Hi,

I always post portrait, but I love taking pictures of street.

In this time, I'd like to start posting streetsnaps - avoiding my gallery to be boaring - in 1x.com.

However, this is the first time to post street snaps, I am not confident to post or not.

Could you see my photo and give me some advice to improve the photo, so that the one would be published.

Here is my photo:

I want to express darkness, lonliness of the cities, and also the complicated mind of myself by the dark tree on center.

I hope that the image is not meaningless to be posted on 1x ...

Here is the original photo before cropping or retouched.

And some information about this photo...

ISO 250

1/1600 sec

Is there any room to improve...?

If yes, please give me advice.

Thank you.

Hi and welcome back. Well I've spent some time just looking and I have to say this lacks that special power to please the many. The dark image just looks like a very bad exposure and the other although a lot better still dose not hit my sweet spot in any way. I can't see this image doing well in selection. You can try and spend two or three days and see but my advice would be select another offering. This is just my advice others may differ. I have been wrong before.

Daniel,

Thank you for your opinion.

Sure, yes... thank you. I wanted to hear something like this.

I consider to select maybe another one.

Thank you.

nekogesaku,

Thank you for posting this untitled photo here in Critique.  Your edited version is very moody.  First impression is deep, dark, melancholy, sadness.  There is a glimmer of light in the sky which could represent optimism. 

There are strong halos around the branches and the outline of the silhouetted buildings and railings.  This may be seen as a technical (editing) issue by some viewers.  It is usually caused by over-processing - asking the pixels to do more than they can handle.  I don't see them in your original, so I'm guessing they appeared at one of the editing steps between original and edited versions - possibly sharpening or boosting contrast or lightening shadows.

To fix them it might be better to go back to the original and watch for the step that generated or exaggerated them and ease off on that step.  Otherwise they can be retouched with the Photoshop 'Healing Brush' tool (not the 'Spot Healing Brush') .  Set the Mode to 'Darken', sample with Alt+Click at a suitable area of neutral tone and then brush along the light halo.  When the Mode is 'Darken', the correction will only be applied to areas lighter than the sample area you've clicked on.   

You wrote that you want the photograph to express  'darkness, lonliness of the cities, and also the complicated mind of myself'.  It is good to know that as you edit.  I'll suggest a couple of variations - the first with the halos retouched, but otherwise the same as your edited version - and the other two made from your original with the colour and contrast modified.   It's best if you choose your own composition and colours with the theme and mood of the photo in mind as you work. 

. . . .  Steven, senior critic

Hello,
Welcome to our forum with a different genre.it is not easy to start something new. Especially when you are not accustomed to its ways. I would advice you first to go in some exploration. Try to look at as many street images as you can. Images that have been published and images that have been awarded. Try to see what differs the published from the awarded ones - then categories them. For example moody vs joyful. See how they are edited differently. The next step the is to produce your own. Implement your vision, your ideas and keep on looking for good situations and elements to use.

In your image you got a dark atmosphere. I mean in the original one. The edited did not turn out to be vey effective, though. What 1 thing is missing is one element to strengthen your mood. This could be a lonely person, or a bird flying alone in the sly. Or, it could a dog be or a cat. An element of the city. Street photographers spend lots of time waiting for a subject or element to turn up.
I wish you good light in this quest. Go for it, you will definitely find what you are looking for. And, I think my friend Steven, gave you good advice on your image. I agree also with Daniel, that this is not the image that will bring you the best results in street photography. Best regards, Cicek.

Steven, Cicek,
Thank you for your critique and advice for my new challenge.

It's very nice to hear your words and that encourage me so much.

Steven,

Thank you for your detailed advice, some re-touched works and instructions of Photoshop.

I will check them out.

Halos around the branches are certainly big technical problem. Thank you.

I want also enhanced the mood of this picture as you presented me - not just darken the whole image.

Your 2nd and 3rd ones have certainly more than darkened tree.

Cicek,

Thank you for presenting me about the journy of making street snaps.

Sure, as you kindly mentionned, exploration of this genre was what I missed. "Research", in other words.

However, I will explore (research) the gernre, and in parallel, I try to post my street photos.

And also, adding 1 point was very good and useful advice for me. Thank you.

Thank you again for your kindness and useful good advice!