Thankless Prideby
jonnieComment: ::: Critique Club :::
Critiquing images is one of the interesting roles in DPC, especially when an image like this one comes along.
First Impression - the most important one:
This has an attraction to it for a couple of reasons. It is an unusual image which also has a story to tell. The sign gives it a John Steinbeck feel which is nicely complimented by the slightly shabby looking black and white treatment. As one of the early commenters said, it can be quite sad.
Composition:
Good use of thirds and the barn in the background is what reinforces 'farm' and gives the image such a wonderful pathos. If you masked that out as a test, you'd be surprised just how ordinary and meaningless the image would be.
Subject:
It's an odd one this. I don't know whether to feel really depressed about the subject or to see it as an expression of pride. In fact it doesn't matter. The very fact that there is an emotive response to the image is what makes it so valuable. Because of the way this photo has been prepared in post production it gives you a feeling of being alone and rurally isolated which just serves to enhance the whole feeling of involvement with it.
Technical (Colour and light):
The lighting of the pole is important to this image. If intentional, it shows the photographer as someone with good darkroom skills in dodging and burning combined with a feel for the power of light and how to paint with it. If accidental, then the sharp detail of the grain graduating to darkness at the bottom is a delightful capture and well recognised by the photographer.
To get a Ribbon?:
Well, to ribbon I'm sure people have to both go 'wow' and to 'like' the image. What that means is that not every good photograph should win a ribbon. Not all photos are meant to be 'liked'. A good photo should trigger a strong emotion and it should share with the viewer something they wouldn't otherwise get to see. As you've gathered then, I encourage photographers to seek that as their goal, not a ribbon.
On depth of field, I would like to see more but sometimes that isn't technically possible with the available light but in this case there is more avaiable as only f4.0 is used. Whether a more in-focus barn improves the image or not is a matter of personal taste and is not something that I as a critiquer can say should or should not be done. I would though like to see the results of this shot at 1/60 and f8 or even deeper if your lens could do it.
Summary:
I didn't much 'like' this image when I first saw it but having had the luxury of studying it in depth, it has much to commend it. It has drama, emotion, pathos and perhaps even a small political bent. A good piece of photojournalism.
Thanks for the opportunity
Brett
Photographer found comment helpful.
