September Afternoon on Andrássy Road Photo

Photographer’s Note

On Andrássy Road, flanked by eclectic neo-renaissance palaces and houses featuring fine facades and lovely rows of trees, one can breathe a bit even in the midst of the rush hour. Having avoided the little underground subway running below, I chose to walk along the road one sunny September afternoon, amazed at the relative quiet of this wide boulevard that brought back fond memories from my past. My passion for this auditory oasis was obviously shared by many old people, like this man, who didn't mind me chatting with him a bit. Though born in a southern little town over 80 years ago, for many decades he has been living in Budapest which he got to like and called his home.

Andrássy Road was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 1987.

(Technical note--out of all the shots I took of him, I finally found this one, in which his face has turned out to be too soft, the most dynamic: here I was bent on not intimidating him with the big lens while talking, so I yielded to the call of the hip shot--which, needless to say, was more attuned to the details of the buildings behind than to the man's angular features...)

mkawalec, avene, cbrman, nwoehnl, brevbrev14, Floydian, KevRyan, mcenteesalas, andante, robiuk has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

nitinjamdar (528) 2007-11-07 18:40

Nice POA,patterns and shadows.I liked the choice of b/w..TFS

Nitin

mkawalec (544) 2007-11-07 19:02

This face tells a story. The story of the man who has experienced a lot. Good timing. Mike

CaptainJack (0) 2007-11-07 19:05

Hello Sarolta, your photos are always so magnetic even at the thumbnail stage. Once again, great controlled B&W contrasts, and the man's face is so intriguing along with the building in the background. Natural framing by the leaves works really well with the tilt I feel too...

avene (10944) 2007-11-07 19:27

excellent shot, Sarolta, with unusual composition that works very well. I find that the tilt emphasises the "daily life" aspect of the shot, I just cannot explain why :) (if I find an explanation, I'll let you know :)) smart use of B&W, colours would distract attention from his expression and all the other little things in the shot - the beautiful building in the background with differently shaped windows on every floor, the man getting out of the cab. and I agree with Jack, the branches of the tree make an excellent natural frame. moody shot with a story in it. thanks for sharing :)
best,
Kristine

bantonbuju (48574) 2007-11-07 21:25

hi sasa i like a very much the way you dynamically composed this photo (i do not care that it was composed by your hip)...but there is something strange in postprocessing which made this man's eyes look like a very sick man's eyes...i find him being ghostly, looking hostile vampire...which he is not most probably...
strange image...
tc, j.

Brian (1) 2007-11-07 21:59

Pulled from down yonder that is fine. Love the flavorful face you grabbed with that. Just can't stop looking at this fine print, I mean post...
Regards,
Brian

cbrman (18802) 2007-11-07 22:26

Hello Sarolta,

Encore un excellente portrait noir et blanc. Le tilt est assez atypique mais il te permet de créer une image dynamique et bien composée !
La personne du premier plan ferait presque peur ! Elle donne une ambiance étrange à la scène !
A+

Dominique

faubry (32281) 2007-11-08 0:48

bonjour Sasa, a very good composed and tilt shot, i like this corner man, a lot dynamism. Jerzy had seen a ghost?/ haha, me,no...
soon
francine

filidor (665) 2007-11-08 2:26

Wow! what a great shot! Another from Hungarian series :) I have to admit that that face is very intriguing! What's more perspective gives to this shot power! Regards. Mac.

nwoehnl (120) 2007-11-08 2:29

Hi Sasa, I hope that all is well. This is a very nice portrait from your recent return to your home country - a genuinely interesting character with a face that seems to tell many a story from his long life (and I don't think it is too soft-looking). The old-town context makes a suitable backdrop, of course. And the tilt is working fine, too. And as I told you many times before, your b&w conversions are among the best to be found here.

Floydian (30970) 2007-11-08 2:49

Hello Sarolta,
I like it. It has dynamic and power in it. The tilt is absolute great, just as the man his pose and the way he looks. He was probably not aware of this picture, that makes it only better.
Your b&w treatment is another thing, it fits this picture really good, like it a lot.
Regards, Henk

vapours (7913) 2007-11-08 4:34

Quite similar to yesterdays image as far as the idea of the shot goes. Once again the background plays a strong part here setting the scene, with his face almost blending in and becoming a feature of the wall.

woladorsky (804) 2007-11-08 5:33

Cheers Sarolta,

undoubtly a great composition. Funny as well the old mas's expression is a great achivement to have documented. The PoV and b&w is very well done too.

Regards

ROLANDO

anes_lc (14766) 2007-11-08 7:58

original and great like always your post :)
the man figure looks so scary
great framing
best regards,anes

bombilla (3402) 2007-11-08 10:00

Dear Sasa,
As accomplished a hip shot as this is, and (your comments about softness nothwithstanding; it's not really very soft to my mushy eye anyway), it is -- accomplished, that is, (especially with that person just getting in the taxi like that and the excellent exposure as well) . . . I have to stay that, for me, it feels very much like a stolen shot. I wish you could have found away to get to the point where you felt comfortable pointing that big lens right at him and having him look right back at you, as in your portraits in the market. Of course, as everyone points out, the tones are phenomenal as always. Best, -Hugh

michiels (4170) 2007-11-08 11:21

hello Sasa,

He is almost as old as the building :)
2 monuments in one photo! i like a lot the tilt.
greetings, inn

brevbrev14 (372) 2007-11-09 1:39

ciao Sasa, the contrast is strong here and i like it..
the positio of the man creats a very good dynamisme in the image
the building is really a beauty
i jump in the past for you this image..
i like the trees around the building, a great sense of nature too
ciao!
Valeria

robiuk (10763) 2007-11-09 15:06

You won't believe how many of your photos
from Budapest actually remind me of Zagreb.
And this character... can't get him out of
the context of the building behind him,
especially after seeing "Il Bacio di Tosca",
which if you haven't seen yet, I would
warmly recommend!
Robi

Furachan (0) 2007-11-11 3:33

Yes, but sometimes truth emergs from a hip shot ;o) The position of the face in the frame (corner) the porprtion occupaied by that same face, with plenty of architecture around to give it context, all works, Sasa.
Hope you are well in these wintering days..
Francis

MKING (3050) 2007-11-13 10:46

Goes straight to the heart of everything I love about documentary photography-- people in their context with a strong sense of feeling to it. The softness seems to work fine, it has a vintage quality with the old facade, the softness and the slightly smoky tonality.

I have so much catching up to do here on TE, and a lot of photographs I want to go out and take too. I can't believe it's been almost a year since we wandered around the streets of Ottawa. Seems like last week!

coco (27802) 2007-11-16 2:10

Hi Sasa.

This is great work with the composition and the use of the black and white.
The subject is nice as well and I love the expression of his face.

WEll done.

Mistral (13694) 2007-12-23 14:28

Ciao Sasa,
powerful composition of stunning impact!
Great (as usual!)
I also wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year full of emotions and nice moments.
Luca