Casa de Campo Photo

Photographer’s Note

The Casa de Campo (Country House) is one of Europe's largest public parks and overlooks the city of Madrid. This place was of strategic importance during the Civil war and the remnants of earthworks can still be seen.

It has been the haunt of many prostitutes, sheep and promenading families as well as armies.......but on this day the park was mostly populated with members of the South American inhabitants of Madrid. This is a spectacular place to play football because of the view over the city but in this shot my eye was suddenly arrested by the guy peeing in the background!

MiguelP has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Homerhomer (4005) 2007-10-05 13:30

Hey Kev.
I think I am going to disagree with most of the critiques that will follow ;-)

Don't think it's a very good photo, at least not as good as most of your upload, I am a big fan of street sport photography, that's why I am inclined to write few thought on the photo even though it doesn't overly appeal to me.

Think the photo has too many elements competing with one another without any single one taking charge if you know what I mean, my eyes wonder and don't know where to stop and take a break, the photo is lost in it's complexity, and even the guy taking a leak in the background can't hold it. Alot of overlapping figures that just don't complement each other, perhaps the moment just isn't there for me. The nature didn't help as the light and the contrast isn't there, the colours seem a bit dull, converted to black and white would IMO work better..

Sorry.

Peter

ninaL (19300) 2007-10-05 14:47

Hmm...I don't feel it, Kev...
Is inspired by last Jerzy's photo ?
I think it is a missed occasion...
There is too many elements and no one is not strong enough...
Weak definition and a great dispertion...
Best regards. Grazyna.

Glint (3029) 2007-10-06 2:50

hello Kev,
I was surprised to see this upload from you and my first thought was that Kevin is having an off day.So I was interested to read the previous critiques and your response to them. This is the sort of image I am likely to post.If this had been mine and I had posted it, I would be rueful but philosophical to receive a couple of points or so, thinking that I am a rank amatuer anyway and I post for my own pleasure. I understand about your feeling some connection, that something draws you to this scene. That connection is humanity. I like to think that the pictures I post with people in them are about the human condition, even the ones that seem to be about dogs or horses; to paraphrase -it's about the people, stupid!
What I also find interesting is that there have been lots of views of this picture but so view critques or comments. This is unusual for one of your pictures. I understand that those who would normally be offering you points have shied away from this one on the basis I guess of feeling, if they can't say anything positive, say nothing at all. I think that is a pity as we are all here to learn, especially from those critiques that are not flattering.
One point for humanity (that is not the same has an one handed clap!)
regards
Bev

[2] +

MiguelP (14296) 2007-10-07 2:46

Polemic photo. No points but interesting feedbacks, which I think is also great. Maybe I play with the advantage of being in this very moment you did this photo. But the I also feel a conection, in my case with this little boy playing with the ball... Doesnt it looks to you like a reproduction of the earth? The blue, the gree... The world in their hands. Which I see reproduced here is the very same scene that probably took place 40 years back in. Germany, Swizerland or Belgium with spanish people. Bad or good photo? Well, probably is more than usual a question of get some feedback, and I do. Take care my friend.

guitianmiranda (3540) 2008-01-29 0:16

Al contrario creo que esta foto si es buena y plasma la realidad de un parque que se ha convertido en el refugio de la población latinoamericana que ha venido Madrid y que ha llenado de vida al mismo, muy decadente y abandonado en los últimos tiempos.

En la imagen observamos a los hombres y niños jugar al fútbol, pero hay tres detalles que quiero mencionar y que son la mujer que recoge la basura originada por un tremendo picnic en el que debieron participar todos presentes en la foto, el abuelo que aún sigue comiendo ya que para él la vida tiene otro ritmo y el chico del fondo haciendo pis en la valla debido a la falta de aseos públicos en el parque.

Esta foto recoge una realidad social nueva en la capital de España, una foto imposible de haber sido realizada tan solo una década atrás en el tiempo.

Un saludo.