Schoolgirls heading home from class - Antigua Guatemala

[Manfred M]

This shot is of a group of school girls heading home at the end of the school day; set to the backdrop of the old part of the city, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; with its cobble-stoned streets and brightly coloured buildings. The B&W conversion takes away the impact of the mult-coloured buildings in the background. I caught a nice smile from two of them, but the other two seem much more into their cell phones and did not pay any attention.

Very little PP work in this image; a crop, a bit of dodging to brighten the girl's faces and a vignette to draw the viewer's eyes into the image. The crop I used (leaving some space on the left side of the shot), I'm not totally sold on. I wanted to leave a bit of space to balance out the scene without the girls taking up that part of the image and left the architectural features and cobblestone as a bit of a counter-balance to the girls, but am not quite sure if it works as well as I would have hoped. Doing a tighter crop does not work as the image becomes less interesting. While there is more material on the right, it was distracting and was cropped out.

[Digital]

Manfred, this is a very interesting photo.



Bruce

[Mike Buckley]

The crop I used (leaving some space on the left side of the shot), I'm not totally sold on.

I think it's necessary, assuming the other three sides of the frame remain as is. That's because of where the girl on the left is looking.

Doing a tighter crop does not work as the image becomes less interesting.

I disagree. Using a tight crop tells such a completely different story I wouldn't feel comfortable comparing their level of interest. I'm thinking of a crop at the top that is just barely above the man's head in the background on the left side of the street. Also a crop on the left side that is very close to the girl.

[Shadowman]

Looks like you caught the interest of at least three, the one second from the left is calling her Daddy about you.

[FootLoose]

Very interesting shot, Manfred, I wouldn't have expected to see schoolchildren dressed in uniforms like that after seeing your previous photos of people on Guatamala.

I like Mike's suggestion for a crop, and I would take the left side off at the manhole cover. There is still plenty of detail in the background, and the colour of the buildings doesn't mean a lot in b&w. But the crop would allow the reader to contrast the girls in uniform with the tow guys in the background.

[Jeffbridge]

Very cool shot! Great job!

[juznobsrvr]

I'm thinking of a crop at the top that is just barely above the man's head in the background on the left side of the street. Also a crop on the left side that is very close to the girl.

I dig this. Even without your written story, a viewer can pick up what you've just said. I think the crop as it is is fine. Further cropping on top would diminish the power of the vanishing point. Maybe a tad but personally I wouldn't touch it. I also prefer the space on the left side as it leads the viewer to where the girls are headed. Cropping it may appear that the girls were just standing on the streets. My two cents worth.

[NorthernFocus]

A nice shot, Manfred. I like the composition. It really places the shot. The cell phone distraction give it that old world meets new kind of thing. Well done.

[Manfred M]

Thanks for the comments everyone!

I find this recent "return to my roots" quite interesting. I started off life shooting and processing B&W images, often of people when I was in my teens (I couldn't afford to buy and process colour when I first started off), but as I made some money from part-time jobs, I was able to invest in (some purchased and some home-made) colour processing gear for film and prints and I started concentrating on colour and have pretty well stuck with this for decades.

For the longest time, I was of the opinion that an image would either look good in colour or in B&W, but rarely both and this was very much reflected in my photographic output. Recently I decided to challange that view and started converting images that I very much liked in colour to see what I could come up with something that works well in both genres.

Right now I am experimenting with two different tools (Niks SilverEfex Pro 2), DxO FilmPack 4 as well as just working the image in Photoshop and working different colour adjustments to bring out the image the way I like it. I'm having a lot of fun converting images from recent trips and intend to keep on working and posting some of my Guatemala and Ethiopia images.

[dubaiphil]

Nice shot, Manfred - did you manage to get to English Harbour - lots of interested B&W photo ops around there dependant on tourist levels.

Edit that - I've just seen the full title of the thread once I've reviewed what I've written!

Not many English Harbours in Antigua, Guatemala! Antigua in the Caribbean, maybe...!

[truonda]

I like it!

[wmoore]

Excellent shot Manfred.
The crop is totally fine, gives space where it is needed. I think if you take a photo of school girls anywhere in the world at least one of them will be on her phone.
And finally what do people really mean when they say "That's an interesting photo"

[Mike Buckley]

what do people really mean when they say "That's an interesting photo"

I know what my wife means when she says that and it's never intended as a compliment.

[Digital]

I know what my wife means when she says that it's never intended as a compliment.

For the record it was meant as a compliment.


Bruce

[FootLoose]

Excellent shot Manfred.

And finally what do people really mean when they say "That's an interesting photo"

It has engaged my attention

[n8changus1aj]

I like it!