I need a HARD critique - Exhibit piece

[Theantiquetiger]

I am doing an exhibit/sale at a local restaurant/coffee house. I have 3 months to get ready. I plan on using famous places in Baton Rouge and New Orleans

This is my first piece I plan on using


capitol Grocery by Theantiquetiger, on Flickr

 

[amolitor]

It's crazy busy, which may be what you're going for. I don't know Capitol Grocery at all, but I imagine it's cramped/crowded/packed space, if this picture is giving it to me straight, so that's good.

The lights in the ceiling appear blown out. Not a deal breaker to me, but that plays into a more important point which is that the reflection of one of these extremely white fixtures is interfering with the sign on the rear of the shop.

I would try to reshoot and.. um. Do something about that? Not sure what. The angle seems excellent, but possibly being a little higher or a little lower would move that reflection usefully. Then I'd burn and dodge etc to clarify that sign in the background, without making it look unreal. You still have the sign on the mat, but I think bringing that name out visually would be a good thing.

 

[EOV]

What amolitor said. I was going to suggest bringing out the sign in the back more but he said it better.

 

[Designer]

This to me looks like an antique photograph. If that was your intent, then fine.

Otherwise, if you could get a little more light in the back of the room ti would "balance" it out more.

 

[hirejn]

Is it an exhibit of snap shots or art?

 

[The_Traveler]

The brightest part of the picture is the side of the ice cream cabinet which, except for being bright, has nothing of interest about i.
I honestly don't know what you are trying to show me or what I should be looking at.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Looks like the contrast needs some adjustment, or maybe the entire photo needs to be brightened; the ice cream case and that wall are white so seem brighter than the left side of the photo, but actually that might even need to be brightened.

The most interesting part of the image is the left 2/3 of the photo, seeing the lights and door that says Capitol Grocery, and the ice cream case w/the mat in front w/the name of the store. The candy case is what seems visually distracting. That might have been better from a different angle but seeing Twix etc. brings it back into reality instead of getting the retro feel the rest of the scene seems to have.

If you're still taking pictures this looks like a subject with potential, I'd think about a vertically framed shot, or if you're choosing photos to use I'd think about making copies of this one and trying different crops and adjustments.

 

[jenko]

Could just be me, but looks like there's a bit of a downward tilt. Was this shot taken from the door? I like that idea, sort of a first impression perspective.

 

[crimbfighter]

The only thing I can add, is that the right quarter of the frame is OOF, which is really only a problem because that area is much brighter than the left third of the frame. What I find happening is my eye is constantly drawn to the right due to that being where the highlights are, and then it's OOF.