A cute lesbian couple that was sitting on a hotel window watching the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade go on below them. I was actually standing to their lower left and was frustrated with the odd perspective until I reread the rules and discovered that that it's legal to straighten the perspective (yes!). All in all I'm pretty happy with this shot, I got a lesbian couple, a rainbow pride flag and bubbles all in one. Score. The only thing I wish were different was the harsh lighting on them, but there isn't anything that can be done with that that I've already tried, so oh well.
Not sure how this will score because of people's opinion's of same sex couples, but hopefully more and more people can be supportive while still being straight. I swear it's not hard people, I do it every day. I've also been wanting to enter a shot from the pride parade since last year when I posted a pic (non challenge) of a gay couple and someone suggested that I wasn't brave enough to enter it. Bravery has nothing to do with it, but I am interested in people's reactions. I hope people don't bump me down for not showing any of the actual parade in the pic but I wouldn't have been able to show it (20 feet below) and still have detail in the couple. Hope y'all like it (or at least tolerate it)
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Place: 324 out of 407 Avg (all users): 5.1228 Avg (commenters): 6.0000 Avg (participants): 5.2619 Avg (non-participants): 4.7333 Views since voting: 1005 Views during voting: 217 Votes: 114 Comments: 12 Favorites: 0
I think you've received a lot of good feedback from your post to the forums - I'll just say that I really liked their expressions and got a kick out of the bubbles!
Personally, I really like this shot. To be honest its not going to be winner with the DPC crowd but it really tells a story quite well. I like how the bubbles and the rainbow flag frame the couple inside the window which acts as another frame. I guess in the land of "if only" I'd say if only that object in the top left wasn't there.
It would have been nice if the bubbles had been in focus but they are simply too far from the couple for that to happen.
Really this is a great photojournalism shot in my opinion and I could honestly see it in a newspaper.
Posting a comment as it was asked for in the Forums......I didn't vote in the FS, but here is a honest assessment of the photo.
The photo lacks a wow! factor, an overall appeal that makes it stand out from the rest, and therefore attracts a lot of mid range votes.......
The bubbles do nothing for the photo. Some people mistook them for Lens flare, others for I don't know what. however, whatever they are, i feel they are just distracting elements that add nothing to the photo, and just add bright dots to attract the eye.
Much of the picture is brick wall, plain and boring. The brick doesn't have the character, or the context in the shot, to add anything to it.
The crop doesn't work. I would have cropped off the top, almost to the top of the flag. The square crop does not work with this photo. I also would have trimmed a little off the right. By doing this, you move the couple further away from the centre of the picture, and closer to the right line of thirds. therefore, this would have decentralised the couple, and helped balance the shot. I would not have cropped the left, as any change to that removes much of the flag, changing it from a primary element into a distraction......Removing a small area from the bottom (to about 1 brick below the bottom of the flag) also gets rid of brick while emphasising the main elements.
Lightening the Area on the top left (small area would remain) so that the shaddow is not as harsh would also have helped this image. I also would have adjusted the Highlights to darken them, this then gives the bricks a righter feel, and removes the overall too light/overexposed feel the photo currently has due to the harsh light.
I thought it was a good photo. I gave it a 7. The flag complements the people, and the bubbles are an extra bonus. I have to agree about the square crop; another shape would suit this photo better. I might have cropped the top left window out as it is fighting for attention, but then again, you would lose some of those bubbles.
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