Couple in restaurant

adox66

Senior Member
Would really appreciate some honest feedback on the shot below. It's not my typical style at all as I'm a landscape kind of guy, but last week was in London for a week and brought the camera with one lens only.

Shot was taken in The Science Museum. I stopped for a minute for a rest and looked up and saw a restaurant opposite me with only one couple in it who had just sat down. The tables were lit internally providing a light source for the faces which I really liked. ISO was still pushed to about 1600 I think. I quickly took about 3 shots of them as I didn't want to intrude and they didn't notice me at all. Used a D7100 with a Sigma 17-50 2.8 lens wide open.

I really like like it but as it's not my "thing" at all I would really appreciate some feedback from those who shoot this style or anyone that would like to comment really.

Thanks in advance.


Let Us Pray
by Adrian Dooley, on Flickr
 

Elliot87

Senior Member
Like you this isn't really my "thing" either but I do like the shot. I think the way they're mirroring each other makes the shot. I like the lighting and colours too.
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
I like the shot and love the symmetry.

My preference would be to crop it in a little tighter. When cropping, center up the table right down the middle. It's slightly off to the left.

Keep the symmetry first and foremost.

It's a great shot.
 

dennybeall

Senior Member
Agree with Moab Man - bring the sides in enough to take out the dark wall on the right and enough on the left to center the table. I might look at the top and bottom just a tad with the object of having the people stand out a little more.
 
As you were on private property you needed the permission of the owner so you should not have been taking the photos anyway....As it looks like they were offering a prayer before eating some may find it offensive/intrusive...
If you took it through a window from a public area then its legal but I still dont like it ...
 
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adox66

Senior Member
As you were on private property you needed the permission of the owner so you should not have been taking the photos anyway....As it looks like they were offering a prayer before eating some may find it offensive/intrusive...
If you took it through a window from a public area then its legal but I still dont like it ...

It was in a museum where you were allowed to take photos. They were in an open restaurant in the museum. They arent praying, they just both happen to have their hands up, hence why I picked the title for the image.
I really dont appreciate being told whether I should or should not have been taking photos, especially on false assumptions.

Fair enough if you dont like it but I would appreciate some reasons for not liking it.

Cheers.
 
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The permission in the museum is to photograph exhibits or persons (friends/relatives with you) not strangers.
I am sure if you tried to use this commercially and they saw it you would have a problem. I dont like it because its poking fun at them ...
How do you know if photography is permitted by there religion ? :)
 

adox66

Senior Member
The permission in the museum is to photograph exhibits or persons (friends/relatives with you) not strangers.
I am sure if you tried to use this commercially and they saw it you would have a problem. I dont like it because its poking fun at them ...
How do you know if photography is permitted by there religion ? :)

Sigh, how exactly am I poking fun at them? Also I have no intention of using it commercially.
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
Lol, this is a strange twist in direction of feedback on a photograph. I'll just scratch my head for a while and then forget about it...

Forgotten.
 

adox66

Senior Member
Lol, this is a strange twist in direction of feedback on a photograph. I'll just scratch my head for a while and then forget about it...

Forgotten.


Its not the way I had intended the thread to go whatsoever. I'm fairly thick skinned and would welcome any criticism or opinion of the photo itself but Love Nikon seemed to jump in feet first questioning my ethics etc and accusing me of poking fun at the subjects which sort of left me flabbergasted.

Thanks to to the other posters for giving feedback on the photo as requested and I've certainly taken on board the point most seemed to make about cropping to centre the photo.

Its a a shame that the thread was hijacked by Love Nikon. I think I will refrain from posting images on this part of the forum again.
 
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Moab Man

Senior Member
Better yet, just ignore. This section I believe gave you valuable insight. To not use it only hurts your learning.

And I don't think I've said it before, welcome.
 

jherring002

Senior Member
I like the shot personally. The only thing I could say is to get whatever is in the bottom of the frame out of there. Then come in a little tighter and you have the table as leading lines directly to the subject. Symmetry makes this image interesting.

As far as taking pictures, who cares. I mean in this day and age we are being photographed all the time, whether on surveillance cameras or as bystanders in selfies. If this was just a moment that you saw and captured it, maybe you could have walked over and started a conversation with them. Then asked for permission to take their picture.

I don't see it as a big deal, but I can see how some could be offended.



Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
 

Rick M

Senior Member
If you could have zoomed in more I would have. The background is distracting and you may have been able to throw it out of focus by zooming in more (food for thought on future shots). At this point, a tighter crop as mentioned.
 

Rick M

Senior Member
Its not the way I had intended the thread to go whatsoever. I'm fairly thick skinned and would welcome any criticism or opinion of the photo itself but Love Nikon seemed to jump in feet first questioning my ethics etc and accusing me of poking fun at the subjects which sort of left me flabbergasted.

Thanks to to the other posters for giving feedback on the photo as requested and I've certainly taken on board the point most seemed to make about cropping to centre the photo.

Its a a shame that the thread was hijacked by Love Nikon. I think I will refrain from posting images on this part of the forum again.

Keep posting and ignore.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
If you could have zoomed in more I would have. The background is distracting and you may have been able to throw it out of focus by zooming in more (food for thought on future shots). At this point, a tighter crop as mentioned.

Keep posting and ignore.

Yes, I agree to both of Rick's points. Ignore the person who commented previously and keep posting yourself.

In regard to your photo, as Rick also mentioned, a tighter crop could place their heads on two of the intersecting lines of the Rule of Thirds and eliminated a little of the extra. Since they are the subject, a closer crop helps to keep attention on them. And I did a really quick edit to show you that a shallower depth of field would throw some of the background out of focus which also directs the eye to what is in focus. (I had to use PSE 10 to make a really fast adjustment because I can't right click a jpeg and select PCC 2015 since the latest upgrade).

19117910379_0784f45ecd_z.jpg


Keep posting, adox66. There's absolutely nothing wrong with what you posted and nothing wrong with taking the photo. ;)
 

Felisek

Senior Member
Well, I cannot really add anything new: the photo looks better cropped, as Hark did. I like the light, I like the colour. But first of all, I think you captured the moment very well. There is something interesting going on. Well done and keep going outside your comfort zone. It works!
 

Blacktop

Senior Member
As you were on private property you needed the permission of the owner so you should not have been taking the photos anyway....As it looks like they were offering a prayer before eating some may find it offensive/intrusive...
If you took it through a window from a public area then its legal but I still dont like it ...

People need to get over it. Maybe they should sit in the "non praying section". What i find more offensive than public praying, is the people that worry way too much what other people are doing. Mind your own damn business. Besides, no one gives two shits about what you like.

Oh and BTW, before you label me a religious nut, like the "tolerant" libtards like to do, I'm not religious nor do I believe in God or prayer.
 
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adox66

Senior Member
Thanks so much for the replies, they are really appreciated.
I really like that cropped version that was posted. It does look a lot "cleaner" and certainly makes the couple the shot.
My reasoning for leaving the shot more or less un cropped were, firstly, I really liked the red neon that's in the top left hand corner no thought that really added to the atmosphere of the place. I also left that small wall in that's in the foreground to create a bit of distance between the shooter and the subjects, so it gave an impression of being on the outside looking in and also added a bit more depth to the photo.
The cropped version works great though and I think I prefer it, so despite personal criticism from one poster, this was more than a worth while exercise for me.

On on the depth of field thing and getting closer, it was an off the cuff shot so I shot with what I had on the camera. I did shoot wide open at 2.8, but it was a 17-50 lens I had on and I shot at 50 or as near as. I didn't have the reach to get any closer.

Pooh and one last thing, I don't know if it's the name I put on the photo or really the image itself but, they are most definitely not praying. If you look at the guy he's yawning. They are just involuntarily mimicking each other
 
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