Winner Chosen - June 2012 - Admin's choice - Image of the month

[Marko]

Hi members,

In case you are new around here this is where the Admin (me) chooses one excellent photo each month from all the photos nominated by other members during that month in the Member's monthly choice forum.

Just so it's clear, the photo I choose is not necessarily the best one of the month. I've come to realize it's not really logical to pit images from totally different genres against each other. That's why there are categories in photo contests.

My goal is to simply choose an excellent photo and talk about why I think it rocks.

This month's choice is Alone in the Crowd by Iguanasan

I chose this image for several reasons:

Decisive moment and story - This image tells a 'story' and the title helps explain that story to us. This image is about being in your own mind or your own world in a world filled with others. Isolation is a big theme here for me. There are a few characters in this image and they are completely oblivious of each other. Each one is alone in the crowd. No one is looking at us or at each other. Each character has a different gesture that expresses a different emotion. That's my interpretation of this story, yours may differ and that's okay.

Composition - The success of this image has a lot to do with the framing for me. I very much like the inclusion of the open car door on the left side, it adds the suggestion yet another person in this image. Smart choice. Placement of the individuals in the scene by clicking at the right time also well done. Depth of field works well here to concentrate my eye on the sharpest and 'saddest' person in the image which is the man sitting on the right side.

Post processing - Black and white was a smart choice here based on the very evocative mood. I like how the tones are rendered overall. The white blouse in the foreground is well exposed for me and I like the 'interplay' between that whiteness and the foreground man's very sombre and sad gesture.

For all these reasons, this is my choice for image of the month. Since we all have opinions, some members may disagree with my choice. That's cool but THIS thread is not the place for debate over my pick, NOR is it the place to further critique the image. The purpose here is to suggest strong elements in the photo that we may learn from.

Congrats again Iguanasan for capturing this moody environmental street scene.