It may not be a good idea to critique a critique of a critique ....:-)
But then again I do think both yours and Cotty's comments are very interesting.
I too have a problem with the passersby. I think the wheelchair adds another dimension to the two foremost persons' gaze at the beggar. Therefore, I think the shot would have been a lot better if they were not on the edge of the frame.
Jostein
----- Original Message ----- From: "frank theriault" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <pentax-discuss@pdml.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 2:00 AM
Subject: Re: PESO: The splendour and the misery of Berlin
On Sun, 20 Mar 2005 00:12:38 +0000, Cotty <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:On 20/3/05, Peter Lacus, discombobulated, unleashed:
>http://www.misenet.sk/Berlin/ > >Bedo.
Bedo, half of all photography is not photographing at all.
a...n...t..i..c..i...p...a...t..i..o..n
Let the passers by do some passing by ;-)
Cheers, Cotty
I disagree. (sorry to critique a critique, but I know Cotty will take
it in the spirit intended <g>).
I think the passersby looking at the unfortunate lady are an important
part of the photo.
Commenting on the photo in and of itself, my problem with it is that
the woman sort of gets lost down there in the corner. I know you
wanted to get the majestic statues in there to contrast the old lady,
but I think in doing that she sort of gets lost.
I was going to say, "if I were taking the photo..." and then give some
advice, but I'm not taking the photo, and really, to be fair, I should
only comment on what's being presented. <vbg>
So, I think that the photo as is, is still a good one; it's a good idea, to be sure. But I think it ~could~ be a lot stronger, if done just a bit differently.
BTW, the comment Bill made about Caveman, refers to a former lister
(he'll be back, we all know it <g>) who really didn't like photos of
so called "street people" at all. He railed against them every time
one was posted, and IIRC, the last time he took leave of this list was
after a flame war WRT an apparently homeless person.
That being said, I think you handled the sticky issue of photographing
the less fortunate well, here. We can't see her face, and you really
are trying to make a statement here, not just exploit her, IMHO. I
think it's a sensitive photo.
cheers, frank
-- "Sharpness is a bourgeois concept." -Henri Cartier-Bresson
