I like this one, but I don't know why

[River Dog]

Maybe it's the woman with playing with her hair or the muscles of the guy with the paper, or the empty seat between them. I know it captures exactly what I saw on a hot, stormy evening in London last Friday, when the Olympics was just kicking off.

If you like it, perhaps you could tell me why. Or is just me?

[buzzardkid]

Great shot.

First thing I come to notice is the great and even lighting. I think that makes a big difference in this shot. Consistent colors and no light falloff towards the corners all add to the image impact.

There's interesting things going on outside the frame as well. Look at the panther print trousers and furry slipper left bottom side, the waving hand of the unknown partner the woman is talking to, the cut-off heads of the unkown travellers top left: there's a lot more going on in this shot.

I also like the fuzzy train tube and the waving hand, opposed to the tack sharp overall image.

[nikon_sam]

I like it because it's a scene anyone (well, most anyone) can relate to...the lighting is great and no one is looking at the photographer...it's like being in the Tube, looking at this before you without a camera...you're so close to them but they don't see you...

[Sparrow]

No it isn't just you, its simply well composed ...

The figure off to the bottom right, the hand leading the eye back into the frame and the feet and legs at the bottom right all help retain one's attention on the two subjects

Then there's the gestalt repetition thing going on in the floor, handrails and windows.

Both the subjects are cleanly framed and their arms and pose in general leads the eye to their faces ... the good DOF gives lots of detail to entertain the viewer while the composition both retains, and leads the eye round the frame

[mfogiel]

It reminds a bit this shot here, that's perhaps why it feels familiar:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...Q9QEwAA&dur=86
BTW, to be completely frank, I prefer the Winogrand's picture

[semordnilap]

Blues and reds, but mostly the blues, between her dress, the seat, his shirt, and the text behind the window. The rear is where the picture falls off for me... I wish the girl in pink were wearing a similarly hued blue, or at least that her bag was, or the guy standing in gray in the back. But the red pole in front and the figure in red all the way in the back make for nice bookends. Then there's the repetition of papers, and big handbags...

[greyelm]

I like it, great colours & composition. It shows that despite being in a crowded tube train people are in little worlds of their own.

[doolittle]

For me it's the red of the hand bag being echoed in the red of the hand rail and the 'No Smoking' sign. Makes the lady holding the bag stand out. Plus the blue of the 'No Smoking' gets echoed too. Interesting image!

[taskoni]

I find the hand and the cut out figure on the right distracting and the framing too compressed - the diagonal is sort of working but makes me want to see in this shot a bit more in the perspective, kind of wider shot would work better for me. And while the shot is technically fine I am left waiting for more to happen in there...

Regards,

Boris

[filmfan]

Content is lacking. Just looks like another day on the subway to me. Maybe you need to incorporate this shot into a series for it does not hold up as a single image.

[River Dog]

Thanks for all your comments. They really help me 'read' a photo. I still like it for the colour and warmth of a day on the Tube.

[BobYIL]

Don't touch it.. It's a fine photo, more than that it's a "correct" photo, that's why it catches interest graphically although none of the subjects involved can be regarded as interesting.

It's "correct" because the diagonal has been employed perfectly to enhance the perspective, appropriate aperture chosen to not wipe-off the effect of the extending perspective down to end of the wagon (as many of us tend to use wide open to eliminate the background), ordinary but of different variety of subjects "located" on different planes of distance to create interest of form; eye follows them down thru the diagonal.

Alex Webb, David Alan Harvey and William Albert Allard do apply such "principles" to turn ordinary into extraordinary, especially with color their subjects usually happen to be not-interesting ones to be pictured individually. One of our members here "hyyd87" employs the same for stunning results. It is a technique and I wish you turn this seeing in correct form into a habit.

[ironhorse]

I'll jump in and agree that the diagonal subject line draws you right into the picture.