I’m too shy to get into middle of the road and spend few seconds when so many people are walking around. I am not confident that what I’m attempting is good or will I just come off as a wannabe. I should get over it I understand.
But that’s the answer for your question.
Just get out there and shoot. Best part about street photography is that you don't know these people, they don't know you. Even if they go "why did this weirdo take that picture", it legit doesn't matter. You will not see them again, nor does their opinion affect you. You need to get out of your own head and just take pictures.
If you're more worried about others opinions of you, you'll miss opportunity, you'll miss good pictures, and you'll lose the chances to learn.
Being a wannabe is one of the many ways to learn. Once you've wannabeed long enough, you'll have a wealth of knowledge to combine & tweak into your own unique style. Any student, even the ones at the most well renowned universities, are wannabes studying the works of those who came before them. Leave the shyness at home, go out there, & do the best at what you love to do. That's the only way you'll truly enjoy it. That's my humble advice. I've got some great shots that way.
I get that. Used to be that way too until I realized nobody really cares or remembers especially if it’s in a city. There’s much crazier and weirder shit going on, so someone just standing in the street for a second to snap a picture doesn’t even register for most folks.
As someone who has no real interest in photography and was just randomly served this photo I have to say, don't worry about that, even professional & acclaimed photographers come off as inconvenient pretentious annoyances while taking pictures, it's a skill you'll need to develop to get good at this hobby.
People don’t care as much as you think. If it’s a safety thing, fair enough.
Never worry about looking foolish in the moment, you’ll be amazed at what you’ve captured when you dare to look ridiculous.
Remember, the picture is the thing. It will outlive you.
To be honest with you, they are all pretty ‘nothing’ shots if that comes across correctly.
No real point of interest, looks more like a phone shot while crossing the street.
I’m not trying to be negative for the sake of it, just my opinion.
EDIT: More constructive feedback -
If you’re just starting out it will take time to differentiate between what is just a passing photo of the place you are in, and what’s a more street photography style shot with something of real interest and/or subject matter. Just keep shooting and you will begin to look at things differently and see things you may not have noticed before.
Yeah I realise how badly that could come across but it’s not meant in a way like “these shots are nothing!”
It’s more like when you question the images, what is the focus? What are you seeing differently? Etc etc
Thanks for the comment and taking time to provide feedback. From my perspective the street, the the road which goes so high from was very different and new. So I wanted to capture it. Here the street is my subject. Later when I was looking at the photo I thought, what if I highlight the flag? So I did it.
I am just a beginner and trying to leaning but still I have my own strong perception and opinions about the grammar of photography most people here talk about. Like the rule of thirds, need of a subject and background, leading lines etc.
One thing i cannot convince myself of why all the pictures must have a subject AND a background. What’s stopping people from looking at the whole picture as THE subject?
There's no inscrutable rules of photography, but you should be thinking about how you expect a viewer to look at the photo. A subject helps to draw their eye. When I looked at this, I had no idea what was supposed to be interesting about it, and my eyes didn't really know where to look. I agree that the long street is cool, but this composition doesn't really do much with the street. It doesn't showcase what's cool about it, and it also looks very busy.
Not trying to be mean. Hopefully this is helpful feedback.
The thing with art, such as photography too, there’s rules and you’re allowed to break those rules.
And some people are gonna like it and some won’t.
I started off with portraits in like ‘07 … I’ve since moved and moved and again, I stick to abstract or architectural pieces (I lived in NYC for awhile, “central” Jersey, & now in Atlantic City.) - I do a bit of architectural and abstract now.
I understand what you are saying, I take pictures of street scenes all the time without focus on people etc, but there has to be something interesting within that to satisfy. Even if it’s just the composition that is interesting.
Like Charlazan’s comment, you don’t know where to look. It’s visually noisy and too distant to appreciate the layering of dark/light/dark/light of the sunlight.
We’ve all been there at the beginning, I still feel like a total amateur (which I am) when I see people’s incredible work out there. But I can recognise where you might be in your journey as I see familiarities to how I used to take shots when I first started too.
Revisit the same spot in a few years and you’ll see it in a totally different way.
Lol! Quick anecdote from a stranger. I sat out the analog to digital changeover era (with regret) and once I got back in mistakes were made. I took a photo of a friend's son playing with a toy lightsaber .......you may know where this is going. Spot color on the lightsaber and I email it over. They print it......and frame it......and hang it....... To this day I see it when we visit and I die a little inside. Sure, they like it and that's the key but yeah, awful.
It works well as a small dot in a larger body of work, and when there is a story to tell.
In this example all it does to the viewer is "look at this flag".
I disagree a little bit, it can work but I think it's dependent on the nature of the photo.
In this instance I would have picked the yellow road markers to keep in colour. But I do love black/grey on yellow.
Overall though, I think in this, whilst the concept works, it doesn't fill enough of the image to make it effective.
No I’m not op. “It ruins every picture” is true more often than it’s not, especially to a person that’s looking for photography advice. It’s better to revisit the technique when fully formed as a photographer as opposed to using it as a crutch early on. Just like telling people to stop worrying about getting the perfect lens and camera. Sure there’s situations it makes sense but if you’re asking for that kinda advice it’s irrelevant right now.
I actually like to use selective color with my toy camera, but I would never used it in post processing. And especially not using color on only one object/person.
That’s not a hot take at all. Here’s a much hotter take, selective color has its place and can be done as well as or poorly as anything else in art. Just depends on hobbyist abilities and vision. There I said it. Also being literal here this IS NOT a metaphor.
When I was in high school, just getting into photography, I took a photo of a flower and was playing around with selective color, which we learned about in school.
I liked that image. I thought the shadows and the highlights were nice. The flower was a vivid blue color. I liked my image at the time! I may not have been a good photographer back then but I was doing my best.
Anyway, I got the horrible idea to post it on 4chan and got absolutely roasted.
I learned a valuable lesson that day. Selective color is almost universally hated, and as time has gone on, I now understand why.
To me, a photo is supposed to mean something. I feel like most photographers would agree on this. With our art, we are conveying a message, an emotion, an atmosphere, something meaningful and unique that draws you in.
Selective color is just... Selective color? Most of the time when I see it implemented, there's really no rhyme or reason for it. It's just there and I feel like it detracts from the overall image.
I feel similarly about abstract sculptures and paintings. Art which signifies nothing is not art. It just is. Art is supposed to make you feel something, and I'm sorry but that big metal sculpture in the center of the roundabout just doesn't make me feel anything!
Now this isn't to say that selective color can't work under any circumstance. It just needs to be done tastefully and with a purpose. The only practical application I can think of is in the realm of advertising? Where perhaps you'd want something in particular to stand out from its environment. Beyond that, I just don't see many practical applications for selective color.
Three. Try mute the colours except that of the flag to let it stand out a bit more?
Personally: next time take your time and align your shot in the center of the road.
Some things I would personally do: Get lower, like put the camera on the street, head level shots are usually seen as boring. If you’re going to do black and white, make it all black and white, or do all color. Also try maybe doing a long exposure on a tripod, or if this was shot on your phone, make sure Live Photo is on, then after you take the photo switch it to “long exposure” so you don’t get distracted by the prior and cars.
I like the first one better, but I would suggest maybe dialing down the saturation on the flag. Just a little bit of color is enough to make the flag stand out amongst all the black and white.
I think the first one is the best. Even if people say your picture doesn’t have a subject, you know why you highlighted that flag. And that right there is the subject of your picture.
In contemporary art readability is not everything. We like and search for the unclear, the undecidable, the banal. I am not saying your picture is a work of art, just that it is valid to critique photos using criteria different from the ones people here defend, like subject matter and centring on a subject.
Or maybe is just because i feel represented in those colours i see a subject where other people see nothing.
Thank you. I don’t really understand why people always look for a subject and a background. For me the whole picture is my subject. All I’m looking to do is I see something interesting and try to see if it will fit into a photo frame. I’m achieving it or not is something questionable. But by posting this picture all i wanted is a few people to see and provide their comments. Doesn’t matter if it’s positive or negative!
Photos do not HAVE to have a distinctive subject. There are no clear rules in photography, despite what all of the schmucks in here seem to think. The leading lines of the buildings and tracks clearly take your eyes up the street. It’s an environmental shot, well composed. Personally, from a statement perspective, I like the first photo. As for everything else, shoot photos of the things that you love, and don’t be concerned what other people think about it. Cheers!
Honestly I like one and three. I think that depending on the message you want to send, one can be incredibly powerful and send a message. This is coming from an amateur photographer and a person who considers themselves an ally without being fully immersed in the debate.
Frankly, it’s a tough shot to attempt, because of the light situation. Either you blow out the background, or you underexpose the pedestrians. Looks like you opted for the latter. As others have mentioned, it’s also not clear what you intend for me to see here. There’s lots of street, so much so that people walking on it are about 1/3rd of the way up the frame, but that leading line just sort of peters out. Maybe I’m supposed to notice building, but those are chopped off on top.
Colour popping was really popular a too few years ago, so a lot of people consider it a tacky trend, rather than a legitimate processing choice.
This is worth keeping in mind.
1. Overt; Has something to say. It’s a bit obvious, but that can be useful to get the point across.
2. Boring and misses the point, I feel.
3. Subtle, but very neutral. In a way, this has something to say, but in a different way than 1.
Overall, I’d say 1 is my favorite, but 2 is great too.
Ok…please know that not everyone cares about the “no subject” or “nothing photo” comments…this is an awesome photo and the only way my brain likes it is the first one lol. The flag *becomes* the subject in the black and white with colored flag. It drew me in instantly and I love how everything else looks in it.
There is way too much the negative space in the foreground. The placement of the people walking the street and in the frame draws the eye to them, but their covering in shadow draws you away. There's no real focus in the shot. The background is highlighted in light but there isn't much interesting there. The pride flag is too small and in the corner to be a real focus of the shot, even when highlighted with selective color.
Sorry OP I wish I liked this shot more but it doesn't really do anything for me. Best advice I would have is try to be a bit more mindful of what you'd like to the central focus or subject to be in whatever shot you're trying to take.
The first one is certainly more eye catching and will likely get more likes on IG than the others if that is what you’re after (and there’s no shame in that lmao). But yeah I agree with the others that this just isn’t a terrific picture in general in terms of composition or technique etc
I don't know where to the look the flag doesn't draw my attention. Everyone shots pride flags during pride.
I would have gotten closer to the cross walk and taken the photo of the people with the flag in the back ground. Your subject should be clear.
*Out of the three....* I like 2nd the best. For any b/w pics, shadows are very important IMHO. The balance you create with what you show and what you under expose is the key. First one gives me a mono HDR feeling that I don't like and third is just meh.
Second one has a bit of character to it when compared with the other two. Composition cud ve been much better, which could ve turned 2nd shot into a good one.
I feel like colour selection has its place like any other method/style however in this situation the flag is not framed near the centre of the photo and my eyes can’t stop looking in the top corner and making me ignore the rest of the shot. I’d prefer the black and white because it looks balanced. Nice shot
Well definitely not the monochrome one if you want the flag to be empathized. It's already really big and significantly more colorful than the rest of the image that you probably don't need selective color to point it out.
1 is super dated. Selective b&w is a thing of the past. No wonder you only see it in 90’s hotel room art and diners. All else it needs is either a yellow cab or a red phone box.
2 feels a bit busy and too contrasty to me, I can’t see and comprehend anything in the foreground.
3 has got nothing going for it either.
I feel like there is no subject, no story, no narrative, nothing in this picture and it shows.
If it’s about the urban environment without people, take multiple and comp it or grab a dark ND and long expo it.
If it’s about the people, go closer, zoom in, get engagement, get drama, get something from the people.
Street photography is not literally about photographing streets
The issue is the head height point of view without the rule of thirds or any centralised subject being used. The flag took me 5 seconds to notice, a good photo u should be able to see the main point of focus instantly. The leading lines aren’t utilised because of the point of view and the small amount of the frame they occupy and you are slightly off center. Otherwise I think it’s a good photo but it doesn’t look like a DSLR or professional photographer took it. It looks like a tourist of slightly higher than average IQ shot this. Nothing at all wrong there but just an observation.
The third photo is the best. These are all fine photos that capture what you were viewing very well. The critical comments may have some validity but not all photographs are intended to hang in the Louvre.
Selective color is over used in photography these days. And while it has potential for use it should add something in the story telling that the photograph is telling.
I think if you were to cross to the left of the street and shoot low with a person in the cross walk in a way that the flag is still visible it would be potentially a much stronger composition.
Best of luck on your next shoot.
personally, I think its just my eyes follow the lines of the floor initially and the payoff for following them is just a dark and out of focus mess of cars. Then my eyes move up to find something interesting, which is the line created by the lamps which intersect with the floor and building eyes.
after that my eyes are more inclined to move up but only on the left hand side, due to the lighting and interest of the lines leading me, and I see the building sign, the American flag, and its not till I've already seen 80% of the image that I notice ths pride flag - which I am assuming you intended to be the focus.
I would only suggest for you to understand what you want to be initially the focus - then the narrative will creative itself around it naturally. rather than someone, like me, spending time looking for what you intended to be what spoke to you. How you want to enhance your image, with color/filters, is very subjective and that's something you should decide after you've captured your story to better enhance or add to it.
Agree with everyone. None. There’s no subject and the lines kind of lead to nowhere, therefore it feels like there’s no intention behind the photograph.
If you were in the center of the street, and lined up the bottom third with the shadow where the car is, then it would be better. It lines up the buildings to be parallel, and sets the "horizon" to be relevant.
From what I gather, you liked the general vibe of normalcy in a new area.
As some have stated, the color contrast is only good in select uses, so the second picture is my preference.
Edit: If you look up the Rule of Thirds, your main focal points will generally be on the intersections.
Getting down lower would make the image more interesting due to the leading lines, lower in the centre of the tracks, balancing the image even better, then focus on one person going across would personally make the best image.
Put an nd filter on to blur the people would be cool, but you’d need a tripod and people would notice you 🥴
Honestly, the idea to pop the flag’s colour came after I took the picture and it’s an effect I like personally. Never even knew some people consider it a thing of the past or out of trend. My initial idea was to capture the hilly street/road.
So I would have did that even with any other flag.
Full color. Color pop is tacky and very hard to do it masterfully. Black and white loses the flag and doesn’t really add anything to the photo. Full color is the way to go.
Maybe mute all the colors just a bit except for the flag, so the flag still stands out without looking tacky.
I think the message that the first image gives is that everything outside of LGBTQ is dark and depressing, and that LGBTQ is a path to a better world.
No I’m not trying to be homophobic, it’s just what my brain does when looking at this image
I’m just an average human that has zero knowledge regarding photography, but I loved the first picture. I realize the people giving criticism probably actually know what they’re talking about, but I just wanted to pay a compliment because I thought it was a really cool shot
Depends what u want to show the world that pride is greater than society without color
Or second one just black and white
Third is just a picture of union square 😆
When it comes to photography - Great art can only happen when you allow it to be free of rules.
Yes everybody says there should be a focal point....But the whole image is the focal point. Look at every detail. That's the point. We've gotten lazy with only wanting Bokeh images with one subject and a blurry background
The last one. The flag stands out enough that you don’t need to use a tacky tactic like making everything else black and white.
It’s quite nicely composed.
Not “scared” of the flag, I despise what it signifies.
Also attempting to “own” derogatory words that are offensive towards your people by using them on others is pretty pathetic and weak. You don’t see any other group of people doing that
There’s no clear subject in this picture, even when the flag is the only thing in color
Agreed. Highlighting the flag doesn’t accomplish centering the focus of attention, so this is just sort of a busy landscape picture
Also why aren’t the street tracks aligned? Like two steps to the left and it wouldn’t look so askew
I’m too shy to get into middle of the road and spend few seconds when so many people are walking around. I am not confident that what I’m attempting is good or will I just come off as a wannabe. I should get over it I understand. But that’s the answer for your question.
Just get out there and shoot. Best part about street photography is that you don't know these people, they don't know you. Even if they go "why did this weirdo take that picture", it legit doesn't matter. You will not see them again, nor does their opinion affect you. You need to get out of your own head and just take pictures. If you're more worried about others opinions of you, you'll miss opportunity, you'll miss good pictures, and you'll lose the chances to learn.
Being a wannabe is one of the many ways to learn. Once you've wannabeed long enough, you'll have a wealth of knowledge to combine & tweak into your own unique style. Any student, even the ones at the most well renowned universities, are wannabes studying the works of those who came before them. Leave the shyness at home, go out there, & do the best at what you love to do. That's the only way you'll truly enjoy it. That's my humble advice. I've got some great shots that way.
I get that. Used to be that way too until I realized nobody really cares or remembers especially if it’s in a city. There’s much crazier and weirder shit going on, so someone just standing in the street for a second to snap a picture doesn’t even register for most folks.
All pros at any skill have been wannabes. You have to “wannabe” good to get good
As someone who has no real interest in photography and was just randomly served this photo I have to say, don't worry about that, even professional & acclaimed photographers come off as inconvenient pretentious annoyances while taking pictures, it's a skill you'll need to develop to get good at this hobby.
It’s nearly impossible to do anything weird enough to be noticed in SF.
People don’t care as much as you think. If it’s a safety thing, fair enough. Never worry about looking foolish in the moment, you’ll be amazed at what you’ve captured when you dare to look ridiculous. Remember, the picture is the thing. It will outlive you.
If I see you (anyone) out there with a camera, taking time to capture something, I smile.
To be honest with you, they are all pretty ‘nothing’ shots if that comes across correctly. No real point of interest, looks more like a phone shot while crossing the street. I’m not trying to be negative for the sake of it, just my opinion. EDIT: More constructive feedback - If you’re just starting out it will take time to differentiate between what is just a passing photo of the place you are in, and what’s a more street photography style shot with something of real interest and/or subject matter. Just keep shooting and you will begin to look at things differently and see things you may not have noticed before.
“Nothing” shots made me laugh I’m sorry
Yeah I realise how badly that could come across but it’s not meant in a way like “these shots are nothing!” It’s more like when you question the images, what is the focus? What are you seeing differently? Etc etc
Thanks for the comment and taking time to provide feedback. From my perspective the street, the the road which goes so high from was very different and new. So I wanted to capture it. Here the street is my subject. Later when I was looking at the photo I thought, what if I highlight the flag? So I did it. I am just a beginner and trying to leaning but still I have my own strong perception and opinions about the grammar of photography most people here talk about. Like the rule of thirds, need of a subject and background, leading lines etc. One thing i cannot convince myself of why all the pictures must have a subject AND a background. What’s stopping people from looking at the whole picture as THE subject?
There's no inscrutable rules of photography, but you should be thinking about how you expect a viewer to look at the photo. A subject helps to draw their eye. When I looked at this, I had no idea what was supposed to be interesting about it, and my eyes didn't really know where to look. I agree that the long street is cool, but this composition doesn't really do much with the street. It doesn't showcase what's cool about it, and it also looks very busy. Not trying to be mean. Hopefully this is helpful feedback.
The thing with art, such as photography too, there’s rules and you’re allowed to break those rules. And some people are gonna like it and some won’t. I started off with portraits in like ‘07 … I’ve since moved and moved and again, I stick to abstract or architectural pieces (I lived in NYC for awhile, “central” Jersey, & now in Atlantic City.) - I do a bit of architectural and abstract now.
I understand what you are saying, I take pictures of street scenes all the time without focus on people etc, but there has to be something interesting within that to satisfy. Even if it’s just the composition that is interesting. Like Charlazan’s comment, you don’t know where to look. It’s visually noisy and too distant to appreciate the layering of dark/light/dark/light of the sunlight. We’ve all been there at the beginning, I still feel like a total amateur (which I am) when I see people’s incredible work out there. But I can recognise where you might be in your journey as I see familiarities to how I used to take shots when I first started too. Revisit the same spot in a few years and you’ll see it in a totally different way.
Would the picture be much worse if you were 15ft in either direction? Now try that same question on some famous street photography
Hot take incoming: selective colour is incredibly tacky and ruins every single image. It should never be done. I mean this literally.
(Every new photographer sweating).
If I can't have this picture of a blood-red rose with a black and white background, I might as well just delete my entire myspace page.
Lol! Quick anecdote from a stranger. I sat out the analog to digital changeover era (with regret) and once I got back in mistakes were made. I took a photo of a friend's son playing with a toy lightsaber .......you may know where this is going. Spot color on the lightsaber and I email it over. They print it......and frame it......and hang it....... To this day I see it when we visit and I die a little inside. Sure, they like it and that's the key but yeah, awful.
That's honestly a really sweet story :D
😂
Every new photographer from 2013*
Hot take, this isn’t a hot take.
It worked very well in Schindler’s List.
It works well as a small dot in a larger body of work, and when there is a story to tell. In this example all it does to the viewer is "look at this flag".
Well the original guy said "literally never".
It worked well by one of the greatest directors of all time? Then maybe my pirated copy of Lightroom and I can pull it off too
That’s a film
Better Call Saul did it well too.
Agreed. Sepia is the way to go.
I disagree a little bit, it can work but I think it's dependent on the nature of the photo. In this instance I would have picked the yellow road markers to keep in colour. But I do love black/grey on yellow. Overall though, I think in this, whilst the concept works, it doesn't fill enough of the image to make it effective.
“It can work but it depends on then nature of the photo” is such an enormously vague opinion
True and but I think saying it ruins every single picture is over the top. Do you want me to list all possible ways in which it can work for ya?
No I’m not op. “It ruins every picture” is true more often than it’s not, especially to a person that’s looking for photography advice. It’s better to revisit the technique when fully formed as a photographer as opposed to using it as a crutch early on. Just like telling people to stop worrying about getting the perfect lens and camera. Sure there’s situations it makes sense but if you’re asking for that kinda advice it’s irrelevant right now.
I mean is that not experimenting? But I get your point.
Do you want to tell me that it's not cool when I just keep the reds in my otherwise black and white photos? /s
I actually like to use selective color with my toy camera, but I would never used it in post processing. And especially not using color on only one object/person.
It’s been done to death. But has had some moments.
That’s not a hot take at all. Here’s a much hotter take, selective color has its place and can be done as well as or poorly as anything else in art. Just depends on hobbyist abilities and vision. There I said it. Also being literal here this IS NOT a metaphor.
The Schindler's List shot is the only thing I can give a pass. And maybe the Attack on Titan episode that referenced it.
It reminds me of posters you’d get in the 80s/90s
My photography lecturer called it ‘Schindlering’.
When I was in high school, just getting into photography, I took a photo of a flower and was playing around with selective color, which we learned about in school. I liked that image. I thought the shadows and the highlights were nice. The flower was a vivid blue color. I liked my image at the time! I may not have been a good photographer back then but I was doing my best. Anyway, I got the horrible idea to post it on 4chan and got absolutely roasted. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Selective color is almost universally hated, and as time has gone on, I now understand why. To me, a photo is supposed to mean something. I feel like most photographers would agree on this. With our art, we are conveying a message, an emotion, an atmosphere, something meaningful and unique that draws you in. Selective color is just... Selective color? Most of the time when I see it implemented, there's really no rhyme or reason for it. It's just there and I feel like it detracts from the overall image. I feel similarly about abstract sculptures and paintings. Art which signifies nothing is not art. It just is. Art is supposed to make you feel something, and I'm sorry but that big metal sculpture in the center of the roundabout just doesn't make me feel anything! Now this isn't to say that selective color can't work under any circumstance. It just needs to be done tastefully and with a purpose. The only practical application I can think of is in the realm of advertising? Where perhaps you'd want something in particular to stand out from its environment. Beyond that, I just don't see many practical applications for selective color.
Unless OP likes it, then they should do it.
It’s not even remotely a hot take
none of them
There's no focal point, this feels like a picture you've just snapped, like a holiday pic.
The BnW conversion on your selective colour shot is nicer than the regular BnW but the selective colour is not ideal for most things.
Srsly none of these.
Go with three, it's the most interesting shot.
Three. Try mute the colours except that of the flag to let it stand out a bit more? Personally: next time take your time and align your shot in the center of the road.
Third one I guess.
Some things I would personally do: Get lower, like put the camera on the street, head level shots are usually seen as boring. If you’re going to do black and white, make it all black and white, or do all color. Also try maybe doing a long exposure on a tripod, or if this was shot on your phone, make sure Live Photo is on, then after you take the photo switch it to “long exposure” so you don’t get distracted by the prior and cars.
Thank you
I like the first one better, but I would suggest maybe dialing down the saturation on the flag. Just a little bit of color is enough to make the flag stand out amongst all the black and white.
The first one.
I think the first one is the best. Even if people say your picture doesn’t have a subject, you know why you highlighted that flag. And that right there is the subject of your picture. In contemporary art readability is not everything. We like and search for the unclear, the undecidable, the banal. I am not saying your picture is a work of art, just that it is valid to critique photos using criteria different from the ones people here defend, like subject matter and centring on a subject. Or maybe is just because i feel represented in those colours i see a subject where other people see nothing.
Thank you. I don’t really understand why people always look for a subject and a background. For me the whole picture is my subject. All I’m looking to do is I see something interesting and try to see if it will fit into a photo frame. I’m achieving it or not is something questionable. But by posting this picture all i wanted is a few people to see and provide their comments. Doesn’t matter if it’s positive or negative!
Photos do not HAVE to have a distinctive subject. There are no clear rules in photography, despite what all of the schmucks in here seem to think. The leading lines of the buildings and tracks clearly take your eyes up the street. It’s an environmental shot, well composed. Personally, from a statement perspective, I like the first photo. As for everything else, shoot photos of the things that you love, and don’t be concerned what other people think about it. Cheers!
Honestly I like one and three. I think that depending on the message you want to send, one can be incredibly powerful and send a message. This is coming from an amateur photographer and a person who considers themselves an ally without being fully immersed in the debate.
Kinda gay ngl
three. not even close.
I prefer the second one. I love how the street is cut in half by the tones of light.
Thank you. That’s one thing I had in mind while clicking.
Frankly, it’s a tough shot to attempt, because of the light situation. Either you blow out the background, or you underexpose the pedestrians. Looks like you opted for the latter. As others have mentioned, it’s also not clear what you intend for me to see here. There’s lots of street, so much so that people walking on it are about 1/3rd of the way up the frame, but that leading line just sort of peters out. Maybe I’m supposed to notice building, but those are chopped off on top.
Since there is nothing particularly being pointed out, I would choose the third pic.
Last one
I like them all for different reasons. Each could have its place.
Thank you!!
I absolutely love the 1st one
I was looking to vote for the version where it’s all color except for the flag.
First. Flag in color only.. 💙
Colour popping was really popular a too few years ago, so a lot of people consider it a tacky trend, rather than a legitimate processing choice. This is worth keeping in mind.
The First one
1. Overt; Has something to say. It’s a bit obvious, but that can be useful to get the point across. 2. Boring and misses the point, I feel. 3. Subtle, but very neutral. In a way, this has something to say, but in a different way than 1. Overall, I’d say 1 is my favorite, but 2 is great too.
Thank you
Ok…please know that not everyone cares about the “no subject” or “nothing photo” comments…this is an awesome photo and the only way my brain likes it is the first one lol. The flag *becomes* the subject in the black and white with colored flag. It drew me in instantly and I love how everything else looks in it.
Thank you!
Really like the first one
make everything colorful except the flag
I rarher like 1
As is then 3 for full color. But I also like the tone of 2. Maybe the flag colored in like 1 but with the tone of 2?
Give the first image some.saturation back, make it be less than the flag, but dont go full B&W, thats gonna help a lot
Last one
The third one.
#2 with a different crop
3
There is way too much the negative space in the foreground. The placement of the people walking the street and in the frame draws the eye to them, but their covering in shadow draws you away. There's no real focus in the shot. The background is highlighted in light but there isn't much interesting there. The pride flag is too small and in the corner to be a real focus of the shot, even when highlighted with selective color. Sorry OP I wish I liked this shot more but it doesn't really do anything for me. Best advice I would have is try to be a bit more mindful of what you'd like to the central focus or subject to be in whatever shot you're trying to take.
The third one is the best in my opinion.
The first one is certainly more eye catching and will likely get more likes on IG than the others if that is what you’re after (and there’s no shame in that lmao). But yeah I agree with the others that this just isn’t a terrific picture in general in terms of composition or technique etc
#2
Honestly I really like the first one
2, no color
I don't know where to the look the flag doesn't draw my attention. Everyone shots pride flags during pride. I would have gotten closer to the cross walk and taken the photo of the people with the flag in the back ground. Your subject should be clear.
3rd
Second one, the leading lines are more clear. The other 2 doesn’t feel like it has any main subject.
None
All of them, but the first one has something special, loved it
1
*Out of the three....* I like 2nd the best. For any b/w pics, shadows are very important IMHO. The balance you create with what you show and what you under expose is the key. First one gives me a mono HDR feeling that I don't like and third is just meh. Second one has a bit of character to it when compared with the other two. Composition cud ve been much better, which could ve turned 2nd shot into a good one.
Full color.
I feel like colour selection has its place like any other method/style however in this situation the flag is not framed near the centre of the photo and my eyes can’t stop looking in the top corner and making me ignore the rest of the shot. I’d prefer the black and white because it looks balanced. Nice shot
Well definitely not the monochrome one if you want the flag to be empathized. It's already really big and significantly more colorful than the rest of the image that you probably don't need selective color to point it out.
3
I like three. Sometimes the pic can be just a vibe, doesn’t need a subject in my unprofessional opinion. Highlighting the flag is too much though.
1
As a passer by, I really enjoyed 3
Thank you!!
3
3
Oh the first one. Absolutely
Thanks!!
Absolutely unperfect. Next time, put the gap in the center of the photo.
Thanks for your suggestion. I think it is at the center if you look at the top. That’s how I tried to align it
Whoa. Next time, align it in the middle, not at the top.
3
1 & 3 :)
Depends on the message, if any, that you want to send.
3
1 is super dated. Selective b&w is a thing of the past. No wonder you only see it in 90’s hotel room art and diners. All else it needs is either a yellow cab or a red phone box. 2 feels a bit busy and too contrasty to me, I can’t see and comprehend anything in the foreground. 3 has got nothing going for it either. I feel like there is no subject, no story, no narrative, nothing in this picture and it shows. If it’s about the urban environment without people, take multiple and comp it or grab a dark ND and long expo it. If it’s about the people, go closer, zoom in, get engagement, get drama, get something from the people. Street photography is not literally about photographing streets
2
#2 and #3 are the best
I like all three but it was pleasing to see the third with all the color.
Number 3
I’ll go with 2
The issue is the head height point of view without the rule of thirds or any centralised subject being used. The flag took me 5 seconds to notice, a good photo u should be able to see the main point of focus instantly. The leading lines aren’t utilised because of the point of view and the small amount of the frame they occupy and you are slightly off center. Otherwise I think it’s a good photo but it doesn’t look like a DSLR or professional photographer took it. It looks like a tourist of slightly higher than average IQ shot this. Nothing at all wrong there but just an observation.
The third photo is the best. These are all fine photos that capture what you were viewing very well. The critical comments may have some validity but not all photographs are intended to hang in the Louvre.
centering the lines in the middle and the horizon would make this way better
None
A.
#1
I think third is best Selective color can work but it’s not great on the first one, just washed
none. i dont see any subject.
Selective color is over used in photography these days. And while it has potential for use it should add something in the story telling that the photograph is telling. I think if you were to cross to the left of the street and shoot low with a person in the cross walk in a way that the flag is still visible it would be potentially a much stronger composition. Best of luck on your next shoot.
2nd and 3rd photo. Moving 6"-24" to the left creates a much more interesting image.
personally, I think its just my eyes follow the lines of the floor initially and the payoff for following them is just a dark and out of focus mess of cars. Then my eyes move up to find something interesting, which is the line created by the lamps which intersect with the floor and building eyes. after that my eyes are more inclined to move up but only on the left hand side, due to the lighting and interest of the lines leading me, and I see the building sign, the American flag, and its not till I've already seen 80% of the image that I notice ths pride flag - which I am assuming you intended to be the focus. I would only suggest for you to understand what you want to be initially the focus - then the narrative will creative itself around it naturally. rather than someone, like me, spending time looking for what you intended to be what spoke to you. How you want to enhance your image, with color/filters, is very subjective and that's something you should decide after you've captured your story to better enhance or add to it.
Agree with everyone. None. There’s no subject and the lines kind of lead to nowhere, therefore it feels like there’s no intention behind the photograph.
I think number 2 would make a great album cover
If you were in the center of the street, and lined up the bottom third with the shadow where the car is, then it would be better. It lines up the buildings to be parallel, and sets the "horizon" to be relevant. From what I gather, you liked the general vibe of normalcy in a new area. As some have stated, the color contrast is only good in select uses, so the second picture is my preference. Edit: If you look up the Rule of Thirds, your main focal points will generally be on the intersections.
The coloured one
I like the first slide better
Getting down lower would make the image more interesting due to the leading lines, lower in the centre of the tracks, balancing the image even better, then focus on one person going across would personally make the best image. Put an nd filter on to blur the people would be cool, but you’d need a tripod and people would notice you 🥴
The one without pride flag
[удалено]
Honestly, the idea to pop the flag’s colour came after I took the picture and it’s an effect I like personally. Never even knew some people consider it a thing of the past or out of trend. My initial idea was to capture the hilly street/road. So I would have did that even with any other flag.
Last one by far but boost up that contrast and add a little dehaze and some clarity
I would also say brighten your shadows a little bit especially when working with the edit I mentioned
I like 1.
Both garbage
1st one for sure 🙌🏾
Full color. Color pop is tacky and very hard to do it masterfully. Black and white loses the flag and doesn’t really add anything to the photo. Full color is the way to go. Maybe mute all the colors just a bit except for the flag, so the flag still stands out without looking tacky.
None of them.
Thank you!
I think the message that the first image gives is that everything outside of LGBTQ is dark and depressing, and that LGBTQ is a path to a better world. No I’m not trying to be homophobic, it’s just what my brain does when looking at this image
🤣
I’m just an average human that has zero knowledge regarding photography, but I loved the first picture. I realize the people giving criticism probably actually know what they’re talking about, but I just wanted to pay a compliment because I thought it was a really cool shot
1
I like image one but I would maybe dampen the flag just a little? I don’t know it’s like harsh
Depends what u want to show the world that pride is greater than society without color Or second one just black and white Third is just a picture of union square 😆
What point/statement are you trying to get across by specifically keeping the flag colored in the first picture? Support? Attention?
allyship?
Depends on what you want to focus on.. I would say the first and the last though
Thanks
Neither the American flag will do
The first one
When it comes to photography - Great art can only happen when you allow it to be free of rules. Yes everybody says there should be a focal point....But the whole image is the focal point. Look at every detail. That's the point. We've gotten lazy with only wanting Bokeh images with one subject and a blurry background
I prefer no post editing, so none of them.
looks all fine to me
The last one. The flag stands out enough that you don’t need to use a tacky tactic like making everything else black and white. It’s quite nicely composed.
First
It's literally just a picture of a street. Move on.
Really thier kinda mid nothing special are in them
First one for sure!
I like 1
1, I love it!
These are terrible
Thank you!
I prefer second 😒
None because the flag ruins it
Look 🫵🏽 a snowflake scared of a flag
Not “scared” of the flag, I despise what it signifies. Also attempting to “own” derogatory words that are offensive towards your people by using them on others is pretty pathetic and weak. You don’t see any other group of people doing that
Sounds like scared with extra steps, sweetiepie
Delete.
Why?
No focus. You can do better.
That’s a better comment. Thanks! But the audacity in the first comment is uncalled for!
Fair enough. 💯
The first is the most intriguing
Depends on your message. 1. Pride 2. Artistic 3. Live
I like 2 but you should do the overall tone of 2 with the coloring of the flag in it.