The last of the Photos I took at Ground Zero on my trip to NY. The music that this guy was playing still haunts me. I many ways I wish I'd never heard it.
To answer the inquiries I had about this image, the instrument is called an Erhu. If you're interested, you can hear what it sounds like here.
Statistics
Place: 10 out of 69 Avg (all users): 7.5804 Avg (commenters): 8.4699 Avg (participants): 7.8036 Avg (non-participants): 7.5439 Views since voting: 13451 Views during voting: 891 Votes: 398 Comments: 106 Favorites: 47 (view)
I'm coming back to this photo again after thinking about it for a few more days...
This photo is a good example of where some information to go with the photo is very supportive of what the viewer sees. In my original comment on this shot, I made reference to the 'haunting' sound this instrument creates. After the challenge, when I read your description about it being taken at Ground Zero, it added an entire new level of impact to the image. The haunting sound of the music, coupled with a place on the map where thousands of people died, creates an entirely differen theme.
May I suggest that you change the title of this photo from "Interlude" to "Requiem"? It's just a thought, but you can tie this theme together even better with "Requiem" since a requiem is a musical composition in honor/memory of the deceased.
Hey Pedro: Yes, I have seen this gentlemen perform on this Erhu in the R/N train station by ground zero. Congratulations on this wonderful character study. A memorable and lovingly captured image. Congratulations on your top 10 finish in this hot, hot contest.
I think compositionally you could have done away with the darker area of the right and gotten away with it. It just seems in the way of my view of the great subject that you shot so well.
very stirring image and an excellent capture of this street performer...i can almost hear the music. this is my choice for the blue ribbon. outstanding!
My preferances in photos kept this excellent picture from beng voted higher even though it is done very well and is evocative. I hope it does well as it is quite good.
Good shot, I really like it. One of the best in this challenge imo, I would like to see it in top 10. The sharpness, clarity, composition, the choise of motive, and the choise of b/w and the brown color tone all makes this photo outstanding. Well seen.
One of my favourites. The musician is really isolated from the background, it really helps having the guy in the black shirt right behind the hand. Nice tonal range. Perhaps a bit over sharpened, I can se white halos around the instrument and on the left side of the face. Anyway ,very good work. -10 (I just gave two 10s)
The model looks straight into the camera. It looks as if he was posing, not playing actually. I would've wait for him to look at the instrument or notes. Great idea with blurring the background - it fits perfectly.
7. 1st off, I love this instrument. You caught a great expression and moment. On the other hand, this shot feels too sharp and I really miss the edge of the case. Great work, nonetheless.
This is an amazing display of light control. Every detail is clearly visible only on the subject and the natural background elements add to the candid feel of this without distraction. The composition is appealing even though this is a stranger (A difficult task for most of us to be able to do successfully). This is one of my two highest rated shots in the Masters challenge. An excellent work of art!
This is a great street photgraph. The only problem, which of course you didn't have control over, is the background. The guy and the car is a bit distracting if you're easily distracted. If it was just a building, it might have been better. Great shot! 9
I think this is a great shot. Well framed by using the pillar on the RHS. His expression is great, must not have seen you playing, he seems to be off in his own little worls whilst playing away! 8
Very emotive picture. I like the cepia tones. Great subject on the focus. I wish you could just see him sitting in the chair without the obstacle on the far right. 7
the first thing that I said was WOW !! One of the best b/w photos I have seen. I relaly like the darker black and white with sharp focus on the subject. 10
Bumpiing this to a 10. I just don't know how you great photographers use all the ranges in your b/w photography, but you've done it masterfully. Excellent photo!!
Strong Points: You've captured what appears to be a very candid image and made it into an emotional work of art. The printing is flawless with strong blacks and whites - and plenty of grays in the pallette as well. The aperture chosen blurred the background just enough to get a hint of what's back there without causing distractions. Suggestions for improvement.: The composition could be a bit better if you had taken a step or so to the left. Then you could remove the vertical metal area behind the musicians back and perhaps get more of his back. I'd also like to see his tip case all in the frame. Overall - an exceptional shot - thanks for sharing.
Excellent candid...the tones, contrast, capture is just spectacular. Only suggestion would've been to get more of the case and less of the lightpost...but that's it! It's a great shot, thanks!
I love this candid. The look on his face is perfect. what he is playing i do not know, but that adds to the interest. Perfect black and white and dof.10
A strong study. I have seen this gentleman perform in the NY subways. Bur, this capture is excellent and yes, I can hear the haunting music from this exotic instrument. A great character study in a very natural environment. great dof. Bumping up.
very nice street scene. good use of depth of field. great tones and sharpness. I can't really decide if the musician is looking at you or if you just caught him in a moment where he looked away from his instrument. I would have preferred seeing him concentrating on his music.
This is so much a candid shot, his direct look at the camera really spoils it for me. I visualize him kacing the left, head tilted back, and eyes closed in completeconcentration of his music. Still a super shot. 8
Unique and well composed. I like the B&W application also. The background might be a little busy, but maybe you were trying to express a spot of of calm in a chaotic environment.
Nice street candid, shot looks way oversharpened though, there's bad haloing around the instrument. B&W a good choice here. Not quite sure about your crop. I'd have him right against the right hand edge of the frame without the wall, and include more of the case. 7
This is a great piece of street photography - and I love the B&W conversion. Works perfectly with all of the contrast, especially the shirt and the subject's hair. Outstanding.
A fine candid, IMO, and a shot, perhaps, some may have passed up for the less than ideal givens of the locale (the background is quite busy, the foreground quite partial, on the right, and poorly lit; there is fair evidence of harsh highlights as well).
Considerable editing skills appear to have been devoted to overcome these obstacles and render a final image worthy of study and pleasure. It is as if the manner and treatment of the photo reflected the manner and treatment the player afforded his music and instrument. The position of his left hand and fingers below the ornate vertical neck of the erhu is especially delicious.
The player's clear eyes, his clearly focused features, the attentive glance, the listening tilt of his head speak of consiousness to me, a being awake in the moment. This photograph, I believe, has captured this, quite purely and, appropiately, quietly. There is no embellishment, no dilution of its essence.
The shabby lining of the case, the player's dollar-store attire, the cardboard and tape aesthetics of the street only help to accentuate the exquisite humanity of a combination of sounds which may come from a tranquility of mind.
Oddly, the crop is as tight as could be. Personally, I would welcome a little 'aura', especially to accommodate the strong vertical of the erhu neck. Given his culture and heritage, the player too, I imagine would benefit from a little air or piece of heaven to send his music...
I wanted to critique this photo and point out anything that I dont like, but I cant. I simply cant find anything wrong with it, I love the look on his face, I am wonedring what he is looking at. The clarity is great and the choice of B & W was a good one. Well Done. 10
This is one of my favorites. I love the spontaneity of your shot, the position of the subject and the expression on his face. The backround is perfectly out of focus and there are no distracting elements. Great shot.
Subject matter is very interesting and along with the wonderfully rich sepia tones make for a very compelling street/candid portrait. Focus is very crisp and DOF really isolates well the subject from background. The busyness of the background, though still discernable, is offset very nicely by the brightly captured jacket of the musician. The jacket almost becomes the "centerpiece" for this image as it symbolizes the weaving of music he must be playing. The lines of the jacket, along with the parallel lines of the traffic cone, instrument, R-leg and pillar muscian is seated against also give a subtly obtained rhythm. The details, down to the positioning of the hands, look on the muscians face and position of his head all add to an exceptional photograph! Very well done. 10
Composition is excellent. Black and white jumps off the page. Subject is interesting. You really want to know what he is thinking when you look at this photo. Excellent 10.
Reminds me of the guy who's always on the Jackson stop on the Blue or Red Line in Chicago. I like the fact that he's playing oblivious to the camera. Contrast/saturation is wonderful. Nine.
This is interesting and different which I like.
Its a shame the money box case is cut off
I like how he stands out and the background is blurred
focus great and tones excellent A great image
Excellent capture. Some people feel that street photography is easy, you just walk around and take pictures. I understand how difficult it is and I applaud you for this amazing capture. the DOF is fabulous. I also like the sepia tone.
This is a stunning candid shot! from a 9 to a 10! The tonal rage is impressive and the choice of B&W is idealfor this shot. I don't know how I could improve this! great job!!
Excellent duotone! Great contrast and focus especially on the jacket which looks like a nightmare to expose correctly. I'd crop this shot a bit differently, however. Starting with the upper left corner. Maybe crop the left side a small amount to eliminate that dark triangle. I'm suggesting this since you already cropped part of the case so a little bit more would not hurt the composition. Now for the right side. The dark part of the post needs to go as I feel it draws too much attention away from the man's jacket. If you cropped right up to the gray portion of that post would be perfect. 8
They say that successful portraits should have direct eye contact. Well, this one doesn't and I think it's still great! It's hard to know whether it would be improved even further by direct eye contact or whether that would change the mood too much. I really like the crispness of the foreground subject against the blurred background. I like the high contrast black and white. I like the strong vertical of his instrument and the way it's echoed by that metal girder to the right. I like the detail of the open instrument case. This image makes me want to be able to hear him and that means it's definitely communicated to me. 10
A great image, a fine capture of the moment with a great expression of concentration. It reminds me of the streetwork of Henri Cartier Bresson, although this one is maybe a bit too clean. I would not have disliked a bit of grain or noise to add to the atmosphere. All other technical aspects are just perfect to me, good background blur to bring the subject forward. Great natural light to give depth to the person.
Wonderful pic, although out of sheer jealousy, as I did not take this pic I have to give you a 1 - j/k fantastic capture, one of the best in the challenge - naturally a 10
This is a perfect example of how a candid shot can be artistic. Your depth of field, the tones you found, and the interesting subject all serve to make this a great shot! 9
This is incredible... simply beautiful and candid... I'm a sucker for great street photography because its a new area i'm starting to explore myself. I'm just unfortunatley bound by an uninteresting hometown to do it effectively. The culture here is a bit bland. I think I'm gonna need to travel a little more to capture images that stir me like this one does.
I can actually hear the haunting sound of this instrument in my head as I look at this photo. I don't know what it's called but I know what it sounds like.
If I had to guess at the owner of this photo, I would say that Mr. Marlin has been spending just the right amount of time wandering the streets with his camera. If its not Peter's photo, whoever owns it deserves a ribbon for some excellent work.
Add photograph to your favorites
Add photographer to your favorites
Photographer found comment helpful.
