commute

[shuuun]

station

[Manfred M]

An interesting composition and I find it is effective. Very high dynamic range and somewhat noisy; both work well here.

A couple of points; You have posted in a 20% dot grain colour space. Unless you are outputting this image to be printed using a B&W offset press process, this is not a colour space you should be using. Anything posted on the internet should be in the sRGB colour space as this is what most viewing devices use, even for a B&W image.

I have mixed feelings about your crop. While the stairs are an important part of the composition, do they deserve to have around 50% of the visual space? Let me propose an alternate crop that concentrates more on the commuters.

[Geoff F]

My first thoughts were along similar lines to Manfred but, for me, that edit loses something by losing height.

Ideally I would have liked to keep the original image ratio but lose two steps and gain a little more at the top?

As it is now, I think I might try to crop the right side close to that vertical railing support and a similar amount (one step) from the bottom?

[escape]

I like the long staircase because it adds the sense of distance traveled to the image. The handrail acts as a barrier directing the eyes up the stairs. The light at the base of the handrails also adds emphasis to the barrier and distance traveled. For me, it's a key point of interest.

Shuuun used this approach in his other image, Traveler, with the long walkway leading to the traveler with the suitcase.

[Manfred M]

Shuuun used this approach in his other image, Traveler, with the long walkway leading to the traveler with the suitcase.

Agreed and in my view, both images are not as strong because of his approach.

[DanK]

I agree with Geoff. I think the long leading lines are a key part of the composition. I think Manfred's crop is uninteresting. However, I would make two changes in that part of the image. First I would burn the bright areas at the bottom right somewhat. They are very bright and draw the viewer's eye away from the people. I might also crop a small amount from the bottom of the stairs (but not much.)

That said, there is one part of this image that doesn't work for me at all: the extreme processing. Many of the dark areas blend together where I think they shouldn't. In particular, the people aren't silhuetted; they are unseparated from the background. I tried to do an edit to show this but couldn't because large parts of the image have been reduced to pure black, L=0, so there is no detail left to recover.

[FootLoose]

I agree with Daniel and Dan, Manfred's crop ruins the narrative here. The hunched figures suggest the effort of having trudged up all those stairs has taken is toll on them. I am also inclined to agree with Geoff that perhaps one or two steps could be removed but that would result in a squarish frame which would make the steps seem less imposing.

Regarding your processing: I have no problem with it. I see a lot of this style of processing and I wonder if you are doing the B&W conversion yourself or if you are using a program, like Nik, and opting for a preset? Also, are you influenced by Moriyama Daido?

[shuuun]

Thank you everyone for giving me advice.
I tried to crop again.
I used preset B&W program and many people say this program makes photos like Moriyama Daido

[Geoff F]

That looks better to me.

[billtils]

That looks better to me.

Me too.

[shuuun]

Thanks you!

[Wandjina]

Street photography is difficult at the best of times and at night it can be more difficult. I am not concerned so much about the crop that you have chosen, but I become a little frustrated that I can't see any detail in the under exposed dark coats nor in the blown out white jacket. It is a low key image but maybe too low key for my liking.