Faces turned away - the Ponte Vecchio in Florence

[The_Traveler]

The Ponte Vecchio over the River Arno in Florence is lined with expensive jewelry shops and always thronged with tourists.


Shot with Oly EP-3

 

[runnah]

Of course the guy with the Canon didn't give any spare change.

Why did you chose BW? Is the noise intentional?

I like the overall scene very much.

 

[The_Traveler]

Of course the guy with the Canon didn't give any spare change.

Why did you chose BW? Is the noise intentional?

Thanks for looking and commenting.
Several of the people were wearing bright clothes that competed for attention with the dull light blue of her robe.
By turning to BW I could control where the viewers eyes went more easily and the faces and store signs were much more obvious. More importantly color really seemed inappropriate for the subject matter.
I added the grain to give it a somber look without going whole-hog crazy with grunge; that would have been too obvious and contrived, I think.

 

[The_Traveler]

There are several reasons I took this from the back:
I didn't want to concentrate on her face, just to see the figure in a bathrobe, holding a cane, reaching out to well dressed tourists, walking by, faces averted against a background of store fronts.
I wanted her in opposition to all those things.

 

[runnah]

There are several reasons I took this from the back:
I didn't want to concentrate on her face, just to see the figure in a bathrobe, holding a cane, reaching out to well dressed tourists, walking by, faces averted against a background of store fronts.
I wanted her in opposition to all those things.

I think that is a superb choice given the subject matter. You dehumanized her which every passerby is doing by not acknowledging her.

 

[KenC]

I'm normally not a big fan of street scenes, but this one is just right, from the moment it captures to the processing.

Do you think it has a slight tilt to the right, and if so, was this intentional?

 

[The_Traveler]

Do you think it has a slight tilt to the right, and if so, was this intentional?

Thanks.
It might have a tilt but I concentrated on the woman in the bathrobe.
I wanted her to be the center of attention so I reframed around her, keeping her in an important spot and upright (normal) so she clearly draws attention.

 

[The_Traveler]

This is a decent example of how much luck figures into street shots.

What I wanted was a picture of her holding her cup out from a decent angle showing the cane against a background of tourists and shops. That was fairly easy to expect to get considering that she was doing that all along.

What was lucky was that in this snap all/most the faces were averted and yet within camera range.

What was unfortunate (or less lucky) was that none of the signs said 'gold' or 'jewelry' or anything that would have made the situation really obvious - but you can only shoot what is there.

 

[duhast]

Nice shot. The instant I looked at it, this popped into my head....

On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won't understand
"Don't accept that what's happening
Is just a case of others' suffering
Or you'll find that you're joining in
The turning away"

It's a sin that somehow
Light is changing to shadow
And casting its shroud
Over all we have known
Unaware how the ranks have grown
Driven on by a heart of stone
We could find that we're all alone
In the dream of the proud

On the wings of the night
As the daytime is stirring
Where the speechless unite
In a silent accord
Using words you will find are strange
Mesmerised as they light the flame
Feel the new wind of change
On the wings of the night

No more turning away
From the weak and the weary
No more turning away
From the coldness inside
Just a world that we all must share
It's not enough just to stand and stare
Is it only a dream that there'll be
No more turning away?

 

[Mully]

Nice shot .....I like it in B&W as it gives it a classic look. The old women turned with the cup in her hand adds a lot if interest to the scene.

 

[The_Traveler]

Nice shot. The instant I looked at it, this popped into my head....

On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won't understand
"Don't accept that what's happening
Is just a case of others' suffering
Or you'll find that you're joining in
The turning away"

Nice - and thank you for the Pink Floyd quote.
Very a propos

Nice shot .....I like it in B&W as it gives it a classic look. The old women turned with the cup in her hand adds a lot if interest to the scene.

Thanks, I think the old woman actually creates all teh interest.

 

[pixmedic1 1]

whats weird is...i cant take my eye off the girl out fronts blurred left leg/boot. right boot looks sharp, left boot is all weird.

 

[Rick50]

This is great. Neat the way everyone is looking away.