Rainy Day

[mugge]

We were caught in the rain one day. I had my Lumix LX100 in the pocket. C&C most welcome.
Rainy Day by Ole Hansen, on Flickr

[Shadowman]

Nicely captured.

[Mike Buckley]

Wonderful color, motion and obvious display of rain drops on the pavers.

We were caught in the rain one day.

It wasn't just you; not one person in the image is carrying an umbrella.

[Manfred M]

You have an interesting approach here, but other than in limited cases, the backs of people rarely make for an interesting and compelling image. Had they been walking towards you, I think this shot might have worked a lot better.

[Mike Buckley]

I disagree, Manfred. If the people had been facing the camera, we wouldn't know where they were going to. As the scene is, we know they are rushing to get under the cover displayed in the background.

[mugge]

You have an interesting approach here, but other than in limited cases, the backs of people rarely make for an interesting and compelling image. Had they been walking towards you, I think this shot might have worked a lot better.

Manfred, I disagree. People are walking away from something. If they were walking towards the observer it can be seen as welcoming something. They are clearly rejecting what is happening, therefore, they turn their backs.

[Manfred M]

Manfred, I disagree. People are walking away from something. If they were walking towards the observer it can be seen as welcoming something. They are clearly rejecting what is happening, therefore, they turn their backs.

You and Mike are quite free to disagree, but I will stick with my original opinion. Unless the people are visually leading your eyes to the subject of the image, backs of people rarely make for interesting subjects. The expressions on their faces as they run towards shelter would have made for a much more compelling image.

[Mike Buckley]

Unless the people are visually leading your eyes to the subject of the image, backs of people rarely make for interesting subjects.

You don't find the three primary subjects in this scene interesting? Their posture isn't interesting? Their lack of an umbrella isn't interesting? Their implied motion isn't interesting? Their clothing indicating that the weather is warm and that they are in a warm rather than a more uncomfortably cold rain isn't interesting? Their intersecting paths aren't interesting? The totality of all of that isn't interesting?

[mugge]

You don't find the three primary subjects in this scene interesting? Their posture isn't interesting? Their lack of an umbrella isn't interesting? Their implied motion isn't interesting? Their clothing implying that the weather is warm and that they are in a warm rather than a more uncomfortably cold rain isn't interesting? Their intersecting paths aren't interesting? The totality of all of that isn't interesting?

Mike, I did like the resigned and stoic look of the woman's back.

[Mike Buckley]

Mike, I did like the resigned and stoic look of the woman's back.

Also that she isn't even bothering to hold her large purse over her head. That also makes me wonder if she would have used it for protection if she didn't have her hair tied up. On the other hand, the near woman on the right side of the scene also has a large purse and she didn't use it to cover her hair, which isn't tied up.

[Manfred M]

You don't find the three primary subjects in this scene interesting? Their posture isn't interesting? Their lack of an umbrella isn't interesting? Their implied motion isn't interesting? Their clothing indicating that the weather is warm and that they are in a warm rather than a more uncomfortably cold rain isn't interesting? Their intersecting paths aren't interesting? The totality of all of that isn't interesting?

I think the image could have worked with this concept, but the execution is more of the problem. I think Ole is trying to do too much in a single shot. When we shoot people, it is usually about their faces.

When we shoot people from the back, we are using them to lead the viewer's eyes and direct them into the scene. As the woman in blue is the main subject here, that makes the execution of this technique a bit trickier. If we simplify the scene by removing the two women on the right and concentrate on the main subject, I think this can be pulled off. I used Photoshop's content aware fill to create a bit more space along the bottom of the frame to open this fairly tight part of the scene.

[dje]

For me Ole, it's about people rushing out of the rain to the January sale at David Jones. Nice one.

It looks like the Burke St mall ?

Dave

[Mike Buckley]

Simplifying the photo down to one primary subject tells a very different story, which for me is a less interesting story. One woman being caught in the rain is a lot less interesting than knowing she isn't the only one who got caught. For me, the execution of the original is better than the revision.

When we shoot people, it is usually about their faces.

That is one of the reasons Ole's photo is so darned interesting.

[Mike Buckley]

I don't know what the David Jones store sells but it would be an absolute hoot to learn that they specialize in raincoats and umbrellas.

[mugge]

I think the image could have worked with this concept, but the execution is more of the problem. I think Ole is trying to do too much in a single shot. When we shoot people, it is usually about their faces.

When we shoot people from the back, we are using them to lead the viewer's eyes and direct them into the scene. As the woman in blue is the main subject here, that makes the execution of this technique a bit trickier. If we simplify the scene by removing the two women on the right and concentrate on the main subject, I think this can be pulled off. I used Photoshop's content aware fill to create a bit more space along the bottom of the frame to open this fairly tight part of the scene.

Manfred, this is a completely different picture. My mistake was that the two figures running were not running fast enough in the original image. Your edited image is fine though. I just wanted more than that.

[dje]

I don't know what the David Jones store sells but it would be an absolute hoot to learn that they specialize in raincoats and umbrellas.

Well it's sort of equivalent to Macys and I'm sure they would have a very good selection of raincoats and umbrellas!

Dave

[bje07]

I like the first version as people are rushing to a shelter, a default?: may be a shutter speed to low, but easily understood as "Instant T"

[madcrow]

Ole, I think you captured the what happening very well. People rushing to get out of the rain, it's all in your image. I wouldn't touch it, it's perfect.