Amanda - privacy in the CBD

Ted Szukalski

This is Amanda. Do I know her? No, we’ve never met. And yet I know her name and I know where she works all from a little tag she so proudly parades around the Sydney CBD. Thousands of city workers do exactly the same every day.

PS: this was not a posed photograph.

***

Following Shay's comment here as well as simialr comments on another forum I have decided to show an alternative framing of Amanda scene:

Shay Stephens

I have looked at this twice, and while it is a pleasant photo, the man walking steals the show visually regardless of the photos title. Too much subject conflict. I leave the photo unsatisfied because of that I believe. If he were not there, smaller, more blurred, and/or wearing darker clothing, it would have helped. But with him there, it ruins it for me.

Ted Szukalski

Shay,
I think this is first time you have placed a comment against my photo.

The framing here is quite difficult and I guess there is no right and wrong. It is all down to perception. However I have done another cut of this image based upon your suggestion.

Photosbychuck

Hi, Ted
I think this is a good photo of Amanda. I also went to your web site and it looks even better there. I would like to see more detail in her face but, maybe next time. Did you shoot this in B&W or convert if in photoshop?
I have been thinking about doing more B&W photos myself.

Take Care,
Charles Cassidy,
Cassidy's Photography,http://www.modellocate.com/action/goto/uid=4447

ESiggins

I like the first one better. The guy walking past is a contrast to her stationary position and makes the shot much more visually interesting, I think. The extra space that the man takes up also places Amanda in the perfect position in the frame.

Fred.

AntoineD

The crop is definitely a good idea

Next time, just shoot once the guy is gone

Amanda seems to be lovely, I'm sure you'll take plenty of other photos

Seefutlung

The crop delivers a completely differnt meaning (at least for me). The uncropped shows a woman ... basically doing nothing ... a bit bored maybe ... maybe waiting for something to happen ... while life goes on around her ... people are busy reading ... a man is bustling down the sidewalk seemingly with a destination ... and she's just standing there with little action.

The cropped version communicates to me an entirely different story. She is impatient, she is supposed to meet someone and they are late ... causing her to be late. The tag shows that she is working and this is her break ... or maybe she's just starting or just getting off ... in either case the lateness of her associate is a problem ...

Waiting is a purposeful action ... hanging out really isn't purposeful.

Gary

AntoineD

reading seefutlung, I'd say you should have tried a lower shutter speed so it blurs every moving subjects, thus focusing on the girl while life around ain't stopped

Ted Szukalski

Antoine, did you actually click on the photo and look at the published exif?
Shutter speed: 1/30s. I don't know about you but this is pretty much as low as I can hand hold.

AntoineD wrote:

reading seefutlung, I'd say you should have tried a lower shutter speed so it blurs every moving subjects, thus focusing on the girl while life around ain't stopped

AntoineD

No, I had not, but you may try 1/15, retaining your blow.

Why not a tripod or stop smoking , in fact?

marlof

I like the first crop better, since I liked the contrast between the man moving (his feet position give it away) and Amanda standing still as if she poses.