Today’s post follows on from yesterday’s ‘Look! – for critique’. Thanks so much to all of you who responded to my request for comments and critique on that image. It is further evidence of the pleasure of being part of this on-line community that is supportive, committed and generous. If you haven’t seen yesterday’s post or seen all the comments it would be helpful to take a glance at that before reading further.
In summary, although there were quite a variety of opinions, I think it would be fair to summarize the overall feel of yesterday’s comments as liking the bottom half, but finding too many faults with the top half of the image – and most of those were about the rather intrusive and messy flare.
The 24hour period immediately following a shoot is not always the best time to evaluate one’s images. This is a well-known fact. Emotions get in the way – we remember what we saw with our eyes, and when the camera doesn’t quite match what we ‘recall’, we can struggle over much to make the image conform to our memory. Well, I tried and failed. The best advice often is to allow a period of time to elapse and then, and only then, evaluate our images. Another 24hrs is not enough, but with your help, I think I now see the potential image within the picture. And if I’m honest I think that what really attracted me in the first place were the shadows cast. Here it is.
I’ve boldly cropped off the top half. That removes the context completely – the London bus, the congestion, the small references to Christmas. It becomes an image that stands on its own, divorced from its surroundings. It’s all about shadows and that one word, that command: ‘LOOK’.
I’ve converted to B&W, cleaned up the white highlights within the shadows, raised the contrast, and then posterized the image. Personally I think it’s a big improvement. It’s now over to you for further comments.
But I can’t miss the opportunity to show you another image that contains the command ‘Look’. An image that poses questions to which there are a variety of answers in the eyes of the viewer.
LensScaper 
These are great Andy! Well spotted and processed! 🙂
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Thanks Rachel.
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I enjoyed these two posts Andy. I like the cleaned up version and the second image is great! 🙂
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Many thanks, Norma.
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The juxtaposition of the curved and straight lines in the second photo brought to mind the mathematical concept of “tangent.” Combined with the command, “Look at this,” the photo seems to be saying, “Ignore the tangential.” The handprint, of course, raises a few interesting questions. What is tangential? The anonymous command? or the human handprint?
For all its simplicity, this photo carrys a complex message.
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Thanks Linda. Yes it’s a message that is impossible to decode. How many ‘hands’ were involved. Is it two people or three? Someone boarded up this advertising space (because that it is what it originally was) and painted it blue. Then we have the command and the print. Added same time, or different times? And which came first? We will never know.
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I liked the image yesterday, but like this version even more. I like that the foreground got cropped and straightened up too. The second image is very nice too.
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Many thanks John
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Sometimes a drastic crop can yield a dramatic image, as in this case. You’ve distilled the shot to its essence. The second shot is fantastic as is.
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Thanks very much Ken. A combined effort I think from me, and all those who made suggestions including your good self.
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Well done!
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Thanks Sue.
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This works really well Andy. Rescued from the dark room floor after all. That must be very satisfying. I know the feeling only too well when we just want to make an image work but for one reason or another, the scene set before you when you pressed the shutter is not the scene you see before you when you get home and try as we might, we can’t recreate it from the shot we have. I think you’ve done a brilliant job with it. The shadows are what makes the image interesting.
I like your other shot. Look at this, it’s an order, I don’t like orders but I’ll look of course and when I look what do I see? Hmm, I suspect a philosopher could make a lot out of this. 🙂
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Many thank for that, Adrian. It’s a lesson in thinking outside of the box, or, pausing and asking oneself: ‘what exactly made me take this shot in the first place’. When I looked at the image on the screen – I saw the ‘whole’, and not the image within that whole.
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I like the BW conversion – but personally I LOVE the second image. There is something very special, very…. almost intimate – about it. it is a great shot to me
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Thanks very much Claudia. So glad to hear you like that second image – it’s such a fascinating picture to think about.
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I have to agree with Adrian again. You did improve it!
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Thanks Linda – I’m glad you agree it was an improvement.
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Perfect! Love what you did with the first image and terrific second image.
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Well done Andy. Your use of “cropsotion” really ended up terrific.
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I finally got there – something totally different in mood and context but it works! Thanks Len
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