is your subject. I made it stand out for you. If the church was an important part of the 1st image, it's gone completely ignored by me as I see it more as a "modes of transport" image - the walker, cyclist and driver all being called out.

With the red one, my eyes are drawn to the red, which are the bits I would probably least want the viewer to be looking at.

I have found that desaturating the colours I don't want attention drawn to by a small amount is much more effective at making something "pop" than flat out grayscaling them.

Also my opinion :) Take what you like & leave the rest.
 
That makes a lot of sense. I think I went too far following earlier advice about finding a subject of interest for my photos instead of neutral.

So my lesson of the day is take the photo, make sure there is an interesting subject but equally respect those looking at the photo to see it for themselves without me spelling it out.

As I’m typing this I think of Thatcher’s words that being powerful is like being a lady, if you say you are then you aren’t. If I have to point out the interesting part of the photo so much, it probably isn’t.

Thank you @Harlequin565
 
Agree with those above...but a lovely MGB.;)
 
EJB said:
Agree with those above...but a lovely MGB.;)
Click to expand...
Yes it is! Shame I caught it completely by accident otherwise I would have given it pride of place with a close up.
 
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