Reading by flowsnow

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	Pretty Petals

Reading

Hanoi, Vietnam

The first thing that probably draws you to this shot are the flowers in the big basket on the bicycle. But if you look carefully at the title of this image - it says - Reading. Why? At the far right hand bottom corner, you can see a man (the peddler) reading the newspaper. The least of the thing that seemed not obvious can sometimes be the highlight of the shot.

Nikon D80 ,Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6g IF-ED AF-S DX VR
1/100s f/5.3 at 75.0mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto

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fred_il		30-May-2007 16:50
Amazing!! VOte!

Joanne Kamo		30-May-2007 11:44
Fantastic image! V

Yves Rubin		29-May-2007 15:55
Excellent image! The bicycle appears at first moving in the thumbnail, from the extreme contrast you created. The reader adds so much to this image, a great explorative work.

Guest		28-May-2007 13:44
Very well done

Didier Vanderperre		26-May-2007 23:19
Though I agree with the comments of expert Phil Douglis, this picture is great nonetheless.

Petros Labrakos		26-May-2007 10:15
I like selective light work nicely composed too

regi olbrechts		25-May-2007 14:39
love your tone/treatment Flo!

shatterbug		25-May-2007 06:35
Yes, interesting processing here...what appears to be the subject is in fact in a supporting role :-)

123		24-May-2007 07:23
Lovely composition. V

Debbie Blackburn Beierle		24-May-2007 07:00
Great shot. Nicely composed with good lighting on the flowers. Great observation of the reader! v

Sam_C		24-May-2007 06:45
Excellent work Tricia, great caption inviting the viewer to look beyond the obvious. Vote!

QUERIDO		24-May-2007 06:31
Beautiful shot,vote

clark langley		24-May-2007 05:38
nice work my friend!!

Liz Bickel		24-May-2007 04:18
Very interesting shot. I love the creative concept behind this photo.

Guest		24-May-2007 04:12
The composition that you used is interesting here: The man and what he sells are one. You chose to show the man, but keeping the subject on what he sells. I think that works well.

Simon Chandler		24-May-2007 04:10
Wonderful. Very attractive and lovely. Great composition and exposure. v

Wei O'Connell		24-May-2007 04:02
Excellent treatment. v

Char		24-May-2007 03:42
Hi Tricia, Excellent shot! I really love this picture. \/

Knox O		24-May-2007 03:36
like what you did. v.

Tom Munson		24-May-2007 03:19
Outstanding image. V

Martha Albuquerque		24-May-2007 00:38
superb composition, Tricia.. deep in thoughs and beauty.. my vote*

Phil Douglis		23-May-2007 23:03
An excellent concept, Tricia. He reads while his flowers go unsold. Similar in concept to a shot I made in China of a vendor sleeping while his spices went unsold (http://www.pbase.com/image/31311555 ) You have asked me to make suggestions for improvement, and in that regard, I would suggest that you avoid obvious vignetting in street photography. It might work in posed portraits, but it looks artificial in street photography. Obvious post processing effects usually make images appear less real, more fanciful. If you are working in fiction, rather than fact, then there is no problem. But street photography usually gains its meaning from the factual reality it reflects, and your vignetting diminishes that reality by calling attention to form over content here. True, it cleans up and simplifies the image, reducing distraction. But the background is softly focused anyway -- so you really don't need to make it so dark. And yes, the vignette makes the flowers "pop," which draws the eye. But if the eye is drawn to a fabricated scene, what has been accomplished? The man who is reading becomes so dark, he becomes almost peripheral to the image. Yet you imply in the caption that he could well be the "highlight" here. One other tip: watch your edges, Tricia, when you shot. The man reading is slipping out of the picture, making him even more peripheral to the story. Had you backed up just a bit, you could have anchored the image with him, and if he was not as dark, the story you are trying to tell would have come through with both greater impact and meaning. Hope this helps you, Tricia.

Mindy McNaugher		23-May-2007 22:25
Stunning shot! Vote!

CIS		23-May-2007 22:24
Beautiful scene to capture love the vignette, brings out those gorgeous colours!

Olaf Herrig		23-May-2007 21:00
Excellent photo work! V.

Guenter Eh		23-May-2007 19:35
Now I know what you meant with your comment to my recent picture Tricia - your kind of shots! It needs the "second" look to see the main thing in focus - as in real life too! Fabulous shot!

Silvia Roitman		23-May-2007 19:08
great composition & colours!!

Zaid Kurdi		23-May-2007 19:04
Superb shot,well done,Voted

marie-jose wolff		23-May-2007 18:58
beautiful contrast of colors! very good composition! Vote.

carabias		23-May-2007 18:50
The excellent illumination of the flowers makes the bicycle more beautiful. Gorgeous. ~V~

Guest		23-May-2007 17:22
Like the contrast of the dark street and the bright flowers. Interesting compositon, without the man reading it would be just another pretty shot. v.

Guest		23-May-2007 16:05
Terrific image! I love how the flowers pop out from the darkened background, yet the darkened area is not too dark to let you investigate what's happening in the surrounding scene.

Lee G		23-May-2007 15:46
My favorite type of scene. I like the fringe activity that surrounds the initial main subject. It's fun to see the posture and the expressions on the faces of bystanders. A scene within a scene. Nice job Tricia!

flowsnow		23-May-2007 15:38
Dan, I am glad you saw what I saw and you are obviously an observant person. Sometimes it's not what the eye sees....it's like `reading in between the lines.

Dan Ng		23-May-2007 15:35
You are so correct. the photoshop class I kust took said that the last thing we see are in the shadows. Wonderful lighting (and shadow) and composition. V.

Paco López		23-May-2007 15:30
Very good composition!!! I like very much the background too! My vote!!

Bryan Murahashi		23-May-2007 15:22
Beautiful capture with all the flowers. Nice with the literary moment. V

Guest		23-May-2007 14:37
I was thinking, whoever was riding this bike had great control!!!! :) vote

Ken McColl		23-May-2007 14:16
What a top image Tricia, I think you have made so many good choices here. I am a real fan of the darker image and subtle vingetting..stops the eye from bouncing all over the place. This is a really strong shot.great POV and wonderful colour. I love it that you have only partially included the man reading..always a sign of a thinking photographer...Shame we have to spell it out though for some of the viewers here :-) V KMc

Fong Lam		23-May-2007 14:09
Beautiful flowers, and yes, I noticed the man sitting there too ;O)

Guest		23-May-2007 13:50
love the flowers haha and the rest too but I wonderr , what are the white tyres???on the bike behind the man in a white shirt?

Dr. Michael G. Mathews		23-May-2007 13:44
I love this one! Great mix of color in the basket and the hint of the driver reading in the "wings". So well shown.

zyziza		23-May-2007 13:31
well shown, v

CM Kwan		23-May-2007 13:02
Wonderful lighting and colours! V

Katie Chew		23-May-2007 12:30
Nice shot! V

Guest		23-May-2007 11:53
Great composition and effect! v.

Ali Majdfar		23-May-2007 11:39
Stunning! ~V

Guest		23-May-2007 11:37
How fantastic! V

Guest		23-May-2007 11:34
Great treatment and a lot of thought in the photo.

Eric Carrère		23-May-2007 11:32
And if you look closer you may see the title of the book too Tricia ;o) Nice shot....V

Guest		23-May-2007 11:25
beautiful image. i must admit i was drawn to the flowers first. and then the mopads. and then the newspaper man.

Nestor Derkach		23-May-2007 11:25
Very colorful and and beautiful contrast of colors . Sharp as tack!!! Vote

Guest		23-May-2007 11:24
Yes, the flowers are mostly horizontal while the reading man creates a diagonal in the corner which sets it apart. Nice image.

Raymond		23-May-2007 11:24
... I could have also called it... balance. Everything on top rests on only a small bike stand and only the size of a nickel touches the ground... it's so precarious, it could all fall with simply a little wind...

Raymond		23-May-2007 11:19
Wow... I like how you lighted the center of the image... When I see that image, my first thought was... survival ! Those flowers took time to be how they are, they had to be planted, nurtured, cared for, chosen, "packaged"... with only two purposes, one, to please an eventual buyer, at that in turn, will feed his family. Today, God willing, he'll sell his flowers, and tonight, many will eat before going to sleep at the end of the day, maybe even save a couple pennies for other... dreams or obligations. Your image has found all that beauty, you captured those efforts and hopes, much as his presentation is perfect, so is your image. Bravo Tricia, another diamond in your necklace of images.

Cindi Smith		23-May-2007 11:14
Yep, the flowers are beautiful but I find myself checking out all the people in this shot!