Relax, a photo from London, England

Photographer's Note

Another shot from the Camden Lock market. This place is so croudy and full of activity, and the relax sign looks very strange there.
Original photo, un-touched, except from a minor crop and sharpen.

As a WS, I post a different angle of the same scene. Which one is better?

RGatward, nwoehnl, ChrisJ, jhm, smael has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Piotr (0) 2004-05-20 16:26

Hi Yitzhak,In my opinion, original scene is better, but alternative is an interesting too, simply street scene, walking peoples, man on the ladder at work, not relaxing situation, You right, good daily life scene, Regards, Piotr

RGatward (20108) 2004-05-20 17:06

I think I prefer the second image, I think it's better with the whole poster having been painted, but also, the original seems a bi cloudy in the lower quarter. Both good though, and amusing. It reminds me of the advertising slogan from 'The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy', which was, 'relax and enjoy your shoes'. Life follows art!

nwoehnl (122) 2004-05-20 17:40

I think overall the WS is better, Yitzhak, for the tighter crop around the sign-hanging man, and for the fact that everybody seems to be oblivious of your presence. However, in your main posting, the working guy is better placed in the frame composition-wise, and his elevated working position on the ladder looks a bit more dramatic. All in all, two interesting versions of a London street scene.

[2]

bfly (5775) 2004-05-20 17:43 [Comment]

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dsidwell (9783) 2004-05-20 21:54

I like the one you posted best. The orange of the man's vest so starkly sticks out, and the words on the bill board get attention, too. Fun, urban image!

ChrisJ (172378) 2004-05-21 3:27

I'd also think about a tight crop on the ladder man alone. The 'L' shape is nice.

cgrindahl (6113) 2004-05-21 3:29

I prefer the second image from the workshop. It is cropped a little tighter and there is more activity on the sidewalk. Since this is an urban image it makes sense to capture the intensity of place. In the first image the intensity is diffused by the building seen above the billboard and the open sidewalk below. The colors are also more saturated in the second. The first appears a bit washed out. I'm giving points on the workshop option number two.

Out of curiosity, is the new billboard equally "relaxing?"

manny (22032) 2004-05-21 3:34

Interesting scene. The billboard merged into the entire scene in such dynamics and colors.

jhm (211738) 2004-05-21 6:46

Hi Yitzhak, the man on the ladder at work, not relaxing situation abit dangerous, good daily life scene, you did great work.

smael (2878) 2004-05-24 6:52

I like the original better, but I think you could've taken a "straight-on" shot to straighten all the lines. I think this one might be good in a more graphic style. Together with a small motion blur of the people walking the streets, it would be a killer...
Then you would underline more the tension between the relaxation and the busy life there.
I really like your idea and that you want to tell a story!

Terje