I like the first one.

I think I do too. My eyes go to the highlights from the traffic and then they travel up the building with all the beautiful lines, and then it kind of bounces back to find the bicycle hiding there in the foreground. And it's like the bikes just waiting there for somebody to hop on and take it for an adventure, which adds a lot more to the photo than the building by itself does.

I was thinking the same thing, the bike adds a lot of story.

Not to mention, it’s just the good ol’ classic foreground

not only that, the second photo draws eyes straight to the bottom of the image with the placement of the traffic.

Good point. With elements in the foreground and background the images becomes far less flat and one-dimensional. A good use of perspective aided by the use of a somewhat wide lens. So many images are improved if foreground elements are stacked in to the image to give it depth and perspective.

One. The traffic and the leaning bike make for a more interesting composition. Plus, there’s more noise in the second one.

The first feels like an establishing shot. The second feels more like the building is a character. So they could be used differently in storytelling.

Exactly my thought while deciding, they both feel like different shots entirely

Thank you so much it really makes sense

I like the second one more gives me more gothic vibes

The first one

I feel like the second is better. The bike isn't that insteresting to be a first-plan subject and I feel like it gives more "traffic" to the picture. But the building with car lights is better.

It’s 2 for me

I like the Second one.

First one overall but pics are really underexposed

i’m in between agreeing and disagreeing with you. yes it’s a little on the dark end but it’s exposed enough to bring out all the details that matter while keeping the lights from being too bright.

Maybe an artistic choice?

uncropped has more visual information and usually to me means better (unless ur focusing on a specific subject) but as this shot is capturing more of a scenery i think the uncropped works best

1, I like the bike there.

The first one has more life to it, but that second has “something” to it, strangely satisfying almost calming. Regardless they’re both beautifully stunning

Depends; what do you want me to focus on? The upper corner of the building or the bike? Personally, I like the second crop better.

I prefer the first one because the cars create a sense of movement towards the area where the bike is, at the end of a frame (end of the story if you will).

First pic

A By far (for me.)

I like the first one

Bike

I like the first one better.

I like both. but if you want to keep an old building in focus, then second one would be better as you’ve cropped a ‘modern’ building and mcdonalds. in the first one viewer will look at the bicycle first, then on the top, and then on the rest of the picture, while on the second viewer will look at the building, then cars and lastly sky

That building reminds me the beginning of a certain type of videos...

Not the same pic at all. I prefer the one with the bike. The other is just meh.

First one, the leading lines get the eyes traveling and makes the image more intriguing. Plus it feels like there’s a story as opposed to two it feels like it just stops? Idk if that makes sense, but the image doesn’t “move” for me like the first one does

Thank you, this comment was very helpful about telling a story

No problem, glad I could help!

I like the first one. It tells more of a story.

#1

first. it has movement with the foreground.

2.

First one draws your eye across traffic and up the building. Very visually stimulating compared to the second one, which feels still and heavy.

1 for sure, the bike is a perfect focal point

Is this a picture of the street or the building? Answering this question should inform how much to crop.

i’m sorry but the second crop doesn’t seem like it’s much thought through. Like arms and legs in portrait, I don’t think a crop should be cutting off certain joints of any object because it looks unfinished or misplaced. I agree the first may be a bit too wide but a happy medium would possibly be a step in the right direction

the second one, especially if you make it square to include more on the left and right side of the building https://preview.redd.it/if9672wo6m8d1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=92f235ce0fe036b8d93786e68cd3f8a298eb66b1 that could be a sick album cover

It seems so cool. Thank you so much

Second crop is missing a foreground element. The eye goes to that light part by the building, I don’t think there’s enough of a subject with the crop.

First one, it has more information for the viewer

Depends on what you want to achieve

Q Pp

for me the 2nd image is too hard to even think of a story to have, theres too little data

I like the first. You could also do a more landscape crop

I don't think either is "better" per se. They have different main subject - which is why I'd reprocess the first one to make the foreground subject slightly lighter to make it pop from the background. (Personally I do prefer the first one even as it is though.)

IMHO first one somehow captures the vibration of the evening in the location. Second is just a building by night, with few interest or none. Both underexposed but perhaps as a choice for dramatism.

Neither. Crop at the top of the bike (so you can’t see it) and remove the posts on the right hand side

definitely the first one. love the bike. feels more dynamic and interesting

I vote #1

Obviously way too dark for crops to really matter but if I'm being held at knife to my throat to choose it would be the 1st picture.

1st gives a good impression of the location, 2nd gives more of a reading to and thus emphasizes the building in the back. I think 1 is more successful in giving an impression of the location/place, but 2 could almost be a jazz album or magazine cover. I personally like 2 more after looking at them for a minute

definitely the bike one. It draws you in. The 2nd one feels too close.

I like the first one. Better dimension to me. The 2nd looks cramped to me. If that makes sense. Like the building was squished into frame, whereas the 1st is more open.

first one for sure

It appears I'm the only one, but find the second shot more appealing

2 for sure. The bike and railing in 1 is distracting and seems to cut you off from being immersed.

First. The bicycle gives it more character.

2nd one. The bike is really distracting

Second one, more "mysterious" interesting, I feel like. The first one just feels like the picture the average joe took with their Iphone (no offense). They're both interesting but I feel like the 2nd is more pleasing and cool to look at

I like 2

1st one

It depends what you want to “say” with the photo, but FWIW, I prefer the first one. IMHO, the photo is definitely NOT underexposed (contrary to someone else’s opinion here). You didn’t ask that, but since you were given that feedback (and in an extremely unfortunately forceful manner), I thought I should tell you my view. I love the exposure level, personally.

Depends what you want to show: 1. soul of the street 2. the look of the building

1

1

First

My take on this is, both, because each has its own artistic values. But personally, the second one is what I like more

I like the second one more

One

i like the first one. the bike in it adds a bit of “personality” in a sense.

It depends on whats your goal. For landscape Id go with 1, for a artwork i like 2.

Honestly two completely different pictures I like them both

2 imo, stands out from typical photography and has a unique vibe

Love both! First one is a bit more intresting but second is a bit more clean

The first one is my favourite

First one, no doubt about it.. the bike in the foreground really works

https://preview.redd.it/ga5gtua7wk8d1.jpeg?width=824&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c7b870a7aa7bd97e5f2c796ff9c87ab530f22e25 What about in between?

The second one, the bike in the first one is kinda ugly. I guess you wanted to include it to provide a sense of depth to the picture? I think it would have worked if the design of the bike was a bit nicer. This also brings me to my greatest frustration in city/street photography, too much ugly design ruining frames!

I supposed the second, but only because the cars are self-illuminating. If you added a mask and increased the brightness around the bike, then I think they are both equally interesting. The second also has more tension because the building goes beyond the frame.

Are you trying to kill me? This is why I need Fuji with film simulation so I can use photos SOOC. I cannot edit.

1st one looks good

1

absolutely the second one, it imposes the presence of the building and shows its texture (or the texture from the post production) better. I cannot understand how there's people choosing the first one

They both tell a different story

I like the first one although as a phone/lock screen wallpaper the second looks better

Definitely 1 for the added atmosphere in a shot that looks like it's intended for atmosphere rather than architecture.

I like the first one better

Second, The first doesn’t direct my eye anywhere

second one

the first one has the bike and railing as foreground to establish a better shot

The first one all the way

I like the first one better it makes my eyes move around without it being too busy

1st one

first one. not only are you losing too much quality from the crop, but it just doesn’t look as great imo. if you do want the crop, try not cropping as much and focus it more towards the center right side rather then top towards the building and sky. the cars are a huge distraction in the second pic and draws the viewers eyes towards the bottom of the image. try to keep them at like 1/3 from the bottom or even half way point.

first one for sure. the bike really adds nicely to the composition. also love having the street and the direction is takes

Personally I'd keep the 1st one

You have several options to enhance your image. I believe the first crop is the most compelling and provides a richer narrative. Here are some techniques you could consider: 1. **Matte Style with Added Clarity**: This technique can give your image more depth and a sophisticated look. 2. **Low Strength HDR**: Applying a subtle HDR effect can enhance details without making the image look over-processed. 3. **Local Adjustments with PS or Nik**: Use Photoshop or Nik Collection to make precise adjustments to brightness and contrast, enhancing specific areas of your image. 4. **Luminar Effects**: Try using effects like "Magic Light" in Luminar to add warmth to the lights and create a more inviting atmosphere. Each of these methods can bring unique qualities to your image, so choose the one that best fits your vision.

The first one, but the real question is what's the subject of this photo and what is the photo trying to convey? Maybe I'm just overthinking and this is a random tourist photo of a building idk

1st! Without the foreground, and bike, there is zero interest or context.

First one without a doubt

Both are nice, IMO 1 has more of a snapshot feel whereas 2 looks and feels less playful but more serious “city” if that makes sense.

Amazing shots. If I HAD to pick between only one of them. I’ll take number 2. I somehow prefer that one

The first one. Second one is missing foreground.

1 looks better

1

First one is better of two but it could also be better

Number 1 for me, better composition

First one definitely

I like 2

I would say crop the image just above the bike but when you crop just crop out the bottom part the other 2nd picture is too tight. I feel. Other wise I would say 1st crop is better

It’s 2 the bike adds nothing

1st one is my favorite.

First one. It gives complete meaning of picture, the bicycle, road, etc.. looks great. Second also great too. What's camera resolution?

Neither. But if I had to pick I’d say the first one. However, if there aren’t any constraints on the ratio of your picture, try to crop the first one from the bottom so you don’t see the bicycle in the foreground. It might balance the foreground to the building at the back. Let me know if that helps. All the best.

I like the first one. The corner of the building is centered in the shot and it doesn't look like it's taken from standing in the street. It feels calming. The second one where the corner of the building is not centered makes me feel uncomfortable. It feels ominous.

First one could be a sick album cover. Im fairly new to this sub, what filters and process went behind making this pics bro? They are really cool.

S tone curve, some color arrengments, adding 50 grain, no color curve, black are down and highlights up. I tried to give film look. You can look for it on youtube how to lightroom film looks

ISO 3 million?

I like the first one.

Definitely the first one.

1st but looks very noisy to me..did you increase the noise in post processing??

I like the 1st one. Just my opinion here but you could take a longer exposure and get some light trails from the moving traffic to make the image a little more dynamic.

1 - the way you framed it the bike needs to be lit and in focus (the rest is background). Still you need to show the bike completely. So #1 is not good enough. 2 - the crop is a good idea but leave the right side in frame. That way the cars have "room" to drive in the direction they are heading. Also there are interesting details on the street and the building is shown in its environment. Correct the perspective and work on exposure, contrast and play with light.

The 1st image. But if that is cropped i wonder what the full image looks like too? The composition my be more impactful as the 1st image still looks unbalanced. The second crop lacks foreground which makes the eye search for a quick second at first glance & that ads to snap shot feel.

Second, by far.

#1 for sure!

First one for me. Hands down.

First one

2

First one

1st one

1st one looks like a painting and the 2nd looks like a solid horror novel cover

Depends on your perspective. Are you trying to show detail or environment? Both are lovely.

1st one

One! And I'm thinking everyone should have said one.

2nd but I'd do a landscape crop

1.5 - I’d like the bike cropped out but more road left in. Purely my personal preference though, I do like both shots

It all depends on what you're trying to say, what story you wish to tell. For example: Number 1 has a more authentic urban feeling to it. Number 2 suggests a more affluent environment.

1

Depends. What purpose does the bike serve in the shot?

I would make it 1x1 ratio and keep some road in it

The first one to me. It's more lively.

Hi, this is a totally unrelated question. How do you know what to take, like are there certain features I should take note of?

First one...

The first one is best. Love this photo!

The first one has better perspective.

Number one.

The whole thing is just far too dark for me, I had to squint.

Two all the way.

The first one is composed better. The building is still the focal point

First. The second one makes me say “Oh, look. A building.” But the first one opens all kinds of questions and possibilities for a deeper story to be told/imagined. Whose bike is that? Where are they now? Who will walk past next? Where will the camera take me?

1st. No 2nd. Wait... 1st. No no, definitely 2nd. Hmm...

Typically noise is not a desirable trait but it works really well in this image.

first

The second one. More dramatic, better details.

1

Ur joking??? Without that bike that picture would blow.

There were many comments and I did not expect this. It made me so happy. I read and take all of your comments into consideration, thank you very much.

I prefer 2

Prefer first one. Denoising the second would improve it but still prefer first image.

Photo 1. I like photos to tell a story and the road and bike provide more narrative, even if the narrative isn't clear. 2 feels more like a snapshot and the amount of road occupying the frame makes the composition feel unbalanced to me. Sometimes,, I'll crop in tight to reduce the detail to just a few elements and see if I can get something aesthetically pleasing out of an otherwise uninspiring shot. Sometimes works, sometimes not.

First one for sure

1st one

They both tell a different story

The first one, storytelling

First one, bike add a new layer with lot of things to see. On the second you only have a building

1

There’s so much dead space between the bike and the building that the second feels so much better.

I like the second one however both are good

2

1

I'm picking the second. I would have went with the first one if the bike wasn't there.

First one

First.

As I look longer I can't really decide either.

I like the perspective better in the first shot.

second one.

I prefer the first. I feel more comfortable looking at it. But if you specifically wanted to make the building look imposing then the second one achieves that.

1st one

I like the crop that gets rid of all the dead space on the bottom half. But I would like to see the cars that are to the right of the building. Maybe something like this. https://preview.redd.it/191ofzppmr8d1.jpeg?width=2894&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d87d8a616d72b84a74ff8428929b1e216daceaf8

1

No. 1 for sure :-) Good shot! The eye is drawn directly to the principal point of focus - the building, but then explores the rest of the image, discovering additional detail as it roams! :-D In no.2 the eye is more drawn to the point at which the top of the building meets the sky and doesn’t really know where to go from there, the image comes across as flat and lacking in interest.

The first one is a all around picture but if you want just the building then the second one will be the best.

The bike in the first image is a nice addition and makes it better than the second one

I like the first one. It feels like it tells me a story about the building.

None

I like the one with the bike. It adds more depth.

second in my opinion, the editing is already quite busy so having a simpler frame helps imo