Love the photo but really don't think the black bars do anything good for it. Just strangely distracting from the image itself. Could be a 7 but 6 instead.
This is a new comment series for me, so please bear with me while I find my style!
(Voted earlier)
This is one of my 9s - I like it a lot. Furthermore I think it enriches the DPC collective portfolio. Put simply, I wish we saw more stuff like this. Let me tell you why it pushes all the right buttons for me:
1. There's such tension in this image, it's almost palpable - like someones about to get arrested for treason!
2. The nearest person is close enough to invade our personal space - probably the secret to the discomfort you have communicated.
3. The figure over the street - he can't be trusted!
4. The VW cruising by - a little too nonchalantly. Who else is watching?
5. The texture of the street - communicating a sense of dry heat.
All of the above lead to a sense of story and rising feelings of paranoia. Excellent.