This is how you do it!

[mugge]

I liked the interaction between the two men. C&C welcome.

This is how you do it! by Ole Hansen, on Flickr

[DanK]

An interesting idea, but it doesn't quite work for me.

I think it would have been a much better image if you have moved 1/3 meter or less to your right so that the instrument didn't cut the face in half.

Apart from that, I would darken and maybe blur the stoplight at the top left to make it less distracting and increase the contrast in the people. The lack of contrast in the men that appears visually can be seen in the histogram if you select only the two men:

[mugge]

Second attempt.

P9260269-Edit-Edit-2-Edit-Edit by Ole Hansen, on Flickr

[Manfred M]

+1 to Dan's comment regarding the contrast, cutting the man's face and the distractions in the background (traffic light and other bright areas. Your edit, where you lifted global contrast has also made the bright background distractions more apparent.

Another more minor issue is the focus point. The electronic theodolite is sharp, but the operator is just slightly soft. I'd suggest that the camera has focused on the wrong part of the image.

[mugge]

Back to the drawing board. I did give the theodolite extra sharpness because the operators' are so focused on it. The theodolite is the central point not the operator.

[Shadowman]

I'm in agreement that the camera is the main subject and if mine I'd try to emphasize a bit more, I would darken the background a bit and highlight and brighten the edges and glass/metal sections of the camera, nice effort.

[Manfred M]

Looking at your comments and those of others, I think what it boils down to is two things:

1. If the image is about the electronic theodolite, then the two men are in too sharp a focus and possibly too close to the instrument to be effective. They distract from your overall intent; and

2. Because they are such a significant element in the image, the way the face of the one surveyor is cut, it also detracts from the overall effect of the image.