Afghan Trader

[dubaiphil]

This is my first photo post on this forum, so please be kind!

Here's an Afghan man, who owns a small shop in the Textile Souk in Dubai. It's a great place for a walkabout, and is a photography goldmine. Most of my street and environmental portraiture in the area is processed in black and white due to the harsh flat light. Shot with a 2/35 Distagon on a Nikon D700

[Mike Buckley]

A very pleasing environmental portrait. Despite your reasons for post-processing in B&W, I do wonder if the colors of the fabrics wouldn't add to the environmental nature of the image.

[gabiser]

IMO I think B&W treatment is original in this case where we would typically expect a burst of colors, and therefore, using BW we can focus on the subject ... Maybe hilights are slightly too strong for my taste, but in a very tiny amount... Maybe also it's my screen (got to get to screen calibration tutorial asap hahaha)

Lovely! Just maybe would try to emphasize discreetely the trader's face to pop it out a bit?

great job!

[rpcrowe]

I think that this is a great environment portrait. I'd like to see a bit more contrast and a slightly tighter crop especially at the top, but that is nit picking.

[dubaiphil]

Thanks guys - IMO the colours of the fabrics make the shot a bit busy, and detract from the subject a little.