Photo Analysis: Making Its Way Up The Hill
Light & Atmosphere
What works well:
The light is coming in from high behind the tram, which gives the scene that sort of clean yet slightly hazy look you get in the morning which is very nice as it gives you a ‘‘sense of time’’.
The yellow of the tram works against the cooler, more muted tones of the cobblestones and the shaded areas. That colour contrast/pop draws the eye straight to our subject.
The highlights running along the tram rails are a nice detail, they’re leading the viewer into the frame straight to our subject. And that little shimmer is what makes the rails feel special and visually interesting.
I like the way the buildings and street surfaces have a bit of texture from the dappled light. It breaks up the monotony of the shadows and adds some depth and interest without distracting from the tram.
What could be better:
The sky up in the background is a bit bright. It’s pulling a some attention away from the tram. Bringing it down a stop or so would make the tram feel even more like the main character. Another possible option would have been to simply catch the tram a little sooner (further away from the light).
On the front of the tram, the light shifts quite abruptly from shadow to bright. A softer transition there would feel a bit more natural to the eye as you look from the street surface/leading lines onto the tram.
Composition & Framing
What works well:
The tram rails are doing basically all the compositional work. They start way down in the foreground and naturally pull your eye up to the tram. It is a great use of the tracks and it transforms this ‘‘ordinary’’ scene into something more interesting and special. Tram tracks work especially great as leading lines since they literally go directly to your subject.
Another cool thing about this photos is the depth from having the foreground out of focus but the tram tack-sharp. That drop-off really helps you feel the distance between you and the subject.
There is nice layering here too: the foreground, the tram and cars in the midground, the buildings framing everything and then the far background.
What could be better:
The foreground being so prominent works for depth and does exaggerate the leading lines in a nice way, but it also starts to overwhelm and it creates a bit of visual imbalance (ever so slightly). Not getting quite so close to the ground or tilting the camera up a bit could have fixed that.
The left side is a little tight where the parked car gets cut off. Repositioning or taking the shot a bit sooner/later could have been an option. To be fair however, it would have been tricky to get it all right: the shadow/light area, the leading lines, no cut-off etc.
Emotion & Story
What works well:
The tram instantly puts us in a specific place, Lisbon. And because it’s one of those classic/iconic yellow ones, it has this built-in nostalgia.
The road being completely clear (no cars driving, no people walking) gives the image a sense of calm. It does feel like a quiet morning in the city before everything gets busy (the light helps to get that point across as well).
What could be better:
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