3 x Bum

[TheOm3ga]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2275/2207990964_b82c7cfba0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theom3ga/2207990964/sizes/l/)

This is a photograph I made for a spanish contest about coexistence. You can vote me clicking here (http://www.fototalentos.com/votar.php?foto=a133593cffd9&voto=5), if you like. Looks like the bum gradually realizes how sad his life is.

It's made up of three different photographs. Unfortunately I couldn't made all the shots from the very same place because there was a huge crowd there and I had to move a bit.

The exif data differs from one shot to another, but more or less it's like this:
ISO 400 @ 70mm, f/4.5, 1/100 (1st image), 1/60 (2nd), 1/200 (3rd)
using an EOS 400D and a Sigma 17-70 2.8-4.5.

They were joined using photoshop and I made it "custom B/W" desaturating some colours and adding some vigneting using Lightroom. Also I added some difference clouds using Photoshop to give it a dirty look.

Do you think the composition is OK? I thought using the three photographs at the same time would give it some motion.

[Japaslavian]

The people and the purple bag(?) that are in the frame distract me.
Be sure to pay attention to things like that when shooting.
I like the color. It puts the man into perspective nicely. Shame you couldn't have shot from the same position for each frame. Would have made it a little more cohesive.

Also, be careful with your description of what's happening.
Looks like the bum gradually realizes how sad his life is.
That sounds very degrading, and personally, really turns me away. We're all human. I'm not accusing you of ill-thinking, but that's just how that phrase comes off to me.

[Saralonde]

With a little bit of Photoshop work, you might be able to get rid of the purple in the second one. The people moving past him don't bother me as much. The seem to not notice his existence, which is a story by itself.

[FrankenPengie]

Just to extrude social sensitivities Japaslavian pointed out, "bum" is like the "N" word to someone genuinely homeless.

Beyond that I think that as-is this is a very poignant statement. The passing purple, leather bag is the story - not a distraction.

[tomw]

Great shot! I don't know what to say about it critique wise.

But I do have a question: You said you used Difference clouds...but how did you get it through the photo without either covering the photo or the photo covering the clouds completely? What blending mode did you use, is a better question.

[Dr. WooD]

You took a very good set of shots. The story is very powerful. Hopeless, despair, sorrow, and hunger just for a start.

I don't like your comment on the subject at all thou.

I cant figure out how someone could become homeless like that, but there are a lot of them in my area. Just yesterday one was riding his bike down a path by the railroad. I guess he gave up. As a train was approaching he put his bike down, and laid down resting his head on the track. Dude was only 40 years old. Same thing happened a year or so ago. There is no telling how many are dead in the multitudes of woods, and swamps we have here.

[kimspics]

Your pics are good- however I am distressed by the word Bum, I think it is very harsh for someone you don't even know- it is a pre-judgment. I happen to know several "Bums" and none of them are homeless they are just very lazy, mooch off other people and never hold a steady job. Until you actually know someones story, I would never label them... Your pic is great I think.

[peeperita]

very nice post work on this image.....i am especially impressed by your use of the difference clouds.....it really ties in the three images and does indeed lend a grittier feel.....

the purple bag has been discussed and about all i can offer is an agreement that it should be cloned out if possible.....

you have a great hand at post..,.,..

peeper

[TheOm3ga]

Hi all! Thanks for all of your comments.

@Japaslavian Thanks for your comment. In the third photograph, the trousers had a pocket that covered half the head of the man. It was a hard work, but I managed to erase it, copying some "hair" from the other photographs. I'm afraid I didn't bother about the bag, but I think that removing all the people would be a mistake.

@Saralonde Hi Sara, thanks for telling me about the purple thing. Again, I realized afterwards that there was some purple thing both in the upper right corner and in the bottom left corner. It wouldn't have been difficult to remove it, I'll try to update it these days :)

@tomw I'm proud you like it. I don't remember very well which blending mode I used. I think it was overlay, but I'm not sure. Right now I cannot see it, but tomorrow I'll tell you.

@WooD Hi WooD, thanks for your comment. I'm really sorry about the usage of the word "bum". It was the only word I knew as a translation to "vagabundo" (in spanish), but now I realize I should have used something like "tramp". I wasn't aware of the rudeness of the word. I'm afraid I should check my messages twice before posting them.

@peeperita Thanks! The use of the difference clouds was something that ocurred to me by chance, and had a great effect. You should look for the Joey Lawrence tutorials, he's got a DVD full of tutorials about adding a dirty look to your images.

For the next time, I will try to skip the description and let the images get described by themselves :)

PS: If you spot any grammatic or semantic mistake in my messages, please tell me :rolleyes:.

[jay_soft]

hi,

Lots of comments above and i think your photos are good, but i wanted to add something different.

I think your right, having the three photos side by side does convey an idea of movement, and also of people passing this guy by. But, personally i would prefer any one of the shots on their own. Because there are three next to each other I'm drawn into looking between all of them and the differences, rather than being drawn into one individual frame. I think one shot on its own would have portrayed more emotion.

[Peach]

Seeing that the original poster is from Spain, I'm guessing that English is not their native tongue (and that is confirmed by their latests response). Though I would warn you, also, "TheOm3ga" that "tramp" still holds a negative connotation; that being a woman of loose morals. I think your best bet here would be vagabond, homeless, or transient to describe this individual if you so choose to do so. I wouldn't really stress too much about the word choosings though, from your first post it was easy enough to understand that you meant no harm.

As for "sad life", I understood exactly what you meant and on the one hand yes it can be taken negatively while on the other, it's not. It is sad that he is homeless, and sad that there may have been factors beyond his control in becoming homeless. However, on the other hand saying his life is 'sad' could be taken as mocking him. I, however, did not take it as that.

I guess it's all how you interpret or read things. The members of DPS are a pretty good bunch, so I guess I just wouldn't expect one of us to say anything in a mean way. :)

As for the picture(s) - I like them. I like the movement that you had to do because it gives a sense of time shifting. I like the people walking by but I would have tried not to get them in the same spot in 2 different frames because it's like your mind tries to make those two images into one whole person and it doesn't quite work. LOL

:)