A Shadow Of His Former Self. C&C Welcome

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[Shadowman]

Nice title and photo. I like the grainy effect.

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Thanks John. This gentleman was bent over, hobbling along. Kind of looked beaten down so I didn't want anything too crisp or sharp.

[bnnrcn]

Nice composition and the photo makes you think about different aspects of life.

[Downrigger]

Great image, works well for the character projected by the subject... sad and hard.

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Thanks Binnur, it does make one think about life.

Thanks Mark, he stood out both by his isolation on the street and by his slow, measured pace.

[Mike Buckley]

Great eye, Jack!

I didn't want anything too crisp or sharp.

Ironically, I think you used too much sharpening. Similarly, whatever you used to emulate grain, it seems filled with bright, specular highlights that don't seem natural. The tiny bright spots stand out a lot, taking the eye to those individual dots rather than leaving the eye to see the image as a whole. Just my opinion.

[dabhand]

Jack,

+1 on Binnur's statement. One suggestion FWIW, you could consider a square crop to remove all the other people and that medic truck or whatever it is - really isolate him.

steve

[IzzieK]

I agree with Steve here...do a square crop. It will look better...the composition goes well with the title, just a little distraction at the right side that doesn't belong to your story shot.

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Thanks Mike. Yeah I noticed that too. I may go back to the original and see if I can do it differently (better).

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Thanks Steve. My reason for the crop was show him physically alone, or isolated, by including the people behind him.
Unfortunately there's not much I can do about that truck (actually a Verizon maintenance truck).

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Thanks Isabel. I will give it a shot with a different crop (and try to clean up the image as well.)

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Here is another version, slightly different but incorporating everyone's suggestions.

[Mike Buckley]

I like the overall look better but have some different quibbles now: The poles and trees indicate that the image is considerably crooked; if you intend for it to be crooked, perhaps make it more so. I'd like to see a tad more sharpening and less contrast with an emphasis on more detail in the man's facial and clothing features displayed so well in your first version.

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Yeah I wasn't all that happy with this version. I have a series of three images, this is #3, the first was #1 so let me see how #2 looks. Thanks for the feedback Mike.

[FootLoose]

I definitely prefer the first version, Jack, although the grain seems a little bit overdone. However, I think those people in the background are necessary to emphasise his slow pace. For that matter, the angle of his feet is better too in the first one because they don't overlap.

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Thanks Greg. I'm working on one more edit, trying to see if I can incorporate all of the suggestions.

[chauncey]

it does make one think about life.

We all have crosses to bear, but...some consider those crosses to be blessings.

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We all have crosses to bear, but...some consider those crosses to be blessings.

About as non sequitur as it can be.

[IzzieK]

Jack...I think I like the first image better now. I agree with Greg -- those people at the right are needed in your story of alone-ness. Actually I like the grainy grungy look of the first one too.