Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/03/16

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Subject: [Leica] IMG: Chinatown Chef
From: leicaphong at gmail.com (Phong)
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2013 09:58:43 -0400
References: <CAF8hL-HQ+wNGagiFM0pJ-hUrKUPk+yiuWCgHOGV3A-kpCSjJvA@mail.gmail.com> <550D2032-F9F1-4026-9B85-167022BDA5B9@frozenlight.eu>

I see it somewhat differently than Nathan.  I really like the cage theme;
very nice catch there.
I like having the car there, and would prefer even a little more of it. It
blocks the view thematically,
as if further boxing the man in.

I agree with Nathan that the panoramic format does not quite work here; too
much of empty space.
*Might* work better if the man was looking in that direction. Had the car
been on the right, it probably would
work better.  Ultimately though the cut off hat is what kills the photo for
me.

Composing the panoramic format is difficult, a lot of what I see on the web
looks contrived.
The panorama works better for me as an incidental format; in the same
portfolio, one a two
panoramas can be extremely effective.  An entire portfolio of panoramas can
be taxing to the viewer.

But you are in a special place, Richard. The panoramic format can
complement your
calligraphy work well, in the tradition of old Chinese scroll paintings.
Study these well, if you haven't
done so,  especially the landscapes.  They often break the panoramic
composition into small groups,
visually, but sometimes thematically also.  Think also of DaVinci's The
Last Supper; there the 12 sitting apostles
are grouped in 2 groups of 6, each group in turn composed of 2 smaller
groups of 3, with Jesus standing in
the middle, slightly but clearly isolated from the rest.  In this respect
your other submission today works better.
You have the musicians on the left, the dancers in the middle, the
spectators on the right. The composition,
while not perfect (space between musicians and dancers), works much, much
better than the caged
restaurant worker.

Keep at it, my friend.  I enjoy your photography now much more than 10
years ago.  That's a whole more than
I can say about my own photography.  I hope someday I will see a matching
pair of glorious *vertical *panos from you.

- Phong




On Sat, Mar 16, 2013 at 7:51 AM, Nathan Wajsman <photo at 
frozenlight.eu>wrote:

> Please do not take it personally, Richard, but to me this is just about
> the worst picture you have ever posted. It looks like a total grab shot,
> the panoramic format simply does not work in this case other than to cut
> off the top of his hat and give us a completely unbalanced composition,
> with all that empty space on the right, and the car intruding on the left
> adds nothing, it just looks messy. MAYBE the image could be rescued by
> severe cropping: get rid of the car on the left and crop out most of the
> empty space on the right plus some of the bottom.
>
> Sorry...
>
> Nathan
>
> Nathan Wajsman
> Alicante, Spain
> http://www.frozenlight.eu
> http://www.greatpix.eu
> PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
> Blog: http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/
>
> YNWA
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Mar 16, 2013, at 11:58 AM, Richard Man wrote:
>
> > I am REALLY liking this picture. Actually from NYC back in June. Never
> > finished the roll in the camera until today. What do you think?
> >
> > http://richardmanphoto.com/PICS/20130316-Scanned-46.jpg
> >
> >
> > --
> > // richard <http://www.richardmanphoto.com>
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Leica Users Group.
> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>


Replies: Reply from richard at richardmanphoto.com (Richard Man) ([Leica] IMG: Chinatown Chef)
In reply to: Message from richard at richardmanphoto.com (Richard Man) ([Leica] IMG: Chinatown Chef)
Message from photo at frozenlight.eu (Nathan Wajsman) ([Leica] IMG: Chinatown Chef)