Andy: Is that picture staged at all? Looks a little contrived to me, but it's ok as a shot IMHO. One of the reasons I say that is that I've just had a quick look at your website and you have some fantastic photography there; very, very good indeed.
I expect you probably already sell your images, as your work is superior to most of the stuff I see at fairs, etc. I know that sort of selling is hard work though, but sometimes that's because the folks doing the selling don't have the images. You do!
I'll be going back to your site later when I've got the chance for a good browse. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Thunderitter
!
Well, what can I say? I'm very flattered that you like my photographic efforts, thus far. Thank you.
I have sold a few images, yes, but it's not something that I actively pursue and the whole thing is just a hobby for me (like bass playing, actually).
As for the posted shot looking 'contrived', I agree, it does look a bit that way
, but it was 'conceived' rather than contrived
. Here's the full story ...
The location is my favourite bar in Hannover, Germany ("Oscar's"). I have spent many happy hours (and many happy Euros) sitting in there and looking at that copy of Edward Hopper's 'Chop Suey' painting and it had always occurred to me that it would be cool if I could catch two contemporary young ladies sitting at the table underneath the painting, as it would make a good photograph. One day, when I was relaxing in there after a long walk around the city with my DSLR, exactly that happened - the two girls you see in the photograph came in, sat at that table and started chatting.
I was determined to get the picture, but as the bar was almost empty and I couldn't hide anywhere to make the exposure, I had to make it look as though I was photographing the painting and
not them. Using a 17mm lens (ultra-wide on my full-frame sensor camera
), I went and stood very close to their table (3 feet away), smiled at them and then began to study the painting with an expression of deep appreciation on my face
. After a minute or so, they were ignoring me (and my camera) and I was able to take a few shots, which took in not just the painting, but the entire surrounding area as well.
This was a God-send, as once I got the picture onto my computer, I realised that the area outside the doors (which I was intending to crop out) where the camera's white balance had turned everything deep blue (being set to match the orange tungsten bulbs inside the bar), actually mirrored the blue light in the painting. The fact that there was a guy sitting hunched over a table outside the bar, mirroring the guy in the background of the painting, was just the icing on the cake
. I hadn't even noticed him when I was talking the pictures, but I'm really glad that he was there.
The only one thing that I
did do to the photograph, which could be considered cheating, was to change the hue of the girl's green jumper. It was actually a turquoise-green, but that clashed so badly with the other tones in the picture that I couldn't resist altering it to roughly match the green jumper in the painting. That detail certainly
was contrived.
A couple of people on the photography forum I use said that they found the image vaguely reminiscent of some of the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson, in the way that foreground elements mirror background elements. If I could manage a few more like that, I'd be well happy
.
; good picture 
