Putting people in the picture

[nikkortorokkor]

Curiosity - Heng Qin, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.

Although I like photographing architecture, I'm aware that photos sometimes need people to act as a focus of interest.

Heng Qin Island is one of those amazing Chinese projects which makes any observer wonder 'when will it all end?' The island, which currently holds a sleepy fishing village and a few low-end hotels, is being made-over as a duty-free zone. A ring road is being built around the island, and there are literally scores of cranes building an instant city of hi-rise apartments.

I was trying to capture the forest of cranes and pile driving derricks without any success. Just boring shots with no real interest. Then a typical Yamaharley 125cc mini cruiser tootled round the corner. Dad looked at me as I quickly panned onto him. Son stayed glued to the cell phone. By the time I released the shutter, dad had glanced the other way to see what the hell the stupid laowai was photographing. Voila!

Personally, I like the result. The moto gives movement, the people give interest (where were they going?) and the rider looking the other way eventually (I hope) focuses the viewer's attention on the plethora of cranes.

Or am I being delusional?

[mickeyobe]

Michael,

What immediately caught my attention was those palm trees with their fronds blowing in what must have been a gale.
Or is that the way palms behave in a breeze?

Mickey - From the land of the maple

[photax]

Hi Michael !

I like the composition of your picture, because you are looking automatically in the same direction as the biker did, and that`s the subject you wanted to capture. A good shot !

MIK - From the land of the firs ( also no palm trees )

[daveh]

Michael,

I am not sure about the rider looking to dee what you were photographing but I'm looking to see what he's looking at!

The eye goes from the pillion to the rider and then to you area of no real interest. Some would say it should have a strong subject that the rider is looking at. I think it make a better picture for sharing in the puzzlement: just what is there? Has he seen something I can't?

Thanks.

Dave.

[nikkortorokkor]

Thanks all, for the comments.

Mickey, it was a stiff sea breeze rather than a gale blowing the palms. Basically there was nothing substantial between the trees and the South China Sea, so although technically still a breeze, the warm subtropical wind had some oomph behind it.

Mik, I entertain my students with photos of a mature Douglas Fir in my garden in NZ. Since the photo was taken after about 10cm of snow had fallen, when I ask what kind of tree it is, the students invariably (and cheerfully) call out, "A Christmas Tree". They (or the good ones, at least) dutifully write down 'Fir tree' when I tell them the conifer's proper name.

Dave, that was the question I thought/hoped would arise. BTW, Macao or Macau? Both are acceptable, though I think the latter is now more officially preferred. I try to use it, but occasionally slip up when typing fast. All the local signage on this side of the border uses 'au'.

Michael.

[daveh]

What a wonderful word oomph is. A strange word to pronounce if you don't know it: and strange to that something with "oomph" is "00 mph" - or perhaps it should be "∞ mph".