# Old man working



## roksi

------------------
Photography by Roksandic.net


----------



## JohnS.

I like the moment you captured, but to me, it just seems like there's a lot of empty space. Perhaps standing more in front of him and turning the camera 90 degrees to get more of the action and less of the sky would've filled the picture better.

Good capture IMO nonetheless .


----------



## Yellow Wagon

needs a much tighter crop and doesn't seem all that sharp to me?


----------



## Leftyplayer

Could be sharper.  Unlike previous comments, I like the empty space, gives you a sense of loneliness/ vastness around him that tells me a more interesting story.


----------



## c.cloudwalker

Leftyplayer said:


> Could be sharper.  Unlike previous comments, I like the empty space, gives you a sense of loneliness/ vastness around him that tells me a more interesting story.



Agreed. I like the space too. I also like his white hair close to the white cloud.

What bothers me is the way he is holding his tool. Doesn't seem to make any sense to me.


----------



## peacock

Like previous comment, I like the empty space. Maybe you could sharpen the wrinkles a bit?


----------



## WimFoto

> What bothers me is the way he is holding his tool. Doesn't seem to make any sense to me.



first thing i noticed as well. great capture otherwise.:thumbup:


----------



## Sisco

The middle crop feels odd? Could have been a portrait  crop instead, getting his full body and energy.


----------



## invisible

The way the man is holding the tool doesn't bother me. In fact, what I decoded is that the man's not used to this tool but is doing his best to get the job done. The fact that it's an old man trying to understand how a tool works tells a story of hardship.

For some reason, your photo reminded me of the video for R.E.M.'s "Orange Crush". It's more than 20 years old, but the photography is still great. 




The sepia toning works for me, but I think I'd like to see this in B&W.


----------



## LazyBoness

invisible said:


> The way the man is holding the tool doesn't bother me. In fact, what I decoded is that the man's not used to this tool but is doing his best to get the job done. The fact that it's an old man trying to understand how a tool works tells a story of hardship.


im pretty sure he's knows how to use it its just that he's tapping it into place in this shot and not going full force on it anymore.


----------



## oldmacman

roksi said:


> ------------------
> Photography by Roksandic.net



I think it is a very nice capture. It has a dreamy/unreal quality to it. Here is an edit that addresses some of the suggestions people have made.


----------



## Marmeduke

Great shot! I like the original and think the open space / cackhanded holding of the hammer give it pathos. Not sure about the almost-square dimensions though.


----------



## robitussin217

I think the way he's holding the hammer is beside the point. But, he may just be trying to distribute the weight so it's more manageable.

The extra space comes across as a definite, artistic choice; not a mistake. To me, it's as if he's being watched by the sky like a slave driver. Look at the expression on his face...painful.

I don't like the edit. It looks smudgey. While it does seem sharper in other areas, it makes his cheek look a tad funky. 

Good capture. Interesting choices.


----------



## starcluster

Okay! i think the light is a little bit harsh on the subject but even so i think it is an amazing! for that to express the harsh timing that the old man is having, the Action is also great, i might try to be closer but that will remove the remarkable clouds..
well done


----------



## Bend The Light

Break some "rules", why not? 

Love it. Love the graininess, love the crop, love the model, love the "dodgy" grip on his tool!
Sometimes photos are just good anyway, despite the obvious "errors" or possibly, "Choices?"

Cheers


----------



## Chamelion 6

I really hate sepia and brown tones...  But not here.  It really adds to the shot.  I like the crop and the empty space around the subject, I even like the fact you chose to center him.  It all seems to pull together to set a mood.

There is one thing that bothers me...  The shadow of his nose is distracting from the otherwise excellent contures of his face.  For some reasin my eye just keeps getting drawn to it.


----------



## oldmacman

robitussin217 said:


> I don't like the edit. It looks smudgey. While it does seem sharper in other areas, it makes his cheek look a tad funky.



Not sure what you mean by this. Do you mean because there is more definition in the wrinkles?



tarnia_k said:


> P.S. I dont like the edit, (oldmacman). Cheapens the shot and lessens the quality. Some parts a sharp and good (though very few parts), half is grainy, other half is blurred. (not the good blur). Makes the image kinda shoddy. (Sorry..)



No need to be sorry. The original image is very tiny and difficult to work with. As I originally posted, I think this is a nice, simple image. IMO, any time you have a lot of visual noise competing in a simple subject, it is served better by reducing that competition. I happen to think there is more pop with the contrast in focus, but that's just my personal preference.


----------

