I had this shot (Date) uploaded before, but I left the cakes in color in it. I came to think it was a rather silly idea, so I re-did it in pure BW. I also "reconstructed" in PS a part of the wall above the cakes, as it was inadvertently cut off in the haste of the capture.
I remember this photo from way back and liked it then. I see grad students, consumed in their work but time for each other. I mean look at the size of that giant cup of coffee she has, and straws for two. :)
Alice, thank you for the comment, and the suggestion. I tried it and I think I agree with you, it does look better with the chair seat cropped out. Thanks!
I like this photojournalism shot a lot, and I'm glad I dropped in on the Reaction Club and happened to find it.
It's real life action, and any number of stories can be read into the image. The symbolism of the paintings above it add to the fun.
Great find.
(Um, if it was mine, I'd crop about an inch or so off the bottom to get rid of the unnecessary chair seat and to get the subjects out of the middle of the frame)
I just noticed.. is that a coco loco or some sort of a drink just to the left of the girl's book. It looks as if it has two straws in it. I think these two are having more fun that we give them credit for.
Are we labeling "reaction club" reactions? :) This strikes me as an example of a couple who's quite comfortable doing different things together. They're not at home, so they actually went to this restaurant to then do something separate from each other. I think that's amusing. Maybe they're each finishing up something so they can then spend their day together?
Adrian,
thanks for a wonderful comment! This is most definitely not posed, I actually had to be very quick and surreptitious not to disturb them, which is not always easy with a big SLR camera. But these guys were indeed quite absorbed in whatever they were reading, so they did not even notice me standing only some 3-5 m away. I agree that this scene is a tad sad, a tad humorous, but oddly touching as well, that's why I like it.
I like the humour in this one. They are on a date, but all they do is read books. I used to live in a book world, and dad had to shout to get me to leave off and come and get my tea when I lived at home.
Now, with digicam and computer, I am up till the wee small hours doing a similar thing.
I wondered how it would be if they were holding hands this side, but still had their noses in the books?
Tell me this is not posed - I just think it is so good. They can be on a date, and miss the important thing - each other. Sad but hope it is not a major feature of their relationship.
Interesting, no I didn't "read" the "disconnected date" idea in this picture. I thought that the two were simply reading menus (hence the ideas of cakes in their heads). Having looked at the picture closer, I see that the woman is, actually, reading a book (while the guy still seems to be studying a menu), but, still, I don't think that the photo conveys the disconnectedness.
Actually, from the full-res photo it is obvious that the guy is reading some document, definitely not a menu, the meal is clearly finished. And it was not my intention to imply that this photo shows disconnect between these two. I believe they actually feel good and comfortable in their own slightly odd way just sitting together at the table doing their own stuff. My own reaction to this scene is how different a "real world" date can be from a "supermarket romance novel" date, and still be a date.
I like how intently they are looking down and how perfectly perpendicular it is, which of course makes them parallel to each other, and therefore not connecting.
The odd perfection of this, the straight lines up and down and across that agenkin complains about, works for me. I, too, would like it even better if the front chair and table were removed, I think. This is in the "accidental perfection" school of candid picturetaking.
The real world isnt a Hallmark Card world is it? Here are two people. Are they on a date? Are they married? They seem totaly absorbed in something besides each other. Her uncomfortable looking neck seems to say she is deliberately distanceing. They are in a restaraunt maybe? but they have no food, only bottled water, The empty table? Where are their friends? Did they just leave? All the clues to the setting say happy gathering, food, good company. The people seem content to say something completely different.
PS- I really like the way the light walls on the woman.
I did not really have any time or space to move around and adjust the composition (moments like this last seconds as you well know),
Not really a point, but I'm sure you know it. Imagine bringing an unfinished book to a publisher, explaining that you ran out of paper - will it make any difference? :) As a viewer, I'm quite uninterested to know about your difficulties at the time of capture (although, as a photographer, I may sympathise).
Originally posted by LevT:
Not every scene demands perspective, strong diagonals and a rule of thirds. Here it needs the left-right symmetry and balance, IMO. Furthermore, I wish the front table and a chair were not there, even thought they add to the spontaneous feel of the photo.
I agree, in general, but not in the case of this picture.
Originally posted by LevT:
I like your interpretation of the cakes as cartoon bubbles a lot. I thought about them more in terms of a contrast between what the date is supposed to be, symbolically, and what it really is here.
Interesting, no I didn't "read" the "disconnected date" idea in this picture. I thought that the two were simply reading menus (hence the ideas of cakes in their heads). Having looked at the picture closer, I see that the woman is, actually, reading a book (while the guy still seems to be studying a menu), but, still, I don't think that the photo conveys the disconnectedness.
Not bad, idea-wise, the pictures of the cakes are like cartoon bubbles which show what each of the characters is thinking.
Photographically, I think that the shot is boring because most of the lines in the frame are either vertical or horizontal, and the plane of the wall and the two persons are parallel to the image plane. This gives a strong taste of an up-front shot, which ruins everything else for me.
Arcady, I respectfully disagree. Aside from the point that I did not really have any time or space to move around and adjust the composition (moments like this last seconds as you well know), I actually like the "up-front" and symmetric composition, I think it works well here. Not every scene demands perspective, strong diagonals and a rule of thirds. Here it needs the left-right symmetry and balance, IMO. Furthermore, I wish the front table and a chair were not there, even though they add to the spontaneous feel of the photo.
I like your interpretation of the cakes as cartoon bubbles a lot. I thought about them more in terms of a contrast between what the date is supposed to be, symbolically, and what it really is here.
She strikes me as very stoic, very reserved. He a bit less so. Both observations are based on their postures. I wonder what they're reading? I like the incongruity of the cakes and the cushions. They don't seem to go together at all. I do very much like this.
Not bad, idea-wise, the pictures of the cakes are like cartoon bubbles which show what each of the characters is thinking.
Photographically, I think that the shot is boring because most of the lines in the frame are either vertical or horizontal, and the plane of the wall and the two persons are parallel to the image plane. This gives a strong taste of an up-front shot, which ruins everything else for me.
Add photograph to your favorites
Add photographer to your favorites
Photographer found comment helpful.
