China Candids

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Visual narrative is the art of storytelling through dynamics of the frame. If I was more inclined to spend 10 mins writing this reply I would try and list lots of interesting still/moving image methods. But essentially it's about telling a story.

If a couple is walking away from the camera arm in arm down a path (set in bokeh) they represent a favorable scenario. They are walking away from us and in doing so living happily ever after. If that same couple were to be walking towards us (same lighting etc) the picture tells a different story (are they happy?, how does the expression alter the image?), we've lost the happily ever after, but we might have gained something else. Again with contre jour maybe, totally different story, etcetc.

None of these images seem to say anything interesting, or have any real 'story'. If you were to shoot them again, what would you do different?.

I should add that 'Visual Narrative' is an actual school of thought relating to moving and still image.
 
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i think we have all had enough of this now, how about we return to the images. Some dont like them, some do, im sure russel would appreciate some more constructive criticisms and comments and wishes to move back to the photos.
 
matty said:
visual narrative is a series of images that tells a story

the couple parting would be that, they interest me, im afraid ive never been any good at candid so cant comment on the rest.
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I would be happy to accept your definition. It does raise the question about a single image. How does it have visual narrative as it is standalone? And the supplementary question is: How can you criticise a single candid as having no visual narrative?

There are two images of the young couple and thus there is a series, albiet the smallest one possible. I could post a series of candids about young Chinese people on Wanfujing Street and that series might have a visual narrative.
 
rh1944 said:
I would be happy to accept your definition. It does raise the question about a single image. How does it have visual narrative as it is standalone? And the supplementary question is: How can you criticise a single candid as having no visual narrative?
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Quite simply!. If the image tells a story, insinuates plot or creates emotion by virtue of it's ability to convey a situation it has narrative. Jebus!.
 
Well, my opinion is that they don't tell a story. Its really that simple.

btw, the first one looks cropped, can you post the original ?
 
matty said:
i think we have all had enough of this now, how about we return to the images. Some dont like them, some do, im sure russel would appreciate some more constructive criticisms and comments and wishes to move back to the photos.
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Quite right. I would. In my more cynical moments, I might suspect Raymond Lin, benneh and Garry79 of trolling. If I am not to do it then I don't expect others to do it to me. May we put all this to one side? If you don't like my images that's fine, just explain in clear, concrete and constructive terms what you would recommend that I do to make them better.
 
rh1944 said:
Quite right. I would. In my more cynical moments, I might suspect Raymond Lin, benneh and Garry79 of trolling. If I am not to do it then I don't expect others to do it to me. May we put all this to one side? If you don't like my images that's fine, just explain in clear, concrete and constructive terms what you would recommend that I do to make them better.
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I seriously take offence to this! Completely unfounded and unnecessary.
 
rh1944 said:
Quite right. I would. In my more cynical moments, I might suspect Raymond Lin, benneh and Garry79 of trolling. If I am not to do it then I don't expect others to do it to me. May we put all this to one side? If you don't like my images that's fine, just explain in clear, concrete and constructive terms what you would recommend that I do to make them better.
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Ok, constructive...I can do that.

I stand by my comments of them being taken at a distance with a long zoom, I said 200mm. I have looked at the EXIF and indeed most of them are at 300mm.

Take for example the first one, a head shot shows nothing to me, to me that is not a candid. What is he doing? Where is he? Zoom out a bit, use a shorter focal length, move in with your feet and take a photo, he could be doing Tai Chi for all i know and that would be a lot more interesting than a shot of just his head.
 
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Fair enough :). I don't think that they are terrible images in their own right, just that as candid photos they would benefit from saying a little more than they do.
Candid is a weird area in that you can spend all day shooting and only really catch 5-6 fractional moments that tell a story. Woman scratching a lottery card, kid half falling over trying to ride a bike that's too big for him etc. Otherwise it's just long distance snapping, and basically akin to pointing your camera at a lamp-post (I'm not trolling btw).
 
keep it critical and constructive please gents, some good advice can be given here if its kept tidy, Garry, comments have been noted. Keep it on track or its going to be locked.
 
That's enough for me chaps. Include me out. The thread's all yours.
 
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