Negotiated Services
by PennyStreet

Comment:
Personally, I'm a big fan of high-contrast color, too. I usually get punished by viewers any time I opt for it, though. I can't quite figure out why. My guess is that a lot of people respond to color differently because it creates a lot of visual information, and some people find it exhausting rather than inviting to have more rather than less visual information to consider. *shrugs* Obviously that's a very subjective thing.

With regards to this composition in particular, I would say the word "busy" is extremely apt. But I would also hasten to add that, for me, the word "busy" is not necessarily a critique. In this case, especially, it's complementary to other words I would use: "vibrant," "energetic," "sharp," and "noisy." And I would also add that the square crop distinctly works wonders on all of the above to make this feel like a distinctly kinetic candid moment of urban busyness and everyday commerce.

In short, I really respond to it positively. I can't quite articulate why. I would be genuinely interested to see how this would do in challenge voting, because I aspire to eventually be able to use color this way without it getting 3s and 4s. :-P

call me funny - or weird
by primabarbara

Comment:
This is a lot of fun to me. Authentic in the best way. And I'm really interested to know how you did this in a single exposure...hope you left some notes. :-)

11. S T A T I C
by Art Roflmao

Comment:
Did you get a hold of my wife's phone too? That might explain why it suddenly won't charge anymore...

to and fro
by PennyStreet

Comment:
A well-deserved blue. Congratulations!

Platter
by PenelopeK

Comment:
A very interesting perspective. The square crop here is a decidedly perfect framing choice, too. It really makes the "culinary" look you seem to have been going for register quite legibly. And it makes me wonder all the more what the context actually is. Looks like some kind of concrete formation?

One of the Sandwich Giants
by PenelopeK

Comment:
Man, I bet these sculptures are really amazing in person. Thanks for sharing!

excitement (or maybe not)
by PennyStreet

Comment:
I feel like I'm ready to see Buddy the Elf pop up somewhere in this frame... :-D

In Hand
by jomari

Comment:
I like this. The part the registers most immediately with me is the juxtaposition of various forms of intellectual property in the subjects' attire. The story contained within the frame is deliciously contemporary.

A Patch of Garden
by jomari

Comment:

Originally posted by jomari: I used a couple of Topaz Studio filters on separate versions and pasted one into the other and blended in darken mode - can't remember what opacity. The filters were 'expressionism' and 'melting'.

Thanks for sharing that. I haven't tried Topaz yet, but I can see why it has so many loyalists. :-)

Love Life
by jomari

Comment:
The placement and emphasis of the red in this frame and its balance with those complementary greens really helps tame what might otherwise be a visually overwhelming level of vividness in the color. As someone who enjoys vibrant, vivid colors in photography, this definitely appeals to me--and usually gets me low scores whenever I try it for a challenge. LOL

Message edited by author 2025-12-12 14:52:05.