certainly a change from yesterday's sharpness... I'm mixed on this one. I like the result, but it's hard to agree with. I guess that's part of the magic..

This is the kind of photos that I enjoy watching. It made me think of a possible story behing this compositions. For a 1/8 shutter speed it's very good.

kevin: it's been a long day, so this is probably my fault, but what did you mean by "I like the result, but it's hard to agree with."?

nuno: I suspect that if this had been sharper I probably wouldn't have liked it anywhere near as much.

I love this shot!!

I like this shot, although not having a clear foca point makes it a shot to stand back and look at, not sit at the screen studying.
With yesterdays shot, I have to say that I think the sharpness makes it. If there had been blurring at the edges it would have taen away some of the enjoyment for me.

I like shots like this very mysterious.

I agree with Chris. This is kinda one of those "Photos for Airports" shots you talked about last year. Not something I would sit and study a long time, but yet something I would admire for a bit, a passing few seconds, if I walked past it. I think the fact there is no clear focus point helps it into this category. I like the colors. Overall a nice atmospheric shot.
Off to a great start this year David, cheers.
Rob

I like it, love to sit and think about shots like this.
Love your site Dave!

Lee

Works for me, the lack of focus only adds to the image. But then I'm currently shooting a lot with my lensbaby and lack of focus in kinda part-and-parcel.

I always enjoy photographs that deal with a transition between the dark behind the scenes world into the bright world that we are a all familiar with. This shot does it well. The soft focus works to your advantage here.

makes me think of the John Rebus novel i'm reading, written by Ian Rankin...

I'm with Rob and Chris...sort of. It is a good shot if you glance and look away. Nice colours and composition. But as a shot I'm staring at for more than a few seconds, the lack of focus is frustrating (And not in a good way...)

This really brings up the idea of context. Because this shot isn't in an area where viewers will pass it by, is it still good? I'm going to say no. I'm a strong believer in art only being good if it's in the right environment/context. As part of this collection, it's not very strong. But yes, maybe on a wall in a high traffic area, it would be strong (simply because people would look at the figure only - and not look along the wall for a focus).

So, in closing, because this shot is posted on the internet where people will sit and stare at the shot - it's not strong.
But again, nice colours and composition.........later.

your eye is firstly drawn to the focused area, which is the wall, but on the opposite third you then notice the person.... i like the way the first thing that youre drawn to isnt the subject... unless your subject was the wall :$

I am not wild about the photo in most aspects, but the colours are excellent.

If I had taken this shot it would not have been worthy of posting, but you know how to edit in some special ways, to make an unworthy photo, publishable. I don't know how you do it... I would like to know because I have tried myself, but can't quite figure it out. I'm interested in knowing what the unedited photo looked like, but that is you, adding your own artistic touch to the photo.

Maybe try this again, only at 400 or 800 ISO... which would have put it at 1/16 or 1/30 of a second, easily hand-holdable.

Well, I don't hold back on commentary ander, well, I find it rather appealing. For the reason you stated. It is slightly more challenging.

Funny what floats different people's boats. I've never posted to this blog before, but this one compelled me to. I really love the colours and textures, and selective depth of field. Somehow the fact that the camera shake eliminated the focus sweet spot doesn't detract, probably because it contributes to the dreamy, slightly ethereal feeling.

I guess that's the great thing about photography; it doesn't matter what the photo looks like, really -- it's all in how you perceive it.

I love this pic...and this style of shot in general. The lack of sharpness makes it difficult, but also evokes more than usual. Yep, love it.

I'm just wondering if I'd have liked this more if the in focus bit had been further down the wall, just past half way, to draw your eye into the scene a bit more?

Gee. That ninja really needs to work on his stealth skills!

Great pic. I love it.

I, too, love this shot. It is quite magical and dreamy. I did study the photograph (not just glanced and walked away), the way the shapes highlight and fit with each other, the way the lines give that still movement and the way the light just perfectly illuminates the beautiful colors of the wall. I like the mood, I like the composition, and I like the lack of a perfect sweet spot. I do, however, agree with nogger that it would be even better had the focus point been further towards the center of the shot (down the wall). Great shot, especially for an accident.

The work "context" was used above but I'll use it in a different sense.

There are situations that a photo or other piece of art might be used to explain the situation, or the emotion of it. I think this type of shot fits that category. It might be very desirable to a magazine editor that thinks it perfectly fits a story.

But used alone, without the situation, I feel lost in it. Yes, I can wonder the story it tells but so many come to mind and none of them compel me to dig deeper. I don't feel the sense of awe that I so often feel from your shots.

To me, the attractiveness of this shot is all in the context that it might be presented.

Sharla hit it on the head. I can see this as the intro spread to a magazine story on teenagers in an urban school, maybe with some large white text (worn collegiate lettering?) on the left page: "AFTER THE BELL RINGS."

I like this one very much as a photo with a story to tell.

As for the sharpness in yesterdays photo--I thought that was one of the things that made it special. We all know birds move.

I like this shot a lot, the orange/gold color on the bricks is the first thing that gets my attentions.

I haven't commented in a while, for what that's worth.

Yesterday's gull shot left me apathetic. It's a picture of a seagull. Today's photo is the real deal.

One more thing, the guy looks like a ninja!!!

this sesms like a really commercial shot.

Where is the text advertising something?

The silloute is awesome though, as well as the brick texture.

My immediate reaction was "terrorist". Sad, I know. It's a dramatic shot, and the blurred character adds to the mystery and unease of the photo. Great texture. I'm left wondering what he (she) is up to. Made me think of "Munich".

In "Photographs for Airports" by Peter Cohen, he writes, "The airport photograph is, when it does manage to show up in its most silently potent form, like a wonderful sneaky Mona Lisa sitting quietly there off to the side of your various fascinating and boring travels, waiting for whatever dance you happen to want to dance with it just then, or even none at all (it can stand that too); the artist himself, knowing that he's scotch-taped his very best sneaky magic alongside the hallway there just waiting for you to casually pass by, smiles to himself, something also Mona Lisa-like, taking in the small pleasure of watching you glance somewhat disregardingly as you pass by, if you do, and having that work perfectly for you, and taking in the small pleasure of watching you stop there and get drawn into it's special secret magic, if the Tides in The Ocean and the Constellations over Vergaiz happen to be just right that day and if you happen to want to, and watching that work perfectly for you, and he sits there without the usual big obnoxious "THE ARTIST" name tag, suspecting without having to ever be sure, or having to say it, or having anyone else necessarily notice it, that if you were actually to carry that sneaky little Mona Lisa home with you and scotch-tape it up on your own personal front wall and live with it for about a year, that you would come back by that airport hallway some day with that very same Mona Lisa smile on your face as well.
The airport photograph has the juice, if you happen to decide that you'd like to squeeze it."

I think this is the kind of shot that really evokes an emotion in me. I am NOT simply wondering about the subject matter or, worse, the technique. I am just looking. That's great!

Interesting shot! I like the shadows.

My favorite part of this shot is the variants of the vivid colors. from lime green, to turqoise and orange... i like it a lot. it's my new background... did i mention that i use your shots as backgrounds a LOT? : ) keep it up

Great DOF dave... love it

excellent shot.. i like the tones and the perspective..

well done..

You say it lacks a clear point of focus, but I think it does. As soon as I saw it I was locked onto the cool streak of green on the wall...it isnt in focus...but for me is the point of focus. This which of course leads your eye down the wall to the figure.

i love the colours of the bricks. especially the earth red splotch and that green strip (which is a reflection of the grass?)

wonderful

Really Great!
I think your best shot.

Gorgeous color and mysterious ambiance. Fine.

Naa, to those who suggested the focus being at the centre of the picture, further down the wall, i have to disagree. If you focus at the centre it detracts from the rest of the picture.... i love it as it is. =)

"Interesting" was the first thought that popper into my head.

Its good, the weight of the colours is amazing, so much depth without any real focus!

I can't help but try and wonder what it's really like [the location for the image].
I think thats whats best about the image.

I really like the feel for the shot. My first thought was "yet another great chromasia moment", then again, I've rarely seen your page load and that I have a thought that differs from this notion. I digress... In response to your comment, I have to say that I am usually quite partial to having a particular point of focus, however, I am interested by the ambiguity of focus in this shot. More importantly, I am interested in it because it did not stem from a planned process, but instead a little unplanned work. Here I live the "seeing perfection in the imperfection" axiom - good stuff! All this to say, I am quite a fan of this shot and your shared reflection. Thanks for that!

i like this shot instantly.. i do not believe a shot have to be sharp to portray a meaning.. the great colors in this shot gives a timeless feel, as though the man is taking a long walk to somethin impt..

I love this shot for its ethereal beauty and for the stories it evokes. The wall is gorgeous. The figure adds movement and mystery. The composition is perfect.

Personally I think this is one of your more successful shots, but hey what do I know?

Thanks everyone, and despite the mixed reaction I still think this is one of my favourites in recent weeks.

sorry for a late reply. I Simply Like the result, but my brain doesn't want to. The missing focal point keeps me wondering and wandering around the frame (something that "shouldn't" happen). That's why it's hard for me to agree with the result. It just doesn't sit well... but at the same time, it's wonderful. Wow that probably made it even more confusing. I guess really, the photo defies all regulations and that's not agreeable to me (im quite conservative and stringent) but at the same time, I can't help but enjoy it.

I can't stop looking at this shot. The color is amazing. The mystery. Just wonderful.

It's brilliant, this picture does not require any focus point at all.

I think this one is fasinating. I think it looks like a clip of a film. I like the coloring you managed to get on the wall.

I really like the feel of this photo....the shadows...the spacing and the lighting along with the subject matter create a mysterious mood

great photo! great colors!

Bang up website! Love the photographs!