Rotated about 1.4 deg CW. Cropped. Auto Color. Curves. Created a layer using Polygonal Tool via Copy of lady, and added a minor glow around her to separate her a little from the chaos. Resize. Unsharp Mask. Cloned out two extra heads in the original. Added Border.
Notes:
I am not sure how this will do. I have hopes that it will do well, but I haven't submitted anything this chaotic before. The idea was that the overwhelming busy-ness in the photo portrays the capitalistic glut that is the holiday shopping season. I thought the little old lady staring up at the rows helped to convey the idea so I went with it.
Post-challenge: Wow. 4th place! I was thinking all week I had top ten locked up, but that a ribbon was a long shot. I couldn't be happier. Thank you for all the nice comments.
Statistics
Place: 4 out of 120 Avg (all users): 6.6189 Avg (commenters): 7.8800 Avg (participants): 6.5273 Avg (non-participants): 6.6429 Views since voting: 2461 Views during voting: 440 Votes: 265 Comments: 40 Favorites: 1 (view)
I think the woman is the focal point. I don't need to see eyes to be drawn to a figure. I find the back to be very compelling. The figure is facing the same way I am, forcing a kind of empathy.
Don, the size of the woman's figure and its position in the frame are to insignificant for her to be a focal point; at least it isn't working for me. I am not opposed to the idea of photographing this from the back - I offered the other perspective only as a demonstration that a photograph can have an accent *and* convey indecisiveness at the same time.
I think the fact that the woman is not a row of books is enough in this busy photo to make her a focal point. If I didn't think she was a focal point, I would have cloned her out of the photo along with a couple other people who were there a couple rows back. I guess there is no right answer. I'm happy with my 4th place finish regardless.
I think the woman is the focal point. I don't need to see eyes to be drawn to a figure. I find the back to be very compelling. The figure is facing the same way I am, forcing a kind of empathy.
Don, the size of the woman's figure and its position in the frame are to insignificant for her to be a focal point; at least it isn't working for me. I am not opposed to the idea of photographing this from the back - I offered the other perspective only as a demonstration that a photograph can have an accent *and* convey indecisiveness at the same time.
I think the woman is the focal point. I don't need to see eyes to be drawn to a figure. I find the back to be very compelling. The figure is facing the same way I am, forcing a kind of empathy.
Though this might be more the realm of conceptual art than what you call photography, agenkin.
Interestingly enough, the reason you don't like the image is the same reason I do. The point of the image is not to draw the eye to one specific beautiful spot for an "ah-ha" moment. Instead, it is to highlight the fact that the customer is bombarded with choices. There cannot be a focal point for the customer walking in and looking at the immense selection, and I think this is emphasized by the lack of a focal point in the image. If anything, a focal point other than the shopper would detract from the message of the image.
I quite disagree. To express "boredom", for example, the image itself does not need to be boring. The same way, to express multitude and difficulty of choice does not call for an image without a compositional accent.
Just for example, if you shot the same scene from a different perspective, say, from the left with a wide angle lens, showing the woman's puzzled face/hunting eyes, and a wall of books in front of her, this would be a much better image, conveying precisely the same point.
I don't like this image. It is too up-front, and there is no accent, nothing to rest the eye upon.
Interestingly enough, the reason you don't like the image is the same reason I do. The point of the image is not to draw the eye to one specific beautiful spot for an "ah-ha" moment. Instead, it is to highlight the fact that the customer is bombarded with choices. There cannot be a focal point for the customer walking in and looking at the immense selection, and I think this is emphasized by the lack of a focal point in the image. If anything, a focal point other than the shopper would detract from the message of the image.
OMG! that's awesome. BOOOOOKs! I absolutely love photos that encompass themselves - this image is like a great book that I can read in 45 seconds at 640 pixels ... 45 minutes at higher resolutions.The only thing that might make it better would be feet and a bit more clarity on the person and overall. At least it has a good ending. 8
I love this because you look at the picture and think "oh lots of books" and then the eye wanders and you suddenly realise HOW MANY books there are because the little woman is dwarfed by the huge display and volumes of volumes.
This is just crazy! How would anyone ever decide or even find what they are looking for in this store!? I love the scale and perspective - so glad that lady is included. Back to bump you up to 8.
Very cool. Though it does seem to be going downhill from Right to Left. I don't think it matters much though, because the photo itself is brilliant enough to overcome it. I like it very much. GL.
nice composition. considering bright colored book covers, person with bright/light-colored clothes would have worked really really well here. this is excellent nonetheless.
great idea and execution. your framing made this shot. just the woman and a few rows of books would not due, but you create a seemingly endless supply of books/products. the lighting and temperature of the light is obviously difficult to control in that book store environment, could be better with more saturation in the foreground. you should be proud of this shot, my number 1 in the challenge.
This is great! Its almost ridiculous how massive it is compared to the shopper. A wonderful find and capture. I hope this does well for you. Bumping up to a 9 for now.
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