London - Shoreditch

[Ajthirtytwo]

Here we go! I have posted a series of street photos from around London Shoreditch area! I have posted the originals and the post production shots. I would welcome some feedback.

 

 

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[Ajthirtytwo]

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[Ajthirtytwo]

 

 

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[Ajthirtytwo]

 

 

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[Ajthirtytwo]

 

 

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[Sluw]

Are these meant for 3d glasses?   

[thesaltyfog]

A few thoughts:

• Posting your before and after photos is unnecessary.  Most of them aren't different enough from the original (in these small web JPGs, at least) to mean much to anyone but you. Show us your final vision.  I will say this small bit about post-processing, though... If you're presenting these as a set or a "portfolio" of Shoreditch you'll be well served to have a consistent look about them.  The "Barber & Parlour" shot, for instance, is vastly different from the rest and seems really out of place.  Was there some reason for the heavy processing in that shot?  Does it feel more like Shoreditch to you?  Is that processing helping to convey your meaning or the feeling of the place?  Would it be appropriate to use that on all of the photos in this set?

• I find the photos to generally be lacking a subject or focus.  My eye doesn't know where to look in many of the shots.  The "Gap" shot, for instance... what is this showing me?  I do like the graphic element of the line of signs, but the one closest to us is out of focus and the others are shrouded behind it, so are unreadable.  My eye is left to wander about trying to land on some information, moment, or aspect of Shoreditch that you are trying to portray. If you had perhaps moved a bit to your left, this could act as leading lines to the lady in the middle.  Similar for the shot of the man standing at the traffic light.  What are you showing us with this photo (and the others)?

• The composition of the vertical photos are all very similar with a hard vertical line down the "third" point of the frame - the store signs in the gap photo, the traffic light, the line of buildings in the "Calvert" photo and the columns in the Grocer billboard photo.  It may be interesting to present these as a triptych or some other set to show a theme in your composition.  But be careful in that applying the same composition every time can become boring very quickly for the viewer.  We don't have the same experience of the photo as you (with the sounds, smells, action, etc.), so you need to engage us visually.  Mix things up.  For example, the rows of shops themselves may be more interesting than the long empty sidewalk stretching out beside them - make them your subject.  The food truck shots are simply centered "whole" shots of the trailer/truck - fine as information ("Here's a food truck"), but not terribly engaging for the viewer.  Show us why we might want to go there, or that other people do.  (Though, I'd be very curious to try what they've got at the Duck Truck, which, ironically, isn't a truck.)  Take some time to reflect on each of them individually and as a group - Does this single photo work on its own?  What is the subject here? Does it build upon the last one or few to tell a story or give a sense of being there? etc.

• With all that said, though, you've passed the first hurdles - getting out there and making the shots and then opening yourself up to random strangers on the internet (savages, we are).  Neither of which can be easy to do.  I get the feeling you were trying to convey a sense of being in Shoreditch - a documentation of some elements of life there: rows of interesting shops (leaving aside the Gap, perhaps), people about, some food truck culture, some common elements of graffiti and a clever sign writer.  That's just my impression, at least, from these first photos.  

[Ajthirtytwo]

A few thoughts:

• Posting your before and after photos is unnecessary. Most of them aren't different enough from the original (in these small web JPGs, at least) to mean much to anyone but you. Show us your final vision. I will say this small bit about post-processing, though... If you're presenting these as a set or a "portfolio" of Shoreditch you'll be well served to have a consistent look about them. The "Barber & Parlour" shot, for instance, is vastly different from the rest and seems really out of place. Was there some reason for the heavy processing in that shot? Does it feel more like Shoreditch to you? Is that processing helping to convey your meaning or the feeling of the place? Would it be appropriate to use that on all of the photos in this set?

• I find the photos to generally be lacking a subject or focus. My eye doesn't know where to look in many of the shots. The "Gap" shot, for instance... what is this showing me? I do like the graphic element of the line of signs, but the one closest to us is out of focus and the others are shrouded behind it, so are unreadable. My eye is left to wander about trying to land on some information, moment, or aspect of Shoreditch that you are trying to portray. If you had perhaps moved a bit to your left, this could act as leading lines to the lady in the middle. Similar for the shot of the man standing at the traffic light. What are you showing us with this photo (and the others)?

• The composition of the vertical photos are all very similar with a hard vertical line down the "third" point of the frame - the store signs in the gap photo, the traffic light, the line of buildings in the "Calvert" photo and the columns in the Grocer billboard photo. It may be interesting to present these as a triptych or some other set to show a theme in your composition. But be careful in that applying the same composition every time can become boring very quickly for the viewer. We don't have the same experience of the photo as you (with the sounds, smells, action, etc.), so you need to engage us visually. Mix things up. For example, the rows of shops themselves may be more interesting than the long empty sidewalk stretching out beside them - make them your subject. The food truck shots are simply centered "whole" shots of the trailer/truck - fine as information ("Here's a food truck"), but not terribly engaging for the viewer. Show us why we might want to go there, or that other people do. (Though, I'd be very curious to try what they've got at the Duck Truck, which, ironically, isn't a truck.) Take some time to reflect on each of them individually and as a group - Does this single photo work on its own? What is the subject here? Does it build upon the last one or few to tell a story or give a sense of being there? etc.

• With all that said, though, you've passed the first hurdles - getting out there and making the shots and then opening yourself up to random strangers on the internet (savages, we are). Neither of which can be easy to do. I get the feeling you were trying to convey a sense of being in Shoreditch - a documentation of some elements of life there: rows of interesting shops (leaving aside the Gap, perhaps), people about, some food truck culture, some common elements of graffiti and a clever sign writer. That's just my impression, at least, from these first photos.

Thank you, so far I've had some positive comments but the feedback you have provided is what I was looking for!

 

I am half tempted to get back to the same locations to take those shots again and think about composition, but really on my next walk about I will thinking about those points above.

 

Thank you once again.