Valerie Jardin
I like Jardin's photos because they are in black and white, which enhances the composition.
The first photo is successful because the posture of the man moves the eye through the picture. His striped shirt draws the eye to the center of the photo, but the picture still follows the rule of thirds. It has a candid feel to it, like he was just woken up from a nap.
The second photo again follows the rule of thirds. The dog's leash draws the eye across the picture, and the expressions of both the man and dog are candid. Including the dog in the shot gives the photo a playful mood.
The third photograph is obviously posed, but because the people in the picture are interesting, the photo is interesting. The people almost fill the frame, and they are all looking at the camera, which feels confrontational. All four of them are smiling and wearing aprons, contrasting their stances; the sign in the back (Brutale) draws everything together and gives the picture context. Their folded arms create repetition.
The fourth photo feels very Parisian. This is one of the few pictures that is not entirely closed form; it feels a bit cluttered. The dog is emphasized because of it's color, and it is the only one of the three subjects without his or her eyes covered. It feels very candid.
Diane Arbus
I like Arbus' photos because they show the side of people that is generally avoided, perhaps because it unsettles people. She isn't afraid to document the people society ignores.
The first photo is from her "Circus Freaks" series. It has an eerie feel, especially since the subject is doing something unnatural. The shape of the swords is repeated in the subject's stance. The lines created by the wind move the eye across the image. Even the location is significant; the blank background forces the viewer to look at the subject. There are no distractions.
The second photo is of children. They are posed and dressed like adults, and their expressions are serious. It has the feel of kids pretending to be grown up, and feeling as though they are convincing. The texture of their jackets makes them stand out from the bland background.
The third picture is different because it almost seems candid, but she could have also asked them to pose and then told them to look away from the camera. They fill the frame, and again, the background is uninteresting and is devoid of distraction. The man's legs draw the eye across the picture.
The fourth photograph is dead center, as many of her pictures are. The subject is looking directly into the camera with an almost confrontational expression. Their posture creates flowing lines, which contrasts the square chair and square in the background. The shadow is also interesting and serves to emphasize the subject even further.
The fifth picture feels the most confrontational out of the five. Her posture and expression command authority; it looks as though she caught the photographer taking her picture and is about to lecture the photographer. She also has a dignified look with her fur coat and gloves, which contrasts with the plebeian city bus.
The first photo is from her "Circus Freaks" series. It has an eerie feel, especially since the subject is doing something unnatural. The shape of the swords is repeated in the subject's stance. The lines created by the wind move the eye across the image. Even the location is significant; the blank background forces the viewer to look at the subject. There are no distractions.
The second photo is of children. They are posed and dressed like adults, and their expressions are serious. It has the feel of kids pretending to be grown up, and feeling as though they are convincing. The texture of their jackets makes them stand out from the bland background.
The third picture is different because it almost seems candid, but she could have also asked them to pose and then told them to look away from the camera. They fill the frame, and again, the background is uninteresting and is devoid of distraction. The man's legs draw the eye across the picture.
The fourth photograph is dead center, as many of her pictures are. The subject is looking directly into the camera with an almost confrontational expression. Their posture creates flowing lines, which contrasts the square chair and square in the background. The shadow is also interesting and serves to emphasize the subject even further.
The fifth picture feels the most confrontational out of the five. Her posture and expression command authority; it looks as though she caught the photographer taking her picture and is about to lecture the photographer. She also has a dignified look with her fur coat and gloves, which contrasts with the plebeian city bus.
Tavepong Pratoomwong
I like Pratoomwong's use of color in his photos. He also captures pictures at moments of strange coincidence.
The most obvious part about the first picture is the repetition of the movement in the sculpture and the person's hair. Color is also important; red is repeated with the phone and again in the sculpture. Green is in the sculpture, the neon sign on top of the building, the awning, and the plant in the background. The person's neutral colored hair contrasts with the vibrancy of the sculpture.
The second picture has unity with the color of the guy's sleeve and the color of the sky. The buildings are completely dark, and the angle creates a closed form because all the lines lead the eye into the image. The picture was taken at the perfect moment where the man's head appears disconnected from his body.
The third picture looks intentional, but I don't think it is. The fact that the statue's head is covered adds an element of symbolism. The image is balanced because of the guy on one side of the center line and the statue on the other. The shadow of a person on the wall on the left is fun. It appears to be open form, since the statue is cut off.
The fourth picture is open form, because the person in the foreground is cut off. It was taken at a decisive moment that captures the mood perfectly. The colors are also nice; blue is present throughout the image, and the red and pink stand out.
The fifth has wonderful movement. The colors are also unifying; almost everything is black and white (but the picture is still in color).
The most obvious part about the first picture is the repetition of the movement in the sculpture and the person's hair. Color is also important; red is repeated with the phone and again in the sculpture. Green is in the sculpture, the neon sign on top of the building, the awning, and the plant in the background. The person's neutral colored hair contrasts with the vibrancy of the sculpture.
The second picture has unity with the color of the guy's sleeve and the color of the sky. The buildings are completely dark, and the angle creates a closed form because all the lines lead the eye into the image. The picture was taken at the perfect moment where the man's head appears disconnected from his body.
The third picture looks intentional, but I don't think it is. The fact that the statue's head is covered adds an element of symbolism. The image is balanced because of the guy on one side of the center line and the statue on the other. The shadow of a person on the wall on the left is fun. It appears to be open form, since the statue is cut off.
The fourth picture is open form, because the person in the foreground is cut off. It was taken at a decisive moment that captures the mood perfectly. The colors are also nice; blue is present throughout the image, and the red and pink stand out.
The fifth has wonderful movement. The colors are also unifying; almost everything is black and white (but the picture is still in color).