* Wednesday C&C "No Theme" Thread #788 / Revived #008 on 2023 05 24 *

This time I feel that the post processing is just right for the subject. It is gritty. The brown and black smells of tarmac. The exploding black surround is all about energy and what could be more "Fuel City"?
The text graphic is big and bold. The foreground is justified-we sweep in as though entering from a highway. Not a touch of green or nature to be seen.
A powerful image.

Visually, the two red tops link the figures and both stand out from the grey water. To me it suggests that the day may be bleak but the activity, fishing, is making a pleasant activity in the day. The relative sizes are important. They add story. Mum? Big sister? adjusts the gear but he is as happy playing. Both having dark hair makes us tend to assume they are related so we have an inter generational touch as well. The little guy is picking up the art but he has a way to go yet.
It's a warming people photo.

Glorious colour rendition set off by the black background. I like the weight of the bulb bottom right along with the line of the leaves to the top left. The rich browns of the wilted leaves beautifully complement the greens.
I think it needs a little more space at the bottom, it feels sort of truncated down there.

I agree Linda.
Number one especially. The notion of showing what might be the wormholes within an apple is very clever. There are all kinds of allegorical interpretations implied here. The twisting pattern of the "holes" curves nicely to follow the shape of the fruit, without being too blatant in the matching.

Thanks minniev. You picked up on what I tried to do with the selection. I wanted something of the range of excitement cross Naples. There were many more to choose from but I thought four were enough. The foods were tempting though. Double blue pizzas and pastas required some cheffing ingenuity but they found ways. Cakes and canolis were easy. As were remarkable hair dos. A major series could be done on Maradonna treatments. Many seemed to suggest he is now the Pope or the patron saint of Naples. At the very least he has been beatified by the city and I gather that he is still on the field with the lads.

Thanks for looking and commenting. The top rim of the planting pot can just be seen at the bottom. It's not readily obvious in the shadow, right away. I think there's just enough there. No reshooting the scene now!

Rich

Thank you for explaining this image's unexpected appeal. Soon hopefully I can get out there again with something wider and really show off the landscape.

MinnieV and MikeFewster, I greatly appreciate your detailed responses!

Good idea.
I am open to any suggestions and yours is very appropriate. Thanks for commenting.

I second the idea of @MikeFewster - I think there‘s a lot of potential there, to make it more effective by cropping!

The problem I have with this shot is the positioning of the two figures on the left side close to the frame edge, especially the largest closest to the camera. We can see just enough of the band uniforms to be confident that the two figures are part of the performance. The remoteness of the two, especially the man with his back turned to the conductor and musicians, is what gives the shot its bite. The trouble is, as shown, I can't believe it. Being so close to the left edge, we can't see what is in front of them. My head makes the assumption and fills in the dots that something/someone is before them. and cut off by the left edge. While this may not be so, it feels to me that this is what's happening rather than that they are performing and involved with those behind them at that distance.

Like this better?

And lose the cars?

Exactly what I had in mind. IMNHO it now works better because the somewhat wacko relationship of the front performer to the group is now apparent. With or without the cars doesn't seem an issue but I really like the conductor's extended arms in the new versions. The energy he is pumping in underlines the remoteness from the closest performer.
How do you see it Jim?

Truly excellent - love both shots.

The first is a wonderful creative idea and really well done. The look seems perfect... a bit like an X-ray.

I like the lighting in the second one and the color contrast is very effective.

I like this version better as well, but of course it depends on the message you want to convey!

I view it as a kind of "Wild West duel scenario" between the conductor and the performer in the front, so I would emphasize that and make it more dramatic:

But of course I can see how that would be totally detrimental to the image if your idea is different! 😅

I feel a little guilty about using AI to create the part of the image that wasn't captured on the neg.