Nancy Axelrod  

Fish markets in Oman by Nancy Axelrod

March 2025 - Fish markets in Oman

March 2025 - Nancy Axelrod

Original

March 2025 - Nancy Axelrod

Original 2

About the Image(s)

Main photo: This was taken with my a6400 Sony APS-C camera with an 18-105mm lens at 30mm (45mm equivalent), 1/125”, f/4.0. ISO 320. Minimal post-processing to render the RAW photo more like what I saw: “Auto” setting, slight adjustment of both highlights and shadows. I should mention that, like all fish markets, the floor was littered with melted ice, fish guts and blood, and in addition to getting soaked, my pants and shoes stunk for days afterward! What we photographers will suffer for our art!

The embroidered hat worn by the main subject and two of the men in the background are specific to Oman. An observer can determine many things about the wearer, including his profession, ethnic group, where he lives, etc from the design.

Additional photo #1
This is another view of the same subject. My questions are: Does the fact that the subject is drinking coffee and consulting his phone take away from the story? Or does it add to it? Similarly, what about the two guys gesticulating in the background? I think they add to the general chaos in the market. What do others think?

Additional photo #2
This was taken in another fish market. I love the expression of the bearded guy and the fact that he is clearly interacting with the other fellow, whose nose and arm we can see. I’ve noticed that many street photographers like to include only partial features of a second subject - in this case, a nose and a seemingly disembodied hand - but I think enough of the second man is included to tell the story. What do others think?

This round’s discussion is now closed!
6 comments posted

Vinaya Mathews   Vinaya Mathews
I liked the first photo itself, sub v sharp, involved in choosing fish, other people in b/g blur, adding DOF & also adding to the environment of fish market.

in 2nd photo, the main sub is busy in drinking tea & watching mobile, which is not going with the environment which is fish market. the 2 persons in b/g are blur & as you said, adding to the chaos of market

in the 3rd photo, cropped 2nd person is not going well as composition. he should have been at least 1/3rd visible.

So my choice is definitely 1st photo. It is good street photo   Posted: 03/11/2025 11:10:59
Stan Bormann   Stan Bormann
I like the image you picked. The subject, the man picking the fish, but the environment he is in, the purchase going on complements the subject. Your explanation of the hats is interesting.

Your original 1 looks fuzzy to me, but that might be because it has been reduced for the web page. The pose of the main subject is also good and the fish in the case show more.

Original 2 doesn't work well for me. I don't like seeing so little of a second person in the image. Their conversation is part of the story of the image and it is truncated.

Whatever we say are opinions, and they will vary.   Posted: 03/23/2025 16:21:26
Michele Borgarelli   Michele Borgarelli
Hi Nancy,

I agree with comments from the others. Your picked choice is the right one. In the first original there are two stories going on and the viewer can't understand which one you decided being important. In the second one the second person almost completely out is just distracting and detrimental to the image.

Thank you for sharing your images for discussion.

Best wishes

Michele   Posted: 03/25/2025 02:39:01
Adrian Binney   Adrian Binney
Nancy - I agree too that this is the best image. Fish market with hats etc guiding re location, and importantly for me, action relating to the location. The background helps the story and is nicely blurred. My preference would be to lighten it a tad, then back out the brightening of the lights that this would do - but personal preferences.

Image 2 - has a weaker story to me and I prefer the background of no 1 than here. No 3 doesn't work for me because of lack of the left guy.

I too LOVE fish markets! We always seek them out world wide. Next month I will feature one.   Posted: 03/30/2025 08:42:14
Nancy Axelrod   Nancy Axelrod
Thank you all for your comments. I realize that evaluating photos is subjective. For what it is worth, the leader of this photo tour, who is a NatGeo photographer, felt that the fact that the main subject is using a cell phone and drinking tea in Original 1 does not detract from the story. In fact, it enhances the reality of what actually happens in the fish market. Similarly, the somewhat out of focus discussion between the two guys in the background actually contributes to the sense of chaos in the market. As for original photo 2, although he has not commented on this picture, he and other instructors have said that the best photos require the viewer to think about what is happening and to study the photo longer than with more conventional scenes in which everything is clear cut and obvious. I suspect he would like the off-kilter, partial view of the fellow on the left. But as I said, everything is subjective.   Posted: 03/31/2025 00:53:45
Michele Borgarelli   Michele Borgarelli
Nancy, thank you very much for providing more details regarding this image. As you point out assessment and evaluation of an image is a question of personal taste. I personally still believe that in the original one there are two stories going on. I visited a Cartier Bresson exhibition in Turin last week. His images although often include several subjects are famous and hit the observer, because you can immediately understand who is the main subject of the story. In your original, I can't tell it because there two stories going on. And the guys in the background are also in the most luminous part of the image. So my eye keep going there and almost ignore the main subject. I also still believe that in your second image the crop of the man on the left is excessive. I would be OK if it would be possible to see a little more of his face, or just the arm, but in this case in my humble opinion the crop is excessive or is too little.

Best wishes

Michele   Posted: 03/31/2025 15:16:05