Some Little Places to Go Photo

Photographer’s Note

Haven't been shooting since August, but here's one I neglected to post at the time. Taken in the business district of Toronto... women in their sneakers and skirts, waiting to put the shoes on that are waiting under their desk... everyone taking their measly portion of free time on their lunch hour... God, I'm glad to be a poor artist sometimes. Sometimes.

"Don't hang around
And let your problems surround you
There are movie shows downtown
Maybe you know
Some little places to go to
Where they never close downtown
Just listen to the rhythm of a gentle bossanova
You'll be dancing with 'em, too, before the night is over
Happy again
The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares and go
Downtown"

hubert, brevbrev14, Clairedelune, AnimeshRay has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Homerhomer (4005) 2006-10-20 23:27

wow, this is a superb image, what a come back. The way you have been able to show how isolated all the poeple are from each other is absolutely first class, on the top of that there is a great play of light and colours. Folks are moving like well oiled machines, just plowing away in their own little worlds. Fantastic feel to this image.
Maybe a bit overexposed in the middle, not a big deal for me, don't know how you could sit on this beauty for such a long time without showing it to the world.
Peter

hubert (1532) 2006-10-21 1:52

Compliments Lisan, sure to be a small artist?
The characters are drawn back in the same laying and well positioned in the space.
Portrait of the frenzy of the modern times.
Beautiful the fact that nobody directs him in the same direction.
But only one walks in the light... The chosen.
Bravo
Have a nice WE
Marco

brevbrev14 (370) 2006-10-21 4:36

Hi LIsan! i love this image!really a great image!
Fantastic the position of the men, great lights and compo!every person in a different direction!!
I PUT IT IN MY FAV!

ciao!

Valeria

kajspice (4534) 2006-10-21 5:11

The geometry in this is quite something you know Lisan...The triangular shape in-between the three at the back in contrast to the elongated square created at the front is spectacular. All of your subjects seem to be wearing the right stuff and doing the right stuff; the direction they are walking and their postures too...

Not only that, but you have played with space, light and shadows, all at the same time...

one teeny tiny gripe for me is that it may have been cropped just slightly too tight... I don't know, but there is a little something...something that is keeping it at 99% instead of just god damned perfect...!

ALSOM (6616) 2006-10-21 5:44

I thought that Peter would mentioned Trenk Park ;o). He did not, im' disappointed. Put this photo in b/w and you are there. High contrast, subjects placement & timing. Just brilliant !

Alain -

Furachan (0) 2006-10-21 6:29

This is THE one I saw on Flickr, Lisan, and I absolutely love it. One of the best pics, bar none, I have ever seen on TE. The osiiton of each "little" erson is perfect, the whole thing is ringing with graphic "harmonics" with beautiful shadws worthy of Nygus (yu know what I mean...)
Sharpness a little under but you know what, who cares, tell that to Pinkhassov!
Big Bravo!
Francis
s Anyone reading this - HUGELY UNDERRATED PIC!

vthomas (688) 2006-10-21 11:12

Hi Lisan,
I can only agree with what has been said, it is quiet a striking, neat and quare photo. Among all the things already said, which I fully, strongly, back-up I would say that I particularly like the way the sort of "dance" the characters are doing. To me they are like the extras in movies, who pretend they are walking in a very specific direction, it's like a ballet!
One more clap for you!
Vincent

Clairedelune (4883) 2006-10-21 12:05

Hi Lisan,
When I saw this photo yesterday night, I was very much impressed. The kind of photo I would be more than happy to have taken. But yesterday, I was not able to write something. I can say that I agree with Peter. So amazing to see these people walking in all different directions. Like automatons... Almost frightening!
Excellence in your timing. Good dark background where it is easy to perceive very clearly the people. The overexposed part in the middle? Well, cameras are cameras and not eyes. They do what they can. If you shoot RAW, you can play with different exposures and work with layers in Photoshop and bla...bla...bla. In my case, I like that triangle of light and that shadow in the lower left corner. At least, there is some light in that dark world...
These wood boards...? Strange! But it adds definitively something to your photo.
All in all, a very powerful evocation, Lisan. A photo that speak loud about an aspect of our society in that 21st century.
Claire

rowanb (864) 2006-10-21 22:02

great shot lisan, excellent timing to catch this man mid stride in that great beam of light, and the others going about their business..sums up a working day's lunch time very well
rowan

AnimeshRay (8886) 2006-10-22 0:29

Hi Lisan,
Welcome back! Love these slanted light of fall days in northern lands...they have a charm not to be found in these southern deserts. Love the modeled appearance of the man and the background.
A

ndb1958 (9228) 2006-10-22 4:11

Hi Lisan,
an amazing image. Wonderful lightning. The whole scene around that man in focus seems illuminated.
Great tones. Nice composition and POV.
Nino

Luko (13880) 2006-10-22 17:19

Hello Lisan, nice surprise to read you back. how's been life recently : are you yet a famous writer giving lectures on traveling on a kayak around the world?

Nicely spotted place and of course, that bald folk automatically brought some ants on your triggering finger..; though I think your exposure was probably a bit to bright
I read your metering reply to Peter and I have an answer about that : when you catch such contrasted shadow and light pattern , waiting is the name of the game. There's no point trying to hold details in the shadows it's like pretending the contrary of what you're telling us : you're looking for contrast right? that means deep shadows, right? So why the hell do you still try to retain all the details... afraid of darkness, little girl?

You have to live with it, metering should be taken from the brightest parts, have a first try to set the correct exposure, switch to manual, then try to determine exactly which are the parts where parts of the people can be seen.. then wait (your best move while playing the waiting game) there are at least two or three people coming out from the shadows... For instance, imagine you had waited probably half a sec more you have had the bald guy at the tip of the bright area while the phoning lad's head would be in the light : wouldn't that be heavenly?

nerve (10210) 2006-10-26 11:55

excellent Lisan! one of your bests lately..

mrbialy (2568) 2007-08-30 11:28

very good picture, I like it a lot @ the mood, lighting, shadow, colours, compo, capture: everything like should be, even better, ....love it, fav