Thanks Zoundz

A good sad picture... if there is such a thing.

Thanks Dave, much appreciated

Great stuff.

I think number two is my favourite however I agree with what Zoundz said about the depth of focus.

Thanks Phil.

I agree with Zoundz & Phil too Dave.

Mike

Thanks Mike

Brilliant capture, the photo's tell the story and they made me feel sad, I really like them both

Thanks Musky

I didn't comment on this originally as I was undecided about many aspects of it. I do feel the image conveys a story that we all are aware of, the homeless man, sitting somewhere in a town near you, all his worldly possessions in a bag. That is the pupose of such images, and in that respect it works. Even as a street photographer myself I find myself questioning whether to be photographing people who are genuinely homeless, mentally ill or down on their luck as although we all like that shot conveying a social documentary, I also am wary of making them a figure of amusement in a picture. I think this picture works because we can all relate to seeing folks like this and we tend to feel thankful we are not them, sometimes wonder why they are like they are, but most people of course are wary of them, slightly intimidated, avoiding eye contact. Good on Grumpy to take us right in there and engage to some degree.

So in one respect both pictures work for me. What I don't really like is the technical aspect or the asthetics of the pictures. The first is good because we see all the bags so we know he carries them. However it could have been so much better with a better angle and it comes over to me a sneaky grab shot. It looks a bit soft, not straight and as if we are getting a shot without his permission side on - which is a shame as Grumpy says he has a story about him. Perhaps this man would have given permission for a few pictures with eye contact? The second, we can see his tired, weather beaten face, but again it is side on. Both pictures suffer with a number of strong distractions, the jag, the blur, the hot spot of the lady. I think if this is someone you get to talk to, maybe they would pose and you can get exactly the shot that presents him as a character.

Incidentally, even a close up on the hands, the tattoo, dirty fingernails, the hand rolled cigarette, the tin, even that would convey a story to me. If I saw it i would have a damn good idea what it was all about.