Waiting - Please Critique by northy

Waiting - Please Critique

As I was walking by City Hall this morning, this is the scene that met my eye... I am convinced the gentleman sitting on the cooler had set up that table, chairs, place settings and flowers and was waiting upon his beloved to share breakfast with him... (or maybe he's a photog waiting for the model, but hey, didn't see any equipment!)...

This is a crop of a much larger photo... I have an even tighter crop in my 3rd album... one question i have is whether this image works better as above, with the context of the passersby and the larger space, or if the tighter crop still communicates how public this spot is... and any other thoughts you might have as well...
http://365project.org/northy/somebody-stop-m/2013-04-09

A chess shot here:
http://365project.org/northy/365/2013-04-09
Awesome
April 10th, 2013  
this one is my favorite of the two.. but both are good.. it just goes to show what composition will do for a photo.. It can change the entire story.
April 10th, 2013  
To me, this shot conveys the contrast between an intimate table for two with the public setting the best. I love the figures for the washroom. It's the passerby that makes the most difference, I think. Awesome shots.
April 10th, 2013  
I prefer this one. His story (well, the one we impart on him) is the perfect line of focus for this image. Love it.
April 10th, 2013  
Hmmm ... I like and probably prefer the context of this one. While I really like the big "SNACK" and bathroom signs, the stark whiteness of it keeps pulling my eye away from the scene. In any case, it is wonderfully seen and I like it very much. Did he see you? It's like he's observing what you're observing.
April 10th, 2013  
@still_beachradish actually, he was mostly just staring into space... i doubt he saw me... at the same time i was taking shots, there was another woman who went right up to the table and started shooting close ups... i am betting she did not notice him... i had to wait for her to leave the frame for this one... i have a few with her in it, and might have made for an interesting piece, but the angle was all wrong...
April 10th, 2013  
I really like this one. The triangle created by the dude & the two signs is the area I find myself looking at. The other people are slightly in the dark, not catching the eye too much, yet still balancing the shot and giving context. The area above the signs could be cropped a bit, a balance between giving context but not hogging away too much of the frame (because there's nothing happening).
April 10th, 2013  
I'm liking this version I think
April 10th, 2013  
It's amazing how cropping can affect not only what is perceived to be the subject of the photo, but also the atmosphere and feelings generated. I took this one and cropped it down to the guy apparently staring after the girl leaving (bottom right), and came out with a rather sad, lonely image.

Interesting capture. This was the "new" City hall place I take it? The UFO?
April 10th, 2013  
Love the drama and tones, cool shot
April 10th, 2013  
I like this for context but like the details and textures more in the close crop. What a goofy scene!
April 10th, 2013  
I prefer the context of this one - but agree with @still_beachradish about the signs.
Being honest, it's the two people on the left which continually draw my eye. Not really sure why - I do wonder if it's a result of the vignette (my brain can't just scan over them, so makes me stop to look properly).
It would be interesting to see a crop with them not in it - maybe playing with implying that the lady on the right is part of the story and is walking away from him.
April 10th, 2013  
Heh, I tried different crops of this with holding two pieces of paper against my screen... :D Real high-tech stuff. Anyway, if I had to crop this shot differently, I'd make the lonely guy the leftmost interest point of the shot. And I'd crop the top away. So, in effect, a compromise between the two crops you've done here. But in any case, well spotted and there is a story, which is always good. :)
April 10th, 2013  
funny scene! would love to know what happend then... :D
April 10th, 2013  
I saw this yesterday but had no time to comment then. I think both shots have merit but I'd say this one does it for me. It shows the whole scene and the context of guy sitting, waiting although I can fully appreciate what the others have said xx
April 10th, 2013  
This is definitely my favourite. There is a feeling of it being a big(ish) open space and he's alone plonked in the middle of it.
April 10th, 2013  
I prefer this one. I like the sense of him in a big space and I like the signs - nice shot
April 10th, 2013  
Interesting scene.
April 11th, 2013  
Okay, so I saw this and to be honest, it piqued my interest but not too much. I was mostly interested in the story behind it. BUT when I saw the closeup of the guy and the table: BINGO! Omg, I love it. I'll write more there.
April 11th, 2013  
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