Love at first sight

RSL

torags

Nice capture

Just a technical comment... You might like to try rotating around subjects to reduce the center space between (if possible).

In this case a few steps to the left would have reduced that space and had more face reveal of the boy

The shot stands on its own - tender interaction, good work Russ

RSL

Rags, If I'd stepped even one step to the left I'd have lost the picture. I had a 50mm prime on the D3. As it was I had a choice between cutting off the guys feet or his head. Prettty much chose the feet. What I wanted was the dog and the kid. The woman was starting to pull the kid on down the sidewalk, so what you see here lasted less than a second. I was lucky.

He was making his final comment as she turned away, Dog. The kid clearly would have liked to play with the dog and vice versa, but it was not to be.

torags

I hear you. I would like to expand upon the point for other folks who might look in.

In an effort to get a good tight composition, set your self up for success by walking around for angle, shooting thru a hole (fence) - whatever it takes

Where possible and a potential moving subject has predictability and you have a good background - wait for the moment

It seems to me the subject should be caught off guard not the photog

It really took me a long time and many aggravating frames to come to that conclusion

bdcolen

RSL wrote: »

Rags, If I'd stepped even one step to the left I'd have lost the picture. I had a 50mm prime on the D3. As it was I had a choice between cutting off the guys feet or his head. Prettty much chose the feet. What I wanted was the dog and the kid. The woman was starting to pull the kid on down the sidewalk, so what you see here lasted less than a second. I was lucky.

He was making his final comment as she turned away, Dog. The kid clearly would have liked to play with the dog and vice versa, but it was not to be.

I'd have cut in on his head, to get all the feet. In fact, I'd have gone as far as wacking off Mom and Dog Dad at mid- upper arm and gotten more below. Faces of Mom and dog owner are pretty much irrelevant here - story is boy and dog. And no, folks, boy and dog did not need to be closer. The photo I bout the boy's reaction to th o.

Quincy T

bdcolen wrote: »

The photo I bout the boy's reaction to th o.

Can I quote you on this?

Great image, Russ. Kinda pulled my heartstrings and made me smile simultaneously.

As for fleeting moments to capture, I missed one today. As I got on the shuttle bus at the airport, the woman driving (later identified as grandma) was run up to and embraced by several little children and a woman. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop what I was doing as I carry some very valuable equipment for work and couldn't leave it sitting on the sidewalk. I moved as quickly as possible to get my stuff on board, but by the time I had a moment to be a photographer, the chance was over.

Turns out the kids had flown in from Florida, and just happened to spy their grandmother, whom they had come to visit, stopping her bus right next to them.

Edit: WAIT A SECOND. This looks like the outlet mall near Bradenton? True?

RSL

It's a good point, BD, and I almost wish I'd done it that way.

Of course I can't restore the feet, but I can give you an idea of what the shot would have been, framed that way. Here it is. Just imagine the feet being there. Obviously you're right. Everything focusses on the boy and and dog. It's certainly a more compelling boy and dog shot.

But there's something else to consider: Framed this way it looks as if boy and dog may get together. Framed the other way, with the woman turned away, her right foot extended down the sidewalk, and her head turned the same way it's obvious she's moving on. Also, the man's leaning to his right, and his left foot looks to me as if he's about to extend it and walk toward us (which, incidentally is exactly what happened). Since he's speaking as they both seem ready to start moving off, it's also possible he's saying goodbye to the woman.

When you frame the picture without the heads of the adults the picture has a happy feeling for the boy and the dog. They're going to be able to go off and play together, an outcome both of them obviously would enjoy. Framed the way I framed it, it's a bit sad. They're telegraphing their attraction to each other in a world where they can't control their own destinies. That's a bit melodramatic, but still true.

I can't really decide which picture I like best, but I can say that they're quite different pictures. Wish there'd been time to shoot both frames.

Quincy T

I really prefer the first iteration. Dogs and boys are always happy, it's refreshing to see something different even if it is sad.

sara505

This is a great shot. Street photography is about spontaneity, among other things, and sometimes involves milliseconds, and if we took the time to circle around and plan angles, most of the time the shot is gone. Russ saw the angles and connections here, and he grabbed it.

RSL

Sword and Scales wrote: »

...WAIT A SECOND. This looks like the outlet mall near Bradenton? True?

Nope. It's Lake Sumpter Landing in The Villages, Qunicy, sometimes interesting to visit even though it's more like a movie lot than a city. You can't hang around too long before the music they insist on broadcasting through the whole area drives you nuts. Somebody needs to tell them about Beethoven, or tell them to shut up.

Quincy T

RSL wrote: »

Nope. It's Lake Sumpter Landing in The Villages, Qunicy, sometimes interesting to visit even though it's more like a movie lot than a city. You can't hang around too long before the music they insist on broadcasting through the whole area drives you nuts. Somebody needs to tell them about Beethoven, or tell them to shut up.

I see. Well, it looked to me like you were near my stomping grounds and I got all worked up for a moment.

Ed911

Nice shot...and nice conversion...HDR effects applied. I immediately got the feeling that I was there...sharing the encounter.

RSL

Thanks, Ed. Actually, no HDR effects. I made the conversion with Silver Efex Pro, which always seems to do a great job. The only things I had to do to it besides the conversion were the usual bit of sharpening from its raw source, plus a bit of reduction on that blown-out sun stripe on the pavement just beyond the first column for the covered sidewalk.

MarkR

The crop shows how a good photo can become a great one!