Card game in Chinatown, NY

[The_Traveler]

The park just adjacent to Chinatown in NYC is filled with tables of the locals playing a subtle, complex form of poker.
The players are pretty intense and it would be a photographers' paradise except that so many photographers go there to shoot.

Although the main subject was virtually in the exact center of the image, I think it works because she was framed by the two with their backs to the camera. The kibitzer (a Chinese-Yiddish term) supports the composition, his face is framed by the onlooker's arm and so is a secondary center of interest. The expression on the principal subject's face shows both her intensity and her delight at what is going on and her role as the principal center is well delineated by the framing of the onlookers and the attendant face of the watching man.

The varying figures that are oof give it depth and add to teh correct impression of the environment where it was shot and the minor incongruity of a Burberry plaid hat on a Chinese woman gives it a little funny edge.

The light was difficult and glaring and there were many distracting colors so a conversion to BW was almost obligatory.

D700- 70-300 f6.3 at 1/1000 focal length 145

 

[The_Traveler]

I seem to be going for a record of views per comment.

 

[frommrstomommy]

I seem to be going for a record of views per comment.

I'm one of those views.. lol I don't even know how to begin commenting on this type of people photography.

 

[nycphotography]

I'm with her.

I guess when I look at it.. I think "would I print and frame this?" nah. Why not?

I mean, it's a good shot... but, well... the main subject isn't really that interesting. And it doesn't have that "stand alone on a wall" quality.

I think if you could have the guy on the left in sharp focus, and the the woman OOF way more than he is now, it might be more interesting to me.

She's just gossiping along playing cards... but he's thinking something. About her? About you?

 

[Derrel]

I like most things about this photo, except for one thing: the "zombie figure" who appears silhouetted over the shoulder of the main figure...in a way, almost "photobombing her". To me, that black figure, that black outline of a person, silhouetted so strongly, is just killing this group street candid...just ruining my enjoyment of this group! I'm not normally an advocate of Photoshopping out things that appear in real-life, authentic street scenes, but converting that human outline to out of focus background bokeh circles using the cloning tool or healing brush would really,really make this shot better. IMHO.

 

[PixelRabbit]

Damnit Derrel I had a reply almost done about the photobombing silhouette and now it's just reiterating what you said !

Lew I agree with Derrel I like how the lady/centre of interest initially captures attention but isn't so strong as to keep your attention glued onto her, it is comfortable to peruse her relationship to the others in the shot... Until I get to the looming silhouette , there I get stuck and can't form a relationship that sits well with the image.

 

[The_Traveler]

In response to popular demand, I took out the 'zombie head'; jury is still out for me on which one I like, but now that it has been mentioned it certainly looms large in my mind.

 

[The_Traveler]

Admittedly, street photography is an acquired taste, like most alcoholic drinks, and it has a different set of values.
Rarely is it pretty or beautiful but most street photography should present some sort of idea or concept or design or emotion that the photographer saw and wants to show the viewer.
Any specific picture can range from the very trivial (http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/people-photography/310281-so-tall.html#post2808193 ) to something that embodies a much more complex idea ( Zenfolio | Lew Lorton Photography | Anti-war demonstration - Sept 2007 | DCpeace702007-09-15_46 ) to something that has no verbal equivalent ( Zenfolio | Lew Lorton Photography | Random Street Shots | Photo 1 ).

Street photography often is not obvious and requires some effort on the part of the viewer.

 

[Ron Evers]

I prefer the edit but still find the image too busy & my eye wanders about.

 

[Derrel]

I prefer the edit but still find the image too busy & my eye wanders about.

Crop off most of that large oak tree limb in the upper right hand side, laving to top of the frame about "1/8 inch" above the woman's hat. Then, crop a little bit off on the right hand figure, far right side of the frame...tightens the composition up, and eliminates the too-wide-format feeling caused by cropping off the oak tree limb. That brings the eye back to the foreground, the group; the way I see it, the background is strong in this shot, and the gestalt of the oak limb is very strong. Eliminating that background draw makes my eye linger longer on the group.

 

[pic_chick]

I like the image and would add it to my digital photo frame (where I put photo I like but don't Love but still want out to see) I think it would be nice to see the man not playing cards and the woman he is sorta looking at framed just the two of them. I feel that that is where the story is going to be. I did not note the "zombie" till I read a post about it but I do like the edit with out him it is just less busy. I really like the b&w of theis photo over all I would call this a keeper but not a show stopper.